N109: Foundations in Nursing Practice

N109: Foundations in Nursing Practice Study Guide and may lead to a loss of vision in both eyes. AMD is a leading cause of vision loss in Americans 60 years of age and older. AMD is typically classified as wet or dry. o Dry AMD: This is the most common type and occurs when the light-sensitive cells in the macula slowly break down, gradually blurring central vision in the affected eye. As dry AMD gets worse, central vision becomes blurred. Over time, as less of the macula functions, central vision is gradually lost in the affected eye. Once dry AMD reaches the advanced stage, no form of treatment can prevent vision loss. However, treatment can delay and possibly prevent intermediate AMD from progressing to the advanced stage, in which vision loss occurs. Some studies have found that taking a specific high-dose formulationof antioxidants and zinc significantly reduces the risk of advanced AMD and its associated vision loss. o Wet AMD: This occurs when abnormal blood vessels behind the retina start to grow under the macula. These new blood vessels tend to be very fragile and often leak blood and fluid. The blood and fluid raise the macula from its normal place at the back of the eye. Damage to the macula occurs rapidly. Wet AMD can be treated with laser surgery, photodynamic therapy, and injections into the eye. None of these treatments is a cure for wet AMD. The disease and loss of vision may progress despite treatment. • Cataracts: Cataracts are a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. Most cataracts are related to aging. Cataracts are very common in older people and, by age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery. The lens is made of mostly water and protein arranged in a precise way that keeps the lens clear and allows light to pass through it. But as individuals age, some of the protein may clump together and start to cloud a small area of the lens. This is a cataract. Over time, the cataract may grow larger and cloud more of the lens,making it harder to see. The most common symptoms of a cataract are: o Cloudy or blurry vision o Colors seem faded o Glare: headlights, lamps, or sunlight may appear too bright; halomay appear around lights o Poor night vision o Double vision or multiple images in one eye (this symptom may clear as the cataract gets larger) The symptoms of an early cataract may be improved with new eyeglasses, brighter lighting, anti-glare sunglasses, or magnifying lenses. If these measures do not help, surgery is the only effective treatment. Surgery involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial lens. • Retinopathy: This is any disease of the retina. Retinopathy can be caused by arteriosclerosis, diabetes, and high blood pressure and is typically the ocular manifestation of these underlying diseases. Treatment is typically aimed at the underlying cause of the retinopathy. • Glaucoma: This refers to a group of eye conditions that lead to damage to the optic nerve, the nerve that carries visual information from the eye to the brain. In many cases, damage to the optic nerve is due to increased pressure in the eye, also known as intraocular pressure (IOP). Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness in the United States. There are four major types of glaucoma:

©2017

Achieve Test Prep

Page 73

of 154