TERMINOLOGY Flashcards
Abbe Number
A measure of lens light dispersion
Aberration
The failure of a refracting surface or lens to produce an exact point-to-point correspondence between an object or its image.
Accommodation
Adjustment by the eye for focusing clearly on near targets, which is accomplished by changing the shape of the crystalline lens through action of the ciliary muscle.
Add
the total dioptric power added to a distance prescription to supplement accommodation for reading
Against-the-rule Astigmatism
When the steepest meridian of the lens/prescription lies near the 0”-180” line
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD/ARMD)
Age related deterioration of the macula
Albinism
A hereditary absence of pigment in the skin, hair, iris and retina; usually associated with the loss of visual acuity, nystagmus and photophobia; often accompanied by refractive errors
Amaurosis
Partial or total blindness
Amblyopia
Decreased visual acuity in one or both eyes, usually due to lack of sensory input during childhood. Often occurs without any apparent disease of the eye
Ametropia
An optical error of the eye in which the image of an object does not focus on the retina, when the visual system is at rest.
Amsler Grid
A diagram with horizontal and vertical lines used to detect macular distortion.
Anesthetic
A drug that induces an insensitivity to pain
Aniseikonia
The images of an object, which appear on each retina, are unequal in size or shape and cannot be fused into an image
Anisometropia
A difference in refractive error between the two eyes
Anterior Chamber`
The aqueous-filled space in the forward portion of the eye, bounded in front by the cornea and behind by the iris
Anterior Chamber Angle
The junction between the cornea and the iris where aqueous filters out of the eye
Anterior Segment
Referring to the front part of the eye (the lens forward)
Antihistamine
Drug used in the treatment of allergies
Antireflective Coating (ARC)
Reduces light reflections and increases the transmission of light through the lens
Aphakia
Absence of the crystalline lens of the eye
Applanation Tonometry
A method for determining intraocular pressure (IOP) by measuring force required to flatten an area of the cornea
Aqueous Humor (Aqueous)
Clear, watery fluid which fills the anterior chamber of the eye
Aspheric Lens
A non-spherical lens, in which the radii of the curvature increase towards the periphery rather than remaining equal at all points. Aspheric lenses reduce optical aberration and improve resolution
Asthenopia
Ocular fatigue caused by tiring of the muscle in and around the eye
Astigmatism
A refractive error in which light rays fail to come to a single focus on the retina because of differing amounts of refraction in the various meridians of the eye
Atroric Lens
Ophthalmic lens with aspheric curves on the back surface
Auto-refractor
A computerized machine that estimates the eye’s objective refractive power
Axial Length
Length of the eyeball
Bandage Contact Lens
Soft contact lenses used to protect the cornea
Base Curve
the curvature of the central portion of the posterior surface of the lens
Bicentric Grind
The grinding of the lower part of the spectacle lens to help compensate for a lens-induced vertical prism power that occurs with unequal power lenses
Bifocal
A lens with two optical zones, one for near vision and one for distance vision
Bilateral
Both eyes
Binocular vision
The ability to use both eyes simultaneously to focus on the same object and to fuse the images from both eyes into a single image
Biomicroscope
A corneal microscope for examination of the front portions of the eye, which provides a narrow beam of strong light
Blepharitis
Inflammation of the lid margins; AKA dandruff of the eyelids
Blepharoplasty
Any plastic surgery performed on the eyelids
Blind Spot
The natural sightless area of the visual field generated by the lack of photoreceptors where the optic nerve enters the eye
Blue Light
High energy visible light suspected to cause eye damage
Bowman’s Membrane
Layer of the cornea located between the epithelium and stroma
Braille
Tactile writing system used by individuals who are visually impaired
Bridge
the portion of the frame front that joins the two eye wires together. This part supports the frame on the patients nose
Canaliculi
Canal where tears pass from the puncta into the lacrimal sac
Canthus
The angle formed by the meeting of the upper and lower eyelids; specified as outer or temporal, and inner or nasal
Capsulotomy
A laser procedure used to remove capsular haze secondary to cataract surgery
Cataract
A clouding of the crystalline lens of the eye or its capsule, or both, with consequent loss of visual acuity
Cellulose Acetate
The most commonly used plastic frame material
Center Thickness
Thickness of the lens (measured in mm)
Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO)
Disease of the eye where retinal arterial blood flow is blocked. Symptoms include sudden painless, profound vision loss in one eye
Chalazion
Inflammatory enlargement of a meibomian gland in the eyelid
Chief Complaint
The main reason the patient has booked an appt
Chorioretinitis
Inflammation of the choroid and retina
Choroid
The vascular, intermediate layer of the eye, lying between the retina and sclera, which furnishes nourishment to the other parts of the eyeball
Choroiditis
Inflammation of the choroid
Ciliary Body
A portion of the vascular layer between the iris and the choroid, which consists of ciliary processes and ciliary muscle
Color Deficiency
Diminished ability to perceive differences in color- usually for red or green, rarely blue or yellow
Computer Vision Syndrome
Eye and vision related problems resulting from prolonged focus on a computer screen or digital device
Concave lens
A lens in which both surfaces curve inward, so it produces focal power by diverging parallel rays of light. It is also called a minus lens and is denoted by a minus sign
Congenital
Present at birth
Conjunctiva
Mucous membrane which lines the eyelids and covers the front part of the eyeball
Conjunctivitis
Inflammation of the conjunctiva
Contact Lenses
Lenses that are placed on the corneal surface or sclera. They have either and optical, therapeutic or cosmetic purpose
Contrast Sensitivity
A measurement which determines the observer’s ability to see a wide range of everyday objects under normal and reduced illumination conditions
Convergence
The process in which the visual axes of the two eye are directed toward the same near point, with the result that the eyes are turned inward
Convex lens
A lens in which both surfaces curve outward, so it produces focal power by converging parallel ray of light to a focal point. AKA plus lens and is denoted by +
Cornea
The transparent, dome-shaped tissue covering the iris and the pupil. The front “window” of the eye, diameter approx 12mm, responsible for approx 2/3 of refractive power of eye
Corneal Abrasion
An erosion of the superficial layer of the epithelium of the cornea (missing or injured cells) normally quite painful
Corneal Edema
Excessive accumulation of fluid in the cornea, due to disturbance in the mechanism of fluid exchange
Corneal Topography
A non-invasive imaging technique for mapping the corneal curvature in 3D
CR-39
A conventional plastic ophthalmic lens material
Crystalline Lens
The transparent lens which is suspended inside the eye immediately behind the iris. It is responsible for approx 1/3 of the refractive power of the eye
cup-to-disc ratio (C/D)
the relationship between the size of the optic cup and the optic disc of the optic nerve
Cycloplegic
A drug that temporarily paralyzes the ciliary muscle and dilates the pupil; often used to ascertain the refractive error
Cylindrical Lens
a toric lens, that is, one which has differing radii of curvature in different meridians, which causes the refractive power to vary in the different meridians; used to correct astigmatism
Dacryocystitis
Inflammation of the lacrimal sac
Daily Wear
Contact lenses worn during the waking hours
Dark Adaptaion
The ability of the eye to adjust to a dimly lit environment
Datum Line
The horizontal line that runs through the vertical center of a frame
Decentration
the displacement of the optical center of an eyeglass lens (not placing it in the geometric center of the frame) This is done purposefully to place the optical center in line with the visual axis of the eye or to induce prism
Depth Perception
The ability to perceive the relative position of objects in space
Dermatochalasis
Excess eyelid skin drooping over eye
Deutaronopia
A red-green colour deficiency resulting from an insensitivity to green light
Diastolic Pressure
The pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest between beats. the bottom number in BP reading
Diopter
A unit of measurement of strength or refractive power of lenses; also can refer to the relative curvature of a lens surface
Diplopia
Double vision
Disposable Lens
Soft contact lens that is discarded after a specific time period
Distance Between Lenses (DBL)
The shortest distance between the nasal edges of 2 lenses
Distometer
instrument that measures vertex distance
Drusen
Yellowish deposits under the retina made up of lipids
Dyslexia
dysfunction in which the ability to read is diminished due to neurological or other non-optical problems
Ectropion
Turning out of eyelid
Effective Diameter (ED)
2x the distance from the geometric center of a lens to the furthest edge of a lens
Emmetropia
The focal condition of the normal eye in which there is no refractive error
Endophthalmitis
Inflammation of most of the internal tissues of the eyeball
Endothelium
innermost corneal layer which is a single layer of cells
Endpiece
The outer part of the frame front where the temples are attached
Entropion
Turning in of eyelid
Enucleation
complete surgical removal of the eyeball
Epiretinal Membrane
thin fibrous tissue that forms on the retina
Epithelium
outermost layer of the cornea
Esophoria
tendency of the eyes to turn too far inward under certain conditions
Esotropia
condition in which one or both eyes turn too far inward at all times AKA convergent strabismus CROSSED EYES
Exophoria
tendency of the eye to turn too far outward under certain conditions
Exophthalmos
abnormal protrusion of the eyeball
Exotropia
condition in which one or both eyes turn too far outward at all times AKA divergent strabismus
Extraocular/Extrinsic Muscles
6 muscles that are responsible for moving the eye; 4 recti and 2 oblique
Exudate
yellowish lesions (lipid proteins) found within the retina from leaking blood vessels caused by systemic diseases
Extended Wear
Contact lenses that can be worn during sleep
Eye Dominance
the tendency of one eye to assume the major function of seeing, being assisted by the less dominant eye
Eyewire
the portion of the frame that surrounds the lens
Face Form
the curve on the front of a frame AKA wrap
False Negative
failing to see a stimulus that was previously seen (ie px becomes tired during VF)
False Positive
Seeing a stimulus when one is not present (trigger happy during VF)
far-sightedness
hyperopia
Field of Vision (Visual Field)
the entire area which can be seen without shifting gaze
Fitting Cross
the location of a lens sitting right in front of a px pupil
Fitting Triangle
when a frame touches the head only on the nose and against the sides of the head round the ears
Fixate
the ability of an eye to move so an image is focused on the fovea
Floaters
Small particles consisting of cells or fibrin which move in the vitreous
Fluorescein Angiography
technique for examining the circulation of the retina and choroid using a fluorescein dye that is injected into the veins and viewed using a specialized camera
focus
point at which rays are converged after passing through a lens
fornix
pocket formed where the bulbar conjunctiva meets the palpebral conjunctiva
fovea
small depression in the central retina at the back of the eye; the part of the macula adapted for most acute vision
Frame PD
horizontal distance between the geometric centers of 2 lenses
Fresnel prism
a series of small prisms in a plastic sheet, which attach to eyeglass lenses to temporarily correct for eye misalignments
fundus
the back of the eye including the retina, optic nerve, macula and fovea
Fusion
the power of coordinating the images received by the 2 eyes into a single image
Gas Permeable Lenses
Contact lenses that allow oxygen and carbon dioxide to pass through them. this usually refers to a rigid lens, although soft lenses are also gas permeable
Geocenter
the intersection of the datum line and horizontal centers of each lens shape
Giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC)
is a long-term hypersensitivity or allergic reaction resulting in bumps called papillae developing on the underside of the upper eyelid, usually accompanied by mucus discharge and itching
Glare
caused by a brightness greater than the eye can adjust to
Glaucoma
disease in which vision is lost due to damage of the optic nerve, it is often associated with increased pressure inside the eye