Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist (COMT) Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Study for the Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist (COMT) Exam. Prepare with insightful quizzes and multiple-choice questions that will enhance your understanding of ophthalmic technology. Get ready for your certification with confidence!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


When testing a patient with nystagmus, which protocol should be followed for visual acuity assessment?

  1. Test each eye separately without using a null point

  2. Test both eyes open while restricting head movement

  3. Test each eye alone with occlusion and allow the use of a null point

  4. Test binocularly without any occlusion

The correct answer is: Test each eye alone with occlusion and allow the use of a null point

The recommended protocol for assessing visual acuity in a patient with nystagmus is to test each eye separately with occlusion while allowing the use of a null point. This approach is essential because nystagmus typically results in involuntary eye movements that can fluctuate in direction and intensity. By occluding each eye, the clinician can accurately assess the visual acuity of each eye independently without interference from the other. Allowing the use of a null point is also important because many patients with nystagmus have a specific head position that minimizes their symptoms and enhances their visual acuity. Identifying this null point can help clinicians understand how the patient's vision may improve in certain positions, facilitating a more accurate assessment of their visual function. This focused approach to testing provides more reliable information about the patient's visual capabilities, which is critical for developing effective management strategies.