Ophthalmology

Question 1

What are the main components of the eye?

Answer 1

• macula
  
  • seeing cells
• choroid
  
  • tissue behind retina
  • highly vascular
• Bruch’s membrane
  
  • membrane between choroid and retina
• sclera
  
  • white outer layer of the eye

Question 2

Provide examples of common eye diseases

Answer 2

-cataract
- glaucoma
- ARMD
- diabetes

Question 3

What is cataracts?

Answer 3

• clouding of the lens of the eye preventing clear vision
  
  • results in blindness
  • related to ageing but children can be born with it
  • can develop after eye injuries, inflammation, other eye diseases
• treatment
  
  • surgery (phaecoemulsification)
    - intraocular lens implant

Question 4

What is glaucoma?

Answer 4

• optic neuropathy determined by structural change and functional deficit
  
  • fluid build up at front of eye increasing pressure
  • loss of vision if not treated early
  • generally bilateral
• raised intraoccular pressure
  
  • acute or chronic
  • visual field defects
• mild attacks
  
  • pain in eye
  • halos around lights
  • relieved by sleeping
• full blown attacks
  
  • rapid deterioration of vision
  • intense eye pain
  • redness and watering of eye
  • sensitivity to bright lights
  • halos around lights
  • nausea and vomiting
• primary open angle glaucoma (POAG)
  
  • slow and insidious onset
  • anterior chamber angle is open
  • drainage channels gradually clog over time
• angle closure glaucoma (ACG)
  
  • acute
  • drainage in eye becomes suddenly blocked
  • raises intraoccqular pressure quickly
• treatment
  - beta blocker drops to reduce fluid
  - laser or surgery to increase fluid drainage
  - sight does not recover after treatment

Question 5

What is ARMD?

Answer 5

• age related macular degeneration
  
  • build up of cellular waster under the retina
  • macular retine develops degenerative lesions
  • affects central vision
  • treated with dietary vitamins, laser and intravitreal injections
• dry ARMD
  
  • most common type
  • bilateral condition
  • slow atrophy of photoreceptors in macula
  • gradual loss of central vision
  • no treatment
• wet ARMD
  
  • dry ARMD symptoms
  • leakage of blood and fluid at macula
  • growth of new vessels under retina break
  • scarring of macular cells
  • progresses more rapidly, severe sight loss in months
  • laser treatment occasionally effective

Question 6

What is diabetic eye disease?

Answer 6

• cataract
• glycaemia vessel damage
• leakage, microanneurysms, haemorrhage
• ischaemia
• neovascularisation (haemorrhage and fibrosis)

Question 7

What is diabetic retinopathy?

Answer 7

• characteristic group of lesions found in the retina of those with diabetes mellitus
  
  • predictable progression with minor variations
  • vascular changes in the retinal circulation
  • blood vessels to retina become blocked or start to leak
  • damage to retina

Question 8

What is hemanopia?

Answer 8

• blindness in one half of the visual field
  
  • most commonly caused by stroke
  • upper, lower, left or right