Retina Flashcards

1
Q

what does the retina fo

A

light sensitive tissue - lining the inner surface of the eye

conversion of light into an impulse (phototransuction)

transmits impulses to the brain (conduction)

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2
Q

where does light travel to once it gets to the retina

A
  • light has to travel all the way through to reach the photoreceptors which are in the outer retina
  • and then the neural impulse has to travel all the way back through the layers to the ganglion cell layers to reach the optic nerve
  • light goes through all the layers of the retina and then the impulse goes back out
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3
Q

where is the inner retina located

A
  • towards the virteous - towards the centre of the globe
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4
Q

where is the outer retina located

A

towards the sclera

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5
Q

what is located in your outer retina

A
  • photoreceptors are in your outer retina
  • retinal pigmented epithelium is in the outer retina

light has to pass through to reach the outer retina

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6
Q

what is the function of the pigmented outer layer

A

outer layer = a single layer of pigmented cells which absorbs light and prevents light scatter within the eye ball- (retinal pigmented epithelium)

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7
Q

what is the function of the inner neural layer

A
  • contains photoreceptors
  • rods and cones

and neural cells

posteriolly located - optic retina - anterioly the pigmented layer continues but not the neural layer non - visual retina

light has to pass through the ganglion cells to reach pigmented layer and rods and cones

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8
Q

where does light have to pass through to reach the pigmented layer of rods and cones

A
  • light has to pass through retinal ganglion cells to reach the pigmented layer of rods and cones to be phototransduced into a neural impulse
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9
Q

describe the macroscopic structure of the neural retina

A

neural retina is attached at the

ora serrata

margins of the optic nerve head

bound externally by bruchs membrane and internally by the virteous

continues with the optic nerve posterioly (exit site of ganglion cell axons from the eye)

thickness varies from 0.56mm near the optic disc to 0.1mm in the ora serrata

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10
Q

what is the ora serrata

A
  • the ora serrata is a serrated junction between the retina and the pars plana of the cillary body

transition from simple non receptive tissue to multilayered photosensitive tissue

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11
Q

describe the macroscopic structure of the posterior pole

A

where most of our central vision happens

  • ‘’area centralis’’

between superior and inferior arteries

cone dominated

it is subdivided into the macula, fovea and foveola

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12
Q

describe the macroscopic structure of the macula lutea

A

5.5mm diametre area

3mm lateral to the optic disc

surrounds the fovea (an area within the macula which has high acuity vision)- and a higher cone density

lutea = yellow from yellow xanthophyll cartotenoid pigments in cone axons

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13
Q

describe the macroscopic structure of the fovea centralis

A
  • 1.55 diameter zone in the maccula
  • depression surrounded by slightly thickened margins

area of finest detail vision

  • no blood vessles - avascular - if light has to reach down towards the outer layer (photoreceptors) then you dont want blood vessles blocking the light
  • maximal conc of cones
  • no rods
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14
Q

describe the function of the optic disc

A

this is where all of our axons leave the eye

  • because of that their is no photoreceptors - and it therefore forms a blind spot in our vision

the optic disc = 20 degrees from the fovea - and that corresponds with a blind spot that = 20 degrees from our blind spot of our centre of vision

  • 1.55mm and 3mm medial to the fovea

central retinal artery and vein enter and leave the eye

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15
Q

describe the nerve fibres anterior to the optic disc

A

the nerve fibres anterior to the optic disc (within the eye) are non myelinated

the nerve fibres posterior to the optic disc - are myelinated (the ones that go to the brain)

forms an anatomical boundary between the myelinated and unmyelinated axons

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16
Q

describe the peripheral retina

A

remainder of the retina outside the posterior pole

rich in rods fewer cones - wheras at the fovea you have a high concentration of cones - optic disc has no rods or cones

only one layer of ganglion cell bodies

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17
Q

describe the neural retina

A

neural retina is firmly attached at the ora serrata and margins of the optic disc

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18
Q

where does the area centralis/ posterior pole lie

A

area centralis / posterior pole lies between the superior and inferior temporal arteries and is cone dominated

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19
Q

where does the maccular lutea lie and what is it responsible for

A

macula lutea lies within the area centralis/posterior pole and is responsible for high acuity vision

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20
Q

where is the fovea located

A
  • the fovea is a depression within the maccula containing maximal cone concentrations
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21
Q

what happens and the optic disc and decribe the nerve fibres anterior and posterior to the optic disc

A

optic disc is where the retinal ganglion cell axons leave the retina and therefore is a blind spot

anterior to the nerve fibres = non myleinated and posterior to the nerve fibres = myelinated

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22
Q

where does the peripheral retina lie and what does it contain

A

the peripheral retina lies outside the posterior pole and it contains higher rod density

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23
Q

what happens in the outer layer of the retina

A

phototransduction - the conversion of light to neural impulses

  • light comes down to the photoreceptors - you have the retinal pigmented epithelium which prevents light scatter - the rods and cones which are photoreceptors convert light into a neural impulse - they synapse in the outer plexiform layer with the bipolar cells and the ganglion cells where they synapse - and then the ganglion cell axons travel continously with the optic nerve where it is sent back to the brain for processing and analysis
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24
Q

list the names of the layers of the retina

A
inner limiting membrane 
nerve fibre layer 
ganglion cell layer 
inner plexiform layer 
inner nuclear layer 
outer plexiform layer 
outer nuclear layer 
external limiting membrane 
photoreceptor layer 
retinal pigmented epithelium
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25
what are the three different cell types in the retina
- photoreceptors - rods and cones (responsible for transduction) neuronal cells biopolar horizontal amacrine retinal ganglion cells responsible for conduction gial cells - mullers cells, astrocytes - responsible for support
26
where are the rods and cones situated
rods and cones are situated on the outer retina in the retinal pigmented epithelium - specalised neurons which convert light into neural impulses (phototransduction) - comversion of light into a nerual impulse
27
describe the structure of photoreceptors
- inner and outer segment seperated from the cell body by the external limiting membrane inner segment has lots of mitchondria - the outer segment- contains photopigments - opsins - responsible for phototransduction - (where light gets turned into a nerual impulse) axons pass into the outer plexiform layer where they synapse with bipolar and horizontal cells
28
where are opsins located
in the outersegment of photoreceptors opsins convert light into a action potential
29
what does the outer nuclear layer contain
the outer nuclear layer contains the cell bodies of the rod and cone cells
30
what is the external limiting membrane
situated at between the photoreceptors and the cell bodies of the rods and cones (outer nuclear layer) - provides mechanical support to the retina - made up primarily of mullers cells (retinal glial cells)
31
describe the structure and fucntion of rods
115 million in each eye 100- 120um long black and white vision (sense contrast, brightness and motion) max spectral sensitivity = 496nm (referring to wavelengths of light photopigment = rhodopsin you have a lot more of them because the peripheral retina -which is a lot more of your eye - contains a higher density of rods and cones
32
what photopigment do the rods contain
- rods contain the photopigment - rhodopsin- rhodopsin contains retinal and scotopsin
33
describe the structure and function of cones
- 6.5 million ( you have fewer cones than rods but they are more important than rods) - 60- 75 micrometres long fine resolution , spatial resolution and colour vision - their density is highest in the centre of our vision
34
what photopigments do your cones have
you have 3 types of opsin - so we are able to appreciate colour - short wavelength (blue) medium wavelength (green) long wavelength (red)
35
what is disc shedding
discs are in the outer segements of photoreceptors and they contain all the opsins recycling of photopigment occurs in the rpe and takes picoseconds discs are constantly made and broken down shed at once in the early morning
36
what is phototransduction - what happens in dark conditions
- the conversion of light into a action potential in dark conditions - their is no light hitting your photoreceptors relatively depolarised in their depolarised state they release glutamate which is inhibitory neurotransmitter in the dark you dont want photoreceptors to be firing of signals so you release an inhibitory neurotransmitter
37
in light conditions describe the process of phototransduction
- you have a cascade that is initiated by a photon in the photopigment in the rods this would be (rhodopsin) this hyperpolarises the photoreceptor stops the release of glutatmate- and therefore that generates an impulse it is a graded response- greater light intensity (more photons) arriving in your photoreceptor results in a greater reduction in neurotransmitter release and therefore a larger impulse
38
describe the process of phototransduction
- phototranduxtion = a process that occurs in the retina where light is converted into electrical impulses that can be understood by the nervous system - primarily takes place in photoreceptor cells where their are two types - rods and cones phototransduction in rods - positively charged sodium ions flow into rod cells - causes cells to be in a depolarised state leading to the continous release of the neurotransmitter glutamate - inside the rod cell their is a substance called rodopsin which is made up from opsin and retinal - when their is a light stimulus present gultamate release is inhibited
39
what is the main function of photoreceptors
photoreceptors convert light into neural impulses via phototransduction - they are formed of an axon seperated form the inner and outer segment of the external limiting membrane
40
what does the outer segment and inner segments of photoreceptors contain
the outersegments are where we have the discs and is where the phototransduction happens the inner segment contains mitchondria
41
what are the functions of rods and what is their photopigment called
rods give black and white/ night vision and sense contrast - their opsin is called rhodopsin
42
what are the functions of cones and what are their opsins called
cones give fine resolution and colour vision - they have three opsins absorbing different wavelengths to provide a visible spectrum
43
where are the cell bodies of photoreceptors located
cell bodies of photoreceptors are in the outer nuclear layer
44
how are discs renewed
discs are constantly renewed viewing disc shedding to ensure continued unbroken vision
45
when does phototransduction take place
phototransudction takes place when opsins absorb a photon causing a cascade resulting in hyperpolarisation of the cell and cessation of glutamate release which is a inhibitory neurotransmitter
46
describe the retinal pigmented epithelium
continous monolayer of cuboidal/coloumnar epitheliel cells basal aspect lies on bruchs membrane apical surface associated with photoreceptor outer segments
47
what are the functions of the rpe
functions physical optical metabolic/ biochemical transport when examined from aove they form a highly organised hexagonal pattern of homogenously sized cells
48
what is bruchs membrane
connective tissue layer 2-4 micrometres thick acellular has 5 layers basement membrane of rpe inner collagenous zone middle elastic layer outer collagenous zone basement membrane of the endotheliel cells of the choriocappilaris outer collagenous zone basement membrane of the endotheliel cells of the choriocapillaris
49
what are the age related changes that can happen with bruchs membrane
- age related changes in bruchs membrane lead to an accumulation of extracellular material between bruchs and rpe = drusen
50
describe the choroid
- posterior portion of the middle vascular layer (uvea) provides nutritonal support for the outer 1/3 of the retina , especially photoreceptors absorbtion of light by the choroidal pigment
51
what is situated at the apex of the choroid
- layer of capillaries immeaditley under bruchs membrane more of a preforated vascular net than a network of capillaries provides rpe and photoreceptor nourishment and remove their metabolic waste
52
what structures lie underneath the photoreceptors
the rpe cups the outer segments bruchs membrane lies beneath then finally the chorioid outermost
53
describe the structure of the rpe
the rpe has a metabolic, optical and structural role and forms a highly organised hexagonal pattern
54
describe the struture of bruchs membrane
- bruchs membrane is an acellular tissue layer comprised of 5 layers
55
what happens in amd
extracellular material accumulates by bruchs membrane and the retinal pigmented epithelium known as drussen
56
what does the chorioid provide support to
the choroid provides nutritional support for the outer 1/3 of the retina
57
how does the choroid provide nutritional support to the retina
provides nutritional support via the choriocappilaris - a vascular bed of cappillaries adjacent to bruchs membrane
58
what is the purpouse of the retina
to convert light into an electrical impulse - also called phototransduction- action potentials are sent down the ganglion cell axons which travel down the optic nerve and they go to your brain via your visual pathway transmiting impulses to the brain = conduction
59
what does the optic disc correspond to in terms of vision
- blind spot - their is no photoreceptors or neuronal cells here in conditions such as idiopthathic intracranial hypertension - you can have a enlargement of the optic disc and therefore an enlargement of the blind spot
60
where do the cell bodies of the photreceptors lie
the cell bodies of the photoreceptors lie in the outernuclear layer the photoreceptors lie in the photoreceptor area the rpe lies just before the choroid starts - the main function of the rpe is to support the retina - it is able to stop the scattering of light and provide a sharp focused image
61
where in the retina do you have the highest concentration of cones
the fovea- in the fovea you have no rods at all it is only cones 3 types of cones , red , blue and green - allow you to percieve colour
62
what forms the nerve fibre layer
the axons of the ganglion cell layer form the nerve fibre layer and it is these fibres that then go back towards the optic nerve
63
where is the inner retina and outer retina located
inner retina = towards the virteous and the outer retina is towards the sclera
64
what is the outer segment comprised of
- the outer segment is made up of the rpe and the photoreceptor layer the inner segment is made up of everything else
65
what is the function of the external limiting membrane
situated at the junction between photoreceptors and cell bodies of rods and cones (outer nuclear layer) provides mechanical support to the retina made up primarily of mullers cells (retinal glial cells) - glial cells are supporting cells in your cns
66
what does the outer nucleus contain
contains the cell bodies of rods and cones
67
what is the outer plexiform layer
- no cells - only made up of connections between photoreceptors and bipolar cells and horiaontal cells layer of neuronal synapses between photoreceptor axons and dendrite from bipolar and horizontal cells
68
what does the inner nuclear layer contain
contains the cells bodies of bipolar, amacrine , hroizontal cells thicker centrally due to higher density of cone connecting bipolar cells and horizontal cells
69
describe the different layers of the retina
the nerve fibre layer lies at the top and contains the ganglion cell axons it sends off its axons which eventually go off towards the optic nerve inner plexiform layer - contains connections between bipolar cells and ganglion cells - once the ganglion cells have recieved this imformation they will transmit it towards the nerve fibre layer which is where their axons lie and the nerve fibre layer then goes on towards the optic nerve inner nuclear layer- cell bodies for bipolar cells photoreceptors detect light and they communicate with bipolar cells and that happens at the level of the outer plexiform layer external limiting membrane - provides support to the retina - contains mullers cells which are involved in homeostasis retinal pigmented epithelium lies at the bottom - behind rpe you have the choroid which has a seperate blood supply choroid is a part of the uveal tract and everything above that= neurosensory retina inbetween that you have subretinal space
70
what is the inner plexiform layer comprised of
layer of synapses (connections) between bipolar, amacrine, and retinal ganglion cells
71
what does the ganglion cell layer contain
contains the cell bodies of retinal ganglion cells thickest layer of the retina
72
describe the ganglion cell layer
their is about 1.2 million ganglion cell bodies - because their are much less ganglion cell bodies compared to the number of photoreceptors in the eye a single ganglion cell serves several receptors ganglion cell receptive field - ganglion cell recieves light imformation from photoreceptor layer your ganglion cells can recieve photoreceptors from the came receptive field
73
what are the two types of retinal ganglion cells
on centre and off centre retinal ganglion cells some of them work better if the light is hitting the centre of the receptive field and that is when they are activated whereas some are inactivacted if the light is at the centre
74
what will activate the off centre retinal ganglion cells
-light hitting the periphery of the receptive field will activate the off centre ganglion cells because you have overlap of receptive fields and different types of retinal ganglion cellls this allows you to detect different shades of light - the light is detected differently by different ganglion cells
75
what does the retinal nerve fibre layer contain
axons of ganglion cells unmyelinated - if it was myelinated it would not help with the transparency- until reach the optic disc thicker adjacent to the optic disc prone to damage from high iop
76
what is the internal limiting membrane comprised of
-the internal limiting membrane - formed primarily of astrocytes and the flootplates of mullers cells boundary between the retina and the virteous role in retinal development function in adults is poorly understood
77
what cells are involved in conduction of action potentials
neuronal cells - bipolar cells , horizontal cells , amacrine cells and retinal ganglion cells
78
what do bipolar cells do
connect photoreceptors to ganglion cells cell bodies lie in the inner nuclear layer orientated perpendicular to the retinal surface one or more dendrites ( synapses in outerplexiform layer) and on axon synapses in the inner plexiform layer synapses with either the rod or cone may transmit photoreceptor signal either directly or indirectly (via amacrine cells) recieves imformation from one or many photoreceptors
79
what are the two main types of bipolar cells
cone bipolar cells - diffuse bipolar cells may synapse with up to 20 cones (exist in peripheral retina) midget bipolar cells synapse with a single cone (in the fovea) rod bipolar cells do not synapse directly with ganglion cells but via amacrine cells
80
describe on bipolar cells
depolarised by light inhibited in dark conditions (by the presence of glutamate) - glutamate = a inhibitory neurotransmitter - in dark conditions you have the presence of glutatmate - and therefore action potentials are not triggered when glutatmate levels fall (in the presence of light) lose inhibitions depolarised by light depolarisation - going towards the action potential threshold- you need to reach a certain threshold for the action potential to be triggered - in depolarisation it is going towards that- meaning when light hits the on bipolar cells - it is getting more and more activated and eventually you have a trigger of an action potential - which goes to your ganglion cells which tells your brain you are in light conditions
81
describe off bipolar cells
stimulated by glutamate inhibited as glutatmate levels falls hyperpolarised by cell
82
what is the difference between on and off bipolar cells
on bipolar cells are depolarised - activated by light off bipolar cells are hyperpolarised - deactivated by light
83
describe ganglion cells
they are multipolar cells (one axon/ multiple dendrites) ganglion cell axons form the retinal nerve fibre layer 80% are midget cells ( project to parvocellular layers of the LGN - high acuity - low contrast increased layers from periphery (1 layer) to macula (10 layers) absent at fovea - in embryology ganglion cell layer moves away from the fovea during devlopment - when your born you still have some ganglion cells covering your fovea - and this is why babies have poor va - because fovea is not fully developed yet- as they grow older ganglion cells move away from the fovea to leave only a layer of cone photoreceptors- in a fully devloped retina you dont have any ganglion cells at the level of the fovea
84
describe the ganglion cell axons
axons are unmyelinated until they pass through the lamina cribosa beyond which point they become myelinated by oligodendrocytes axons give rise to the optic nerve lamina cribosa in a mesh like layer that functions as a opening in the sclera in glaucoma this is the area where you have the most damage to the ganglion cell axons - this is where if you have an high iop where the damage happens
85
what are horizontal and amacrine cells
horizontal cells introduce lateral inhibition to the bipolar cell dendrites amacrine cells lateral inhibiton to the bipolar cell axon terminal important and complex neuromodulatory functions facilitate centre -surround inhibition of the retinal receptive fields facilitate high singal noise ration
86
what are off centre and on centre ganglion cells
on centre - fire when the light hits the centre of the receptive field off centre - fire when light hits surround receptive field allows you to detect contrast and motion
87
how do photoreceptors communicate with rods and cones
light hits the retina and is picked up by photoreceptors (rods and cones) which communicate with bipolar cells bipolar cells can be ON or OF depending on their response to glutamate bipolar cells communicate with ganglion cells via horizontal amacrine cells which are responsible for neuromodulation and give rise to centre - surround inhibition of receptive fields
88
what are the supporting cells in the retina
distributed throghout axons of cells in the retina and optic nerve mullers cells, astrocytes and microglial cells maintain homeostasis , produce myelin and protect and support neurons
89
what are mullers cells
principle retinal glial cells cell bodies sit in the inner nuclear layer project thick and think processes both inward and outward these processes are tangled up with cell bodies in nuclear layers and bundles of neural processes in plexiform layers projections continue to form internal and external limiting membranes
90
what is the inner boundary if the retina
virteous - inner retina - towards the virteous - towards the middle of the globe - what lies on the inner surface and that is the virteous outer retina - towards the sclera -
91
which of the following best describes the function of the choroid
- nutritional support of the outer retina outer retina is towards the sclera -
92
how does the retina recieve nutritional supply
central retinal artery and vein - supplies the inner retina - supplies from the outer plexiform layer inward choroid- supplies the outer 1/3 - supplies the retinal pigmented epithelium and the outer nuclear layer
93
which layer of the retina contains the cell bodies of the photoreceptors
- outer nuclear layer - the photoreceptors cover from the outerplexiform layer where they synapse with the bipolar and amacrine cells down to the pigment epithelium which cups the outer segments of them - nuclear layers - nuclei are connections of the cell bodies -there are 2 nuclear layers in the retina - a inner nuclear layer and a outer nuclear layer - inner nuclear layer contains the cell bodies of the bipolar cells
94
where is the neural retina most firmly adherent
- the neural retina is most firmly adherent in the ora serrata and the optic disc margin the ora serrata is the anterior boundary of the neural retina and is most firmly adherent there - it is also thinnest at the ora serrata and thickest at the optic disc margin
95
in phototransduction when is glutamate released
glutamate is released in dark conditions- glutamate = a inhibitory neurotransmitter - in dark conditions you have constant release of glutamate - glutatmate is a inhibitory neurotransmitter under dark conditions you have continous release of the inhibitory neurotransmitter glutamate meaning no signal is sent in the photoreceptors in your rods you have a opsin called rhodopsin - when light hits your rod - it causes a cascade- activates an enzyme which keeps sodium channels closed and it then becomes relatively hyperpolarised that hyperpolarsiation inhibits glutamate release- and because glutamate is a inhibitory neurotransmitter on photoreceptors you get generation of an impulse
96
approxiamtley how many rod cells are their in each eye
115 million
97
describe photoreceptor distribution
there are more rods in your eyes than cones 115 million rods and 6.5 million cones you have a high cone density in your maccula and fovea but everywhere else in your eye you have a much higher rod density most of the peripheral retina is full of rods wheras only the central retina has cones it it 6.5 million cones
98
the outer segment of the photoreceptor cells contain contain what
discs photoreceptors have a inner and outer segment - the inner and outer segments are sepertated from the axons and nuclei by the external limiting membrane outersegments are closer to the choroid and bruchs membrane- the rpe cups the outer segments outersegment contains discs and opsins which are responsible for phototransduction the inner segments have mitchondria
99
describe the fovea
- it is temporal to the optic disc fovea = thin - you have the foveal depression- to allow as much light to come through as possible- fovea structure - slightly depressed area with slightly raised area avacular part of retina has a high conc of cones rods are more is the peripheral retina - dark low acuity vision 20 degrees from the fovea = optic disc which has neither rods or cones- at your fovea you have a spike in cone photoreceptors because it is the area of vision where you want high acuity colour vision - the rest of the retina has more rods in it
100
how can you tell from the fundus weather it is a left eye or a right eye
- the optic nerve inserts nasally to the fovea - if the optic disc is on the right hand side of the image then it is the patients right eye - the fovea is temporal to the optic disc
101
what does the outer segment comprise
the outer segment comprises the photosegment layer and the rpe - everything else is a part of the inner segment of the retina the outer segment is always towards the sclera - the inner part is towards the virteous
102
what are the consitiuents of the outer nuclear layer
rods and cone cell bodies inner nuclear layer contains bipolar cell bodies
103
what does the ganglion cell layer contain
the ganglion cell bodies ganglion cell axons go on to form the optic nerve
104
where do ganglion cells lie
in the nerve fibre layer - we look at this with patients who have glaucoma - becuase of the high blood pressure in the eye - you end up with reduced blood flow and ischameic action to the ganglion cell axons as the ganglion cell axons die you have a thinning of the nerve fibre layer
105
what are muller cells
- - supporting cells - they lie in the internal limiting membrane of the retina - and they provide strutural support - + support with regards to homeostasis
106
what does the outerplexiform layer contain
layer of neuronal synapses between photoreceptor axons and dendrites from bipolar and horizontal cells
107
what does the retinal nerve fibre layer contain
axons of ganglion cells unmyelinated until you reach the optic disc thicker adjacent to the optic disc prone to damage from high iop
108
where do the axons of the retinal ganglion cells become myelinated
the lamina cribriosa - mesh like structure in the sclera where your ganglion cell axons pass through and it is beyond this point that they become myelinated and form the optic nerve - which is myelinated for fast conduction - oligodendrocytes myleinated them
109
what is the papillomacular bundle
the ganglion cell axons from the fovea to the optic disc the axons travel in a straight line because the fovea is responsible for high acuity vision they have a direct route to the optic nerve the peripheral fibres loop around the retinal ganglion cell axons - it is important in the consideration of glaucoma patients - and go to the outer regions of the optic disc the optic cup has no nerve axons in glaucoma the pressure affects the outer optic disc first- central fibres tend to be more protected - this is why glaucoma patients lose their peirpheral vision first- only after a long time they begin to lose their central vision in glaucoma as more of the ganglion cell axons die- their is more empty space - and the empty space we see is the optic cup- this is why in glaucoma you have a bigger cup- as more ganglion cell axons die you have a emptier optic nerve and disc and the empty space which is the optic cup grows
110
in glaucoma what do you have sparing of
the papillomacular bundle- is relatively protected until late on - the fibres on the outer bit are affected - if you have fibres which are dead - the peirpheral retina is still working but the retinal ganglion axons are dead and therefore the retina is unable to communicate its imformation to the brain - and you have visual field loss in the peripheral part of your retina
111
how to ON bipolar cells respond to light
ON bipolar cells are activated by light - inhibited by dark conditions and therefore respond to light by depolarisation
112
how to off bipolar cells respond to light
off bipolar cells are deactivated by light and therefore respond to light by hyperpolarisation - stimulated by glutatmate which is a inhibitory nt
113
on centre ganglion cells fire when…..
light hits the centre of the receptive fields they become inhibited if their is light hitting the periphery of the receptive field - they dont fire action potentials off fire when the light hits and surrounds the receptive field important to allow you to detect contrast, motion - this is one of the ways the eye is adapted to see motion and to better to see contrast to better see when one object starts and another finishes
114
how does the retina recieve its blood supply
dual circulation choroid supplies the rpe , photoreceptors , and outer nuclear layer central retinal artery supplies from the outer plexiform layer inward neither system is sufficent alone - damage to either system comprimises the retina
115
describe the findings of a central retinal artery occlusion
attenuated blood vessels cherry red spot pale retina when you have a crao you lose the blood supply to the rest of the retina but the choroidal circulation still works at the fovea you are still able to see the underlying circulation - which is why you ahve a red spot
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what is the blood retinal barrier
prevents large toxic molecules damaging neural tissues (like blood - brain barrier) tight junctions between non fenestrated retinal capillary endotheliel cells prevert passage of large molecules in the inner retina tight junctions between rpe cells prevent passage of large molecules from the choroidal circulation