Certified Ophthalmic Technician Practice Test 2025 – Complete Exam Prep

The correct response is based on the definition of simple hyperopic astigmatism. In this type, one principal meridian focuses light accurately on the retina, while the other meridian focuses light behind the retina. This results in one focal line being situated on the retina (where the image is clear) and the other focal line being located posterior to the retina (where the image is blurred).

In simple hyperopic astigmatism, the eye is unable to focus light for one meridian effectively, leading to blur for that orientation. It typically occurs in a hyperopic eye, which means that the eye is too short in relation to its focusing power, causing such a disparity in where the light converges.

On the other hand, other forms of astigmatism involve different configurations of focal lines. For instance, simple myopic astigmatism would have one focal line in front of the retina and one on the retina. Compound astigmatisms (both myopic and hyperopic) involve both principal meridians being out of focus but at different distances; however, this question specifically identifies the condition where one line is on the retina and the other is behind, making simple hyperopic astigmatism the correct choice. Mixed