Ophthalmology Flashcards
What is a cataract?
Opacification of the proteins in the lens of the eye leading to loss of visual acuity
Give 3 causes of cataracts
Old age UV light Trauma Smoking Alcohol Diabetes Metabolic disorders Uveitis Steroids Congenital
What are the symptoms of cataract?
Painless loss of vision
Misting/blurring
Change in refractive error
Give 2 examples of common complaints a patient with cataract may express
Difficulty reading
Difficulty recognising faces
Difficulty driving at night
Halos around lights
What 2 conditions may cause halos around lights?
Cataract
Glaucoma
What features may be seen on examination of a patient with cataract
Reduced visual acuity
Reduced red reflex
How are cataracts managed?
Surgery (vision worse than 6/12) - phaecoemulsification with synthetic lens replacement
What should a patient be informed about regarding the recovery period for cataract surgery?
Eye patch for 24 hours
Avoid driving, swimming and heavy lifting for 5 days
Steroids, antibiotics and dilating drops may be prescribed
What are the contraindications to cataract surgery?
Diabetic retinopathy
Intraocular inflammation
What are the complications of cataract surgery?
Posterior capsule opacification Choroidal haemorrhage (bleeding) Endophthalmitis (infection) Glaucoma Vitreous loss Visual disturbance Retinal detachment
What is posterior capsule opacification and how is it managed?
Cloudy layer of scar tissue (residual lens epithelial cells) at the back of the lens capsule after replacement
YAG laser capsulotomy
What is the most common complication of cataract surgery?
Posterior capsule opacification
What do phakic, pseudophakic and aphakic mean?
Phakic - natural lens
Pseudophakic - natural lens removed and artificial lens inserted
Aphakic - natural lens removed but not replaced
Other than treatment of cataract, what other reasons may a patient undergo cataract surgery?
Treatment of angle closure glaucoma
Improve visualisation of retina to manage co-morbidity (e.g. diabetic retinopathy)
What is biometry?
Measurement of corneal curvature and length of the eye prior to cataract surgery to allow selection of the most appropriate intraocular lens implant
Name 3 types of cataract and their cause
Nuclear sclerotic - age, yellow/white
Posterior subcapsular - steroids and diabetes, inflammation
Congenital - inherited or idiopathic, amblyopia
Traumatic - blunt/penetrating trauma
What is glaucoma?
Gradual death of the optic nerve due to high intraocular pressure, usually due to an imbalance in the production and drainage of aqueous humour
Where is aqueous humour produced and drained?
Produced - ciliary body
Drained - irido-corneal angle -> trabecular meshwork -> canal of Schlemm
What is open angle (chronic) glaucoma?
Defect of the trabecular meshwork slows down the flow of aqueous humour which increases ocular pressure leading to optic nerve damage and gradual vision loss
What is closed angle (acute) glaucoma?
Narrowing of the irido-corneal angle which prevents aqueous fluid drainage, leading to rapid rise in ocular pressure and damage to the retina via stretching and decreased blood supply
Which type of glaucoma is most common?
Open angle
What are the risk factors for open angle glaucoma?
Family history Age Black ethnicity Thin cornea Large vertical nerve cupping High ocular pressure
How is open angle glaucoma screened for?
Strong family history - screening every 2 years from age 30
Otherwise - every 5 years from age 40 and 2 years from age 60
What are the symptoms of open angle glaucoma?
Gradual peripheral visual loss - patient may not be aware of this
Give 2 features of open angle glaucoma seen on examination
Elevated pressure
Optic disc changes - increased cupping, haemorrhage, thinning and notching of rim, optic atrophy
Peripheral visual loss - central spared
What is a normal ocular pressure? When is it at its highest normally?
10-22 mmHg
Morning
How is ocular pressure measured and how is it affected by corneal thickness?
Tonometer
Thin cornea = lower reading than actual value
Thick cornea = higher reading than actual value
How is open angle glaucoma managed medically?
Topical beta-blocker (timolol) - decrease aqueous production
Prostaglandin analogues (latanoprost)- increase aqueous outflow
Carbonic anhydrase inhibitor (brinzolamide) - decreased production
Alpha 1 agonist (brimonidine) - both
How is open angle glaucoma managed surgically?
Trabeculectomy - with mitomycin C
Laser trabeculoplasty - burn meshwork/ciliary body to increase aqueous outflow/decrease aqueous production
Shunt - Molteno tube, Ahmed valve
What are the symptoms of acute angle closure glaucoma?
Extremely red and painful eye
Associated nausea and vomiting
Halos around light
What features may be seen on examination of acute angle closure glaucoma?
Sluggish dilated pupil
Elevated pressure (>60mmHg)
Rock hard eye on palpation
How is acute angle closure glaucoma managed medically?
Topical - pilocarpine (reduces pressure)
Systemic - IV acetazolamide
How is acute angle closure glaucoma managed surgically?
YAG laser iridotomy - create communication between anterior and posterior chambers to relieve pressure gradient
Both eyes, even if only 1 was affected
What is the ISNT rule?
Pattern of neural rim width
(thickest) I - inferior rim S - superior rim N - nasal rim T - temporal rim (thinnest)
This rule is lost in glaucoma
What investigations can be done for glaucoma?
Tonometer Slit lamp Visual fields (scotoma) OCT optic disc Gonioscopy
What are the complications of trabeculectomy for open angle glaucoma?
Hypotony
Infection
Cataract
Bleb leakage
What populations are at higher risk of acute angle closure glaucoma?
Elderly
Hypermetropic (abnormal ability to focus of distant objects; far-sightedness)
Chinese ethnicity
Give 3 features of congenital glaucoma
Large, watering photophobic eyes Increased corneal diameter Cloudy cornea Reduced vision Raised pressure Treatment - goniotomy, trabeculotomy
How does neovascular glaucoma occur?
Diabetic retinopathy or retinal vein occlusion
VEGF produced from ischaemic retina which leads to neovascularisation of iris
Fibrous membrane forms over trabecular meshwork which closes drainage angle
Needs surgery
What is pigment dispersion syndrome?
Occurs in young caucasian myopic (near-sighted) males
Pigmented iris rubs against zonules -> pigment sheds and clogs meshwork
Can be caused/worsened by exercise
What is pseudoexfoliation syndrome?
Systemic disorder in which a fibrillar, proteinaceous substance is produced in abnormally high concentrations within ocular tissues
What are the 2 types of macular degeneration?
Dry/atrophic (slow decline)
Wet/exudative (rapid decline)
What are the risk factors for macular degeneration?
Age >55 Smoking Family history Diabetes Previous history of macular degeneration in other eye
What type of macular degeneration is more common?
Dry
What are the symptoms of macular degeneration?
Decline in visual acuity - central vision, distortion (e.g. of lines)
What may be seen on examination of macular degeneration?
Normal visual fields
Reduced visual acuity
No pupillary defect
What investigation can be done for macular degeneration and what features will be seen in dry and wet types?
Fundoscopy/retinal imaging
Dry - drusen, atrophy of retina, darker macula
Wet - scarring and haemorrhages, neovascularisation
How is dry macular degeneration managed?
No treatment
High dose vitamins
Smoking cessation
Annual eye examination
How is wet macular degeneration managed?
Anti-VEGF injections into the eye
Laser therapy to target new blood vessels
What are the main features of central retinal vein occlusion?
Sudden painless loss of vision (central) Unilateral Vision not improved with pinhole May have RAPD if severe Elderly
What signs may be seen on examination of CRVO?
Hyperaemic retina with engorged veins Swollen optic disc Multiple haemorrhages Cotton wool spots 'Stormy sunset' appearance
What are the causes of CRVO?
Raised ocular pressure (glaucoma, HTN)
Hyperviscosity (polycythaemia)
Vessel wall disease (diabetes, sarcoidosis, hyperlipidaemia)
How is CRVO managed?
No treatment needed - address cause and CV RFs
Fibrinolysin/laser therapy may be useful
What is central retinal artery occlusion?
‘Stroke of the retina’
How does CRAO present?
Sudden painless loss of vision
Unilateral
Curtain across vision
What features may be seen on examination of CRAO?
RAPD
Reduced visual acuity (no perception of light)
Ophthalmoscopy - retinal emboli, may be normal, pale retina with cherry red spot (macular sparing due to supply from posterior ciliary artery)
What should be ruled out in CRAO and how?
Temporal arteritis - ESR
What are the causes of CRAO?
Arterial embolus from carotid/valvular heart disease/AF
Temporal arteritis
Vasculitis (polyarteritis nodosa)
Atherosclerosis (diabetes, HTN)
How is CRAO managed?
<30 minutes from onset - globe massage to dislodge embolus
Rebreath CO2 (paper bag)
IV acetazolamide - reduce pressure
Bloods - ESR
What is amaurosis fugax?
‘TIA of the retina’
Transient loss of vision due to temporary occlusion of retinal artery
Give 4 causes of sudden painless loss of vision
Retinal detachment Vitreous haemorrhage CRVO Amaurosis fugax CRAO Wet AMD Posterior vitreous detachment
How does retinal detachment present?
Sudden painless loss of vision
Flashing lights, floaters, visual field defects
Classic curtain over vision
Macular involvement = central vision affected
What features may be seen on examination of retinal detachment?
RAPD
Abnormal red reflex
May be able to visualise fold in eye
May be normal
In what patients are retinal detachments more common?
Myopic (near-sighted)
Diabetic retinopathy
Previous surgery (e.g. cataracts)
What is the main differential for retinal detachment?
Posterior vitreous detachment
How is retinal detachment managed?
Minor - laser to encourage inflammation and healing
Major - retinal surgery +/- vitrectomy
Give 4 causes of a red eye
Conjunctivitis Corneal abrasion Corneal ulceration Anterior uveitis Episcleritis Scleritis Subconjunctival haemorrhage
What are the symptoms of conjuncivitis?
Gritty irritation Itchiness Discharge Injection Normal vision (improved on pinhole if mildly reduced)
What are the causes of conjuncitivis and their defining features?
Bacterial - purulent sticky discharge
Viral (e.g. adenovirus, HSV) - watery discharge, lymphoid follicles on conjunctiva, pre-auricular lymphadenopathy
Allergy - itchy, watery
How are bacterial, viral and allergic conjunctivitis managed?
Bacterial - antibiotics
Allergic - self-resolving, anti-histamines
Viral - lubricating eye drops, frequent cleaning, hygiene measures
What symptoms should be asked about in a patient presenting with a red eye?
Blurred vision Sticky/gritty/discharge Photophobia Pain/halo/headache/vomiting Discomfort/dryness Foreign body sensation Redness/swelling Itch Watering Hearing loss/jaw claudication
How should a red eye be examined?
Visual acuity (plus pinhole) External examination Slit lamp - fluoroscein, topical anaesthetic, eversion of eyelids Pupils Eye movements