Anatomy and Physiology

Eye
 Sensory organ located in the orbit of the
skull
 Components
○ Sclera, cornea, iris, pupil
○ Anterior chamber, posterior chamber
○ Lens, retina, choroid layer, posterior cavity
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Anatomy and Physiology

Ear
 External ear, middle ear, inner ear
 External ear: pinna and auditory canal
 External and middle ear separated by
tympanic membrane
 Middle ear called the tympanic cavity
○ Contains three bones: malleus, stapes, incus
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Anatomy and Physiology

Ear
 Inner ear is most sophisticated part
 Responsible for hearing and equilibrium
 Consists of vestibule, semicircular canals,
round window, and cochlea
 Cochlea is organ of hearing
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Common Signs and Symptoms

Eye
 Pain or burning in or around the eye
 Decreased visual acuity or ability to see
 Any disorder such as seeing flashes of light
 Eye redness
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Common Signs and Symptoms

Ear
 Otalgia
 Deafness
 Vertigo
 Tinnitus
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Diagnostic Tests

Eye
 Ophthalmoscopy
 Visual acuity
 Tonometry
 Slit lamp
 Angiography
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Diagnostic Tests

Ear
 Otoscopy
 Audiometry
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Eye Refractive Errors
Inability to focus images on retina
 One-third of population affected
 Types





Myopia - nearsightedness
Hyperopia - farsightedness
Presbyopia – age-related hyperopia
Astigmatism - irregularity of cornea surface
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Blepharitis
Inflammation of edge of eyelid, eyelash
follicles, and glands
 Due to bacterial infection, allergic
reaction, or seborrhea
 Red, swollen, and crusted eyelids
 Treatment: antibiotics, allergy
medication, treatment of seborrhea

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Keratitis
Inflammation of cornea caused by
trauma or infection
 Usually unilateral
 Symptoms - photophobia, pain,
excessive tearing
 Treatment - antibiotic, drops, eye patch

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Hordeolum
Stye - inflammatory infection of a
sebaceous gland of eyelid
 Styes resemble pimples
 Treatment: warm compresses, topical or
systemic antibiotics

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Cataract
Clouding of lens
 Causes

 Change in metabolism and nutrition in lens
 Aging
Symptom: decreased visual acuity
 Treatment: surgery

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Glaucoma
Excessive eye pressure
 Slow progression with or without
symptoms
 Permanent damage can occur before
patient is symptomatic
 Treatment: eye drops or surgery

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Nystagmus
Constant, involuntary movement of eyes
 May affect one or both eyes
 Causes: brain tumors, disease, alcohol
abuse, congenital defects
 Treatment: correct underlying cause

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Strabismus
Eyes fail to focus in same direction
simultaneously
 Due to muscle weakness in one or both
eyes

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Strabismus

Treatment
 Cover normal eye to train affected eye to
function
 Eye exercises
 Corrective lenses
 Surgery
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Macular Degeneration
Degeneration of macular area of retina
 Most common cause is age related
 Primary symptom: loss of central vision
 Treatment: laser surgery to improve
vision

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Diabetic Retinopathy
Leading cause of blindness in United
States
 Diabetes Mellitus causes vascular
changes in retina leading to decreased
visual acuity
 Treatment: laser photocoagulation
 Prevention: controlling blood sugar

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Infection of the Ear

Otitis Media
 Inflammation in middle ear
 Usually affects infants and young children
 Serous and suppurative Otitis Media

Treatment
 Analgesics, decongestants, and antibiotics
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Otitis Externa
“Swimmer’s ear”
 Inflammation of external ear canal
 Caused by bacterial or fungal infection

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Otitis Externa

Symptoms
 Extreme pain and fever
 Pruritus and hearing loss
 Clear or purulent drainage

Treatment
 Keep ear canal clean and dry
 Analgesics and antibiotics
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Mastoiditis
Inflammation of mastoid bone or
process
 Acute mastoiditis is usually a result of
middle ear infection
 Symptoms: tinnitus and otalgia
 Treatment: antibiotics or mastoidectomy

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Deafness
Affects more than 25 million people
 Conductive and Sensory

 Conductive:
○ Caused by external or middle ear disorders
that decrease or stop sound conduction
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Deafness

Causes: impacted cerumen,
otosclerosis, ruptured eardrum
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Deafness

Sensory
 Cochlear or auditory nerve damage
preventing sound to be carried to the brain

Cause is related to damaging noise
levels and ototoxic medications
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Impacted Cerumen
Cerumen is a soft, yellow-brown
secretion commonly called earwax
 Causes skin dryness, excessive hair,
narrow ear canal, excessive dust
 Treatment: ear irrigation

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Otosclerosis
Bony fixation of middle ear bones do not
allow vibrations from eardrum to inner
ear
 Treatment: stapedectomy

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Sensorineural Deafness
Sensory deafness due to damage to
cochlea or auditory deafness
 May be due to exposure to loud noise
 Damage is often permanent

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Motion Sickness
Experiencing nausea when traveling by
car, boat, or airplane
 Symptoms: nausea, vomiting,
diaphoresis, and vertigo
 Treatment: anti-motion sickness
medication, rest, and closing eyes

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Corneal Abrasion

Causes
 Obstruction trapped between eyelid and
cornea
 Ill-fitting or worn contact lenses
 Accidentally poking a finger in eye
 Extreme light, as with welding
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Corneal Abrasion

Treatment
 Remove obstruction
 Antibiotic ointment or analgesics
 Pressure dressing to prevent eye movement
 Reduce pain of photophobia
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Retinal Detachment
Often occurs with trauma, diabetes, and
other retinopathies
 Symptoms: blurred vision, flashes of
light, floating spots
 Painless disorder but needs attention
 Treatment: surgery

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Ruptured Tympanic Membrane
Common cause is middle ear infection
or sticking a sharp object in ear canal
 Symptoms: pain, partial loss of hearing,
bloody or purulent discharge
 Treatment: antibiotics and surgical
patching of membrane with tissue graft

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Retinoblastoma
Hereditary malignant tumor of the eye
occurring during infancy and childhood
 If left untreated, the condition is fatal
 Treatment: enucleation, radiation, and
chemotherapy

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Meniérè’s Disease
Chronic disease of inner ear
 Symptoms:

 Tinnitus
 Vertigo
 Progressive hearing loss
 Feeling of fullness in ear

Attacks: few hours to several days
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Meniérè’s Disease

Treatment
 Medications to control nausea
 Low salt diet
 Diuretics
 Antihistamines
 No smoking

Surgery may be necessary
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Color Blindness
Ability to see color diminishes with age
due to yellowing of lens
 Inherited
 Most common affects ability to
distinguish between red and green
 No cure

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