Vision Terms Glossary of eye terminology

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  2. Glossary of Eye Terminology
  • Farsightedness : A vision condition in which nearby objects are blurry. Also called hyperopia
  • Nearsightedness : A condition in which close objects appear clearly, but far ones don't. Also called myopia
  • Astigmatism : A defect in the eye or in a lens caused by a deviation from spherical curvature, which results in distorted images.
  • Strabismus : Abnormal alignment of the eyes; the condition of having a squint.
  • Exotropia : A form of strabismus (eye misalignment) referring to eyes that turn outward.
  • Pseudostrabismus : False appearance of misaligned eye
  • Esotropia : A form of strabismus, or “squint,” in which one or both eyes turns inward.
  • Hypertropia : A condition of misalignment of the eyes (strabismus), whereby the visual axis of one eye is higher than the fellow fixating eye.
  • Amblyopia/Lazy Eye : Decreased vision that results from abnormal visual development in infancy and early childhood.
  • Trichiasis : Ingrowth or introversion of the eyelashes.
  • Ptosis : A drooping or falling of the upper eyelid.
  • Nystagmus : A condition of involuntary eye movement, acquired in infancy or later in life, that may result in reduced or limited vision
  • Pink eye (conjunctivitis) : An inflammation or infection of the transparent membrane (conjunctiva) that lines your eyelid and covers the white part of your eyeball.
  • Retinitis : inflammation of the retina of the eye.
  • Ocular allergies
  • Stye : A red, painful lump near the edge of the eyelid that may look like a boil or pimple.
  • Retina : The third and inner coat of the eye which is a light-sensitive layer of tissue.
  • Cornea : The transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber.
  • Iris : A thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupil and thus the amount of light reaching the retina.
  • Glaucoma : A term for a group of eye disorders which result in damage to the optic nerve.
  • Cataract : A clouding of the lens in the eye leading to a decrease in vision.
Sources from Mayo Clinic, Google, Wikipedia and others.