The Clinical Ophthalmology Examination is offered to ophthalmologists who have passed both the ICO Visual Sciences and ICO Optics, Refraction, and Instruments Examinations. This examination is part of the pathway towards Fellow of the International Council of Ophthalmology designation FICO and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow designation FRCS (Ophth) (Glasg).

The Clinical Ophthalmology Examination is designed to assess whether candidates have acquired the breadth and depth of knowledge of the clinical sciences related to ophthalmology to enable them to recognize and treat diseases of the eye which they will come in contact within day-to-day practice. The examination is presented in a booklet and consists of 200 multiple-choice questions over a four-hour period. Each question consists of four options with a single best answer.

The candidates enter their answers on response sheets which are then computer marked. A positive mark is awarded for each correct answer. No mark is given to those questions marked incorrectly or left blank. Answering all the questions accurately is the best way of obtaining a passing grade but, because accuracy is very important and take time, it is still possible to pass the examinations without completing all the questions.