NEET PG Ophthalmology Syllabus

Ophthalmology syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Ophthalmology in NEET PG, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Anatomy and Physiology of the Eye

   2 topics

   • Anatomy of the eye
     • External structures (eyelids, conjunctiva, lacrimal apparatus)
     • Internal structures (cornea, iris, lens, retina)
   • Physiology of vision
     • Optics of the eye
     • Refraction
     • Accommodation
     • Visual pathways
2. 2

   Ophthalmic Examination and Investigations

   3 topics

   • Ophthalmic history taking
     • Chief complaint
     • Past medical history
     • Family history
     • Social history
   • Ophthalmic examination
     • Visual acuity assessment
     • Visual field testing
     • Slit-lamp examination
     • Dilated fundus examination
   • Ophthalmic investigations
     • Refraction
     • Tonometry
     • Gonioscopy
     • Ultrasound biomicroscopy
     • Optical coherence tomography (OCT)
     • Fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA)
3. 3

   Refractive Errors

   4 topics

   • Myopia
     • Definition
     • Pathophysiology
     • Clinical features
     • Management
   • Hyperopia
     • Definition
     • Pathophysiology
     • Clinical features
     • Management
   • Astigmatism
     • Definition
     • Types
     • Clinical features
     • Management
   • Presbyopia
     • Age-related changes in accommodation
     • Clinical features
     • Management
4. 4

   Cataract and Lens Disorders

   3 topics

   • Age-related cataract
     • Types of cataracts
     • Clinical features
     • Management
   • Congenital cataract
     • Clinical features
     • Diagnosis
     • Management
   • Phakomatoses
     • Ocular manifestations of neurofibromatosis
     • Ocular manifestations of tuberous sclerosis
     • Ocular manifestations of Sturge-Weber syndrome
5. 5

   Glaucoma

   3 topics

   • Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG)
     • Pathophysiology
     • Clinical features
     • Diagnosis
     • Management
   • Angle-closure glaucoma
     • Acute angle-closure crisis
     • Chronic angle-closure glaucoma
     • Management
   • Secondary glaucoma
     • Causes
     • Clinical features
     • Management
6. 6

   Retinal Disorders

   3 topics

   • Diabetic Retinopathy
     • Classification
     • Clinical Features
     • Management
   • Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
     • Dry AMD
     • Wet AMD
     • Clinical Features
     • Management
   • Retinal Detachment
     • Rhegmatogenous
     • Tractional
     • Exudative
     • Clinical Features
     • Management
7. 7

   Neuro-Ophthalmology

   3 topics

   • Optic neuropathies
     • Optic neuritis
     • Ischemic optic neuropathy
     • Compressive optic neuropathy
     • Toxic optic neuropathy
   • Cranial nerve palsies
     • Third nerve palsy
     • Fourth nerve palsy
     • Sixth nerve palsy
   • Neuro-ophthalmic syndromes
     • Papilledema
     • Pseudotumor cerebri
     • Horner syndrome
8. 8

   Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus

   3 topics

   • Amblyopia
     • Definition
     • Causes
     • Clinical Features
     • Management
   • Strabismus
     • Types of Strabismus
     • Clinical Features
     • Management
   • Congenital Anomalies of the Eye
     • Congenital Glaucoma
     • Congenital Cataract
     • Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP)
9. 9

   External Eye Diseases and Ocular Surface Disorders

   3 topics

   • Conjunctivitis
     • Infectious conjunctivitis (bacterial, viral, chlamydial)
     • Allergic conjunctivitis
     • Chemical conjunctivitis
   • Dry eye syndrome
     • Pathophysiology
     • Clinical features
     • Management
   • Blepharitis
     • Anterior blepharitis
     • Posterior blepharitis
     • Management
10. 10

    Ocular Oncology and Orbital Disorders

    3 topics

    • Ocular tumors
      • Retinoblastoma
      • Uveal melanoma
      • Conjunctival tumors
    • Orbital tumors
      • Orbital cellulitis
      • Orbital pseudotumor
      • Orbital metastases
    • Thyroid eye disease (Graves' orbitopathy)
      • Clinical features
      • Diagnosis
      • Management

Ophthalmology flashcards for NEET PG

20 of 51 cards from the Ophthalmology deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is the total dioptric power of the normal human eye, and which structure contributes the most refractive power?

   Total power is approximately +60 diopters. The cornea contributes the most (~+43 D, about two-thirds); the lens contributes ~+15 to +20 D.

2. Name the three layers (tunics) of the eyeball from outermost to innermost.

   Outer fibrous tunic (cornea + sclera); middle vascular tunic/uvea (iris, ciliary body, choroid); inner neural tunic (retina).

3. List the five layers of the cornea from anterior to posterior.

   Epithelium, Bowman's membrane, stroma (substantia propria), Descemet's membrane, and endothelium.

4. What is the fovea centralis and which photoreceptor predominates there?

   The fovea is the central depression of the macula responsible for sharpest vision; it contains only cones (no rods) and has no overlying inner retinal layers (foveola).

5. Through what pathway does aqueous humor drain, and where is it produced?

   Produced by the ciliary body (non-pigmented epithelium); flows from posterior chamber through the pupil to the anterior chamber, then drains mainly via the trabecular meshwork into the canal of Schlemm (conventional outflow), with a smaller uveoscleral pathway.

6. In phototransduction, what happens to cGMP and the photoreceptor membrane potential when light strikes rhodopsin?

   Light activates rhodopsin → transducin → phosphodiesterase, which lowers cGMP; cation channels close, the photoreceptor hyperpolarizes, and glutamate release decreases.

7. What is the visual pigment of rods, and what are its two components?

   Rhodopsin, composed of the protein opsin and the chromophore 11-cis-retinal (a vitamin A derivative).

8. Define dark adaptation and state its approximate duration for full rod sensitivity.

   The recovery of retinal sensitivity in darkness as photopigments regenerate; cones adapt within ~5-10 minutes, rods take ~20-30 minutes for full sensitivity (Rushton break shows the cone-rod transition).

9. What are the key components of a focused ophthalmic history for sudden painless vision loss?

   Onset/duration, laterality, transient vs persistent, associated floaters/flashes/curtain (retinal detachment), prior similar episodes (amaurosis fugax), systemic risk factors (diabetes, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, giant cell arteritis symptoms).

10. In ophthalmic examination, what does a relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD / Marcus Gunn pupil) indicate and how is it tested?

    It indicates an asymmetric optic nerve or extensive retinal lesion on the affected side. Tested with the swinging flashlight test: the affected pupil paradoxically dilates when light swings to it.

11. What is the standard notation for normal visual acuity on a Snellen chart, and what does 6/12 mean?

    Normal is 6/6 (metric) or 20/20 (feet). 6/12 means the patient reads at 6 meters what a normal person reads at 12 meters (reduced acuity).

12. What does applanation tonometry measure, and what is the normal range of intraocular pressure?

    It measures intraocular pressure (IOP) using the Goldmann principle (force to flatten a fixed corneal area). Normal IOP is 10-21 mmHg (mean ~15-16).

13. What is gonioscopy used to assess?

    Visualization and grading of the anterior chamber angle (e.g., Shaffer grading) to distinguish open-angle from angle-closure glaucoma.

14. What is the key investigation to image retinal layers cross-sectionally, and name one classic use.

    Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT); used to detect macular edema, retinal nerve fiber layer thinning in glaucoma, and to image AMD/macular holes.

15. What does fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) primarily evaluate?

    The retinal and choroidal circulation/vasculature — detecting leakage, ischemia (capillary non-perfusion), and neovascularization (e.g., in diabetic retinopathy, AMD).

16. Define myopia and state the typical eyeball/refractive cause and corrective lens.

    Myopia (short-sightedness): parallel rays focus in front of the retina, usually due to an axially long eye or excess refractive power. Corrected with a concave (minus/diverging) lens.

17. Define hyperopia (hypermetropia) and its correction.

    Parallel rays focus behind the retina (axially short eye or low refractive power). Corrected with a convex (plus/converging) lens; can predispose to angle-closure glaucoma and accommodative esotropia.

18. What is astigmatism and how is regular astigmatism corrected?

    Unequal refraction in different meridians (commonly from an irregularly curved cornea) producing two focal lines. Regular astigmatism is corrected with a cylindrical lens.

19. Define presbyopia and explain its mechanism.

    Age-related loss of accommodation (typically from ~40 years) due to decreased lens elasticity and weakening accommodative response, causing difficulty with near vision; corrected with reading (plus) lenses.

20. What is the most common type of age-related cataract, and what visual symptom is characteristic?

    Nuclear sclerotic cataract is common; it causes gradual painless visual decline and a 'second sight' (myopic shift) phenomenon. Cortical cataracts cause glare; posterior subcapsular cataracts cause early near-vision and glare difficulty.

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