Ears, Eyes, nose, and throat function and dysfunction

Question 1

What are the external structures of the eyes?

Answer 1

Eyebrows, eyelids, and eyelashes serve an important role in protecting the eye

They provide a physical barrier to dust and foreign particles

Question 2

What are the internal structures of the eyes?

Answer 2

Iris

Pupil (allows light to enter the eye)

Constricts and dilates

Lens (behind the iris whose function is to bend light rays so they fall into the retina)
- The lens does accommodation to focus on objects

Choroid (highly vascular body that nourishes portions of the eye)

Ciliary Body

Retina (Innermost layer of the eye that extends to the optic nerve)

Question 3

What is glaucoma?

Answer 3

damage to the optic nerve related to intraocular eye pressure (loss in peripheral vision

Question 4

What is macular degeneration?

Answer 4

an eye disease that can blur your central vision. It happens when aging causes damage to the macula

Question 5

What is cataracts?

Answer 5

Cloudy lens, or change in lens opacity

Question 6

What is chronic open angle glaucoma?

Answer 6

medications dilate the pupil to allow more of the fluid to empty because chronic open angle glaucoma causes pupil closure

Question 7

What is acute closed angle glaucoma?

Answer 7

the canal has closed (eye drops will be ineffective and the person will need to go for surgery and a stent needs to be placed in the canal)- the patient will experience sudden and excruciating pain

Question 8

What is apart of the subjective assessment with the eyes?

Answer 8

Past health history
Medications
Surgery or other treatments
Visual Changes
Eye pain

Question 9

What is apart of the objective assessment with the eyes?

Answer 9

Snellen Chart
Jager Pocket Test
Confrontation Test
Peripheral vision test
Color vision test
Conjunctiva and sclera assessment
PERRLA

Question 10

What is Ophthalmoscopy as a diagnostic test for the eyes?

Answer 10

Observes the retina and the optic nerve head by shining the light into the the back of the eye

Question 11

What is Tonometry as a diagnostic test for the eyes?

Answer 11

a test used to measure the pressure inside your eyes. The test is used to screen for glaucoma and to measure if glaucoma treatment is working. It is done by a puff of air being blown at the eye

Question 12

What does the medication Timolol maleate (Timoptic) - B adrenergic Blocker?

Answer 12

Reduce intraocular pressure

May produce a minimal increase in aqueous flow

Used to treat chronic open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension

They may also be used to treat some forms of closed-angle glaucoma

Question 13

What do antibiotic eye drops do?

Answer 13

Used to treat infections by destroying the invading organisms

Some destroy the bacteria and others inhibit the organisms growth, allowing the body’s immune system to fight the infection

Question 14

What are dilating eye drops used for (Mydriatics)?

Answer 14

Used to treat ocular hypertension or glaucoma

Stimulate the dilator muscle to contract- this results in increased pupil size

Dilation is seen within minutes of administration and can last for several hours

Question 15

What do nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory eye drops do for the eyes?

Answer 15

Reduce swelling to protect vision by reducing pressure

NSAIDs - reduce the pain, erythema, and other manifestations associated with inflammation

NSAIDs are also used in the symptomatic treatment of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis

NSAIDs are used prophylactically before ocular surgery to prevent or reduce intraoperative miosis (when the pupils contact during cataract surgery)

Question 16

What are the external structures of the ear?

Answer 16

Pinna

External auditory canal (Collects and transmits waves to the tympanic membrane )

Question 17

What are the structures of the middle ear?

Answer 17

Eustachian (auditory) tube: equalizes atmospheric air pressure between the middle ear and throat

Transmits sound waves to the oval window to stimulate hearing receptors

Question 18

What are the structures of the inner ear?

Answer 18

Cochlea: receptor organ for hearing

Corti: tiny hair cells respond to stimulation of selected portions of the basilar membrane according to pitch

Sound is transmitted to the acoustic nerve to the temporal lobe of the brain to process and interpret the sound

Question 19

How is sound transmitted?

Answer 19

Sound waves are conducted to the auricles of the auditory canal

Sound waves strike the tympanic membrane, causing it to vibrate
Vibration is transmitted to the incus and the stapes which moves back and forth and pushes the membrane of the oval window in and out

Movement of the oval window causes fluid to move which affects the tiny sensory hair cells in the cochlea, which initiates nerve impulses which are then carried to the acoustic nerve and then to the brain

Question 20

What are the implications of hearing loss for older adults?

Answer 20

Hearing impairment, especially in an older person, can lead to social and health consequences, including embarrassment, fatigue, anxiety, depression, distress, social isolation, participation restrictions, falls and other injuries, lower quality of life, and mortality

Question 21

What is part of the subjective data the nurse collects for the auditory system?

Answer 21

Earache, ear pain

Hearing loss (sudden or gradual)

Chronic ear infections

Is the patient experiencing ringing, crackling, or buzzing sensation

Dizziness, tinnitus

Medications

Surgery or other treatments

Nutrition and elimination

ADLs Self-care history

Coping abilities

Question 22

What is objective data that the nurse collects when assessing the auditory system?

Answer 22

Posturing of the head and appropriateness of responses should be noted

Look for symmetry of the ears, color of skin, temperature, nodules, swelling, redness, and lesions

Hearing- ability to respond in conversation

Question 23

Tuning Fork Diagnostic Test for the ears:

Rinne Test

Answer 23

Compares hearing by bone conduction and air conduction

Air conduction: place the tuning fork prongs perpendicular on the ear

Bone Conduction: Place the base of the tuning fork perpendicular above the ear on the bone to see if they can feel the vibrations

Question 24

Tuning Fork Diagnostic Test for the ears:

Weber Test

Answer 24

Place the base of the tuning fork on the top of the patients head and ask if they can hear the sound equally bilaterally in both ears

Question 25

What is audiometry in the diagnostics of the ear?

Answer 25

Beneficial for hearing acuity and as a diagnostic test for determining the degree and type of hearing loss

Audiometer produces tones at varying intensities which the patient responds too

Question 26

What is the otoscope diagnostic test for the ear?

Answer 26

Shines a beam of light to help visualize and examine the condition of the ear canal and eardrum. Examining the ear can reveal the cause of symptoms such as an earache, the ear feeling full, or hearing loss