Special Senses Vocabulary Definitions

Accommodation

The ability of the lens to change shape, allowing the eye to focus images of objects that are near or far away.

Astigmatism

A condition in which the cornea has an abnormal shape, which causes blurred images during near or distant vision.

Audiologist

A healthcare specialist who focuses on evaluating and correcting hearing problems.

Audiometer

An electronic device that measures hearing acuity by producing sounds in specific frequencies and intensities.

Auricle

The part of the outside ear made of cartilage and covered with skin.

Cataract

Cloudy areas that form in the lens of the eye that prevents light from reaching visual receptors.

Cerumen

A wax-like substance produced by glands in the ear canal.

Choroid

The middle layer of the eye, which contains the iris, the ciliary body, and most of the eye's blood vessels.

Cochlea

A spiral shaped canal in the inner ear that contains hearing receptors.

Conductive hearing loss

A type of hearing loss that occurs when sound waves cannot be conducted through the ear.

Conjunctiva

The protective membrane that lines the eyelid and covers the anterior of the sclera, or white of the eye.

Cornea

A transparent area on the front of the outer layer of the eye.

Eustachian tube

An opening in the middle ear leading to the back of the throat, that helps equalize air pressure on both sides of the eardrum.

External auditory canal

The canal that carries sound waves to tympanic membranes commonly called the ear canal.

Glaucoma

A condition in which too much pressure is created in the eye by excessive aqueous humor, resulting in damage of the optic nerve.

Labyrinth

The inner ear.

Myopia

A condition that occurs when light entering the eye is focused in front of the retina, commonly called nearsightedness.

Ophthalmoscope

A handheld instrument with a light; used to view inner eye structure.

Ossicles

Small bones, specifically, one of the bones of the tympanic cavity or middle ear.

Otologist

A medical doctor who specializes in the health of the ear.

Otoscope

A lightened instrument used to examine the ear canal and tympanic membrane.

Presbyopia

An eye disorder that results in loss of lens elasticity, developing with age, causing a person to have difficulty seeing objects up close.

Refraction

Bending of light by the cornea, lens, and eye fluids to focus light onto the retina.

Retina

The inner layer of the eye containing light-sensing nerve cells.

Semicircular canals

Structures in the inner ear that help a person maintain balance; each of three canals is positioned at right angles to the other two.

Sensory adaptation

Process where the same chemical can stimulate receptors only for a limited time until they don't respond to the chemical.

Tinnitus

Abnormal ringing in the ear.

Tympanic membrane

A fibrous partition located at the inner ear canal separating the outer ear from the middle ear, commonly called the eardrum.

Visual acuity

Distance vision.

Hyperopia

Light entering the eye focused on the retina (farsightedness).