Ophthalmologist salary in Nigeria – how much do they earn?
An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor or a surgeon who specializes in eye and vision care. Ophthalmologists differ from optometrists and opticians in their levels of training and in what they can diagnose and treat. Ophthalmologists are sometimes called eye surgeons.
They complete 12 to 13 years of training and education, and are licensed to practice medicine and surgery. This advanced training allows ophthalmologists to diagnose and treat a wider range of conditions than optometrists and opticians. Typical training in in Nigeria includes a six-year university degree followed by at least eight years of additional medical training called residency.
An ophthalmologist diagnoses and treats all eye diseases, performs eye surgery and prescribes and fits eyeglasses and contact lenses to correct vision problems. Many ophthalmologists are also involved in scientific research on the causes and cures for eye diseases and vision disorders. Because they are medical doctors, ophthalmologists can sometimes recognize other health problems that aren’t directly related to the eye, and refer those patients to the right medical doctors for treatment.
Education and Training of Ophthalmologist in Nigeria
In addition to six years of medical school and one year of internship, every ophthalmologist spends a minimum of four years of residency (hospital-based training) in ophthalmology. During residency, ophthalmologist receive special training in all aspects of eye care, including prevention, diagnosis and medical and surgical treatment of eye conditions and diseases.
Often, an ophthalmologist spends an additional one to two years training in a subspecialty, that is, a specific area of eye care (for example, glaucoma or pediatric ophthalmology.)
Ophthalmologist salary in Nigeria – how much do they earn?
A consultant Ophthalmologist earn about 1.5million Naira monthly as salary after tax in teaching hospitals and federal medical centres. In private practice, an ophthalmologist may earn close to 2 million Naira monthly. A senior registrar in ophthalmology is paid about #550,000 Naira monthly while a junior registrar in ophthalmology earns about #400,000 Naira monthly as salary.
Source:
American Academy of Ophthalmology
