Med term - Special senses

acous/o

hearing

acoust/o

hearing, sound

Ambly/o

dull, dim

Aque/o

water

audi/o, audit/o

hearing

Blephar/o

eyelid

Cerumin/o

cerumen

Cochle/o

cochlea

Conjunctiv/o

conjunctiva

cor/o

pupil

Corne/o

cornea

cyst/o

fluid filled sac

dacry/o, lacrim/o

tear, tear duct

Dipl/o

double

glauc/o

gray

Graph/o

writing

Gustat/o

sense of taste

ir/o, irid/o

iris (colored portion of the eye around the pupil)

kerat/o

cornea

mi/o

smaller, less

mydr/o

widen, enlarge

myring/o

tympanic membrane (eardrum)

Nyct/o

night, darkness

ocul/o, ophthalm/o

eye

Optic/o

eye, vision

ossic/o

ossicle (small bone)

Ot/o

ear

Papill/o

optic disc; nipple-like

phac/o

lens of the eye

Phot/o

light

Presby/o

old age

Retin/o

retina

Salping/o

eustachian tube

Staped/o

stapes (middle ear bone)

Steat/o

fat, sebum

Stigmat/o

point

Vestibul/o

vestibule

Vitr/o

vitreous body (of the eye)

Vitre/o

glassy

Eso

inward

Exo

outside

Hyper

over

Hypo

under

-cusis

hearing

-plasty

surgical repair

ptosis

drooping

sclerosis

hardening

tropia

to turn

conjunctiva

Delicate membrane lining the eyelids and covering the eyeball

Sclera

white of the eye

Cornea

The clear tissue that covers the front of the eye

choroid

middle, vascular layer of the eye, between the retina and the sclera

pupil

the adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters

Iris

a ring of muscle tissue that forms the colored portion of the eye around the pupil and controls the size of the pupil opening

lens (crystalline lens)

clear, curved, flexible structure that focuses images on the retina

Ciliary body

Thick muscles that adjusts the shape of the lens.

Aqueous humor

fluid in the eye, found between the cornea and the lens

Vitreous humor

the transparent jellylike tissue filling the eyeball behind the lens.

Retina

the light-sensitive inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information

Rods

retinal receptors that detect black, white, and gray

Cones

retinal receptor cells that are concentrated near the center of the retina and that function in daylight or in well-lit conditions. The cones detect fine detail and give rise to color sensations.

Photoreceptors

rods and cones; respond to light.

macula

Oval-shaped pigmented area near that retina that assists with high acuity vision.

Optic nerve

the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain

optic disc

Region at the back of the eye where the optic nerve meets the retina. It is the blind spot of the eye.

Fovea centralis

area consisting of a small depression in the retina containing cones and where vision is most acute

lacrimal gland

produces tears

ciliary glands

modified sweat glands between the eyelashes that secrete a protective lubricant on the eyeball.

lacrimal canaliculi

drain lacrimal fluid from eyes medially

lacrimal sac

structure that collects tears before emptying into the nasolacrimal duct

lacrimal ducts

drain lacrimal fluid away from the eye and into the nose via the nasolacrimal duct

auricle

external ear

auditory canal

the area that sound waves pass through to reach the eardrum

Ceruminous glands

produce ear wax

Cerumen

ear wax

tympanic membrane

The eardrum. A structure that separates the outer ear from the middle ear and vibrates in response to sound waves.

auditory ossicles (malleus, incus, stapes)

three small bones linked together that connect the eardrum to the inner ear

eustachian tube (auditory tube)

tube connecting the middle ear to the pharynx (throat). Helps equalize pressure within the ear by draining fluids from the middle ear to the pharynx.

cochlea

a coiled, bony, fluid-filled tube in the inner ear through which sound waves trigger nerve impulses. Snail shaped.

Organ of corti

Center part of the cochlea, containing hair cells, canals, and membranes

vestibule of ear

the area between cochlea & semicircular canals.

oval window

membrane at the entrance to the cochlea through which the ossicles transmit vibrations

round window of ear

Opening from the middle ear into the cochlea. Allows for displacement of fluids in the cochlea.

semicircular canals

three canals within the inner ear that contain specialized receptor cells that generate nerve impulses with body movement

vestibulocochlear nerve

Sends signals relating to hearing and balance from the ear to the brain.

olfactory receptor cells

receive chemicals interpreted as smells

olfactory hairs (cilia)

generate neural impulses when they are stimulated by odor molecules dissolved on the mucous membrane

olfactory nerve

the nerve that carries smell impulses from the nose to the brain

olfactory bulb

the brain center for smell, located below the frontal lobes

amblyopia

a dimness of vision or the partial loss of sight, especially in one eye, without detectable disease of the eye

blepharitis

inflammation of the eyelid

cataract

clouding of the lens of the eye

astigmatism

defective curvature of the cornea or lens of the eye

Dacrocystitis

inflammation of the lacrimal sac

Retinophathy

disease of the retina

ectropion

outward turning of the rim of the eyelid

entropion

inward turning of the rim of the eyelid

Glaucoma

increased intraocular pressure results in damage to the retina and optic nerve with loss of vision

hordeolum

sty; an acute infection of a sebaceous gland of the eyelid

macular degeneration

progressive damage to the macula of the retina