Opthalmology Flashcards
What are the most common causes of permanent blindness in the Western World?
Senile cataract, glaucoma, age-related macula degeneration, trauma and diabetic retinopathy
What are the most common causes of sudden visual loss?
Amaurosis fugax (occlusion of opthalmic artery) and migraine
What causes ‘flashing lights’ in vision?
Traction on the retina (e.g. retinal detachment)
What do floaters or ‘blobs’ in the visual fields indicate?
Pigment in the vitreous (e.g. haemorrhage, vitreous detachment)
Is retinal detachment more likely to occur in myopic or hyperopic people?
Myopic (short-sighted)
What is myopia?
Short-sightedness (light focuses in front of retina)
What is hyperopia?
Far-sightedness (light focuses behind retina)
What do coloured halos around lights often indicate?
Glaucoma, cataracts
What diagnoses should be considered if a patient has visual disturbance and a headache?
Raised ICP, migraine, temporal arteritis
What is the upper limit of normal intraocular pressure?
22mmHg
What are the grades of hypertensive retinopathy?
Grade I: Silver wiring Grade II: AV nipping Grade III: cotton wool spots, flame haemorrhages Grade IV: papilloedema
What are the features of diabetic retinopathy?
Background Retinopathy: - Microaneurysms - Haemorrhages - Hard exudates - Cotton wool spots (soft exudates) Proliferative Retinopathy: - Neovascularisation
How does optic neuritis present?
Pain on ocular movements Central scotoma over days Swollen optic disc (if anterior nerve affected) Optic atrophy and disc pallor (late)
What is the difference between dry and wet macular degeneration?
Dry: cellular debris (duress) between choroid and retina, central scotoma, no treatment available Wet: neovascularisation between choroid and retina, central scotoma acutely, treated with anti-VEGF
How does retinal detachment present?
Floaters, flashes, blurred vision, grey cloud / black spot, loss of visual field
What is the difference between open and closed angle glaucoma?
Open (90%): chronic, painless, gradual loss of vision, optic disc cupping Closed: acute, painful, red eye, nausea + vomiting, fixed pupil
What is the cause of a pale retina with pink or cherry red macula?
Central retinal artery occlusion
Which condition is commonly described as flashes of light followed by a curtain over vision?
Retinal detachment
Give 3 differentials for a black cloud descending over a patient’s vision.
Retinal detachment Aura (seizure, migraine) TIA
What is this lesion and what is it caused by?
Roth spot (red spot with white halo), caused by Infective Endocarditis
What is the visual requirement for a car licence in Australia?
6/12
How do pinhole glasses improve visual acuity?
Reduce the size of the blurring circle of the retina and correct refractive errors.
What is the first-line antibiotic therapy for bacterial conjunctivitis?
Chloramphenicol (topical, broad-spectrum)
