Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) – Comprehensive Study Guide Practice Questions and
Exam Preparation Material
3 levels of certified ophthalmic assisting in order of degree of training and experience -
✔✔Certified Ophthalmic Assistant
Certified Ophthalmic Technician
Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist
OMT may be required to do all of the following - ✔✔perform diagnostic tests
assist with office surgical procedures
administer certain medications to patients
schedule and greet patients
while performing a diagnostic test patient addresses you as Dr and asks what should be done
about an eye condition. - ✔✔best initial reaction would be to tell patient ypu are an assistant,
not a Dr and refer patient to Dr for advice
how does the eye convert light rays - ✔✔rays pass through eyeball, bent to produce upside-
down image of object then converted to electric impulses carried to brain where image is
translated so that the object is perceived in its upright position
primary structures in adnexa - ✔✔orbit, extra-ocular muscles, eyelids, tear producing and tear
draining lacrimal apparatus
structure and function of the orbit - ✔✔pear shaped bony cavity in skull to protect from major
injury by a rim of bone
3 functionsof the eyelid - ✔✔protect eye from injury, exclude light, aid in lubrication of ocular
surface
,3 layers of the eyelid - ✔✔outer layer of skin, middle layer of fibrous tissue & muscle, inner
layer of tissue called conjunctiva
principal function of lacrimal apparatus - ✔✔produce tears, ducts that drain the excess fluid
from front of eyes into nose
why tears are important to functioning of eye - ✔✔ocular comfort, nourish eye
relationship between lacrimal gland, lacrimal sac, and nasolacrimal duct - ✔✔tears produced
in lacrimal gland, tears collected in lacrimal sac, tears drain into nasal cavity by means of
nasolacrimal duct.
3 layers of tear film and thier functions - ✔✔outer oily layer helps prevent evaporation of
moisture from middle aqueous layer, middle,layer provides moisture, oxygen and nutrients to
the cornea, inner mucinous layer promotes even spread of tear film.
principal function of cornea - ✔✔to focus light rays reflected to the eye contributing about 2/3
of focusing power of the eye
main function of sclera - ✔✔white tissue surrounding cornea protecting intraocular contents
balance between inflow and outflow of aqueaous humor important - ✔✔maintain intraocular
pressure
course of aqueous humor into and out of eye naming principal ocular structures involved -
✔✔enters eye from behind iris, flows across back of iris, through pupil into anterior chamber
and filtration angle,passes through trabecular meshwork, canal of schremm, and into blood
vessels
, 3 main structures of uveal tract - ✔✔iris, ciliary body, choroid
how pupil dilates and contracts - ✔✔fibers of dilator muscle that extend from pupil to
boundary of iris contract to dilate pupil, contraction of sphincter muscle that encircles pupil
makes pupil smaller
function of ciliary processes - ✔✔secrete aqueous humor
main function of choroid - ✔✔supplies blood to,outer layer of retina
what structure besides cornea provides eyes focusing power - ✔✔lens
physiologic process and purpose of accomodation - ✔✔curvature of lens can change becoming
rounder to focus images of objects that are closer to the eye
lens attached to the ciliary body - ✔✔zonules
main function of vitreous - ✔✔acts as shock absorber for eye and helps maintain spherical
shape of globe
what two cells in retina include a photoreceptor layer - ✔✔rods and cones
how are functions of two types of retinal photoreceptor cells different - ✔✔rods are
responsible for vision in dim light (night vision) and peripheral vision cones provide sharp
central vision and color perception
how retina works to produce sight - ✔✔retinal rods and cones receive light rays and generate
nerve impulses which are transmitted to brain where visual messages they carry are converted
to sensation of light
Exam Preparation Material
3 levels of certified ophthalmic assisting in order of degree of training and experience -
✔✔Certified Ophthalmic Assistant
Certified Ophthalmic Technician
Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist
OMT may be required to do all of the following - ✔✔perform diagnostic tests
assist with office surgical procedures
administer certain medications to patients
schedule and greet patients
while performing a diagnostic test patient addresses you as Dr and asks what should be done
about an eye condition. - ✔✔best initial reaction would be to tell patient ypu are an assistant,
not a Dr and refer patient to Dr for advice
how does the eye convert light rays - ✔✔rays pass through eyeball, bent to produce upside-
down image of object then converted to electric impulses carried to brain where image is
translated so that the object is perceived in its upright position
primary structures in adnexa - ✔✔orbit, extra-ocular muscles, eyelids, tear producing and tear
draining lacrimal apparatus
structure and function of the orbit - ✔✔pear shaped bony cavity in skull to protect from major
injury by a rim of bone
3 functionsof the eyelid - ✔✔protect eye from injury, exclude light, aid in lubrication of ocular
surface
,3 layers of the eyelid - ✔✔outer layer of skin, middle layer of fibrous tissue & muscle, inner
layer of tissue called conjunctiva
principal function of lacrimal apparatus - ✔✔produce tears, ducts that drain the excess fluid
from front of eyes into nose
why tears are important to functioning of eye - ✔✔ocular comfort, nourish eye
relationship between lacrimal gland, lacrimal sac, and nasolacrimal duct - ✔✔tears produced
in lacrimal gland, tears collected in lacrimal sac, tears drain into nasal cavity by means of
nasolacrimal duct.
3 layers of tear film and thier functions - ✔✔outer oily layer helps prevent evaporation of
moisture from middle aqueous layer, middle,layer provides moisture, oxygen and nutrients to
the cornea, inner mucinous layer promotes even spread of tear film.
principal function of cornea - ✔✔to focus light rays reflected to the eye contributing about 2/3
of focusing power of the eye
main function of sclera - ✔✔white tissue surrounding cornea protecting intraocular contents
balance between inflow and outflow of aqueaous humor important - ✔✔maintain intraocular
pressure
course of aqueous humor into and out of eye naming principal ocular structures involved -
✔✔enters eye from behind iris, flows across back of iris, through pupil into anterior chamber
and filtration angle,passes through trabecular meshwork, canal of schremm, and into blood
vessels
, 3 main structures of uveal tract - ✔✔iris, ciliary body, choroid
how pupil dilates and contracts - ✔✔fibers of dilator muscle that extend from pupil to
boundary of iris contract to dilate pupil, contraction of sphincter muscle that encircles pupil
makes pupil smaller
function of ciliary processes - ✔✔secrete aqueous humor
main function of choroid - ✔✔supplies blood to,outer layer of retina
what structure besides cornea provides eyes focusing power - ✔✔lens
physiologic process and purpose of accomodation - ✔✔curvature of lens can change becoming
rounder to focus images of objects that are closer to the eye
lens attached to the ciliary body - ✔✔zonules
main function of vitreous - ✔✔acts as shock absorber for eye and helps maintain spherical
shape of globe
what two cells in retina include a photoreceptor layer - ✔✔rods and cones
how are functions of two types of retinal photoreceptor cells different - ✔✔rods are
responsible for vision in dim light (night vision) and peripheral vision cones provide sharp
central vision and color perception
how retina works to produce sight - ✔✔retinal rods and cones receive light rays and generate
nerve impulses which are transmitted to brain where visual messages they carry are converted
to sensation of light
