| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Clinical and Medical |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Medical Director |
| Direct reports | Optometrist, OT Technician |
| Experience | 2 to 6 years after MS, with independent phaco surgery |
Ophthalmologist job description template
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Job title: Ophthalmologist
Department: Clinical and Medical
Reports to: Medical Director
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
An Ophthalmologist examines, treats and operates on the eyes. Daily work in Indian hospitals and eye care chains centres on cataract surgery, refraction problems, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, infections and injuries, and many also run retina, cornea or children's eye services. The ophthalmologist leads optometrists and OT staff and often operates on large cataract lists. A good ophthalmologist restores clear vision safely, keeps post-operative infection very rare and follows glaucoma and diabetic patients carefully.
Key responsibilities
- Examine OPD patients with slit lamp, tonometry and dilated fundus examination, and diagnose refractive errors, cataract, glaucoma and retinal disease.
- Perform cataract surgery by phacoemulsification or small incision technique, with lens power checked against biometry.
- Diagnose and manage glaucoma using pressure checks, visual fields and OCT, treating with drops, laser or surgery.
- Screen diabetic patients for retinopathy and treat with laser or injections, or refer to a retina specialist.
- Treat eye infections, allergies, dry eye and injuries, including emergency removal of foreign bodies.
- Check every surgical patient's biometry, blood sugar, blood pressure and consent before the OT list.
- Keep strict OT sterility to prevent post-operative infection, and act the same day on any suspected endophthalmitis.
- Supervise optometrists on refraction, pre-operative tests and counselling about lens choices and costs.
- Lead school eye screening and outreach cataract camps, and follow up patients operated through camps.
- Review operated patients on day one and at set intervals, and record the final visual outcome.
Requirements
- MS or DNB in Ophthalmology, or DO
- Valid registration with the National Medical Commission or a State Medical Council
- Fellowship in retina, glaucoma, cornea or paediatric ophthalmology is an advantage
- 2 to 6 years after MS, with independent phaco surgery
KRAs and KPIs for a Ophthalmologist
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Visual outcome | At least 90 percent of routine cataract patients reach best corrected vision of 6/12 or better at final review |
| Infection control | Post-cataract endophthalmitis below 1 in 2,000 surgeries, with every case investigated |
| Refractive accuracy | Refraction within 1 dioptre of the target in 90 percent of cataract surgeries |
| Glaucoma follow-up | At least 80 percent of glaucoma patients return for scheduled pressure and field checks |
| Surgical volume | Surgeries at or above the monthly plan for allotted OT days |
| OPD service | OPD waiting time within 45 minutes including dilatation on consulting days |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Slit lamp, Phacoemulsification machine, Operating microscope, Optical biometer, OCT machine, Visual field analyser, Green laser.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Head of Department (Clinical), Medical Director
Interview questions for a Ophthalmologist
- A diabetic patient with cataract also has moderate retinopathy. How do you plan surgery?
- Your patient has pain and falling vision on day three after cataract surgery. What do you do?
- How do you counsel a patient choosing between a monofocal and a multifocal lens?
- What would you check if refractive surprises start increasing in your cataract patients?
- How do you run a camp cataract list safely when follow-up is difficult?
- How do you keep glaucoma patients using their drops for years?
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What does an ophthalmologist do?
An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who diagnoses and treats eye diseases and performs eye surgery. They treat cataract, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, infections and injuries, prescribe glasses and medicines, and operate, most often for cataract. Many specialise further in retina, cornea, glaucoma or children's eyes.
What is the difference between an ophthalmologist and an optometrist?
An ophthalmologist is a doctor with an MS, DNB or DO in ophthalmology who diagnoses eye disease, prescribes medicines and operates. An optometrist holds a degree or diploma in optometry, tests vision, prescribes glasses and contact lenses, does pre-operative tests and refers eye disease to the ophthalmologist.
What qualification is needed to become an ophthalmologist in India?
An ophthalmologist needs an MBBS followed by an MS or DNB in Ophthalmology, or the Diploma in Ophthalmology, plus valid medical council registration. Many then complete a one or two-year fellowship in retina, glaucoma, cornea or paediatric ophthalmology at an eye institute.