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Side Gigs for Ophthalmologists

Over the years, we’ve seen countless requests for side hustle ideas for doctors in specific specialties in our Physician Side Gigs Facebook group. We continue our series of unique side gigs by specialty with side gigs for ophthalmologists. If you aren’t in ophthalmology and want to learn more about side gigs for your specialty, check out our page of side gig ideas for different specialties. If your specialty hasn’t been featured yet, follow the series on Instagram, where we’ve featured more specialties.


Disclosure/Disclaimer: Our content is for generalized educational purposes.  While we try to ensure it is accurate and updated, we cannot guarantee it. You should do your own due diligence before making decisions based on this page. To learn more, visit our disclaimers and disclosures.


Unique side gigs for ophthalmologists, including telemedicine, consulting, advisory boards, clinical trials, chart review, disability exams, and more


Side gigs for ophthalmologists


Telemedicine / tele-ophthalmology 


Telemedicine is an increasingly popular option for doctors and patients alike, offering flexibility versus in-person appointments, both with travel and scheduling. With today’s technology, there is now an option for a trained professional to acquire images of the eye such as photographs of the fundus or OCT scans and then send them to the ophthalmologist for review. There are several large companies in the ophthalmology space and commercial or retail eyeglass vendors offering virtual eye exams. In these settings, the physician can participate in your eye appointment remotely and speak with you in real time, as well as write prescriptions, make suggestions to the onsite staff, and otherwise guide management. Telemedicine can also offer ophthalmologists the ability to increase their patient population and offers the potential to help provide care to underserved areas.


Opportunities exist to join an established third-party telemedicine platform or to start your own telehealth micropractice, depending on the level of administrative work you wish to do. Pay can vary depending on the type of practice (cash pay versus insurance based) and by platform. Given the popularity and number of different telemedicine platforms available, we always recommend thoroughly vetting a third-party opportunity before signing on to ensure you understand the pay structure, responsibilities, and requirements.


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Consulting positions 


There are several ways ophthalmologists can leverage their expertise in consulting roles, including with established companies, startups, medical device manufacturers, and pharmaceutical companies. These consulting gigs can be one-off sessions, either in-person or virtually, where companies are looking for feedback on things such as clinical usability or marketability. These can often be lucrative opportunities for an hour or two of your time.


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Advisory boards


Advisory role positions are different than consulting positions, in that they’re usually a longer term commitment to a company which involves not just answering directed questions, but being involved on a much deeper level with strategy and forward projections. Because of this, you’re often not compensated in the same way as you may be with a one time consulting gig - the incentives are much more aligned towards long term growth, such as with equity. Hourly rates may be lower than straight consulting gigs, but you’ll probably have more hours and more upside. If you get in at an early stage and the company does well, the sky is the limit in terms of your compensation.


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Clinical trials


Working in clinical research can be a great way to not only bring in additional income but to add an ancillary income stream to a private practice. While ophthalmology may not jump to top of mind when you think about clinical trials, opportunities do exist. Ophthalmologists can partner with research organizations to serve as a principal investigator (PI) or sub-investigator (sub-I) at an established site or establish a clinical research trials site at their practice with their staff. Compensation can vary greatly, depending on the role and structure.


While establishing a clinical research site requires an upfront investment if being done at your practice, it also potentially offers high financial incentives. Along with earnings potential, clinical research also provides the ability to help advancements in cutting edge innovation and provides alternative options to patients who haven’t had success with traditional treatment plans.


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Chart review


While ophthalmology is a relatively niche field, opportunities for chart review may exist within organizations and insurance companies, as well as with law firms. Chart review is a flexible and often remote side gig option that allows doctors to use their clinical expertise outside of direct patient care. Ophthalmologists may be asked to review medical records for malpractice investigations, to serve as expert witnesses, to work on utilization management, and to check coding accuracy, just to name a few focus areas.


Compensation and pay structures can vary by opportunity. Some work can be hourly, while others are per case or project based. You can often choose how much you wish to do, and much of this work can be done on weekends and after hours, offering flexibility alongside your clinical schedule.


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Disability, eligibility & fitness exams


Disability, eligibility & fitness exams offer the opportunity to interact with patients outside of typical appointments. This work can be a flexible but steady side gig for ophthalmologists, and several companies exist that help physicians set up and arrange these exams to lower the administrative work required. These exams are often performed for organizations such as:

  • Veterans Affairs

  • Branches of the military (the Air Force, Army, etc.)

  • The Social Security Administration

  • State workers’ compensation systems


The requirements and compensation depend on the type of exam. Exams may be paid on an exam by exam basis or daily rate. In some situations, you may be able to negotiate rates, where in others the organization requiring the exam has strict rates they provide.


In certain cases, there may be specific training and licensing requirements to perform exams. Notably, in California, ophthalmologists must become Qualified Medical Evaluators (QMEs) in order to perform workers’ compensation exams.


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Paid medical surveys


Participating in paid medical surveys is one of the most flexible side gigs available to physicians to earn extra income. Some surveys can be completed in as little as a few minutes. Organizations such as market research firms, pharmaceutical companies, and medical device manufacturers frequently seek insights on new products or to help assess trends. While these surveys don’t always offer the highest compensation, rates can vary and can increase depending on the topic and the depth of input desired.


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Social media influencer


The industry of social media influencers has experienced a boom in the past few years, and yet several influencers don’t have the authority or knowledge to provide reliable information for consumers. This creates a unique niche for charismatic ophthalmologists interested in building a professional brand they can monetize through paid ads, sponsored content, affiliate marketing, brand partnerships, and more. 


While this side gig can take a while to build and monetize, it can also build credibility and visibility for other future side gigs, such as consulting, advisory board positions, and speaking.


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Teaching


If you enjoy educating others, there are many potential opportunities to teach, such as:

  • Teaching board prep courses

  • Teaching at a medical school

  • Teaching with an optometry program


You may also want to explore educational roles such as speaking at a conference or other event.


Compensation can vary greatly by the type of role, and some speaking gigs, such as leading a CME lecture, may not offer any compensation, so it’s important to understand the specifics of each opportunity.


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Medical writing


If you have a way with the written word, medical writing and editing can be another way to help educate on a broader level. Like many of the other side gigs featured, writing opportunities are often available with a flexible schedule and with one-off opportunities available, allowing you to choose how much, or how little, side gig work you want to take on. Ophthalmologists can contribute in several ways, whether it be for traditional writing such as journal articles, grant proposals, or patient education materials, or by freelancing with medical publishers, health tech companies, or professional societies on content.


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Moonlighting/call for a trauma center


Moonlighting is a great way to earn additional income through increasing your clinical work. Many hospitals, community clinics, and surgery centers seek coverage from ophthalmologists looking for extra hours, especially for after-hours and weekend shifts. These opportunities can often pay similar to your clinical work, and can offer a more steady income stream versus other side gig options if you’re looking at side gigs primarily to increase your income.



Work with a Lasik center


Lasik surgery centers often seek board certified ophthalmologists to perform procedures and to conduct pre- and/or post-op evaluations. These positions are often part time or per diem and can offer a unique way to see patients without having to deal with all the administrative responsibilities that can be typical of other clinical work. You may also find opportunities to serve as the medical director for a local center.


The amount of work and compensation can vary depending on the role, but scheduling is often flexible.


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Second opinion services


Second opinion services can offer patients peace of mind that they are making an informed decision before proceeding with surgery or that they have the best treatment plan for complex diseases. Second opinions also offer ophthalmologists an additional way to increase patient-centered care, and these services can often be provided remotely with flexible scheduling.



Additional side hustle resources for ophthalmologists


While we’ve outlined above some common side gig ideas for ophthalmologists, there’s always room for creativity. If there’s something you’re passionate about and good at, look for ways to monetize it.


Dive deeper into some of the side gigs featured above, including:


Sign up for our free side gig matching databases (physician only) and our PSG weekly newsletter for alerts on side gig opportunities related to your interests.


Need inspiration? Join our Physician Side Gigs Facebook group and ask other ophthalmologists what they’ve enjoyed as their side gig.


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