81 - Special Senses II (Vision) Flashcards
Accommodation
The automatic adjustment by which the eye adapts itself to distinct vision at different distances
Presbyopia
Farsightedness due to ciliary muscle weakness and loss of elasticity in the crystalline lens
Blind spot
A small area on the retina that is insensitive to light due to the interruption, where the optice nerve joins the retina, of the normal pattern of light-sensitive rods & cones
Fovea
Area consisting of a small depression in the retina containing cones and where vision is most acute
Binocula disparity
The difference in images of an object seen by left and right eye resulting from the eyes’ horizontal separation
Prosopagnosia
An inability or difficulty in recognizing familiar faces; may be congenital or result from injury/disease of the brain.
Object agnosia
Loss of ability to recognize objects
Scotoma
Loss of vision in part of the visual field; blind spot
How is the image on the retina different from the image you see?
Image on Retina is Inverted and Reversed
Describe the difference between the location of rods and cones
Rods and cones are found in the retina, fovea and central fovea
Note that the fovea ONLY has cones
What is the function of rods?
Rods are responsible for scotopic vision (dim light vision)
Rods have more pigment & see in dim light
What is the function of cones?
Cones are responsible for phototopic vision (bright light vision)
Cones have three types of pigments (red, blue, green)
They need more light for acute vision
How can the location and function of rods and cones be used to explain night vision?
- If you look directly at something in the dark, you can’t see it well (b/c you are using cones)
- If you look at it from the side, you wil be ablt to see an outline (b/c you are using rods)
Which receptor mediates scotopic vision?
Rods
Which receptor mediates phototopic vision?
Cones
Describe the electrophysiological changes that occur when a photoreceptor is stimulated in darkness
In the dark, the rods are depolarized
- Na & Ca channels are open whenever there is enough cGMP
- Na & Ca keep coming in & K keeps going out
- Causes depolarization & release of neurtransmitter in the dark
Describe the electrophysiological changes that occur when a photoreceptor is stimulated in the light
When there is light, the intracellular cGMP is reduced & the channels close
- K+ keeps leaving the cell & allows for hyperpolarization of the cell
- Result = decrease in release of neurtransmitter
Describe the term receptive field for visual neurons
The receptive field of a neuron in the visual system can be defined as the area of retina from which the neuron can be influenced
Describe the receptive field of bipolar cells
Bipolar cells have receptive fields with a center - surround organization. This means that they will respond more to a properly positioned spot of light (or dark spot in light) than to even illumination
What is the overall function of photoreceptors?
Capture photons, release neurotransmitters onto bipolar cells
What is the overall function of bipolar cells?
Receive neurotransmitters from photoreceptors, release neurotransmitters onto ganglion cells
What is the overall function of ganglion cells?
The ONLY retina cells that produce action potentials (since their axons form the optic nerve) & are the output cells of the retina
Which four nuclei accept retinal projections?
1 - Suprachiasmatic nuclei
2 - Pretectal nuclei
3 - Lateral geniculate nucleus
4 - Superior colliculi
What is the function of retinal projections to the suprachiasmatic nuclei?
Circadian rhythms