Eye Care Dictionary

keratectomy: A part of LASIK surgery in which part of the cornea’s layer is removed so the eye can be reshaped.

 

LASEK: A type of vision-correcting procedure that is a blend of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK).

 

LASIK: Standing for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, LASIK is a corrective procedure that reshapes the eye with lasers to improve vision.

 

legal blindness: The national standard by which people are classified as blind. Those who have vision at 20/200 or worse are considered to be legally blind.

 

lens: A transparent part of the eye that channels light to the retina. Lens may also refer to the clear, glass circles inside of the frames of glasses.

 

macular degeneration: A debilitating eye disease characterized by the malfunction of the cones due to improper blood supply. Macular degeneration is primarily a condition that arises due to aging.

 

macular edema: Generally a side effect of diabetic retinopathy, macular edema refers to the condition in which the retina swells, causing blurry vision.

 

monochromatic: Describes anything (from vision or a painting) that is composed of different shades of a single color.

 

monovision: A technique for improving vision to eliminate the need for reading glasses. Monovision generally adjusts one eye to see better close up and the other to see further better.

 

myopia: Commonly known as nearsightedness, myopia is a condition in which the eye has trouble perceiving far away objects but can see near objects clearly.

 

ophthalmologist: An eye doctor or surgeon who is more specialized and more highly trained than an optometrist.

 

optic nerve: A set of over one million nerve stands that run from the back of the eye, specifically the retina, to the brain where the perception of an image is identified.

 

optician: A trained technician who makes glasses based on a given prescription.

 

optometrist: A primary care eye doctor who performs routine eye exams and basic treatments.