In 1844, the ophthalmology work began immediately after the establishment of the Renji Hospital. At present, Renji Ophthalmology is the doctoral program of Ophthalmology of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, the ophthalmology specialty of Shanghai-Ottawa Joint Medical College, the Ophthalmology specialty of Sino-French College of Surgery, the ophthalmology specialty of National drug Clinical trial Institution, the Shanghai Standardized Ophthalmology Training Base for resident doctors, and the Shanghai Standardized Ophthalmology Training base for specialized doctors.

Renji Ophthalmology has independent outpatient units in East Hospital (No. 160 Pujian Road, Pudong New Area), West Hospital (No. 145 Middle Shandong Road, Huangpu District), South Hospital (No. 2000 Jiangyue Road, Minhang District) and Renji Ningbo Hospital (No. 1155 Binhai Second Road, Hangzhou Bay New Area, Ningbo), and routinely performs outpatient surgery and inpatient surgery (mainly day surgery).

The department routinely carries out vitreoretinal surgery, cataract phacoemulsification surgery, femetosecond laser corneal refractive surgery, strabismus surgery, lacrimal duct surgery, glaucoma surgery, plastic surgery, orbital surgery, etc., and offers specialized clinics for retinal diseases, cataract, refractive disease,ocular surface disease, glaucoma, oblique amblyopia, keratopathy, lacrimal duct diseases,  ocular plastic surgery, orbital diseases, uveitis and optic neuropathy. The department has fully equipped with Constellation phacoemulsification vitrectomy machine, lacrimal duct endoscope diagnosis and treatment system, sweep frequency OCT, OCTA, ultra-wide-angle fundus camera, multi-wavelength fundus laser, SLT laser, vision electrophysiological instrument and other advanced diagnosis and surgery equipment. It undertakes many projects such as National Natural Science Foundation, Shanghai Science and Technology Commission Fund and Shanghai Municipal Health Commission Fund. In recent years, the department has continuously held national continuing education program classes, as well as academic conferences such as the Renji Ophthalmology Summit Forum and the Summit Forum of the Institute of Ophthalmology Vision Science of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Many doctors in the department have served in national and Shanghai academic organizations and academic journals in ophthalmology.