Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist (COMT) Practice Exam

When assessing a patient with intermittent exotropia, which additional measurement should be taken to complete the evaluation of control?

1. Measure convergence amplitudes

2. Document eye color

3. Record family history

4. Check peripheral vision

The correct answer is: Measure convergence amplitudes

In the assessment of a patient with intermittent exotropia, measuring convergence amplitudes is crucial to understanding how well the patient can converge their eyes, which is an essential aspect of binocular vision that may be affected in individuals with strabismus. Intermittent exotropia involves an outward deviation of one eye, particularly when the patient is not focused on a near target. By measuring convergence amplitudes, the clinician can evaluate the patient's ability to maintain aligned eyes when looking at objects up close. A reduced convergence ability can indicate that the patient may have difficulties in achieving or maintaining proper visual alignment, which is vital for successful treatment planning. While evaluating the patient's eye color, family history, or peripheral vision can provide valuable background information, it does not directly assess the control and function of eye alignment related to intermittence strabismus like convergence measurements do. Therefore, measuring convergence amplitudes is the most pertinent step to assess the degree of control over the intermittent exotropia, making it the appropriate choice for a comprehensive evaluation.