Held over eye not being tested during an eye exam?

Held over eye not being tested during an eye exam?

• A. Ophthalmoscope
• B. Otoscope
• C. Percussion hammer
• D. Eye occluder

Answer: (D)

Holding an occluder over an eye that isn’t being tested is a standard step in vision testing. The occluder’s job is to block that eye so the examiner can accurately evaluate the other eye’s response on a vision chart without any input from the covered eye. The ophthalmoscope, on the other hand, is used to look inside the eye—examine the retina and optic nerve—by shining light into the eye, not by covering it. The otoscope is for inspecting the ear canal and eardrum, not the eye. The percussion hammer checks reflexes in the body, which is a neurological test rather than an eye test. So the tool that is specifically used to cover the eye during testing is the occluder.

Holding an occluder over an eye that isn’t being tested is a standard step in vision testing. The occluder’s job is to block that eye so the examiner can accurately evaluate the other eye’s response on a vision chart without any input from the covered eye. The ophthalmoscope, on the other hand, is used to look inside the eye—examine the retina and optic nerve—by shining light into the eye, not by covering it. The otoscope is for inspecting the ear canal and eardrum, not the eye. The percussion hammer checks reflexes in the body, which is a neurological test rather than an eye test. So the tool that is specifically used to cover the eye during testing is the occluder.