Medical dictionary

What is allergic conjunctivitis? Allergic conjunctivitis causes red, watery, itchy or gritty eyes and is a reaction to pollen during hay fever season. Other causes include allergies to house dust mite and cosmetic products. The irritating symptoms of the condition can usually ease with eye drops. Conjunctivitis is the inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the thin skin that covers th

What is a amblyopia? Amblyopia, also known as a lazy eye, is a common sight disorder where vision is decreased, usually in one eye, but occasionally in both eyes. Glasses and contact lenses do not improve the vision. In amblyopia, the eye suffers reduced vision because the brain does not fully use the information coming from one or both eyes. Amblyopia always begins in childho

What is an angiography? An angiography is a type of X-ray which examines the blood vessels, particularly the arteries, veins and heart chambers.  What happens during an angiography? First, a catheter is inserted into one of your arteries, depending on the area which needs to be examined. Through the catheter, a dye is administered to contrast the area that needs to be v

What is angle-closure glaucoma? Angle closure glaucoma is a serious condition that makes the pressure inside the eye rise suddenly, within a matter of hours. It is not as common as other types of glaucoma that cause pressure to build-up much more slowly over a longer period of time. The rapid increase in pressure inside the eye is called intraocular pressure.   What causes angl

What is aniridia? Aniridia is a hereditary and congenital eye disorder characterised by incomplete development of the iris, usually occurring in both eyes. Although etymologically speaking the term “aniridia” suggests that no iris is present, it actually means that part of the iris is not fully formed because of incomplete development. Prognosis It is quite difficult to

What is astigmatism? Astigmatism is a condition where the shape of your eye is more like a rugby ball than a football, causing blurriness in vision. People with astigmatism are generally born with it, but sometimes the condition can develop as a result of surgery, injury, or an illness. Astigmatism is usually accompanied with long-sightedness or short-sightedness. What are the

What is it? Blepharitis is an inflammatory condition of the eyelids. It can be part of a wider inflammation of the eye surface, involving the conjunctiva (the transparent membrane covering the inside of the eyelids) and the white part of the eyeball. (conjunctivitis, blepharoconjunctivitis). It can also affect the cornea (the clear window at the front of the eye) known as blepharokeratoconjunct

What is blepharoplasty? Blepharoplasty, or dark circles surgery, is a plastic surgery operation aimed at correcting eyelid defects and deformities, or to aesthetically modify the region around the eyes. It often involves the removal of excess skin, muscle, and fat that accumulates around the eyes with age, causing sagging and the appearance of bags under the eyes. Why is blepharoplasty done?A

What is blepharospasm? Blepharospasm is a type of muscle spasm or dystonia affecting the muscles that control the eyelids, which causes them to close involuntarily. This can cause rapid and/or frequent blinking, an inability to open the eye (apraxia), the eyes forcing themselves closed, or a combination of these symptoms. Other facial muscles can be affected too, with twitching symptoms ra