This page compares two distinct NUCC-taxonomy specialties tracked by the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System: Ophthalmology Physician, which currently counts 22,082 enrolled providers across 56 U.S. states and territories, and Retina Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician, with 917 providers across 48 states. Each clinician on these rosters selected a primary NUCC code at NPI enrollment, so the totals measure how many providers self-identify their primary practice as Ophthalmology Physician or Retina Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician rather than the total population ever trained or credentialed in either field — dual-certified clinicians show up under whichever code they registered first.

On national volume, Ophthalmology Physician carries the larger provider roster (22,082 vs 917), and Ophthalmology Physician has the wider geographic footprint at 56 states versus 48. The top Ophthalmology Physician concentration sits in California (2,852 providers), while Retina Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician peaks in California (98). The per-capita columns in the table below normalize each state's raw count against 2023 Census population estimates, which matters because absolute provider counts track population scale first and specialty density second — a small state with a strong training pipeline can out-rank a larger state on per-100K availability.

Use this comparison to understand relative availability, not to judge clinical substitutability — Ophthalmology Physician and Retina Specialist (Ophthalmology) Physician are distinct specialties with different scopes of practice, training requirements, and conditions they treat, even when their NUCC categories overlap. Important: PlainDoctor is a directory of publicly available CMS government data, not medical advice, a provider rating, or a recommendation about which specialty a patient should consult. Always work with a licensed clinician to determine which specialty is appropriate for your condition, verify any specific provider through the NPPES NPI Registry and the relevant state medical board, and consult the NUCC taxonomy documentation for the formal scope-of-practice definitions behind each specialty code.