1b Visual System Flashcards
What is the palpebral fissure?
The line of the eye where the eyelashes sit
What is the limbus?
The border between the cornea and the slcera?
What is the caruncle?
The inner most fleshy corner part of the eye
What is the medial canthus?
Where the caruncle meets the sclera
What are three layers of the eye and briefly describe them?
Sclera - hard and opaque, protective outer coat
Choroid - pigmented and vascular
Retina - neurosensory tissue
What is the uvea?
Vascular coat of eyeball composed of iris, ciliary body and choroid
What neurotransmiter controls the release of tears?
Acetylcholine
Where are tears produced?
Lacrimal gland
What is the water content of the sclera?
High
What is the cornea?
The transparent, dome-shaped window covering the front of the eye.
What is the water content of the cornea like?
Low water content
What happens if the cornea becomes hydrated?
becomes cloudy
What is the function of the iris?
Controls the amount of light which is entering into the eye - has tiny muscles which dilate and constrict the eye
What is the structure of the lens?
It is composed of an outer acellular thin capsule,
encasing a core of regular elongated cell fibres.
What percentage of the eyes refractory power comes from the lens?
1/3 of the eye focusing power - higher refractive index than aqueous fluid and vitreous
What is a cataract?
The lens may loose its transparency with age,
resulting in an opaque lens, known as Cataract.
What is the retina?
Thin layer of tissue which lines the inner part of the eye
Responsible for capturing the light rays which enter into the eye - light impulses are then sent to the brain for processing via the optic nerve
What is the function of the optic nerve?
Transmits electrical impulses from the retina to the brain
What is the visible portion of the optic nerve called?
The optic disc
Where does the optic nerve connect to the back of the eye?
Near the macula
What is the blind spot?
Where the optic nerve meets the retina, there are no light sensitive cells
What is the macula?
A small and highly sensitive part of the retina responsible for detailed central vision - located roughly in the centre of the retina
what is the structure found at the center of the macula?
Fovea
Which part of the eye allows us to perform tasks which require central vision like reading?
Fovea
What is the concentration of cones and rods like in the fovea?
Cones are high, rods and low
Why is the fovea particularly important?
Only the fovea has the highest concentration of cones in order for us to perceive high detail
What is the anatomical land mark for the physiological blind spot?
Optic disc
What is central vision?
Detailed, day vision, colour vision, reading, facial recognition - only the fovea
assessed by visual acuity assessment
what is peripheral vision for?
Shape, movement and night vision, as well as navigation
assessed by visual field assessment§
What is the result of extensive loss of visual field?
Unable to navigate in an unfamiliar environment,
What is found in the outer layer of the retina?
Photoreceptor cells - involved in the detection of light
What is found in the middle layer of the retina?
Bipolar cells (2nd order neurones)
What is the function of the bipolar cells?
Local signal processing to improve contrast sensitivity
What does the inner layer of the retina contain?
Retinal ganglion cells (3rd order neurones)
What is the function of the retinal ganglion cels
Transmission of signal from the eye to the brain
What is the structural differences between the cones and the rods?
Rods = Longer outer segment
Cones = Shorter outer segment
What is the difference between rods and cones?
Rods = More sensitive to light, but slower response
Cones = Less sensitive to light, but faster response
Which photoreceptor cell is responsible for day light fine vision and colour - photopic vision?
Cones
Which photoreceptor cells is responsible for night vision?
Rods
What is scotopic vision?
Peripheral and night vision
Where can one find the highest concentration of Rod photoreceptors in the retina?
20-40 degrees away from fovea
what is refraction?
Then light goes from one’s medium to another, it changes velocity
What happens to the path of light when it changes from one medium to another?
Path changes
What is the angle of incidence?
Equal to the angle of reflection, is the angle at which light is reflected off the new medium
What are the two types of lenses?
Concave and convex
What does a convex lens do to light?
Takes the light rays and brings to a single focal point
What does a concave lease do?
takes light rays and spreads them out
What is an example of an application of a converging lens?
A camera
What is emmetropia?
Perfect eye - adequate correlation between the axial length and refractive power
Parallel light rays fall on the retina without the need for accomodation
What is ametropia?
Mismatch between axial length and refractive power so parallel light rays do not fall onto the retina
Causes myopia(near sightedness), hyperopia(far sightedness), presbyopia(unable to focus)
Where do the light rays converge in myopia?
Parallel rays converge at a focal point which is anterior to the retina - in front of it
What are the causes of myopia?
Excessive long globe and excessive refractive power
What are the symptoms of myopia?
Blurred distant vision
Squinting to attempt to improve visual activity
Headaches
What are the treatments for myopia?
Diverting lens in glasses
Contact lenses
Refractive lens surgery
What is hyperopia?
Parallel rays converge at a focal point posterior to the retina
Etiology : not clear, inherited Causes
What are the causes of hyperopia?
•excessive short globe (axial hyperopia) : more common
•insufficient refractive power (refractive hyperopia)
What are the symptoms of hyperopia?
visual acuity at near tends to blur relatively early
* nature of blur is vary from inability to read fine print to near vision is clear but suddenly and intermittently
blur
* blurred vision is more noticeable if person is tired , printing is weak or light inadequate
What are the asthenopic symptoms of hyperopia?
Eye pain
Headache
Burning sensation in eyes
Blepharoconjuctivitis
What is amblyopia?
When there is an uncorrected hyperopia of more than 5D in one eye
What type of lens is used in glasses to treat hyperopia?
Converging lens
What is the near response triad?
Three actions of the eye in order for adapt for near vision
Increase depth of field (pupillary miosis)
Align both eyes towards a near object (convergence)
Increase refractive power of lens for near vision (accommodation)
What is pupillary miosis ?
Pupil constricts which increases the depth of field of the eye