COT Pupil Assessment 1

Question 1

When performing a confrontation visual field test on a patient, which technique best detects peripheral field defects?

Accepted Answer

Ask the patient to count fingers presented in each quadrant while covering one eye

Answer

Confrontation visual field testing involves asking the patient to cover one eye and count or identify finger movements presented in each quadrant of the visual field. This technique compares the patient's peripheral vision to the examiner's, allowing detection of field defects such as hemianopias or scotomas without specialized equipment.

Question 2

A patient presents with a Marcus Gunn pupil. Which finding would confirm this diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

Both pupils constrict normally when light is shone in the unaffected eye, but the affected eye's pupil paradoxically dilates when light is swung to it

Answer

A Marcus Gunn pupil (relative afferent pupillary defect, RAPD) is identified using the swinging flashlight test. When light is moved from the normal eye to the affected eye, the affected eye's pupil paradoxically dilates instead of maintaining constriction, indicating reduced afferent input on that side due to optic nerve or severe retinal disease.

Question 3

During distance visual acuity testing with a Snellen chart, a patient reads the 20/40 line with the right eye but misses two letters on the 20/20 line. How should this be recorded?

Accepted Answer

20/20 -2 OD

Answer

Standard notation records the smallest line where the patient correctly identifies the majority of optotypes. If the patient reads the 20/20 line but misses two letters, it is recorded as 20/20 -2 (minus the number of letters missed on that line). This provides a precise record of the patient's performance at that acuity level.

Question 4

Which of the following is the most appropriate method for assessing near visual acuity in an adult patient?

Accepted Answer

Present a near acuity card at 14–16 inches and record the smallest print the patient reads accurately

Answer

Near visual acuity is assessed using a standardized near acuity card (such as the Rosenbaum or Jaeger card) held at the standard reading distance of 14–16 inches (approximately 40 cm). The smallest line the patient can read accurately is recorded along with the testing distance to ensure consistency and comparability across visits.

Question 5

When evaluating extraocular muscle function in a pediatric patient suspected of having strabismus, the cover-uncover test is performed. What does the examiner observe to indicate the presence of a tropia?

Accepted Answer

The uncovered eye makes a refixation movement when the fellow eye is covered

Answer

In the cover-uncover test, a tropia (manifest deviation) is detected when the uncovered eye makes a refixation movement as the fellow eye is covered. This movement indicates that the uncovered eye was not fixating on the target before the cover was applied, revealing a manifest misalignment. No movement of the uncovered eye suggests no tropia is present.

COT - Certified Ophthalmic Technician Practice Test

COT - Certified Ophthalmic Technician Practice Test

COT Pupil Assessment 1