Certified Ophthalmic Technician Practice Test 2025 – Complete Exam Prep

Astigmatism is the condition that arises when the eyes do not refract light uniformly in all directions. This irregularity in the curvature of the cornea or lens leads to light rays not focusing evenly on the retina, which results in blurred or distorted vision at all distances.

In astigmatism, the cornea is shaped more like a football than a basketball, causing multiple focal points instead of a single point on the retina. This distinction is crucial, as it illustrates why astigmatism is specifically associated with uneven light refraction.

In contrast, myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness) are conditions that relate to the length of the eyeball or the curvature of the cornea and lens, resulting in focus issues primarily at specific distances rather than a lack of uniform refraction across all meridians of sight. Presbyopia is age-related and involves a loss of the eye's ability to focus on near objects but does not pertain to uniformity in light refraction. Thus, the uniqueness of astigmatism in its impact on uniform light refraction makes it the correct choice.