Certain abbreviations are current within the profession of optometry. They are used to denote clinical conditions, examination techniques and findings, and various forms of treatment.
Eye examination terms
| Abbreviation
|
Term
|
Description (notes)
|
| AC
|
Anterior chamber
|
fluid-filled space between the iris and the endothelium
|
| AC 4/4
|
Grade 4 anterior chamber angle
|
open angle between cornea and iris
|
| AC 3/4
|
Grade 3 anterior chamber angle
|
|
| AC 2/4
|
Grade 2 anterior chamber angle
|
|
| AC 1/4
|
Grade 1 anterior chamber angle
|
|
| AC 0/4
|
Grade 0 anterior chamber angle
|
closed angle between cornea and iris
|
| AC/A
|
Accommodative convergence / Accommodation ratio
|
the portion of the range of convergence that occurs in response to accommodation
|
| Acc
|
Accommodation
|
process of changing optical power to maintain focus as distance changes
|
| Ad
|
Advised
|
|
| Add
|
Addition
|
|
| AIT
|
After-image transfer
|
|
| ALT
|
Alternating
|
|
| ALT ET/SOT
|
Alternating esotropia
|
|
| ALT XT/XOT
|
Alternating exotropia
|
|
| ARC
|
Anomalous retinal correspondence
|
|
| A/V
|
Arteriole–venue ratio
|
|
| BIO
|
Binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy
|
|
| BSV
|
Binocular single vision
|
|
| BV
|
Binocular vision
|
|
| BVD
|
Back vertex distance
|
|
| BVP
|
Back vertex power
|
|
| CD
|
Centration distance
|
|
| C/D
|
Cup–disc ratio
|
|
| CF
|
Count fingers vision – state distance
|
|
| c/o or c.o.
|
Complains of
|
|
| CT
|
Cover test
|
|
| c/u
|
Check up
|
|
| CW
|
Close work
|
|
| Δ
|
Prism dioptre
|
|
| D
|
Dioptres
|
|
| DC
|
Dioptres cylinder
|
|
| DNA
|
Did not attend
|
|
| DOB
|
Date of birth
|
|
| DS
|
Dioptres sphere
|
|
| DV
|
Distance vision
|
|
| DVD
|
Dissociated vertical deviation
|
|
| EF
|
Eccentric fixation
|
|
| FB
|
Foreign body
|
|
| FD
|
Fixation disparity
|
|
| FF
|
Foveal fixation
|
|
| FHG
|
Family history of glaucoma
|
|
| FMH
|
Family medical history
|
|
| FOH
|
Family ocular history
|
|
| F/U
|
Follow up appointment
|
|
| GH
|
General health
|
|
| G(M)P
|
General (medical) practitioner
|
|
| HA
|
Headaches
|
|
| HARC
|
Harmonious abnormal retinal correspondence
|
|
| HM
|
Hand motion vision – state distance
|
|
| Hx
|
History
|
|
| IOL
|
Intra-ocular lens
|
|
| IOP
|
Intra-ocular pressure
|
|
| ISNT
|
Inferior, Superior, Nasal, Temporal
|
rule used to assess optic disc appearance
|
| K
|
Keratometry
|
|
| OS
|
oculus sinister (left eye)
|
|
| LHyperT or LHT
|
Left hypertropia
|
|
| LHypoT
|
Left hypotropia
|
|
| LO
|
Lenticular opacity
|
|
| L/R FD
|
L/R fixation disparity
|
|
| L/R
|
L hyperphoria
|
|
| Left ET
|
Left esotropia
|
|
| LVA
|
Low vision aid
|
|
| MDU
|
Mallett distance unit
|
|
| MNU
|
Mallett near unit
|
|
| M.Wing
|
Maddox Wing
|
|
| MR
|
Maddox rod
|
|
| NB: NAD
|
No abnormality detected
|
(is frequently used but is not recommended)
|
| NCT
|
Non-contact tonometer
|
|
| ND
|
Neutral density filter
|
|
| NLP
|
No light perception
|
No light perception is considered total visual impairment, or total blindness; see Visual impairment#Classification
|
| NPC
|
Near point of convergence or no previous correction
|
|
| NRC
|
Normal retinal correspondence
|
|
| NV
|
Near vision
|
|
| NWT
|
Normal wearing time
|
|
| o symptoms
|
Zero symptoms
|
|
| Φ
|
Horizontal orthophoria
|
|
| θ
|
Vertical orthophoria
|
|
| ⊕
|
Horizontal and vertical orthophoria
|
|
| OC's
|
Optical centres
|
|
| Occ.
|
Occupation
|
|
| OD
|
oculus dexter (right eye)
|
|
| OH
|
Ocular history
|
|
| OMB
|
Oculo motor balance
|
|
| ONH
|
Optic nerve head
|
|
| Oph
|
Ophthalmoscopy
|
|
| OS
|
oculus sinister (left eye)
|
|
| OU
|
oculus uterque (both eyes)
|
|
| PD
|
Pupillary distance
|
|
| PERRLA
|
Pupils equal, round, reactive to light and accommodation
|
|
| PH
|
Pinhole
|
see Pinhole occluder and Visual_acuity#Legal_definitions
|
| PHNI
|
Pinhole No Improvement
|
see Pinhole occluder and Visual_acuity#Legal_definitions
|
| PHVA
|
Pinhole Visual Acuity
|
|
| PL
|
Perception of light
|
|
| POH / PrOH
|
Previous ocular history
|
|
| PPA
|
Peri-papillary atrophy
|
|
| Pt
|
Patient
|
|
| RAPD
|
Relative afferent pupillary defect
|
|
| OD
|
Right eye (oculus dexter)
|
|
| Ret.
|
Retinoscopy
|
|
| RHyperT
|
Right hypertropia
|
|
| RHypoT or RHT
|
Right hypotropia
|
|
| RNFL
|
Retinal nerve fibre layer
|
|
| RPE
|
Retinal pigment epithelium
|
|
| RSOT
|
Right esotropia
|
|
| Rx
|
Prescription
|
|
| SE
|
Spherical Equivalent
|
|
| SLE
|
Slit lamp examination
|
|
| SLM
|
Slit lamp microscope
|
|
| EP
|
Esophoria
|
|
| ET
|
Esotropia
|
|
| Supp.
|
Suppression
|
|
| V
|
Vision (unaided)
|
|
| VA
|
Visual acuity
|
|
| VA Dcc - VA Dsc
|
Visual acuity with Distant chart with correctors
|
Visual acuity with eye chart at Distant 20 feet (6 m) and with (cc: Latin cum correctore) correctors (spectacles); Dsc is without (sc: Latin sine correctore) correctors. See Visual_acuity#Legal_definitions
|
| VA Nsc - VA Ncc
|
Visual acuity with Near chart without correctors
|
Visual acuity with eye chart at Near 15.7 inches (400 mm) and without (sc: Latin sine correctore) correctors (spectacles); Ncc is with (cc: Latin cum correctore) correctors. See Visual_acuity#Legal_definitions
|
| VA OS
|
Left visual acuity
|
|
| VA OD
|
Right visual acuity
|
|
| VDU
|
Visual display unit
|
|
| VF
|
Visual field
|
|
| VPS
|
Variable prism stereoscope
|
|
| WD
|
Working distance
|
|
| X/12
|
X months
|
|
| X/52
|
X weeks
|
|
| X/7
|
X days
|
|
| XP
|
Exophoria
|
|
| XT
|
Exotropia
|
|
Clinical conditions terms
| Abbreviation
|
Term
|
Description (notes)
|
| AH
|
Asteroid hyalosis
|
|
| AMD/ARMD
|
Age-related macular degeneration
|
|
| ACG/CAG
|
Angle closure glaucoma
|
|
| BDR
|
Background diabetic retinopathy
|
|
| BP
|
Blood pressure
|
|
| BRAO
|
Branch retinal artery occlusion
|
|
| BRVO
|
Branch retinal vein occlusion
|
|
| Cat
|
Cataract
|
|
| CLAPC/CLIPC
|
Contact lens associated/induced papillary conjunctivitis
|
|
| CLARE
|
Contact lens associated red eye
|
|
| CLPU
|
Contact lens associated peripheral ulcer
|
|
| CNS
|
Central nervous system
|
|
| CNV
|
Choroidal neovascularization
|
|
| CRAO
|
Central retinal artery occlusion
|
|
| CRVO
|
Central retinal vein occlusion
|
|
| CSR
|
Central serous retinopathy
|
|
| CVA
|
Cerebrovascular accident
|
|
| Dx
|
Diagnosis
|
|
| dDx
|
Differential diagnosis
|
|
| DR
|
Diabetic retinopathy
|
|
| ERM
|
Epiretinal membrane
|
|
| ESR
|
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
|
|
| FTMH
|
Full thickness macular hole
|
|
| FMNS
|
Fusion maldevelopment nystagmus syndrome
|
(Latent nystagmus)
|
| Fx
|
Family history
|
|
| GPC
|
Giant papillary conjunctivitis
|
|
| Hx
|
Hospital or History
|
|
| HES
|
Hospital eye service
|
|
| IDDM
|
Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
|
|
| ILM
|
Internal limiting membrane
|
|
| IRMA
|
Intra-retinal microvascular abnormality
|
|
| KCS
|
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca
|
|
| KP
|
Keratic precipitates
|
|
| LASEK
|
Laser epithelial keratomileusis
|
|
| LASIK
|
Laser in-situ keratomileusis
|
|
| LTG
|
Low-tension glaucoma
|
|
| MH
|
Macular hole
|
|
| MI
|
Myocardial infarction
|
|
| MS
|
Multiple sclerosis
|
|
| NIDDM
|
Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
|
|
| NRR
|
Neuro-retinal rim
|
|
| NS
|
Nuclear sclerosis
|
|
| NTG
|
Normal tension glaucoma
|
|
| PDR
|
Proliferative diabetic retinopathy
|
|
| PDT
|
Photodynamic therapy
|
|
| PK
|
Penetrating keratoplasy
|
|
| POAG
|
Primary open-angle glaucoma
|
|
| PPDR
|
Preproliferative diabetic retinopathy
|
|
| PRA
|
Pan-retinal ablation
|
|
| PRK
|
Photorefractive keratectomy
|
|
| PRP
|
Pan-retinal photocoagulation
|
|
| PSCC
|
Posterior sub-capsular cataract
|
|
| PVD
|
Posterior vitreous detachment
|
|
| PXF
|
Pseudoexfoliative syndrome
|
|
| RD
|
Retinal detachment
|
|
| RK
|
Radial keratotomy
|
|
| RP
|
Retinitis pigmentosa
|
|
| SEAL
|
Superior epithelial arcuate lesion
|
|
| SLK
|
Superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis
|
|
| SMH
|
Submacular hemorrhage
|
|
| SPK
|
Superficial punctate keratitis
|
|
| SPEE
|
Superficial punctate epithelial erosions
|
|
| Sx
|
Symptoms
|
|
| TIA
|
Transient ischaemic attack
|
|
| T1 diab
|
Type 1 diabetes
|
|
| T2 diab
|
Type 2 diabetes
|
|
| Tx
|
Treatment
|
|
| Vx
|
Vomiting
|
|
| Abbreviation
|
Term
|
Description (notes)
|
| BC
|
Base curve
|
|
| BOZD
|
Back optic zone diameter
|
|
| BOZR
|
Back optic zone radius
|
|
| BVP
|
Back vertex power
|
|
| CLAPC/CLIPC
|
Contact-lens-associated/induced papillary conjunctivitis
|
|
| CLARE
|
Contact-lens-associated red eye
|
|
| CLPU
|
Contact-lens-associated peripheral ulcer
|
|
| Dk
|
Unit of permeability
|
|
| DW
|
Daily wear
|
|
| EW
|
Extended wear
|
|
| FOZD
|
Front optic zone diameter
|
|
| FVP
|
Front vertex power
|
|
| HEMA
|
Hydroxyethyl methacrylate
|
|
| HT
|
Handling tint
|
|
| HVID
|
Horizontal visible iris diameter
|
|
| K
|
Keratometry
|
|
| MWT
|
Maximum wearing time
|
|
| OS/OD
|
Overall size/overall diameter
|
|
| OZD
|
Optic zone diameter
|
|
| PMMA
|
Polymethyl methacrylate
|
|
| RGP
|
Rigid-gas-permeable
|
|
| SCL
|
Soft contact lens
|
|
| SiH
|
Silicone hydrogel
|
|
| SEAL
|
Superior epithelial arcuate lesion
|
|
| SLK
|
Superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis
|
|
| SPK
|
Superficial punctate keratitis
|
|
| SPEE
|
Superficial punctate epithelial erosions
|
|
| TBUT
|
Tear break-up time
|
|
| Tc
|
Centre thickness
|
|
| TD
|
Total diameter
|
|
| Te
|
Edge thickness
|
|
| TWT/WTT
|
Today wearing time
|
|
| VPA
|
Vertical palpebral aperture
|
|
| WT
|
Wearing time
|
|
Pharmacy and drug terms
| Abbreviation
|
Term
|
Description (notes)
|
| A.d.
|
As directed
|
|
| bd/bid
|
Twice a day
|
|
| gt
|
One drop
|
|
| gtt
|
drops
|
|
| GSL
|
General sales list
|
|
| Gutt/g
|
Guttae (drops)
|
|
| Meds
|
Medications
|
|
| Nocte/QHS
|
At night
|
|
| Occ
|
Ointment
|
|
| od/QD
|
Once a day
|
|
| otc
|
Over the counter (bought medication)
|
|
| P
|
Pharmacy (drug)
|
|
| POM
|
Prescription-only medicine
|
|
| prn
|
When required
|
|
| q
|
Every (e.g. q2h – every two hours)
|
|
| qds/qid
|
Four times a day
|
|
| Rx
|
Prescription
|
|
| tds/tid
|
Three times a day
|
|
| ung
|
Ointment
|
|
Examination types and enhanced care schemes
| Abbreviation
|
Term
|
Description (notes)
|
| DFE
|
Dilated fundus examination
|
|
| DFP
|
Digital fundus photograph(y)
|
|
| DRS
|
Diabetic retinopathy screening
|
|
| GIES
|
Glasgow Integrated Eyecare Scheme
|
|
| PEARS
|
Primary Eyecare Acute Referral Scheme
|
|
| WEHE
|
Welsh Eye Health Examination
|
|
| WLVS
|
Welsh Low Vision Service
|
|
External links