Terms and definitions

EyeEye diseases and problems have a host of unusual names.

If you’re looking for help with your child’s eyes you may hear some of them, including:

  • Anisometropia – a condition in which each eye has a different prescription (refractive error)
  • Amblyopia (lazy eye) – a condition of reduced vision that can’t be corrected by glasses or contact lenses
  • Binocular diplopia – the medical term for double vision in which your eyes are aimed at separate targets
  • Esophoria (also known as overconvergence) – the name for when your eyes aim properly when both are open, but when one eye is covered, that eye turns inward
  • Exotropia – when one eye turns out, either constantly of intermittently
  • Eye misalignment – can occur in children or adults, may occur some or all of the time, can often be cured with surgery
  • Eye tracking problems – your eyes may move unevenly and cause problems with reading
  • Grave’s disease (hyperthyroidism) – a condition that can cause multiple serious disturbances with your eyes
  • Myasthenia gravisfleeting occurrences of double vision that can progress to other conditions
  • Orthoptics – study of the strength of the eye muscles
  • Ptosis drooping eyelid
  • Retinopathy of prematurity (retrolental fibroplasias)
  • Strabismus – the condition a crossed or turned eye.
  • Convergence insufficiency – when your eyes cannot cross properly for close vision
  • Adjustable suture – a process by which an older child or adult awake in the recovery room can have an eye muscle tightened or loosened to help align the eyes even more precisely.