Ocular Pharmacology Flashcards

When instilling eye drops, the para-optometric assistant should have the patient look in which direction?

Answer: Up toward the ceiling

Looking upward moves the cornea superiorly, allowing drops to be placed safely into the inferior conjunctival fornix without touching the cornea.

Which dye is used in conjunction with a Wood's lamp or cobalt blue filter to assess corneal abrasions?

Answer: Sodium fluorescein

Sodium fluorescein fluoresces bright green under cobalt blue light, highlighting areas of disrupted corneal epithelium.

A patient is taking a topical beta-blocker for glaucoma and has asthma. The primary concern is:

Answer: Bronchospasm

Beta-blockers can cause bronchospasm in patients with asthma or COPD because they block beta-2 receptors in bronchial smooth muscle.

Rose bengal dye is used primarily to stain which type of ocular tissue?

Answer: Devitalized (dead or degenerated) epithelial cells

Rose bengal stains devitalized, dead, or degenerated conjunctival and corneal epithelial cells, aiding in the diagnosis of dry eye and viral keratitis.

Which route of ocular drug administration provides the highest intraocular drug concentration?

Answer: Intravitreal injection

Intravitreal injections deliver medication directly into the vitreous cavity, achieving the highest concentration at the posterior segment target tissue.

Phenylephrine 2.5% is used as a mydriatic agent. Its mechanism of action is:

Answer: Alpha-adrenergic agonist — stimulates iris dilator

Phenylephrine stimulates alpha-1 adrenergic receptors on the iris dilator muscle, causing pupil dilation without cycloplegia.

What is the appropriate action to minimize systemic absorption after instilling eye drops?

Answer: Apply gentle nasolacrimal occlusion for 1-2 minutes

Pressing on the nasolacrimal duct (punctal occlusion) reduces drainage into the nasal mucosa, decreasing systemic absorption and side effects.