A retina specialist is a medical doctor who has specialized in ophthalmology, and then completed one to two years of intensive, sub-specialized training specifically in the diseases of the retina.
What is the retina?
The retina is a layer of nerve cells on the back wall of the inside of your eye. The retina senses light and sends signals to the brain. If you picture the eye as a camera, the retina is like the film in the back of the camera.
What is the vitreous?
The vitreous is the clear gel that fills the space between the eye’s lens and retina.
What is the difference between an ophthalmologist and a retina specialist?
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who specialize in eye and vision care. They complete four years of college, four years of medical school, a year-long internship, and three years in an ophthalmology residency program. An ophthalmologist completes special training in all facets of eye care, including prevention, diagnosis and medical and surgeries of eye conditions and diseases.
Ophthalmologists can choose to concentrate in a sub-specialty. Retina is one of the possible sub-specialties. Retina specialists take an additional 1-2 years of training to concentrate on the retina and vitreous portion of the eye. They specialize in more serious and chronic eye conditions.
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