Lecture 2 Background, Basics, and concepts Flashcards
When you take measures to prevent glaucoma, what is the goal?
To minimize loss of ganglion cells that happens from cupping due to high IOP. Even though some causes of glaucoma are unknown, all treatments aim to reduce IOP.
Where does glaucomatous damage occur?
On either side of the Lamina Cribrosa. This why we see laminar dots in advanced stages of glaucoma.
There are 2 main causes of high IOP, what are they and which is more common?
A person can have decraesed outflow of aqueous humor or an overproduction of aqueous humor. A decreased outflow, however, is more common.
*What is the purpose of aqueous humor?
To provide nutrition and antioxidants to the avascular structures of the anterior segment of the eye: lens and cornea, and remove metabolic waste products. It also maintains the shape of the globe and serves as a shock absorber. Refraction index of aqueous humor is 1.33332.
What happens if there is a decrease in or halt in aqueous production?
Metabolic waste products cannot be removed, side effect=cataracts.
In a healthy eye, the rate of production is ____ the rate of removal
a) the same as
b) greater than
c) less than
a) same as. You want a constant normal pressure, not too low or too high.
The ciliary body has which 3 kinds of muscle fibers?
1) Longitudinal fibers: attach ciliary body to limbus
2) Circular fibers: attach anterior and inner portions of the ciliary body
3) Radial fibers: connect longitudinal and circular fibers
What 4 major things does the ciliary body contain?
muscle, vessels, epithelial lined ciliary processes, autonomic nerve terminals
What are the 3 ciliary body vessels?
1) episcleral circle
2) intramuscular circle
3) Major arterial circle (MAC)-paralimbal branches of LPCA
The ciliary processes are supplied by which 2 branches of what?
the anterior and posterior ciliary process arterioles of the major arterial circle (MAC)
What is the functional unit responsible for the production of aqueous humor secretion?
The ciliary process
Ciliary process is made up of which 3 components?
1) Capillaries-in the center of the processes
2) Stroma
3) Epithelia-2 layers-non pigmented and pigmented
_____ is a carefully controlled filtrate of blood
a) The ciliary process
b) aqueous humor
c) non-pigmented epithelium
d) stroma
b) aqueous humor. This is why the capillary is in the center of the process, water comes from the blood and has to pass thru other layers to become a carefully controlled filtrate of blood.
Aqueous fluid carries oxygen similar to interstitial fluid. Comparatively, aqueous has very high concentration of _____ for _____ and a no _____
aqueous has high ascorbate (vitamin C) for antioxidants and no hemoglobin (nothing colored or proteins or lipids)-as these would diminish light transmission.
(T/F) Aqueous humor is secreted by the ciliary epithelium of the ciliary process and enters the posterior chamber
True. It first enters the posterior chamber before it travels between the lens and iris, through the pupil, into the anterior chamber then peripherally out to the Trabecular meshwork and Schlemms canal.
- The bulk of aqueous humor comes from:
a) diffusion
b) ultrafiltration
c) secretion
d) they are all about equal
c) secretion- 80-90%. Diffusion is for lipid soluble substances. Ultrafiltration is for water and water-soluble substances. Secretion is for larger sized substances or greater charge.
- When is aqueous humor production highest?
a) 8am to noon
b) afternoon
c) midnight to 6pm
8am to noon. (2.97 +/- 0.77 microliters per minute) In normal eyes, Aqueous humor and IOP will both higher in the morning, however a with glaucoma IOP may spike in the evening because of bad outflow.
*Aqueous formation requires which 2 enzymes?
Na/K-ATPase and Carbonic Anhydrase. Inhibition of these enzymes decreases production. (aqueous humor production is an active process, it needs ATP)
- Where is NA/K-ATP-ase bound?
a) pigmented epithelium
b) non pigmented epithelium
c) it is not bound, it is free floating
b) non pigmented epithelium
(T/F) The enzymes involved in aqueous humor production help push sodium ions into the posterior chamber to which water follows
True. First into the posterior chamber then it flows into the anterior chamber.
*What are the 2 pathways that aqueous humor leaves the anterior chamber?
conventional/trabecular route and unconventional/uveoscleral route (these both decrease with age)
IOP=
a) Aqueous production minus removal
b) Aqueous production plus removal
c) Aqueous production times episcleral venous pressure
d) Aqueous production divided by episcleral venous pressure
a) Aqueous production minus removal
(T/F) IOP increases with increased episcleral venous pressure and episcleral venous pressure increases when you lie down and increases even more when you are inverted.
True. Episcleral venous pressure is lowest when you are standing upright. Increased episcleral venous pressure decreases outflow. This is why glaucoma pt’s should avoid inversion.
Which of the following is the correct CONVENTIONAL aqueous humor outflow route?
a) Trabecular meshwork–>episcleral venous circulation–>schlemms canal–>lumens–>collector channels–>aqueous veins
b) Schlemms canal–>trabecular meshwork–> aqueous veins–>lumens–>collector channels–>episcleral venous circulation
c) Trabecular meshwork–>schlemms canal–>lumens–>collector channels–>aqueous veins–>episcleral venous circulation
c) Trabecular meshwork–>schlemms canal–>lumens–>collector channels–>aqueous veins–>episcleral venous circulation
The unconventional/uveoscleral route is ______ to the TM
a) anterior
b) posterior
c) superior
d) inferior
b) posterior
- Which of the following is the correct UNCONVENTIONAL aqueous humor outflow route?
a) Trabecular meshwork–>episcleral venous circulation–>schlemms canal–>lumens–>collector channels–>aqueous veins
b) iris root–>uveal meshwork–>anterior face of ciliary muscle–>through connective tissue between the muscle bundles–>through suprachoroidal space–>out through the sclera
c) anterior face of ciliary muscle–>uveal meshwork–>iris root–>lumens–>connector channels–>though connective tissue between the muscle bundles–>out though sclera
b) iris root–>uveal meshwork–>anterior face of ciliary muscle–>through connective tissue between the muscle bundles–>through suprachoroidal space–>out through the sclera
(T/F) Prostaglandin analogs increase aq. humor outflow for the unconventional route and Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors target the conventional aq. humor outflow route.
True. Prostaglandins are a slower treatment. Use CAI’s to decrease IOP faster.
How do you measure uveoscleral aq humor outflow?
It is calculated, not a direct measurement. Total outflow minus Trabecular outflow equals uveoscleral outflow.
A breakdown of the blood aqueous barrier could cause IOP to ______.
a) increase
b) decrease
a) increase. Diseases, trauma, or drugs can induce a breakdown in the tight junctions of the blood aqueous barrier. Plasma components can get into the anterior chamber and into the aqueous humor, increasing IOP.
(T/F) If IOP increases, aqueous inflow by ultrafiltration is suppressed, slowing down the rise of IOP. This is called pseudofacility.
True. this is the means by which the eye protcts itself from sudden rises in IOP.
Name the 4 parts that make up the optic nerve head.
1) Surface nerve fiber layer–feature: contains interaxonal glial tissue/shiny stuff in young people (innermost portion)
2) Prelaminar region–feature: increased astroglial tissue (anterior portion of Lamina cribrosa)
3) Lamina Cribrosa region–feature: fenestrated sheets of scleral connective tissue separated by astrocytes that allow bundles of axons to pass through (where all the action happens)
4) Retrolaminar–feature: decrease in astrocytes, myelination up to retrolaminar then unmyelinated into the eye (outermost portion)
Which statement is true regarding optic nerve vasculature:
a) The posterior ciliary artery is the main supply to the optic nerve, however, the NFL is supplied by retinal circulation
b) The posterior ciliary artery is the main supply to all 4 parts of the optic nerve
c) The choroid supplies blood to all parts of the optic nerve
a) The posterior ciliary artery is the main supply to the optic nerve, however, the NFL is supplied by retinal vessel circulation