Clinical Ophthalmology: Instructions For Candidates
Clinical Ophthalmology: Instructions For Candidates
Clinical Ophthalmology: Instructions For Candidates
Ophthalmology
Instructions for Candidates
Introduction
The International Council of Ophthalmology is the executive body of the
International Federation of Ophthalmic Societies. One of the objectives of the
Council is to promote the excellence of eye care worldwide by encouraging
individuals to acquire and maintain the highest standard of knowledge for the
practice of Ophthalmology. The International Visual Sciences Examination and the
Clinical Ophthalmology Examination are part of that initiative.
Effect on Promotion
Heads of eye departments throughout the world have great difficulty in deciding
on the level of competence and knowledge of a particular candidate applying for
training in ophthalmology, or in promotion from one post to another. The
acquisition of this qualification will indicate the level of theoretical knowledge of
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the candidate in relation to a uniform standard. This can be of particular
importance if a candidate is moving from one country to another to undertake
further training.
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3. Ophthalmic pathology and ocular tumours
4. Neuro-ophthalmology
5. Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
6. Orbit, eyelids and lacrimal disease
7. Trauma, External Eye Diseases and Cornea
8. Ocular inflammation and uveitis
9. Glaucoma
10. Lens and cataract
11. Retina and vitreous
A syllabus will be found on pages 6–9 of this booklet.
The MCQ papers are not available to candidates after the Examination.
f) The candidates will be informed if they have failed, passed, passed with
merit or, exceptionally, passed with distinction.
g) To aid the Examiners and to ensure the quality of the questions, the
answers to each part of each question are also analysed. This information
is used to identify the core knowledge questions and those which can
compare different groups of candidates in different years. This
information is used to determine the pass mark which ensures that the
results of the Examination are comparable from year to year.
The use of new MCQ questions each year results in slight variations in
the standard of the papers. This may result in higher or lower marks
being achieved because of the difficulty of the questions. Also it may be
that the standard of the candidates will vary from year to year but the
analysis of the results will identify this. This may also mean that a
candidate may have scored higher than the average score of all the
candidates, but may still not have passed the Examination.
For all these reasons it is not appropriate to have a fixed pass mark for
each Examination. This will be determined by the Examiners after full
analysis of the results.
h) Visual Acuities will be given in LogMAR with, in brackets, the metric
Snellen, the imperial Snellen and the decimal notations. For example,
“Visual acuity LogMAR 0.5 (6/6, 20/60, 0.33)”.
i) Answering all the questions accurately is the best way of obtaining a pass
grade but because accuracy of answers is very important and takes time
it is still possible to pass the examination without completing all the
questions.
j) The question bank is large and only a small percentage of questions are
repeated from year to year. Candidates are warned that, although good
for practice, using books of questions and answers may be misleading.
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Certificates
Provided a candidate has satisfied the regulations with regard to the Visual
Sciences Examination and the Optics, Refraction and Instruments Examination,
she/he will be given a signed certificate indicating whether she/he has passed,
passed with merit or passed with distinction. This certificate can be presented as
evidence of achievement of a high standard of knowledge of the Clinical
Opthalmology related to Ophthalmology. Verification of the certificate is
embossed on each certificate.
Examination Regulations
1. The structure of the examination is described on pages 2 and 3.
The certificate will be presented to those who have achieved the
appropriate level in the Examination and who have complied with the
2.
regulations.
The fees and dates of the Examination are obtainable from the:
Examination Office,
3.
Application forms must reach the Examination Office before the closing
date 24th January.
4.
appear for the Examination for which his entry fee has been accepted, will
not be entitled to any refund or transfer of the fee.
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9. A candidate who may desire to make representations with regard to the
conduct of their examination, must address them to the Examination
Executive and not, in any circumstance, to an Examiner.
10. The Examination Committee may refuse to admit to an Examination, or
to proceed with the Examination of any candidate who infringes any of
the regulations, or who is considered by the Examiners to be guilty of
behaviour prejudicial to the proper management and conduct of the
Examination.
11. The above conditions may be modified at the discretion of the
Examination Committee.
12. If a candidate is determined by the Examinations Committee to have
cheated in the examination, he or she will not have their answer sheet
marked and they will be determined as having failed the examination.
She/he will not be allowed to re-sit the examination for a period of 1 to 5
years and they may be reported to their local Ophthalmological Society
and/or Ministry of Health.
On the day of the Examinations candidates must provide their own HB pencils, a
sharpener and erasers. The answer papers cannot be marked with a pen or biro. Only HB
pencils may be used.
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Guide to Candidates
CURRICULUM
The ICO Curriculum is published in Klinische Monatsblätter für Augenheilkunde
November 2006, pages S1–S48. It was drawn up by a task force under the leadership of
Professors M.F.Goldberg, A.G.Lee and M.O.M.Tso
SYLLABUS
for the Clinical Ophthalmology Examination
Infections
Deficiency disorders
Conjunctival disease and disease of the lid margins
Immunologically induced disorders
Scleral and episcleral disease
Corneal disease
Age changes
Trauma and toxic injuries
Surgical procedures
Infection
Intraocular inflammation
Immunologically induced
Congenital
Glaucoma
Primary
Secondary
Traumatic
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Toxic
Metabolic
Secondary
Ageing
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Trauma
Other difficulties of vision in infants and children
4 Neuro-ophthalmology
The disorders of the neurological systems which have associated ocular
or ocular motility problems.
Disorders of the sensory pathways, and those affecting the pupil, optic
nerve, the ocular motor system, together with the autonomic nervous
system and those involving the seventh cranial nerve. Inherited,
immunological, endocrine and other systemic diseases which have neuro-
ophthalmological signs.
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• Principles of preventive medicine
epidemiology
screening procedures
statistical methods
immunisation
8 Principles of Audit
Basics of health economics
9 Ethical practice
Relationships with patients and relatives
Working with colleagues
Probity
Maintaining your Health
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Guidance on Multiple Choice Questions
Use a high quality eraser which does not smudge and bring 2 HB pencils, and a
2 DO NOT USE PEN OR BIRO - USE ONLY AN HB PENCIL
Please check that the Name and Centre on your Answer Paper are
3 Identification
There are 200 Multiple Choice Questions some of which will be in the
4 Method of answering
form of visual fields, x-rays, clinical and microscopic images, Hess charts
etc. The Answer Paper is numbered 1–200. All 200 questions are of the
four option multiple-choice type with only one correct answer. Each
question has four statements: stems (a), (b), (c) and (d). On the
ANSWER PAPER there are corresponding boxes for each statement.
Place a horizontal line in the box which, in your opinion, contains the
correct answer. Only one box must be marked within each question,
otherwise the answer will be marked as wrong. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT
YOU MARK EACH ANSWER CLEARLY.
Specimen Question
A face turn and head tilt to the right would most likely result from which
of the following types of palsy?
(a) Left inferior rectus ( )
(b) Left superior oblique ( )
(c) left superior rectus ( )
(d) Right inferior oblique ( )
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It is vital to use only a horizontal, clear line. If any line is other than horizontal, the
IMPORTANT
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