In plain English
Ophthalmology is a physician specialty: medical school, residency, board certification. Ophthalmologists examine and prescribe as optometrists do, and they also perform eye surgery - cataract, retina, cornea, glaucoma and oculoplastic procedures - which optometrists, with limited state-by-state exceptions, do not.
Sub-specialties are fellowships: retina, cornea and refractive surgery, glaucoma, pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus, oculoplastics, and neuro-ophthalmology. Cataract surgery is one of the highest-volume operations in American medicine and sits mostly with general ophthalmologists.
The two professions work side by side more than they compete. Many practices employ optometrists for examinations and refer surgical cases internally, so a list aimed at eye care should usually contain both - and the two are filed under separate classifications, which means two filters rather than one.
Training and credentials
Medical school, a year of general clinical training and three years of ophthalmology residency, then board certification; fellowships add one to two years.
Where they practise
Single-specialty eye practices and their ambulatory surgery centres, hospital departments, academic eye institutes, consolidated eye care groups.
Ophthalmologists on the public record
Counted from what providers file about themselves, with suppression applied before anything is counted, refreshed 2026-10-05. Names, specialties and practice locations are public; work email and phone are for signed-in customers.
| State | On record | With work email | With practice phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 4,737 | 3,183 67% | 4,737 |
| New York | 3,019 | 1,926 64% | 3,019 |
| Florida | 2,791 | 1,737 62% | 2,791 |
| Texas | 2,501 | 1,694 68% | 2,500 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,715 | 1,173 68% | 1,714 |
| Illinois | 1,397 | 977 70% | 1,397 |
| Ohio | 1,251 | 837 67% | 1,251 |
| Michigan | 1,234 | 837 68% | 1,234 |
Closely related, and where to find them.
Closely related
- Optometrist An independently licensed eye doctor, with scope set state by state.
- Plastic surgeon Reconstruction and cosmetic surgery - the same training, two different markets.
Find them
- Ophthalmologists list counts by state, the fields a record carries, a sample record.
- Eye care optometrists and ophthalmologists, the two halves of eye care in one search.
Need the list, not the definition?
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