Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist (COMT) Practice Exam

A child with a refractive error of -7.50 is likely to have which type of amblyopia?

1. Strabismic amblyopia

2. Pure anisometropic amblyopia

3. Isometropic amblyopia

4. Functional amblyopia

The correct answer is: Isometropic amblyopia

A child with a refractive error of -7.50 is likely to experience isometropic amblyopia due to the significant degree of myopia. Isometropic amblyopia occurs when both eyes have similar refractive errors that are sufficiently high, leading to a lack of clear visual input during critical periods of visual development. Since the refractive error is consistent and significantly myopic in this case, it can result in blurred vision if left uncorrected, hindering proper visual development and leading to amblyopia. Isometropic amblyopia is characterized by a consistent level of refractive error in both eyes that disrupts the visual experience. The condition typically does not involve strabismus (which is the misalignment of the eyes) or substantial differences in the refractive error between the two eyes, distinguishing it from other types of amblyopia that might arise from anisometropia or misalignment. In this scenario, the specific mention of a -7.50 refractive error points directly to the likelihood of isometropic amblyopia given the similar severity in both eyes.