Accomodation (Focusing) – The change in dioptic power of the intraocular lens to see an object near to them more clearly
Acquired – A disease or habit that has developed after birth
Acrylic – The major component in artificial eyes
Adhesion – An abnormal adherence of one tissue to another by fibrous bands
Adipose – Fat tissue
Akinesia – The lack of movement due to the loss or impairment of motor function
Alginate – A type of impression material
Allergy – The hypersensitive or pathological reaction to environmental factors or substances, such as pollens, foods, dust, or microorganisms
Amblyopia – Visul loss due to a defect in image processing by the brain
Anaplastologist – One who fits and fabricates facial prosthetics or somato prosthesis
Anomaly – An irregularity or abnormality replicated in a prosthesis
Anophthalmos – True absence of the eyeball
Anterior – The front or forward part of an object
Ariel Perspective – The visual phenomenon that distant obects appear hazier than closer objects
A.S.O. – American Society of Ocularists
Asymmetry – Lack of similarity in corresponding parts on opposite sides of the body
Atrophied – Shrunken
Atonic – Lacking normal tone or strength
B.A.D.O. – Board Approved Diplomate Ocularist by the American Society of Ocularists
B.C.O. – Board Certified Ocularist by the American Society of Ocularists
Bilateral – In reference to both sides
Canthus – The angle formed at the inner or outer junction of the upper and lower eyelids
Chemosis – Severe edema of the conjunctiva
Cicatrix – New tissue formed in the healing of a wound
Cilia – Eyelashes
Conformer – A clear or white plastic shape to keep the curved shape of the eyelids
Congenital – A condition that is present at birth
Conjunctiva – The mucous membrane tissue the forms the posterior layer of the eyelids and the anterior layer of the eyeball
Conjunctivitis – Inflammation of the mucous membrane lining of the eyelid and or eyeball
Contraction (Contracture) – Pathologic shortening or shrinkage
Convergence – The eyes look together at objects nearby
Cosmesis – For the benefit of appearance
Crazing – Minute hairline cracks in the acrylic
Culdesac – The pocket or space behind the eyelids, former by the eyelids and the posterior wall of the eye socket
Custom Ocular Prosthesis An artificial eye that is fitted and fabricated to all of the specific requirements of an individual patient, specifically addressing all aspects of proper fitting, fabrication, and the replication of iris and sclera
Cyst – A tissue sac containing fluid and or other material
Delamination – A separation between acrylic layers
Depth – The relative distance of objects and their spacial relationship to each other
E – K
Ectropion – An eversion, or turning outward of the eyelid
Edema – Excessive amounts of fluid in the intercellular tissue spaces of the body
Empirical Fitting Technique – A fitting procedure in which the fitting shape is selected based on the ocularist’s visual conception of the size and contours of the anophthalmic socket
Endophthalmitis – A severe infection of the inside of the eye which can cause blindness
Enlargement (Buildup) – An increase in the size of the prosthesis, most commonly to compensate for changes in the anophthalmic socket
Enophthalmos – The abnormal recession of the eye or ocular prosthesis, when compared to the fellow eye
Entropion – An inversion, or inward turning of the eyelid
Enucleation – Complete surgical removal of the eyeball
Enucleation Implant – Designed to replace lost orbital volume following surgical removal of the eye, and to provide a means for transmission of motility to the prosthesis
Epithelium – Tissue covering the outer surfaces of body structures
E.U.A. – Evaluation Under Anesthesia
Evisceration – Surgical removal of the contents of the eyeball, with retention of the sclera and or cornea
Evisceration Implant – Designed to replace lost orbital volume following surgical removal of the eye, and to provide a means for transmission of motility to the prosthesis
Excess mucus – Chronic exudate or discharge
Exenteration – Surgery that removes all or part of the structures of the orbit
Exposure – Incomplete closure or covering of tissue over the enucleation or evisceration implant, revealing part of the implant
Exophthalmos – The abnormal protrusion of the eyeball
Extraocular Muscles – Muscles outside of the eyeball that move the eye
Extrusion – The expulsion of an orbital implant from the anophthalmic socket or eviscerated globe
Fitting Shape – A basic shape of plastic or wax used by the ocularist to begin the fitting of the socket
Fixation – Maintaining eye position and focusing gaze on a target
Fornix (Fornices) – The peripheral extreme of the enucleated socket, where the conjunctiva covering the eyeball meets the conjunctiva lining the eyelid
Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (G.P.C.) – Allergic type of conjunctival inflammation on the undersurface of the eyelids
Glaucoma – Disease causing nerve damage to the optic nerve, usually by too much pressure in the eyeball
Globe (Bulbis Oculi) – The eyeball apart from its appendages
Granulation – The formation of minute, rounded, fleshy, connective tissue projections on the surface of a wound, ulcer, or inflamed tissue surface in the process of healing
Hematoma – Swelling of tissues due to a large hemorrhage
Hyperemia – Eye redness caused by increased blood flow in the conjunctival blood vessels
Implant Migration – The spontaneous, or gradual change in placement of an enucleation implant from its intended, original position
Impression Tray – A multiperforated shell used for taking impressions
Inferior – Situated below, or directed downward
Interposition (Overlapping) – A visual phenomenon in which the view of an object is partially blocked by another object
Inversion – Turning inward
Iris – The colored portion of the eye
Keratopathy – Any disease of the cornea
L – P
Lapsus – The dropping of a part
Lateral – A position away from the midline, towards the side
Limbus – Transition between cornea and sclera
Linear Perspective – A visual phenomenon in which parallel lines converge in the distance
Macrophthalmos – An abnormally large eye, usually a result of of infantile glaucoma
Macula – Sensitive area of the retina responsible for central vision
Macular Degeneration – Breakdown of the macula causing central vision loss
Medial – The middle of an object
Microphthalmos – An abnormally small eyeball
Microtia – A congenital ear deformity
Modified Impression Technique – A fitting procedure in which a full impression of the socket is taken
Monocular – Pertaining to or affecting one eye
Motility – In reference to the movement of the implant and the ocular prosthesis
Motility Peg (Post) – A stem, peg or post, which connects the ocular prosthesis to the implant in order to achieve efficient transmission of motility to the prosthesis
Motion Parallax – The apprarent displacement of objects in space while moving
Mucus – The clear, sticky secretion of the mucous membrane
Nanophthalmos – An abnormally small eye accompanied by proportionaly small eye structures
Nasal – A position towards the nose
Ocularist – One who fits and fabricates custom ocular prostheses or artificial eyes
Ocular Prosthesis – An artificial eye
Oculoplastic Surgeon – An ophthalmologist who has completed additional training in surgical procedures
O.D. – Pertaining to the right eye
Open Globe – An eyeball that has been cut open as a result of an injury
Ophthalmologist – A specialist in medical and surgical eye problems
Optician – Eye care professional who fits and makes glasses
Optic Nerve – The extension of the brain that transmits visual signals
Optometrist – A primary health care professional of the eye
Orbital – Referring to cavities in the skull occupied by the eye
Orbital Cavity – The anophthalmic socket following an enucleation or exenteration
Orbital Implant – A medical device designed to replace a missing visual organ
Orbital Recession – The sunken appearance of the anophthalmic orbit cased by the loss and atrophy of tissue following enucleation
O.S. – Pertaining to the left eye
Osseointegrated Implant – An artificial implant that is directly connected to living bone
Palpate – To examine by feeling with the hands or fingers
Palpebral – In reference to the eyelid
Palpebral Fissure – The opening between the eyelids
Palpebral Flaring – The spontaneous, intermittent widening of the palpebral fissure, which often occurs when tissues are without normal tone or tension
Papillae – Elevated bumps of conjunctival tissue found on the inside of the eyelids
Peripheral Vision – Outer region of the visual field
Phthisical – Shrunken
Phthisical Globe (Phthisis Bulbi) – The shrinkage of the eyeball after inflammatory disease or injury
Polishing (Resurfacing) – The process in which surface scratches and imperfections are removed from the prosthesis to produce a smooth, high gloss surface
Porosity – The presence of pits within the acrylic, usually invisible to the unaided eye
Posterior – The back or backward part of an object
Postoperative Conformer – A temporary prosthesis, most commonly of clear acrylic plastic, used following enucleation, evisceration, and socket reconstruction to preserve culdesacs
Pressure Points (Friction Points) – An area in the anophthalmic socket on which there is excessive pressure applied by the posterior surface of the prosthesis
Prolapse – The falling down, or sinking, of a part
Prosthesis – An artificial part of the body which augments the performance of a natural function
Protein Deposits – A surface buildup on the ocular prosthesis of dried socket secretions, requiring periodic polishing by an ocularist
Pseudoptosis – The drooping of the eyelid, generally referring to the upper eyelid, caused by diminished orbital volume or an illfitting prosthesis
Ptosis – Drooping of the upper or lower eyelid
Pupil – The dark central spot in the iris, through which image forming light enters the eye
R – Z
Reduction – A decrease in the size of the prosthesis, most commonly to compensate for changes in the anophthalmic socket
Relative Brightness – a visual phenomenon in which closer objects reflect more light into the eye
Relative Size – A visual phenomenon in which an object that produces a larger retinal image than a similar object will be perceived as being closer
Retinitis Pigmentosa – Progressively blinding disease affecting the pigment in the eye
Retinoblastoma – a rare malignant tumor of the retina
Sclera – The white part of the eye, which forms the major structural coat of the eye
Scleral Contact Lens – A flushfitting, clear acrylic, scleral lens, which covers the cornea and a portion of the sclera
Scleral Shell Ocular Prosthesis – A flush fitting, opaque acrylic scleral cover fitted over the phthisical or eviscerated globe
Self Lubricating Ocular Prosthesis (S.L.P.) – An artificial eye containing an anterior chamber filled with lubrication
Silicone – A lubricant compound that does not dissovle in water
Soft Tissue – The orbital cavity components of conjunctiva, adipose, ligaments, and muscle
Suction Cup – A rubber or silicone vacuum device used to remove the artificial eye
Superior Situated – above, or directed upwards
Superior Sulcus – The furrow or depression in the upper lid
Superior Sulcus Implant – Implants or varied shapes and materials, which are used by the oculoplastic surgeon to correct the recessed superior sulcus
Symblepharon – Scarring of the conjunctiva
Symmetrical – The balance and equality of all aspects of the ocular prosthesis fitting as compared to the fellow eye
Sympathetic Ophthalmia – A condition where the uninjured eye “sympathizes” with the injured eye, developing a significant inflammatory response
Tears – The salty, clear, watery fluid, which serves to keep the conjunctiva and the cornea moist and facilitate eye movement
Temporary Prosthesis – A restorative device that is an intermediate step between the postoperative conformer and permanent ocular prosthesis
Texture Gradient – The amount of detail in an object
Trichiasis – The inversion of the eyelashes onto the eyeball causing irritation
Unilateral – In reference to one side
Vascularization – Growth of blood vessels into a porous implant