COA EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Name the nine components of the ophthalmic history. - 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? - 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? - ANSWER-Refer the patient to the ophthalmologist
What is the term used for the reason for the patient's visit? - ANSWER-Chief
complaint
What elements are important in social history taking? - ANSWER-Smoking, alcohol,
and drug use
Prior use of topical ocular pharmaceutical agents is part of a patient's ________. -
ANSWER-Past ocular history
Pertinent family history of a patient should include which relatives? - ANSWER-
Parents, grandparents, and genetic siblings
A patient describing an experience of getting hives after taking sulfa drugs is
providing information about __________. - ANSWER-An allergic reaction
What is the term for the spasmodic, rhythmic dilating, and contracting pupillary
movements during pupil function testing? - ANSWER-Hippus
What is the name of the test used for detecting a relative afferent pupillary defect? -
ANSWER-Swinging flashlight test
Which muscle of the iris constricts in bright light? - ANSWER-Sphincter
What is pupil dilation termed? - ANSWER-Mydriasis
What is the term used when there is a difference in pupil size? - ANSWER-
Anisocoria
What is pupillometry? - 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 - ANSWER-
Consensual pupillary reaction
,Calibration of the applanation tonometer should be checked approximately every
_____ months. - ANSWER-Two (or sooner with regular use)
When cleaning the goniolens, what is uses to rinse off the methycellulose? -
ANSWER-Warm running water
When replacing a light bulb _____ can diminish its effectiveness and life. -
ANSWER-Oil from fingers
Diagnostic lenses that contact the eye can be sterilized using? - ANSWER-Ethylene
Oxide gas
How should the removable glass slides inside the American Optical acuity projector
be cleaned? - 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? - ANSWER-A lint-free cloth, a lens brush, or a blast of
air
Who should repair and maintain equipment such as a laser? - ANSWER-A qualified
service technician.
Which accessories are used to check the calibration of an
ophthalmometer/keratometer? - ANSWER-Three test balls made of steel also called
"Lensco Meter"
What should be used to clean the accessible lenses of a phoropter? - ANSWER-
Photographic lens cleaner and lens tissue
What size letters (optotypes) are typically used to calibrate visual acuity projectors? -
ANSWER-20/200
What is the name of the instrument used to neutralize lenses? - ANSWER-
Lensometer (Lensmeter)
When recording prism in a spectacle Rx, what does the abbreviation BO stand for? -
ANSWER-Base out
What is determined by focusing the thin lines in a manual lensometer? - ANSWER-
The sphere of the spectacle Rx is determined by the thin lines.
What is the first step in performing lensometry? - ANSWER-Focus the eyepiece.
If you cannot center the thick and thin lines in the lensometer, the lens has _______.
- ANSWER-Ground-in prism.
Each black ring seen in the lensometer eyepiece reticle measures how much prism?
- ANSWER-1 diopter for each ring
, When performing lensometry, what is indicated if both thin and wide lines are in
focus at the same time? - ANSWER-The lens is spherical.
What is the technique used to measure the radius of curvature of the anterior corneal
surface? - ANSWER-A-Scan Keratometry Length Measurements
Keratometry is performed with a device called a ______. - ANSWER-Keratometer or
ophthalmometer
Give three examples in which a keratometry measurement would be useful. -
ANSWER-Contact lens fitting, refractive surgery, intra ocular lens calculations,
keratoconus
Keratometry is measured in _______. - ANSWER-Diopters
An unfocused eyepiece can lead to an error of _______. - ANSWER-1 diopter in the
K reading
How many meridians are measured in keratometry? - ANSWER-2 meridians (usually
90 degrees apart)
The average K reading is _____. - ANSWER-43 to 44 diopters
Keratometry measures the _______ of the anterior curvature of the cornea. -
ANSWER-Central 3.3 mm
The diffusion of oxygen through a contact lens material is referred to as _______. -
ANSWER-DK value
True or false: The application and evaluation of diagnostic lens on the eye is the best
way to fit a contact lens. - ANSWER-True
Name the instrument used to determine the posterior surface radius of curvature of
the rigid contact lens? - ANSWER-Radiuscope and or Contacto Gauge
Name three reasons to dispense a therapeutic bandage contact lens. - ANSWER-To
protect cornea from eyelids and eyelashes, to promote corneal healing, to provide
comfort, to stop wound leaks, to improve vision, or for drug delivery.
Name two measurements required to fit a contact lens. - ANSWER-Refraction and
K-reading (keratometry)
Overwear of contact lenses may result in insufficient oxygen to the cornea called
_______. - ANSWER-Hypoxia Ophthalmia
What are Ethics? - ANSWER-Moral Principles and values that govern individual
behavior
ANSWERS
Name the nine components of the ophthalmic history. - 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? - 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? - ANSWER-Refer the patient to the ophthalmologist
What is the term used for the reason for the patient's visit? - ANSWER-Chief
complaint
What elements are important in social history taking? - ANSWER-Smoking, alcohol,
and drug use
Prior use of topical ocular pharmaceutical agents is part of a patient's ________. -
ANSWER-Past ocular history
Pertinent family history of a patient should include which relatives? - ANSWER-
Parents, grandparents, and genetic siblings
A patient describing an experience of getting hives after taking sulfa drugs is
providing information about __________. - ANSWER-An allergic reaction
What is the term for the spasmodic, rhythmic dilating, and contracting pupillary
movements during pupil function testing? - ANSWER-Hippus
What is the name of the test used for detecting a relative afferent pupillary defect? -
ANSWER-Swinging flashlight test
Which muscle of the iris constricts in bright light? - ANSWER-Sphincter
What is pupil dilation termed? - ANSWER-Mydriasis
What is the term used when there is a difference in pupil size? - ANSWER-
Anisocoria
What is pupillometry? - 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 - ANSWER-
Consensual pupillary reaction
,Calibration of the applanation tonometer should be checked approximately every
_____ months. - ANSWER-Two (or sooner with regular use)
When cleaning the goniolens, what is uses to rinse off the methycellulose? -
ANSWER-Warm running water
When replacing a light bulb _____ can diminish its effectiveness and life. -
ANSWER-Oil from fingers
Diagnostic lenses that contact the eye can be sterilized using? - ANSWER-Ethylene
Oxide gas
How should the removable glass slides inside the American Optical acuity projector
be cleaned? - 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? - ANSWER-A lint-free cloth, a lens brush, or a blast of
air
Who should repair and maintain equipment such as a laser? - ANSWER-A qualified
service technician.
Which accessories are used to check the calibration of an
ophthalmometer/keratometer? - ANSWER-Three test balls made of steel also called
"Lensco Meter"
What should be used to clean the accessible lenses of a phoropter? - ANSWER-
Photographic lens cleaner and lens tissue
What size letters (optotypes) are typically used to calibrate visual acuity projectors? -
ANSWER-20/200
What is the name of the instrument used to neutralize lenses? - ANSWER-
Lensometer (Lensmeter)
When recording prism in a spectacle Rx, what does the abbreviation BO stand for? -
ANSWER-Base out
What is determined by focusing the thin lines in a manual lensometer? - ANSWER-
The sphere of the spectacle Rx is determined by the thin lines.
What is the first step in performing lensometry? - ANSWER-Focus the eyepiece.
If you cannot center the thick and thin lines in the lensometer, the lens has _______.
- ANSWER-Ground-in prism.
Each black ring seen in the lensometer eyepiece reticle measures how much prism?
- ANSWER-1 diopter for each ring
, When performing lensometry, what is indicated if both thin and wide lines are in
focus at the same time? - ANSWER-The lens is spherical.
What is the technique used to measure the radius of curvature of the anterior corneal
surface? - ANSWER-A-Scan Keratometry Length Measurements
Keratometry is performed with a device called a ______. - ANSWER-Keratometer or
ophthalmometer
Give three examples in which a keratometry measurement would be useful. -
ANSWER-Contact lens fitting, refractive surgery, intra ocular lens calculations,
keratoconus
Keratometry is measured in _______. - ANSWER-Diopters
An unfocused eyepiece can lead to an error of _______. - ANSWER-1 diopter in the
K reading
How many meridians are measured in keratometry? - ANSWER-2 meridians (usually
90 degrees apart)
The average K reading is _____. - ANSWER-43 to 44 diopters
Keratometry measures the _______ of the anterior curvature of the cornea. -
ANSWER-Central 3.3 mm
The diffusion of oxygen through a contact lens material is referred to as _______. -
ANSWER-DK value
True or false: The application and evaluation of diagnostic lens on the eye is the best
way to fit a contact lens. - ANSWER-True
Name the instrument used to determine the posterior surface radius of curvature of
the rigid contact lens? - ANSWER-Radiuscope and or Contacto Gauge
Name three reasons to dispense a therapeutic bandage contact lens. - ANSWER-To
protect cornea from eyelids and eyelashes, to promote corneal healing, to provide
comfort, to stop wound leaks, to improve vision, or for drug delivery.
Name two measurements required to fit a contact lens. - ANSWER-Refraction and
K-reading (keratometry)
Overwear of contact lenses may result in insufficient oxygen to the cornea called
_______. - ANSWER-Hypoxia Ophthalmia
What are Ethics? - ANSWER-Moral Principles and values that govern individual
behavior
