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The DACVO exam has 250 questions and runs 7 hours.
These 10 free DACVO questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (DACVO) blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.
Before treating an acutely painful eye in a terrier, the clinician records an intraocular pressure of 48 mmHg and confirms that the entire lens lies anterior to the iris. Corneal edema is present, and the eye retains a dazzle response. Which pressure-lowering agent should be avoided because its pupillary effect can worsen this anatomical obstruction?
Correct answer: C - Latanoprost
A superficial corneal defect in an 8-year-old Boxer remains unchanged after 12 days of topical antibiotic treatment. Fluorescein tracks beneath a loose epithelial rim. Tear production is normal; careful examination finds no foreign body, abnormal cilia, stromal infiltrate or stromal loss. The treatment should now address which unresolved problem?
Correct answer: D - Defective epithelial adhesion, by debridement and diamond-burr treatment.
Schirmer tear test-1 measurements in a dog with unilateral mucopurulent discharge are repeatedly 2 mm/min in the affected eye and 19 mm/min in the other eye. The nostril on the affected side is conspicuously dry. Eyelid closure is complete, and no atropine or sedative has been given. Localize the dysfunction that best links these findings.
Correct answer: A - Parasympathetic secretomotor loss affecting lacrimal and nasal glands.
During phacoemulsification in a dog, a posterior capsular tear becomes apparent after the lens material has been removed. The anterior chamber is maintained, but vitreous has prolapsed forward and a strand is incarcerated in the side port, drawing the pupil toward the incision. Before closing the eye, the surgeon should:
Correct answer: B - Clear prolapsed vitreous by controlled anterior vitrectomy and secure the port.
Screening gonioscopy in a dog shows fibrae latae over 35% of the complete 360-degree angle and no laminae. With the gonioscopy lens correctly positioned, the pectinate ligament is visible throughout but measures one-quarter of the distance from its iris origin to the anterior corneal surface in the same optical section. Applying the ECVO combined grading scheme revised in 2022, record this eye as:
Correct answer: A - Moderately affected
A 14-year-old cat begins colliding with furniture overnight. Fundoscopy reveals retinal hemorrhages and bullous detachments in both eyes. After acclimation, repeated Doppler systolic pressures are 188-196 mmHg. The cat is otherwise alert and eating. Its owner believes the elevated readings reflect travel stress. How should the retinal findings influence the decision to treat?
Correct answer: A - Begin oral amlodipine now and monitor pressure and ocular response.
A cat has a slowly enlarging, raised white-pink corneal plaque with superficial vessels and intact epithelium. Corneal cytology identifies eosinophils and mast cells; bacterial and fungal cultures are negative. A conjunctival swab is positive for FHV-1 DNA. What do these results establish about the plaque?
Correct answer: C - Cytology establishes the eosinophilic phenotype; PCR establishes viral DNA detection, not lesion causation.
The owner of a nine-year-old Appaloosa reports gradually declining vision but cannot recall a painful ocular episode. Four examinations over ten months document low-grade aqueous flare, accumulating posterior synechiae and progressive cataract, with intact corneas throughout. There is little vitreous or fundic inflammation. The absence of obvious attacks is most compatible with:
Correct answer: B - Insidious recurrent uveitis, with persistent low-grade inflammation.
A silver-black mare and a chestnut stallion are being considered for breeding. Both are genotyped N/Z for the PMEL silver/MCOA variant and have useful vision. The breeder assumes that any chestnut foal would be protected from ocular disease. Which combination of offspring risk and counseling is accurate for this mating?
Correct answer: D - 25% Z/Z; chestnut foals can still develop ocular abnormalities.
A laboratory is choosing a cell-specific gene-rescue strategy for inherited retinal degeneration in the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat. To correct the initiating defect, which cell-function pair should the intervention target?
Correct answer: C - Retinal pigment epithelial cells - engulfment of shed photoreceptor outer segments
The DACVO exam also covers these domains. Drill them in the full free practice test:
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