Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is a medical and surgical specialty focused on diagnosing and treating eye disorders. Ophthalmologists are medical experts trained to provide both surgical and medical care for eye conditions. If a patient shows signs of cataracts, eye infections, optic nerve issues, or other eye diseases, a general practitioner may refer them to an ophthalmologist. The field of ophthalmology encompasses all aspects of vision health and eye function, including disease management. Interestingly, ophthalmology also applies to animal eyes, as many eye functions and diseases are similar between humans and animals.
About Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is a medical specialty dedicated to the surgical and medical care of the eyes. Ophthalmologists are the only professionals fully qualified to provide the entire range of eye and vision care, including surgeries, prescriptions, diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases, and vision correction with glasses or contact lenses. While general ophthalmologists treat a variety of eye conditions, subspecialist ophthalmologists often focus on a specific condition or group of related conditions.
Common subspecialties within ophthalmology include:
Pediatric Ophthalmology: Focuses on eye disorders in infants and young children, including conditions like strabismus (misaligned eyes).
Neuro-Ophthalmology: Addresses vision issues resulting from nervous system disorders, particularly those affecting the brain.
Ophthalmic Pathology: Involves diagnosing eye-related cancers and tumors (also known as ocular oncology) and other neoplastic eye conditions.
Procedure of Ophthalmology
Advancements in medical science have led to a variety of minimally invasive and specialized ophthalmic procedures to address a wide range of eye conditions.
Pneumatic Retinopexy: A non-incisional procedure to treat retinal detachment. The surgeon injects a gas bubble into the center of the eye to reattach the retina.
Scleral Buckle: Used to treat various types of retinal detachments, this procedure flattens the retina and seals breaks by placing a buckle around the eye to support the retina.
Corneal Cross-Linking: A minimally invasive procedure used to straighten the cornea, involving the application of UV light and eye drops to strengthen corneal collagen fibers.
Corneal Inlays: A surgical solution for presbyopia, a condition that reduces near vision due to the lens’s decreased flexibility. This procedure enhances near vision by placing an implant in the cornea.
Radial Keratotomy: One of the earliest procedures for correcting myopia (nearsightedness), where distance vision is blurred. Small incisions are made in the cornea to flatten it and improve distance vision.
Goniotomy: A minimally invasive surgery for treating glaucoma. The surgeon creates an opening in the trabecular meshwork to facilitate fluid drainage and reduce eye pressure.
These ophthalmic procedures reflect the evolving techniques available to manage and treat a wide array of eye disorders effectively.