Myopia vs. Presbyopia
Myopia: near-sighted
Presbyopia: far-sighted
Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma
-pathology
-onset
-manifestations
Flow of aqueous humor is slowed or stopped by obstruction, increasing intraocular pressure
Slow onset
Chronic and progressive peripheral vision loss late in the disease process
Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma
-pathology
-onset
-consequences
A rapid increase in intraocular pressure due to a reduction in the outflow of aqueous humor; may also occur from prolonged pupil dilation
Sudden onset of: excruciating pain, nausea/vomiting, halos around lights, blurry vision, ocular redness
Total blindness within a day without immediate medical treatment
Which type of glaucoma is the most common?
What are risk factors for glaucoma?
Primary Open-Angle
Family history, 40+ years old, chronic diseases like DM, history of eye injury, cataracts surgery
Which 2 meds treat glaucoma?
Timolol
-beta blocker
Acetazolamide
-decreases amount of aqueous humor produced
Cataracts
-pathology
-manifestations
-risk factors
Complete or partial opacity of the lens, compromising sharpness of images in the retina
Blurry vision, hazy pupil appearance, poor color perception, glare which is worse at night
Diabetes, long-term corticosteroid use, older adults, trauma to eye
Macular Degeneration
-patho
-manifestations
-risk factors
-treatment
Retinal aging leads to loss of central vision, vision distortion, permanent loss of central vision, blurry/dark
Risks: family history, prolonged exposure to UV radiation, smoking
Retinal Detachment
-pathology
-complication
-risk factors
sensory retina detaches from epithelium, allowing fluid to pool in the space
If untreated, the eye will lose vision
older, severe myopia, trauma, previous cataracts/glaucoma surgery, family history
How is retinal detachment treated?
Surgical repair
Conjunctivitis
-patho
-manifestations
Inflamed conjunctiva (whites of eyes)
-bacterial or viral infection
Redness, edema, tearing, mucopurulent drainage
How is conjunctivitis treated depending on the sources:
-Bacterial infections
-allergies
How can we remove crust/exudates?
Antibiotic eye drops after cleaning the eye
Antihistamines/corticosteroids
Warm, moist compresses
How can we prevent an eye drying out during transport if it has been visibly damaged without a penetrating object?
Gently apply a dressing soaked in normal saline
How should a suspected/known corneal abrasion be inspected?
Flourescein lamp: a green halo would appear around a foreign object, and any abrasions would appear as a green line
How can non-penetrating foreign objects be removed from an eye?
Irrigation with normal saline
How should a nurse care for a penetrating foreign object while waiting for an opthalmologist to remove it?
Stabilize the object, protect it from movement by patching the other eye
How should chemical eye burns be handled before going to the ER?
Irrigate the eye with copious amounts of warm tap water
