EBOD study guide
EBOD · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The European Board of Ophthalmology (EBO) was founded in 1992 in London and is a permanent working group of the Ophthalmology Subspecialty Section of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS), with the task of overseeing standards of ophthalmology education across UEMS countries. Its instruments for harmonising knowledge and training are the EBO exam, accreditation of centres, CME control and grants. The EBOD study guide has 10 sections and about 3,804 words.
01Optics, Refraction and Refractive Surgery
Optics is best handled with vergence (L = n/l) rather than ray tracing. Know the refracting surface power F = (n2 − n1)/r, the thick-lens combination F = F1 + F2 − d·F1·F2, and the schematic eye (total power about 60 D, cornea about 43 D, crystalline lens about 19 D).
687 words, about 3 min02Cornea and External Disease
Structure drives management: epithelium regenerates, stroma scars, endothelium is finite. For any corneal ulcer, scrape before treating, send cultures and consider confocal microscopy.
305 words, about 2 min03Cataract and Lens
Classify by morphology: nuclear sclerotic (yellowing, index myopia), cortical (spokes, glare) and posterior subcapsular (rapid glare and near-vision loss, associated with steroid use and diabetes). Biometry with optical methods needs a clear visual axis; use ultrasound for dense cataracts.
305 words, about 2 min04Glaucoma
Diagnosis rests on three pillars: intraocular pressure, optic disc/retinal nerve fibre layer structure and visual field. Gonioscopy is mandatory in every glaucoma workup - Shaffer grading, recognition of pigment, peripheral anterior synechiae and neovascularization.
282 words, about 1 min05Retina and Vitreous
Diabetic retinopathy is graded by the ETDRS scale: mild to severe non-proliferative ( haemorrhages, microaneurysms, venous beading, IRMA), then proliferative disease with neovascularization, vitreous haemorrhage and traction detachment. Macular edema is defined by thickening, not exudates, and is treated with anti-VEGF.
297 words, about 1 min06Uveitis and Ocular Inflammation
Classify anatomically as anterior, intermediate, posterior or panuveitis, and by course (acute, chronic, recurrent). Granulomatous disease (sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, sympathetic ophthalmia, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada) shows large mutton-fat keratic precipitates and iris nodules; non-granulomatous disease is more typical of HLA-B27 states.
248 words, about 1 min07Neuro-ophthalmology
Afferent disease is localised by the pattern of visual loss and the presence of a relative afferent pupillary defect. Optic neuritis is painful, subacute and unilateral with reduced colour vision, a relative afferent pupillary defect and often a swollen disc; it may herald multiple sclerosis.
275 words, about 1 min08Strabismus and Paediatric Ophthalmology
Amblyopia is reduced acuity from abnormal visual experience, classified as strabismic, refractive (anisometropic or bilateral), or deprivation. Treat by correcting refractive error, then occlusion or atropine penalisation, with adherence to the critical period.
264 words, about 1 min09Oculoplastic, Lacrimal and Orbital Disease
Eyelid problems are mechanical or structural. Aponeurotic ptosis shows a high lid crease with good levator function and is repaired by levator advancement; congenital ptosis has poor levator function and risks amblyopia.
281 words, about 1 min10Ocular Oncology, Pathology and General/Community Ophthalmology
Intraocular tumors divide into those in children and adults. Retinoblastoma presents with leukocoria or strabismus, is caused by biallelic RB1 mutation, and about 40% of cases are heritable with germline mutation, risk of bilateral disease and secondary tumors.
860 words, about 4 min