NCLE Basic Exam Study Guide 2024 with Complete Solutions!

Direct Illumination - ANSWER--Most important/useful illumination -Light source positioned at an angle of 40º-50º to oculars -Light beam and oculars are focused in coincidence on area being evaluated -The difference in the illumination is not the angle used, but where the beam is directed or focused and the width -Varying width and aperture creates different illuminations Optic(al) Section - ANSWER--Type of direct illumination that uses a narrow beam to create a cross-section of the cornea -Used to illuminate and observe individual layers of the cornea and tear film -Used to evaluate corneal thickness, thinning, distortions, or depth of a foreign body -Shows corneal-lens relationship Parallelepiped - ANSWER--Type of direct illumination -Uses a 0.5-3.0 mm beam and a 40º-50º angle to create a 3-D cube -Used to assess width, depth, and height of an object within the cornea -Useful in observing scars, infiltrates, staining, and the corneal-lens relationship Indirect Illumination - ANSWER--Light source is moved out-of-click, the beam is 2-3 mm wide and is positioned next to the area being studied -Illuminated area is translucent or opaque, allowing for observation adjacent to illumination -Used to observe foreign bodies, corneal nerves, and opacities -Oscillation of light accentuates details Retroillumination - ANSWER--Light source is out-of-click, moved to the side of the area being observed -Using a 1-3 mm beam, the light is reflected off the iris and used to back-light the area studied -Useful in examining corneal scars, debris, microcysts, scratches on the lens, sub-epithelial changes, corneal vascularization, diffuse edema, and surface deposits