MOC PQA Optometrist study plan

Build a one-page matrix mapping each Domain 1 task (case history, refraction, binocular vision, contact lens fitting, low vision, paediatric and geriatric care) to the clinical guideline or standard you follow in practice

Rewrite from memory the diagnostic criteria and first-line management pathway for the five most common presenting complaints in primary optometry: reduced vision, red eye, floaters/flashes, diplopia, and ocular surface discomfort

Draft ten original case vignettes with branching management decisions and justify each decision in two sentences

List every equipment item and measurement in your own exam room and note which ones you have not recalibrated or peer-reviewed in the last 12 months

Perform and document a full set of core diagnostic procedures (visual acuity, cover test, ocular motility, pupils, slit-lamp anterior segment, direct ophthalmoscopy, tonometry, visual field) in a timed 40-minute mock station

Explain the sensitivity and specificity trade-offs of at least four screening tests you use routinely and state when you would repeat or escalate

Compare your recorded technique against published procedure standards and log every deviation with a corrective action

Interpret five anonymised or self-generated test result sets and write the clinical conclusion each one supports

Classify the anterior segment, posterior segment, and neuro-ophthalmic conditions on the exam blueprint and rank them by how often you see them

Construct a differential diagnosis tree for gradual painless vision loss, acute painful red eye, and transient visual obscuration

Correlate at least eight ocular findings with their underlying systemic conditions (for example diabetic retinopathy with glycaemic control, uveitis with inflammatory disease, papilloedema with raised intracranial pressure)

Write referral criteria, urgency tiers, and expected referral content for each condition in your differential tree

Build a drug reference for every topical and oral agent you may initiate, including indication, concentration, dosing, contraindications, and monitoring interval

Explain the mechanism, onset, duration, and reversal strategy for diagnostic mydriatics and cycloplegics you use

Identify legal and scope-of-practice limits on prescribing in your jurisdiction and list the agents that require co-management or specialist referral

Cross-check your drug reference against at least two current independent sources and flag every discrepancy

Map your patient journey from booking to follow-up and identify at least eight failure points where harm could occur

Design a small audit with a defined numerator, denominator, sample size, and re-audit interval for one high-risk process such as referral closure or record completeness

Apply a recognised incident analysis method to one anonymised or hypothetical adverse event and produce contributing factors and system fixes

Draft a patient safety checklist or standard operating procedure for the highest-risk step you identified

Write out your consent conversation for a procedure with material risk and check it against the elements of valid informed consent

Rehearse three difficult communication scenarios (breaking bad news, a patient declining referral, a complaint about a dispensing error) and record what you would say verbatim

Resolve five ethics vignettes involving confidentiality, conflicts of interest, competence limits, and record access, citing the principle applied

Review your record-keeping against professional documentation standards and correct three real examples of your own notes

Design a prevention and screening plan for at least four population groups (children, people with diabetes, older adults, contact lens wearers) with recall intervals justified

Explain the evidence behind screening intervals for diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and amblyopia and state where guidelines diverge

Draft a patient-facing education handout at an appropriate reading level on one modifiable risk factor such as smoking, glycaemic control, or UV exposure

Assess how social determinants and access barriers affect uptake of your screening recommendations and propose two practical mitigations

Sit two full-length timed mock examinations under test conditions and record domain-level scores

Re-drill every question missed or guessed in both mocks and write the correct reasoning for each without notes

Revisit the weakest three domains identified by mock scores and redo their week-specific deliverables at speed

Compile a one-page pre-exam summary of high-yield decision rules, thresholds, and referral triggers