Glossary of Eye Terms

At Columbia Eye Associates, we believe that understanding your eye health is just as important as getting the right treatment. With so many medical terms and specialized language in the field of ophthalmology, it can be challenging to keep up. This glossary of eye terms is here to help, and our goal is to make eye care more understandable and accessible for all.

If you have any questions after reading through the glossary, feel free to reach out to us at our Lake City, FL, location. We are here to guide you through your eye care journey.

Common Eye Care Terms and Definitions

Here are some essential eye care terms you may come across during your eye care journey:

Achromatopsia
This is a condition where certain receptors in the retina are missing, leading to poor or absent color vision. People with achromatopsia may be near or completely colorblind.

Alpha-2 Agonists

These medications are often used to treat glaucoma. They help reduce intraocular pressure by increasing the drainage of fluid in the eye and reducing fluid production.

Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)

Amblyopia occurs when one eye is not used as much during childhood development. This results in reduced vision in one eye. Without treatment, the weaker eye may remain underdeveloped.

Aqueous Humor
This is the clear, watery fluid between your lens and cornea. It helps nourish the eye and maintain eye pressure.

Astigmatism
Astigmatism occurs when the cornea is shaped more like a football than a basketball. This irregular shape causes blurry vision at both near and far distances. It can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or surgery.

Beta-blockers

Beta-blockers are a type of medicated eye drop used to treat glaucoma. They work by reducing the amount of fluid the eye produces, lowering intraocular pressure.

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: Medications that treat glaucoma. They cause your eye to make less aqueous humor, which lowers pressure.

Choroid: The layer of blood vessels between your retina and sclera.

Choroiditis: A form of uveitis, or inflammation of the uvea, the eye's middle layer. It causes the layer beneath your retina to become inflamed.

Conjunctiva: A thin layer of tissue that lines the inside of your eyelids and the outer surfaces of your sclera.

Conjunctivitis: Inflammation of your conjunctiva, also called pinkeye.

Cornea: The clear front outer layer of your eye. It covers the iris.

Cryotherapy: Surgery that freezes and destroys abnormal cells.

Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors

These medications are used to treat glaucoma. They decrease the amount of fluid produced by the eye, lowering the intraocular pressure.

Choroid

The choroid is the layer of blood vessels located between the retina and the sclera. It helps nourish the retina.

Choroiditis

Choroiditis is the inflammation of the choroid, the blood vessel layer beneath the retina. It is a form of uveitis and can cause vision problems.

Conjunctiva

The conjunctiva is a thin tissue layer that lines the inner surface of the eyelids and the outer part of the eye (the sclera). It protects the eye from infections and irritants.

Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)

This is the inflammation of the conjunctiva, often resulting from infection or allergies. It causes redness, swelling, and irritation of the eye.

Cornea

The cornea is the clear, dome-shaped layer that covers the front of the eye. It acts as a protective barrier and plays a significant role in focusing vision.

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy is a surgical procedure that uses extreme cold to destroy abnormal tissue, such as tumors or damaged retinal tissue.

Cyclitis

Cyclitis is a form of uveitis that causes inflammation in the middle portion of the eye, including the muscle that helps focus your lens, called the ciliary body.

Dilation

Dilation is when eye drops are used to widen the pupil, allowing the eye doctor to examine the internal structures of the eye, including the retina and optic nerve.

Enucleation

Enucleation is the surgical removal of an eye, typically performed when the eye cannot be saved due to disease or injury.

Hyperopia (Farsightedness)

Hyperopia occurs when it is difficult to see close objects, while distant objects remain clear. It can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses.

Iris

The iris is the colored part of the eye that surrounds the pupil. It helps control the amount of light that enters the eye by adjusting the size of the pupil.

Iritis

Iritis is the most common form of uveitis and involves inflammation of the iris. It can cause pain, light sensitivity, and blurry vision.

Legal Blindness

Legal blindness occurs when vision cannot be corrected to better than 20/200, or when a person has a visual field of 20 degrees or less, often referred to as tunnel vision.

Low Vision
Low vision is when a person has a visual acuity of 20/70 to 20/200, despite using glasses or contact lenses.

Macula

The macula is the central part of the retina and is responsible for high-resolution, detailed vision.

Macular Edema
Macular edema is the swelling of the macula, often resulting from injury or disease, making it difficult to see.

Myopia (Nearsightedness)
Myopia occurs when it is difficult to see distant objects clearly, but close objects appear sharp. It is also known as nearsightedness.

Night Blindness

Night blindness refers to difficulty seeing in dim or darkened conditions, often caused by a deficiency in vitamin A or other retinal diseases like retinitis pigmentosa.

Ophthalmologist

An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor (MD) or doctor of osteopathy (DO) who specializes in the medical and surgical care of the eyes. They handle a wide range of eye conditions, including glaucoma, cataracts, and retinal diseases.

Optometrist

An optometrist is a healthcare provider trained to examine, diagnose, and treat eye diseases and disorders. They can prescribe glasses and contact lenses, but they do not perform surgery.

Peripheral Vision
Peripheral vision is the ability to see objects outside your direct line of sight, also known as side vision.

Presbyopia
Presbyopia is a natural part of the aging process where the eye loses its ability to focus on nearby objects. This typically occurs after the age of 40.

Pupil
The pupil is the black circular opening in the center of the iris. It allows light to enter the eye.

Refractive Error

Refractive error occurs when the eye does not bend light properly, causing blurry vision. Common refractive errors include astigmatism, farsightedness, and nearsightedness.

Retina
The retina is a thin layer of tissue at the back of the eye that senses light and sends signals to the brain to create images.

Retinitis Pigmentosa
Retinitis pigmentosa is a group of inherited retinal diseases that lead to progressive vision loss, often starting with decreased night vision and progressing to tunnel vision.

Strabismus

Strabismus is when the eyes are not properly aligned and do not focus on the same point. It is commonly known as crossed eyes.

Visual Acuity
Visual acuity refers to the sharpness or clarity of vision, often measured using an eye chart.

Still have more questions about eye care in Lake City, FL, or are you ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us today!