What is ophthalmology?

Ophthalmology, a medical-surgical and optical specialty, deals with the anatomy, physiology and disorders of the eye. Beyond the traditional corrections of visual acuity through the prescription of glasses or lenses, ophthalmology covers the most serious eye diseases, such as cataracts, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.

When to see an ophthalmologist

Eye testing is systematic at the age of six months and then at the beginning of primary school and senior school. The ophthalmologist, a specialist that can be consulted without GP referral, should be seen when a patient notices visual problems, pain, redness and/or eye fatigue. If toxic products get into the eye or if the patient notices any sudden manifestation (lightning, black spots, altered colours, etc.), an ophthalmologist should be urgently consulted. Even if the patient displays no systems, it is still recommended that people with a family history of hypertension, diabetes and eye diseases, those exposed to the sun and smokers have regular check-ups. Three out of 10 consultations for visual correction detect eye disease.

Optical, medical and surgical care provided by the ophthalmologist

With a few rare exceptions, ophthalmologists are unique in that they deal with the vast majority of eye disease procedures by themselves. An orthoptist (ocular rehabilitation specialist) will also often intervene in procedures outside their own field. The ophthalmologist performs the following types of test:

• Detecting refractive abnormalities (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism)
• Detecting accommodation disorders (presbyopia)
• Biomicroscopic examinations
• Eye ultrasounds
• Retinal angiography (fundus diseases)
• Optical coherence tomography that performs cross-sectional imaging of the eye (to detect tumours, retinal lesions, oedema and macular degeneration).

Since the 1990s, ophthalmologists have routinely used laser surgery, both in treating vision defects and diseases of the lens (cataract), the optic nerve (glaucoma) and the retina.