How many ophthalmologists are there in the US? 

There are 18,948 total active ophthalmologists in the country, according to the Association of American Medical College's "2022 Physician Specialty Data Report."

The report is based on data from the American Medical Association, the Census Bureau, and a national resident database and tracking system. Overall, it covers about 950,000 physicians and physicians-in-training among 48 of the largest specialties in 2021, according to a Jan. 12 AAMC news release. 

Here are three more stats on the ophthalmologist workforce: 

1. A total of 17,528 ophthalmologists specialize in patient care, 142 in teaching and 125 in research. 
2. A total of 13,786 ophthalmologists (72.8 percent) are men and 5,152 (27.2 percent) are women. 
3. There are 17,235 people per active ophthalmologist.