6.1.13 Flashcards
What is Hypertension?
High blood pressure that can cause various changes in the eye, particularly in the retina and optic nerve.
Define Arteriovenous (AV) Nicking.
Occurs when the arterial vessels cross the venous vessels in the retina, causing compression and sometimes blockage of venous return.
What is Retinal Arteriolar Narrowing?
Narrowing of arterioles in the retina, reflecting increased systemic vascular resistance in chronic hypertension.
List the stages of Hypertensive Retinopathy.
- Stage 1: Mild narrowing of the retinal arterioles.
- Stage 2: AV nicking and more pronounced arteriolar narrowing.
- Stage 3: Retinal hemorrhages, cotton wool spots, and hard exudates.
- Stage 4: Papilledema indicating malignant hypertension.
What are Cotton Wool Spots?
Small, white, fluffy lesions indicating retinal ischemia (retina isn’t getting enough blood supply), often associated with high blood pressure.
What is Papilledema?
Swelling of the optic disc caused by malignant hypertension, indicating increased intracranial pressure.
Define Optic Nerve Atrophy.
Damage to the optic nerve from chronic hypertension leading to reduced vision or visual field defects.
What is Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO)?
A common complication of chronic hypertension where venous blood flow in the retina is blocked, causing ischemia and hemorrhages.
What is Diabetic Retinopathy (DR)?
A range of ocular manifestations caused by diabetes, including various stages from background retinopathy to proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
Explain Background Retinopathy.
Early stage of DR with microaneurysms, dot-blot hemorrhages, and hard exudates.
What is Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR)?
The most severe form of DR where neovascularization occurs on the retina or optic disc.
What is Diabetic Maculopathy?
Occurs when the macula is affected by edema or hard exudates, causing central vision loss.
What are the ocular manifestations of Visual Migraines?
- Scintillating Scotomas
- Zigzag Patterns
- Blind Spots
- Curtain-Like Vision Loss
What is the mechanism behind Visual Migraines?
Thought to be related to cortical spreading depression or vasospasm of the retinal vessels.
What is the first step in recognizing ocular manifestations?
A thorough history and clinical examination.
What is a key differentiating feature of Visual Migraines?
Transient nature of visual disturbances without structural abnormalities in the eye.
What is Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion (BRVO)?
Occurs when a smaller branch of the retinal vein becomes blocked, causing retinal ischemia.
List the ocular manifestations of BRVO.
- Retinal Hemorrhages
- Cotton Wool Spots
- Macular Edema
- Neovascularization
What are the risk factors for BRVO?
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Hyperlipidemia
- Age
- Smoking
- Glaucoma
What is Branch Retinal Artery Occlusion (BRAO)?
Occurs when a branch of the central retinal artery becomes blocked, leading to retinal ischemia.
What are the ocular manifestations of BRAO?
- Focal Retinal Ischemia
- Cotton Wool Spots
- Segmental Retinal Hemorrhage
- Visual Field Defects
What is Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO)?
Occurs when the central retinal vein becomes blocked, leading to hemorrhages and ischemia.
List the ocular manifestations of CRVO.
- Retinal Hemorrhages
- Cotton Wool Spots
- Macular Edema
- Optic Disc Swelling
- Neovascularization
What is Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO)?
Occurs when the central retinal artery becomes blocked, leading to ischemia and vision loss.
What are the ocular manifestations of CRAO?
- Pale Retina
- Cherry-Red Spot
- Arteriolar Narrowing
- Visual Field Loss
What is the significance of a Cherry-Red Spot?
A classic sign in CRAO where the retina is pale but the macula remains red.
What are common treatment options for retinal vein occlusions?
- Anti-VEGF Injections
- Laser Photocoagulation
- Steroid Injections
What is Fluorescein Angiography used for?
To assess the extent of ischemia and rule out other conditions.
What is Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) used for?
To evaluate macular edema and assess retinal thickness.
What is a characteristic finding in a fundus examination for CRAO?
Characteristic pale retina and cherry-red spot
These findings indicate ischemia in the retina.
What is the purpose of fluorescein angiography in the context of CRAO?
To confirm the blockage and assess the extent of ischemia
Fluorescein angiography helps visualize blood flow in the retina.
How can OCT be useful in managing CRAO?
Can be useful to confirm ischemia and monitor any damage
OCT provides detailed images of the retina’s structure.
What is one treatment option that may help dislodge an embolus in CRAO?
Ocular Massage
This technique aims to improve blood flow to the affected area.
What therapy increases oxygen supply to the retina in CRAO treatment?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
This therapy may enhance oxygen delivery to ischemic tissues.
When is anticoagulation therapy indicated in CRAO?
If the embolic source is suspected
Anticoagulation may prevent further clot formation.
What is the urgency of referral to an ophthalmologist for CRAO?
Immediate referral is required
CRAO is considered a medical emergency.
What type of evaluation should patients undergo to identify embolic sources in CRAO?
Thorough cardiovascular evaluation
This helps to determine underlying causes of the blockage.
What does BRVO stand for?
Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion
This condition involves a blockage in a blood vessel in the eye.
Explain BRVO in layman’s terms.
A blockage in one of the blood vessels in the back of your eye can cause bleeding and swelling
This may make your vision blurry, especially in certain areas.
What is BRAO?
Branch Retinal Artery Occlusion
This occurs when a smaller artery in the eye gets blocked.
Explain BRAO in layman’s terms.
A blockage in a smaller artery in your eye stops blood flow to the retina
This can cause a loss of vision in certain areas.
What does CRVO stand for?
Central Retinal Vein Occlusion
This condition involves blockage of the main vein in the eye.
Explain CRVO in layman’s terms.
The main vein in the back of your eye becomes blocked, causing swelling and blurry vision
Often linked to high blood pressure or diabetes.
What does CRAO stand for?
Central Retinal Artery Occlusion
This condition involves blockage of the main artery in the eye.
Explain CRAO in layman’s terms.
The main artery in your eye becomes blocked, cutting off blood supply to the retina
This can cause sudden and severe vision loss.
What are some treatments that may be needed for CRAO?
Massaging the eye or using oxygen therapy
These treatments aim to restore blood flow quickly.
What is the purpose of Anti-VEGF injections?
To reduce swelling and stop blood vessels from leaking.
Anti-VEGF stands for anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, which is a treatment for various eye conditions.
How does laser therapy help in eye treatment?
It seals off leaking blood vessels and treats areas of the retina lacking blood.
Laser therapy can protect vision by addressing specific problem areas in the retina.
What is the benefit of oxygen therapy in eye treatments?
It can improve blood flow to the retina and reduce damage from blockage.
Oxygen therapy is sometimes used to enhance healing in retinal conditions.
What is the role of eye massage in emergency situations?
To gently dislodge a blockage and restore blood flow.
Eye massage is typically considered when other treatments are not immediately available.
