eyes Flashcards
What are common causes of eye trauma?
Everyday activities (cooking, cleaning, gardening), power tool use, home repair work, sports, work-related injuries, trauma
What are the common signs and symptoms of eye trauma?
Pain, abnormal or decreased visual acuity, redness, swelling, drainage, visual foreign body, photophobia
What diagnostic tests are used for eye trauma?
Snellen chart, visual acuity tests, ophthalmoscope, CT/MRI
What is a Morgan lens used for?
To provide continuous irrigation of an injured eye, especially for chemical or thermal burns
What are some medical treatments for severe eye trauma?
Surgical repair for penetrating injury, globe rupture, or globe avulsion
What should be assessed in eye trauma cases?
Mechanism of injury, presence of other injuries, and visual acuity
Why is it important to avoid putting pressure on the eye after trauma?
To prevent further damage and avoid increasing intraocular pressure (IOP)
What actions should be avoided to prevent increased IOP?
Avoid blowing the nose or stooping
What immediate action should be taken for chemical exposure to the eye?
Begin eye irrigation immediately
What patient education is essential for eye trauma prevention?
Educate about wearing proper eye protection during activities that pose a risk
How should the head of the bed (HOB) be positioned in cases of eye trauma?
Elevate the HOB to 45 degrees
What is the pathophysiology of cataracts?
Opacity within the lens, possibly in one or both eyes. Most are age-related.
What are the common causes of cataracts?
Age-related changes, trauma (blunt or penetrating), smoking, alcohol use, radiation or UV light exposure, steroid use, ocular inflammation, diabetes.
What is a senile cataract?
A cataract formed due to water accumulation and changes in lens fiber structure with age.
What are common symptoms of cataracts?
Abnormal color perception and glare caused by light scatter from lens opacities, worse at night.
What diagnostic tests are used for cataracts?
Snellen chart, decreased visual acuity assessment, ophthalmoscope.
What preoperative medications are commonly used for cataract surgery?
Mydriatic drops, cycloplegics, and NSAIDs.
What is the surgical treatment for cataracts?
Phacoemulsification: An ultrasound probe dissolves the clouded lens, which is suctioned out and replaced with an artificial lens.
What postoperative medications are used for cataract surgery?
Antibiotic and corticosteroid eye drops.
What activities should be avoided postoperatively to prevent increased IOP?
Avoid bending, coughing, stooping, and lifting.
What nonsurgical interventions can help manage cataracts?
Changing glasses prescription, strong reading glasses or magnifiers, increased lighting, lifestyle adjustments.
What lifestyle adjustments may help with cataracts?
Using stronger lighting and magnifiers, and adjusting activities to accommodate vision changes.
What is retinal detachment?
A separation of the sensory retina and the underlying pigment epithelium with fluid accumulation between the two layers. It is an emergency.
What are the most common causes of retinal detachment?
Retinal breaks, including retinal holes (spontaneous small breaks) and retinal tears (due to aging and vitreous humor shrinkage).
How does rhegmatogenous retinal detachment occur?
Fluid enters the subretinal space as the vitreous humor pulls on the retina, lifting it away from the underlying tissue.
What are nonrhegmatogenous detachments?
Tractional: caused by scar tissue pulling the retina (e.g., from diabetes). Exudative: caused by AMD, tumors, blunt injuries, or inflammation.
What are risk factors for retinal detachment?
Age, AMD, diabetic retinopathy, eye surgery/trauma, family history, severe myopia, thinning of the peripheral retina.
What are the common symptoms of retinal detachment?
Dark curtain in the field of vision, flashes of light, a ring in the field of vision, and gradual loss of peripheral or central vision.
What diagnostic tests are used for retinal detachment?
History/physical exam, visual acuity measurement, ophthalmoscopy, slit lamp microscopy, and ultrasound for hazy or opaque cornea/lens/vitreous.
What is laser photocoagulation?
A laser treatment that creates small burns around a retinal tear to seal it.
What is cryopexy?
A procedure using a freezing probe to apply intense cold around the retinal tear.
What is scleral buckling?
A surgical procedure where a rubber band is placed around the eye to push the retina back against the wall.
What is pneumatic retinopexy?
An intraocular procedure where a gas bubble is inserted into the vitreous to press the retina into place.
What is vitrectomy?
The surgical removal of the vitreous humor to treat retinal detachment.
What are key nursing interventions for retinal detachment?
Bedrest and positioning, eyedrops, pain management, avoiding activities that increase IOP, providing emotional support, fall precautions, and applying an eye patch.
What medications are used post-treatment for retinal detachment?
Topical antibiotics, corticosteroids, and mydriatics.
What is glaucoma?
A group of disorders characterized by increased intraocular pressure (IOP) causing optic nerve atrophy and peripheral vision loss.
What are the two main types of glaucoma?
Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and angle-closure glaucoma (ACG), including acute angle-closure glaucoma (AACG).
What causes increased IOP in glaucoma?
An imbalance between aqueous humor inflow and outflow, with decreased outflow causing a buildup of pressure.
How does primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) occur?
Outflow is decreased in the trabecular meshwork due to clogged drainage channels, leading to optic nerve damage.
What causes angle-closure glaucoma (ACG)?
Reduction in outflow caused by angle closure, often due to lens bulging forward with aging or pupil dilation in narrow angles.
What are symptoms of acute angle-closure glaucoma (AACG)?
Sudden, severe eye pain, nausea/vomiting, colored halos around lights, blurred vision, and eye redness.
What are the symptoms of chronic POAG?
Gradual visual field loss, often unnoticed until peripheral vision is severely compromised, leading to “tunnel vision” if untreated.
What diagnostic tests are used for glaucoma?
Visual field confrontation, tonometry, ophthalmoscopy, slit lamp microscopy, gonioscopy, visual field perimetry.
What is the goal of treatment for chronic glaucoma?
To keep IOP low to prevent optic nerve damage and vision loss.
What medications are used for chronic glaucoma?
Prostaglandin agonists, alpha-adrenergic agonists, beta-adrenergic blockers.
What is Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty (ALT)?
A procedure that stimulates scarring and contraction of the trabecular meshwork to open outflow channels.
How is acute angle-closure glaucoma (AACG) treated?
It is an emergency treated by quickly lowering IOP with medications such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors and IV hyperosmotic agents, followed by surgical intervention.
What should patients be taught about glaucoma?
Glaucoma risk increases with age; early detection and treatment are critical to prevent visual impairment. Regular eye exams are essential, especially for high-risk individuals.
What is age-related macular degeneration (AMD)?
A condition that affects the macula, causing central vision loss. It has two types: dry (non-exudative) and wet (exudative).
What is dry AMD?
A more common and less severe form where macular cells atrophy, leading to slow, painless vision loss.
What is wet AMD?
A more severe form with rapid onset caused by abnormal blood vessel growth that leaks fluid or bleeds, forming scar tissue.
What are the main risk factors for AMD?
Retinal aging, family history, obesity, hypertension, being white, smoking.
How does dry AMD develop?
It begins with the accumulation of yellowish deposits called drusen in the retinal pigment epithelium, leading to macular cell degeneration.
How does wet AMD develop?
Abnormal blood vessels form in the retinal epithelium due to vascular endothelial growth factor. These vessels leak fluid or bleed, forming scar tissue.
What are common symptoms of AMD?
Blurred vision, darkened vision, scotomas (blind spots), and metamorphopsia (wavy vision distortion).
What diagnostic tests are used for AMD?
Visual acuity measurement, ophthalmoscopy (to detect drusen and fundus changes), Amsler grid test, fundus fluorescein angiography, or indocyanine green dye tests.
How is wet AMD treated?
Medications are injected into the vitreous cavity in 4-6 week intervals. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin IV uses laser light to block abnormal blood vessels.
What precautions should be taken after PDT?
Avoid direct sun exposure and intense light for 5 days post-treatment.
What lifestyle changes can help slow AMD progression?
Smoking cessation, use of antioxidant vitamin supplements, and making home adjustments for safety and low vision.
What assistive measures may help AMD patients?
Low-vision devices, magnifiers, rearranging the home for accessibility, and driving restrictions such as limiting to daytime and lower speeds.
