Basic and Clinical Science Course

Reading Schedule
2019-2020 EDITION
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INTRODUCTION

I still remember when I received my first copy of the As I’ve adapted and refined this reading calendar over the
American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Basic and Clinical past several years, I decided that while it might be
Science Course (BCSC) set in residency. While I knew that somewhat more cumbersome, it made more sense to me
the eyes were highly complex, I don’t think it dawned on that overlapping sections should be read during the same
me how much I would need to study until I saw the entire week where possible - for example, phakomatoses are
case of books. discussed in both the Neuro-Ophthalmology text as well
as in the Pediatric Ophthalmology text. Instead of reading
Obviously, reading the BCSC is not the only way to learn through the Neuro-Ophthalmology section one week and
ophthalmology, though it is a pretty good option for then revisiting the same material a few weeks later, I
getting started. However, it’s also quite a challenge to try decided to lump those sections together in one week. The
and read through the entire series without having a plan of advantage to doing things this way is that each disease
attack. process is learned in full each week. However, repetition is
limited by this method, so this approach may not work for
The American Academy of Ophthalmology has a similar everyone.
reading schedule available on their website, which has you
read every book in the BCSC (except for Section 1, Update My hope is that this reading schedule will serve as a useful
on General Medicine) from July 1 until the end of February, guide as you learn ophthalmology. For those studying for
averaging approximately 20 pages per night. The structure the OKAP or Written Qualifying Exam, this schedule allows
of their reading schedule is fairly simple, in that each you to make sure you have enough time to read through
week’s reading assignment is typically in one book, and all of the pertinent sections. It’s hard work, but it really is
higher-yield sections are read first, so that first-year doable.
residents learn key subjects first.
Best of luck in your studies!
S C H E D U L E O R G A N I Z AT I O N

Reading Order In general, I approached the reading order in the following

manner:
In my opinion, there really isn’t one right way to read
through the entire BCSC. Each book is written and 1. Fundamentals and Principles of Ophthalmology
designed to stand alone for the subject matter they cover. (Weeks 1-2): I think it’s logical to start with Section 2 of
As such, the reading order I chose was based on the the BCSC in order to understand the basics of anatomy
concept of highlighting the pathology-heavy subjects pharmacology. I split up the physiology section so that
during the first 6 months (which would hopefully benefit a this would be read as each subject is studied. Because
first-year resident), and leave clinical optics for the very the pharmacology section has gotten much longer, I
end (so that you don’t forget those concepts before the moved embryology to be with pediatric ocular
test, whether that’s the OKAP or Written Qualifying Exam). development and genetics to go with intraocular
tumors.
Books that have quite a bit of overlapping material, such as
Ophthalmic Pathology or Pediatric Ophthalmology, are 2. External Disease and Cornea and Refractive Surgery
interspersed throughout the reading material. They may (Weeks 3-8): Since anterior segment disease is often
be read as a review prior to testing, or, as I’ve done, seen early and often in residency, I felt like this was the
incorporated into the main reading schedule to clarify/ natural next step. I included most of the refractive
expand on the knowledge of specific diseases. surgery chapters in this section, since it seemed logical.

3. Glaucoma (Weeks 9-10): Glaucoma is the most

common optic neuropathy encountered in clinical
practice, so understanding the disease and its
management should be one of the first topics to
address.
S C H E D U L E O R G A N I Z AT I O N

4. Retina, Vitreous, and Uveitis (Weeks 11-16): The 6. Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery (Weeks
disciplines of Retina and Uveitis commonly overlap, and 23-25): The discipline of oculoplastic surgery is closely
as such it made sense to put these books together in the related to neuro-ophthalmology (many oculoplastic
same reading block. I left the immunology chapters surgeons have some training in neuro-ophthalmology),
towards the end. and so it made sense to me to keep these subjects
together.
5. Neuro-Ophthalmology, Pediatric Ophthalmology,
and Strabismus (Weeks 17-22): Neuro- 7. Lens and Cataract (Weeks 26-27): Though this is
ophthalmology is probably one of the more diverse placed towards the end of the reading schedule, this is
subjects within ophthalmology, since it deals with mostly based on the heavier weight of learning many
diseases that can affect the entirety of the visual system, different diseases in the previous sections, rather than
including afferent disease (what you see), cortical the lack of importance of the lens (after all, cataract
processing of vision (what you perceive), and efferent surgery is the most common refractive surgical
disease (how your brain controls your eyes and procedure performed).
structures around and in your eyes). While many
programs may reserve Neuro-Ophthalmology study for 8. Intraocular Tumors, Immunology, Principles of
the second year of residency, I think that it’s helpful to Refractive Surgery, and Clinical Optics (Weeks
get an early start on this complex subject. I lumped 28-31): The final few weeks wrap up the miscellaneous
strabismus into this section (as well as systemic pediatric chapters from other sections, as well as cover clinical
diseases), since adult strabismus often causes diplopia, optics.
and as such most neuro-ophthalmologists have to be
familiar with general strabismus concepts.
S C H E D U L E O R G A N I Z AT I O N

Organization and Abbreviations • F = Fundamentals and Principles of

Ophthalmology
The schedule is organized into a table, which details the
chapters of each book, general topics covered in the • Op = Clinical Optics
reading, page numbers, total pages read for the week, and
• Pa = Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular
the average pages per day (assuming 7 days of studying).
Tumors
I purposefully did not assign specific dates for each week
• N = Neuro-Ophthalmology
to allow for some flexibility as you decide how you want to
study (for example, some people may want to take weeks
• Pe = Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
off for holidays and vacations, others may choose to study
straight through the year). • Or = Orbit, Eyelids, and Lacrimal System

Under the Pages column there are lettered abbreviations • C = External Disease and Cornea
that indicate the appropriate BCSC section that
corresponds to those page numbers. While I’m pretty sure • U = Intraocular Inflammation and Uveitis
the abbreviations are self-explanatory, I will also provide
them here as reference (listed in order of the BCSC section • G = Glaucoma
organization):
• L = Lens and Cataract

• Ret = Retina and Vitreous

• Ref = Refractive Surgery

WEEKS 1-7

Week Book/Chapters Topics Pages Total Pages Pages/Day

Section 2, Fundamentals and Principles of

1 Anatomy, cranial nerves F: 5-139 135 19
Ophthalmology, Chapters 1-3

Section 2, Fundamentals and Principles of

2 Free radicals, ocular pharmacology F: 335-450 116 17
Ophthalmology, Chapters 14-16

Section 2, Fundamentals and Principles of

Ophthalmology, Chapters 7-8
Physiology of tear film and cornea F: 247-268

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular

3 Pathology of conjunctiva and cornea Pa: 47-96 114 16
Tumors, Chapter 5-6

Corneal structure and function, examination techniques C: 3-44

Section 8, External Disease and Cornea, Chapters
1-2

Section 8, External Disease and Cornea, Chapters

3-6 Ocular surface disease, congenital anomalies, corneal
C: 45-132
depositions and degenerations
Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and
4 Pe: 237-252 132 19
Strabismus, Chapter 20 Pediatric cornea and anterior segment abnormalities

Pa: 107-114, 181-200

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Pathology of sclera and uveal tract
Tumors, Chapters 8 and 12

Corneal dystrophies, corneal ectasias, systemic disorders

Section 8, External Disease and Cornea, Chapters
5 with corneal/anterior segment manifestations, infection C: 133-242 134 19
7-9
basics and viral infections

Section 8, External Disease and Cornea, Chapters

Microbial/parasitic infections, inflammatory diseases,
10-12 C: 243-350
neoplasms
6 132 19
Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Pe: 253-276
Pediatric external diseases of the eye
Strabismus, Chapter 21

Section 8, External Disease and Cornea, Chapters

Therapeutics, trauma/toxic injury, corneal transplantation C: 351-454
13-15
7 138 20
Corneal refractive surgery and collagen cross linking Ref: 49-72, 127-136
Section 13, Refractive Surgery, Chapters 3-4, 7
WEEKS 8-14

Week Book/Chapters Topics Pages Total Pages Pages/Day

Photoablation, treatments for presbyopia, systemic

8 Section 13, Refractive Surgery, Chapters 5-6, 8-12 considerations and post-surgical considerations, Ref: 73-126, 137-208 126 18
emerging technologies

Section 10, Glaucoma, Chapters 1-4

Introduction to glaucoma, aqueous physiology,
G: 3-116
evaluation, open-angle glaucoma
Section 2, Fundamentals and Principles of
9 Ophthalmology, Chapter 9 F: 269-280 136 19
Physiology of aqueous production

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Pa: 97-106

Pathology of anterior chamber and trabecular meshwork
Tumors, Chapter 7

Section 10, Glaucoma, Chapters 5-8 Angle-closure glaucoma, pediatric glaucoma, medical
G: 117-221
and surgical treatment
10 121 17
Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and
Pe: 277-292
Strabismus, Chapter 22 Pediatric glaucoma

Section 12, Retina and Vitreous, Chapters 1-3

Retinal anatomy, diagnostic testing, electrophysiology Ret: 7-58
Section 2, Fundamentals and Principles of
11 Ophthalmology, Chapters 11-13 Physiology of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium F: 293-333 135 19

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Pathology of retina and retinal pigment epithelium Pa: 139-180
Tumors, Chapter 11

Section 12, Retina and Vitreous, Chapters 4-8 Ret: 61-188

Choroidal neovascularization, retinal vascular disease,
12 144 20
Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and retinopathy of prematurity Pe: 325-335, 347-348,
Strabismus, Chapter 25 358-360

Section 12, Retina and Vitreous, Chapters 9-11 Choroidal disease, myopic degeneration, retinal
Ret: 189-248
inflammations
13 126 17
Section 9, Intraocular Inflammation and Uveitis,
U: 153-218
Chapter 9 Noninfectious posterior uveitis and panuveitis

Section 9, Intraocular Inflammation and Uveitis, Scleritis, anterior and intermediate uveitis, infectious
14 U: 115-152, 219-311 131 19
Chapters 7-8, 10-13 uveitis, endophthalmitis, masquerade syndromes
WEEKS 15-21

Week Book/Chapters Topics Pages Total Pages Pages/Day

Section 9, Intraocular Inflammation and Uveitis,

Clinical approach to uveitis
Chapters 5-6 U: 67-114

Congenital and stationary retinal disease, retinal and

15 Section 12, Retina and Vitreous, Chapters 12-15 Ret: 249-306 132 19
choroidal dystrophies, retinal degenerations, toxicities

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Pe: 311-323, 335-347

Pediatric uveitis, pediatric retinal disease
Strabismus, Chapter 24-25

Section 12, Retina and Vitreous, Chapters 16-20

Retinal detachment, vitreous disease, trauma, lasers,
Ret: 307-404
injections, and surgery
Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular
16 Tumors, Chapter 10 Pa: 125-137 133 19
Pathology of vitreous

Section 9, Intraocular Inflammation and Uveitis, U: 313-334

Complications of uveitis, ocular involvement in AIDS
Chapters 14-15

17 Section 5, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Chapters 1-3 Neuroanatomy, imaging, clinical evaluation of vision loss N: 5-98 94 13

Section 5, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Chapters 4-6

Approach to vision loss, transient visual loss, illusions and
N: 99-181
hallucinations
Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and
18 Strabismus, Chapter 26 Pe: 361-374 107 15
Pediatric optic disc abnormalities

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Pa: 241-250

Pathology of optic nerve
Tumors, Chapter 15

Section 5, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Chapters 10-14 Pupil, eyelid/face, head/eye/facial pain, nonorganic

N: 253-358
disorders, systemic diseases
19 108 16
Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and
Pe: 267-268
Strabismus, Chapter 20 Pediatric pupil abnormalities, pediatric systemic diseases

Section 5, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Chapters 7-9

Diplopia, nystagmus N: 183-251
20 112 16
Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and
Childhood nystagmus, pediatric systemic diseases Pe: 147-157, 385-416
Strabismus, Chapters 13, 28

Diagnostic evaluation of strabismus, eso- and exo-

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and
21 deviations, pattern deviations, vertical deviations, special Pe: 63-146, 159-176 102 15
Strabismus, Chapters 7-12, 14
forms of strabismus, strabismus surgery, botulinum
WEEKS 22-25

Week Book/Chapters Topics Pages Total Pages Pages/Day

Pediatric exam, strabismus terminology, amblyopia,

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and
sensory and motor physiology Pe: 3-62, 179-190,
Strabismus, Chapters 1-6, 15-16, 27
Growth and development of eye, decreased vision, ocular 375-384
22 108 16
trauma in childhood
Section 2, Fundamentals and Principles of
F: 143-168
Ophthalmology, Chapter 4
Embryology

Section 7, Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery, Orbital anatomy, evaluation of orbital disorders,
Chapters 1-5 congenital anomalies, inflammations, infections, Or: 5-108
23 neoplasms, malformations 128 18
Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Pe: 203-226
Strabismus, Chapter 18 Pediatric orbital disorders

Section 7, Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery,

Chapters 6-10 Orbital trauma, orbital surgery, anophthalmia, facial/
Or: 109-212
eyelid anatomy, lid disorders
Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and
24 Pe: 191-202 134 19
Strabismus, Chapter 17 Pediatric eyelid disorders

Pa: 223-240
Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Pathology of orbit
Tumors, Chapter 14

Section 7, Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery,

Chapters 11-15 Eyelid malpositions/involutional changes, lid
Or: 213-318
reconstruction, lacrimal system
Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and
25 Pe: 227-236 136 20
Strabismus, Chapter 19 Pediatric lacrimal system disorders

Pa: 201-220
Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular Pathology of eyelids
Tumors, Chapter 13
WEEKS 26-31

Week Book/Chapters Topics Pages Total Pages Pages/Day

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular

Tumors, Chapters 1-4, 9 Pathology basics, wound healing, stains, special testing,
Pa: 5-45, 115-124
pathology of lens
Section 11, Lens and Cataract, Chapters 1-5
L: 5-68
Lens basics
26 145 21
Section 2, Fundamentals and Principles of
F: 281-292
Ophthalmology, Chapter 10 Physiology of lens

Pe: 293-310
Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Pediatric cataracts and lens abnormalities
Strabismus, Chapter 23

27 Section 11, Lens and Cataract, Chapters 6-9 Cataract surgery L: 69-193 125 18

Section 9, Intraocular Inflammation and Uveitis,

Basics of immunology U: 1-66
Chapters 1-4
28 108 16
Basics of refractive surgery Ref: 7-48
Section 13, Refractive Surgery, Chapters 1-2

Section 4, Ophthalmic Pathology and Intraocular

Tumors, Chapters 16-20
Intraocular tumors Pa: 253-316

Section 6, Pediatric Ophthalmology and

29 Pediatric retinal tumors Pe: 349-360 147 21
Strabismus, Chapters 25

Genetics F: 171-241
Section 2, Fundamentals and Principles of
Ophthalmology, Chapters 5-6

Section 3, Clinical Optics, Introduction, Chapters

30 Geometric optics, optics of human eye Op: 3-145 143 21
1-3

Clinical refraction, contact lenses, intraocular lenses,

31 Section 3, Clinical Optics, Chapters 4-9 keratorefractive surgery, instruments, low vision, Op: 147-329 183 26
geometric optics