Question

Most patients 50 years and older are advised to have yearly eye exams. Part of the normal procedure for such eye exams involves administering eye drops to dilate the patient's pupils. What test would a good eye doctor perform prior to administering such eye drops?

A. blood pressure & body weight
B. credit history
C. intraocular pressure
D. temperature

Answer 1

A good eye doctor would measure the intraocular pressure using a tonometer before administering dilating eye drops to patients, especially those over 40, to check for glaucoma.

Step-by-step explanation:

Before administering eye drops to dilate a patient's pupils in an exam, a good eye doctor would perform a test to measure the intraocular pressure (IOP). This is because people over 40 years of age are at higher risk for glaucoma, a condition where the circulation of fluid in the eye is blocked leading to a buildup of pressure. The tool used to measure IOP is called a tonometer, and the procedure can involve either a contact method, which applies pressure to the anesthetized eye, or a noncontact method that uses a puff of air. High intraocular pressure can prevent the eye from deforming normally, indicating the potential presence of glaucoma, which can be reliably detected through this test.