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Ophthalmology Courses in India provide the essential education of medical and surgical eye problems. Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine which deals with the diseases and surgery of the visual pathways, including the eye, hairs, and areas surrounding the eye, such as the lacrimal system and eyelids. Disorders of the eye include cataracts, diabetes-related, hypertension related, partial blindness, and loss of vision amongs other problems. Ophthalmology education includes training to cure various eye problems and provide lens specifications for those with myopia or hyper myopia. Ophthalmology Eye Specialists are known as 'Ophthalmologist'. An ophthalmologist is a medically trained doctor, who commonly acts as both physician and surgeon. There is certain amount of confusion regarding Ophthalmology and Optometry. Though both deal with eye care, the major difference amongst them is that Ophthalmology is broader field where medicine can be prescribed by the practitioner while Optometry is a narrow field restrictive to primary eye care.

List of Ophthalmology courses in India

Some of its specialized fields are -

• Anterior segment surgery.
• Cataract.
• Cornea, ocular surface, and external disease.
• Glaucoma.
• Medical retina - It deals with treatment of retinal problems through non-surgical means.
• Neuro-ophthalmology.
• Ocular oncology.
• Oculoplastics & Orbit surgery.
• Ophthalmic pathology.
• Paediatric ophthalmology/Strabismus (mis-alignment of the eyes).
• Refractive surgery.
• Uveitis/Immunology.
• Veterinary ophthalmology.
• Vitreo-retinal surgery - It deals with surgical management of retinal and posterior segment diseases and disorders. Medical retina and vitreo-retinal surgery sometimes together called posterior segment sub-specialisation.

Content

The study of this field includes all or few of these –

1. Ocular Physiology.
2. Basic physics of optics.
3. Ocular Pathology.
4. Preservative media.
5. Micro-surgical instruments.

Objectives

• To prevent blindness amongst those who suffer from it.
• To contribute towards eye care through pioneering research.
• To acquire the abilities of clinical specialist, a teacher and a researcher.

Basic Requirements and Education

Candidates who have passed 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology are eligible with certain percentage requirements.
There are three-year postgraduate degree (MD and MS) and two-year postgraduate diploma programmes available in Ophthalmology for MBBS graduates who complete the compulsory rotatory resident internship.
Admission into these courses offered by medical colleges run by the Union and State governments, are made through the All-India Postgraduate Medical Entrance Examination conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences or AIIMS, New Delhi. Some state quotas are also filled by the state concerned through State-level medical postgraduate entrance test. 

Ophthalmology Institutes in India

1. All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.
2. Manipal University, Manipal.
3. Christian Medical College, Vellore.
4. Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
5. Government Medical Colleges, Thiruvanantapuram.
6. Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Kochi.
7. Annamalai University, Rajahmuthiah Institute of Health Sciences.

Personal Attributes

A passion for surgery, technology, like attention to detail, having a good manual dexterity, binocular vision and will to make a difference to a patient’s life.

Job Perspectives

Candidates with expertise in this field have numerous career options for themselves. Every major super-speciality hospital has an eye department, which needs ophthalmologists. They are also employed by the hospitals run by the PSU’s, Defence, and Railways. Many trained eye doctors prefer to set up their own person nursing homes. After gaining an experience, there are posts for professors in medical colleges for them. Central and state governments recruit ophthalmologists for hospitals run by them. Departmental hospitals run by Railways and Defence and hospitals run by PSU are also a good option available to ophthalmologists. However most of the ophthalmologists prefer private hospitals, nursing homes and clinics because of high pay packages. Experienced ophthalmologists also can start their own eye-clinics. Some of them also can work with NGOs, missionary hospitals and charitable hospitals. Highly qualified and experienced ophthalmologists can work as faculty in government and private medical colleges. They also can involve themselves in research activities of organizations like ICMR. Employment prospects are also good in the foreign countries. There is huge demand for Indian ophthalmologists in abroad particularly in USA, UK, Australia and Gulf countries.

Remuneration

Ophthalmology is a highly remunerative career option. A fresh ophthalmologists working in government hospitals can earn Rs 12,000- 15,000 per month. Private sector hospitals offer very high pay packages to ophthalmologists, which may be within the range of Rs 25,000-40,000 per month. While working one can also earns from part-time private practising in some eye-clinics. Senior eye-surgeons can earn Rs 60,000 to 1 lac for month.

Some Job Types

• Consultants.
• Ophthalmic Nurses.
• Visual Function Technicians.
• Ocular Prosthetists.
• Orthoptists.
• Optometrists (Opticians).
• Ophthalmic Photographers.
• Electrophysiologists.
• Professors.
• Clinical Assistants.
• Associate Specialist.

Some Employment Areas

1. Medical schools.
2. Hospitals.
3. Consultancy.
4. Research Companies.
5. Health Agencies.
6. Private Practice.
7. Laboratories.
8. Pharmaceutical Companies.
9. Surgical Equipment Manufacturers.