Clinical Sub-Specialties

Ophthalmology encompasses a wide range of clinical practice and in the last 20 years, there has been a pronounced trend towards sub-specialisation. Almost all job descriptions for consultant ophthalmologist posts in the UK ask for a sub-specialty interest and the specialty training curriculum for ophthalmology is structured to allow ophthalmologists to develop a sub-specialty interest. It has also become increasingly common for Specialty Doctors and Associate Specialists to develop expertise in one or more sub-specialties.

However, the majority of ophthalmologists do not work exclusively in a single sub-specialty and will maintain some commitment to the generality of ophthalmology – for instance contributing to an on-call rota, or conducting a peripheral clinic.

In its document, Supporting information for appraisal and revalidation, the GMC notes that “The nature of the supporting information will reflect [a doctor’s] particular specialist practice and your other professional roles. For example, an appropriate quality improvement activity will vary across different specialties and roles”.

This section aims to give an overview of the areas of clinical practice covered by the sub-specialties of ophthalmology, in order to inform the appraisal discussion and to assist the process of setting relevant and appropriate PDP objectives.

In order to ensure that the supporting information provided for appraisal is representative of the ophthalmologist’s scope of practice, it may be necessary to refer to more than one sub-specialty section. The breadth and detail of supporting information which relates to a sub-specialty will depend on the extent of the ophthalmologist’s involvement in that area of practice.