Ophthalmology
AKT High-Yield Breakdown
Ophthalmology in the AKT is less about rare diagnoses and more about safe triage: which red eyes can be managed in primary care, which visual symptoms need same-day eye assessment, and which NICE thresholds matter for glaucoma, cataracts, AMD, and diabetic eye disease. The exam rewards a simple rule: document vision first, then decide whether sight is at risk.
What You'll Learn
Master red eye red flags, acute visual loss, glaucoma referral thresholds (NICE NG81), cataract referral rules (NICE NG77), wet AMD urgency (NICE NG82), diabetic retinopathy, and the eye presentations that catch candidates out.
Practise Ophthalmology MCQs
From diabetic retinopathy grading and AMD treatment to acute angle-closure glaucoma emergencies, red eye differentials, visual field defects, and DVLA visual standards for driving — tackle focused MCQs across the full Ophthalmology curriculum.
Eye Assessment in Primary Care — The AKT Core
Most AKT ophthalmology questions turn on a few basic assessment steps. If an eye problem sounds minor but has reduced visual acuity, photophobia, severe pain, corneal involvement, or contact lens risk, the answer is usually urgent assessment rather than "try drops".
Always Document
- Visual acuity in each eye separately, with glasses or pinhole if available
- Pain severity and photophobia
- Contact lens use
- Trauma, foreign body, chemical exposure, or welding/UV exposure
- Pupil size/reactivity and whether the pupil is irregular
- Corneal clarity, fluorescein staining if available, and whether there is a corneal opacity or ulcer
- Pattern: unilateral vs bilateral, watery vs purulent discharge, ciliary flush, proptosis, or restricted eye movements
AKT trap: conjunctivitis should not reduce visual acuity. If vision is reduced, stop thinking "simple conjunctivitis".
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