The Orbit and Eye - 2 Flashcards
When do we get contraction of the ciliary muscle?
When we have a shift from long to short vision. This is a way of focusing on near objects.
When focusing on closer objects, as well as contraction of the ciliary muscle what else happens?
We get constriction of the pupil.
What do you notice about contraction of the ciliary muscle and constriction of the pupil?
They are both parasympathetic effects.
What is the 3rd thing that happens to both eyes when close objects are observed?
The eyes converge when close objects are observed.
What is it called when the eyes change focus from long to short vision?
This is called accomodation.
What is the largest part of the middle coat of the eye?
The choroid.
What does the choroid have many of?
The choroid has many blood vessels.
What is the inner layer of the eye called?
The inner layer is called the retina.
How can we study the retina?
By using an opthalmoscope.
What is the fundus?
This is a whole view of the back of the retina that can be seen by an ophthalmoscope.
What 3 things can we see using an ophthalmoscope?
- optic disc
- macula lutea
- retinal arteries
Where is the optic disc found?
It is found 3mm to the nasal side of the anteroposterior axis of the eye.
What happens at the optic disc?
This is where the optic nerve fibers and the blood vessels leave the eye.
The optic nerve fibres build up into a circular zone as they leave and this gives the optic disc a raised edge. the central part of the disc is depressed.
What artery enters at the optic disc?
The central artery of the retina enters at the disc and its branches can easily be seen here.
Retinal veins are also easily seen here.
What is the macula?
The macula is a small yellowish spot that lies exactly in the visual axis.
This is the area of most distinct vision.
What is the fovea centralis?
This is a small depression in the centre of the macula.
What is the significance of the fovea centralis?
This is the point where the resolving power of the retina is maximal and it is therefore the point of most accurate central vision.
What happens to the margins of the optic disc when the intracranial pressure increases?
The margins of the optic disc become swollen.
Why is the state of retinal vessels extremely important to note?
It is the one place in the body where blood vessels can be viewed directly. In patient with high blood pressure, the vessels with have thick walls and appear rigid. Where arteries cross veins, they will compress the veins.
Sometimes there can be a haemorrhage into the retina from the vessels or white fluffy areas of exudate from vessels.
Diabetes also gives characteristics when the fundus is examined.
What is contained in the cavity behind the lens?
Vitreous humour.
What is the vitreous humour like?
This is like jelly.
What is the hyaloid fossa?
In front, the posterior surface of the lens and the ciliary processes form a concavity in the jelly which is called the hyaloid fossa.
What is the hyaloid canal?
This is a minute disc that runs from the optic disc to the posterior surface of the lens.
What does the hyaloid canal represent?
This represents the remains of a small branch of the central artery of the retina that degenerates before birth and it can only be seen with special optical instruments.
What is the vitreous membrane?
The vitreous body is condensed superficially to form an envelope called the vitreous membrane.
The vitreous membrane is thickened in front to form the …………………. …………………….
capillary zonule.
What is the posterior layer of the capillary zonule like?
The posterior layer is very thin.
What is the anterior layer of the capillary zonule like?
It is thick and it forms the suspensory ligament of the lens.
What is the function of the suspensory ligament of the lens?
This ligament holds the lens in the hyaloid fossa and maintains tension on the periphery of the lens when the eye is at rest or focused on distant objects.
How does contraction of the ciliary muscle cause the lens to take up a fat shape?
When the ciliary muscle contracts, it pulls the ciliary processes, zonule and suspensory ligaments forwards.
This releases tension in these ligaments.
The lens takes up a flat shape by its own elasticity and its focal length is shortened.
In the orbit, what separates the eyeball from the orbital muscles and fat?
The orbit is surrounded by a fascial sheath in which it rotates and in which it is separated from the orbital muscles and fat.
What is the diameter of the eyeball?
About 2.5 cm but the cornea is more curved than the globe.
Where is the fascial sheath deficient?
The fascial sheath is deficient in front over the cornea.
What does the fascial sheath fuse with posteriorly?
It fuses with the dura over the optic nerve.
As each extra-ocular muscle passes to the eyeball, what does it have to do before it inserts into the sclera?
It has to pierce the fascial sheath before it can insert into the sclera.
It does this close to the equator of the eye and the sheath is carried over the muscles for a short distance.
What are check ligaments?
At the point where the fascial sheath continues over the muscle for a short while, the sleeves of the medial and lateral rectus muscles are attached to the walls of the bony orbit by small fascial slings or check ligaments.
What is the function of check ligaments?
- They help to stabilise the eye in the orbital cavity.
- Resist compression of the globe of the eye when the muscles act.
Describe the suspensory ligament and its attachments.
- hammack shape band
- stretched between lacrimal and zygomatic bones
- attached to the fascial sheath of the eyeball since it blends with the sheaths covering the extra-ocular muscles that lie beneath the eye
What surrounds the apex of the orbit?
A tendinous ring.
What does the tendinous ring enclose?
It encloses the optic foramen and the medial part of the superior orbital fissure.