Lesson 24 - Ocular Pathology and Systemic Conditions That Affect the Eyes Flashcards
Neovascularization
“Neo” means new. This is when there is new vessel growth into the cornea where there should not be any blood vessels. This is usually caused by inflammation, injury, infection or disease. The blood vessels that grow in these areas can cause loss of vision, especially if the vessels leak as in diabetes.
Bullous keratopathy
When one of the inner layers of the cornea that helps to regulate the fluid to the cornea is damaged from injury, after eye surgery, or from glaucoma, the cornea swells with little fluid-filled blisters that are extremely painful, and the cornea becomes cloudy. Vision becomes blurry, and the eye becomes light-sensitive and painful.
Corneal dystrophies
Genetic mutations that cause corneal conditions affecting both eyes, without any injury, inflammation, or disease process. It is usually a slow accumulation of abnormal whitish material in the cornea, causing corneal clouding and affecting vision.
Corneal edema
The swelling of the cornea due to the buildup of fluid. It can be caused by contact lens over wear, infection, injury, or disease. It can cause cornea clouding and/or blurred vision.
Corneal infiltrates
Infiltrates are very small, whitish lesions on the cornea that are made of white blood cells that appear as a response when there is damage to the epithelium. These do not usually affect vision. If they are in the peripheral cornea, they are usually not infectious and not painful. If they are in the central cornea, they are usually infectious, painful, and affect vision.
Cornea ulcer
An inflammatory defect in the cornea, causing a depression, and may or may not be caused by infection, contact lens over wear, bacteria, injury, or surgery. It causes pain, light sensitivity, and/or loss of vision.
Corneal scar
The result of a corneal injury, scratch, chemical, or infection. It usually looks like a white, opaque area. Scarring obstructs vision.
Keratoplasty
Cornea transplant
Radial keratotomy (RK)
Radial keratotomy is when radial cuts are made by hand on the corneal surface to reshape the cornea in the effort to change the prescription. Radial keratotomy is now considered outdated and replaced with newer methodologies to correct refraction of vision.
Astigmatic keratotomy (AK)
Paired cuts opposite each other in the peripheral cornea are made to correct only corneal astigmatism. It is sometimes used along with other laser procedures.
LASIK: laser in-situ keratomileusis
Laser-driven refractive surgery that removes some of the corneal tissue to reshape the cornea
ALK: automated lamellar keratoplasty
Some of the corneal tissue is removed to reshape the cornea. It is done without a laser. Came before LASIK
LTK: laser thermokeratoplasty
This is used to correct astigmatism and hyperopia. A laser is used to shrink and change the shape of the cornea.
CK: conductive keratoplasty
Radiofrequency waves instead of a laser is used to reshape the cornea. It is mostly used for farsightedness and presbyopia.
Intracorneal ring (Intacs)
An eye surgery where two crescent-shaped plastic pieces are inserted into the cornea to correct nearsightedness and keratoconus.
Microbial keratitis
A bacterial, viral, fungal, or protozoan (acanthamoema) corneal infection often found in contact lens wearers. Symptoms include painful, red eyes; blurred vision; photophobia; tearing; and mucus discharge.
Herpes simplex
Same virus that causes cold sores; can affect the eye and cause pain and scarring
Herpes zoster
Same virus that causes chicken pox and, in the eye, can cause pain and scarring
Pterygium
A fleshy overgrowth of the conjunctiva onto the cornea caused by too much UV exposure, dry eyes, and constant irritation from wind and dust over time. It can become painful and obstruct vision.
Pinguecula
This is a raised yellowish growth of the conjunctiva seen on the white of the eye. It has the same cause as a pterygium, but it has not yet grown over the cornea. It does not affect vision but can cause irritation and discomfort. It is caused by too much UV exposure, dry eyes, and windy or sandy conditions.
Conjunctivitis
This group of eye conditions is commonly referred to as “pink eye.” It may be caused by bacteria, virus, or allergies.
Coloboma
This can be a genetic defect where the iris doesn’t develop completely, or it can be caused by an injury or surgery. It causes problems with vision, glare, and photophobia.
Aniridia
This is a genetic defect where the iris is completely or partially absent. It causes decreased vision and photophobia.
Albinism
This is a genetic condition where there is very little or no color in the retina and/or the iris, and the macula is not well developed. These people usually are very light sensitive and don’t see well due to nystagmus.
Nystagmus
This is when the eyes have constant involuntary rapid jerky movements, side to side, up and down, or rotational. The cause can be genetic, inner ear issues, neurological issues like stroke or head injury, MS, certain medications, alcohol, or drug overuse. Vision problems, photophobia, dizziness, and problems seeing in the dark may result.
Exopththalmos
Exophthalmos occurs when one or both eyeballs protrude or bulge forward. This can be caused by thyroid disease. Many people experience dry eye, and some see double.
Media opacities
This is when there is opaqueness or clouding of the cornea, lens, or vitreous inside the eye that may cause vision problems. It can be from birth or caused by inflammation of the eye or eye injuries.
Ectropion
In this eyelid condition, the lower lid becomes very loose and turns outward, exposing the lower eyeball. It can cause dry eye and discomfort, and it is often seen in elderly.
Entropion
In this eyelid condition, the lower eyelid turns inward. It can be genetic or caused by eyelid spasm. Eyelashes scratch the cornea, causing irritation and discomfort.
Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK)
A laser is used to reshape the cornea without creating a flap first.
Alcohol
Alcohol can dehydrate the eyes and cause red eyes, double vision, night vision problems, eyelid twitching, and nystagmus.
General medications
Side effects of certain medications can make vision blurred and can cause eye pain, double vision, dry eye, conjunctivitis, glaucoma, and cataracts.
Recreational drugs
Drug use can change pupil size and cause blurred vision, red eyes, nystagmus, esotropia, double vision, glaucoma, vision loss in one eye, and ptosis.
Smoking
Smoking causes cataracts, macular degeneration, and dry and red eyes.
Thyroid imbalance
A thyroid imbalance can cause dry eyes; watery, red eyes; exophthalmos; and double vision.
Sjogren’s Syndrome
Pronounced “Sho’-gren’s,” Sjogren’s Syndrome causes severe dry eyes (burning, itchy, gritty feeling), along with dry mouth.
Diabetes
Uncontrolled diabetes can cause blurred vision, loss of vision from macular edema and leaking retinal blood vessels, cataracts, and glaucoma.
Arthritis
Symptoms of arthritis can include dry eyes; red, burning eyes; and light sensitivity.
HIV/AIDS
Symptoms of the eye include small blood vessels in the retina leak or become blocked.
Bullous keratopathy recommended eyewear
Extended-wear soft contact lenses that have been FDA approved as bandage contact lenses often help relieve the pain from the corneal blisters.
Corneal scarring recommended eyewear
Cosmetic contact lenses often help to mask corneal scars.
Refractive surgeries recommended eyewear
Sometimes the surgical outcomes may not turn out well and the cornea is still highly irregular. Scleral lenses work well in these cases to give the cornea a new spherical surface and improve vision.
Coloboma and aniridia recommended eyewear
Cosmetic contact lenses and scleral lenses work well in these cases.
Albinism recommended eyewear
Since people with albinism suffer from severe light sensitivity, they would benefit from sunglasses.
Pinguecula and pterygium recommended eyewear
These conditions can be caused by a lot of UV exposure, so recommend UV sunglasses protection to all.
Pseudophakia
Pseudophakia is a Latin word for false lens. We use this term after placing an artificial lens into the eye.
Aphakia
Aphakia is a condition in which you’re missing the lens of one or both of your eyes. You can be born that way or lose the lens due to an injury. Or your doctor might remove it during an operation for cataracts. When you have aphakia, it’s hard to see things clearly with the affected eye.
Aniseikonia
Aniseikonia is the difference in image size perceived between the eyes from unequal magnification due to either anisometropia or retinal pathology. This can manifest with symptoms of headache, dizziness, disorientation, and excessive eye strain.
