Opthalmology Flashcards
What is amaurosis fugax?
Transient monocular vision loss (TMVL). Usually ischaemic/vascular cause
How do we typically treat amaurosis fugax?
As it usually has a thrombotic cause, we give 300mg aspirin as with TIAs/strokes
Which of central retinal vein and central retinal artery occlusion is more common?
Central retinal vein occlusions are more common
What would you see on fundoscopy for central retinal vein occlusion?
Retinal haemorrhages
Causes of central retinal vein occlusion?
Glaucoma
Hypertension
Polycythaemia
What would you see on fundoscopy for central retinal artery occlusion?
Pink cherry spot
Causes of central retinal artery occlusion?
Arteritis
Thromboembolism
Does TIA cause monocular vision loss?
No. It causes a hemianopia
What causes vitreous haemorrhage?
Diabetes
Bleeding disorders
Anticoagulants
Vitreous haemorrhage features
Sudden vision loss
Dark spots
Small bleeds cause floaters
Retinal detachment features
Dense shadow that starts peripherally and progresses toward the central vision
Straight lines appear curved
Central vision loss
Veil/curtain over field of vision
Posterior vitreous detachment features
Flashes of light (photpsia) in peripheral fields of vision
Floaters (often on temporal side)
How can we stage hypertensive retinopathy
Keith-Wagener classification
Hypertensive retinopathy stages
Stage 1
Arteriolar narrowing and tortuosity
Increased light reflex - silver wiring
Stage II AV nickiing Stage III Cotton-wool exudates Flame and blot haemorrhages
Stage IV
Papilloedema
Features of cataracts
Gradual onset of reduced vision
Faded colour vision
Glare (lights appear brighter)
Halos around lights
What signs might you see in cataracts
A defect in the red reflex
Management of cataracts
Non-surgical: stronger contacts/glasses
Surgical: Removal of the lens and replacing it with an artificial one
Causes of cataracts
Normal aging (most common) Smoking DM High alcohol consumption Long-term corticosteroids
What are cataracts?
Opacification of the lens of the eye making it more difficult for light to reach the back of the eye (retina)
What is argyll-robertson pupil?
Bilaterally small pupils that accommodate but don’t react to bright light
Mneumonic
ARP = Accomodation reflex present
PRA = Pupillary reflex absent
What causes argyll-robertson pupil?
Neurosyphilis and diabetes mellitus
What is the pathology of Horner’s syndrome?
Damage to the sympathetic trunk on the same side as symptoms
Horner’s syndrome symptoms?
Miosis (pupil constriction)
Ptosis (droopy eyelid)
Enopthalmos (inset eyeball)
Anhidrosis (decreased sweating)
All on one side
Adie pupil symptoms
Tonically dilated pupil
Slowly reactive to light with a more definite accommodation response
Holmes-Adie pupil often associated with absent knee/ankle reflexes
What is the pathology of adie pupil syndrome?
Damage to the parasympathetic innervation of the eye
What is Hutchinson’s pupil?
Unilaterally dilated pupil unresponsive to light
What causes Hutchinson’s pupil?
Compression of the occulomotor nerve of the same side Intracranial mass (e.g. tumour, haematoma)
Marcus-gunn pupil symptoms?
Relative afferent pupillary defect seen during the swinging light examination of pupil response - the pupils constrict less and therefore appear to dilate when light is swung from unaffected to affected eye
What causes Marcus-gunn pupil?
Damage to the optic nerve or severe retinal disease
What is associated with anterior uveitis?
HLA-B27
So conditions linked to it include: Ankylosing spondylitis Reactive arthritis UC Crohn's Behcet's disease Sarcoidosis
What are the features of anterior uveitis?
Acute onset Occular discomfort/pain Pupil may be irregular (oval shaped) and small Photophobia Blurred vision Red eye Lacrimation Visual acuity impaired
How do you manage anterior uveitis?
Urgent referral to opthalmology
Cycloplegics (dilates the pupil to relieve pain/photophobia) - examples include atropine and cyclopentolate
Steroid eye drops