The online script concordance test developed for this study was found to be both reliable and capable of discriminating between second- and fourth-year optometric students. These results demonstrate that the script concordance test may be considered as a new tool in the optometric educators' assessment arsenal. Further studies will be needed to cover additional levels of professional development.

The verbalization of optometrists' clinical reasoning processes represents a first step toward a better understanding of this competency. The impact of this research on optometric education is discussed. The results open doors to further research in the field, for example, toward defining the stages of clinical reasoning development among optometry students and professionals.

Breathing pure O(2) or carbogen did not compromise retinal function in any major way, likely due to adequate retinal and choroidal regulatory mechanisms. Further investigations are required to better delineate the impact and temporal characteristics of such physiological challenges on retinal function.

A 26-year-old healthy female was referred by her optometrist to the binocular vision clinic of our institution for the investigation of an accommodative spasm occurring during monocular conditions. Corrected binocular visual acuity was 20/20 (6/6), with normal pupils and good ocular alignment. When the fellow eye was covered, visual acuity was <20/200 (6/60) in each eye, miosis was present in both eyes, and the occluded eye was in esodeviation, indicating a spasm of the near reflex. The spasm disappeared when a translucent occluder was used instead of an opaque black occluder. Further investigation permitted us to establish that dioptric and nondioptric blur, as well as reduced light transmission, also triggered the spasm of the near reflex, but only for specific power, opacity, or density. Cycloplegia did not eliminate the spasm. Comparisons are made with the single other similar case found in the literature. Assumptions are made as to the possible causes of that intermittent spasm.