The refraction of light adjusts where a visual object falls on the retina, and the adjustment for near or far objects is called accommodation. Accommodation is assessed as follows:
1. Ask the patient to look into the distance at your finger and then follow it as you bring your finger toward the patient’s nose.
2. As the patient visually tracks your finger, two separate events occur: the patient’s eyes converge and the patient’s pupils constrict.
3. Next, the patient should look back into the distance; this causes the patient’s pupils to dilate and his/her eyes to diverge (it is often easier to appreciate the patient’s pupillary dilitation than constriction).