Neuro 1 Flashcards
Which conditions may damage any Cranial Nerve?
Diabetes
Multiple Sclerosis
Tumours
Sarcoidosis
Vasculitis
SLE
Syphilis
What could cause changes in a younger person’s sense of smell?
Frontal Lobe Tumour
Trauma, the Olfactory Nerve may be sheared as it sits in the Cribiform Plate
How does the presentation of a loss of visual acuity point to the possible cause?
Bilateral - Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Sudden - Infarct
Over a few hours - MS Inflammatory Attack (Painful)
If old - Ischaemia/Diabetes
What would be your Ddx in a patient presenting with a decrease in Optic Acuity?
Refractive Error
Ocular Media
Age related macular degeneration
Diabetic Retinopathy
Optic Neuropathy (MS/Ischaemia)
What is Conjunctivitis and how does it present?
Pink Eye
Chemosis (Eyelid Oedema)
Crust and Discharge
Foreign Body Sensation
Photophobia
How do you distinguish between the causes of Conjunctivitis?
Bacterial
- Thick Yellow/Pus Discharge
- Reduced Vision
- Urethritis/Vaginal Discharge ?STD
Viral
- Watery Clear Discharge
- Normal Vision
- Fever/Lymphadenopathy
Allergic
- Young Adults
- IGE Mediated
- Itching, Sneezing, Red, Watery Oedematous eye
- Typical Allergic cause and presentation
What are cataracts and how do they present?
Clouding of the lens and eye.
Visual impariment and glare.
‘Halos’ around lights.
painless
Reduced red reflex OE
What is glaucoma and how does it present?
Visual loss due to Optic Nerve damage.
Usually due to Raised Intraocular Pressure
Must be ruled out in a case of Acutely Red, Swollen Eye
How does Glaucoma-related visual loss progress?
Begins peripherally, then progresses more centrally.
What are the two main types of Glaucoma?
Open Angle
- Wide angle between the drainage canal and the iris - Good Drainage
- Trabecular Meshwork Dysfunction
- Bilateral, progressive, mild
Closed Angle
- Poor Drainage
- Trabecular Meshwork is fine, but the angle through which humour drains is smaller
- Unilateral, sudden, painful
What is Uveitis?
Inflammation of the Uvea (Made up of the Iris, Ciliary Body and Choroid)
Anterior involves the Iris and Ciliary Body
Posterior involves the Vitreous Body, Choroid and Retina
SBA - Can be associated with autoimmune disease
How would you differ between Anterior and Posterior Uveitis?
Anterior
- Autoimmune
- Painful, Pink Eye
- Increased Tear Production & Photophobia
Posterior
- Infective
- Painless
- Floaters and Scotomata
What are the main causes of Anterior Uveitis?
Seronegative Spondyloarthropathies
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Sarcoidosis
SLE
IBD
Behcet’s
What are the main causes of Posterior Uveitis?
CMV
EBC
HSC
VZV
Syphilis
TB
Lyme Disease
How could you classify the types of Visual Field Defects?
Prechiasmal
- One eye only
- Ipsilateral
Chiasmal
-Bitemporal Hemianopia
Post-Chiasmal
- Homonymous
- Contralateral
What are the main causes of Prechiasmal visual field defects?
Ischaemia (TIA)
Inflammation (MS, Giant Cell Arteritis)
What is Amaurosis Fugax?
Visual Field Defect seen in patients experincing a Prechiasmal TIA.
Described a being like ‘A veil coming down over one eye for a few minutes’
What are the main causes of Chiasmal Visual Field Defects?
Pituitary Tumour
Craniophyrangioma
How do Bitemporal Hemianopias develop when due to structures compressing the Optic Chiasm?
If originating superior to the Optic Chiasm, the visual field defect will begin as a Bitemporal Inferior Quadrantanopia
If originating inferior to the Optic Chiasm, the visual field defect will begin as a Bitemporal Superior Quadrantanopia