ESCRS - FEBOS-CR Exam ;

FEBOS-CR Exam

Advanced FEBOS-CR Exam/Diploma (Cataract & Refractive Surgery)

Applications Now Closed

Application Deadline: 27 March 2025

The FEBOS-CR Subspeciality Exam has been developed by the EBO and ESCRS to certify the expertise and advanced knowledge of experienced cataract and refractive surgeons. Successful candidates earn the right to use the post-nominal title FEBOS-CR to show they:

  • hold a superior theoretical and practical knowledge
  • can deal with more challenging cases and a complex case mix
  • appreciate the importance of evidence-based medicine, and its purpose in developing scientific knowledge and clinical practice of the subspeciality
  • are, or have the ambition to become, trainers and leaders in the cataract and refractive surgery subspeciality 

Candidates must therefore be independent surgeons with a varied case mix who regularly deal with complex situations, and who are willing to be challenged by having their expertise and theoretical knowledge tested by a rigorous theoretical examination and interviews with some of the opinion leaders in European and worldwide ophthalmology.

Please note: the FEBOS-CR is open to cataract and refractive subspecialists who hold a medical diploma awarded in one of the UEMS member countries depicted, licencing them to practice medicine in that country. ESCRS membership is not required.

On Passing the exam you will be placed on the FEBOS-CR Wall of Honour

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EBO-ESCRS Subspecialty Examination

Vision

The Subspecialty Exam in Cataract & Refractive Surgery is intended to provide formal recognition of subspecialty training and expertise in the field. Ultimately it will help to harmonise and improve cataract and refractive surgical care across Europe.

Purpose

  • To have a structure within which ophthalmologists who specialise in cataract and refractive surgery have their skills and expertise assessed, acknowledged and certified
  • To define the knowledge that the specialist in cataract and refractive surgery holds
  • To be recognised as a quality examination and consequent qualification for cataract and refractive surgery specialists
  • To encourage standardised training/teaching and standardised care across Europe

Background

The European Board of Ophthalmology (EBO), in collaboration with the ESCRS, organises an annual Subspecialty Exam in Cataract & Refractive Surgery with the aim to formally recognising subspecialty training and expertise in that field. By introducing exam criteria and standards, the EBO-ESCRS wish to harmonise and improve training across Europe.

Means

Specialists in Ophthalmology with particular interest and experience in cataract and refractive surgery have the opportunity to have their knowledge and expertise tested and officially acknowledged by sitting the EBO-ESCRS Cataract & Refractive Surgery Subspecialty Exam. Successful candidates will be awarded a diploma: the Fellow of the EBO Subspecialty Cataract & Refractive Surgery Diploma (FEBOS-CR diploma). This diploma is recognised as a proof of advanced knowledge and competence in this field.

Examination deadlines

  • Monday 10 January 2025: applications open
  • Thursday 27 March 2025: all materials submitted by applicants, as well as the examination fee (€850) paid and applications close
  • Friday 16 May 2025: confirmation for eligible candidates to sit the examination. Candidates who are not accepted to sit the exam will be refunded €700 (€150 is retained as an administration/ processing fee). 
  • Friday 13 June 2025: candidates confirm intent to sit examination
  • Thursday 11 September 2025: date of examination

How to apply and supporting materials required by the applicant

The candidate must complete the below linked form themselves and submit it before the deadline stated above. The application form is hosted on the EBO website. It must include the following:

  • A letter from a director/head of department/other senior figure in your institution that recommends you as a surgeon of advanced experience and expertise. If you are in this role, the practice manager can sign and stamp the letter instead.
  • One video of a complex case you operated on, which demonstrates your current skillset. This video should meet the criteria given below (failure to do so will lead to rejection of the video and thus the application).
  • A section of text providing the following information about the complex surgery video: background case data and a short description of what makes the surgery complex for you.
  • Completed CV, which lists surgical, teaching and publication experience.
  • A copy of your medical diploma (in PDF format) proving that you qualify as a cataract and refractive subspecialist from a UEMS member country. 

Video criteria

  • One video with good image quality of a complex case you operated on – the more difficult the case, the higher your chance to pass the Candidate Video section of the oral examination
  • The video must be in one of the following categories, or it will be rejected and you will be asked to return another video by the given deadline:
    1. Primary surgeries
      • high myopes
      • high astigmatic error
      • those with previous anterior or posterior segment surgery
      • previous iritis
      • unusually hard or soft cataracts
      • white cataracts
      • small pupils
      • pseudoexfoliation syndrome
      • subluxated lenses and post-trauma
      • poor corneal clarity
    2. Management of complications
      • anterior and posterior capsule tears
      • iris complications
      • IOL misplacement or replacement
      • wound complications
      • manage anterior vitreous loss and anterior vitrectomy
      • placement of the secondary intraocular lens (IOL) into the sulcus
      • IOL correction of aphakia
      • Nucleus/IOL dislocation
  • MP4 format, no more than 500 MB (megabytes)
  • Titled as follows: LAST NAME_FIRST NAME_CASE TYPE.mp4
  • Maximum 4 minutes. Editing should not affect the core surficial procedure.
  • The video must be the sole work of the candidate, and must state that this is the sole work of the candidate
  • There must be no background music, subtitling, watermarks or credits on the video
  • There should be no fast forwarding of the major steps of the surgery (only trim/cut the video)
  • The video must include your own narration, including explanation of missing steps (steps mentioned below)
  • Include the following steps (videos will be judged to determine suitable candidates for the examination): incision, capsulorhexis, hydro dissection, nuclear disassembly, irrigation/aspiration, IOL implant and closure. More information is available in the curriculum.
  • FLACS procedure is accepted provided it is applied on a complex cataract case.
  • No patient-identifiable information should be included/ remain in the video
  • In case you cannot erase your own name on the video, you agree that it might influence the objectivity of the reviewers

If you have any queries please email escrs@escrs.org