At one point in time, some doctors specialized in eye, ears, nose, and throat health. They were known as EENT doctors. However, all these changed in 1979.
Ophthalmology and otolaryngology grew together during the early 20th century. In 1903, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology was formed, dedicated to the major advancement of both fields. Its recruitment base expanded from the New England area to the rest of the United States.
However, this increase in membership size posed a challenge for the academy. The immense number of members meant fewer places for the institution to hold its yearly meetings. In 1962, the Triological Society, an institute in otolaryngology, proposed a split between ophthalmology and otolaryngology. Separation, however, didn’t occur until 1978.
A year later, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology dissolved. However, the union between the two fields would continue with various EENT centers across the country. The separation resulted in two doctors, the eye doctor and ENT doctor, working in their respective fields of medicine.
On a physiological point of view, the eye, ears, nose, and throat are inseparable. Tears can run through the tear ducts and also your nose via a small passage. The nose and throat are connected by the nasal cavity. There have also been several cases of ear drops coming out of the eyes, and it’s not due to a mix-up.
North Carolina Eye Ear Nose & Throat 