Medicine - Ophthalmology Flashcards
Recall the features of optic atrophy
Mnemonic: Optic Atrophy Can Reduce Sight
Optic disc pale
Acuity reduced
Colour vision reduced (especially red)
RAPD (relative afferent pupil defect)
Scomata centrally
What are the 2 most common causes of optic atrophy?
MS
Glaucoma
Recall 4 red flags when assessing red eyes
Photophobia
Poor vision
Fluorescein staining reveals foreign material
Abnormal pupil
Is photophobia more likely to be present in acute glaucoma or anterior uveitis?
Anterior uveitis
What are the typical signs and symptoms of acute closed angle glaucoma?
Reduced acuity
Nausea and Vomiting
Haloes around lights
Severe pain
What may be seen on examination in acute closed angle glaucoma?
Cloudy/red cornea
Fixed and dilated pupil
Photo source: https://webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/eyeforum/atlas/pages/acute-angle-closure.html
What are some risk factors for acute closed angle glaucoma?
Hypermetropia is the key one
Female
Family history
Old age
What sort of examination can examine fluid drainage from the eye?
Gonioscopy with slit lamp
What are the general principles of management of acute closed angle glaucoma?
Refer
Medicate
Laser peripheral iridiotomy
Lens extraction
What drugs can be used to treat acute closed angle glaucoma?
IV:
Carobonic anhydrase inhibitor (reduces aqueous formation)
Top:
Carobonic anhydrase inhibitor
Beta blocker (also reduces aqueous formation)
Alpha-2 agonist (miosis opens blockage)
How does anterior uveitis usually present?
Acute pain, photophobia, reduced acuity, hypopyon
How does the eye appear in anterior uveitis?
Irregular and small pupil, hypopyon
Photo source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Hypopyon-and-nasal-synechiae-in-the-left-eye-of-a-young-patient-suffering-from-acute_fig1_333459995
What is episcleritis?
Inflammation below the conjuctiva in the episcleral layer
How does episcleritis usually present?
Asymptomatic
What is scleritis and what conditions is it associated with?
Vasculitis of sclera:
Granulomatosis polyangiitis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Systemic Lupus Erythematous
Vasculitis
What is the main symptom of scleritis?
Severe pain worse on eye movement
What can be seen on examination in scleritis and how can it be differentiated from episcleritis?
Conjunctival oedema
Scleritis much more diffuse than episcleritis
If you add phenylephrine drops the sclera goes white in episcleritis but stays red in scleritis
photo source: https://www.msdmanuals.com/professional/eye-disorders/conjunctival-and-scleral-disorders/scleritis
How should you manage scleritis as a junior dr?
Urgent referral (\<24 hours) Cortisosteroids/ immunosuppressants
How can viral vs bacterial vs allergic conjunctivitis be differentiated by appearance?
Viral: waterey and unilateral
Bacterial: sticky and unilateral
Allergic: pruritic, bilateral
Why do contact-lens wearers need urgent referral if they get conjunctivitis?
Difficult to distinguish between cojunctivitis and microbial keratitis which requires prompt treatment
How does the management of viral vs bacterial vs allergic conjunctivitis differ?
Viral: nil
Bacterial: chloramphenicol drops
Allergic: antihistamine drops
What classifies as a “corneal abrasion”?
Epithelial breech without keratitis
How can corneal abrasion be investigated?
Fluorescein stains the defect green
How can corneal abrasion be managed?
You just use antibiotic infection prophylaxis (chloramphenicol ointment)
How does a corneal ulcer/keratitis appear?
visible defect and white corneal opacity
Photo source: lhttps://thesgem.com/2021/01/sgem315-comfortably-numb-with-topical-tetracaine-for-corneal-abrasions/
Why is corneal ulcer/keratitis an emergency?
It can cause scarring and vision loss
What is the cause of ophthalmic shingles?
CN VI reactivation of shingles
What is Huntchinson’s sign?
Nose-tip zoster (nasocilliary branch) –> ophthalmic involvement
How should ophthalmic shingles be managed?
Oral aciclovir +/- topical corticosteroids
Recall 2 possible complications of ophthalmic shingles?
Post-herpetic neuralgia
Ptosis
Which artery is involved in anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy?
Posterior ciliary artery
What is the cause of arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy?
Giant cell arteritis
What are the 4 main symptoms of optic neuritis?
CRAP
Central scomata
RAPD
Acuity loss
Pain on movement
What is the most common cause of optic neuritis?
Multiple sclerosis
How should optic neuritis be managed (immediately and ongoing)?
72 hours IV methylprednisolone
11 days prednisolone PO
Recall the signs and symptoms of vitreous haemorrhage
Small bleeds –> small black dots in vision and ring floaters
Large bleeds –> loss of red reflex, retina not visualised
Fundal photo source: https://www.glycosmedia.com/education/diabetic-retinopathy/diabetic-retinopathy-features-of-diabetes-vitreous-haemorrhage/
What is the most common cause of vitreous haemorrhage?
Diabetes - causes angiogenesis
What is the best investigation for vitreous haemorrhage?
Brightness scan ultrasonography
How should small vitreous haemorrhages be managed?
They should resorb spontaneously
How should large vitreous haemorrhages be managed?
Vitrectomy
What is the aetiology of retinal detachment?
Holes in retina allow fluid to separate retina from the pigmented epithelium
What is the most common cause of retinal detachment?
Diabetes
Recall the 4 main signs and symptoms of retinal detachment
Floaters
Flashes
Field loss
Fall in acuity
Describe the appearance of the retina in retinal detachment
Grey, opalescent retina, ballooining forwards
Photo is of retinal detatchment secondary to horseshoe retinal tear - source: https://geekymedics.com/retinal-detachment/
On the other side of the card is a fundal photo of a central retinal vein occlusion for reference
Photo source: https://www.glycosmedia.com/education/diabetic-retinopathy/diabetic-retinopathy-features-of-diabetes-vitreous-haemorrhage/
On the other side of this card is a fundal photo of branch retinal vein occlusion for reference
Photo source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branch_retinal_vein_occlusion
How should retinal detachment be managed?
Urgent vitrectomy and gas tamponade with laser coagulation
Differentiate the symptoms of central retinal vs branch retinal vs cilioretinal artery occlusion
Central RAO: sudden painless total loss of vision + RAPD
Branch RAO: sudden painless partial loss of vision with NO RAPD
Ciliretinal AO: painless central vision loss
Recall 3 things that must be done to investigate possible retinal artery occlusion
- CVS RF history
- Temporal artery biopsy
- ESR
Recall some ways of managing retinal artery occlusion
First thing to do is an eyeball massage (?!)
Then options include:
- Carbogen therapy (inhalation of 95% O2 and 5% CO2)
- Haemodilution
- Vasodilators
- Measures to decrease IOP
Recall three possible causes of retinal vein occlusion
DM
HTN
Glaucoma
How does the nature of vision loss in retinal vein occlusion indicate whether it is ischaemic or non-ischaemic in nature?
If it is sudden total vision loss = ischaemic
If it is subacute partial vision loss = non-ischaemic
If RAPD = ischaemic
What is the best investigation for imaging retinal vein occlusion?
Fluorescin angiography
How can retinal vein occlusion be managed?
Can only be managed actively if ischaemic cause
Mx = panretinal photocoagulation
What is the phrase ‘cherry red macula’ usually associated with?
Central retinal artery occlusion
Photo source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry-red_spot
What is the most common cause of blindness in >60yo?
Age-related macular degeneration ARMD