Animals suffer many similar eye diseases that affect humans. Advances in both human and veterinary medicine have increased the ability to both diagnose and treat many of these diseases. With increasing medical knowledge, there has been the development of training programs in specific veterinary fields including ophthalmology, surgery, dermatology, cardiology, and many others. A veterinary ophthalmologist is an individual who has completed four years of veterinary school, at least one year of internship, a three year accredited residency in ophthalmology, and has successfully passed the exhaustive written and practical examinations administered by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. Following this, the individual becomes board-certified in ophthalmology and gains the title, Diplomate. This rigorous training program prepares the individual to be an expert in both the medical and surgical treatment of ophthalmic diseases of animals.
