Certified Ophthalmic Assistant Practice Exam

Which of the following does NOT indicate a severe corneal condition?

1. Eye pain with redness

2. Corneal opacity

3. Watery eyes

4. Severe irritation

The correct answer is: Watery eyes

Watery eyes, while they can be bothersome, do not inherently indicate a severe corneal condition. This symptom is often associated with a variety of less severe issues such as allergies, conjunctivitis, or other forms of mild irritation. It signals that there may be some discomfort or reaction occurring but does not provide a clear indication of a serious underlying corneal issue, which would typically present with more alarming signs. In contrast, eye pain accompanied by redness, corneal opacity, and severe irritation are all more significant indicators that may point to a severe corneal condition. Eye pain and redness can suggest inflammation or infection, corneal opacity often indicates scarring or disease that affects vision significantly, and severe irritation might imply substantial issues such as keratitis or corneal ulcers. Therefore, watery eyes are the least alarming among the options listed, as they often do not relate to severe corneal conditions.