Vision Loss Flashcards
what is sensation
- ability to perceive stimulation through one’s sensory organs
what is perception
- how one receives, organizes, and interprets sensation
what is sensory perception?
- the ability to receive sensory input and translate the stimulus or data into meaningful info
how does change in vision affect our sensory perception
- significantly decreases
describe the scope of sensory perception
- on a continuum from optimal function to impaired function
which populations are at greatest risk for impaired sensory perception? why? what changes do they experience?
- older adults
- due to physiological changes that occur with aging
- experience decline in all 5 senses
what is tactile sensation
- sense of touch
where is tactile sensation most rapidly lost?
- occurs most rapidly in fingertips & feet
why is the loss of tactile sensation important to consider?
- safety risk
- teach about watching hot surfaces, toe stubs or cutes
- especially if they have diabetes
what are risk factors for sensory perception loss?
- acute injury
- chronic medical conditions
- lifestyle choices & occupation
- meds
how do antihistamines effect sensation?
- blurred vision
- dry mouth
how do antihypertensives affect sensation
- blurred vision
- taste & smell
how do miotic eye drops affect sensation?
- changes in vision
how do antiseizure meds effect sensation?
- cause numbness in hands & feet
how do diuretics cause changes in sensation?
- hearing loss
- tinnitus
how does chemotherapy affect sensation
- effects taste & smell
how do antibiotics affect sensation
- effect taste, smell, and ototoxicity
what is retinopathy? what does this cause?
- disease of the retina
= impairment or loss in vision
what is a cataract? what effect does this have?
- clouding of the lens
- effects vision, like looking thru a foggy window
what is macular degeneration
- deterioration of the macula (center of the retina)
what is glaucoma
- increased pressure of the eye
= damage to the optic nerve
how does visual field & depth perception change with aging
- reduced visual field
- slower visual field info
- diminished depth perception
what are other age-related changes that occur in the eyes?
- loss of accomodation
- diminished acuity (sharpness of vision)
- delayed light/dark adaptation
- altered color vision
- flicker fusion
what is presbyopia?
- loss of your eye’s ability to focus on nearby objects
what causes presbyopia?
- lens ages & stiffens
- brings the focal point behind the retina = blurry vision
what is the most common reason for decreased sensation-perception in older adults
- presbyopia
how do older adults compensate for presbyopia
- may hold newspaper further away from their face
how does presbyopia impact the ability to see objects that are similar color?
- will begin to look the same
ex. trouble differentiating between pills
how does presbyopia effect glare?
- more sensitive to glare = makes it harder to see
ex. fridge door, driving
how does presbyopia affect the ability to go up stairs
- hard to distinguish because they are the same color
- depth perception impaired = risk of falls
- can also affect use of toilets
how do changes in vision affect everyday living for the older adults?
- difficulty differentiating between pill
- difficulty going up stairs
- difficult to see glares
- risk of falls
what are risk factors that can effect eye health
- nutrition
- smoking
- meds
- disease
- enviro
what meds effect eye health
- NSAIDs
- anticholinergics
- phenothiazines
- antihistamines
- diuretics
- anticoagulants
what do anticoagulants cause
- associated with bleeding of the eyes
what chronic conditions are risk factors for impacting eye healt
- dementia
- parkinson’s
- diabetes
- hypertension
what are the functional consequences of vision loss in the older adult
- safety –> risk of falls
- quality of life
- driving ability
what specific age-related vision changes increase risk for falls
- diminished acuity
- increased sensitivity to glare
- reduced contrast sensitivity
- decreased depth perception
what are the major types of visual impairment & blindness among older adults
- cataracts
- macular degeneration
- glaucoma
- diabetic retinopathy
what is the leading cause of vision impairment? is it reversible?
- cataracts
- is reversible
what is a nurses role regarding cataracts?
- important role in educating older adults about cataract surgery
what is age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
- progressive loss of central vision
what does vision look like with AMD?
- get bleeding in the subretinal space = black spotting
what is the leading cause of AMD
- sun damage = screen & educate
what is the amsler grid
- test for AMD
- uses a grid, if lines are shaded or distorted = AMD
what is glaucoma
- group of eye diseases resulting in damage of ganglion cells of optic nerve
- due to fluid pressure
what are signs of glaucoma
- may report poor vision in dim light
- headaches
- tired eyes
- side vision progressively & irreversibly lost
how do glaucoma meds work
- decrease fluid produced by the eye
- or increase the fluid that drains out of the eye
what are examples of glaucoma meds
- miotics (cholinergic)
- prostaglandin agonist
- beta-blockers
- adrenergic agonists
- carbonic anahydrase inhibitors
what is an example of 2 different meds combined in 1 bottle for glaucoma
- timolol maleate & dorzolamide
what is a nurses role in glaucoma
- prep & admin or glaucoma meds
what is diabetic retinopathy
- damage to retinal blood vessel from elevated blood glucose
when does diabetic retinopathy typically occur
- onset 3-5 years after onset of diabetes (most by 20 years)
what type of exam is used to detect diabetic retinopathy
- fundoscopy annually
describe care for diabetic retinopathy
- glucose control is focus of care
- laser treatments can reduce vision loss in 50% of patients
what are nursing interventions for visual wellness
- assess for risk factors
- promote healthy eye behaviors
- offer help for dry eyes
- modify the enviro
- low vision aids
- provide vision friendly teaching material
what are some enviro changes to make to accomodate vision
- use bright, nonglaring lighting
- use contrasting colors at meal times (ex plate diff color than table)
- pause in doorways when transitioning from light to dark rooms
