Hi,
I took the final FRCS exam in June in Glasgow. By God’s grace and everyone’s wishes, I passed in my first attempt. The Chua website and the FRCS Opth Yahoo groups were very helpful in preparing for these exams. I am very grateful for all the help I received through these channels.
This is a brief recall of my questions.
First of all, the examiners, esp. in the clinicals were very friendly and did not intimidate at all. The core idea is to remain calm in the exam, even if one or two questions are tough, because you need to think for the rest of the exam. Hard to do in reality in an exam but very vital, as I messed up one viva question because of tension, but luckily managed to pull through the rest decently.

Day 1- Viva

I. Ophthalmic Surgery & Pathology:
 

Examiner 1:
1. Picture of lower lid? BCC- management, appearance of BCC in pathology
(palisading, etc) , other differential diagnosis, etc
2. Pic of Pseudophakic eye with corneal edema & hypopyon- examiner says
operated few days ago- Main diag- Infective endophthalmitis- Rx, etc- tap &
inject, dose and strength of Abx, Endophthalmitis study, etc
3. 6 months post trab, flat AC, mild leak- about late bleb leakage
 

Examiner 2:
1. Pic of pterygium- Surgical options- graft, MMC, astigmatism, etc
2. Penetrating keratoplasty with abcess- management
3. Pic of choroidal melanoma- diff from naevus, how to Rx

II. Medicine & Neurology:
 

Examiner 1:
1. 2-year-old boy- mother gives peanuts…. Very short of breath, etc… how to
Rx? To rule out foreign body & allergy, then about asthma, long term follow
up, Epipen etc
2. Hyperthyroid pt- Symptoms, other clinical manifestations, etc
3. 3. Atrial fibrillation- risk to eye- emboli, etc
 

Examiner 2:
1. III N palsy- pupil sparing, how to follow up, etc
2. Rubeosis iris pic- DD- if bilat, if unilat- Diabetic, CRVO, etc, how to Rx &
follow up…
 

III. Ophthalmic Medicine:
 

Examiner 1:
1. Pic of angiod streaks with choroidal rupture- asso. with Pagets, risk of CNV,
etc
2. 2. Child with preseptal cellulitis- diff from orbital cellulitis, other specialities
involved, etc
3. Pic of keratoconus with hydrops- Rx, sequalae (may improve, etc)
 

Examiner 2:
1. Asked to write down classification of glaucoma meds with one example each,
side effects of few
2. Pic. Of keratitis, with ? ring infiltrate- about acanthamoeba, stains and culture,
liase with microbiologist, etc

Day 2- Clinicals:
 

I. Post. Segment:
1.Direct fundoscopy- Severe NPDR with mac edema
2. Slit lamp – Choroidal mass- DD- melanoma, seconadaries, etc
3. Since did well & had time, gave 3rd case- direct fundoscopy- ARMD both eyes, one dry, other wet
 

II. Ant. Segment:
1. Fuchs endothelial dystrophy
2. Epithelial map dot finger print dystrophy
3. Again, since had time, 3rd case- Ectropion uvea both eye? Not sure
 

III. Neuro Ophthal & Ocular motility:
1.Thyroid eye disease
2. Check pupils- RAPD in one eye
 

IV. Lids & ptosis:
1.Aponeurotic ptosis
2.Throid/ Inflam orbital disease- exam
 

Hope this helps anyone preparing the exam. Good luck and thank you to all. - Regards, Vish.