L13 - Neuro-opthalmological disorders Flashcards
1. Revise visual pathways up to and behind the optic chiasm 2. Describe types of visual field loss and how these correspond to certain locations within the visual system. 3. Learn the chief causes of visual field loss. 4. Describe the common disorders of the extraocular muscle system (squint / straibismus, double vision and amblyopia) 5. Learn the common / important causes of double vision (nerve palsies, myasthenia gravis. thyroid eye disease, mitochondiral disease / CPEO)
What would a lesion in the left optic nerve result in?
Blindness in left eye.
Information from temporal and nasal fields cannot be brought down.
Blindness in left eye is known as….
Left Anopia
A lesion along the optic chiasm would result in?
Nerves that cross over and capture images on temporal visual fields cannot send this info.
- Blindness in temporal visual field from both right and left eye.
- Bitemporal Haemianopia
Blindness in temporal visual field in both eyes is known as….
Bitemporal Haemianopia
- commonly caused by chiasmal lesions.
What would occur if there was a lesion on the left side just after the optic chiasm?
Loss of vision on the left nasal field and right temporal field.
What is Hemianopsia?
Visual field loss on the left or right side of the vertical midline.
Why does homonymous hemianopsia occur?
- Right half of brain has visual pathways for the left hemifield of both eyes.
- Left half of brain has visual pathways for right hemifield of both eyes.
Describe optic disc?
Where optic nerve and vessels of eyeball pass through.
What is the macula?
contains fovea.
Fovea
- area containing many pigmented cells (cone cells)
- pigmented cells of retina allow for high resolution
Damage of the macula may lead to?
Loss of central vision.
What occurs during macula degeneration?
aka central schomata
- loss of central vision because of damaged macula.
What is known as constricted visual fields?
When only macula of eye remains.
Patient has tunnel vision
- observed in glaucoma
What nerve also brings information to midbrain?
optic nerve
Monocular visual loss may occur due to?
lesion affecting on eye or optic nerve anterior to optic chiasm.
How is pupil response in disease of the eye?
Usually normal.
However in optic nerve disease the pupil response is impaired.
Describe Amaurosis Fugax?
- Causes sudden, reversible loss in vision lasting up to 30 mins.
- Complete and rapid recovery.
- Usually due to embolism from ipsilateral carotid artery to retinal artery.
What is a transient ischaemic attack?
Caused by temporal disruption in blood supply to part of brain ‘mini stroke’.
What are the symptoms of a transient ischaemic attack?
Face - dropped on 1 side? person may not be able to smile
Arms - weakness, numbness in arms, unable to lift
Speech - slurred, garbled?
Time - call 999!
What is optic neuritis?
Inflammation of optic nerve.
Causes visual loss that commonly evolves over 3-10 days then gradually improves over days to weeks.
What are some symptoms of optic neuritis?
Pain behind eye.
Flashing lights on eye movement.
Describe the visual pathway?
- Photoreceptor’s convert light energy into neuronal signal, passed onto biopolar cells.
- Bipolar cell to Amacrine cell to Ganglion cell
- ganglion cell axons exit retina via optic nerve.
- nasal fibers from each eye cross over at optic chiasm and terminate in opposite sides of brain.
- optic tract carries fibers from chaism to LGN.
- fibers leave LGN as optic radiations that terminate in visual cortex of occiptal lobe.
Inattention to the contralateral visual field without a field defect occurs when…
Lesions of parietal lobe, esp. on RHS.
Patients tend to ignore stimuli presented to the left visual field.
e.g. If asked to draw clock, patients typically miss numbers of squish numbers into right half.
What is Agnosia?
Inability to recognise or categorise objects presented visually in the presence of normal acuity.
- objects might be identified if palpated