How do you pronounce & spell Ophthalmology? 

There’s no doubt that ophthalmology is also a very tricky word to say. You could spend time and learn that the word came from the Greek root ophthalmos, meaning "eye" but that won't help you remember that pesky 'h' after 'p' that is commonly left out. 
Using some phonics will help out for both pronouncing ophthalmology correctly and help you spell it at the same time:
  1. First let's break it up into 5 syllables: Oph | thal | mo | lo | gy
  2. Give the 'PH' in ophthalmology an 'f' sound similar to other words like 'alphabet' or 'elephant'
  3. Give the 'TH' the same sound like the beginning of 'three'
  4. Give the vowels in the first 3 syllables a 'short o' sound like the 'o' in 'dog'
  5. Give the 'o' in the 'lo' syllable a 'long o' sound like in 'hope'
  6. The 'gy' a 'soft g' plus a 'long e' sound like in 'jeep'
Now put it together: 'off-thal-moll-o-gee' or the actual phonetic spelling from Merriam-Webster:  äf-thə(l)-ˈmä-lə-jē  
Once you can break it down into the smaller sections and focus on the sounds they make, you use that to help you spell it, too.

What is the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist? 

A broader, more dated term for these two fields would be oculist, which just means eye doctor. But as it turns out, ophthalmologists are not the same as optometrists. 
Both careers require students to complete bachelor's degrees, but the ophthalmologist must attend medical school afterwards, while the optometrist goes to optometry school. Optometry school is 4-year degree where students are educated on corrective lenses, sight testing, and treatment and diagnoses of vision changes. They receive a Doctorate in Optometry (OD) at the end of their 4-year course-work.

An ophthalmologist must first complete a Medical Doctorate (MD) or Osteopathic Doctorate (DO) after their 4-years of undergraduate work. Then they are eligible to apply for a residence in ophthalmology. But don’t think that medical school is where the difficulty ends. According to  MedicalSchoolHQ.net's podcast on Ophthalmologoy Residency Matching, there are over 70 applications for every residency spot available in the US. The residence usually lasts around 4 years. So how many years does it take to become an ophthalmologist? Ophthalmologists must train for at least 12 years after high school. 

Ophthalmologists are usually trained to care for all eye problems and conditions. Some ophthalmologists can continue on and specialize in specific surgical procedures, eyecare problems, or diseases. Pediatric ophthalmologists that specialize in eye problems in children also go through the same training and must take additional years of internships in order to specialize in pediatric eye care.  



Are there ophthalmologists for dogs, cats, and other animals? 

Absolutely! Like general veterinarians, veterinary ophthalmologists must complete their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Once they are licensed to practice veterinary medicine they can apply for internships. These internships generally last around 1 year and lead to a 3-year residency program. The Bureau of Labor Statistics in the US indicates that the there will be a 19% growth in the need for veterinary ophthalmologists in the next five years.    

How do you pronounce and spell Ophthalmology? 

There’s no doubt that ophthalmology is also a very tricky word to say. You could spend time and learn that the word came from the Greek root ophthalmos, meaning "eye" but that won't help you remember that pesky 'h' after 'p' that is commonly left out. 
Using some phonics will help out for both pronouncing ophthalmology correctly and help you spell it at the same time:
  1. First let's break it up into 5 syllables: Oph | thal | mo | lo | gy
  2. Give the 'PH' in ophthalmology an 'f' sound similar to other words like 'alphabet' or 'elephant'
  3. Give the 'TH' the same sound like the beginning of 'three'
  4. Give the vowels in the first 3 syllables a 'short o' sound like the 'o' in 'dog'
  5. Give the 'o' in the 'lo' syllable a 'long o' sound like in 'hope'
  6. The 'gy' a 'soft g' plus a 'long e' sound like in 'jeep'
Now put it together: 'off-thal-moll-o-gee' or the actual phonetic spelling from Merriam-Webster:  äf-thə(l)-ˈmä-lə-jē  
Once you can break it down into the smaller sections and focus on the sounds they make, you use that to help you spell it, too.

What is the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist? 

A broader, more dated term for these two fields would be oculist, which just means eye doctor. But as it turns out, ophthalmologists are not the same as optometrists. 
Both careers require students to complete bachelor's degrees, but the ophthalmologist must attend medical school afterwards, while the optometrist goes to optometry school. Optometry school is 4-year degree where students are educated on corrective lenses, sight testing, and treatment and diagnoses of vision changes. They receive a Doctorate in Optometry (OD) at the end of their 4-year course-work.

An ophthalmologist must first complete a Medical Doctorate (MD) or Osteopathic Doctorate (DO) after their 4-years of undergraduate work. Then they are eligible to apply for a residence in ophthalmology. But don’t think that medical school is where the difficulty ends. According to  MedicalSchoolHQ.net's podcast on Ophthalmologoy Residency Matching, there are over 70 applications for every residency spot available in the US. The residence usually lasts around 4 years. So how many years does it take to become an ophthalmologist? Ophthalmologists must train for at least 12 years after high school. 

Ophthalmologists are usually trained to care for all eye problems and conditions. Some ophthalmologists can continue on and specialize in specific surgical procedures, eyecare problems, or diseases. Pediatric ophthalmologists that specialize in eye problems in children also go through the same training and must take additional years of internships in order to specialize in pediatric eye care.  



Are there ophthalmologists for dogs, cats, and other animals? 

Absolutely! Like general veterinarians, veterinary ophthalmologists must complete their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Once they are licensed to practice veterinary medicine they can apply for internships. These internships generally last around 1 year and lead to a 3-year residency program. The Bureau of Labor Statistics in the US indicates that the there will be a 19% growth in the need for veterinary ophthalmologists in the next five years.   Â