Pathology of the eye Flashcards
What are the parts of the outer tunic of the eye?
sclera and cornea
What are the parts of the vascular tunic of the eye?
choroid, iris, and ciliary body
What are the parts of the neural tunic?
the retina
What is the area between the cornea and the sclera called?
the limbus
When there is retinal separation, where does it occur?
in between the retina and the retinal pigment epithelium
What type of cells does the retinal pigment epithelium interact with?
photoreceptors
Describe the epithelium of the eye.
it is stratified squamous epithelium, highly organized, 5-6 layers, and does not keratinize
Describe the stroma of the eye.
specialized type of fibrous connective tissue, much less fluid than other parts of the eye, composed of collagen
What is Descemet’s membrane?
a thick basement membrane produced by corneal endothelium
Where is Descemet’s membrane located?
in between the stroma and the corneal endothelium
What is the purpose of the corneal endothelium?
it prevents the aqueous humor from leaking into the stroma
What is the function of the pectinate ligament?
it allows aqueous humor to seep through
What is the pectinate ligament connected to?
Descemet’s membrane
Where is the tapetum lucidum located?
in the dorsal part of the retina
Which layers of the retina is the tapetum lucidum located in between?
the choroid and the retinal pigment epithelium
What is the difference between corneal erosion and corneal ulcers?
Corneal erosion is loss of epithelium down to the basement membrane and corneal ulcers go through the basement membrane
What usually is the cause of corneal erosion?
trauma
What are the causes ulcers?
trauma and certain bacteria and viruses
What is a melting ulcer?
when bacteria complicate the ulcer by producing metalloproteinases that dissolve the cornea
What is a descemetocele?
an ulcer that goes down into Descemet’s membrane
How do you know if you have a desmetocele?
the ulcer becomes clear in the middle
What is a perforated ulcer?
when the iris adheres to the ulcer
Ulcers are usually associated with ________.
inflammation
Where will exudate in ulcers come from?
the conjunctiva
How is erosion repaired?
epithelium looses up then the epithelium proliferates, slides onto the basement membrane and fills in
What can cause erosion to be recurrent?
if injury damages basement membrane then there are issues with attachment
What are the steps of ulcer repair?
epithelial proliferation, stromal neovascularization, and stromal fibrosis
Where does stromal neovascularization begin?
in the periphery at the limbus
What does ulcer repair create?
scar tissue
What is corneal edema?
fluid accumulation within the stroma due to the loss of epithelial or endothelial barrier
What causes corneal edema?
disruption of stromal fiber organization
What does corneal edema look like grossly?
a cloudy eye
What is the cause of chronic epithelial hyperplasia?
chronic persistent injury such as dry eye
What is another term for chronic epithelial hyperplasia?
epidermalization
What lesion does chronic epithelial hyperplasia cause?
rete ridge formation and keratinization
What is corneal neovascularization?
blood vessel ingrowth from the limbus into the peripheral stroma
What is stroma fibrosis?
the replacement of regular corneal fibrous stroma with scar tissue
What may stromal fibrosis resemble?
the dermis due to cutaneous metaplasia
What is inflammation of the cornea called?
keratitis
What types of exudate are associated with keratitis?
serous, fibrinous, purulent, and granulomatous
Where does exudate come from in keratitis?
conjunctiva, tears, and anterior uvea
Where does exudate accumulate in in keratitis?
epithelium, stroma, or adheres to the endothelium
What are keratitic precipitates?
when exudate from keratitis sticks on the endothelial side
What is feline corneal sequestration?
necrosis to the corneal stroma as the result of an ulcer; occurs at the base of the ulcer
How does feline corneal sequestration appear grossly?
as discrete brown focal discoloration
What is goniodysgenesis?
the incomplete or dysplastic development of the iridocorneal angle, pectinate ligament, and ciliary cleft