Aging Of The Special Senses Flashcards
What are the Eye’s components?
▪️Cornea ▪️Pupil ▪️Lens ▪️Iris ▪️Vitreous Humor ▪️Aqueous Humor ▪️Retina ▪️Optic Nerve ▪️Sclera
What is the cornea?
The window of the eye
What is the Pupil?
Black circle; control light
What is the lens?
Clear; focusing- attached to muscle
What is the iris?
Colored: controls pupil size
What is the vitreous humor?
Gel in eye; behind lens
What is the aqueous humor?
Nourishes cornea, lens
What is the retina?
Converts light to chemical info
What is the optic nerve?
Sends info to the brain
What is the Sclera?
White protective covering
What are the age related changes in the eyes?
▪️⬇️Tear drop production ▪️Lens and Sclera yellowing (⬇️ability to distinguish color) ▪️Iris hardens and fades ▪️translucent cornea ▪️vitreous humor shrinks, detaches from retina -> light flashes and or floaters ▪️⬇️aqueous humor drainage -> ⬆️ pressure = GLAUCOMA ▪️Delayed dark adaptation ▪️loss fine focus (80% loss by 85)
What is Presbyopia?
farsightedness (hyperopia) caused by loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye, occurring typically in middle and old age
*Difficulty seeing close objects, common 40yrs
How is Presbyopia corrected?
Bifocals or reading glasses
What is the effects of yellowing of the lens?
Narrowing of pupil- less light reaching the retina to regulate circadian rhythms (internal clock).
▪️Clock = regulation of cortisol in the AM and melatonin release on the PM
Is there a need for blue light stimulation?
Yes but this is filtered out by aging lens; 50% reduction by 45.
What is blindness due to?
▪️Glaucoma ▪️Cataracts ▪️Diabetic Retinopathy ▪️Macular Degeneration ▪️Detached retina
What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a condition that causes damage to your eye’s optic nerve and gets worse over time.
What happens to the eyes when a person has glaucoma?
▪️⬇️Drainage➡️
▪️⬆️Pressure➡️
▪️⬆️Blood vessel constriction➡️
▪️Degeneration of optic nerve
- serious when undetected
- eye usually damages when finally aware
What are the symptoms of glaucoma?
Blurred vision, halos around lights, pain, watery eyes, loss of peripheral vision (tunnel vision)
What are treatments for glaucoma?
Eye drops or drainage to relieve pressure
What is diabetic retinopathy?
A complication of diabetes that affects the eyes.
What occurs to the eyes during diabetic retinopathy?
Retinal capillaries rupture
Bleeding into vitreous humor
What are treatments for diabetic retinopathy?
Laser surgery, drain vitreous humor
What are some symptoms of diabetic retinopathy?
Clouding of vision, spots (showers)
What is cataracts?
Clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye.
Clouding+Compression+Yellowing
What are treatments for cataracts?
Lens replacement
Laser treatment
What are symptoms of cataracts?
Blurred, dimmed vision
Presbyopia improves
What is presbycusis?
Presbycusis is the loss of hearing that gradually occurs in most individuals as they grow older.
*Loss high low frequencies + nerve degeneration
When is presbycusis noticeable?
By 50yrs
Who is more likely to experience presbycusis?
Men > Women
Urban > Suburban
What is tinnitus?
Ringing of the ears
Who experiences tinnitus?
Women > Men
What are the sounds that a person with tinnitus May hear?
Hissing Roaring Whistling Chirping Clicking
Is there obstruction in the ear of you have tinnitus?
It can be that something has got into your ear like a bug
What is deafness?
the condition of lacking the power of hearing or having impaired hearing.
*total loss is rare
What are the two types of deafness?
Nerve Deafness
Conductive Deafness
What is Nerve Deafness?
Receptor cells or nerves aids do not help
▪️Cochlear implant
What is conductive deafness?
Blocked pathway (earwax, bug, ossified bone)
