Ace the COT Challenge 2025 – Shine Bright as a Certified Ophthalmic Technician!

Scotomas that are situated immediately nasal or temporal to fixation are termed paracentral scotomas. This type of scotoma indicates an area of lost or depressed vision that lies adjacent to the central vision, which is the fixation point. The designation "paracentral" refers specifically to their location, being close to but not directly within the central vision field.

Understanding the spatial relationship of scotomas to the fixation point is important in clinical practice, as it informs the diagnosis and management of various visual field defects. Peripheral scotomas, for instance, are typically more distant from the central point of vision, resulting in a different clinical implication. Centrally-induced scotomas would suggest a more central involvement, affecting the direct line of sight, while homonymous scotomas reflect visual field loss on the same side in both eyes, usually due to lesions in the optic tract or visual cortex. Thus, recognizing the characteristics and nomenclature of scotomas is essential for accurate assessment in ophthalmology.