The Complete Guide to Becoming An Ophthalmologist, Except Pediatric

Chapter 1: What Does a Ophthalmologist, Except Pediatric Actually Do?

Let's start by clearing away the most common misconception people bring into this field. When you tell someone you're thinking about ophthalmology, their first question is usually something like "So, you'd be doing laser eye surgery all day?" It makes sense. LASIK is the most visible thing an eye doctor does in popular culture. But it is a tiny slice of the job, and if you're entering this career because you think it's all elective laser surgery with a six-figure income, you're setting yourself up for a surprise.

Here's what an adult ophthalmologist actually does: they diagnose, medically treat, and surgically manage diseases of the eye and visual system in patients aged 18 and up. That's the real definition.

Now let's translate that into what a week actually looks like.

Most adult ophthalmologists work in one of two main settings. The first is private practice, which can range from a solo office to a large multi-physician group. The second is academic medicine, where you work at a university hospital, split your time between patient care and teaching residents. A smaller number work in hospital-owned practices, VA hospitals, or large health maintenance organizations like Kaiser Permanente. The core work is the same across these settings, but the pace and your days differ. In private practice, you're usually seeing more patients in less time. In academia, you get fewer patient hours but you're also teaching and doing research.

Inside that work, you're