Common Conditions of the Eye Flashcards
What is the conjunctiva?
Thin vascular membrane that covers inner surface of eyelids and loops back over sclera.
Does not cover the cornea
What is conjunctivitis?
Self-limiting bacterial or viral infection of the conjunctiva
What are the symptoms of conjunctivitis?
Red, watering eyes, discharge
No loss of vision as long as infection does not spread to cornea
What is the treatment of conjunctivitis?
Antibiotic eye drops if it is likely to be bacterial
Name a condition of the conjunctiva
Conjunctivitis
Name a condition of the eyelids
Style or hordeolum
What is the difference between a style or hordeolum?
External – affecting the sebaceous glands of an eyelash
Internal – affecting the meibomian glands
What is the epithelium of the cornea?
Stratified squamous nonkeratinsed
What is the nam for the basement membrane of the cornea?
Bowman’s membrane
Name the 5 layers of the cornea
- Epithelium
- Bowman’s membrane
- Stroma
- Descemet’s layer
- Endothelium
What is the stroma of the cornea?
3rd layer of the cornea: regularly arranged collagen, no blood vessels
What two pathologies can affect the cornea?
- Inflammatory - i.e. corneal ulcers
2. Non-inflammatory - i.e. dystrophies
What do corneal pathologies often lead to?
Opacification of the cornea
Might need to be treated by corneal transplant - Keratoplasty
What are two causes of corneal ulcers?
- Infectious - viral/bacterial/ fungal infection of cornea, needs aggressive management to prevent spread, scarring
- Non-infectious ulcers due to trauma, corneal degenerations or dystrophy
What are the dystrophies and degenerations of the cornea?
They are a group of diseases affecting the
cornea which are:
• Bilateral
• Opacifying
• Non – inflammatory
• Mostly genetically determined
• Sometimes due to accumulation of substances such as lipids within the cornea
What do dystrophies and degenerations present as?
- First to fourth decade
- Decreased vision
- Start in one of the layers of the cornea and spread to others