COA (CERTIFIED OPHTHALMIC ASSISTANT)
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
A patient calls the office giving the history that they had cataract surgery 2 yrs
ago. For the past 2 days he has noticed flashes of light in the operated eye.
A. Patient should call back to see an ophthalmologist if the
symptoms persist
B. Patient should be assured that "flashes of light" is a
normal occurrence in aphakic surgery
C. Patient should see an ophthalmologist within 24 hours
D. Patient should see an ophthalmologist within one month --ANSWER--C.
Patient should see an ophthalmologist w/i 24hr
Flashes of light coming across a field of vision
often is a forerunner of a retinal detachment;
therefore the patient with this symptom should
be seen promptly
Which of the following is included in a past medical history?
A. details of ocular treatment
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,B. diabetes in parent
C. drug allergies
D. Family history --ANSWER--C. drug allergies
Which of the following symptoms suggests an urgent problem?
A. difficulty seeing at night
B. Increased difficulty in reading fine print
C. Sudden onset of blurry vision and halos around lights
D. Visual flashes followed by headache --ANSWER--C. Sudden onset of blurry
vision and halos around lights
Seeing colored haloes around lights is an impending sign of acute angle-closure
glaucoma
In taking a history, which of the following is the most important?
A. Allergies and drug reactions
B. Medications taken at present
C. Past ocular history
D. The chief complaint --ANSWER--D. The chief complaint
The chief complaint is the main reason why the patient is in the
ophthalmologist's office and should be noted by the ophthalmic assistant
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,Anisocoria is described as
A. unequal corneal diameters
B. differing iris colors
C. different refractive errors
D. difference in pupil size --ANSWER--D. difference in pupil size
The specific reason a patient is being seen for an eye exam is referred to as the
A. patient history
B. chief complaint
C. status of the patient's visual acuity
D. onset of any current vision problems --ANSWER--B. chief complaint
The chief complaint should be recorded in the
patients record as a quote from the patient as
the reason for the visit to the doctor
A past ocular history includes all of the follow with the exception of
A. strabismus surgery at the age of 5
B. first reading glasses 6 yrs ago
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, C. a cousin diagnosed with glaucoma 10 yrs ago
D. red eye a month ago --ANSWER--C. a cousin diagnosed with glaucoma 10
yrs ago
A family history includes all of the following with the exception of the patient's
A. mother
B. daughter
C. spouse
D. brother --ANSWER--C. spouse; a spouse is not related by blood.
A patient who reports waviness when looking at straight lines or letters
(metamorphopsia) MOST likely has
A. astigmatism
B. cataract
C. macular disease
D. optic neuritis --ANSWER--C. macular disease
macular disease is the degeneration of the
sensory cells of the macula resulting in a loss of
central vision
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EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
A patient calls the office giving the history that they had cataract surgery 2 yrs
ago. For the past 2 days he has noticed flashes of light in the operated eye.
A. Patient should call back to see an ophthalmologist if the
symptoms persist
B. Patient should be assured that "flashes of light" is a
normal occurrence in aphakic surgery
C. Patient should see an ophthalmologist within 24 hours
D. Patient should see an ophthalmologist within one month --ANSWER--C.
Patient should see an ophthalmologist w/i 24hr
Flashes of light coming across a field of vision
often is a forerunner of a retinal detachment;
therefore the patient with this symptom should
be seen promptly
Which of the following is included in a past medical history?
A. details of ocular treatment
Page 1 of 51
,B. diabetes in parent
C. drug allergies
D. Family history --ANSWER--C. drug allergies
Which of the following symptoms suggests an urgent problem?
A. difficulty seeing at night
B. Increased difficulty in reading fine print
C. Sudden onset of blurry vision and halos around lights
D. Visual flashes followed by headache --ANSWER--C. Sudden onset of blurry
vision and halos around lights
Seeing colored haloes around lights is an impending sign of acute angle-closure
glaucoma
In taking a history, which of the following is the most important?
A. Allergies and drug reactions
B. Medications taken at present
C. Past ocular history
D. The chief complaint --ANSWER--D. The chief complaint
The chief complaint is the main reason why the patient is in the
ophthalmologist's office and should be noted by the ophthalmic assistant
Page 2 of 51
,Anisocoria is described as
A. unequal corneal diameters
B. differing iris colors
C. different refractive errors
D. difference in pupil size --ANSWER--D. difference in pupil size
The specific reason a patient is being seen for an eye exam is referred to as the
A. patient history
B. chief complaint
C. status of the patient's visual acuity
D. onset of any current vision problems --ANSWER--B. chief complaint
The chief complaint should be recorded in the
patients record as a quote from the patient as
the reason for the visit to the doctor
A past ocular history includes all of the follow with the exception of
A. strabismus surgery at the age of 5
B. first reading glasses 6 yrs ago
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, C. a cousin diagnosed with glaucoma 10 yrs ago
D. red eye a month ago --ANSWER--C. a cousin diagnosed with glaucoma 10
yrs ago
A family history includes all of the following with the exception of the patient's
A. mother
B. daughter
C. spouse
D. brother --ANSWER--C. spouse; a spouse is not related by blood.
A patient who reports waviness when looking at straight lines or letters
(metamorphopsia) MOST likely has
A. astigmatism
B. cataract
C. macular disease
D. optic neuritis --ANSWER--C. macular disease
macular disease is the degeneration of the
sensory cells of the macula resulting in a loss of
central vision
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