The special sensors

YESHAN GUNASINGHE
BSC. HONOURS IN NURSING (UOP.SL),
RN(SLNC)
Anatomy - a field in the biological sciences concerned with the
identification and description of the body structures of living things

Physiology - the branch of biology that deals with the normal

functions of living organisms and their parts

Pathology - the science of the causes and effects of diseases,

especially the branch of medicine that deals with the laboratory
examination of samples of body tissue for diagnostic
or forensic purposes
Eye- basic anatomy
Cornea
The clear front window of the eye which transmits and
focuses (i.e., sharpness or clarity) light into the eye.
Corrective laser surgery reshapes the cornea,
changing the focus.

Pupil
The dark center opening in the middle of the iris. The
pupil changes size to adjust for the amount of light
available (smaller for bright light and larger for low
light). This opening and closing of light into the eye is
much like the aperture in most 35 mm cameras which
lets in more or less light depending upon the
conditions.
Iris
The colored part of the eye which helps regulate the amount of light
entering the eye. When there is bright light, the iris closes the pupil to
let in less light. And when there is low light, the iris opens up the pupil
to let in more light.

Lens
Focuses light rays onto the retina. The lens is transparent, and can be
replaced if necessary. Our lens deteriorates as we age, resulting in
the need for reading glasses. Intraocular lenses are used to replace
lenses clouded by cataracts.

Retina
The nerve layer lining the back of the eye. The retina senses light and
creates electrical impulses that are sent through the optic nerve to
the brain.
Optic Nerve
A bundle of more than a million nerve fibers carrying
visual messages from the retina to the brain. (In order to
see, we must have light and our eyes must be connected
to the brain.) Your brain actually controls what you see,
since it combines images. The retina sees images upside
down but the brain turns images right side up. This
reversal of the images that we see is much like a mirror in
a camera. Glaucoma is one of the most common eye
conditions related to optic nerve damage
 How the Eye Works

The eye is connected to the brain and dependent upon the

brain to interpret what we see.

How we see depends upon the transfer of light. Light passes

through the front of the eye (cornea) to the lens. The cornea
and the lens help to focus the light rays onto the back of the
eye (retina). The cells in the retina absorb and convert the light
to electrochemical impulses which are transferred along the
optic nerve and then to the brain.

The eye works much the same as a camera. The shutter of a

camera can close or open depending upon the amount of
light needed to expose the film in the back of the camera.
The iris and the pupil control how much light to let into the back of the
eye.

When it is very dark, our pupils are very large, letting in more light.

The lens of a camera is able to focus on objects far away and up close
with the help of mirrors and other mechanical devices.

The lens of the eye helps us to focus but sometimes needs some
additional help in order to focus clearly.
Ex - Glasses, contact lenses, and artificial lenses all help us to see more
clearly.
Common age-related eye problems
 presbyopia,
 glaucoma,
 dry eyes,
 age-related macular degeneration,
 Cataracts,
 temporal arteritis.

You should make sure to keep up with regular eye doctor appointments,
especially if you have diabetes
 presbyopia,
refers to the loss of ability to see close objects or small print.

Development of presbyopia is a normal process that happens slowly

over a lifetime.

You may not notice any change until after age 35 or 40. People with
presbyopia often hold reading materials at arm's length.

Some people get headaches or "tired eyes" while reading or doing

other close work. You can improve your vision with reading glasses or
multifocal (bifocal) lenses if you have presbyopia
glaucoma
is usually related to increased pressure inside the eye. If it isn’t treated, this
condition can lead to permanent vision loss and blindness, often without
symptoms.

Risk factors for glaucoma include heredity, age, race, diabetes and some
medications.

Glaucoma is less commonly caused by other factors such as a blunt

object or chemical injury to the eye, severe eye infection, blockage of
blood vessels, inflammatory disorders of the eye, and occasionally by
corrective eye surgery.

Most people with glaucoma have no early symptoms or pain from

increased pressure.
 dry eyes
happen when tear glands can’t make enough tears or produce poor
quality tears.

Dry eyes can be uncomfortable, causing itching, burning or even some

loss of vision. Y

our health care provider may suggest using a humidifier in your home or
special eye drops that simulate real tears. Surgery may be needed in
more serious cases of dry eyes
age-related macular degeneration
 The macula is the small central portion of the retina containing
millions of nerve cells (cones) that are sensitive to light.
 This area of the retina is responsible for detailed vision, such as facial
recognition and reading.
 AMD is characterized by the loss of cells in this area causing blurred
or distorted central vision. It contributes to vision loss but doesn’t
cause total blindness.
 If advanced, there is no cure but in early stages there is benefit from
nutritional supplements.
 People with the more severe type of AMD may benefit from laser or
injection of medication
Cataracts
 cloudy areas that develop in the lens in the front of the eye. Normally,
the lens of the eye is clear like a camera lens.

 Cataracts keep light from easily passing through the lens to the back
of the eye (the retina), causing blurry vision.

 Cataracts usually form slowly, causing no pain, redness, or tearing in

the eye. Some stay small and don’t alter eyesight.

 If they become large or thick and have a significant impact on vision,

they can almost always be removed with surgery.

 Cataract surgery is very safe and is one of the most common surgeries
done in the United States and around the world.
 During surgery, the doctor takes out the clouded lens and, in most
cases, puts in a clear plastic lens, restoring normal sight if the eye is
otherwise healthy.
Cataracts
By keeping your eyes healthy, you keep your
brain healthy – improving your overall quality
of life! Good vision contributes to,

improved athletic ability,

better driving skills,
improved learning and comprehension and
better quality of life.
How to Keep Your Eyes Healthy

1. Eat Well

2. Quit Smoking

3. Wear Sunglasses

4. Use Safety Eyewear

5. Look Away From the Computer Screen

6. Visit Your Eye Doctor Regularly

Ear
I am all ears

to be waiting eagerly to
hear about something
Ear – Basic anatomy
 External or outer ear, consisting of:
 Pinna or auricle. This is the outside part of the ear.
 External auditory canal or tube. This is the tube that connects
the outer ear to the inside or middle ear.

 Tympanic membrane (eardrum). The tympanic membrane

divides the external ear from the middle ear.

 Middle ear (tympanic cavity), consisting of:

 Ossicles. Three small bones that are connected and

transmit the sound waves to the inner ear. The bones are
called:
 Malleus
 Incus
 Stapes
 Eustachian tube. A canal that links the middle ear with the back of the
nose. The eustachian tube helps to equalize the pressure in the middle
ear. Equalized pressure is needed for the proper transfer of sound waves.
The eustachian tube is lined with mucous, just like the inside of the nose
and throat.

 Inner ear, consisting of:

 Cochlea. This contains the nerves for hearing.
 Vestibule. This contains receptors for balance.
 Semicircular canals. This contains receptors for balance.
How do you hear?
 Hearing starts with the outer ear. When a sound is made outside the outer ear,
the sound waves, or vibrations, travel down the external auditory canal and
strike the eardrum (tympanic membrane).

 The eardrum vibrates. The vibrations are then passed to 3 tiny bones in the
middle ear called the ossicles. The ossicles amplify the sound. They send the
sound waves to the inner ear and into the fluid-filled hearing organ (cochlea).

 Once the sound waves reach the inner ear, they are converted into electrical
impulses. The auditory nerve sends these impulses to the brain. The brain then
translates these electrical impulses as sound.
The 4 types of hearing problems

1. sensorineural

2. conductive

3. mixed (sensorineural and conductive)

4. auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD)

 sensorineural

 Sensorineural hearing loss, or SNHL, happens after inner ear

damage.

 Problems with the nerve pathways from your inner ear to your brain
can also cause SNHL.

 Soft sounds may be hard to hear. Even louder sounds may be

unclear or may sound muffled.

 This is the most common type of permanent hearing loss.

conductive
happens when sounds cannot get through the
outer and middle ear.

It may be hard to hear soft sounds. Louder

sounds may be muffled. Medicine or surgery
can often fix this type of hearing loss.
auditory neuropathy spectrum
disorder (ANSD)
is a rare type of sensorineural hearing
loss where sound is not transmitted
properly from the cochlea (inner ear)
to the hearing nerve or from the
hearing nerve to the brain.
Age-related hearing loss, also called
presbycusis, comes on gradually as a person
grows older.

It seems to run in families and may occur

because of changes in the inner ear and
auditory nerve, which relays signals from the
ear to the brain
What helps hearing impaired in
the elderly?

 Face the hearing-impaired person directly, on the same

level and in good light whenever possible.

 Do not talk from another room. Not being able to see

each other when talking is a common reason people
have difficulty understanding what is said.

 Speak clearly, slowly, distinctly, but naturally, without

shouting or exaggerating mouth movements.
 Say the person's name before beginning a conversation. This gives the listener a chance to
focus attention and reduces the chance of missing words at the beginning of the
conversation.
 Avoid talking too rapidly or using sentences that are too complex. Slow down a little, pause
between sentences or phrases, and wait to make sure you have been understood before
going on.
 Keep your hands away from your face while talking. If you are eating, chewing, smoking, etc.
while talking, your speech will be more difficult to understand. Beards and moustaches can
also interfere with the ability of the hearing impaired to speech read.
 If the hearing-impaired listener hears better in one ear than the other, try to make a point of
remembering which ear is better so that you will know where to position yourself.
 Be aware of possible distortion of sounds for the hearing-impaired person. They may hear your
voice, but still may have difficulty understanding some words.
 Most hearing-impaired people have greater difficulty understanding speech when there is
background noise. Try to minimize extraneous noise when talking.
 Some people with hearing loss are very sensitive to loud sounds. This reduced tolerance for
loud sounds is not uncommon. Avoid situations where there will be loud sounds when possible.
 If the hearing-impaired person has difficulty understanding a particular phrase or word, try to
find a different way of saying the same thing, rather than repeating the original words over
and over.
 Whenever possible, provide pertinent information in writing, such as directions, schedules, work
assignments, etc.
 Take turns speaking and avoid interrupting other speakers.
 Enroll in aural rehabilitation classes with your hearing-impaired spouse or friend.
Nose & smell

The olfactory system is at the roof of the nasal cavity at the

cribriform plate

a perforated portion of the ethmoid bone separating the frontal

lobe of the cerebrum from the nasal cavity.

Odorant molecules within the nasal passages first encounter

receptors on the primary cilia of olfactory sensory neurons.
vs
 Your sense of smell enriches your experience of the world
around you.

 Different scents can change your mood, transport you

back to a distant memory, and may even help you bond
with loved ones.

 Your ability to smell also plays a key role in your health

The human sense of smell is still much underappreciated, despite its

importance for vital functions such as warning and protection from
environmental hazards, eating behavior and nutrition, and social
communication
What causes abnormal sense of
smell?
 Phantosmia may be caused by a head injury or upper respiratory infection.
It can also be caused by aging, trauma, temporal lobe seizures, inflamed
sinuses, brain tumors, certain medications and Parkinson's disease.
Phantosmia can also result from COVID-19 infection.
smell and appetite

The sensation of hunger activates the CB1 receptors, which then

activate the olfactory bulb and cortex. So it is this brain mechanism
that increases our sensitivity to smell when we are hungry, which in turn
increases our craving for food
smell and appetite
Tongue & Taste
Taste is sensed by chemosensory receptors known as taste buds. Taste
buds themselves consist of columnar cells arranged circumferentially to
form a single “taste pore” between them and microvilli extending from
the columnar cells arranged around this pore.
Importance of Taste
Sensory pleasures from the taste of foods is a major determinant of
food intake: Foods that satisfy the taste (via flavour, texture, mouth feel,
sensory perception) may contribute not only to greater eating
experience, but also to a sense of satiation and satiety

or
Types of Tastes

 Sweet

 Salty

 Sour

 Bitter

 umami or savory
Any Q?

Thank You