Ace the Certified Ophthalmic Assistant Exam 2025 – Eye-Opener Prep for Your Bright Future!

In retinoscopy, the reflex that indicates light is focusing behind the retina is the "against" reflex. When performing retinoscopy, the examiner observes the movement of the light reflex in the pupil as various lenses are introduced.

If the light reflex moves in the opposite direction of the movement of the retinoscope, it indicates that the light is being focused behind the retina, which is characteristic of hyperopia (farsightedness). In this case, additional plus (convex) lenses would be required to bring the focus forward onto the retina.

Understanding this is crucial for determining the appropriate corrective lenses for a patient, as it directly correlates with the way light focuses within the eye. The other terms relate to different scenarios in retinoscopy, such as when light focuses on the retina or in front of it, which informs the practitioner about the patient's refractive error.