Assessing Eyes (Abnormal Findings)

When a client reports losing full or partial vision in one or both eyes, the nurse can usually anticipate a _____ as the cause.

Source is lesion in (right) eye or (right) optic nerve

Source is lesion of optic chiasm

Source is Partial lesion of temporal loop (optic radiation)

Source is Lesion in right optic tract or lesion in temporal loop (optic radiation)

Normal in young children, the pupils will appear at the inner canthus (due to the epicanthic fold)

A constant malalignment of the eye axis and is defined according to the direction toward which the eye drifts and may cause amblyopia

Noticeable only with the cover test, this is less likely to cause amblyopia than strabismus.

Noticeable with the positions test, ____________ is usually the result of weakness or paralysis of one or more extraocular muscles.

(Paralytic Strabismus) 

________ paralysis: The eye cannot look to the outer side

(Paralytic Strabismus) 

__________ paralysis: The eye cannot look down when turned inward

drooping eye

outwardly turned lower lid

generalized inflammation of the conjunctiva

protruding eyeballs and retracted eyelids

infected meibomian gland

stye

inwardly turned lower eyelid

staphylococcal infection of the eyelid

inflammation of the sclera

bright red areas of the sclera

A corneal _____, which appears grayish-white, usually due to an old injury or inflammation

Early __________, a thickening of the bulbar conjunctiva that extends across the nasal side

____________ appear gray when seen with a flashlight; they appear as a black spot against the red reflex when seen through an ophthalmoscope.

____________ look like gray spokes that point inward when seen with a flashlight; they look like black spokes that point inward against the red reflex when seen through an ophthalmoscope

An ____________ iris causes a shallow anterior chamber, which may increase the risk for narrow-angle (closed-angle) glaucoma.

Also known as pinpoint pupils, miosis is characterized by constricted and fixed pupils—possibly a result of narcotic drugs or brain damage.

_________ is pupils of unequal size. In some cases, the condition is normal; in other cases, it is abnormal.

Dilated and fixed pupils, typically resulting from central nervous system injury, circulatory collapse, or deep anesthesia.

• Swollen optic disc
• Blurred margins
• Hyperemic appearance from accumulation of excess blood
• Visible and numerous disc vessels
• Lack of visible physiologic cup

• Enlarged physiologic cup occupying more than half of the disc’s
diameter
• Pale base of enlarged physiologic cup
• Obscured and/or displaced retinal
vessels

• White optic disc
• Lack of disc vessels

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• Also known as soft exudates; have a fluffy cotton ball appearance, with irregular edges.
• Appear as white or gray moderately sized spots on retinal background
• Caused by arteriole microinfarction
• Associated with diabetes mellitus and hypertension

• Solid, smooth surface and well-defined edges
• Creamy yellow-white, small, round spots typically clustered in circular,
linear, or star pattern
• Associated with diabetes mellitus and hypertension

• Appear as small, flame-shaped, linear red streaks on retinal background
• Hypertension and papilledema are common causes.

• Appear as small, irregular red spots with blurred edges on retinal background
• Lie deeper in retina than superficial retinal hemorrhages
• Associated with diabetes mellitus

• Round, tiny red dots with smooth edges on retinal background
• Localized dilations of small vessels in retina, but vessels are too small to see
• Associated with diabetic retinopathy