Vision Correction Surgery Glossary of Terms

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

20/20: See: Twenty-twenty.

Ablation: Removal or excision. Ablation is usually carried out surgically. For example, su...

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

Anisometropia: The condition in which the two eyes have unequal refractive power. One eye ...

Anterior: The front, as opposed to the posterior. The anterior surface of the heart is tow...

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

Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, w...

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

Autoimmune: Pertaining to autoimmunity, a misdirected immune response that occurs when the...

Bullous: Characterized by blistering, such as a second-degree burn.

Collagen: The principal protein of the skin, tendons, cartilage, bone, and connective tiss...

Complication: In medicine, an unanticipated problem that arises following, and is a result...

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...

Cuts: Severed skin. Washing a cut or scrape with soap and water and keeping it clean and d...

Diabetes: Refers to diabetes mellitus or, less often, to diabetes insipidus. Diabetes mell...

Diabetic retinopathy: Disease of the retina caused by diabetes that involves damage to the...

Dilation: The process of enlargement, stretching, or expansion. The word "dilatation" mean...

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

Dry eye: A deficiency of tears. The main symptom is usually a scratchy or sandy feeling as...

Elective: In medicine, something chosen (elected). An elective procedure is one that is ch...

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

Epithelial: Relating to the epithelium.

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...

Focal: Pertaining to a focus which in medicine may refer to:
1. The point at ...

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

Herpes: A family of viruses. Herpes also refers to infection with one of the human herpesv...

Hyperopia: Farsightedness; the ability to see distant objects more clearly than close obj...

Imitrex: Brand name for sumatriptan, a triptan drug for the treatment of migraine.

Immunosuppressive: 1. Pertaining to immunosuppression, the suppression of the immun...

In situ: In the normal location. An in situ tumor is one that is confined to its site of o...

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

Inflammation: A localized reaction that produces redness, warmth, swelling, and pain as a ...

Intraocular: In the eye. For example, intraocular pressure is the pressure within the eye....

Intraocular lens: An artificial lens made of plastic, silicone, acrylic or other material ...

Keloid: A scar that rises quite abruptly above the rest of the skin. It is irregularly sha...

Keratitis: Inflammation of the cornea. Keratitis can occur due to abrasion trauma, infecti...

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

Keratoplasty: Corneal transplant.

Keratotomy: A surgical cut of the cornea.

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

LASIK: Abbreviation standing for laser-assisted in situ k/...

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

Lupus: A chronic inflammatory disease that is caused by autoimmunity. Patients with lupus ...

Myopia: Nearsightedness, the ability to see close objects more clearly than distant objec...

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

NEI: Stands for National Eye Institute, one of the US National Institutes of Health.

NIH: National Institutes of Health.

Nursing: 1) Profession concerned with the provision of services essential to the maintena...

Ocular: Having to do with the eye.

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

Operation: In medicine, a surgical procedure. Many operations are named after persons. The...

Ophthalmologist: A physician who practices ophthalmology.

Ophthalmology: The art and science of eye ?medicine.

Outpatient: A patient who is not hospitalized, but instead comes to a physician?s office, ...

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

Peripheral: Situated away from the center, as opposed to centrally located.

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

Posterior: The back or behind, as opposed to the anterior.

Postoperative: After surgery. As opposed to preoperative, before surgery.

Pregnant: The state of carrying a developing fetus within the body.

Presbyopia: The loss of the eye's ability to change focus to see near objects. The reason...

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...

Radial: A word with diverse meanings in medicine and the biomedical sciences:

1. Pe...

Radial keratotomy: An eye surgery procedure designed to flatten the cornea, reducing its o...

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

Retina: The retina is the nerve layer that lines the back of the eye, senses light, and c...

Retinal: Pertaining to the retina, the extraordinary layer of neurons (nerve cells) that ...

Retinopathy: Any disease of the retina, the light-sensitive membrane at the back of the ey...

Rheumatoid arthritis: An autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of joint...

Rule out: Term used in medicine, meaning to eliminate or exclude something from considera...

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

Steroid: One of a large group of chemical substances classified by a specific carbon struc...

Stroma: The supportive framework of an organ (or gland or other structure), usually compos...

Superficial: In anatomy, on the surface or shallow. As opposed to deep. The skin is superf...

Surgeon: A physician who treats disease, injury, or deformity via operative or manual meth...

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

Tear: A drop of the salty secretion of the lacrimal glands which serves to moisten the con...

Vascular: Relating to blood vessels. For example, the vascular system in the body includes...

Visual acuity: The clarity or clearness of vision, a measure of how well a person sees.