Eye

• Anything that dilates the pupil obstructs the canal of Schlemm and increases intraocular pressure.
• Color blindness is caused by a deficiency in one or more types of cones and is caused by a sex-linked recessive gene.
• Destruction of either the right or left optic nerve tract results in blindness in the respective side of both eyes
• When mydriatics are instilled, caution clients that vision will be blurred with photophobia for up to two hours since the pupils have been dilated
• After eye surgery teach client to avoid, for six weeks, activities that can increase IOP
• Stooping
• Bending from the waist
• Heavy lifting
• Excessive fluid intake
• Emotional upsets
• Constrictive clothing around neck
• Straining with bowel movement (or straining at stool)
• Sustained coughing or blowing of the nose
• Teach client proper administration of eyedrops especially to wash hands before installation
• Provide sunglasses for photophobia
• Assist with activities of daily living as required
• When clients wear one eye patch, they lose depth perception. Remember that this loss presents a safety risk.
• Systemic disorders that can change ocular status include diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, Graves' disease (hyperthyroidism), AIDS, leukemia, lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritissickle cell disease.
  

Ear

• Changes in barometric pressure will affect persons with ear disorders to cause increased findings or malfunctions
• Hearing loss can
• be partial or total
• affect one or both ears
• occur in low, medium or high frequencies
• in elderly be more frequently high frequency so special smoke detectors may be needed
• American Medical Association formula for hearing loss: hearing is impaired 1.5% for every decibel that the pure tone average exceeds 25 decibels (dB)
• A hearing loss of 22.5% usually affects social functionality and requires a hearing aid
• Noise exposure is the major cause of hearing loss in the United States of America
• Ask client how he/she communicates: lip-reading, sign language, body gestures, or writing
• To gain the client's attention, raise a hand or touch the client's arm
• When talking with client, speak slowly and face him/her
• Speak toward the client's good ear
• If the client wears a hearing aid, allow him/her to show how it's inserted
• Speaking louder to a hearing impaired client does not increase his/her chances of hearing
• Communicate the client's hearing loss to other staff members
• Ototoxic drugs include:
• Aminoglycosides
• Antimyobacterials
• Thiazides
• Loop diuretics
• Antineoplastics
• Tell clients taking ototoxic drugs to report any signs of dizziness, loss of balance, tinnitus, or hearing loss
  

accommodation
acoustic neuroma
acuity
ametropia
anisocoria
astigmatism
audiometry
blepharitis
canthus
cataract
cerumen
chalazion
conduction deafness
conjunctivitis
dacryocystitis
decibel
ectropion
entropion
enucleation
esotropia
exotropia
hyperopia
hyphema
keratitis
keratoplasty
labyrinthitis
lacrimation
miosis
mydriasis
myopia
myringoplasty
nyctalopia
nystagmus
photophobia
presbyopia
pterygium
ptosis
retinopathy
scotoma
sensorineural deafness
trachoma
uveitis