Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) – Comprehensive Study Guide
Practice Questions and Exam Preparation Material
Orally, injection (subcutaneously or intramuscularly) or intravenously - ✔✔How are systemic
medications administered?
Into the lower cul de sac (lower fornix) - ✔✔How should drops be properly instilled into a
patient's eye?
A bizarre, peculiar reaction to a drug that is not commonly seen, such as tremors, excitability or
even collapse - ✔✔What does the term idiosyncrasy refer to with ophthalmic drugs?
Lensometer (Lensmeter) - ✔✔What is the name of the instrument used to neutralize lenses?
Base out - ✔✔When recording a prism in a spectacle prescription, what does the abbreviation
BO stand for?
The sphere of the spectacle prescription - ✔✔What is determined by focusing the thin lines in
a manual lensometer?
Focus the eyepiece - ✔✔What is the first step in performing lensometry?
10 seconds - ✔✔When PRK is being performed, time remaining in the procedure should be
announced in increments of ______
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa - ✔✔Name the organism that is most destructive to the eye.
,Panretinal photocoagulation or panretinal laser - ✔✔What procedure using an Argon Laser is
thought to destroy areas of ischemic retina?
Intravitreal injection - ✔✔What type of intraocular injection is made at the Pars plana site with
a needle and syringe of medication?
Versions - ✔✔What are the parallel movements of the eyes from one gaze position to another
Duction - ✔✔What is the movement of one eye called
Six Cardinal positions, yoke - ✔✔Versions and ductions are tested by using ________ to test
the six pairs of _______ muscles.
Abduction - ✔✔The movement of the eye outward toward the temple is called _____
A-Scan Keratometry Length Measurements - ✔✔What is the technique used to measure the
radius of curvature of the anterior corneal surface?
Keratometer or ophthalmometer - ✔✔Keratometry is performed with a device called a ______
Contact lens fitting, refractive surgery, intraocular lens calculations, keratoconus - ✔✔Give
three examples in which a Keratometry measurement would be useful.
Diopters - ✔✔Keratometry is measured in _____
Tonometry - ✔✔Measuring intraocular pressure is also called _____
Harder - ✔✔The higher the intraocular pressure of an eye, the ____ the eye
,0.5 microliters - ✔✔Applanation tonometry displaces less than ____ of aqueous.
10 - ✔✔When recording intraocular pressure, the reading on the Goldmann applanation
tonometer scale should be multiplied by ____.
Physiologic - ✔✔Because there are no rods or cones in the optic nerve head a____ blind spot
is created in the normal visual field.
Inferior nasal - ✔✔A defect in the patient's superior temporal retina, will affect the patient's
____ field of vision.
Kinetic, static - ✔✔The two basic methods employed to map the field of vision are ____ and
____ perimetry.
Scotoma - ✔✔A localized area of reduced sensitivity in a visual field that is surrounded by an
area of greater sensitivity is termed a ____.
1 diopter in the K reading - ✔✔And unfocused eyepiece can lead to an error of ____.
2 meridians (usually 90° apart) - ✔✔How many meridians are measured in keratometry?
43-44 diopters - ✔✔The average K reading is ____.
Central 3.3 mm - ✔✔Keratometry measures the____ of the anterior curvature of the cornea.
DK value - ✔✔The diffusion of oxygen through a contact lens material is referred to as ____.
, True - ✔✔True or False: The application and evaluation of a diagnostic lens on the eye is the
best way to fit a contact lens
Radiuscope and or Contacto Gauge - ✔✔Name the instrument used to determine the
posterior surface radius of curvature of a rigid contact lens.
Diabetes insipidus - ✔✔Increased thirst, excessive urine, production, increased hunger and
weight loss are characteristics of which endocrine disease?
Rust ring - ✔✔What finding can occur 6 to 8 hours after a metallic foreign body enters the
cornea?
Alkali burns penetrate deeper - ✔✔Why are alkali burns more serious than acid burns on the
cornea?
Myasthenia gravis - ✔✔Variability in the functions of levator and extraocular muscle is
characteristic in which systemic disease?
(Bulbar) Conjunctiva - ✔✔What is the name of the mucous membrane covering the interior
sclera?
Acute angle-closure glaucoma - ✔✔What type of glaucoma constitutes an ocular emergency?
Bridge of the nose, ear lobe - ✔✔Protocols for pressure patching or shields require that
adhesive tape must be applied from the ____ to the ____.
3.0 mm - ✔✔What is the minimum thickness of safety lenses?
Practice Questions and Exam Preparation Material
Orally, injection (subcutaneously or intramuscularly) or intravenously - ✔✔How are systemic
medications administered?
Into the lower cul de sac (lower fornix) - ✔✔How should drops be properly instilled into a
patient's eye?
A bizarre, peculiar reaction to a drug that is not commonly seen, such as tremors, excitability or
even collapse - ✔✔What does the term idiosyncrasy refer to with ophthalmic drugs?
Lensometer (Lensmeter) - ✔✔What is the name of the instrument used to neutralize lenses?
Base out - ✔✔When recording a prism in a spectacle prescription, what does the abbreviation
BO stand for?
The sphere of the spectacle prescription - ✔✔What is determined by focusing the thin lines in
a manual lensometer?
Focus the eyepiece - ✔✔What is the first step in performing lensometry?
10 seconds - ✔✔When PRK is being performed, time remaining in the procedure should be
announced in increments of ______
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa - ✔✔Name the organism that is most destructive to the eye.
,Panretinal photocoagulation or panretinal laser - ✔✔What procedure using an Argon Laser is
thought to destroy areas of ischemic retina?
Intravitreal injection - ✔✔What type of intraocular injection is made at the Pars plana site with
a needle and syringe of medication?
Versions - ✔✔What are the parallel movements of the eyes from one gaze position to another
Duction - ✔✔What is the movement of one eye called
Six Cardinal positions, yoke - ✔✔Versions and ductions are tested by using ________ to test
the six pairs of _______ muscles.
Abduction - ✔✔The movement of the eye outward toward the temple is called _____
A-Scan Keratometry Length Measurements - ✔✔What is the technique used to measure the
radius of curvature of the anterior corneal surface?
Keratometer or ophthalmometer - ✔✔Keratometry is performed with a device called a ______
Contact lens fitting, refractive surgery, intraocular lens calculations, keratoconus - ✔✔Give
three examples in which a Keratometry measurement would be useful.
Diopters - ✔✔Keratometry is measured in _____
Tonometry - ✔✔Measuring intraocular pressure is also called _____
Harder - ✔✔The higher the intraocular pressure of an eye, the ____ the eye
,0.5 microliters - ✔✔Applanation tonometry displaces less than ____ of aqueous.
10 - ✔✔When recording intraocular pressure, the reading on the Goldmann applanation
tonometer scale should be multiplied by ____.
Physiologic - ✔✔Because there are no rods or cones in the optic nerve head a____ blind spot
is created in the normal visual field.
Inferior nasal - ✔✔A defect in the patient's superior temporal retina, will affect the patient's
____ field of vision.
Kinetic, static - ✔✔The two basic methods employed to map the field of vision are ____ and
____ perimetry.
Scotoma - ✔✔A localized area of reduced sensitivity in a visual field that is surrounded by an
area of greater sensitivity is termed a ____.
1 diopter in the K reading - ✔✔And unfocused eyepiece can lead to an error of ____.
2 meridians (usually 90° apart) - ✔✔How many meridians are measured in keratometry?
43-44 diopters - ✔✔The average K reading is ____.
Central 3.3 mm - ✔✔Keratometry measures the____ of the anterior curvature of the cornea.
DK value - ✔✔The diffusion of oxygen through a contact lens material is referred to as ____.
, True - ✔✔True or False: The application and evaluation of a diagnostic lens on the eye is the
best way to fit a contact lens
Radiuscope and or Contacto Gauge - ✔✔Name the instrument used to determine the
posterior surface radius of curvature of a rigid contact lens.
Diabetes insipidus - ✔✔Increased thirst, excessive urine, production, increased hunger and
weight loss are characteristics of which endocrine disease?
Rust ring - ✔✔What finding can occur 6 to 8 hours after a metallic foreign body enters the
cornea?
Alkali burns penetrate deeper - ✔✔Why are alkali burns more serious than acid burns on the
cornea?
Myasthenia gravis - ✔✔Variability in the functions of levator and extraocular muscle is
characteristic in which systemic disease?
(Bulbar) Conjunctiva - ✔✔What is the name of the mucous membrane covering the interior
sclera?
Acute angle-closure glaucoma - ✔✔What type of glaucoma constitutes an ocular emergency?
Bridge of the nose, ear lobe - ✔✔Protocols for pressure patching or shields require that
adhesive tape must be applied from the ____ to the ____.
3.0 mm - ✔✔What is the minimum thickness of safety lenses?
