29-1069.06 - Ophthalmologists

Partially updated 2012

Summary Report for:
29-1069.06 - Ophthalmologists

Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and injuries of the eyes and related structures.

Sample of reported job titles: Comprehensive Ophthalmologist, Director, Emergency Ophthalmology Services, General Ophthalmologist, Ophthalmologist, Ophthalmologist-Retina Specialist, Pediatric Ophthalmologist, Physician, Retina Subspecialist, Retinal Surgeon, Vitreo-Retinal Surgeon

View report: Summary Details Custom

Tasks

Perform ophthalmic surgeries such as cataract, glaucoma, refractive, corneal, vitro-retinal, eye muscle, and oculoplastic surgeries.
Perform comprehensive examinations of the visual system to determine the nature or extent of ocular disorders.
Diagnose or treat injuries, disorders, or diseases of the eye and eye structures including the cornea, sclera, conjunctiva, or eyelids.
Document or evaluate patients' medical histories.
Provide or direct the provision of postoperative care.
Perform, order, or interpret the results of diagnostic or clinical tests.
Develop treatment plans based on patients' histories and goals, the nature and severity of disorders, and treatment risks and benefits.
Prescribe or administer topical or systemic medications to treat ophthalmic conditions and to manage pain.
Perform laser surgeries to alter, remove, reshape, or replace ocular tissue.
Provide ophthalmic consultation to other medical professionals.

Knowledge

Medicine and Dentistry — Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Biology — Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

Education and Training — Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Therapy and Counseling — Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Psychology — Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Administration and Management — Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Physics — Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.

Skills

Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Complex Problem Solving — Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Science — Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Abilities

Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Finger Dexterity — The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Work Activities

Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Work Context

Contact With Others — How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Face-to-Face Discussions — How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?

Deal With External Customers — How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?

Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — How do the decisions an employee makes impact the results of co-workers, clients or the company?

Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Letters and Memos — How often does the job require written letters and memos?

Telephone — How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Frequency of Decision Making — How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?

Work With Work Group or Team — How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

Job Zone

Title	Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Education	Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Related Experience	Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Job Training	Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Job Zone Examples	These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include librarians, lawyers, aerospace engineers, wildlife biologists, school psychologists, surgeons, treasurers, and controllers.
SVP Range	(8.0 and above)

Education

Percentage of Respondents	Education Level Required
96	Doctoral or professional degree
4	High school diploma or equivalent

Interests

Interest code: ISR

Investigative — Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Social — Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Realistic — Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Work Styles

Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.

Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Analytical Thinking — Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Work Values

Achievement — Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Independence — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Recognition — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Wages & Employment Trends

National

Employment data collected from Physicians and Surgeons.
Industry data collected from Physicians and Surgeons.

Employment (2010)	691,000 employees
Projected growth (2010-2020)	Faster than average (20% to 28%)
Projected job openings (2010-2020)	305,100
Top industries (2010)	Health Care and Social Assistance Self-Employed

State & National

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2011 wage data and 2010-2020 employment projections . "Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2010-2020). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.

Sources of Additional Information

Disclaimer: Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries. Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.

Physicians and Surgeons . Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition.

Summary Report for: 29-1069.06 - Ophthalmologists