Examination Requirements for Optometry Clinical Examination defines areas that must be covered by the examination and also identifies the exact percentage of items that should be devoted to each area. Both stipulations are intended to reflect the current knowledge needed by optometry practitioners in order to protect the health and welfare of the public. The knowledge in a field like optometry changes over time. Consequently, a new task analysis of the profession is conducted and modification of the examination is made as needed. In between task analyses, subject matter experts are engaged on a yearly basis to review the existing composition of the examination and identify areas that may need minor modification in order to keep the examination up to date, to help ensure that the examination is both current and valid. Theoretically, every time subject matter experts identify even small needed medications, a rule change should be proposed to the Board to authorize this revision. However, making rule changes is a relatively complex undertaking and may take several months. Therefore, the Board is specifying percentage ranges for the various items in the examination, rather than exact percentages, in the examination rule.