COA Exam UPDATED ACTUAL QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Name the nine components of the ophthalmic history. - CORRECT ANSWER Chief
complaint, present illness, past ocular history, ocular medications, general medical and
surgical history, systemic medications, allergies, social history, and family history.
Why is it important to specifically ask a patient about the medications they are taking? -
CORRECT ANSWER Because certain medications may affect the eyes.
What is the proper response to a patient's request from the ophthalmic technician for medical
advice or a diagnosis? - CORRECT ANSWER Refer the patient to the ophthalmologist
What is the term used for the reason for the patient's visit? - CORRECT
ANSWER Chief complaint
What elements are important in social history taking? - CORRECT
ANSWER Smoking, alcohol, and drug use
Prior use of topical ocular pharmaceutical agents is part of a patient's ________. - CORRECT
ANSWER Past ocular history
Pertinent family history of a patient should include which relatives? - CORRECT
ANSWER Parents, grandparents, and genetic siblings
A patient describing an experience of getting hives after taking sulfa drugs is providing
information about __________. - CORRECT ANSWER An allergic reaction
What is the term for the spasmodic, rhythmic dilating, and contracting pupillary movements
during pupil function testing? - CORRECT ANSWER Hippus
,What is the name of the test used for detecting a relative afferent pupillary defect? -
CORRECT ANSWER Swinging flashlight test
Which muscle of the iris constricts in bright light? - CORRECT ANSWER Sphincter
What is pupil dilation termed? - CORRECT ANSWER Mydriasis
What is the term used when there is a difference in pupil size? - CORRECT
ANSWER Anisocoria
What is pupillometry? - CORRECT ANSWER The measurement of pupillary
diameters.
What is the name of the reflexive reaction that occurs when a light is directed into one pupil
and the pupil of the opposite eye simultaneously reacts - CORRECT
ANSWER Consensual pupillary reaction
Calibration of the applanation tonometer should be checked approximately every _____
months. - CORRECT ANSWER Two (or sooner with regular use)
When cleaning the goniolens, what is uses to rinse off the methycellulose? - CORRECT
ANSWER Warm running water
When replacing a light bulb _____ can diminish its effectiveness and life. - CORRECT
ANSWER Oil from fingers
Diagnostic lenses that contact the eye can be sterilized using? - CORRECT
ANSWER Ethylene Oxide gas
How should the removable glass slides inside the American Optical acuity projector be
cleaned? - CORRECT ANSWER Wipe with clean, soft lint-free towel or photographic
lens paper
, If dust accumulates on the mirror of the slit lamp, the technician may clean it by using what
cleaning methods? - CORRECT ANSWER A lint-free cloth, a lens brush, or a blast of
air
Who should repair and maintain equipment such as a laser? - CORRECT ANSWER A
qualified service technician.
Which accessories are used to check the calibration of an ophthalmometer/keratometer? -
CORRECT ANSWER Three test balls made of steel also called "Lensco Meter"
What should be used to clean the accessible lenses of a phoropter? - CORRECT
ANSWER Photographic lens cleaner and lens tissue
What size letters (optotypes) are typically used to calibrate visual acuity projectors? -
CORRECT ANSWER 20/200
What is the name of the instrument used to neutralize lenses? - CORRECT
ANSWER Lensometer (Lensmeter)
When recording prism in a spectacle Rx, what does the abbreviation BO stand for? -
CORRECT ANSWER Base out
What is determined by focusing the thin lines in a manual lensometer? - CORRECT
ANSWER The sphere of the spectacle Rx is determined by the thin lines.
What is the first step in performing lensometry? - CORRECT ANSWER Focus the
eyepiece.
If you cannot center the thick and thin lines in the lensometer, the lens has _______. -
CORRECT ANSWER Ground-in prism.
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Name the nine components of the ophthalmic history. - CORRECT ANSWER Chief
complaint, present illness, past ocular history, ocular medications, general medical and
surgical history, systemic medications, allergies, social history, and family history.
Why is it important to specifically ask a patient about the medications they are taking? -
CORRECT ANSWER Because certain medications may affect the eyes.
What is the proper response to a patient's request from the ophthalmic technician for medical
advice or a diagnosis? - CORRECT ANSWER Refer the patient to the ophthalmologist
What is the term used for the reason for the patient's visit? - CORRECT
ANSWER Chief complaint
What elements are important in social history taking? - CORRECT
ANSWER Smoking, alcohol, and drug use
Prior use of topical ocular pharmaceutical agents is part of a patient's ________. - CORRECT
ANSWER Past ocular history
Pertinent family history of a patient should include which relatives? - CORRECT
ANSWER Parents, grandparents, and genetic siblings
A patient describing an experience of getting hives after taking sulfa drugs is providing
information about __________. - CORRECT ANSWER An allergic reaction
What is the term for the spasmodic, rhythmic dilating, and contracting pupillary movements
during pupil function testing? - CORRECT ANSWER Hippus
,What is the name of the test used for detecting a relative afferent pupillary defect? -
CORRECT ANSWER Swinging flashlight test
Which muscle of the iris constricts in bright light? - CORRECT ANSWER Sphincter
What is pupil dilation termed? - CORRECT ANSWER Mydriasis
What is the term used when there is a difference in pupil size? - CORRECT
ANSWER Anisocoria
What is pupillometry? - CORRECT ANSWER The measurement of pupillary
diameters.
What is the name of the reflexive reaction that occurs when a light is directed into one pupil
and the pupil of the opposite eye simultaneously reacts - CORRECT
ANSWER Consensual pupillary reaction
Calibration of the applanation tonometer should be checked approximately every _____
months. - CORRECT ANSWER Two (or sooner with regular use)
When cleaning the goniolens, what is uses to rinse off the methycellulose? - CORRECT
ANSWER Warm running water
When replacing a light bulb _____ can diminish its effectiveness and life. - CORRECT
ANSWER Oil from fingers
Diagnostic lenses that contact the eye can be sterilized using? - CORRECT
ANSWER Ethylene Oxide gas
How should the removable glass slides inside the American Optical acuity projector be
cleaned? - CORRECT ANSWER Wipe with clean, soft lint-free towel or photographic
lens paper
, If dust accumulates on the mirror of the slit lamp, the technician may clean it by using what
cleaning methods? - CORRECT ANSWER A lint-free cloth, a lens brush, or a blast of
air
Who should repair and maintain equipment such as a laser? - CORRECT ANSWER A
qualified service technician.
Which accessories are used to check the calibration of an ophthalmometer/keratometer? -
CORRECT ANSWER Three test balls made of steel also called "Lensco Meter"
What should be used to clean the accessible lenses of a phoropter? - CORRECT
ANSWER Photographic lens cleaner and lens tissue
What size letters (optotypes) are typically used to calibrate visual acuity projectors? -
CORRECT ANSWER 20/200
What is the name of the instrument used to neutralize lenses? - CORRECT
ANSWER Lensometer (Lensmeter)
When recording prism in a spectacle Rx, what does the abbreviation BO stand for? -
CORRECT ANSWER Base out
What is determined by focusing the thin lines in a manual lensometer? - CORRECT
ANSWER The sphere of the spectacle Rx is determined by the thin lines.
What is the first step in performing lensometry? - CORRECT ANSWER Focus the
eyepiece.
If you cannot center the thick and thin lines in the lensometer, the lens has _______. -
CORRECT ANSWER Ground-in prism.
