OPOphthalmologist
OP
Career

Ophthalmologist

By the numbers
Typical pay
$300,080 / yr
Education to start
Doctoral or professional degree
Future demand
+4.3% by 2034
People in this job
9K
Figures shown for ·1 O*NET occupation
The work
Watch · day in the life
A day, hour by hour
07:30
Chart review

Scan today's patient files, flag complex cases before clinic opens.

08:00
Clinic: morning patients

Back-to-back exams — OCT scans, slit-lamp checks, pressure readings.

09:45
Judgment call

Cataract is dense — decide: schedule surgery now or watch another month?

10:30
Imaging review

Compare serial OCT scans to see if glaucoma damage is quietly advancing.

11:15
Patient consult

Explain a new macular degeneration diagnosis in plain, calm language.

12:00
OR: cataract surgery

Microsurgery under a microscope — remove lens, implant a new one.

14:00
Clinic: afternoon patients

Post-op checks, diabetic retinopathy screenings, prescription adjustments.

15:45
Documentation

Write surgical notes, finalize billing codes, update chronic-disease plans.

16:30
End-of-day triage

Review urgent messages — one patient's vision dropped, needs a same-day call.

Things you do
  • Perform microsurgery on eyes, like removing cataracts or repairing retinas.
  • Examine eyes with high-tech tools to spot disease early.
  • Diagnose conditions like glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic eye damage.
  • Prescribe medications, glasses, or surgery based on each patient's needs.
  • Monitor patients with chronic eye disease and adjust treatment over time.
Decisions you’ll make
  • Is this cataract ready for surgery, or can it wait a while longer?
  • Do I operate on this eye now, or try treating it with drops first?
  • Is this blurry vision just aging eyes, or a sign of something serious?
  • Should I keep this patient's glaucoma on medication, or move to surgery?
  • Do these eye symptoms point to a bigger disease in the whole body?
Education Pathways · how you get there
90 in 100 went the college route · 10 in 100 found another way in None, typically
Education mapped from O*NET:Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric · 98% related
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