Ophthalmology Flashcards
OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA
What is glaucoma in general?
- Optic neuropathies associated with raised intraocular pressure (IOP)
OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA
What is the pathophysiology of primary open angle glaucoma?
- Gradual increased resistance to aqueous humour outflow through the trabecular meshwork leading to increased IOP
- The iris is CLEAR of the meshwork
OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA
What are some risk factors for primary open angle glaucoma?
- Increasing age + FHx
- Black ethnic origin
- Myopia
- HTN + DM
OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA
What is the clinical presentation?
- Insidious onset + may be Dx via routine screening at optometrist
- Peripheral vision loss = tunnel vision
- Halos around lights (esp. at night)
- Decreased visual acuity
OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA
How is primary open angle glaucoma investigated?
What is gold standard?
- Visual field assessment for peripheral vision loss
- Fundoscopy
- Measuring IOP (non-contact tonometry vs. GOLD STANDARD Goldmann applanation tonometry)
OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA
What might fundoscopy reveal in primary open angle glaucoma?
- Optic disc cupping = cup:disc >0.7 (0.4–0.7) as IOP makes optic cup widen + deepen
- Optic disc pallor = optic atrophy
- Bayonetting of vessels = sharp kink as pass over edge of cup
OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA
What is the difference between the two methods of measuring IOP?
What is normal IOP and when is it treated?
- Non-contact = screening, estimates IOP by shooting air at cornea
- Goldmann applanation = device on slit lamp directly applies various pressures to cornea
- Normal 10–21mmHg, treat when ≥24mmHg
OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA
What is the first line management of primary open angle glaucoma?
What is the mechanism of action?
What are some side effects?
- Prostaglandin analogue eye drops = latanoprost
- Increases uveoscleral outflow
- Eyelash growth + brown iris pigmentation
OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA
In terms of second line management of primary open angle glaucoma, how can the drugs be categoried?
- Drugs that reduce aqueous humour production = beta-blockers (timolol) and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (dorzolamide)
- Drugs that increase uveoscleral outflow = muscarinic receptor agonist/miotic (pilocarpine)
- Drugs that do both = sympathomimetics/alpha-2-agonists (brimonidine)
OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA
What conditions would you avoid timolol in?
When would you avoid using brimonidine and what is an adverse effect?
- Asthma + heart block
- Avoid if MAOI/TCA, can cause ocular hyperaemia
OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA
What is the mechanism of action of pilocarpine?
What is are some side effects?
- Rapid miosis + contraction of ciliary muscles open trabecular meshwork so increased aqueous humour outflow
- Miosis, headache + blurred vision
OPEN ANGLE GLAUCOMA
If medical management fails in primary open angle glaucoma, what option may be trialled?
- Trabeculectomy = bleb creates new channel for aqueous humour to drain from anterior chamber
ACUTE ANGLE CLOSURE GLAUCOMA
What is the pathophysiology of acute angle closure glaucoma?
- Iris bulges forward + seals off the trabecular meshwork from the anterior chamber preventing drainage of aqueous humour = acute raised IOP
ACUTE ANGLE CLOSURE GLAUCOMA
What are some risk factors of acute angle closure glaucoma?
What medications can precipitate it?
- Hypermetropia, female, Eastern Asian, FHx, cataracts
- Adrenergics (noradrenaline), anticholinergics = both cause mydriasis
ACUTE ANGLE CLOSURE GLAUCOMA
What symptoms may a patient experience in acute angle closure glaucoma?
- Acute, severely painful red eye
- Blurred vision
- Halos around lights
- Headache
- N+V
ACUTE ANGLE CLOSURE GLAUCOMA
What are some signs of acute angle closure glaucoma on examination?
- Dull/hazy cornea due to corneal oedema
- Semi-dilated non-reacting pupil
- Firm eyeball on palpation
- Decreased visual acuity
ACUTE ANGLE CLOSURE GLAUCOMA
How do you manage someone with acute angle closure glaucoma initially?
- EMERGENCY = same-day ophthalmologist assessment
- Combination of eye drops = pilocarpine, timolol, brimonidine
- IV acetazolamide
ACUTE ANGLE CLOSURE GLAUCOMA
What is the definitive management of acute angle closure glaucoma?
- Laser peripheral iridotomy = hole in peripheral iris allows aqueous humour to flow posterior > anterior chamber which relieves pressure pushing iris against cornea
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION
What are the two types of age-related macular degeneration (AMD)?
What is the epidemiology?
- Dry (90%) and wet (10%)
- Most common cause of blindness in the UK
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION
What is the pathophysiology of dry AMD?
- Drusen in Dry
- Caused by atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium + retinal photoreceptor degeneration > protein/lipid deposits (drusen)
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION
What is the pathophysiology of wet AMD?
- Choroidal neovascularisation into retina where leakage of serous fluid + blood can lead to rapid loss of vision
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION
What is the biggest risk factor of AMD?
What are some other risk factors?
- Advancing age
- Smoking, FHx, CVD risk factors
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION
What is the clinical presentation of AMD?
How may this differ in wet AMD?
- Gradual worsening CENTRAL visual loss = central scotoma
- Reduced visual acuity, esp. low lighting + near field objects
- Fluctuations in visual disturbance which vary day-to-day
- Crooked/wavy appearance of straight lines
- Wet = ACUTE vision loss
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION
What are some tests you would do when examining someone with suspected AMD?
- Snellen chart = reduced visual acuity
- Amsler grid test = assess distortion of straight lines
- Fundoscopy
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION
What would you see on fundoscopy for dry AMD?
What would you see on fundoscopy for wet AMD?
- Drusen in macular area
- Demarcated red patches = intra-retinal or sub-retinal fluid leakage or haemorrhage
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION
What is the first line specialist investigation in AMD?
What investigation is mandatory for diagnosis + follow-up?
What other investigation is there and when would you use it?
- Slit-lamp microscopy
- Optical coherence tomography = X-sectional view of layers of retina
- Fluorescein angiography = if ?neovascularisation, detects leakage
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION
How do you manage AMD in general?
What is the management of dry AMD?
- Urgent referral to ophthalmology
- Avoid smoking, control BP, vitamin supplementation (zinc + vitamins A/C/E)
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION
What is the definitive management of wet AMD?
- Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) medications (ranibizumab, bevacizumab) 4/52 intravitreous injection
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION
What treatment may be considered in AMD if there is neovascularisation?
What is an important risk of this treatment?
- Laser photocoagulation to slow progression of AMD
- Risk of acute visual loss after treatment
CATARACTS
What is the pathophysiology of cataracts?
What is the epidemiology?
- Gradual lens opacification reducing visual acuity by reducing the light that reaches the retina
- Leading cause of curable blindness worldwide, more common in women
CATARACTS
What is the most common cause of cataracts?
What are some risk factors and what type of cataracts do they relate to?
- Normal ageing process (nuclear type)
- CVD = smoking, alcohol, DM (dot opacities type)
- Steroids (Subcapsular type)
- Hypocalcaemia
CATARACTS
What is the clinical presentation of cataracts?
- Asymmetrical gradual reduction in visual acuity + progressive blurring
- Glare + halos around lights, esp. at night
- Faded colour vision = colours more brown/yellow
CATARACTS
What investigations would you do in cataracts?
- Fundoscopy = loss of red reflex (grey/white) but normal fundus + optic nerve
- Slit-lamp examination reveals visible cataract
CATARACTS
What is the initial management of cataracts?
What is the definitive management of cataracts?
- Prescribing stronger lenses, encourage bright lights
- Cataract surgery = replace lens with artificial one (only effective treatment)
CATARACTS
Before referring someone for cataracts surgery, what factors should be considered?
- Impact on vision + QOL
- If they’re uni or bilateral
- Risk/benefits
- Patient choice
CATARACTS
What are some complications of cataract surgery?
- Endophthalmitis
- Posterior capsule opacification = thickening of lens capsule
- Retinal detachment
- Posterior capsule rupture
CATARACTS
What is endophthalmitis?
What can it progress to?
How is it managed?
- Rare but serious inflammation of inner eye contents often 2º to infection
- Can progress to vision or even eye loss
- Intravitreal Abx
CRAO
What is the pathophysiology of central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO)?
- Occlusion > reduced central retinal artery blood flow which supplies the retina
CRAO
What is the most common cause of CRAO?
What are some other causes?
What are some risk factors?
- Atheroscelrosis
- Emboli or vasculitis (GCA)
- CVD = smoking, HTN, alcohol, DM, obesity
CRAO
What is the clinical presentation and examination findings in CRAO?
- Sudden painless monocular loss of vision
- RAPD due to ischaemic retina not sensing input
- Fundoscopy = pale retina (reduced perfusion) + cherry red spot at macula
CRAO
What is the management of CRAO?
- Immediate ophthalmologist assessment
- Long-term = optimise CVD risk factors
CRVO
What is the pathophysiology of central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO)?
What is a potential consequence of this?
- Thrombus blocks drainage of blood from retinal veins causing pooling of blood in retina + so macular oedema + retinal haemorrhages
- May lead to release of VEGF > neovascularisation
CRVO
What are some risk factors of CRVO?
- CVD = smoking, alcohol, HTN, DM, obesity
- Thrombophilias = polycythaemia
CRVO
What is the clinical presentation of CRVO?
- Sudden painless monocular loss of vision
- RAPD
- Fundoscopy = widespread flame haemorrhages “stormy sunset” + optic disc swelling
CRVO
What is a key differential of CRVO?
What is it?
- Branch retinal vein occlusion
- Vein in distal retinal venous system is occluded so more limited area of fundus affected
CRVO
How does branch retinal vein occlusion present?
- Blurring of vision or field defect rather than total loss
- Flame haemorrhages in region of occlusion on fundoscopy
CRVO
What is the management of CRVO?
- Immediate ophthalmologist assessment
- Majority conservative
- Macular oedema = intravitreal anti-VEGF (ranibizumab)
- Retinal neovascularisation = laser photocoagulation
AION
What is anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (AION)?
What are the two types?
- Optic nerve damage due to lack of blood supply
- Arteritic (most commonly GCA) or non-arteritic
AION
What is the clinical presentation and exam findings of AION?
- Sudden onset monocular vision loss
- RAPD
- Fundoscopy = optic disc swelling (acute phase) + pale (chronic phase)
AION
What is the management of AION?
- Immediate ophthalmology assessment
- Always check FBC, CRP/ESR, ?temporal artery biopsy if GCA
- GCA = high dose steroids to prevent vision loss
POSTERIOR VITREOUS DETACHMENT
What is the pathophysiology of posterior vitreous detachment?
What is a consequence of this?
- Vitreous gel separates from the retina due to natural changes to the vitreous fluid of the eye with ageing (less firm + able to maintain shape)
- Predisposes to retinal tears or detachment
POSTERIOR VITREOUS DETACHMENT
What is the clinical presentation of posterior vitreous detachment?
What are some risk factors?
- Can be asymptomatic, more common in F
- Sudden onset flashes + floaters
- Painless blurred vision
- Age, highly myopic pts