Which test involves using a direct ophthalmoscope to observe retinal reflexes for screening ocular alignment?

• A. Hirschberg
• B. Krimsky
• C. Bagolini
• D. Bruckner

Answer: (D)

This item hinges on using retinal reflexes to screen ocular alignment with a direct ophthalmoscope. In the Bruckner test you hold the ophthalmoscope about a meter away in a dim room and shine the light into both eyes at once, asking the patient to look at your light. You compare the red reflexes in both pupils: when the eyes are properly aligned, the reflexes are similar in brightness and size. If one reflex is brighter, dimmer, or shifted, that asymmetry signals a possible strabismus or refractive/ media issue requiring further evaluation. It's a quick, practical screening method especially useful for children because it can reveal misalignment early. Other tests use corneal light reflex and prisms to quantify deviation or assess fusion, but they do not rely on observing simultaneous retinal reflexes with a direct ophthalmoscope in this way.