Medical Ophthalmological Society
Medical Ophthalmology is an emerging medical specialty in the United Kingdom. In the future it is expected that there will be one medical ophthalmologist per population of 263,000. The primary purpose of the specialty is the medical assessment, investigation, diagnosis and management of disorders affecting vision, particularly:
1. Inflammatory disorders affecting vision (e.g. uveitis, scleritis, corneal graft rejection, systemic vasculitis)
2. Vascular disorders affecting vision (e.g. diabetes, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, stroke)
3. Neurological disorders affecting vision (e.g. multiple sclerosis, stroke, pituitary disorders, thyroid eye disease)
4. Public visual health (e.g. diabetic retinopathy screening)
Other important aspects include:
5. Genetic disorders affecting vision (e.g. retinitis pigmentosa)
6. Retina specific disorders affecting vision (e.g. age-related macular degeneration)
7. Visual rehabilitation (e.g. age-related macular degeneration)
8. Ophthalmic procedures particularly laser therapy for diabetic retinopathy and local injection therapy for age-related macular degeneration.
The medical ophthalmologist requires a variety of clinical skills beyond expertise in the assessment and diagnosis of visual symptoms and signs. He or she must have expertise in immunosuppression, neurology and cardiovascular medicine. In addition many medical ophthalmologists will be involved in managing large diabetic retinopathy screening programmes, which require organisational and public health skills. Some will be required to manage retina-specific disorders requiring practical skills such as laser therapy and intra-ocular injections.

Medical ophthalmology is a fascinating and rewarding specialty.

Further information concerning the curriculum can be obtained from
http://www.jrcptb.org.uk/SPECIALTY/Pages/MedicalOphthalmology.aspx