The Special Senses Flashcards
ambiopia
double vision caused by each eye focusing separately; known as diplopia
amblyopia
reduced vision that is not correctable with lenses and with no obvious pathological or structural cause (“dullness or dimness of vision”.
anisocoria
inequality in the diameter of the pupils of the eyes.
aphakia
absence of the lens of the eye
aqueous
watery
Argyll-Robertson pupil
a pupil that constricts upon accommodation but no in response to light. This can be due to miosis or advanced neurosyphilis
biomicroscopy
ophthalamic examination of the eye by use of a slit lamp and a magnifying lens; also known as slit-lamp test.
blepharochalasis
relaxation of the skin of the eyelid (usually the upper eyelid). The skin may droop over the edge of the eyelid when the eyes are open
blepharoptosis (ptosis)
drooping of the upper eyelid; occurs when the eyelid partially or entirely covers the eye as a result of a weakened muscle.
blepharospasm
a twitching of the eyelid muscles; may be due to eyestrain or nervous irritability.
conjunctivitis
inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eye; may be caused by a bacterial infection, a viral infection, allergy, or a response to the environment
corneal
pertaining to the cornea
cyclopegia
paralysis of the ciliary muscle of the eye.
dacryoadenitis
inflammation of the lacrimal (tear) gland
dacryorrhea
excessive flow of tears
diplopia
double vision caused by each eye focusing separately; also called ambiopia
ectropion
eversion (turning outward) of the edge of the eyelid; “turning out” or eversion of the eyelash margins (especially the lower eyelid) from the eyeball, leading to exposure of the eyelid and eyeball surface and lining.
emmetropia
a state of normal vision. the eye is at rest and the image is focused direction on the retina.
entropion
inversion (turning inward) of the edge of the eyelid; “turning in” of the eyelash margins (especially the lower margins), resulting in the sensation similar to that of a foreign body in the eye (redness, tearing, burning, and itching).
episcleritis
inflammation of the outermost layers of the sclera
esotropia
an obvious inward turning of one eye in relation to the other eye; also called crosseyes..
exotropia
an obvious outward turning of one eye in relation to the other eye; also called walleye
extraocular
pertaining to the outside of the eye
floaters
one or more spots that appear to drift, or “float” across the visual field.
funduscopy
the examination of the fundus of the eye, the base or the deepest part of the eye, with an instrument called an ophthalmoscope through a procedure called ophthalmoscopy.
hemianopia
loss of vision, or blindness, in one-half of the visual field.
hemianopsia
loss of vision, or blindness, in one-half of the visual field.
iridocyclitis
inflammation of the iris and ciliary body of the eye.
iritis
inflammation of the iris
keratoconjunctivitis
inflammation of the cornea and the conjunctiva of the eye
keratoconus
a cone-shaped protrusion of the center of the cornea, not accompanied by inflammation
keratomycosis
a fungal growth present on the cornea
lacrimal
pertaining to tears
lacrimation
the secretion of tears from the lacrimal glands
miosis
abnormal constriction of the pupil of the eyey
miotic
an agent that causes the pupil of the eye to constrict.
mydriasis
abnormal dilatation of the pupil of the eye
mydriatic
an agent that causes the pupil of the eye to dilate
nasolacrimal
pertaining to the nose and the lacrimal (tear) ducts.
nystagmus
involuntary, rhythmic jerking movements of the eye. These “quivering” movements may be from side to side, up and down, or a combination of both.
ophthalmologist
a medical doctor who specializes in the comprehensive care of the eyes and visual system in the prevention and treatment of eye disease and injury. The ophthalmologist is the medically trained specialist who can deliver total eye care and diagnose general disease of the body affecting the eye.
ophthalmology
the branch of medicine that specializes in the study of the diseases and disorders of the eye.
optic
pertaining to the eyes or to sight.
optician
a health professional (not an M.D.) who specializes in filling prescriptions for corrective lenses for glasses or for contact lenses.
optometrist
doctor of optometry (O.D.) is responsible for examination of the eye, and associated structures - to determine vision problems. He or she can also prescribe lenses or optical aids
palpebral
pertaining to the eyelid
papilledema
swelling of the optic disc, visible upon ophthalmoscopic examination of the interior of the eye.
phacomalacia
softening of the lens of the eye.
photophobia
abnormal sensitivity to light, especially by the eyes.
presbyopia
loss of accommodation for near vision; poor near-vision due to the natural aging process.
pupillary
pertaining to the pupil of the eye.
retinopathy
any disease of the retina
sclerectomy
excision, or removal, of a portion of the sclera of the eye.
scotoma
an area of depressed vision (blindness) within the usual visual field, surrounded by an area of normal vision.
uveitis
inflammation of all of part of the middle vascular layer of the eye, or the uveal tract of the eye, which includes the iris, ciliary body, and the choroid.
vitreous
pertaining to the vitreous body of the eye.
astigmatism
a refractive error causing light rays entering the eye to be focused irregularly on the retina due to an abnormally shaped cornea or lens
blepharitis
acute or chronic inflammation of the eyelid margins stemming from seborrheic, allergic, or bacterial origin.
blindness
loss of the sense of sight, or extreme visual limitations.
color blindness (monochromatism)
an inability to perceive visual colors sharply.
cataract
the lens in the eye becomes progressively cloudy, losing its normal transparency and thus altering the perception of images due to the interference of light transmission to the retina.
chalazion
a cyst or nodule on the eyelid, resulting from an obstruction of a meibomian gland, which is responsible for lubricating the margin of the eyelid.
conjunctivitis, acute
inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the eyelids and covering the front part of the eyeball
corneal abrasion
a disruption of the cornea’s surface epithelium commonly caused by an eyelash, a small foreign body, contact lenses, or a scratch from a fingernail.
diabetic retinopathy
occurs as a consequence of long-term or poorly controlled diabetes mellitus in which the tissues of the retina experience scarring due to the following.
exophthalmia
an abnormal protrusion of the eyeball(s), usually with the sclera noticeable over the iris; typically due to an expanded volume of the orbital contents.
glaucoma
ocular disorders identified as a group due to the increase in intraocular pressure.
hordeolum (stye)
bacterial infection of an eyelash follicle or sebaceous glad originating with redness, swelling, and mild tenderness in the margin of the eyelash.
hyperopia
a refractive error in which the lens of the eye cannot focus on an image accurately, resulting in impaired close vision that is blurred due to the light rays being focused behind the retina because the eyeball is shorter than normal.
hyphema (hyphemia)
a bleed into the anterior chamber of the eye, resulting from a postoperative complication or from a blunt eye injury
keratitis
corneal inflammation caused by a microorganism, trauma to the eye, a break in the sensory innervation of the cornea, a hypersensitivity reaction, or a tearing defect (may be due to dry eyes or ineffective eyelid closure).
macular degeneration
progressive deterioration of the retinal cells in the macular due to agine. Known as senile or age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), this condition is a common and progressive cause of visual deficiency and permanent reading impairment in the adult over 65 years of age.
myopia
a refractive error in which the lens of the eye cannot focus on an image accurately, resulting in impaired distant vision that is blurred due to the light rays being focused in front of the retina because the eyeball is longer than normal
nyctalopia (night blindness)
inadequate vision at night or in faint lighting following reduction in the synthesis of rhodopsin, a compound in the rods of the retina that enables the eye to adjust to low-density light.