NBEO Part II study guide
NBEO Part II · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
NBEO Part II, Patient Assessment and Management (PAM), is the second computer-based component of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry examination sequence. It is designed for candidates who have completed the basic science portion of the boards and are moving into clinical training or are close to graduation. The NBEO Part II study guide has 11 sections and about 3,635 words.
01Patient History, Chief Complaint, and Risk Factor Assessment
The history and risk-factor domain tests whether you can convert a patient's words into a prioritized differential and an urgency level. Part II presents realistic complaints; the marks sit in the follow-up questions you choose and the red flags you recognize, not in the final diagnosis alone.
381 words, about 2 min02Refraction, Binocular Vision, and Accommodation
The refraction, binocular vision, and accommodation domain asks you to choose and interpret tests, then connect the numbers to a diagnosis and a plan. Expect items on endpoint refinement, AC/A, fusional reserves, and accommodative dysfunction.
364 words, about 2 min03Anterior Segment and Adnexal Disease
Anterior segment items test pattern recognition and safe triage of the red eye. The examiner wants to know whether you can separate benign, self-limiting disease from sight-threatening or life-threatening disease.
313 words, about 2 min04Posterior Segment and Neuro-Ophthalmic Disease
Posterior segment and neuro-ophthalmic items reward a systematic fundus and pupil examination and a disciplined approach to sudden vision loss. Drusen and pigmentary change suggest AMD; metamorphopsia suggests choroidal neovascularization and warrants urgent OCT.
348 words, about 2 min05Glaucoma and Optic Nerve Disease
Glaucoma items test the difference between an intraocular pressure reading and the disease itself, plus your ability to grade the optic nerve and field. IOP is a risk factor, not a diagnosis; a single normal pressure does not exclude glaucoma and a single high reading does not confirm it.
344 words, about 2 min06Systemic Disease and Ocular Manifestations
Systemic disease items ask you to connect a medical condition or medication to a specific ocular finding and a management step. Diabetes: retinopathy, macular edema, cataract, and cranial nerve palsies.
298 words, about 1 min07Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutic Management
Pharmacology items test mechanism, contraindication, and monitoring rather than memorized dosages. Prostaglandin analogs increase uveoscleral outflow; side effects include iris darkening, eyelash growth, and periorbital fat atrophy, and they are avoided in active uveitis and pregnancy.
323 words, about 2 min08Contact Lenses and Ocular Prosthetics
Contact lens items test parameter selection, fit evaluation, and complication recognition, plus basic prosthetic eye care. Match base curve, diameter, power, oxygen permeability (Dk/t), water content, and modulus to the cornea and the patient's needs.
336 words, about 2 min09Pediatric and Geriatric Optometry; Low Vision and Vision Rehabilitation
Pediatric, geriatric, and low vision items combine developmental and functional reasoning: what a child can report, what an older adult needs, and how to restore function when acuity cannot be improved. Vision screening uses fixation preference, photoscreening, and Lea symbols.
310 words, about 2 min10Perioperative and Postoperative Care; Urgent/Emergent Triage
Perioperative and triage items test recognition of the sight-threatening postoperative complication and the correct emergency action. Endophthalmitis presents within days of cataract surgery with pain, decreased vision, hypopyon, and no red reflex - obtain a vitreous tap and inject intravitreal antibiotics (vancomycin plus ceftazidime), with vitrectomy for severe cases.
318 words, about 2 min11Professional, Ethical, and Legal Standards; Practice Management and Interprofessional Communication
Ethics, legal, and practice items test judgment in documentation, consent, and communication, which are frequently underprepared relative to clinical content. Valid informed consent covers diagnosis, nature of the procedure, material risks, benefits, alternatives, and the consequences of declining - documented in the patient's own words where possible.
300 words, about 2 min