| A | B |
|---|
| Acoustic | Pertaining to hearing or sound |
| Acoustic Neuroma | Benign tumor arising from the acoustic nerve in the brain |
| Audiogram | Record of hearing as taken by an audiometer |
| Audiometer | Instrument to measure the sharpness of hearing |
| Audiometry | Procedure wherein an instrument delivers acoustic stimuli of specific frequencies to determine the patient's hearing for each frequency |
| Auditory Canal | The channel that leads from the pinna to the eardrum |
| Auditory Meatus | Auditory canal |
| Auditory Tube | Channel between the middle ear and the nasopharynx |
| Aural | Pertaining to the ear |
| Auricle | The flap of the ear; protruding part of the external ear--the pinna |
| Cerumen | A waxy substance secreted by the external ear--ear wax |
| Cholesteatoma | Collection of skin cells and cholesterol in a sac within the middle ear |
| Cochlea | A snail-shaped, spirally wound tube in the inner ear |
| Cochlear | Pertaining to the cochlea (spiral-shaped tube in the inner ear) |
| Endolymph | Fluid within the labyrinth of the inner ear |
| Deafness | Loss of the ability to hear |
| Eustachian Tube | Auditory tube leading from the middle ear to the pharynx; it is normally closed but opens upon swallowing |
| Hyperacusis | Abnormally acute sensitivity to sounds |
| Incus | The second ossicle of the middle ear--the anvil |
| Labyrinth | Maze-like series of canals in the inner ear that contains cochlea, semicircular canals, saccule, and utricle |
| Macrotia | Condition of large ears |
| Malleus | The first ossicle of the middle ear--the hammer |
| Mastoiditis | Inflammation of the mastoid process behind the ear |
| Meniere Disease | Disorder of the labyrinth of the inner ear marked by elevated endolymph pressure within the cochlea and semicircular canals |
| Microtia | Condition of small ears |
| Myringitis | Inflammation of the eardrum |
| Myringotomy | Incision of the eardrum |
| Ossicle | Small bone of the ear; includes the malleus, incus, and stapes |
| Ossiculoplasty | Surgical repair of the middle ear bone |
| Otic | Pertaining to the ear |
| Otolaryngologist | Specialist in the ear and larynx |
| Otomycosis | Abnormal condition of a fungal infection in the ear |
| Otopyorrhea | Discharge of pus from the ear |
| Otosclerosis | Hardening of the bony tissue of the labyrinth |
| Otoscopy | Visual examination of the ear with an otoscope |
| Oval Window | A membrane between the middle and the inner ear |
| Perilymph | Fluid contained in the labyrinth of the inner ear |
| Pinna | The auricle; flap of the ear |
| Prosthesis | Artificial part |
| Pneumatic Otoscopy | Visual examination of the external ear and tympanic membrane using air to change pressure in the external auditory canal |
| Postauricular | Pertaining to behind the ear |
| Presbycusis | Progressive, bilateral hearing loss occurring with age |
| Saccule | An organ in the inner ear that is associated with maintaining equilibrium; saccule means little bag |
| Salpingopharyngeal | Pertaining to the eustachian tube and the throat |
| Semicircular Canals | Passages in the inner ear that are associated with maintaining equilibrium |
| Serous Otitis Media | Inflammation of the middle ear with accumulation of serum/fluid |
| Stapedectomy | Removal of the stapes (middle ear) bone |
| Stapes | The third ossicle of the middle ear |
| Suppurative Otitis Media | Inflammation of the middle ear caused by bacterial infection and with pus formation |
| Tinnitus | Noise (ringing, buzzing, whistling, booming) sound in the ears |
| Tuning Fork Test | Vibration is placed on the mastoid process and then in front of the external auditory meatus to test bone and air condition |
| Tympanic Membrane | The eardrum; the membrane between the outer and the middle ear |
| Tympanoplasty | Surgical repair of the eardrum |
| Vestibule | The central cavity of the labyrinth, connecting the semicircular canals and the cochlea that contains the saccule and utricle that helps maintain equilibrium |
| Utricle | A tiny, sac-like structure in the inner ear that, along with the saccule and semicircular canals, is associated with maintaining equilibrium |
| Vertigo | Sensation of irregular or whirling motion either of oneself or of external objects |
| Vestibulocochlear | Pertaining to the vestibule and cochlea of the inner ear |
| Accommodation | The normal adjustment of the eye for seeing objects at various distances |
| Amblyopia | A partial loss of sight; a lazy eye (failure of the eyes to work together to focus on the same point) |
| Anisocoria | Pupils are unequal size |
| Ankylosis | Stiffening |
| Anterior Chamber | The area behind the cornea and in front of the lens and iris |
| Aphakia | Absence of the lens of the eye |
| Aqueous Humor | Fluid produced by the ciliary body and found in the anterior and posterior chambers |
| Astigmatism | Defective curvature of the cornea or lens of the eye, causing light rays to be unevenly and not sharply focused on the retina, so that the image is distorted |
| Biconvex | Having two sides that are rounded, elevated, and curved evenly, like part of a sphere |
| Blepharitis | Inflammation of the eyelids |
| Types of Vision | Binocular and monocular |
| Blepharoptosis | Prolapse (sagging) of an eyelid |
| Cataract | Clouding of the lens, causing decreased vision |
| Chalazion | Small, hard, cystic mass on the eyelid; formed from chronic inflammation of a sebaceous gland along the margin of the eyelid |
| Choroid Layer | The middle, vascular layer of the eyes, between the retina and the sclera |
| Ciliary Body | Structure on each side of the lens that connects the choroid and the iris; it contains ciliary muscles, which control the shape of the lens, and secretes aqueous humor |
| Cones | Photosensitive receptor cells in the retina that transform light energy into a nerve |
| Conjunctiva | A delicate membrane lining the eyelids and covering the anterior eyeball |
| Conjunctivitis | Inflammation of the conjunctiva; pinkeye is an example |
| Cornea | Fibrous transparent layer of clear tissue that extends over the anterior portion of the eyeball |
| Corneal Ulcer | Defect in the surface of the cornea |
| Corneoscleral | Pertaining to the cornea and scleral layers of the eye |
| Cycloplegic | Pertaining to paralysis of the ciliary muscle |
| Dacryoadenitis | Inflammation of a lacrimal (tear) gland |
| Diabetic Retinopathy | Retinal effects of diabetes mellitus (microaneurysms, hemorrhages, dilation of retinal veins, and neovascularization) |
| Diplopia | Double vision (the perception of two images of a single object) |
| Esotropia | Condition in which one eye turns inward; cross-eyed |
| Enucleation | Removal of the entire eyeball |
| Exotropia | Condition in which one eye turns outward; wall-eyed |
| Fluorescein Angiography | Process of recording blood vessels in the back of the eye after injection of a dye; fluorescein is injected intravenously and movement of blood is then observed to detect diabetic or hypertensive retinopathy |
| Fovea Centralis | The tiny pit or depression in the retina that is the region of clearest vision |
| Fundus | The posterior, inner part of the eye |
| Glaucoma | Increased intraocular pressure results in damage to the retina and optic nerve |
| Hemianopsia | Condition of absence of vision in half of a visual field |
| Hordeolum | A localized, purulent, inflammatory staphylococcal infection of a sebaceous gland in the eye--stye |
| Hyperopia (hypermetropia) | Farsightedness; eyeball is too short or the refractive power of the lens too weak; parallel rays of light tend to focus behind the retina; convex lens (thicker in the middle) used to correct this |
| Hypertensive Retinopathy | Disease of the retina associated with high blood pressure |
| Hyperemia | Increased blood flow |
| Hypertropia | Upward deviation of one eye |
| Intraocular | Pertaining to within the eye |
| Iridectomy | Removal of a portion of the iris |
| Iridic | Pertaining to the iris |
| Iris | The colored portion of the eye |
| Iritis | Inflammation of the iris |
| Keratitis | Inflammation of the cornea |
| Keratoplasty | Corneal transplant |
| Keratotomy | Incision of the cornea |
| Lacrimal | Pertaining to tears |
| Lacrimation | The process of forming tears |
| Laser Photocoagulation | High-energy light beams are used to stimulate coagulation of tissue in the interior of the eye; it is useful to treat diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration |
| Lens | A transparent, biconvex body behind the pupil of the eye; it bends light rays to bring them into focus on the retina |
| Macula | A yellowish region on the retina lateral to and slightly below the optic disk; contains the fovea centralis |
| Macular Degeneration | Deterioration of the macula of the retina |
| Miosis | Condition of contraction of the pupils |
| Miotic | A drug that causes the pupil to contract |
| Mydriasis | Enlargement of pupils |
| Myopia | Nearsightedness; people oftentimes peer through half-closed eyelids; eyeball is too long or the refractive power of the lens so strong that light rays are focused in front of the retina; concave glasses (thicker on the outer edges) are used to correct this |
| Nyctalopia | Condition of night blindness, usually caused by deficiency of Vitamin A |
| Ophthalmic | Pertaining to the eye |
| Olfactory Region | Center of smell in the nose |
| Ophthalmologist | Medical doctor who specializes in the study of the eye, its disorders, and treatment |
| Ophthalmoplegia | Paralysis of the eye muscles |
| Ophthalmoscopy | Visual examination of the interior of the eye |
| Ophthalmoscope | Instrument to view the eye |
| Optic Chiasm | The point at which the fibers of the optic nerve cross in the brain |
| Optic Disk | The region at the back of the eye where the optic nerve meets the retina; it is the blind spot of the eye because it contains only nerve fibers and no rods or cones and is thus insensitive to light |
| Optician | A nonmedical person who grinds lenses and fits glasses but cannot prescribe lenses |
| Optic Nerve | The cranial nerve that carries impulses from the retina to the brain |
| Optometrist | A nonmedical person who can examine eyes to determine vision problems and prescribe lenses; a doctor of optometry |
| Palpebral | Pertaining to the eyelid |
| Papilledema | Swelling of the optic disk (associated with increased intracranial pressure) and hyperemia (increased blood flow) |
| Phacoemulsification | Technique of cataract extraction using high-frequency ultrasonic vibrations to remove the clouded lens |
| Photophobia | Sensitivity to light; fear of light |
| Presbyopia | Impairment of vision due to old age |
| Pupil | The dark opening of the eye; surrounded by the iris, through which light rays pass |
| Pupillary | Pertaining to the pupil |
| Refraction | Bending of light rays by the cornea, lens, and fluids of the eyes to bring the rays into focus on the retina |
| Retina | The light-sensitive nerve cell layer of the eyes that contains receptor cells called rods and cones |
| Retinal Detachment | Two layers of the retina separate from each other |
| Retinitis Pigmentosa | Progressive retinal sclerosis, pigmentation, and atrophy |
| Sclera | The tough, white, outer coat of the eyeball |
| Rods | Photosensitive receptor cells of the retina that are essential for vision in dim light and for peripheral vision |
| Scleral Buckle | Suture of a silicone band to the sclera directly over a detached portion of the retina |
| Scleritis | Inflammation of the sclera |
| Scotoma | An area of depressed vision surrounded by an area of normal vision; a blind spot |
| Slit Lamp Ocular Examination | Procedure wherein an instrument is used that permits examination of anterior ocular structures under microscopic magnification |
| Gonioscope | Instrument that visualizes the anterior chamber angle |
| Strabismus | Abnormal deviation of the eye; defect in eye muscles so that both eyes cannot be focused on the same point at the same time |
| Tonometry | Measurement of the tension or pressure within the eye and is useful in detecting glaucoma |
| Uveitis | Inflammation of the uvea (vascular layer of the eye) |
| Visual Field Examination | Measures area within which objects may be seen when the eyes are fixed, looking straight ahead |
| Visual Acuity | A test of clarity of vision |
| Vitrectomy | Removal of the vitreous humor and its replacement with a clear solution |
| Vitreous Humor | Soft, jelly-like material behind the lens; helps to maintain the shape of the eyeball |
| Xerophthalmia | Condition of dry eyes |
| Eye Socket | The orbit or cavity in the front of the skull containing the eyeball |
| Convergence | The moving inward of the eyes to see an object close to the face |
| Ectropion | Term referring to eversion (turning outward) of the eyelid |
| Oculomycosis | Abnormal condition of eye fungus |
| Endophthalmitis | Inflammation within the eye |
| Ophthalmorrhagia | Rapid bleeding from the eye |
| Achromatopsia | Condition of color blindness; more common in males |
| Trachoma | Chronic infectious disease of the conjunctiva and cornea caused by bacteria |
| Blepharochalasis | Condition wherein the upper eyelid increases in size due to a loss of elasticity, which is followed by swelling and recurrent edema of the lids; the skin may droop over the edges of the eyes when the eyes are open |
