Chapter 5: Diseases and Conditions of the Eye and Ear

Word Definitions

1. Arteritis – Inflammation of an artery or arteries.

2. Bilateral – having two sides; pertaining to both sides.

3. Dilated – the condition, as of an orifice or tubular structure, of being dilated or stretched beyond normal dimensions.

4. Edema – The swelling of soft tissues as a result of excess fluid accumulation.

5. Excision – resection; removal of a portion or all of an organ or other structure.

6. Hemorrhage – the escape of blood from the vessels; bleeding.

7. Hyperopia – The condition of the eye where incoming rays of light reach the retina before they converge into a focused image.

8. Hypertrophied – abnormal enlargement of a part or organ; excessive growth.

9. Intracranial – Within the cranium, the bony dome that houses and protects the brain.

10. Intraocular – implanted in, occurring within, or administered by entering the eyeball.

11. Meningitis – a serious inflammation of the meninges, the thin, membranous covering of the brain and the spinal cord.

12. Myopia – a condition in which the visual images come to a focus in front of the retina of the eye because of defects in the refractive media of the eye or of abnormal length of the eyeball resulting especially in defective vision of distant objects—called also nearsightedness.

13. Postoperative – relating to, occurring in, or being the period following a surgical operation.

14. Proliferative – capable of or engaged in proliferation.

15. Strabismus – inability of one eye to attain binocular vision with the other because of imbalance of the muscles of the eyeball.

16. Systemic – supplying those parts of the body that receive blood through the aorta rather than through the pulmonary artery.
17. Topical – designed for or involving application to or action on the surface of a part of the body.

18. Vertigo - a sensation of motion which is associated with various disorders (as of the inner ear) and in which the individual or the individual's surroundings seem to whirl dizzily.

Glossary Terms

1. Amblyopia – reduced vision in an eye without a detectable organic lesion.

2. Analgesics – relief of pain.

3. Ankylosis – immobility of a joint.

4. Audiogram – the record of a hearing test.

5. Diplopia – double vision.

6. Histoplasmosis – a systemic respiratory disease caused by a fungus.

7. Laser photocoagulation – coagulation of the blood vessels in the eye using a laser.

8. Macula – a small spot or a colored area.

9. Photophobia – unusual sensitivity to light.

10. Purulent – containing pus.

11. Seborrhea – the excessive secretion of sebum from sebaceous glands.

12. Tinnitus – ringing or buzzing in the ears.

13. Tonometry – measurement of intraocular pressure.

14. Toxoplasmosis – a disease caused by infection with protozoa found in many mammals and birds.

15. Tympanic membrane – eardrum.

Short Answer

1. Identify the concentric layers of the eyeball that are its primary structure.
Sclera
Choroid
Retina

2. Name the colorless transparent structure located on the front of the eye.
Cornea

3. List the way that hearing loss is classified.
Conductive loss - Caused by impairment of the eardrum or bones in the middle of the ear which conducts sound waves.
Sensorineural - Nerve deafness results from damage to the cochlea or auditory nerve.

4. Explain the symptoms associated with otosclerosis.
Abnormal growth of spongy bone forms around the oval window causing Ankylosis, tinnitus, gradual hearing loss of low or soft sounds and eventually effects both ears

5. Name the canal that leads from the middle ear to the nasopharynx.
Eustachian Tube

6. Identify the structure in the ear that is responsible for helping a person maintain balance.
Labyrinth

7. Cite the shape of the normal eyeball.