Vision is one of our most important senses in everyday life. Vision problems that naturally occur with age can significantly impair our quality of life and health. Eye diseases can have many causes. It is not always age-related changes that rob us of our vision. Diabetes, high blood pressure, or congenital factors can also be to blame. That is why regular eye exams with an ophthalmologist (an eye care specialist) are so important.
Ophthalmology is the study of the eyes and the sense of vision, as well as their treatment. Vision is a complex process. Parts of the facial skull and the brain play an active role in it.
Therefore, these areas fall within the scope of an eye specialist’s practice:
Due to the anatomical location of the visual system and the eyes, ophthalmology overlaps with the fields of dermatology and neurology.
Ophthalmologists primarily deal with:
Glaucoma progresses slowly; damage to the optic nerve does not lead to visual disturbances until many years later @ Pixel-Shot /AdobeStockAn acute glaucoma attack is particularly dangerous. It involves a blockage in the drainage of aqueous humor from the eyeball, causing intraocular pressure to rise sharply.
This results in excruciating pain and poses a risk of blindness. An acute glaucoma attack is an ophthalmological emergency. Therefore, an eye specialist must treat it immediately.
The following procedures and standards are commonly used for diagnosis:
The measurement of intraocular pressure is called tonometry @ Microgen /AdobeStockHealth insurance plans do not cover the costs of all these procedures, even though they are mostly important preventive examinations. An eye specialist can provide you with further details during a personal consultation.
Of course, ophthalmology is not limited to the mere diagnosis of eye diseases. Today, doctors can correct the cornea and replace a clouded lens.
Surgery also plays a major role in ophthalmology, and many eye surgeries are routinely performed.
Eye clinics have the highest concentration of specialists in eye surgery.
The following procedures are routinely performed there:
Refractive surgery encompasses all surgical methods that can correct the eye’s refractive power and thus improve visual acuity. This eliminates the need for glasses or contact lenses. Laser surgery (LASIK for short) has become particularly well-known in this field.
Anyone wishing to establish a career in ophthalmology must complete a 5-year residency program in Germany to become a board-certified ophthalmologist.
In addition, the future eye specialist must have sufficient practical knowledge of surgical techniques. For this reason, the physician completes a two-year clinical training phase during their residency to become an eye specialist.
Every physician listed in the Leading Medicine Guide has attained the highest level of training and certification within their respective medical specialty society. Furthermore, we contacted this physician based, among other factors, on their case volume (surgeries, treatments, and therapies), which we determined by cross-referencing various publicly available sources. Following discussions with the selected physicians and the directors of the medical facilities, as well as a subsequent internal review, they were admitted to the Leading Medicine Guide.
The quality assurance of the Leading Medicine Guide is further ensured by 8 admission criteria. Each member must meet at least 6 of them:
