Nursing Module: Senses (Eyes and Ears)

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering eye and ear anatomy, diagnostic tests, conditions, and surgical procedures based on the nursing module transcript.

Cornea

A transparent, avascular, dome-like structure that serves as the main refracting surface of the eye.

Aqueous Humor

A fluid produced by the ciliary body that nourishes the cornea.

Uvea

A middle layer of the eye consisting of the iris, ciliary body, and choroid.

Lens

A colorless and biconvex structure that enables focusing for near vision and refocusing for distance vision (accommodation).

Vitreous Humor

A substance that occupies $\frac{2}{3}$ of the eye's volume and helps maintain the shape of the eye.

Macula

The part of the retina responsible for central vision.

Rods

Cells in the retina responsible for night vision.

Cones

Cells in the retina responsible for bright light and color vision.

Tonometer

An instrument used to measure IUP by determining the pressure necessary to indent or flatten a small anterior area of the eye; normal IOP is $10-21\,mmHg$.

Perimetry

A tool used to evaluate the field of vision or the area of physical space visible to an eye in a given position.

Ishihara Color Plate Test

A test used to identify color vision deficit or color-blindness using dots of primary colors integrated into a background of secondary colors.

Amsler Grid

A geometric grid of identical squares with a central fixation point used to test for macular problems, such as macular degeneration.

Aphakia

A condition defined as being without a lens.

Astigmatism

An irregularity in the curve of the cornea.

Legal Blindness

A best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) that does not exceed $20/200$.

Emmetropia

The term for normal vision.

Nystagmus

Involuntary oscillation of the eyeball.

Ptosis

Drooping of the eyelid.

Papilledema

Swelling of the optic disc.

Enucleation

The surgical removal of the entire eye and part of the optic nerve.

Evisceration

The surgical removal of the intraocular contents through an incision in the cornea or sclera.

Exenteration

The removal of the eyelids, the eye, and various amounts of orbital contents.

Hordeolum (stye)

An inflammation or infection of the glands and follicles of the eyelid margin, typically involving the hair follicles of the eyelashes.

Chalazion

A granulomatous (chronic) infection of the meibomian glands.

Pink eye

A term usually referring to infectious conjunctivitis.

Keratitis

A secondary infection into the cornea that may lead to corneal ulceration and blindness.

Cataract

Clouding or opacity of the crystalline lens that impairs vision.

Phacoemulsification

A procedure for lens extraction where a portion of the anterior capsule is removed and an ultrasonic device is used to liquefy the nucleus and cortex.

Acute (Close Angle) Glaucoma

An ocular emergency where an obstruction occurs at the access to the trabecular meshwork and the canal of Schlemm.

Scleral Buckling

A surgical procedure for retinal detachment where the surgeon compresses the sclera with a buckle or silicone band to bring the two retinal layers in contact.

Pneumatic Retinopexy

A procedure where a gas bubble or liquid is injected into the vitreous cavity to push the sensory retina against the Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE).

Drusen

Small yellowish deposits located under the retina; their presence in the macula causes gradual blurring of vision in dry Macular Degeneration.

Hyphema

Hemorrhage within the anterior chamber of the eye.

Sympathetic ophthalmia

An inflammation created in the uninjured eye by the affected eye following trauma that can result in blindness of the uninjured eye.

Cerumen

A brown, wax-like substance secreted by ceruminous glands in the external auditory canal; also known as ear wax.

Organ of Corti

The end organ for hearing, located in the cochlea, which transforms mechanical energy into neural activity.

Weber test

A test using bone conduction to test lateralization of sound; sound is heard better in the affected ear during conductive loss.

Rinne test

A test where the examiner shifts a vibrating tuning fork between the ear canal and the mastoid bone to compare air and bone conduction.

Otitis Externa

Inflammation of the external auditory canal, commonly referred to as swimmer's ear.

Meniere’s Triad

The three main clinical manifestations of Meniere's disease: Tinnitus, Vertigo, and Sensorineural hearing loss.