Contact Lenses Glossary of Terms

1. Eye Diseases and Conditions Slideshow Pictures
2. Pink Eye Slideshow Pictures
3. Laser Eye Surgery Slideshow Pictures

Abrasion: An abrasion or "excoriation" is a wearing away of the upper layer of s...

Antibiotic: A drug used to treat infections caused by bacteria and other microorganisms. ...

Astigmatism: A common form of visual impairment in which part of an image is blurred due t...

Bacteria: Single-celled microorganisms that can exist either as independent (free-living) ...

Blindness: Loss of useful sight. Blindness can be temporary or permanent. Damage to any p...

Blurred vision: Lack of sharpness of vision with, as a result, the inability to see fine d...

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Bumps: The raised area of a bump or bruise results from blood leaking from these injured b...

Cataract: A clouding or loss of transparency of the lens in the eye as a result of tissu...

Congenital: A condition that is present at birth, whether or not it is inherited.

Conjunctivitis: Inflammation of the membrane covering the surface of the eyeball. It can b...

Cornea: The clear front window of the eye, which transmits and focuses light into the eye....

Corneal: Pertaining to the cornea, the clear front window of the eye that transmits and fo...

Corneal abrasion: A scratch or scrape on the cornea, the clear front window of the eye tha...

Corneal transplant: Replacement of a portion of the clear window on the front of the eye (...

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

Discharge: 1.The flow of fluid from part of the body, such as from the nose or vag...

Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica...

Essential: In medicine, of unknown cause, as in essential hypertension (high blood pressur...

Eyelid: The lid or cover of the eye, a movable fold of skin and muscle that can be closed ...

Farsightedness: An error of refraction in the human eye that causes light rays to focus be...

FDA: Food and Drug Administration.

Food and Drug Administration: An agency within the US Public Health Service that provides ...

Fungi: Plural of fungus.

Glaucoma: A common eye condition in which the fluid pressure inside the eyes rises becaus...

Hygiene: The science of preventive medicine and the preservation of health. Also commonly ...

Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

Irrigate: To wash out. For example, one can irrigate a wound to clean it.

Keratoconus: A cone-shaped cornea, with the apex of the cone being forward. Keratoconus ca...

Laboratory: A place for doing tests and research procedures, and for preparing chemicals a...

Laser: A powerful beam of light that is used in some types of surgery to cut or destroy ti...

Laser surgery: A type of surgery that uses the cutting power of a laser beam to make blood...

Lens: The transparent structure inside the eye that focuses light rays onto the retina.

Microscope: An optical instrument that augments the power of the eye to see small objects....

Mouth: 1. The upper opening of the digestive tract, beginning with the lips and con...

Mucous: Pertaining to mucus, a thick fluid produced by the lining of some tissues of the b...

Multifocal: Having to do with two or more foci or arising from two or more places. For exa...

Nearsightedness: The ability to see near objects more clearly than distant objects. Also ...

On call: In medicine, the person who is ready to respond, the one on duty. As in "Who is t...

Onset: In medicine, the first appearance of the signs or symptoms of an illness as, for ex...

Ophthalmologist: A physician who practices ophthalmology.

Ophthalmology: The art and science of eye ?medicine.

Optician: A specialist in fitting eyeglasses and making lenses to correct vision problems....

Optometrist: A practitioner who provides primary eye and vision care, performs eye examina...

Osteopathy: A system of therapy founded in the 19th century that is based on the concept t...

Oxygen: The odorless gas that is present in the air and necessary to maintain life. Oxygen...

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

Pinkeye: Also called conjunctivitis. Redness or irritation of the conjunctivae, the membra...

Predispose: To make more likely or render susceptible. Smoking predisposes to a number of ...

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

Pupil: The opening of the iris. The pupil may appear to open (dilate) and close (constrict...

Refraction: In opthalmology, the bending of light that takes place within the human eye. R...

Regimen: A plan or a regulated course, such as a diet, exercise, or treatment, that is des...

Saline: Relating to salt. As an adjective, "saline" means "salty, containing salt." As a n...

Sensation: In medicine and physiology, sensation refers to the registration of an incoming...

Sensitivity: 1. In psychology, the quality of being sensitive. As, for example, sen...

Substance: 1. Material with particular features.
2. The material that...

Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

Thimerosal: A mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines and other products sin...

Tonometry: A standard eye test that is done to determine the fluid pressure inside the eye...

Transplant: The grafting of a tissue from one place to another, just as in botany a bu...

Ulcer: A lesion that is eroding away the skin or mucous membrane. Ulcers can have various ...

Vessel: A tube in the body that carries fluids. Examples of vessels are blood vessels and ...