The
road to becoming an oculoplastic surgeon is long and requires many years of training
and personal dedication. Upon completing four years of college and an additional four years of medical school, the physician
must then be accepted into a residency in ophthalmology, one of the most competitive
specialties in medicine. Because only a few hundred positions exist for twenty thousand medical students, only the top applicants
are accepted. After a one-year internship and three years residency in ophthalmology,
an additional fellowship in oculoplastic surgery completes the experience. There are only about twenty such oculoplastic fellowship
positions available in the United States to the hundreds of ophthalmologists who apply. In fact only a few hundred oculoplastic
surgeons exist in the entire country today.
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| Dr. Shorr teaching then fellow, Dr. Ronald Mancini. |
Dr. Norman Shorr is currently Director of the
Fellowship training program in Orbital and Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at
Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA School of Medicine. His distinguished fellowship program continues to be the top oculoplastics
teaching program in the country, as it has been for over 20 years. He and his associates form a specialized group of highly
trained experts in eyelid, eyebrow, forehead and midface surgery. To learn more about what
we can do to enhance your appearance, we invite you to view our photo gallery. If you have any questions or would like to
schedule a personal consultation, call our office today!
The Difference Between an Oculoplastic Surgeon and a Plastic Surgeon An oculoplastic surgeon is first trained as an ophthalmologist. He has specialized training in the eye and its surrounding structures, with a particular concern for their cosmetic appearance. Because oculoplastics overlaps with many specialties, the surgeons gain expertise
in areas such as plastic surgery, otolaryngology, neurosurgery, and dermatology, and therefore perform some of the same surgeries
as these other physicians.
A plastic surgeon is a general term which can refer to a board-certified plastic surgeon,
a head and neck plastic surgeon, a general surgeon, or even a dermatologist. While a plastic surgeon may perform some of the
same surgeries as an oculoplastic surgeon, he or she does not have the specialized training in cosmetic
and reconstructive surgery of the eyelids, eyebrows, forhead, midface, cheeks, orbit and tear drain
system that an oculoplastics specialist has.
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| Dr. Shorr discusses a case with Dr. Mancini between seeing patients. |
Plastic surgeons are trained to perform a wide variety of procedures throughout the body.
A few will limit their practices to cosmetic surgery, and therefore perform procedures such as liposuction, breast surgery,
face lifts, eyelid blepharoplasty and nose surgery. Oculoplastic surgeons, however,
focus all their training on the structural, functional and aesthetic aspects of the eyes, eyelids and face.
Deciding
which surgeon is most qualified to perform a particular operation can be confusing for the patient. Often it comes down to
which surgeon has the most experience to meet your needs. Personal preference also comes into play. - Did the doctor spend enough time with me and listen to me?
- Does
he understand me and my problems?
- Do his solutions make sense?
- Does he specialize in taking care of problems like mine routinely?
- Has he had success with patients like me in the past?
- Is he
honest with me about outcomes and expectations?
- Is he innovative and well-respected
in his field?
Dr. Shorr will give you the time, attention, and information
necessary to gain your confidence. We routinely deal with very discerning patients who present very complex sets of problems.
To learn more about what we can do to enhance your appearance, we invite you to view our cosmetic surgeries and treatments
and our reconstructive surgeries sections. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a personal consultation, call
our office today!
_____________________________ Scheduling a consultation is easy! Call us at (310) 278-1839
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