A course in ophthalmology offers the prospects of a bright future. Explore this article to learn more.

Career Advice & Tips: Career in Health Care

Ophthalmology Courses

Remember when all the images produced by your retina appeared blurred or in double? Remember when you had to squint to see what your chemistry teacher doodled on the blackboard? If you were the fortunate kid to have sailed through school and college without repeating the monotonous alphabet sequence over and over at the ophthalmologist’s clinic, I’m sure many of your friends and classmates did. Eye disorders befall a major chunk of the universe. If every bespectacled being were to be labelled as a “nerd”, nerds would indeed rule the world. Most disguise their visual weaknesses with contact lenses or laser surgery, both of which are phenomenal sources of revenue for a budding ophthalmologist. Moreover, demand for ophthalmologists has shot through the roof due to rapidly escalating incidences of cataract, night blindness, astigmatism, eye infections and what not. Professional medical diagnosis for eye diseases is imperative as no sane person would dare to neglect his or her eyesight. If you have a soft corner and a distinctive interest for ophthalmology, this article will help you find the course most suitable to your prerequisites and will pave the way to a flourishing career.

Courses In Ophthalmology

Eligibility
For anybody aspiring to do a bachelors course in ophthalmology must be done with his or her high school studies (10 +2) or an equivalent, preferably with flying colours. It is essential that the concerned applicant should compulsorily have a thorough science background. For those that hold a bachelor’s degree in this field, or an MBBS certificate are well qualified to pursue a ‘Masters in Ophthalmology’. To gain admission, the applicant must have secured the stipulated percentage of marks, which are usually high so as to shortlist the stronger links. Since Bachelors in Ophthalmology is rare, a trusted route is to do a standard undergraduate science program followed by four years of medical school and substantial experience. Getting through to medical school will be hard and involves several entrance exams to test proficiency in science, mathematics, English and one’s passion for the subject.

Details Of The Course
Any course in ophthalmology will comprise a comprehensive and remarkable plethora of theoretical and practical science objects, depending on the degree of specialization. An aspiring ophthalmologist must venture deep into the arena of the eye functions, the diseases and the most reliable diagnostics. The topics generally include:

Basic Ocular Epidemiology
Anatomy of the Eyelid
Embryology of the Eye
Lens Development
Cornea & sclera
Optical Coherence Tomography
White Dots & Black Dots
Basic Neuro-Ophthalmology
Fluorescein Angiography
Visual Fields (Assessment in Glaucoma)
Ocular Motor
Imaging & Photoreceptors
Transplantation
Childhood Retinal Dystrophies
Ocular Malformation
Optic Neurophrathies & Double Vision
Unexplained Visual Loss
Complications of Refractive Surgery
Corneal Distrophy & Ocular Surface Disorder
Ocular Adnexa Disease
Gene Therapy & Retinal Transplantation
Diabetic Retinopathy
Trauma & Complications from Cataract Surgery
Role of the orbital Connective Tissue Apparatus in Binocular Alignment

Specialization
An individual who wishes to specialize in ophthalmology will have to focus on several aspects of the human anatomy and chemistry while pursuing his or her MBBS. Even if ophthalmology revolves round the eye, an ophthalmologist must be well aware and informed of the bodily reactions to various stimuli. However, diplomas and masters offer various specializations ranging from Ocular Oncology (Cataract and Refractive Surgery) to Oculoplastics (Corneal and External Eyes Diseases), Neuro-Ophthalmology, Paediatric Ophthalmology and the list goes on. Although, the scope for ophthalmology might seem limited, the specializations dilate to broader extremities as does the pupil.

Career Prospects
We all know the role of an ophthalmologist is indispensable. People with strict budget restrictions will nonetheless invest in quality eye treatment and that’s how lucrative the field is. Ophthalmology holds tremendous scope in terms of research, expanding one’s mind and inspiring him or her to progress. Prospects include monetary and self-gratifying gains from private eye consultations, making valuable contributions to ophthalmology interventions, and the opportunities to participate in advanced research activities.

Some Of The Best Institutes Offering Courses In Ophthalmology

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), New Delhi, India
University of Mississippi Medical Center, Mississippi, USA
Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry, India
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, USA
Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
EdinburghFoundation Course inOphthalmology, Edinburgh, Scotland
Maharashtra Institute Of Medical Sciences & Research, Latur, Maharashtra, India
Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India