Med terms- Eyes & Ears

Ophthalmology/Ophthalmologist

The diagnosis and treatment of disorders and diseases of the eye

Optometrist

Measures vision and prescribed corrective solutions as needed.

Audiology/Audiologist

Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of hearing disorders.

Otorhinolaryngology/Otorhinolaryngologist

Diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the ears, nose, and throat (ENT).

Blepharedema

Swelling of the eyelid (blephar/o: eyelid)

Blepharitis

Inflammation of the eyelid (blephar/o: eyelid)

Blepharochalasis

Hypertrophy of the skin or the eyelid (blephar/o: eyelid, -chalasis: relaxation, slackening)

Blepharoptosis

Drooping of the upper eyelid

Ectropion

Turning outward (eversion) of the eyelid, exposing the conjunctiva (ec-: out, trop/o: turning)

Entropion

Turning inward of the eyelid toward the eye (en-: in, trop/o: turning)

Amblyopia

Dull or dim vision due to disuse (ambly/o: dull, dim, -opia: visual condition)

Diplopia

Double vision. Emmetropia means normal vision. (dipl/o: double, -opia: visual condition)

Esotropia

Turning inward of one or both eyes (eso-: inward, trop/o: turning)

Exophthalmia

Protrusion of the eyeball from its orbit; may be congenital or the result of an endocrine disorder.

Exotropia

Turning outward of one or both eyes

Photophobia

Extreme sensitivity to light. (-phobia: aversion)

Strabismus

General term for a lack of coordination between the eyes, usually due to a muscle weakness or paralysis. Sometimes called a “squint,” which refers to the patient’s effort to correct the disorder.

Otalgia

Earache, pain in the ear; also called otodynia. (ot/o: ear)

Otorrhea

Discharge from the auditory canal; may be serous, bloody, or purulent.

Tinnitus

Abnormal sound heard in one or both ears caused by trauma or disease; may be a ringing, buzzing, or jingling.

Vertigo

Dizziness; abnormal sensation of movement when there is none, either of one’s self moving, or of objects moving around oneself. May be caused by middle ear infections or the toxic effects of alcohol, sunstroke, and certain medications.

Cholesteatoma

Cystic mass composed of epithelial cells and cholesterol. Mass may occlude middle ear and destroy adjacent bones. (chol/e: bile, steat/o: fat, -oma: tumor)

Infectious myringitis

Inflammation of the eardrum due to a bacterial or viral infection. (myring/o: eardrum)

Mastoiditis

Inflammation of the mastoid process of the temporal bone. (mastoid/o: mastoid process)

Otitis media (OM)

Inflammation of the middle ear. Suppurative OM is characterized by a pus-filled fluid. Secretory OM is characterized by clear fluid discharge. (media: middle)

Otosclerosis

Development of bone around the oval window with resulting ankylosis of the stapes to the oval window; usually results in progressive deafness. (-sclerosis: condition of hardening)

Cochlear implant

Implanted device that assists those with hearing loss by electrically stimulating the cochlea. (cochle/o: cochlea)

Hearing aid

Electronic device that amplifies sound

Mastoidectomy

Removal of the mastoid process, usually to treat intractable mastoids.

Otoplasty

Surgical or plastic repair and/or reconstruction of the external ear

Stapedectomy

Removal of the third ossicle, the stapes, from the middle ear.

Tympanoplasty

Surgical repair of the eardrum, with or without ossicular chain reconstruction. Some patients may require a prosthesis for one of more of the ossicles.

Tympanostomy

Surgical creation of an opening through the eardrum to promote drainage and/or allow the introduction of artificial tubes to maintain the opening; also called a myringotomy.