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Top 10 Ophthalmology Written Board/OKAP Review Resources

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Young Ophthalmologists

Top 10 Ophthalmology Written Board/OKAP Review Resources

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The Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment Program (OKAP) and the written board exams are
250-item multiple-choice tests administered to ophthalmology residents to measure residents
basic science and clinical knowledge.
Approach the written boards like you would the OKAPs and use whatever study method you
used for the OKAPs to prep for the written boards.
To help ensure that you perform your best, here are several
preparation resources to add to your ophthalmic library,
including both print and online sources to bookmark.
Basic & Clinical Science Course (BCSC). Apart from the
reading material itself, review the pictures, pathology slides
and illustrations throughout all the books several times in the
weeks leading up to the written examination! Also, the
questions at the end of each book are a very helpful source of
review.
Other resources from the Academy:
ProVision: Preferred Responses in Ophthalmology,
Series 4. Executive editor: Edward J. Rockwood, MD. This
series has 450 questions and is available in print and online.
The content is heavily illustrated and divided into subspecialty
topics, with 50 clinical scenarios per section. The explanations
to the questions go through each of the preferred answers.
Provision: Ophthalmic Multiple-Choice
Questions With Discussions, Series 5. Executive
editors: Stephen R. Russell, MD, and Edward J.
Rockwood, MD. A new set of 550 multiple-choice
questions, with thorough discussions of the preferred
responses, numerous images and suggested
resources for further study. The question-and-answer
format is ideal for those who want an interactive
format that will quickly identify strengths or areas for
improvement.
The Academy also has online resources that are extremely helpful. Interested in a specific
topic? The Ophthalmic News & Education (ONE) Network, has a vast wealth of easily

searchable information. In particular, the self-assessments on the ONE Network can augment
your OKAP preparation. Also, residents who are in programs that subscribe to The Resident
Hub have access to many practice assessments via a database of more than 4,000
questions.
Review of Ophthalmology. William Trattler, MD, Peter K. Kaiser, MD, and Neil Friedman,
MD. This is an excellent resource to use in preparation for the standardized written exam. It is
well organized and packed with information and illustrations. There are also some review
questions.
Ophthalmology Review Manual. Kenneth C. Chern, MD. Another excellent reference
resource to use during written exam preparation. The information presented is slightly less
detailed than the review book above.
Review Questions in Ophthalmology: A Question and Answer Book. Kenneth C. Chern,
MD, and Kenneth W. Wright, MD. This question book is a nice complement to Dr. Cherns
review manual above. The questions are not as rigorous overall as some of the other question
books, but it still serves as another good question-and-answer resource.
The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Review Manual for Ophthalmology. Veeral S.
Sheth, MD, Marcus M. Marcet, MD, Paulpoj Chiranand, MD, and Harit K. Bhatt, MD. Online
reviews suggest this recently released version is vastly different from the former one, which is
a great question book in itself. The book is filled with pictures, questions and more current
information.
Last Minute Optics: A Concise Review of Optics,
Refraction, and Contact Lenses. David G. Hunter, MD,
PhD, and Constance E. West, MD. This is a fantastic short
book to read and re-read during the last few weeks. This book
covers the gamut of clinical (e.g. Why is the sky blue? Why
does Ms. Goldbags not like her current glasses?) and
mathematical optics (e.g. prisms, lenses and mirrors).
Neuro-Ophthalmology Review Manual, Sixth Edition.
Lanning B. Kline, MD, and Frank J. Bajandas, MD (or Rod
Foroozan, MD, depending on the edition). This is an excellent
skinny book on neuro-ophthalmology. The topics are
presented clearly, and the illustrations, albeit fewer than I
would like, are very easy to understand. This is another
fantastic book to read more than once before the exam.
Ophthalmology Board Review: Pearls of Wisdom, Second
Edition. Richard Tamesis, MD. Use this book to quiz your
friends in rapid fire! This book is formatted in a question-and-answer flashcard format, which
makes it a nice additional resource to use with your colleagues during the last few weeks of
studying.
Issue Index | YO Info Archive
***
About the author: Elizabeth Yeu, MD, is a cornea, cataract, anterior segment and
refractive surgery specialist at Virginia Eye Consultants in Norfolk, Va. Upon
completing ophthalmology residency at the Rush University Medical Center in
Chicago, she completed fellowship training in cornea, anterior segment and refractive
surgery at the Cullen Eye Institute/Baylor College of Medicine.

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