OPHTHALMOLOGY: 476-479 Flashcards
What type of vision impairments improve with glasses?
Refractive errors
What are 4 types of refractive errors?
- Hyperopia
- Myopia
- Astigmatism
- Presbyopia
What is hyperopia?
Eye too short for refractive power of cornea and lens - light ends up being focused behind the retina
What is myopia?
Eye too long for refractive power of cornea and lens - light ends up being focused in front of the retina
In a patient with astigmatism, why is the refractive power different at different axes?
Abnormal curvature of the cornea
Why is there a decrease in focusing ability during accommodation in presbyopia?
Sclerosis and decreased elasticity
Name the 2 structures inflamed in uveitis and 2 accompanying symptoms.
2 structures: anterior uvea and iris
2 symptoms: hypopyon (sterile pus) and conjunctival redness
What does long term retinitis lead to?
Scarring (from retinal edema and necrosis)
Name 3 common causes of retinitis.
Viral - CMV, HSV, HZV
What type of patient is more likely to get retinitis?
Immunosuppressed
On physical exam, you notice that a patient has a cloudy retina with attenuated vessels and a “cherry-red” spot at the fovea. What is your diagnosis?
Central retinal artery occlusion
How does central retinal artery occlusion present?
Acute, painless monocular vision loss
What is retinal vein occlusion usually secondary to?
Blockage of the central or branch retinal vein is often secondary to compression from nearby arterial atherosclerosis
What 2 things are typically observed in retinal vein occlusion in the affected area?
Retinal hemorrhage and edema
What are the 2 types of diabetic retinopathy?
Proliferative and non-proliferative
What metabolic imbalance causes diabetic retinopathy?
Chronic hyperglycemia
Describe what happens in non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
Damaged capillaries leak blood –> lipids and fluid seep into retina –> hemorrhages and macular edema
What is the treatment for non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy?
Blood sugar control, macular laser
What proliferates in proliferative diabetic retinopathy and why?
New blood vessel formation due to chronic hypoxia. This leads to traction on the retina.
What is the treatment for proliferative diabetic retinopathy?
Peripheral retinal photocoagulation, anti-VEGF injections
Describe the flow of aqueous humor.
- Synthesized by the ciliary epithelium on the ciliary muscle
- Secreted into the posterior chamber
- Flows between the front of the lens and the back of the iris into the anterior chamber
- Drains out of the eye via trabecular meshwork into the Canal of Schlemm
What is the definition of glaucoma and what are 2 common symptoms?
Optic disk atrophy with characteristic cupping often presenting with:
- Increased intraocular pressure
- Progressive peripheral visual field loss
What are the two types of glaucoma?
Open angle and closed/narrow angle
Is open angle painful?
No - Painless
In what kind of patients is open angle glaucoma more common in?
Older, African-American, family history, more common in the U.S.
What is the cause of primary open angle glaucoma?
Unclear
Name the major problem in secondary open angle glaucoma and 3 potential causes.
Blocked trabecular meshwork from any of the following:
- WBC’s (e.g. uveitis)
- RBC’s (e.g. vitreous hemorrhage)
- Retinal elements (e.g. retinal detachment)
Describe the pathogenesis in primary closed/narrow angle glaucoma.
Enlargement or forward movement of the lens against the central iris leads to obstruction of normal aqueous flow through the pupil –> fluid builds up behind the iris –> peripheral iris pushes against the cornea –> impedes flow through the trabecular meshwork
What is the major problem in secondary closed/narrow angle glaucoma?
Hypoxia from retinal disease (e.g. diabetes, vein occlusion) induces vasoproliferation in the iris causing contraction of the angle –> impaired flow
Compare and contrast acute vs. chronic closure in closed/narrow angle glaucoma.
Chronic - often asymptomatic with damage to optic nerve and peripheral vision
Acute - EMERGENCY, very painful, sudden vision loss, halos around lights, rock-hard eye, frontal headache
What drives acute closure in closed angle glaucoma?
Increased intraocular pressure pushes the iris forward and closes the angle abruptly
What is contraindicated in acute closure in closed angle glaucoma? Why?
Epinephrine because of its mydriatic effect
What is a cataract?
Painless opacification of the lens
Are cataracts often unilateral or bilateral?
Bilateral
What are some risk factors for cataracts?
CATARACTS: Cigarette Age (older) Trauma Alcohol
Rare genetic metabolic disorders (classic galactosemia, galactokinase deficiency)
Autosomal recessive
Corticosteroids
Tanning (excessive sunlight)
Sorbitol or sugar (diabetes)
Is papilledema usually unilateral or bilateral?
Bilateral
What is papilledema?
Optic disc swelling due to increased intracranial pressure
On fundoscopic exam, what is observed with papilledema?
Enlarged blind spot and elevated optic disc with blurred margins
Which cranial nerve innervates the lateral rectus?
CN VI
Which cranial nerve innervates the superior oblique?
CN IV
What does CN III innervate?
Superior rectus, inferior rectus, medial rectus, inferior oblique
Patient’s eye looks down and out. Which cranial nerve is damaged and what else do you expect to see?
CN III
Also expect ptosis, pupillary dilation, loss of accomodation
What happens if you damage CN VI?
Medially directed eye that cannot abduct
What three motions does the superior oblique mediate?
Abduction, intorsion, depression
If CN IV is damaged, what does the eye do?
Eye moves upward, particularly with contralateral gaze and head tilt toward the side of the lesion
Do the obliques move the eye in the same or opposite direction as their name suggests?
Opposite
Describe the pathway of light through the eye.
Cornea –> aqueous humor (anterior chamber) –> iris –> pupil –> lens –> vitreous chamber –> retina –> optic nerve
Where is vision the sharpest?
At the fovea centralis in the center of the macula
Where is the blind spot?
At the optic disc, where the nerve joins the retina
What are the three layers of the eye that go all the way around?
Sclera - white of the eye
Choroid - vascular layer
Retina - contain the receptors for vision
What bends the light so it reaches the macula?
Lens
What is the purpose of the ciliary body?
Controls the lens
Which structure controls the size of the pupil?
Iris