S2. Ch 25: Vision and Hearing Flashcards
One of the most significant areas of changes that occur with age is
vision
The reduced elasticity and stiffening of the muscle fibers of the lens of the eye begins in the
4th decade of life
Sensitivity to glare increases due to
cataract formation
reduces the ability to hear s, sh, f, ph, and w sounds and may cause speech to be inaudible or distorted, as can impacted cerumen, which is a common problem in older adults.
Presbycusis (age-related sensorineural hearing loss)
a clouding of the lens or its capsule that causes the lens to lose its transparency
Cataract
__ are the leading cause of low vision in older adults.
cataracts
Exposure to ___ increases the risk of developing cataracts, emphasizing the importance of wearing proper sunglasses to protect the eyes.
ultraviolet B
___ develops, causing the lens of the eye to become yellow or yellow-brown; eventually the color of the pupil changes from black to a cloudy white
Nuclear sclerosis
___ is a degenerative eye disease in which the optic nerve is damaged from an above-normal intraocular pressure (IOP).
Glaucoma
also called closed-angle or narrow-angle glaucoma, the patient experiences severe eye pain, headache, nausea, and vomiting.
Acute glaucoma
___, or open-angle, glaucoma is more common than acute glaucoma.
Chronic glaucoma
a forward displacement of the retina from its normal position against the choroid.
Detached retina
Inflammation of the cornea, accompanied by a loss of substance, causes the development of a ___, a problem more common in older adults than in younger-aged individuals.
corneal ulcer
a ringing or other sound in the ear that can be associated with age-related hearing loss, ear injury, medications, or cardiovascular disease.
tinnitus
Intact senses facilitate accurate perception of the ___
environment
a decreased ability to focus
presbyopia
Loss of photoreceptor cells in the retina causes:
- Light perception threshold decreases
- Dark and light adaptation takes longer
- Difficulty with vision at night
Effects of aging on vision:
- Loss of photoreceptor cells in the retina
- Increased sensitivity to glare
- Distortion in depth perception
- Peripheral vision reduced
Number of functioning taste buds decreased causing them to not be able to:
taste sweet and salty flavors
Decreased tactile sensation can cause them to:
- May not being able to feel pressure such as a shoe too tight causing a blister, they may not be able to feel that forming
- sets the stage for pressure ulcers
What mineral promotes normal visual capacity and adaptation to dark; supplementation can reduce visual loss in macular degeneration; deficiency can facilitate cataract development.
Zinc
May aid in preventing cataracts; supplementation with vitamin E can reduce visual loss in macular degeneration
Selenium
Promotes normal vision; supplementation may improve vision in persons with cataracts
Vitamin C
Maintains healthy rods and cones in retina
Vitamin A
Vitamin E
May aid in preventing cataracts; supplementation in large doses can prevent macular degeneration
Aids in preventing cataracts
Riboflavin
May prevent degenerative changes in eye also helps prevent changes in memory
Ginkgo Biloba
Improves night vision and adaptation to dark; promotes visual acuity; improves capillary integrity to reduce hemorrhage risk in diabetic retinopathy.
Flavonoid
Assessment for impacted cerumen:
- Irrigation-gentle not forceful
- Ear drops will help impacted cerumen
- Avoid q-tips
Nursing diagnoses for sensory problems:
- Sensory Deprivation
- Impaired communication
- Impaired vision or hearing
Risk factors for cataracts:
ultraviolet B exposure, DM, cigarette smoking, high alcohol consumption, eye injury
Signs & Symptoms of cataracts
distorted vision, night vision decreased, objects appear blurred, improvement in ability to see small print
Treatment/management for cataracts
Need for surgery must be evaluated on an individual basis
Types of surgery (intracapsular extraction (removes lens and capsule) or extracapsular extraction (lens is removed and posterior capsule stays)
For ultraviolet B expose sunglasses can be worn
Glaucoma is the ___ leading cause of blindness in older adults
Second
Incidence-12% of all blindness in United States, increases in prevalence over __ years old
40
Causes of glaucoma:
could be associated w/increased size of lens, iritis, allergy, endocrine imbalance, emotional instability, medications & family history.
Diagnosis for glaucoma and regular size:
measures intraocular pressure (normal 20mmHG)
Treatment/management for glaucoma:
Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, mannitol, urea, and glycerin, iridectomy
acute or chronic? Peripheral vision slowly impaired, with progression central vision is lost, tired feeling in eyes, headaches, misty vision, seeing halos around lights, cornea has cloudy appearance with iris fixed and dilated.
chronic
Most common cause of blindness in adults over the age of __
65
Damage or breakdown of the macula leading to loss of central vision
macular degeneration
Macular degeneration results from:
injury, infection, exudative macular degeneration
Symptoms: spots moving across the eye, blurred vision, flashes of light, and a feeling like a coating is developing over the eye, blank areas of vision could process to complete loss of vision, no pain.
detached retina
Signs/Symptoms: bloodshot eye, increased lacrimation, pain, photophobia
corneal ulcer
hearing deficits is greater in what gender?
male
Osseous growth that causes a fixation of the footplate of the stapes in the coal window of the cochlea
Otosclerosis
Ringing in ear. Could be caused by hearing loss, meds, CV disease (meds to treat-tricyclic antidepressants, gabapentin, acamprosate)
Tinnitus
A hearing aid battery will last __ hours
80
__ __ individuals tend to develop glaucoma at earlier ages than do Whites and have a significantly higher incidence
African American
__ are affected more than the other gender in all groups for glaucoma.
women
