Basic Eye Examination Tutorials

City, University of London's eye examination video series remains a genuinely useful, concise resource for building solid fundamentals — 17 short, focused videos rather than one long lecture, which makes it easy to revisit a specific technique right before you need it.

Go to Eye Examination Fundamentals

Why a structured basic exam sequence matters

Even experienced examiners benefit from a consistent, systematic sequence — it reduces the chance of missing a step under time pressure and makes findings easier to communicate to colleagues in a standard order:

• History and presenting complaint, including relevant systemic history
• Visual acuity (distance and near), with and without pinhole
• Pupil examination, including relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD) testing where relevant
• Extraocular motility and alignment (cover test)
• Confrontation visual fields
• Anterior segment examination by slit lamp — lids, conjunctiva, cornea, anterior chamber, iris, lens
• Intraocular pressure measurement
• Dilated fundus examination — optic disc, macula, vessels, peripheral retina

How to get the most from short video tutorials like this

Short, technique-focused videos work best watched immediately before performing that specific exam component yourself — rather than binge-watching the whole series once. Revisit the specific video for a technique you're about to practice (e.g., cover test, or slit lamp technique) right before clinic, so the visual detail is fresh when you need it.