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Ophthalmologist

Healthcare

Diagnose and perform surgery to treat and help prevent disorders and diseases of the eye. May also provide vision services for treatment including glasses and contacts.

ScienceAllied Health

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Perform comprehensive examinations of the visual system to determine the nature or extent of ocular disorders.
  2. 2Provide or direct the provision of postoperative care.
  3. 3Diagnose or treat injuries, disorders, or diseases of the eye and eye structures including the cornea, sclera, conjunctiva, or eyelids.
  4. 4Develop or implement plans and procedures for ophthalmologic services.
  5. 5Prescribe or administer topical or systemic medications to treat ophthalmic conditions and to manage pain.
  6. 6Develop treatment plans based on patients' histories and goals, the nature and severity of disorders, and treatment risks and benefits.
  7. 7Perform ophthalmic surgeries such as cataract, glaucoma, refractive, corneal, vitro-retinal, eye muscle, or oculoplastic surgeries.
  8. 8Educate patients about maintenance and promotion of healthy vision.
  9. 9Document or evaluate patients' medical histories.
  10. 10Perform, order, or interpret the results of diagnostic or clinical tests.
  11. 11Provide ophthalmic consultation to other medical professionals.
  12. 12Refer patients for more specialized treatments when conditions exceed the experience, expertise, or scope of practice of practitioner.
  13. 13Perform laser surgeries to alter, remove, reshape, or replace ocular tissue.
  14. 14Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams of health professionals to provide optimal patient care.
  15. 15Prescribe corrective lenses such as glasses or contact lenses.
  16. 16Prescribe ophthalmologic treatments or therapies such as chemotherapy, cryotherapy, or low vision therapy.
  17. 17Instruct interns, residents, or others in ophthalmologic procedures and techniques.
  18. 18Conduct clinical or laboratory-based research in ophthalmology.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • MD
  • Physician
  • Ophthalmologist
  • Cornea Specialist
  • Retina Specialist
  • Ophthalmic Surgeon
  • Refractive Surgeon
  • Glaucoma Specialist
  • Medical Doctor (MD)
  • Neuro-Ophthalmologist

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. Typical entry

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationPost-doctoral training

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

BiologyDraws directly on Medicine and Dentistry — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
ChemistryDraws directly on Medicine and Dentistry — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional ScienceDraws directly on Biology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Medicine and Dentistry91%

    BiologyChemistry

  • English Language87%

    English

  • Customer and Personal Service82%
  • Biology77%

    BiologyAdditional Science

  • Administration and Management72%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Education and Training70%

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never
  • Time spent sittingAlmost all the time

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

12%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

On Malaysia's official shortage list

TalentCorp and ILMIA's Critical Occupations List — evidence of a real hiring shortage in Malaysia right now.

Specialist Medical Practitioners · Shortage indicators met: INSUFFICIENT DATA

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org