Study guide
How to prepare for the IGOEE: a week-by-week study plan
A practical IGOEE study plan to the March 2027 sitting: what to study each week, how to use timed blocks and mocks, OSCE practice, and the virtual exam set-up.
Updated October 22, 2026 · IGOEE Prep
Five principles that work
- Practise questions from week one. Reading alone feels productive but doesn't train the case-reading and decision-making the exam rewards. Do questions daily, then read around what you missed.
- Learn from every option. For each question, make sure you can say why each wrong option is wrong. That turns one question into four lessons.
- Space your review. Flashcards and missed questions should come back on a spaced schedule rather than in one cram before the exam.
- Train the pace early. The real exam allows about 69 seconds per General MCQ item and 81 seconds per TPAO item. Do timed blocks weekly and at least one full-length mock of each before exam day.
- Rehearse the OSCE out loud. History-taking, explaining findings and answering the examiner are spoken skills. Practise with a partner and a timer, and book hands-on time for gonioscopy, BIO, Goldmann tonometry and dilated fundus exams.
A week-by-week plan to the March 2027 sitting
| Weeks | Focus |
|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 – October 25, 2026 | Glaucoma, optic nerve and visual fields Diagnosis, staging, Ontario antiglaucoma agents, target IOP, referral rules for non-POAG glaucoma. |
| October 26, 2026 – November 15, 2026 | Retina: AMD, diabetes, hypertension, occlusions Grading, OCT, co-management and referral timing. |
| November 16, 2026 – December 6, 2026 | Anterior segment and therapeutics Lids, conjunctiva, cornea, uveitis; steroids, NSAIDs, anti-infectives, oral-drug limits. |
| December 7, 2026 – December 27, 2026 | Refraction, binocular vision, pediatrics Amblyopia, strabismus, accommodation, myopia control, pediatric exam. |
| December 28, 2026 – January 24, 2027 | Neuro, low vision, geriatrics, practice and law Field defects, emergencies, magnification, driving standards, consent and records. |
| January 4, 2027 – January 8, 2027 | Register for the exam (closes Jan 8) Then request any accommodation straight away. |
| January 25, 2027 – February 14, 2027 | Timed blocks and weekly OSCE mocks Two timed MCQ blocks a week at exam pace; one short and one long station a week; review every miss. |
| February 15, 2027 – March 2, 2027 | Final review Drug limits, weak areas from Progress, missed questions. Test the virtual exam set-up. |
Starting later? Keep the order but shorten each block, and protect the last six weeks for timed practice, mocks and OSCE rehearsal.
A sample study day (about 2–3 hours)
- 15 minutes: flashcards due today
- 45 minutes: a tutor-mode block on this week's topic, reading every explanation
- 30 minutes: review missed questions and write a one-line note on each
- 20 minutes: one OSCE station out loud, or a TPAO case
- Weekly: one timed block at exam pace; from late January, a full-length mock every week or two
The TPAO needs its own plan
The TPAO tests Ontario's prescribing scope as much as pharmacology. Learn which drugs are on Schedule 1, the limits on oral drugs, and when glaucoma must be referred. Our Ontario scope guide summarizes the rules.
Set up for the virtual exam
The virtual TPAO and General MCQ are taken at home under a live online proctor. Check Touchstone's set-up guide early. Typical requirements:
- A desktop or laptop (no tablet or phone) with a single monitor, the latest Google Chrome and a webcam you can move
- A reliable connection (wired if possible), and a quiet private room with a clear desk
- Government photo ID; a check-in with a room scan before a proctor gives you the PIN to start
Our exam-day simulator rehearses the check-in and the exam layout so nothing is new on the day.
Questions
When should I start studying for the IGOEE?
Ideally four to six months before the exam, so you can cover each content area, then spend the final six weeks on timed practice, mocks and OSCE rehearsal.
How many practice questions should I do?
Aim to see every question in a good bank at least once in tutor mode, review every miss, and finish with full-length timed mocks. IGOEE Prep has 301 questions for this.
Is the IGOEE harder than the OEBC?
They test different things at different points on the pathway. The IGOEE checks that an internationally trained optometrist meets the level of a recent Canadian graduate; the OEBC is the entry-to-practice exam that follows.
Should I study Ontario law if I won't practise in Ontario?
Yes, for the TPAO. Its prescribing questions are built on Ontario's regulation (O. Reg. 112/11), whatever province you plan to work in.