Adult Low Vision Conditions Flashcards
Normal age-related changes, Age-related Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, and Diabetic Retinopathy
Age-related loss of the eyes ability to focus actively on nearby objects.
Presbyopia
How well someone can distinguish the smallest target on their retina
(Ex: having patient read the lowest line on a eye chart without moving their head)
Static acuity
Which type of visual acuity decreases to 20/30 to 20/40
With a prevalence of 40% by age 70.
Static Acuity
Dynamic acuity also decreases reflecting reduced ____
Gaze stability
Which type of visual acuity causes a person to experiences more visual blur during head movement (as could occur when driving).
Dynamic Acuity
What are the Loss of Accommodations caused by presbyopia:
- Result of compacting of protein fibers in center of lens.
- Lens thickens/loses flexibility
- Occurs gradually beginning in the 4 decade
- Lose ability to see up close (near)/Creates need for bifocal.
Strands of protein which float in vitreous.
More noticeable in bright light. Generally benign unless accompanied by bright flashes or light.
Floaters
Dry Eyes:
____ glands do not make enough or make poor quality tears.
- more prevalent in women
- can be exacerbated by medication
- treated with artificial tears or surgery
Lacrimal glands
Symptoms of itchiness, burning, decreased acuity.
- complaints of blurry vision
- decreased endurance for reading
Are caused by:
Dry Eyes
Pupil diameter decreases is called:
Senile Miosis
Due to ____ lens thickens & becomes increasingly yellow.
- 80-year-old person needs 10x as much light as an average 23-year-old.
- creates many challenges with poorly lit environments.
Light dependency
Reduced light/dark Adaptation
True/False: Takes longer to reform and store visual pigments in receptor cells.
True
Reduced light/dark Adaptation
True/False: Less difficult to go from bright to dark than dark to bright.
False; its more diificult
Reduced light/dark Adaptation
True/False: Possible to reach same level of dark adaptation as younger people.
False; older adults never reach the same level of dark adaptation as younger people.
True/False: Driving performance and mobility is affected by reduced light & dark adaptation.
True
Changes in color and density of lens and decreased pupil aperture is called what?
Contrast Sensitivity
Reduced Contrast Sensitivity:
How much contrast does a
75-year-old need as a younger person?
2x
Reduced Contrast Sensitivity:
How much contrast does a
90-year-old need?
6x
This type of eye condition can affect reading, color discrimination, face identification.
Contrast Sensitivity
The orbit loses fat and the eye sinking in caused by?
Reduced visual field
- affecting mobility
- Safety in driving
Opacification begins in periphery and gradually moves inward towards the center is caused by?
Onset gradual cataract
Old fibers in nucleus become compressed and dehydrated as lens continues to grow throughout lifetime; creating metabolic changes result causing opacity to develop. What is this called?
Cataract
Mrs. Pupil complains of blurred vision, visual distortion, and a reduction od contrast sensitivity her doctor looks at her eyes and states that she is may have developed what in her left eye?
Cataracts (Senile) caused by old age
This type of cataract is present at birth and causes genetic defects, in utero exposure to toxic. Most cataracts of this type are not progressive. Should be removed within first two months of life, if bilateral or significant.
Congenital Cataracts
How are congenital cataracts treated in children?
- Inra-occular lens replacement is possible but difficult.
- Mostly treat with lenses or contract lens in children.
The removing of the lens in the eye is called ?
Aphakia condition
must be corrected to get back needed refraction
Two ways Aphakia can be corrected?
- with thick glasses or lenses
- Intra-ocular lens procedure (IOL)
Cataract is removed using phacoemulsification (ultrasonc fragmentation of lens into fine peices that are then sucked out and replaced with a plastic implant. What surgical procedure is this?
Intra-ocular lens (IOL) Procedure
American Academy of Opthamology Indicated when the cataract has caused a reduction of acuity __ or worse.
20/50
True/false: Research suggests that occupational performance is affected before cataract reaches this stage.
True
Persons with beginning cataract can experience:
- Increased senstivity to glare/light
- Decreased contrast sensitivity function
- Decreased color perception
Which eye condition is the leading cause of low vision?
Age-related macular degenration (AMD or ARMD)
Macular diseases create permanent vision loss but……
do not cause blindness
Macular disease can destroy ___ of vision
20%
The calling card of macular disease is?
Central Scotoma (blindspot)
Two types of AMD:
Characteristics of Dry AMD:
1. Non-neovascular
2. progresses in stages from early to advanced
3. ____
4. ____
Dry AMD- chronic, atrophic, or senile
- Characterized by appearance of drusen (lipid-fatty protein) on the surface of the retina and later geographic atrophy.
- 85-90% of all AMD is the DRY form.
Two types of AMD:
Characteristics of Neovascular (wet):
1. Advanced form
2. ____
Neovascular means new vessels
- characterized by neovascularizartion & significant vision loss.
These are symptoms of which eye disease:
- most prevalent
- Affects all races
- Slow progression
- unilateral; progresses to both eyes
- Baldingor scatoma of the retina; thus photoreceptors die off
Dry AMD
These are symptoms of which eye disease:
- less prevalent
- caucasians > more at risk
- Bilateral
- Hemorrhaging within eye that kills photoreceptor cells
Neovascular AMD (WET)
Inflammation develops from this type of eye disease process:
1. RPE cells break down
2. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) stimulates new blood vessel growth
3. ____
4. Blood kills photoreceptor cells
5. ____
Neovascular AMD
- New blood vessels are fragile and leak
- Scotoma develops
____ occurs in sub-retinal layer between sensory retina and choroid.
Neovascularization
Results of AMD:
1. Macular Scotoma
2. ____
3. Slow dark/Light adaptation
4. ____
- Light sensitivity
- Fluctuating vision
What is the leading cause of low vision in older adults?
A) Glaucoma
B) Diabetic Retinopathy
C) Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
D) Cataracts
C. Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)