Ophthalmology: Conditions, Diagnostics, and Surgical Treatments

Ophthalmology is the medical-surgical specialty devoted to the eye, orbit, and visual pathways.

Major Conditions Treated

• Cataract: Lens opacification → blurred vision, glare; treated with phacoemulsification + IOL implantation.
• Glaucoma: Optic neuropathy from elevated IOP (usually); medical, laser (SLT, LPI), surgical (trabeculectomy, tubes, MIGS).
• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD): Dry (AREDS2 vitamins) vs. wet (anti-VEGF intravitreal injections).
• Diabetic retinopathy: Non-proliferative → proliferative; laser, anti-VEGF, vitrectomy.
• Strabismus: Misalignment; prism, botox, surgery (recession/resection).
• Amblyopia: “Lazy eye”; patching, penalization, vision therapy.
• Corneal disorders: Keratoconus (cross-linking), dystrophies, infections, transplants (PK, DSEK, DMEK).
• Retinal detachment: Emergency; pneumatic retinopexy, scleral buckle, vitrectomy.
• Uveitis: Inflammatory; steroids, immunomodulators, implants.
• Ocular oncology: Retinoblastoma, melanoma, lymphoma.

Key Diagnostic Tools

• Visual acuity, refraction, slit-lamp biomicroscopy
• Dilated fundus exam, OCT (optical coherence tomography), OCT-A
• Visual field (Humphrey), tonometry (Goldmann, iCare)
• Fluorescein/ICG angiography, fundus photography
• Corneal topography, pachymetry, specular microscopy
• B-scan ultrasound, UBM (ultrasound biomicroscopy)
• Electrophysiology (ERG, VEP, EOG)

Common Surgical Procedures

• Cataract surgery (phaco + IOL: monofocal, toric, multifocal, EDOF, light-adjustable)
• Glaucoma: MIGS (iStent, Hydrus, XEN), trabeculectomy, tube shunt, cyclophotocoagulation
• Retina: vitrectomy, membrane peel, scleral buckle, pneumatic retinopexy
• Cornea: PK, DSEK, DMEK, DALK, CXL
• Refractive: LASIK, PRK, SMILE, ICL, RLE
• Oculoplastics: blepharoplasty, ptosis repair, orbital decompression, lacrimal surgery
• Strabismus: recession, resection, adjustable suture

Ophthalmologists preserve sight and quality of life through medical and surgical innovation.