College of Nursing

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

LABORATORY

ACTIVITY # 11
SPECIAL SENSES
EYES, EARS, NOSE AND TONGUE (EENT)

I. OBJECTIVES:

1. To be able to illustrate the structure of the eyes, ears, nose and tongue
2. To be able to explain the clinical significance of different visual tests
3. To be able to describe the function of the middle ear and how the ossicles
function, describe the structure of the inner ear and explain how the cochlea
function and to demonstrate the Rinne’s and Weber’s test and explain it’s
function
4. To identify the structure found in the nose and tongue

II. MATERIALS

Penlight, reading materials, ball pen, watch, foot rule, Snellen’s chart, colored
yam, tuning fork, rubber mallets, reference books and charts.

III. PROCEDURES

A. EYES
1. Ask a subject to read a book or magazine at least 5 sentences long from a
distance of 6 inches from his eyes. Can he read clearly? Describe.
2. Use a penlight to test pupil size, shape and quality. Cover each eye
independently and note the reaction of the eye being tested.
3. Test for accommodation. Let the subject see near the object and from afar.
Note observations.
4. Use a Snellen chart to test for visual acuity. Have the subject stand 20 feet away
from the Snellen chart and test the eyes one at a time. Record the results.
5. Test for color blindness using the yam method. Have a bundle of yam samples on
the table and sort them by colors. Call a partner to evaluate the results. If your
partner disagrees, call a third party to determine who is color blind.
6. The afterimage. Stare at a lightbulb of a fluorescent lamp, then quickly shift your
gaze to a blank wall. Observe the appearance of the negative after image.
Stare at small red squares that have been posted on a larger sheet of black
paper. Quickly shift your gaze on to a sheet of white paper and note for the
color of the positive after image. Repeat using blue squares and yellow squares.

B. EARS
1. RINNE’S AND WEBER’S TEST (BONE CONDUCTION)
a. Produce vibrations in a tuning fork by striking with a rubber mallet

UC-CON: Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory│The Special Senses| 1

 b. Rinne’s test: place the handle of a vibrating tuning fork against the
mastoid process of the temporal bone. Move the tuning fork towards the
external auditory meatus when the sound almost fades away. The round
will be reheard if the middle ear is normal.
c. Weber’s test: place the handle of a vibrating fork on the midsagittal area
of the head.
d. Repeat the Weber’s test with one ear plugged with a finger. The sound will
be heard louder in the plugged ear because external room noise is
excluded.
2. BINAURAL LOCALIZATION OF SOUND
a. Instruct the subject to close his eyes and ask him to locate the source of
sound (e.g. vibrating tuning fork)
b. Place the vibrating tuning fork in varied positions (front, back. Sides) 1 foot
away from the subject’s head
c. Repeat the procedure with one ear plugged
3. WATCH TICK METHOD
a. Let the subject sit comfortably in a chair and plug one ear with cotton.
b. Instruct the subject to use his index finger to signal when sound is first
heard as the watch approaches or as the watch is moved away from the
ear.
c. With the subject looking forward, place a watch position parallel to the
side of the head.
d. Move the watch toward the ear at a speed of about ½ second—a very
slow movement. The subject should signal when the first tick is heard.
e. Measure the distance with the meter stick or tape measure, record the
information on the lab report and repeat the test two or three times.
Change approaches to the ear to prevent the factor of subject
anticipation on repeat tests.
f. Reverse the procedure by standing close to the ear and receiving from it.
In this test, the subject signals the last tick heard.
g. Remove the cotton and repeat test on the other ear.

C. NOSE AND TONGUE

1. Using a reference, study an illustration of the midsagittal section of the human
head showing parts of the nose particularly the location of the olfactory
epithelium. Pay attention to the arrangement of the parts.
2. Study a diagram of the tongue from a reference book and compare it with
your tongue. Identify the location of the following:
a. Vallate papillae
b. Filiform papillae
c. Fungiform papillae

UC-CON: Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory│The Special Senses| 2

 3. Examine an illustration of a taste bud. Identify the parts and surrounding cells.

IV. DRAW and LABEL

o the internal and external structures of the eyes

o the visual pathways as seen from the brain
o the external and internal structure of the ear
o structures of the nose
o the tongue and taste buds

V. QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH

1. Define the following

a. visual acuity

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

b. convergence of the eyes

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

d. accommodation

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

e. nystagmus

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

f. otitis media

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

UC-CON: Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory│The Special Senses| 3

 2. What is the function of the iris? What muscles are responsible for pupil
constriction and dilation?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

3. what structures do light pass through as it enters and travels the

photoreceptors? Which reflects light?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

4. How can the eyes maintain focus when an object is close or far away?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

5. Differentiate the rods and cones with regards to visual sensitivity.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

6. How does the ear transduce sound waves in air into electrical nerve
impulses?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

7. How is the organ of Corti affected and the brain informed about the different
pitches of sound?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

8. What might be obtained when conducting Rinne’s and weber’s test to a

patient with otosclerosis? Compare with deafness.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

UC-CON: Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory│The Special Senses| 4

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

9. Name and differentiate two kinds of hearing loss.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________

10. Discuss the primary nerves concerned with taste and smell

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

Total score: ______________

Student’s Name Yr & Sec Date Clinical Instructor

UC-CON: Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory│The Special Senses| 5

UC-CON: Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory│The Special Senses| 6