COA Newest Practice Test with 850 Correctly Answered Questions / Certified Ophthalmic Assistant Exam 2026 Prep Test Bank (A review of 350+ Correctly Answered Exam Questions)

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COA Newest Practice Test with 850 Correctly
Answered Questions / Certified Ophthalmic
Assistant Exam 2026 Prep Test Bank (A
review of 350+ Correctly Answered Exam
Questions)

The specific reason a patient is being seen for an eye exam is referred to as
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n


the
n




A. patient history n




B. chief complaint n




C. status of the patient's visual acuity
n n n n n




D. onset of any current vision problems ..........ANSWER. .... B. chief
n n n n n n n


complaint
The chief complaint should be recorded in the
n n n n n n n




patients record as a quote from the patient as
n n n n n n n n n




the reason for the visit to the doctor
n n n n n n n n




A past ocular history includes all of the follow with the exception of
n n n n n n n n n n n n




A. strabismus surgery at the age of 5 n n n n n n




B. first reading glasses 6 yrs ago
n n n n n




C. a cousin diagnosed with glaucoma 10 yrs ago
n n n n n n n




D. red eye a month ago ..........ANSWER ..... C. a cousin diagnosed with
n n n n n n n n n


glaucoma 10 yrs ago n n n

,2 n| nP na ng ne




A family history includes all of the following with the exception of the
n n n n n n n n n n n n


patient's
n




A. mother
B. daughter
C. spouse
D. brother ..........ANSWER. .... C. spouse; a spouse is not related by blood.
n n n n n n n n n




A patient who reports waviness when looking at straight lines or letters
n n n n n n n n n n n


(metamorphopsia) MOST likely has
n n n n




A. astigmatism
B. cataract
C. macular disease n




D. optic neuritis ..........ANSWER. .... C. macular disease
n n n n




macular disease is the degeneration of the
n n n n n n




sensory cells of the macula resulting in a loss of
n n n n n n n n n n




central vision
n n




A patient calls the office giving the history that they had cataract surgery 2
n n n n n n n n n n n n n


yrs ago. For the past 2 days he has noticed flashes of light in the operated
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n


eye.
n




A. Patient should call back to see an ophthalmologist if
n n n n n n n n




the symptoms persist
n n n

,3 n| nP na ng ne


B. Patient should be assured that "flashes of light" is
n n n n n n n n




a normal occurrence in aphakic surgery
n n n n n n




C. Patient should see an ophthalmologist within 24 hours
n n n n n n n




D. Patient should see an ophthalmologist within one month
n n n n n n n


..........ANSWER. ......C. Patient should see an ophthalmologist w/i 24hr n n n n n n n




Flashes of light coming across a field of vision
n n n n n n n n




often is a forerunner of a retinal detachment;
n n n n n n n n




therefore the patient with this symptom should
n n n n n n n




be seen promptly
n n n




Which of the following is included in a past medical history?
n n n n n n n n n n




A. details of ocular treatment n n n




B. diabetes in parent n n




C. drug allergies n




D. Family history ..........ANSWER. ..... C. drug allergies
n n n n




Which of the following symptoms suggests an urgent problem?
n n n n n n n n




A. difficulty seeing at night n n n




B. Increased difficulty in reading fine print n n n n n




C. Sudden onset of blurry vision and halos around lights
n n n n n n n n




D. Visual flashes followed by headache ..........ANSWER...... C. Sudden onset
n n n n n n n


of blurry vision and halos around lights
n n n n n n




Seeing colored haloes around lights is an impending sign of acute angle-
n n n n n n n n n n n


closure glaucoma
n n

, 4 n| nP na ng ne




In taking a history, which of the following is the most important?
n n n n n n n n n n n




A. Allergies and drug reactions n n n




B. Medications taken at present n n n




C. Past ocular history
n n




D. The chief complaint ..........ANSWER. .... D. The chief complaint
n n n n n n




The chief complaint is the main reason why the patient is in the
n n n n n n n n n n n n


ophthalmologist's office and should be noted by the ophthalmic assistant
n n n n n n n n n n




Anisocoria is described as n n n




A. unequal corneal diametersn n




B. differing iris colors n n




C. different refractive errors n n




D. difference in pupil size ..........ANSWER. .... D. difference in pupil size
n n n n n n n n




The condition where pupils are of unequal size is referred to as anisocoria.
n n n n n n n n n n n n


This condition is usually the result of iris muscle dysfunction.
n n n n n n n n n n




The acronym RAPD stands for
n n n n




A. removable anterior pupillary depositsn n n




B. relative afferent pupillary defect
n n n




C. retro-aqueous pupil development n n