This page is for ophthalmologists preparing for American Board of Ophthalmology certification. It lists the verified exam dates, fees and format, then gives free practice sets by subspecialty topic, three worked questions with full explanations, and a study plan. Our questions are written with AI tools and are not real exam questions. Practice with the free Board Certified Ophthalmologist practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (7 questions with answer explanations).

Free Board Certified Ophthalmologist Study Tools

Interactive Board Certified Ophthalmologist resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:

• Board Certified Ophthalmologist Uveitis and Ocular Inflammation 1 — 7 questions with answer explanations
• Board Certified Ophthalmologist flashcards — review key terms and concepts card by card
• Board Certified Ophthalmologist study guide — topic-by-topic overview of what the exam covers
• Board Certified Ophthalmologist cheat sheet — one-page printable summary for last-minute review

Board Certified Ophthalmologist Exam at a Glance

What changed for Board Certified Ophthalmologist in 2026

• Oct 25, 2026: Time limit (Written Qualifying Examination) changed to 5 hours, including tutorial and break time (previously 5 hours, including tutorial and breaks).^[1]

What the Board Certified Ophthalmologist is and how it works

According to American Board of Ophthalmology, “will be administered at nationally-distributed Pearson test centers on Saturday, September 19, 2026”^[1]

Certification through the American Board of Ophthalmology includes a Written Qualifying Examination and an Oral Examination. The written exam is delivered at Pearson test centers. It is a 250 multiple-choice question examination with a five-hour testing period that includes a tutorial and break time. Results are provided within 6-8 weeks after the examination. The next written exam date listed by the ABO is Saturday, September 18, 2027, and registration opens Spring 2027 through the ABO Portal. The fee is $2,250.

The Oral Examination is delivered virtually. It is scheduled for May 14-15, 2027. Registration runs July 1-December 9, 2026, through the ABO Portal, and the fee is $2,250.

We could not verify eligibility requirements, retake rules, the passing standard or the official content outline for this page, so we do not state them here. Those details can change, so read them on the ABO site (abop.org/exams) before you register, and check the Pearson VUE page for written exam day logistics.

Worked examples: how to reason through Board Certified Ophthalmologist questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: A 64-year-old female presents with gradually decreasing vision and foreign body sensation in her right eye. Examination reveals elevated, gray-white, fibrous-appearing nodules in the mid-peripheral cornea, just anterior to Bowman's layer. After a trial of conservative management with lubrication fails, what is the most appropriate next step in management?

1. Penetrating keratoplasty (PKP)
2. Systemic immunosuppression
3. Superficial keratectomy
4. Amniotic membrane transplantation

Answer: C. Superficial keratectomy

Explanation:

Gray-white fibrous nodules in the mid-peripheral cornea, just anterior to Bowman's layer, point to Salzmann's nodular degeneration. Once lubrication fails and the nodules cause symptoms, superficial keratectomy is correct because it removes the elevated tissue that is causing the problem.

Penetrating keratoplasty is wrong because it replaces full-thickness cornea for a disease that sits on the surface. Systemic immunosuppression is wrong because this is a degenerative process, not an immune-driven one. Amniotic membrane transplantation is wrong as a standalone step because it covers or supports the surface but leaves the nodules in place.

Rule to remember: for a symptomatic superficial corneal lesion, try the least invasive approach that removes the pathology before considering deeper surgery.

Example 2

Question: A 25-year-old male presents with acute anterior uveitis and lower back pain. HLA-B27 testing is positive. Which condition is most likely associated with this presentation?

1. Sarcoidosis
2. Ankylosing spondylitis
3. Behçet disease
4. Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome

Answer: B. Ankylosing spondylitis

Explanation:

Acute anterior uveitis with lower back pain and a positive HLA-B27 test is the classic pairing for ankylosing spondylitis, a seronegative spondyloarthropathy. The back pain suggests sacroiliitis, which links the eye finding to the spine.

Sarcoidosis can cause uveitis, but it is not tied to HLA-B27 and usually comes with chest or systemic findings. Behçet disease causes uveitis with oral and genital ulcers and is associated with a different HLA type. Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome involves bilateral granulomatous uveitis with neurologic and skin features, not back pain.

Rule to remember: HLA-B27 plus anterior uveitis means look for a spondyloarthropathy, so ask about back pain, joint symptoms, psoriasis and bowel disease.

Example 3

Question: How is the transmission axis of polarized sunglasses oriented to reduce glare from horizontal surfaces such as water?

1. Vertically
2. Horizontally
3. At 45 degrees
4. Circularly polarized

Answer: A. Vertically

Explanation:

Light reflecting off a horizontal surface such as water is mainly horizontally polarized. A polarizing filter blocks light that vibrates along its absorbing direction and passes light along its transmission axis. Polarized sunglasses therefore put the transmission axis vertical, so the horizontally polarized glare is blocked while other light still gets through.

A horizontal axis is wrong because it would pass the glare and block useful light. An axis at 45 degrees would block only part of the glare. Circular polarization is a different type of filter and is not what standard glare-reducing sunglasses use.

Rule to remember: the filter axis is set perpendicular to the polarization of the glare you want to remove.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the ABO page for the exam you are sitting, and note the registration window and exam date so you can work backward. Then use our sets to find weak areas before you spend time on broad review.

1. Take a short set in each subspecialty, for example cornea and external disease, retina and vitreous, uveitis, neuro-ophthalmology and optics and refraction. Record which topics you miss most.
2. For every miss, write the rule that would have given you the answer, then read the matching section in your usual textbooks or the ABO's own material.
3. Return to the weak sets after a gap and retake them. Rewriting the reasoning from memory works better than rereading the explanation.
4. As the written exam gets closer, practise long blocks of 250 questions to build stamina for the five-hour sitting, including a break.
5. For the Oral Examination, talk through cases aloud, since it is delivered virtually.

Our questions are AI-assisted and not real exam items, so treat them as practice for reasoning, not a prediction of what you will see.

Sources & last verified

1. pearsonvue.com — number of questions, time limit, delivery, score release (official source). “is a 250 multiple-choice question examination” Verified Oct 25, 2026.
2. American Board of Ophthalmology — exam fee, delivery, registration deadline, registration opens (official source). “Fee: $2,250” Verified Oct 25, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.