Evaluation of the Cornea and Conjunctiva Flashcards
What are the top 3 functions of the cornea?
- Refracts; Transmits light
- Transparency
- Protection
How many diopters does the cornea refract?
43-48D
T or F: The curvature of the anterior and posterior surface contributes more to the refractive power
True
What corneal factors does the refractive power depend on?
- Change in refractive index from air to cornea
- Curvature of anterior surface
- Corneal thickness
- Curvature of posterior surface
- Change in refractive index from cornea to aqueous
Transparency can occur due to:
- minimal scattering and distortion
- regular arrangement of collagen
- smooth optical surface by tear film
- avascular tissue
The cornea protects the eye with the use of __?
Zonula Occludens/Tight junctions
Allows transport of materials through cells but not between them
What is the horizontal diameter of the front cornea?
12 mm
What is the anterior vertical diameter of the front cornea?
11mm
What is the horizontal and vertical diameters from behind?
11.7mm
The cornea is ___ in the center and ___ in periphery
steeper, flatter
What is the anterior radius of curvature?
7.8mm
What is the posterior radius of curvature?
6.5mm
70-80 large nerves from branches of the long and short ciliary nerves enter at what 3 nerve networks in peripheral stroma?
- Midstroma
- Bowman’s layer
- Epithelium
This effect influences corneal metabolism and aid in tissue maintenance
Neurotrophic effect
Measuring corneal sensitivity due to the density of nociceptors is called what?
Esthesiometry
What two things are very common to decrease corneal nerve sensitivity?
CLs overwear
Herpes Simplex Virus
This device is used to measure tactile sensitivity of the eye by using controlled pulses of air as stimulation
Corneal Aesthesiometer
- can use cotton wisp test for this as well
Corneal Metabolism relies upon what 2 things?
Oxygen and Glucose
Oxygen for corneal metabolism comes from what 3 places?
- atmosphere (mostly)
- aqueous humor
- limbal capillaries
What 2 places does glucose come from for corneal metabolism?
- From aqueous thru leaky endothelium
2. Small amounts come from the limbal capillaries
This illumination without fluorescein will cause corneal iron lines to appear black and in a linear, arcuate or circular pattern
Cobalt Filter Illumination
This illumination is great to view fleischer rings in keratoconus
Cobalt filter
This illumination occurs when the microscope and illumination system are set at equal angles of incidence and reflection
Specular Reflection
This technique is useful in evaluating the corneal endothelium, anterior and posterior lens.
Specular Reflection
This illumination is great for view corneal gutatta
Specular Reflection
This illumination is when the microscope is focused on an area immediately adjacent to illuminated tissue
Indirect illumination
This illumination is useful for evaluating refractile, non-opaque corneal lesions like microcysts and EBMD.
Indirect illumination
This illumination causes light to be reflected off the anterior surface of the iris as the cornea is in focus
Retroillumination of the Iris
This illumination has the slit beam directed straight through the dilated pupil, the light will reflect off the fundus through the pupil forming a red reflex
Retroillumination of the fundus
This illumination uses the internal reflection characteristics of the cornea are used to evaluate its transparency while the observe looks outside of the slit lamp
Sclerotic Scatter
This illumination is most commonly used to evaluate central corneal clouding, will appear as grey areas in the cornea.
Sclerotic Scatter
This vital stain permeates into the intercellular space associated w/ any epithelial cellular disruption
Sodium Flurorescein
This vital stain stains dead and devitalized cells and mucus.
Rose Bengal
This vital stain stains dead and degenerate cells in the epithelium or conjunctiva, but not healthy epithelial cells
Lissamine Green
Fluorescein is best observed __ minutes after instillation.
2 minutes
Mucins and other tear film components block this type of staining.
Rose Bengal
This dye also stains healthy epithelial cells.
Rose Bengal
What dye is deemed slightly toxic?
Rose Bengal
How long should you wait until you check Rose Bengal Staining?
5 minutes
This is a synthetically produced, organic dye that has been historically used in food products.
Lissamine Green
What stain is useful in HSV diagnosis?
Lissamine green
Lissamine green is best observed __ minutes after instillation.
2 minutes
In a patient with DES, we will find lissamine green staining where?
at the limbus and bulbar conjunctiva
Sodium fluorescein must have ___ illumination.
high illumination
Rose bengal needs ____ illumination.
high illumination
Lissamine green needs _____ illumination.
low illumination
Corneal topography captures how many mm of the central cornea?
10 mm
What are the 4 things corneal topography is useful for?
- CL fitting
- Corneal Reshaping
- Dx of corneal disease
- Pre/Post Sx eval
What are the 4 limitations of corneal topography?
- Non-repeatable measurements
- Depend on ocular surface cond.
- Must use same topographer to compare pt data
- Scale must be set the same for each test on the same patient
What are the 4 types of corneal maps?
- Axial Power/Curvature
- Tangential Power
- Refractive
- Elevation
This map displays power/curvature in diopters/mm relative to the keratoscope axis; most common map
Axial Power/Curvature
This map shows power of the eye in its refractive state. Great for assessing results of refractive or corneal reshaping sx
Refractive
This map is the most sensitive for periphery. Best map for analysis keratoconus.
Tangential Power
This map shows difference in height or elevation of the cornea in microns from a reference surface. Best to determine pathology
Elevation
This map is best for describing general corneal shape and detecting changes over time.
Axial power/curvature
This map is most useful for analysis of keratoconus or transition areas in corneal reshaping therapy or refractive surgery.
Tangential power
Pellucid marginal degeneration is what?
inferior thinning of cornea
- Known as crab claws or kissing doves
T or F: Keratometry does not directly measure refractive power.
True.
Measurement is written in diopters, but doesn’t measure refractive power
What are the 6 limitations of keratometry?
- Relies on proper alignment
- Must be perfectly focused
- Instrum. errof of 0.37D possible
- Assumes corneal is spherical
- Loses accuracy above 50D
- Only central 3mm of cornea
What are the 2 indication of corneal OCT indications?
- Keratoconus
- LASIK
- Planning PTK
- Detecting Corneal Dystrophy
- Tear meniscus measurement
- Corneal power measurement for post lasik IOL calculation
- Details of angle structures for glaucoma
Corneal OCT will show greater curvature on anterior and posterior surfaces for what disease?
Keratoconus - can detect early, focal thinning
What is the average corneal thickness?
535-555 microns +/- 30 microns
This is commonly used in glaucoma diagnosis, refractive surgical evaluations, and monitoring corneal edema is?
Pachymetry
This non-invasive technique is used to assess the corneal endothelium; cornea MUST BE CLEAR.
Specular Microscopy
What techique is used to evaluate donor corneas?
Specular Microscopy
This technique is used in research and is good for viewing endothelium in edematous, cloudy corneas.
Confocal Microscopy
This technique is an ultrasound biomicroscopy that uses a high frequency probe (50 Hz) in glaucoma, uveitis, trauma, tumors, sclerits or any other disease of the anterior chamber.
high resolution Ultrasound