Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) – Ophthalmic Medical Assisting Practice Questions and
Answers Study Guide
What are tropicamide drops used for? - ✔✔Dilating the pupil
What are phenylephrine drops used for? - ✔✔Dilating the pupil
Examining pupillary reaction can help locate abnormalities where? - ✔✔Optic nerve
What pupillary reaction is expected when a light is shined in the eye? - ✔✔Direct reaction
from eye light is shone into and the other pupil also constricts
What is the defect called when a pupil constricts due to a light shined into the other eye, but
not when it is shined in that eye directly? - ✔✔afferent pupillary defect
What is timolol maleate used for? - ✔✔decrease IOP
A pupillary examination can evaluate what? - ✔✔Nerve damage
A light is shined into a patients eye and the pupil of the other eye constricts, what is this called?
- ✔✔Consensual reaction
What equipment is the ophthalmic medical assistant responsible for? - ✔✔All equipment
whether they use it or not.
Generally, how can optical lenses that are used in the ophthalmic practice cleaned? - ✔✔They
can be cleaned using approved cleaning fluid and a special lens cleaning paper (never rub a dry
lens)
, What is a Hruby lens used for? - ✔✔Allows a binocular view of the central fundus and vitreous.
What is a Hruby lens? - ✔✔a 55D lens that attaches to a slit lamp (it does not touch the eye).
What power are the typical lenses, in diopters, of a hand-held, non-contact, funduscopic lens
used in conjunction with a slit lamp? - ✔✔Plus 60, plus 78 or plus 90.
What are the steps for trouble shooting an electrical instrument? - ✔✔1. Check outlet plug; 2.
Check all connectors to the instrument; 3. Check the bulb; 4. Check the instrument fuse; 5.
check for a central circuit failure
How often should maintenance be performed on a phoropter? - ✔✔Every 2 years.
What instrument provides a stereoscopic view of the retina? - ✔✔head-mounted indirect
ophthalmoscope.
How should the prism tip of a goldmann-type tonometer be cleaned? - ✔✔It should be
cleaned using an alcohol sponge and allowed to air dry.
What are the common types of lasers used in ophthalmology? - ✔✔Argon, krypton, excimer,
diode and neodymium:yttrium-aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG)
What are the parts of a manual lensmeter? - ✔✔eyepiece, lens hoder, light source and
adjustment knobs
What is the proper maintenance of a manual lensmeter? - ✔✔Blow dust from the lens
surfaces with a clean, dry bulb syringe or compressed air.
Answers Study Guide
What are tropicamide drops used for? - ✔✔Dilating the pupil
What are phenylephrine drops used for? - ✔✔Dilating the pupil
Examining pupillary reaction can help locate abnormalities where? - ✔✔Optic nerve
What pupillary reaction is expected when a light is shined in the eye? - ✔✔Direct reaction
from eye light is shone into and the other pupil also constricts
What is the defect called when a pupil constricts due to a light shined into the other eye, but
not when it is shined in that eye directly? - ✔✔afferent pupillary defect
What is timolol maleate used for? - ✔✔decrease IOP
A pupillary examination can evaluate what? - ✔✔Nerve damage
A light is shined into a patients eye and the pupil of the other eye constricts, what is this called?
- ✔✔Consensual reaction
What equipment is the ophthalmic medical assistant responsible for? - ✔✔All equipment
whether they use it or not.
Generally, how can optical lenses that are used in the ophthalmic practice cleaned? - ✔✔They
can be cleaned using approved cleaning fluid and a special lens cleaning paper (never rub a dry
lens)
, What is a Hruby lens used for? - ✔✔Allows a binocular view of the central fundus and vitreous.
What is a Hruby lens? - ✔✔a 55D lens that attaches to a slit lamp (it does not touch the eye).
What power are the typical lenses, in diopters, of a hand-held, non-contact, funduscopic lens
used in conjunction with a slit lamp? - ✔✔Plus 60, plus 78 or plus 90.
What are the steps for trouble shooting an electrical instrument? - ✔✔1. Check outlet plug; 2.
Check all connectors to the instrument; 3. Check the bulb; 4. Check the instrument fuse; 5.
check for a central circuit failure
How often should maintenance be performed on a phoropter? - ✔✔Every 2 years.
What instrument provides a stereoscopic view of the retina? - ✔✔head-mounted indirect
ophthalmoscope.
How should the prism tip of a goldmann-type tonometer be cleaned? - ✔✔It should be
cleaned using an alcohol sponge and allowed to air dry.
What are the common types of lasers used in ophthalmology? - ✔✔Argon, krypton, excimer,
diode and neodymium:yttrium-aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG)
What are the parts of a manual lensmeter? - ✔✔eyepiece, lens hoder, light source and
adjustment knobs
What is the proper maintenance of a manual lensmeter? - ✔✔Blow dust from the lens
surfaces with a clean, dry bulb syringe or compressed air.
