Final answer:
The correct answer is c. Pupils Equal, Round, Reactive to Light and Accommodation (PERRLA). PERRLA is a term used to indicate normal pupil function in an eye exam, involving both the reflex constriction and dilation of the pupils in response to light and the focusing ability on near objects.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the question is c:
Pupils Equal, Round, Reactive to Light and Accommodation, abbreviated as PERRLA. This acronym is commonly used by healthcare professionals to describe normal pupil findings during an eye examination. PERRLA indicates that both pupils are of equal size, are round, and react appropriately to light exposure and accommodation, which is the ability to focus the eye on near objects.
During the pupillary light reflex, the sensory input is received through the optic nerve, which constitutes the afferent pathway. The motor response is sent through the oculomotor nerve to the ciliary ganglion, which then communicates with the circular fibers of the iris to constrict the pupil and limit the amount of light entering the eye. This action is part of the efferent pathway. The competing reflex for dilation involves the sympathetic nervous system, where sensory signals under low light conditions are processed and lead to pupil dilation to allow more light to enter. Moreover, accommodation involves the adjustment of the lens within the eye to focus on near or distant objects.