Lens Flashcards
Function
Cornea and lens: main refractive surfaces of the eye–> focusing a clear image on the retina.
Function
Cornea and lens: main refractive surfaces of the eye–> focusing a clear image on the retina.
Function
Cornea and lens: main refractive surfaces of the eye–> focusing a clear image on the retina.
Function
Cornea and lens: main refractive surfaces of the eye–> focusing a clear image on the retina.
Blood and nerve supply
Does not have a nerve or blood supply. Nutrients diffuse into the lens from the aqueous and the vitreous humour.
Anatomy of the lens
The lens consists of three transparent parts:
- Capsule: a thin outer membrane.
- Cortex: a soft layer under the capsule. 3. 3. Nucleus: a harder central core that only develops later and is not present in children and young adults.
Accommodation
- Ciliary body functions as a circular muscle.
- Thin filamentous zonules from the ciliary body suspend the lens in position between the iris anteriorly and the vitreous posteriorly.
- Contraction of the ciliary muscle –> < tension on the zonules–> Allows lens to assume its relaxed and more spherical form.
- > bending light rays –> bring the focal point closer to lens and near object into focus.
Cataract Definition Classification Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Special investigations Complications Treatment
DEFINITION:
- Any opacity/discolouration of lens that varies from a local opacity to total loss of clarity.
- Also known as lens sclerosis
CLASSIFICATION:
- Subcapsular: in the cortex immediately under the capsule.
- Cortical: in the deeper cortex.
- Nuclear.
INCIDENCE:
65-75 years: 70% have some degree of lens sclerosis, 20% have visual disability.
75-85 years: 90% have some degree of lens sclerosis, 40% have visual disability.
CAUSES
1. Age-related: ageing of the lens is the commonest cause of cataract.
2. Metabolic: many metabolic diseases cause or accelerate cataract formation.
Diabetes mellitus is by far the most important.
3. Drugs: systemic and topical steroids are the most important.
4. Trauma: blunt or sharp.
5. Uveitis.
6. Infections of the fetus: e.g. rubella, CMV, toxoplasmosis.
7. Smoking.
SYMPTOMS
- Gradual painless loss of vision.
- Monocular diplopia may occur if the lens develops areas of differing refractive power. 3. Vision may vary with illumination, and may improve in either bright or dim light.
- A nuclear cataract often increases the refractive power of the lens and myopia results–> patient is once again able to read without reading glasses.
DIAGNOSIS
- VA is reduced in a comfortable white eye. 2. Inspection: leukocoria only if advanced.
- Ophthalmoscopy:
- Opacity in the red reflex localised in or just behind the level of the pupil.
- Advanced the red reflex may be absent.
- Dull or absent image of the fundus. - Blood glucose in patients under 50 years of age.
COMPLICA TIONS
1. Phacolytic Glucoma
Lens is completely white–> lens protein may leak through lens capsule into the aqueous humour–> Macrophages swollen with phagocytosed lens material block the trabecular meshwork and obstruct aqueous outflow–> secondary open angle glaucoma.
RX: lens extraction.
2. Phacoanaphylactic uveitis
Lens capsule rupture–> releases lens protein into aqueous humour–> inflammatory reaction–> anterior uveitis.
RX: lens extraction and steroids.
TREATMENT:
- Non-surgical:
- information diagnosis and prognosis.
- change spectacle strength .
- A magnifying glass/ change of illumination for reading
- Surgical:
Indications: - No longer able to perform their everyday tasks such as driving a car or doing their job.
- Usually surgery is not performed until the VA with spectacles drops below 6/9.
- Where it is essential to be able to see the fundus better e.g. patient with diabetes.
- Complications of cataract: phacolytic glaucoma, phacoanaphylactic uveitis.
Contraindications: - The patient does not want surgery.
- Supportive management results in adequate functional vision.
- Where surgery will not improve the vision e.g. macular degeneration.
Procedure:
LENS EXTRACTION & INTRAOCULAR LENS IMPLANTATION - A small incision in clear cornea near the limbus provides access to the lens.
- A round opening is made in the anterior capsule through which the nucleus is broken up by ultrasound in a process known as phacoemulsification.
- The cortex and emulsified nucleus are removed by aspiration, leaving the peripheral and posterior capsular bag intact.
- An intraocular lens is then inserted into the capsular bag through its anterior opening.
- Vision is restored to 6/12 or better in approximately 90% of eyes without other pathology.
ECTOPIA LENTIS Types Causes Complications Treatment
TYPES:
- Subluxation: the lens is only partially displaced due to rupture of some of the zonules.
- Dislocation: the lens is completely displaced into either the anterior chamber or the vitreous humour.
CAUSES
- Trauma
- Collagen disease where the zonules are weak, such as Marfan’s disease.
COMPLICA TION
- Displaced lens may cause pupil block
- acute angle closure glaucoma.
TREATMENT
- Refer to ophthalmologist
- Lens extraction if there is a significant reduction in vision or if lens displacement is severe.
CONGENITAL CATARACT
Diagnosis:
- Red reflex at birth
- No red reflex–> eye examination with dialted pupils
Treatment:
1. Surgery is performed before the age of 3 months in order to prevent amblyopia from developing.
Prognosis: Visual results are unfortunately often disappointing.
Blood and nerve supply
Does not have a nerve or blood supply. Nutrients diffuse into the lens from the aqueous and the vitreous humour.
Anatomy of the lens
The lens consists of three transparent parts:
- Capsule: a thin outer membrane.
- Cortex: a soft layer under the capsule. 3. 3. Nucleus: a harder central core that only develops later and is not present in children and young adults.
Accommodation
- Ciliary body functions as a circular muscle.
- Thin filamentous zonules from the ciliary body suspend the lens in position between the iris anteriorly and the vitreous posteriorly.
- Contraction of the ciliary muscle –> < tension on the zonules–> Allows lens to assume its relaxed and more spherical form.
- > bending light rays –> bring the focal point closer to lens and near object into focus.
Cataract: Definition Classification Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Special investigations Complications Treatment
DEFINITION:
- Any opacity/discolouration of lens that varies from a local opacity to total loss of clarity.
- Also known as lens sclerosis
CLASSIFICATION:
- Subcapsular: in the cortex immediately under the capsule.
- Cortical: in the deeper cortex.
- Nuclear.
INCIDENCE:
65-75 years: 70% have some degree of lens sclerosis, 20% have visual disability.
75-85 years: 90% have some degree of lens sclerosis, 40% have visual disability.
CAUSES
1. Age-related: ageing of the lens is the commonest cause of cataract.
2. Metabolic: many metabolic diseases cause or accelerate cataract formation.
Diabetes mellitus is by far the most important.
3. Drugs: systemic and topical steroids are the most important.
4. Trauma: blunt or sharp.
5. Uveitis.
6. Infections of the fetus: e.g. rubella, CMV, toxoplasmosis.
7. Smoking.
SYMPTOMS
- Gradual painless loss of vision.
- Monocular diplopia may occur if the lens develops areas of differing refractive power. 3. Vision may vary with illumination, and may improve in either bright or dim light.
- A nuclear cataract often increases the refractive power of the lens and myopia results–> patient is once again able to read without reading glasses.
DIAGNOSIS
- VA is reduced in a comfortable white eye. 2. Inspection: leukocoria only if advanced.
- Ophthalmoscopy:
- Opacity in the red reflex localised in or just behind the level of the pupil.
- Advanced the red reflex may be absent.
- Dull or absent image of the fundus. - Blood glucose in patients under 50 years of age.
COMPLICA TIONS
1. Phacolytic Glucoma
Lens is completely white–> lens protein may leak through lens capsule into the aqueous humour–> Macrophages swollen with phagocytosed lens material block the trabecular meshwork and obstruct aqueous outflow–> secondary open angle glaucoma.
RX: lens extraction.
2. Phacoanaphylactic uveitis
Lens capsule rupture–> releases lens protein into aqueous humour–> inflammatory reaction–> anterior uveitis.
RX: lens extraction and steroids.
TREATMENT:
- Non-surgical:
- information diagnosis and prognosis.
- change spectacle strength .
- A magnifying glass/ change of illumination for reading
- Surgical:
Indications: - No longer able to perform their everyday tasks such as driving a car or doing their job.
- Usually surgery is not performed until the VA with spectacles drops below 6/9.
- Where it is essential to be able to see the fundus better e.g. patient with diabetes.
- Complications of cataract: phacolytic glaucoma, phacoanaphylactic uveitis.
Contraindications: - The patient does not want surgery.
- Supportive management results in adequate functional vision.
- Where surgery will not improve the vision e.g. macular degeneration.
Procedure:
LENS EXTRACTION & INTRAOCULAR LENS IMPLANTATION - A small incision in clear cornea near the limbus provides access to the lens.
- A round opening is made in the anterior capsule through which the nucleus is broken up by ultrasound in a process known as phacoemulsification.
- The cortex and emulsified nucleus are removed by aspiration, leaving the peripheral and posterior capsular bag intact.
- An intraocular lens is then inserted into the capsular bag through its anterior opening.
- Vision is restored to 6/12 or better in approximately 90% of eyes without other pathology.
Ectopia Lentis: Types Causes Complications Treatment
TYPES:
- Subluxation: the lens is only partially displaced due to rupture of some of the zonules.
- Dislocation: the lens is completely displaced into either the anterior chamber or the vitreous humour.
CAUSES
- Trauma
- Collagen disease where the zonules are weak, such as Marfan’s disease.
COMPLICA TION
- Displaced lens may cause pupil block
- acute angle closure glaucoma.
TREATMENT
- Refer to ophthalmologist
- Lens extraction if there is a significant reduction in vision or if lens displacement is severe.