100+ Free OEBC Written Exam Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: OEBC Written Exam Exam

232

Total Questions

OEBC Exam Structure

1.000

Standardized Pass Score

OEBC Scoring Guidelines

8.0h

Exam Duration

OEBC Schedule

$2,360

Written Exam Fee (CAD)

OEBC Fees

Online

Format

OEBC Admin Guide

The OEBC Written Examination is a case-based, 232-question exam evaluating clinical competence, diagnostic reasoning, and patient management for optometric licensing in Canada.

Sample OEBC Written Exam Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your OEBC Written Exam exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A 45-year-old patient presents for their annual exam with complaints of difficulty reading fine print. During the examination, you perform a manifest refraction. What is the most appropriate initial method to determine the tentative addition (Add) power for this presbyopic patient?

A.Age-based expected Add guide combined with cross-cylinder testing.

B.Using the patient's current distance prescription and adding +3.00 D automatically.

C.Performing cycloplegic refraction to find the latent addition power.

D.Determining the patient's negative relative accommodation (NRA) only.

Explanation: Starting with an age-based expected Add guide followed by refinement using fused cross-cylinder testing is a standard clinical method to determine a presbyopic addition. This allows the clinician to customize the addition power based on the patient's individual accommodative amplitude and working distance.

2When performing the cover-uncover test on a patient, you observe that when the right eye is covered, the left eye remains stationary. When the left eye is covered, the right eye moves outward to fixate. What is the correct interpretation of this finding?

A.Right esotropia.

B.Left esotropia.

C.Right exotropia.

D.Alternating exophoria.

Explanation: The movement of the right eye outward to fixate when the left eye is covered indicates that the right eye was originally turned inward (esotropic). Since the left eye did not move when the right eye was covered, the left eye is the dominant fixating eye, confirming a right esotropia.

3During a routine eye exam, you perform goldmann applanation tonometry on a patient. If the corneal thickness of the patient is significantly thicker than the average population value (e.g., 610 microns), how does this affect the intraocular pressure (IOP) reading?

A.The measured IOP reading will be artificially higher than the true IOP.

B.The measured IOP reading will be artificially lower than the true IOP.

C.The measured IOP reading will remain completely unaffected.

D.The tonometer mires will fail to align due to excessive corneal rigidity.

Explanation: Goldmann applanation tonometry assumes a standard corneal thickness of approximately 520 to 550 microns. A thicker-than-average cornea requires more force to applanate, which artificially inflates the measured IOP reading above the true intraocular pressure.

4A patient presents with a suspected history of color vision deficiency. Which of the following tests is most appropriate to rapidly screen for red-green color vision defects in a clinical setting?

A.Ishihara pseudoisochromatic plates.

B.Farnsworth-Munsell 100-hue test.

C.Nagel anomaloscope.

D.Kollner's rule validation cards.

Explanation: Ishihara plates are the most common, rapid, and effective clinical screening tool for identifying congenital red-green color vision deficiencies. It is widely used in primary eye care because of its simplicity and high sensitivity.

5You are performing a pupillary evaluation on a patient who recently suffered head trauma. You shine a light into the right eye and observe no constriction in either eye. When you shine the light into the left eye, both pupils constrict. What is the location of the lesion?

A.Right optic nerve.

B.Right oculomotor nerve.

C.Left optic nerve.

D.Left oculomotor nerve.

Explanation: Shining light into the right eye produces no response in either eye (no direct or consensual constriction), indicating that the sensory input (afferent pathway) from the right eye is blocked. Normal pupillary constriction in both eyes when light is shone into the left eye confirms that both efferent pathways (oculomotor nerves) are intact, locating the lesion in the right optic nerve (afferent pupillary defect).

6Which of the following instruments is designed to measure the curvature of the central anterior corneal surface by reflecting circles of light off the tear film?

A.Manual keratometer.

B.Pachymeter.

C.Slit-lamp biomicroscope.

D.A-scan ultrasonographer.

Explanation: A manual keratometer measures the curvature of the central 3-4 mm of the anterior corneal surface by acting as a reflective surface for target circles (mires), allowing calculation of corneal power and astigmatism.

7A patient presents with a visual acuity of 6/12 (20/40) in the right eye. When you place a pinhole aperture over the right eye, the visual acuity improves to 6/6 (20/20). What does this change indicate?

A.The reduced vision is primarily due to uncorrected refractive error.

B.The patient has an active macular disease that requires urgent referral.

C.The patient has a mature cataract causing dense light scattering.

D.The patient has amblyopia in the right eye.

Explanation: A pinhole aperture blocks peripheral light rays and permits only central parallel rays to reach the retina, which bypasses refractive abnormalities. Improvement to 6/6 (20/20) with a pinhole indicates that the patient's reduced visual acuity is due to an uncorrected refractive error.

8During a routine anterior segment examination, you suspect the patient has a narrow anterior chamber angle. Which clinical technique is the gold standard for directly visualizing and grading the anterior chamber angle structures?

A.Gonioscopy.

B.Van Herick estimation.

C.Corneal topography.

D.Specular microscopy.

Explanation: Gonioscopy utilizes a specialized lens to overcome total internal reflection of the cornea, allowing direct visualization and grading of the anterior chamber angle structures (such as trabecular meshwork and Schwalbe's line). It is the clinical gold standard for identifying angle closure risk.

9A patient with suspected dry eye syndrome undergoes a Schirmer I test without anesthetic. What is the standard test duration and the cut-off value that indicates normal tear secretion?

A.5 minutes, with normal secretion defined as greater than or equal to 10 mm.

B.1 minute, with normal secretion defined as greater than or equal to 5 mm.

C.10 minutes, with normal secretion defined as greater than or equal to 15 mm.

D.3 minutes, with normal secretion defined as greater than or equal to 8 mm.

Explanation: The Schirmer I test (without anesthetic) measures reflex and basal tear production. The standardized protocol requires placing the filter paper strip in the lower fornix for 5 minutes, with wetting of 10 mm or more considered normal.

10You are performing a retinoscopy on a patient at a working distance of 67 cm (corresponding to a working distance lens value of +1.50 D). You observe 'with' motion in the horizontal meridian and 'against' motion in the vertical meridian. How would you adjust your lens choice to find the neutralizing point?

A.Add plus power for the horizontal meridian and add minus power for the vertical meridian.

B.Add minus power for the horizontal meridian and add plus power for the vertical meridian.

C.Add plus power for both meridians simultaneously.

D.Add minus power for both meridians simultaneously.

Explanation: In retinoscopy, 'with' motion indicates that the focal point is behind the retinoscopist's eye, which is corrected by adding plus power. 'Against' motion indicates that the focal point is in front of the retinoscopist's eye (between patient and doctor), which is neutralized by adding minus power.

About the OEBC Written Exam Exam

The Written Examination Component of the Optometry Examining Board of Canada (OEBC) evaluates a candidate's entry-to-practice competency for optometric practice in Canada. Grounded in the National Competency Profile, this closed-book, computer-administered exam utilizes 58 clinical cases, each with 4 multiple-choice questions, to assess the integration of theoretical knowledge, diagnostic reasoning, patient management planning, and ethical decision-making. The exam is divided into two 4-hour sessions (morning and afternoon) and covers critical topics such as ocular disease, pharmacology, optics, contact lenses, pediatrics, binocular vision, and systemic health. Successful completion of both the Written and OSCE components is required for licensure by provincial optometry regulators in Canada (except Quebec).

Assessment

Case-based computer-administered examination (58 cases x 4 multiple-choice questions)

Time Limit

8.0 hours

Passing Score

Standardized score of 1.000

Exam Fee

$2,360 CAD (Optometry Examining Board of Canada (OEBC))

OEBC Written Exam Exam Content Outline

25%

Assessment

Obtaining patient history, measuring visual functions, refraction, assessing ocular and binocular health, and utilizing diagnostic instruments.

25%

Diagnosis and Planning

Synthesizing assessment data to formulate differential diagnoses, establish definitive diagnoses, and plan evidence-based interventions.

25%

Patient Management

Implementing treatment strategies, prescribing ocular therapeutics, fitting contact lenses, managing emergencies, and patient counseling.

15%

Professionalism and Ethics

Upholding ethical principles, maintaining patient confidentiality, obtaining informed consent, and adhering to provincial regulatory standards.

10%

Practice Management and Scholarship

Clinic operations, documentation, infection control, and applying clinical research to patient care.

How to Pass the OEBC Written Exam Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Standardized score of 1.000
Assessment: Case-based computer-administered examination (58 cases x 4 multiple-choice questions)
Time limit: 8.0 hours
Exam fee: $2,360 CAD

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

OEBC Written Exam Study Tips from Top Performers

1Practice clinical case analysis. Focus on synthesizing patient symptoms, clinical findings, and diagnostic imagery to make rapid management decisions.

2Review the Health Canada regulations, provincial regulations, and standard codes of ethics for Canadian optometrists.

3Familiarize yourself with ocular pharmacology, including therapeutic drug selections, contraindications, and pediatric dosages.

4Manage your time during the exam. With 232 questions across 8 hours, you have approximately 2 minutes per question, including reading the clinical cases.

5Utilize the official OEBC practice exam to get comfortable with the case presentation format and remote proctoring environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the format of the OEBC Written Exam?

The exam is case-based, consisting of 58 clinical scenarios. Each case is accompanied by 4 multiple-choice questions, for a total of 232 questions.

How is the passing score determined for the Written Exam?

Scoring is criterion-referenced using the Angoff method. The raw passing standard is standardized to a score of 1.000; candidates must score 1.000 or higher to pass.

How long is the exam and is it administered in sessions?

The exam is completed in a single day, divided into a 4-hour morning session and a 4-hour afternoon session, for a total testing time of 8 hours.

Can I retake the exam if I fail?

Yes, candidates are allowed up to a maximum of 3 attempts for the Written Component, subject to re-registration and exam fees.

Which Canadian provinces require the OEBC exam for licensure?

All Canadian provinces require the OEBC exam for licensing, except Quebec, which has its own entry-to-practice requirements.

100+ Free OEBC Written Exam Practice Questions

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