Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist (COMT) Practice Exam

A patient taking a medication containing an atropine-like drug may experience which of the following vision problems?

1. Difficulty seeing at distance

2. Difficulty seeing at near

3. Complete vision loss

4. Color blindness

The correct answer is: Difficulty seeing at near

The correct answer, which indicates that a patient may experience difficulty seeing at near, relates to the pharmacological effects of atropine-like drugs. These drugs are anticholinergic agents that can cause pupil dilation (mydriasis) and paralysis of the ciliary muscle, leading to a condition known as cycloplegia. This paralysis prevents the eye from adjusting its focus for close objects, resulting in difficulty seeing nearby items. In contrast, the other options do not directly correlate with the effects of such medications. Difficulty seeing at distance typically involves issues with refractive errors or other optical problems that are not directly caused by anticholinergic medication. Complete vision loss would not be a typical side effect of atropine-like drugs and suggests a more severe, unrelated underlying condition. Color blindness is a genetic or acquired condition linked to the photoreceptors in the eye and is also not associated with the use of these medications. Therefore, the primary effect of the atropine-like drug on near vision is what makes the correct response the most relevant to the scenario presented.