Week 3: Sensory Changes in the Older Adult Flashcards
When to age related sensory changes occur for each of the senses?
Hearing- 40s
Vision- 50s
Taste and Touch- 60s
Smell varies
What happens to the lens of the eye with aging?
thickening or hardening, reduced pliability
What is presbyopia?
decreased near vision
What happens to aqueous humor drainage with age?
reduced draining –> increased risk of gluacoma
What happens to the pupil with aging?
reduced diametes and decreased dilation/constriction, causing ability to respond to changes in light
What happens to the iris with aging?
reduced color
What happens to the inner ear with aging?
increased pruritis, atrophy of organ of Corti, loss of sensory hair cells, degeneration of stria vascularis
What plays an important role in long-term memory?
hippocampus
What is the definition of blindness?
visual acuity of 20/200 by Snellen eye chart
What is the leading cause of blindness in adults over the age 65?
Age-related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) or maculopathy
What are the macula used to see?
fine details
What are the types of ARMD?
Dry (atrophy, retinal pigment degeneration, slow progressive sight loss)
Wet (neurovascular exudates, blood or serum leaks from vessel causing scar formation and visual impairments)
What is a defect in vision in which objects appear to be distorted, usually due to a defect in the retina
Metamorphosia
What are the different types or cataracts?
nuclear, cortical, posterior subscapular, mixed
What is cataracts?
opacity or yellowing of the lenses causing blurry vision
What is glaucoma caused by?
an increase in intraocular pressure resulting in optic nerve damage and vision loss
What is the second most common cause of vision loss?
Glaucoma
What are the different types of glaucoma?
open-angle (slowed flow of aqueous humor),and angle closure (results in infection or trauma)
What is diabetic retinopathy caused by?
damage ot ocular microvascular structure impairing perfusion to eyes
What are the types of diabetic retinopathy?
nonproliferative (damage to endothelium of blood vessels causing microaneurysms causing edema) and proliferative (more advanced neovascularization resulting in fragile, leaking blood vessels and retinal damage)
What is temporary threshold shift (TTS)
results from moderate exposure to loud noises
What is conductive hearing loss?
sounds are not transmitted to inner ear
What is sensorineural hearing loss?
cochlea and auditory nerve creates sound distortion
What scale can be used to identify problems in hearing loss?
Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE-S)
