CPOA Patient Care 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which documentation entry best reflects proper SOAP note format for a chief complaint of red eye?
- S: Patient states right eye has been red and itchy for 2 days (Correct answer)
- O: Patient complains of red eye since yesterday
- A: Red eye, likely allergic
- P: Patient was advised to see a doctor
Correct answer: S: Patient states right eye has been red and itchy for 2 days
The Subjective section of a SOAP note should record the patient's own words describing their symptoms and timeline.
Question 2: When measuring near visual acuity, the standard testing distance is:
- 10 inches (25 cm)
- 14 inches (35 cm) (Correct answer)
- 18 inches (45 cm)
- 20 inches (50 cm)
Correct answer: 14 inches (35 cm)
Near visual acuity is standardly measured at 14 inches (approximately 35 cm), simulating typical reading distance.
Question 3: A patient with diabetes mellitus is scheduled for a dilated fundus exam. Which observation during preliminary testing would be most significant to report?
- Intraocular pressure of 14 mmHg
- Fluctuating visual acuity between visits (Correct answer)
- Prescription change of +0.25 sphere
- Normal color vision results
Correct answer: Fluctuating visual acuity between visits
Fluctuating visual acuity in diabetic patients may indicate unstable blood glucose levels affecting the lens, which is clinically significant.
Question 4: Which technique is correct when performing confrontation visual field testing?
- Test both eyes simultaneously with both open
- Cover one eye and compare patient's peripheral vision to the examiner's (Correct answer)
- Use a penlight to check for peripheral shadows
- Ask the patient to read the letters at the far edge of the Snellen chart
Correct answer: Cover one eye and compare patient's peripheral vision to the examiner's
Confrontation visual field testing compares the patient's peripheral vision to the examiner's as a gross screening tool, one eye at a time.
Question 5: A patient is allergic to topical anesthetic. Which procedure must be postponed or modified?
- Retinal photography
- Non-contact tonometry
- Goldmann applanation tonometry (Correct answer)
- Corneal topography
Correct answer: Goldmann applanation tonometry
Goldmann applanation tonometry requires a topical anesthetic for patient comfort and accurate measurement, so it cannot proceed without one.
Question 6: When assisting a patient who uses a walker into the examination chair, the paraoptometric should:
- Ask the patient to move quickly to save time
- Ensure the patient is safely seated before stepping away (Correct answer)
- Have the patient leave the walker in the waiting room
- Lift the patient directly into the chair
Correct answer: Ensure the patient is safely seated before stepping away
Patient safety requires confirming that a mobility-impaired patient is fully and safely seated before the assistant moves to another task.
Question 7: Which lensometer reading indicates a pure cylindrical correction with no spherical component?
- Plano -1.50 x 090 (Correct answer)
- +0.50 -0.50 x 180
- -0.75 sphere
- +1.00 -2.00 x 045
Correct answer: Plano -1.50 x 090
Plano -1.50 x 090 means zero sphere power combined with -1.50 diopters of cylinder, making it a pure cylindrical correction.
CPOA Patient Care 3
Which documentation entry best reflects proper SOAP note format for a chief complaint of red eye?