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Aniridia: A congenital condition in which the iris is absent or partially absent. May also result from trauma to the eye.
Anterior Chamber: The space in front of the iris and behind the cornea.
Aqueous Humor: Clear, watery fluid that flows between the lens and cornea and nourishes them.
Astigmatism: A condition that occurs when an uneven curvature of the eye causes light to be refracted (bent) unevenly, resulting in distorted vision.
Automated Lamellar Keratoplasty: A refractive surgery procedure used to treat relatively high degrees of myopia and some cases of hyperopia. This procedure uses only the microkeratome and is not as accurate as the laser procedures that are currently available.
Binocular Vision: The blending of separate images seen by each eye into a single image, allowing images to be seen with depth perception.
Blepharitis: A chronic inflammatory condition of the eyelids, common in children and adults, which causes redness, burning, itching, swollen and crusty lid margins and dry-eye symptoms.
Blind Spot: A small area of the retina where the optic nerve enters the eye which occurs normally in eyes, or a gap in the visual field corresponding to an area of the retina where no visual cells are present.
Bowman’s Membrane: The micro-thin second layer of the cornea that lies just below the epithelium, or outer layer.
Cataract: A gradual opacity or clouding of the normally clear crystalline lens of the eye, caused by the natural aging process, metabolic changes, injury, various forms of radiation, toxic chemicals and certain drugs.
Central Retinal Artery: The blood vessel that supplies nourishment to the retina.
Choroid: The layer filled with blood vessels that nourish the retina.
Ciliary Muscles: The muscles that relax the zonules to enable the lens to change shape for focusing.
Ciliary Processes: The extensions or projections of the ciliary body that secrete aqueous humor.
Collagen: Protein fibrils within the corneal tissue that help sustain its shape.
Concave Lens: A prescription lens that is curved to correct for a cornea that is too convex in shape, resulting in nearsightedness.
Cones and Cone Cells: Specialized, light-sensitive cells (photoreceptors) in the retina that provide sharp central vision and color vision.
Conjunctivitis: An inflammation of the eye’s outer membrane, which causes redness, swelling, itching and watering in one or both eyes.
Contrast Sensitivity: The ability to perceive differences between an object and its background.
Convex Lens: A prescription lens, shaped like a discus, to treat farsightedness by correcting for a cornea that is too concave, or flat.
Cornea: The outer, transparent, dome-like structure that covers the iris, pupil and anterior chamber and serves as part of the eye’s focusing system.
Corneal Disease (Keratitis): A deep infection and inflammation of the cornea caused by an abrasion, inflammation or the presence of bacteria or fungi in the cornea.
Corneal Ulcer: A condition of the cornea that occurs when localized tissue has eroded, usually causing a red, painful eye.
Diabetic Retinopathy: A complication of diabetes in which the blood vessels in the eye become diseased, and may cause vision loss.
Dilation: A process by which the pupil is temporarily enlarged with special eye drops to allow examination of the interior of the eye.
Diopter: A unit of measurement used to describe the degree of refractive error with respect to nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
Drusen: Small, yellow or white deposits in the retina or optic nerve head.
Dry Eye Syndrome: A condition caused by the reduction in quality and quantity of tears. For additional information on Dry Eye Syndrome, please see the Dry Eye topic under About Your Eyes.
Ectropion: A condition that occurs when the lower eyelid turns outward, which may result in dry eye symptoms and excessive tearing.
Endothelium: A thin layer of cells lining the undersurface of the cornea that pump fluid from the cornea, keeping it clear.
Entropion: A condition in which the lower eyelid turns inward, causing irritation and may lead to serious infection.
Flashes and Floaters: A condition that occurs when the back of the eye, filled when a jelly-like substance (vitreous gel), becomes increasingly more liquid-like in nature, causing small particles, called floaters, to become visually evident. Flashes originate from the tugging on the retina as the vitreous gel liquefies.
Fluorescein Angiography: A test to examine blood vessels in the retina, choroid and iris in which a special dye is injected into a vein in the arm and photographic images are created as the dye passes through blood vessels in the eye.
Focal Point/Focus: The refraction of light rays by the cornea and the inner lens to a focal point on the retina in a precise, natural manner that produces sharp, clear and colorful images.
Fovea: The central part of the macula that provides the sharpest vision.
Fundus: The interior lining of the eye, including the retina, optic disc and macula, which can be seen during an eye examination by looking through the pupil.
IOL: Intraocular lens implant. An artificial lens that is implanted inside the eye.
Intraocular Pressure: Pressure of the fluid inside the eye, which varies among individuals.
Iris: The colored ring of tissue, suspended behind the cornea and immediately in front of the lens, which regulates the amount of light entering the eye by adjusting the size of the pupil.
Iritis: An inflammation of the colored part of the eye, or iris, resulting in an eye that is red, painful and sensitive to light. Also called uveitis.
LASIK: The acronym for Laser In Situ Keratomileusis, which is a revolutionary vision-correction procedure for the treatment of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
Legal Blindness: Visual acuity of 20/200 or worse in the better eye with corrective lenses, or a visual field restriction of less than 15 degrees.
Lens: The transparent, double convex structure suspended between aqueous and vitreous humor, which helps to focus light on the retina.
Lensectomy: The surgical removal of the eye’s natural lens. Performed for the treatment of cataracts or as a means of treating a severe refractive error.
Limbus: The junction of the outer perimeter of the cornea with the sclera.
Low Vision: Visual loss, which cannot be corrected with conventional glasses or contact lenses. May interfere with daily living activities and can be treated by a low vision specialist or center, e.g. Center for Visually Impaired.
Monovision: A refractive correction, achieved with lenses or LASIK, which uses one eye for distance and one eye for near vision.
Myopia (Nearsightedness): A condition that results from the visual image being focused in front of the retina. It occurs if the cornea is relatively too steep and/or the eye is too long, and results in blurred vision for distant sight.
Nevus: A benign, pigmented lesion that can occur in or around the eye.
Nomogram: A compilation of data that serves to predict a result. Nomograms were commonly used in refractive surgery before custom wavefront treatments became available.
Ophthalmologist: A physician who has received advanced training to treat diseases of the eye by medical and surgical approaches.
Optic Cup: The cup-like area in the center of the optic disc.
Optic Disc/Optic Nerve Head: The circular area (disc) where the optic nerve connects with the retina.
Optic Nerve: The bundle of 1.0 – 1.5 million nerve fibers that carries visual messages from the retina to the brain.
Optical Zone: The central area of the cornea that performs a majority of the refractive functions of the eye.
Optician: A licensed specialist trained in the fitting, adjustment, and dispensing of eyeglasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses.
Optometrist: A professionally licensed eye specialist who prescribes eyewear, contact lenses, low vision aids, and vision therapy for adults and children. An optometrist may also treat non-surgical eye diseases, such as infections, allergic conditions and glaucoma.
Posterior Chamber: The space between the back of the iris and the front of the lens. The most common location for intraocular lens placement.
Presbyopia: The inability to focus at near objects without glasses. Caused by hardening of the lens and loss of focusing flexibility.
Pterygium: A wedge-shaped growth on the cornea that can cause irregular astigmatism and obscure vision. Generally caused by chronic sun and wind exposure.
Ptosis: Drooping of the upper eyelid due to muscular weakness, older age, trauma, neurological disorder, or lid manipulation, such as contact lens wear.
Pupil: The adjustable opening at the center of the iris that allows varying amounts of light to enter the eye.
Radial Keratotomy (RK): A surgical procedure to correct mild to moderate cases of nearsightedness and astigmatism. Involves placement of patterned, radial incisions in the peripheral cornea to change corneal shape.
Refraction: A vision analysis to determine one’s optimal glasses prescription. The information is used to obtain glasses and is also the basis for contact lenses fitting.
Retina: The light-sensitive layer of tissue that lines the back of the eye and sends visual messages through the optic nerve to the brain.
Retinal Detachment: A potentially vision-threatening condition that occurs when the retina separates from the supporting structures in the rear of the eye.
Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE): A pigmented cell layer located beneath the retina. An important barrier and key structure in the formation of macular degeneration.
Rods and Rod Cells: Specialized light-sensitive cells (photoreceptors) that provide sight in low-light settings and are responsible for the bulk of one’s peripheral vision..
Subconjunctival hemorrhage: A condition that occurs when a blood vessel of the white part of the eye (conjunctiva) breaks and bleeds, resulting in a reddened eye.
Suture: A surgical strand used to close an incision.
Systemic Disease: A disease that affects the body in more than one specific area.
Thermokeratoplasty (CK): refractive procedure that uses a laser to heat and shrink tissues in the peripheral cornea. Intended to alter corneal shape and correct cases of farsightedness and/or astigmatism.
Tonometry: The means to determine the eye’s intraocular fluid pressure.
Topography: An advanced test that maps the curvature of the cornea, and is used to evaluate forms of astigmatism.
Trabecular Meshwork: The site for drainage of aqueous humor, and is analyzed closely in glaucoma. This region may be treated with a laser as a means to lower intraocular pressure.
Ultrasonic Pachymeter/Pachymeter: An instrument that measures corneal thickness.
Uvea, Uveal Tract: The middle coat of the eye, consisting of the choroids in the rear and the ciliary body and iris in front of the eye.
Visual Acuity: The ability to distinguish details and shapes of objects.Visual Field: The entire area that can be seen with the eye, including peripheral vision.Vitreous: The transparent, colorless mass of gel that lies behind the lens and in front of the retina. Occupies four fifths of the volume of the eye.Wavefront: A three dimensional system that evaluates the path of light within the eye. Tracks and records visual abnormalities beyond simple nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
Wavescan Systems: A component of the LASIK procedure that uses wavefront technology to record an individualized and precise analysis of the eye. The information is integral in creating a custom and personalized approach to LASIK laser vision correction.
Y.A.G (YAG) Capsulotomy: A quick, painless laser procedure to treat clouding of the posterior capsule. This treatment allows light to more effectively reach the retina.
Zonules: Delicate fibers that hold the lens suspended in position and enable it to change shape during accommodation.