Certified Ophthalmic Assistant:
Chapter 11, Assisting in Surgical
Procedures Exam Q’s and A’s
The term minor surgery can be defined as:
a) a simple procedure with minimal risk
b) any surgery that is done using only local anesthetic
c) any surgery that is not required to be performed in a hospital
d) a simple procedure that can be performed by an assistant - answer-a) Simple
procedures that have minimal risk may be considered minor.
Which of the following could be considered minor surgery?
a) cataract extraction
b) corneal transplant
c) chalazion removal
d) enucleation - answer-c) The chalazion excision is a minor procedure. The other
procedures listed are not simple and have at least moderate risk.
"Incision" refers to:
a) cutting out tissue
b) cutting into tissue
c) suturing tissue
d) giving an injection - answer-b) Cutting into tissue
"Excision" is defined as:
a) cutting out tissue
b) cutting into tissue
c) suturing tissue
d) giving an injection - answer-a) Cutting out tissue
The procedure that corrects the inversion of the lower eyelid is:
a) chalazion removal
b) ptosis correction
c) entropion repair
d) ectropion repair - answer-c) Entropion repair. It is corrected to prevent corneal
irritation and scarring from constant rubbing by the eyelashes.
A surgical schedule would describe the procedure to correct drooping of the upper
eyelid as:
a) ptosis correction
b) chalazion removal
c) scleral buckling
d) trabeculectomy - answer-a) Ptosis correction. It might be repaired for cosmetic or
visual reasons.
The procedure for removal of a fleshy encroachment onto the cornea is a/an:
,a) ectropion repair
b) pterygium excision
c) hordeolum excision
d) scleral buckling - answer-b) Pterygium excision. A pterygium is a fleshy growth
that extends from the conjunctiva onto the cornea. It is removed because it can grow
across the front of the cornea, impeding sight.
All of the following might be done after the excision of a possible skin cancer except:
a) placing disposable needles and blades in an approved sharps container
b) placing the removed tissue in a specimen bottle for biopsy
c) proper disposal of contaminated disposables
d) proper disposal of all removed tissue - answer-d) Proper disposal of all removed
tissue. Any tissue that might be cancerous is sent for biopsy, not disposed of.
An ungloved person sets up a sterile tray by carefully "dumping" sterile instruments
and materials onto the tray without contacting them. This preparation is known as:
a) the "no touch" method
b) unacceptable, as it is not sterile technique
c) standard precautions
d) the sterile method - answer-a) The "no touch" method of setting up a sterile tray
for minor surgery is acceptable as long as there is strictly no contact with anything
that touches the tray.
A sterile tray for a chalazion removal might include:
a) chalazion clamp, blade, forceps, and curette
b) eyelid speculum, blade, and forceps
c) chalazion clamp, needle holder, and cannula
d) eyelid speculum, blade, forceps, and curette - answer-a) Chalazion clamp, blade,
forceps, and curette might all be used for a chalazion removal. An eyelid speculum,
cannula, and/or needle holder are not genrally required.
A sterile tray for a lacrimal evaluation might include:
a) lid speculum, punctal dilator, and lacrimal stint
b) clamp, needle holder, and curette
c) forceps, punctal dilator, curette, and lacrimal cannula
d) medicine glass, punctal dilator, syringe, and lacrimal cannula - answer-d)
Medicine glass, punctal dilator, syringe, and lacrimal cannula. A lacrimal setup would
include a medicine glass (for saline), punctal dilator, syringe, and cannula for lavage
(irrigation).
In addition to the sterile tray for a lacrimal evaluation, the setup for a procedure to
open a blocked tear duct would include:
a) blunt needle
b) set of probes
c) cautery unit
d) electrolysis unit - answer-b) Set of probes. A probe is the wire-like instrument that
is passed through the punctum and canaliculus, then pushed through the blockage.
A sterile tray for any growth removal will probably include:
a) lid speculum, forceps, curette, and suture material
, b) scalpel, scissors, forceps, needle holder, and sutures
c) curette, chalazion clamp, forceps, and scalpel
d) probe, forceps, scissors, and needle holder - answer-b) Scalpel, scissors, forceps,
needle holder, and sutures. Any growth removal will probably require a scalpel,
scissors, forceps, needle holder, and suture material. A lid speculum might be used,
but a curette and chalazion clamp are for chalazia and a probe is for lacrimal
procedures.
Matching Answers:
cryo............................. c) uses cold
cautery...................... d) uses heat
electrolysis.............. b) uses electrical impulses
laser............................ a) uses focused amplified light - answer-Match the following:
cryo........................... a) uses focused amplified light
cautery.................... b) uses electrical impulses
electrolysis........... c) uses cold
laser.......................... d) uses heat
All of the following can cause stains on surgical instruments except:
a) failure to rinse off detergents
b) residue from sutures
c) minerals in the water source
d) dried blood - answer-b) Residue from sutures
Surgical instruments should be lubricated:
a) only when they seem to stick
b) only if cleaned in an ultrasonic unit
c) after every use
d) after every fifth use - answer-d) After every fifth use, lubricate surgical instruments
, as a general rule
Which of the following is true regarding ultrasonic cleaners?
a) They effectively sterilize surgical instruments.
b) Scrub instruments before placing them in the unit.
c) Instruments should not touch while in the unit.
d) Glass cannot be placed in the unit. - answer-c) Ultrasonic cleaners do not sterilize,
you do not have to scrub first, and you can put glass in them. But the instruments
should not touch.
The premise behind refractive surgery is to change the refractive power of the eye
by:
a) changing the eye's refractive index
b) eliminating astigmatism
c) altering the eye's focal length
d) transposing the refractive error - answer-c) Altering the eye's focal length. The
focal length of the eye (or of any lens/lens system) is the distance from the lens
system to the focal point, where light is focused. Refractive surgery seeks to alter
this in order to put the focal point directly on the retina (ie, macula).
Laser refractive surgery seeks to correct a refractive error by:
Chapter 11, Assisting in Surgical
Procedures Exam Q’s and A’s
The term minor surgery can be defined as:
a) a simple procedure with minimal risk
b) any surgery that is done using only local anesthetic
c) any surgery that is not required to be performed in a hospital
d) a simple procedure that can be performed by an assistant - answer-a) Simple
procedures that have minimal risk may be considered minor.
Which of the following could be considered minor surgery?
a) cataract extraction
b) corneal transplant
c) chalazion removal
d) enucleation - answer-c) The chalazion excision is a minor procedure. The other
procedures listed are not simple and have at least moderate risk.
"Incision" refers to:
a) cutting out tissue
b) cutting into tissue
c) suturing tissue
d) giving an injection - answer-b) Cutting into tissue
"Excision" is defined as:
a) cutting out tissue
b) cutting into tissue
c) suturing tissue
d) giving an injection - answer-a) Cutting out tissue
The procedure that corrects the inversion of the lower eyelid is:
a) chalazion removal
b) ptosis correction
c) entropion repair
d) ectropion repair - answer-c) Entropion repair. It is corrected to prevent corneal
irritation and scarring from constant rubbing by the eyelashes.
A surgical schedule would describe the procedure to correct drooping of the upper
eyelid as:
a) ptosis correction
b) chalazion removal
c) scleral buckling
d) trabeculectomy - answer-a) Ptosis correction. It might be repaired for cosmetic or
visual reasons.
The procedure for removal of a fleshy encroachment onto the cornea is a/an:
,a) ectropion repair
b) pterygium excision
c) hordeolum excision
d) scleral buckling - answer-b) Pterygium excision. A pterygium is a fleshy growth
that extends from the conjunctiva onto the cornea. It is removed because it can grow
across the front of the cornea, impeding sight.
All of the following might be done after the excision of a possible skin cancer except:
a) placing disposable needles and blades in an approved sharps container
b) placing the removed tissue in a specimen bottle for biopsy
c) proper disposal of contaminated disposables
d) proper disposal of all removed tissue - answer-d) Proper disposal of all removed
tissue. Any tissue that might be cancerous is sent for biopsy, not disposed of.
An ungloved person sets up a sterile tray by carefully "dumping" sterile instruments
and materials onto the tray without contacting them. This preparation is known as:
a) the "no touch" method
b) unacceptable, as it is not sterile technique
c) standard precautions
d) the sterile method - answer-a) The "no touch" method of setting up a sterile tray
for minor surgery is acceptable as long as there is strictly no contact with anything
that touches the tray.
A sterile tray for a chalazion removal might include:
a) chalazion clamp, blade, forceps, and curette
b) eyelid speculum, blade, and forceps
c) chalazion clamp, needle holder, and cannula
d) eyelid speculum, blade, forceps, and curette - answer-a) Chalazion clamp, blade,
forceps, and curette might all be used for a chalazion removal. An eyelid speculum,
cannula, and/or needle holder are not genrally required.
A sterile tray for a lacrimal evaluation might include:
a) lid speculum, punctal dilator, and lacrimal stint
b) clamp, needle holder, and curette
c) forceps, punctal dilator, curette, and lacrimal cannula
d) medicine glass, punctal dilator, syringe, and lacrimal cannula - answer-d)
Medicine glass, punctal dilator, syringe, and lacrimal cannula. A lacrimal setup would
include a medicine glass (for saline), punctal dilator, syringe, and cannula for lavage
(irrigation).
In addition to the sterile tray for a lacrimal evaluation, the setup for a procedure to
open a blocked tear duct would include:
a) blunt needle
b) set of probes
c) cautery unit
d) electrolysis unit - answer-b) Set of probes. A probe is the wire-like instrument that
is passed through the punctum and canaliculus, then pushed through the blockage.
A sterile tray for any growth removal will probably include:
a) lid speculum, forceps, curette, and suture material
, b) scalpel, scissors, forceps, needle holder, and sutures
c) curette, chalazion clamp, forceps, and scalpel
d) probe, forceps, scissors, and needle holder - answer-b) Scalpel, scissors, forceps,
needle holder, and sutures. Any growth removal will probably require a scalpel,
scissors, forceps, needle holder, and suture material. A lid speculum might be used,
but a curette and chalazion clamp are for chalazia and a probe is for lacrimal
procedures.
Matching Answers:
cryo............................. c) uses cold
cautery...................... d) uses heat
electrolysis.............. b) uses electrical impulses
laser............................ a) uses focused amplified light - answer-Match the following:
cryo........................... a) uses focused amplified light
cautery.................... b) uses electrical impulses
electrolysis........... c) uses cold
laser.......................... d) uses heat
All of the following can cause stains on surgical instruments except:
a) failure to rinse off detergents
b) residue from sutures
c) minerals in the water source
d) dried blood - answer-b) Residue from sutures
Surgical instruments should be lubricated:
a) only when they seem to stick
b) only if cleaned in an ultrasonic unit
c) after every use
d) after every fifth use - answer-d) After every fifth use, lubricate surgical instruments
, as a general rule
Which of the following is true regarding ultrasonic cleaners?
a) They effectively sterilize surgical instruments.
b) Scrub instruments before placing them in the unit.
c) Instruments should not touch while in the unit.
d) Glass cannot be placed in the unit. - answer-c) Ultrasonic cleaners do not sterilize,
you do not have to scrub first, and you can put glass in them. But the instruments
should not touch.
The premise behind refractive surgery is to change the refractive power of the eye
by:
a) changing the eye's refractive index
b) eliminating astigmatism
c) altering the eye's focal length
d) transposing the refractive error - answer-c) Altering the eye's focal length. The
focal length of the eye (or of any lens/lens system) is the distance from the lens
system to the focal point, where light is focused. Refractive surgery seeks to alter
this in order to put the focal point directly on the retina (ie, macula).
Laser refractive surgery seeks to correct a refractive error by:
