Ophthalmology

Ophthalmology
Profile

Updated August 2018

 Click on any of the contents below to navigate to the slide. Please click the “home icon” Ophthalmology
located at the top right of each slide to return to the “table of contents” slide.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Slide

▪ General Information 3-5
▪ Total number & number/100,000 population by province, 2018 6
▪ Number/100,000 population, 1995-2018 7
▪ Number by gender & year, 1995-2018 8
▪ Percentage by gender & age, 2018 9
▪ Number by gender & age, 2018 10

Ophthalmology
▪ Percentage by main work setting, 2017 11
▪ Percentage by practice organization, 2017 12
▪ Hours worked per week (excluding on-call), 2017 13
▪
▪
▪
Profile
On-call duty hours per month, 2017
Percentage by remuneration method
Professional & work-life balance satisfaction, 2017
14
15
16
▪ Number of retirees during the three year period of 2014-2016 17
▪ Employment situation, 2017 18
▪ Links to additional resources 19

2
Updated August 2018
 Ophthalmology

GENERAL INFORMATION

Ophthalmology deals with the screening, diagnosis and management of

optical, medical and surgical disorders and diseases of the eye, associated
orbital structures and neuro-visual pathways. The specialty relies on a
combination of diagnostic, medical and surgical skills. Most surgical
interventions are microsurgical requiring excellent fine-motor manual
dexterity.
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmologists operate within a fairly specific area of expertise but on a
Profile
broad range of patients, from newborns to geriatric patients. A large portion
of the care and treatment they provide is done in their private office. They are
the leaders of the eye care team interacting with other physicians and health
care professionals in the management of eye care, including orthoptists,
ophthalmic technicians, nurses and optometrists.

3
UpdatedPathway
Source: August 2018
evaluation program
 Ophthalmology

GENERAL INFORMATION

There are a number of subspecialties within ophthalmology, including cornea

and external disease, glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmology, ophthalmic pathology,
ophthalmic plastic surgery, pediatric ophthalmology, retina, uveitis and low
vision. Upon completion of medical school, to become certified in
ophthalmology requires an additional 5 years of Royal College-approved

Ophthalmology
residency training. This training includes:

• 1 year of basic clinical training;

Profile
• 4 years of Royal College-approved residency in ophthalmology, including
sufficient experience to achieve competency in performing procedures
such as: topical & regional anesthesia (of the eye and periocular
structures); laser therapy; surgery (for cataract, enucleation, eyelids,
glaucoma etc); surgical management of trauma to the eye, ocular adnexa
and orbit; ultrasound examination of the eye, and interpretation of
diagnostic imaging of the eye and visual system.

4
UpdatedPathway
Source: August 2018
evaluation program
 Ophthalmology

GENERAL INFORMATION

Residents must also have sufficient experience to achieve competency in

collecting and interpreting data, carrying out diagnostic procedures, making
appropriate clinical decisions including recommending appropriate
therapeutic procedures in specific domains such as cornea/external disease,
glaucoma, and trauma to the eye, ocular adnexa and orbit.

Ophthalmology
For further details on training requirements please go to:

Profile
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

Canadian Ophthalmological Society

5
UpdatedPathway
Source: August 2018
evaluation program
 Ophthalmology

Total number & number/100,000 population by province, 2018

Province/Territory Physicians Phys/100k pop'n
Newfoundland/Labrador 15 2.8
Prince Edward Island 5 3.3
Nova Scotia 42 4.4

Quebec
Ophthalmology
New Brunswick 28
365
3.7
4.3
Ontario
Manitoba
Profile 437
29
3.1
2.2
Saskatchewan 25 2.1
Alberta 108 2.5
British Columbia 194 4.0
Territories 1 0.8
CANADA 1249 3.4

6
Updated2018
Source: August
CMA2018
Masterfile
 Ophthalmology

Number/100,000 population, 1995 to 2018

3.8

3.7

3.6

3.5 Ophthalmology
3.4
Profile
3.3

3.2

3.1
1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2018

7
Updated1995-2018
Source: August 2018
CMA Masterfiles
 Ophthalmology

Number by gender & year, 1995 to 2018

1400

1200

1000

800 Ophthalmology
600

400
Profile
200

0
1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2018

Total Males Females

8
Updated1995-2018
Source: August 2018
CMA Masterfiles
 Ophthalmology

Percentage by gender & age, 2018

Gender Age Group

Ophthalmology
Female
27%
65+
21%
<35
6%
35 - 44
22%

Male
73% Profile 55 - 64
28% 45 - 54
23%

Excludes those where gender or age is unknown.

9
Updated2018
Source: August
CMA2018
Masterfile
 Ophthalmology

Number by gender & age, 2018

65+ 30 225

Ophthalmology
55-64 75 261

Profile
45-54 79 194

35-44 98 169

<35 38 41

Female Male
Excludes those where gender or age is unknown.
10
Updated2018
Source: August
CMA2018
Masterfile
 Ophthalmology

Percentage by main work setting, 2017

Private Office/Clinic 74%

Academic Health Sciences Centre 18%

Ophthalmology
Community Hospital 5%

Profile
Community Clinic/Health-centre 1%

Non-AHSC Teaching Hospital 1%

Other Hospital 0.9%

11
Source:
Updated
2017 CMA
August
Workforce
2018 Survey. Canadian Medical Association
 Ophthalmology

Percentage by practice organization, 2017

1%
14% Solo Practice
6%

Ophthalmology 47% Group Practice

Interprofessional Practice

Profile
32%

Hospital-based Practice

NR

12
Source:
Updated
2017 CMA
August
Workforce
2018 Survey. Canadian Medical Association
 Ophthalmology

Hours worked per week (excluding on-call), 2017

Activity Hours worked per week

Direct patient care without teaching component 29.4

Direct patient care with teaching component 6.7

Teaching without patient care 1.4

Ophthalmology
Indirect patient care

Health facility committees

4.8

0.6

Profile
Administration

Research
1.3

1.1
Managing practice 2.6

Continued professional development 2.7

Other 0.4

TOTAL HOURS PER WEEK 51.1

13
Source:
Updated
2017 CMA
August
Workforce
2018 Survey. Canadian Medical Association
 Ophthalmology

On-call duty hours per month, 2017

• 74% provide on-call services

Ophthalmology
• On-call hours = 110 hours/month

• On-call hours spentProfile

in direct patient care = 29 hours/month

14
Source:
Updated
2017 CMA
August
Workforce
2018 Survey. Canadian Medical Association
 Ophthalmology

Percentage by remuneration method

Primary payment method1 in 2017
0% 0%
7%
1%

Average gross fee-for-service

payment per physician for

Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology in 2015/16 (those
earning at least $60,000) = $791,5462

Profile
92% Average percent overhead reported
by Ophthalmologists in 2017 = 40%3

90% + fee-for-service 90% + salary

90% + other* Blended
NR

* Other includes capitation, sessional, contract

and other methods

1 2017 CMA Workforce Survey. Canadian Medical Association

2 National Physician Database, 2015/16, CIHI 15
Updated August 2018
3 2017 CMA Workforce Survey. Canadian Medical Association
 Ophthalmology

Professional & work-life balance satisfaction, 2017

Balance of personal
& professional 23% 18% 59%
commitments

Ophthalmology
Current
Profile
professional 6% 14% 80%
life

NR Dissatisfied or very dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied or very satisfied

16
Updated2017
Source: August
CMA2018
Workforce Survey. Canadian Medical Association
 Ophthalmology

Number of retirees during the three year period of 2014-2016

Male Female

54
48

Ophthalmology
Profile
6
4
2 2

34 and Under 35-44 45-54 55-64 65 and over Total

Age Group

Source: CMA Masterfile – year over year comparisons

Note: “Retired” is based on giving up licence and therefore excludes those who have
retired from clinical practice but are still licensed; those younger than 45 may include
17
physicians who have temporarily given up their licence but return to practice at a
Updated August 2018
later date.
 Ophthalmology

Employment situation, 2017

7%
Overworked in my discipline

48%
Ophthalmology 45%
Employed in my discipline to my satisfaction

Underemployed in my discipline

Profile Not employed in my discipline

No response

18
Updated2017
Source: August
CMA2018
Workforce Survey. Canadian Medical Association
 Ophthalmology

Links to additional resources

▪ Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada

▪ Canadian Institute for Health Information

Ophthalmology
▪ Canadian Medical Association’s Physician Data Centre

Profile
▪ Canadian Post-MD Education Registry (CAPER)

▪ College of Family Physicians of Canada

▪ National Physician Survey (2004-2014)

▪ Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

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Updated August 2018