LASIK glossary of terms A-C

A

Aberrometer: Measure waves of light as they travel through the eye

Ablation: The removal of eye tissue to correct a refractive error

Ablation Zone: Where ablation is done

Accommodation: The eye’s ability to adjust its focus from one point to the next by distance

Accommodation disorder: Any disorder that effects the eyes accommodation

Acuity: How sharp and clear the eye’s vision is

AK (astigmatic keratotomy): A procedure to correct astigmatism that has since been replaced by LASIK

Aqueous humor: Fluid that is between the iris and cornea at the front of the eye, that comes from the ciliary body, and gives the cornea plus the lens their nutrients

Argyll Robertson pupil: Irregular pupils that are too small or unresponsive to light

Astigmatism: When the cornea is oblong instead round so rays of light are focused on more that one point of the retina causing blurry vision.

B

Best corrected vision: What is referred to as 20/20 vision

Bifocal: A lens that corrects both farsightedness and nearsightedness.

Bowman’s membrane: Portion of the cornea that rests between the stroma and epithelium.

C

Cataract: A disorder that results in clouding of the eye’s lens

Central island: When an island of cornea tissue is all that is left in the ablation zone after LASIK surgery.

Choroid: Gives the back of the eye nourishment through blood vessels that connects the white of the eye to the retina.

Ciliary body: Portion of the eye located between the choroid and iris that make up the uvea to perform accommodation, produce aqueous humor and keep lens in place.

CK (Conductive Keratoplasty): Used to correct near and far sightedness with radio frequencies.

Color blindness: Inherited vision problem that causes the eye to be unable to tell different colors apart and is more common amongst men.

Cone: The retina’s receptor that allows it to see color.

Conjunctiva: Mucous membrane that is located in the visible portion of the eye as well as the inside eyelid surface.

Cornea: Front portion of the eye that is clear which reflects light rays to allow the eye to focus on them and make out images.

Corneal abrasion: When the epithelial layer of the cornea is lost causing blurry, gritty vision and/or sensitivity to light with tearing and discomfort.

Corneal implants: Implants used to replace the cornea

Corneal topography: The mapping of the shape of the cornea and eye’s surface