A comprehensive eye exam can identify symptoms of diseases that affect the rest of the body like high blood pressure and diabetes.

When choosing an eye care professional, look for a doctor who prioritizes patient education and encourages open communication to create a strong doctor-patient relationship. Verify their credentials and experience. Contact Baltimore Eye Physicians now!

After completing a bachelor’s degree (typically in a science-related subject), aspiring doctors must attend medical school to obtain either an MD or a DO. In order to gain admittance to a medical school, students must take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

After graduating from med school, ophthalmologists complete an internship and residency in which they practice medicine under the supervision of experienced physicians. During this time, they gain hands-on experience managing patients with different systemic conditions in a variety of hospitals and tertiary care centers. They also receive training in conducting physical examinations and identifying and diagnosing ailments.

During their residencies, doctors complete rotations in internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics/gynecology, along with other specialized rotations. It is during these years that doctors develop their clinical skills and begin to specialize in ophthalmology.

The next step is becoming board-certified in ophthalmology. This requires passing the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination for MDs) or COMLEX (Comprehensive Osteopathic Medicine Licensing Exam for DOs). Once doctors have passed these exams, they are eligible to work in ophthalmology clinics, hospitals and private practices.

After a doctor has completed their residency and received board certification, they can choose to pursue additional specialty training in a specific field of ophthalmology through a fellowship. During a fellowship, ophthalmologists can learn to treat conditions such as retinal diseases, corneal diseases and surgery, eye infections and injury, as well as glaucoma.

For those that have already passed the USMLE and COMLEX, a fellowship can help them advance in their careers quickly. It can even lead to a higher salary, which is not uncommon for residents who have been matched with a fellowship. At Pacific, we offer a wide range of fellowship opportunities at top-tier programs throughout the country. Our connections with these programs allow our students to refine their passions into intense and expert specializations that can help them excel in their careers. This extra training is what sets our graduates apart from other doctors in the industry. It is also what helps them provide their communities with the best possible eye health care.

Residency

Residency is a time of intense learning that allows the physician to build upon the foundation of basic and clinical science knowledge that they established during their undergraduate education. Residency also gives them the opportunity to practice a variety of eye-related medical and surgical procedures under the supervision of experienced faculty members. It is also a time to build a network of mentors that will follow them into their future careers in both the private and academic worlds.

In addition to clinical care at four hospitals in the Syracuse metropolitan area – Upstate Medical University Hospital, Golisano Children’s Hospital and Crouse Hospital and the Veterans Administration Medical Center – residents have the opportunity to attend weekly Grand Rounds case presentations and to participate in teaching conferences, including Rotating Clinical Conference, Morbidity and Mortality Conference, Cataract Surgery Conference and Fluorescein Angiography Conference. These opportunities provide an excellent foundation for the development of critical thinking skills and a sound understanding of the breadth of sub-specialty ophthalmology.

During their residency, the resident physicians are involved in an extensive program of organized didactic lectures covering all the major subspecialty areas of ophthalmology. In the clinic areas, they encounter a broad range of challenging clinical cases involving congenital and acquired diseases of the eyelids, lacrimal system, orbital tissues and the adjacent structures. They also see patients with systemic illnesses that affect the eyes, including thyroid disease and infectious and inflammatory diseases of the cornea and ocular sockets.

The residency program is closely aligned with the Basic and Clinical Sciences Course published by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The first year of the residency, known as the internship year (PGY1) is an ACGME-accredited transitional year that introduces new medical school graduates to a rigorous system of evaluation. In the following years, residents are progressively granted increasing independence in patient management. In addition to the clinical experience, residents are also encouraged to pursue ophthalmic research and present at national scientific meetings.

Choosing to undertake a residency can dramatically change the direction of a doctor’s career. The decision should be carefully considered and must take into account a personal assessment of professional needs and curiosities, as well as a thorough examination of financial considerations.

Fellowship

Once a physician has completed medical school, internship and residency, they can pursue advanced training in their specialty through a fellowship. Fellowships are typically 1-2 years long and allow doctors to further explore their interest in the field. They often serve as a good credential for future employment and can help distinguish a doctor from their peers.

Our oculofacial surgery fellowship offers a unique and comprehensive experience in an academic environment. Fellows work side by side with the oculofacial surgeons and staff at KEI, Sinai Hospital and affiliate sites and are exposed to both bread and butter oculoplastic cases as well as complex surgical cases. They also have the opportunity to participate in the glaucoma service where they are exposed to an excellent variety of glaucoma patients including those requiring complicated cataract and laser procedures.

In addition, our retinal disease fellowship allows fellows to be exposed to a large number of complex clinical and surgical situations involving medical and surgical management of vitreoretinal diseases. During weekly retinal conferences and the annual conference, fellows review classic and current cases with the faculty and discuss all aspects of diagnosis and management. Fellows also attend weekly fluorescein angiography/imaging conferences and quarterly focused ophthalmology rounds. During their fellowship, they are expected to feel comfortable diagnosing and managing all aspects of medical and surgical vitreoretinal disease.

During the fellowship, candidates are required to prepare their curriculum vitae and select a Fellow for their proposer who can attest that they are a strong candidate for Fellowship. They must then complete their proposed plan to earn 50 points of written work, and submit it with the other application materials to the Academy.

If the fellow is international, they must obtain a Section 2111 appointment through UCLA’s Visa & Licensing office before being eligible to engage in patient contact under direct supervision of the faculty. This process is necessary to ensure that the fellow is legally able to perform clinical activity and has not violated their home country’s licensure laws. The candidate must also have a letter of support from their ministry of health or medical council that their license is in good standing.

Practice

Every person needs to see a doctor at some point, and many visit eye care professionals on a regular basis. These include ophthalmologists, optometrists, and opticians. They all specialize in different areas of eye care and have varying educational backgrounds, but all have your best interests at heart when it comes to your health.

Ophthalmologists are doctors and surgeons who have completed medical school and a residency in ophthalmology. They are able to perform surgery and laser procedures on the eye, and they can diagnose and treat such conditions as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration. They also prescribe medications for eye diseases and other issues.

Optometrists are licensed to perform eye exams and recommend corrective lenses, such as glasses or contacts. They are trained at accredited optometry colleges and have a four-year degree. They can identify and diagnose refractive errors, which cause blurry vision. Optometrists can also fit and repair contact lenses and frames. They can also recommend other treatments, such as laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis or photorefractive keratectomy for vision correction.

Ophthalmic technicians and technologists are highly trained assistants who help eye care practitioners with more complex tests or operations. They can take photographs or scans of the eye, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fluorescein angiography, and they may assist with the preparation of surgical tools for an eye surgery procedure.

The eyes are extraordinarily complex, and they contain pigmented cells, a rich network of blood vessels, and connective tissue. Because of this, many systemic diseases, such as diabetes, ocular herpes, hypertension, sleep apnea, and sickle cell disease can have an impact on the eyes. These diseases can affect your eyesight and can also be a warning sign of other medical issues, so it’s important to keep up with regular eye care and see an eye doctor to ensure that you don’t develop an illness that impacts your vision.

Your eye health is extremely important, and maintaining healthy eyesight should be a priority for everyone. It’s a good idea to make an appointment with an eye doctor every one or two years, depending on your age and other factors such as if you wear glasses or contacts.