Chapter 8: Sensory System

Medical Terminology

aphakia [ă-FĀ-kē-ă] {afaquia}:

Absence of a lens.

asthenopia [ăs-thĕ-NŌ-pē-ă] {astenopía}:

Weakness of the ocular or ciliary muscles that causes the eyes to tire easily; eyestrain.

astigmatism [ă-STĬG-mă-tĭzm] {astimagtismo}:

Distortion of sight because of lack of focus of light rays at one point on the retina.

1. audi/o

2. audit/o

Combining form meaning "hearing" or "sound."

audiogram [ĂW-dē-ō-grăm] {audiograma}:

Graph that plots the acoustic frequencies being tested.

audiologist [ăw-dē-ŎL-ō-jĭst] {audiólogo}:

Specialist in evaluating hearing function.

audiometry [ăw-dē-ŎM-ĕ-trē] {audiometría}:

Measurement of acoustic frequencies using an audiometer.

auditory ossicles [ĂW-dĭ-tōr-ē ŎS-ĭ-klz] {huesesillos del oído}:

Three specially shaped bones in the middle ear that anchor the eardrum to the tympanic cavity and that transmit vibrations to the inner ear.

aur/o

auricul/o

Prefix meaning ear. Combining form for ear.

auricle [ĂW-rĭ-kl] {auricular}:

Funnel-like structure leading from the external ear to the external auditory meatus; also called pinna.

blephar/o

Flashcard: Medical term for eyelid: blephar/o.

blepharitis [BLĔF-ă-RĪ-tĭs] {blefaritis}:

Inflammation of the eyelid.

blepharochalasis [BLĔF-ă-rō-KĂL-ă-sĭs] {blefarocalasia}:

Loss of elasticity of the eyelid.

blepharoplasty [BLĔF-ă-rō-plăst-ē] {blefaroplastía}:

Surgical repair of the eyelid.

blepharoptosis [BLĔF-ă-RŎP-tō-sĭs] {blefaroptosis}:

Drooping of the eyelid.

blepharospasm [BLĔF-ă-rō-spăzm] {blefaroespasmo}:

Involuntary eyelid movement; excessive blinking.

blindness {ceguera}:

Loss or absence of vision.

cataracts [CĂT-ă-răkts] {catarata}:

Cloudiness of the lens of the eye.

cerumin/o

Flashcard: "Cerumin/o" refers to wax, specifically earwax.

chalazion [kă-LĀ-zē-ŏn] {chalazión}:

Nodular inflammation that usually forms on the eyelid.

cholesteatoma [kō-lĕs-tē-ă-TŌ-mă] {colesteatoma}:

Fatty cyst within the middle ear.

choroid [KŌ-royd] {coroides}:

Thin posterior membrane in the middle layer of the eye.

ciliary [SĬL-ē-ăr-ē] body {cuerpo ciliar}:

Thick anterior membrane in the middle layer of the eye.

cochle/o

Flashcard: Prefix meaning cochlea, part of the inner ear responsible for hearing.

cochlea [KOK-lē-ă] {caracol}:

Snail-shaped structure in the inner ear that contains the organ of Corti.

Cones

Specialized retina cells for color and bright light perception.

conjunctiv/o

Flashcard: Term: conjunctiv/o Definition: Pertaining to the conjunctiva, the mucous membrane that lines the inner surface of the eyelids and covers the front part of the eye.

conjunctiva (pl., conjunctivae) [kŏn-jŭnk-TĪ-vă (kŏn-jŭnk-TĪ-vē)] {Conjuntiva}

Mucous membrane lining the eyelid.

conjunctivitis [kŏn-jŭnk-tĭ-VĪ-tĭs] {Conjuntivitis}:

Inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eyelid; pinkeye.

Contact Lenses

Corrective lenses worn on the eye's surface.

cor/o

core/o

corne/o

Refers to the cornea, the transparent front part of the eye covering the iris and pupil.

Cornea

Transparent eye section aiding light refraction.

cryoretinopexy [KRĪ-ō-RĔT-ĭ-nō-PĔK-sē] {criorretinopexia)

Fixing a torn retina with extreme cold.

cycl/o

Root: cycl/o Meaning: circle, cycle

deafness {sordera}

Loss or absence of hearing.

Decibel

Measure of sound intensity.

diplopia [dĭ-PLŌ-pē-ă] {diplopía}

Double vision.

ear [ēr] {oreja, oído}

Organ of hearing.

eardrum [ĒR-drŭm] {Tímpano de oído}:

Oval, semitransparent membrane that moves in response to sound waves and produces vibrations.

enucleation [ē-nū-klē-Ā-shŭn] {enucleación}

Removal of an eyeball.

equilibrium [ē-kwĭ-LĬB-rē-ŭm] {equilibrio}

Sense of balance.

esotropia [ĕs-ō-TRŌ-pē-ă] {esotropía}

: Deviation of one eye inward.

eustachian [yū-STĀ-shŭn, yū-STĀ-kē-ăn] tube {trompa de eustaquio}:

Tube that connects the middle ear to the pharynx.

exophthalmos, exophthalmus [ĕk-sŏf-THĂL-mos, ĕk-sŏf-THĂL-mŭs] {exoftalmía}

- Abnormal protrusion of the eyeballs, often seen in Graves' disease.

exotropia [ĕk-sō-TRŌ-pē-ă] {exotropía}:

Deviation of one eye outward.

eye [ī] {ojo}

Organ of sight.

eyebrow [Ī-brŏw] {ceja}:

Clump of hair, usually about a half an inch above the eye, that helps to keep foreign particles from entering the eye.

eyelashes [Ī-lăsh-ĕz] {pestaña}:

Group of hairs protruding from the end of the eyelid; helps to keep foreign particles from entering the eye.

eyelid [Ī-lĭd] {párpado}:

Movable covering over the eye.

eyestrain [Ī-strān] {vista fatigada}:.

Weakness of the ocular or ciliary muscles that causes the eyes to tire easily; asthenopia

farsightedness {hiperopía}:

Focusing behind the retina causing vision distortion; hyperopia.

glaucoma [glăw-KŌ-mă] {glaucoma}:

Any of various diseases caused by abnormally high eye pressure.

hearing {audición}:

Ability to perceive sound.

hyperopia [hī-pĕr-Ō-pē-ă] {hiperopía}:

Focusing behind the retina causing vision distortion; farsightedness.

ir/o

irid/o

Combining form meaning iris (colored part of the eye).

iridectomy [ĬR-ĭ-DĔK-tō-mē] {iridectomía}:

Removal of part of the iris.

iridotomy [ĭr-ĭ-DŎT-ō-mē] {iridotomía}:

Incision into the iris to relieve pressure.

iris [Ī-rĭs] {iris}:

Colored part of the eye; contains muscles that expand and contract in response to light.

iritis [ī-RĪ-tĭs] {iritis}:

Inflammation of the iris.

kerat/o

Pertaining to the cornea or horny tissue, such as the skin or nails.

keratitis [kĕr-ă-TĪ-tĭs] {queratitis}:

Inflammation of the cornea.

keratoplasty [KĔR-ă-tō-plăs-tē] {queratoplastía}:

Corneal transplant.

labyrinthitis [LĂB-ĭ-rĭn-THĪ-tĭs] {laberintitis}:

Inflammation of the labyrinth.

lacrim/o

Combining form denoting tears or tear glands.

lacrimal [LĂK-rĭ-măl] glands {glándula lacrimal}:

Glands that secrete liquid to moisten the eyes and produce tears.

lacrimation [lăk-rĭ-MĀ-shŭn] {lagrimeo}:

Secretion of tears, usually excessively.

lens [lĕnz] {lentes}:

Colorless, flexible, transparent body behind the iris.

macula [MĂK-yū-lă] {mácula}:

Inner ear structure containing hairlike sensors that move to maintain equilibrium.

macula lutea [MĂK-yū-lă lū-TĒ-ă] {mácula lútea}:

Small, yellowish area located in the center of the retina, which has a depression called the fovea centralis.

macular [MĂK-yū-lăr] degeneration {degeneración macular}:

Gradual loss of vision caused by degeneration of tissue in the macula.

malleus [MĂL-ē-ŭs] {malleus}:

One of the three auditory ossicles; the hammer.

mastoid/o

Combining form referring to the mastoid process, a bony protrusion located behind the ear.

mastoiditis [măs-toy-DĪ-tĭs]:

Inflammation of the mastoid process.

membranous labyrinth [MĔM-bră-nŭs LĂB-ĭ-rĭnth] {laberinto membranoso}:

One of the two tubes that make up the semicircular canals.

Ménière’s disease [mĕn-YERZ di-ZĒZ] {enfermedad de Meniere}:

Elevated pressure within the cochlea.

miotic [mī-ŎT-īk] {miótico}:

Agent that causes the pupil to contract.

mydriatic [mī-drē-ĂT-ĭk] {midiátrico}:

Agent that causes the pupil to dilate.

myopia [mī-Ō-pē-ă] {miopía}:

Focusing in front of the retina causing vision distortion; nearsightedness.

myring/o

Pertaining to the eardrum.

myringitis [mĭr-ĭn-JĪ-tĭs] {meringitis}:

Inflammation of the eardrum.

myringotomy [mĭr-ĭng-GŎT-ō-mē] {miringotomía}:

Insertion of a small tube to help drain fluid from the ears (particularly of children).

nas/o

Root word for nose.

nearsightedness {miopía}:

Focusing in front of the retina causing vision distortion; myopia.

neuroretina [nūr-ō-RĔT-ĭ-nă] {neurorretina}:

Thick layer of nervous tissue in the retina.

nyctalopia [nĭk-tă-LŌ-pē-ă] {nictalopía}:

Night blindness.

nystagmus [nĭs-STĂG-mŭs] {nistagmo}:

Excessive involuntary eyeball movement.

ocul/o

Combining form meaning "eye"

olfactory [ōl-FĂK-tō-rē] organs {órgano olfatorio}:

Organs at the top of the nasal cavity containing olfactory receptors.

ophthalm/o

Flashcard: Root meaning "eye." Used in medical terms related to the eye, such as ophthalmology (study of the eye) and ophthalmologist (eye doctor).

ophthalmologist [ŏf-thăl-MŎL-ō-jĭst] {oftalmólogo}:

Medical specialist who diagnoses and treats eye disorders.

ophthalmoscopy [ŏf-thăl-MŎS-kō-pē] {Oftalmoscopía}:

Visual examination of the interior of the eye.

opt/o

optic(o)

Prefix referring to the eye or vision.

optic nerve {nervio óptico}:

Nerve that transmits nerve impulses from the eye to the brain.

optician [ŏp-TĬSH-ŭn]:

Technician who makes and fits corrective lenses.

optometrist [ŏp-TŎM-ĕ-trĭst] {optometrista}:

Nonmedical specialist who examines the eyes and prescribes lenses.

organ of Corti [KŌR-tē] {órgano de Corti}:

Organ of Corti: Structure on the basilar membrane with hairlike receptors that receive and transmit sound waves.

osseous labyrinth [ŎS-sē-ŭs LĂB-ĭ-rĭnth] {laberinto óseo}:

One of the two tubes that make up the semicircular canals.

ossicul/o

Combining form meaning "little bone," often used in medical terminology related to small bones in the ear.

otalgia [ō-TĂL-jē-ă] {otalgia}:

Pain in the ear.

otitis externa [ō-TĪ-tĭs ĕks-TĔR-nă] {otitis externa}:

Fungal infection of the external ear canal.