6.5 Eye malfunctions: causes, symptoms, and care needs

Question 1

Symptoms of cataracts

Answer 1

Eyesight is blurry or misty
Colour looks faded
Increased severity to bright light
A cloudy lens scatters light, causing an image that is out of focus hazy

Question 2

Physiological causes of cataracts

Answer 2

Clouding of lens due to the proteins which keep it clear breaking down. Cloudy lens means that light is poorly focussed onto the retina and increasing cloudiness eventually can lead to sight loss.

Question 3

Risk factors of cataracts

Answer 3

Increasing age, excessive exposure to sunlight, smoking, injuries to the eyes

Question 4

Symptoms of glaucoma

Answer 4

Issues with peripheral vision noticed first
Blurred vision
Eye pain
Headaches
Seeing rings around lights
Narrowing of vision

Question 5

Physiological causes of glaucoma

Answer 5

Structural tissue- drainage channels for the aqueous humour not functioning can add pressure on the optic nerve causing damage.
Cause- fluid cannot escape so build up pressure causing fluid to press n the optic nerve destroying it and causing blindness

Question 6

Risk factors of glaucoma

Answer 6

Age over 55, family history of glaucoma, certain medical conditions e.g., diabetes

Question 7

Symptoms of retinopathy

Answer 7

Eyesight is blurry, dark strings floating in vision, dark spots in vision, empty/patchy areas in vision, eye pain, vision gradually worsening

Question 8

Physiological causes of retinopathy

Answer 8

Too much blood sugar damages blood vessels all over the body, glucose blocks the vessels, causing the to leak or bleed.
Abnormal blood vessels associated with retinopathy stimulate the growth of scar tissue- can pull retina away from the back of the eye

Question 9

Risk factors for retinopathy

Answer 9

Consistently high blood glucose, having diabetes for a long time, high blood pressure, high cholesterol

Question 9

Symptoms of AMD

Answer 9

Blurred/distorted areas in vision
Unable to see anything in the middle of vision
Seeing straight lines as wavy
Objects looking smaller than normal
Visual hallucinations

Question 10

Physiological causes of AMD

Answer 10

Dry AMD is more common and less severe- happens when the cells in the macula gradually break down over time
Wet AMD is less come and more severe- happens when abnormal blood vessels grow around the back of the eye and leak fluid or blood, causing damage to the macula

Question 11

Risk factors of AMD

Answer 11

Increased risk in individuals over 50, family history, smoking