Glossary

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Aged-Related Macular Degeneration: (ARMD) is a disease that affects your central vision through a breaking down of the macula, the back portion of the retina that is responsible for clear vision. Dry ARMD affects about 90 percent of those with the disease. Its cause is unknown. Slowly, the light sensitive cells in the macula break down. With less of the macula working, you may start to lose central vision in the affected eye as the years go by. Dry ARMD often occurs in just one eye at first. You may get the disease later in the other eye. Doctors have no way of knowing if or when both eyes may be affected.> Wet ARMD—Although only 10 percent of all people with ARMD have this type, it accounts for 90 percent of all blindness from the disease. It occurs when new blood vessels behind the retina start to grow toward the macula. Because these new blood vessels tend to be very fragile, they will often leak blood and fluid under the macula. This causes rapid damage to the macula that can lead to the loss of central vision in a short period of time. 

(ARMD) is a disease that affects your central vision through a breaking down of the macula, the back portion of the retina that is responsible for clear vision.  affects about 90 percent of those with the disease. Its cause is unknown. Slowly, the light sensitive cells in the macula break down. With less of the macula working, you may start to lose central vision in the affected eye as the years go by. Dry ARMD often occurs in just one eye at first. You may get the disease later in the other eye. Doctors have no way of knowing if or when both eyes may be affected.> —Although only 10 percent of all people with ARMD have this type, it accounts for 90 percent of all blindness from the disease. It occurs when new blood vessels behind the retina start to grow toward the macula. Because these new blood vessels tend to be very fragile, they will often leak blood and fluid under the macula. This causes rapid damage to the macula that can lead to the loss of central vision in a short period of time.

Amblyopia: (from the Greek "dulled vision") is poor vision in an eye that did not develop normal sight during early childhood. It is sometimes called "lazy eye." When one eye develops good vision while the other does not, the eye with poorer vision is called amblyopic. The condition is common, affecting approximately three out of every one hundred people, usually children. It is a developmental disorder of the brain cells that control the vision in an eye, not a problem with the eye itself. There are more nerves connected from the normal eye to the brain than from the amblyopic eye to the brain because brain cells diminish in size when they are not used. The amblyopic eye is unable to see in three-dimensional depth.

Anisometropia: difference in the refractive error of the eyes, eg. one eye is nearsighted and the other farsighted.

Annual Replacement Lenses: conventional contact lenses that are replaced yearly.

Aphakic Lenses: a lens designed to meet the needs of patients that have had their crystalline lens removed due to the development of cataracts.

Aspheric Lenses: a premium contact lens for borderline astigmatic patients and emerging presbyopes.

Astigmatism: when the lens surfaces, either on the very front of the eye or inside the eye, are curved irregularly like an oval (football) instead of a sphere (baseball).

B

Bifocal Lenses: ifocal Lenses: also known as multi-focal lenses, contain two or more kinds of correction by providing the wearer with simultaneous distant and near vision. 

 

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Cataracts: The clear area behind the pupil is the crystalline lens. It changes its shape to bend light rays getting fatter to help us focus on close objects, and thinner to focus on distant objects. This is the area where cataracts are formed. The lens is mostly water and protein. Through the aging process, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, x-rays, heredity, and diseases like diabetes, the protein in the lens may clump creating a clouded area. This area is called an opacity. The cloud is a developing cataract. It blocks some of the light inhibiting the clear focusing process of the lens. Usually no pain or redness is associated with a developing cataract. 

Color Blindness: The nerve impulses from the rods and cones travel along the optic nerve to the brain where they are interpreted to visual images. If the rods are weak, the result is night blindness. If the cones contain any imbalanced photopigments, the perception of the corresponding ranges of colors is affected. The misleading name of this disorder is “color blindness.” Absolute color blindness is almost unknown, affecting only three people in a million. It is usually a consequence of disease that destroys the cones resulting in black and white vision. The most prevalent color deficiency makes it difficult to distinguish reds and greens. Yellow-blue color deficiency is far less common.

Conjunctivitis: also commonly referred to as pink eye or red eye, the inflammation of the membrane that covers the eyelid’s inner surface.

Contact Lens Cleaners and Disinfectants: soft lenses are easily contaminated by bacteria and microorganisms. Regular cleaning and disinfection keeps them free of organisms and minimizes the risk of ocular sensitivity reactions.

Conventional Wear Contact Lenses: a contact lens prescribed to be replaced after 12 months or as directed by the eye care practitioner.

Cornea: the clear front surface of the eye that provides a large percentage of the eye’s optical power . The cornea consists of five layers and covers the iris and pupil.

Corneal Dystrophy: abnormal corneal development resulting in structural or clarity defects. Also known as degeneration, this condition commonly occurs in early childhood, but can manifest in later years. 

Crystalline Lens: a transparent body in the front of the eye that serves to focus light rays on the retina.

Custom Toric Contact Lenses: corrects mid to high levels of astigmatism and is generally manufactured on an Rx basis specifically for a particular individual. 

 

D

Daily Wear Contact Lenses: these lenses are intended to be worn during waking hours (less than 24 hours) and cleaned and disinfected each time they are removed from the eye.

Disposable Contact Lenses: these lenses are prescribed for daily or extended wear and are for single use only. No cleaning or disinfection is necessary, the lenses are simply removed, discarded and replaced with a new lens as prescribed by your eye care practitioner.

 

E

Enzyme Cleaning: a disinfecting process that removes the build up of protein deposits. 

Extended Wear Contact Lenses: these lenses are indicated to be worn while sleeping for 1-7 days between removals for cleaning and disinfecting.  

 

F

Farsightedness: a condition in which the eyeball is too short or the cornea is too flat, resulting in the inability to see objects up close. The medical term for this condition is hyperopia.

Finished Inside Polymerization System (FIPS™): a contact lens manufacturing technique involving precision machining the back surface geometry of a lens onto a hardened stainless steel insert 

 

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Glaucoma: is an eye disease that occurs when the internal fluid pressure of the eye is elevated to the point that it causes damage to the optic nerve in the back of the eye.
The fluid, called aqueous humor, is produced by fine structures in the eyeball called the ciliary body. Aqueous humor is released into the eye to nourish it and maintain its shape. The fluid passes from the internal eye through a web of fibers (called the trabecular meshwork) at the junction of the iris and cornea (called the angle). If this drainage process is inhibited pressure can build slowly causing damage to the optic nerve. This is called open angle glaucoma and accounts for ninety-five percent of all cases. Symptoms, though rarely felt, include halos around lights and a feeling of pressure in the eye. Usually no pain is experienced. Peripheral vision becomes reduced. You may not notice this change and remain unaware until your central detailed vision becomes affected. Vision lost to glaucoma generally returns only minimally even with treatment. Regular screening can help avoid unnecessary loss of vision.

 

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Hard Contact Lenses: also known as PMMA lenses, these traditional lenses are made from polymethylmethacrylate.

Hydrophilic Polymers: a plastic that has been designed to hold water. This attribute makes the "water loving" plastics comfortable to wear and assist with the transfer of oxygen from the atmosphere to the corneal surface.

Hyperopia: also referred to as farsightedness, this is a condition in which the eyeball is too short or the cornea is too flat, resulting in the inability to see objects up close. 

 

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Infections Of The Eyes: bacteria, viruses, and fungi are among the causes of inflammation. Every area of the eye is susceptible to attack by a large variety of organisms.

Iris: the colored portion of the eye that regulates the amount of light entering the eye by changing the size of the pupil. 

 

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J-1: the line on an eye chart that determines whether or not the patient needs glasses or contact lenses for reading. 

 

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Keratoconus: a disease in which the cornea tends to grow forward, like a cone. Keratoconus can only be corrected by wearing a contact lens. 

 

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Lathe Cutting: a manufacturing technique by which the back surface geometry of the lens is shaped by precision machining.

Lazy Eye: referred to in the medical field as amblyopia, it is a condition in which there is loss of vision for no apparent reason; the eye appears healthy, but vision is poor. 

 

M

Macular Degeneration: is varying degrees of blurred vision resulting from damage to the retina. The retina is the thin layer of tissue at the back of the eye that serves as a projection screen to send images to the brain. The small central part of the retina responsible for the most detailed vision required for activities like reading, writing, and driving is the macula. Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness in people aged 65 and over. Wet macular degeneration occurs when capillaries multiply abnormally under the retinal covering causing it to detach. They also may bleed which can cause scar tissue to form. This is the more common of the two types of macular degeneration.

Dry macular degenerationoccurs as a result of photodamage to the macula through the aging process.

Metafilcon: a hydrophilic material used to produce contacts that are highly durable, comfortable to wear and easy to handle.

Monovision: is a contact lens fitting technique where one lens is prescribed for distance and the other for close-up vision. Both eyes work together to bring objects into focus. Your brain must interpret images you see and learns to select the sharpest image.

Multifocal Lenses: also known as bifocal lenses, contain two or more kinds of correction by providing the wearer with simultaneous distant and near vision.

Myopia: also known as nearsightedness, this inherited and sometimes stress-related condition occurs when the eyeball is too long or the cornea is too curved. The result is an inability to see at a distance. 

 

N

Nearsightedness: an inherited, sometimes stress-related condition that occurs when the eyeball is too long or the cornea is too curved. The result is an inability to see at a distance. The medical term for this condition is myopia.

Non-Specialty Spherical Contact Lenses: correct the most common visual requirements. Most are manufactured by cast molding, but some are by lathing. 

 

O

Ophthalmologist: a doctor of medicine specializing in the diagnosis and medical or surgical treatment of eye disease. Prescribes eyeglasses and contact lenses. 

Optic Nerve: the two sensory nerves that join the eyes with the brain.

Optometrist: A doctor of optometry with a 4-year degree plus 4years of optometric training.  Doctors of Optometry are qualified to examine eyes, prescribe glasses, fit contact lenses, diagnose, and treat ocular disease.  The Doctors are highly trained, with years of experience.  If, during your routine annual eye exam, they detect eye disease or any eye health problem that may require surgery or other medical intervention, we will promptly refer you to a specialist for consultation. 

Optician: a technician who manufactures and dispenses eyeglasses and assists in the selection of frames. They may also dispense and/or fit contact lenses. 

 

P

Peripheral Vision: the ability to see to the left and the right of direct vision.

Pink Eye: medically known as conjunctivitis, it is the inflammation of the membrane that covers the eyelid's inner surface.

Planned Replacement Lenses: contact lenses that are replaced at regular intervals as determined by the eye care practitioner to avoid the build up of lens deposits which can affect vision and cause discomfort.

Polymers: a specific chemical component in the combination of chemicals that form the plastic that lenses are made from. 

Premium Contact Lenses: offer value-added features such as deposit resistance or ultra-violet protection, exceptional visual results, custom parameters and colors.

Presbyopes: individuals that are diagnosed with one of the most common vision conditions, presbyopia.

Presbyopia: a visual condition, which becomes apparent in middle age, in which the loss of elasticity of the eye causes difficulty or inability to focus sharply for near vision.

Progressive Lenses: spectacle lenses that feature a continuous field of vision from up close to far away with no visible segment lines like traditional bifocal lenses.

Protein Deposits: the debris produced by the eye and collects on the front serface of contact lenses.

Q

 

R

Retina: a multi-layered membrane that lines the eye and receives light rays and translates them into impulses and transmits these impulses to the brain. The impulses are then interpreted as a visual image.

Retinal Detachment: this is usually caused by the presence of a hole or tear in the retina which allows fluid to collect under the retina, thereby separating the layers causing visual acuity loss or visual disturbances such as floaters and flashers.

Rigid Gas Permeable Lenses: manufactured from silicon or fluoro-silicon acrylate base material, these lenses are used for irregular eye prescriptions. 

 

S

Saline Solution: a salt solution that is available preserved or preservative free. It is used as a rinse prior to disinfection.

Soft Contact Lenses: these lenses are made from a flexible plastic know as a hydrogel. The lens becomes flexible as a result of absorbing approximately 40 to 70% its weight in water.

Specialty Lenses: corrects visual demands such as astigmatism or special ophthalmic disorders, also opaque lenses for cosmetic color enhancement. Manufactured by cast molding, lathing or by FIPS™, CooperVision’s patented combination of automated lathing and cast molding.

Spherical Aberration: occurs when a lens is ground perfectly spherical causing light rays to fall at different points on the macula where by a common focus can not be achieved. 
Spherical Contact Lenses: contact lenses that correct nearsightedness (myopia) and farsightedness (hyperopia). 

 

T

Tetrafilcon A: one of the most durable lens materials on the market, it produces a thinner, more comfortable lens with exceptional tear resistance. It also resists build up of protein deposits on the lens surface and requires little or no enzymatic cleanings. 

Therapeutic Contact Lenses: this lens, also know as a bandage lens, is usually a large lens which blankets the cornea, retains its moisture and protects the surface of the cornea. Because the lens is well tolerated, it provides an effective and often times pain-relieving cover for the eye. 

Toric Contact Lenses: there are two types of soft toric lenses. A back surface toric is a lens which has two curves on the back surface of the lens to provide an even surface on the uneven astigmatic cornea. A front toric has two curves on the front surface of the lens to correct the internal astigmatism of the eye.

Trifocal Lenses: lenses that correct vision for those with three focal lengths. 

 

U

UltraSync™: a synchronized molding technique that produces completely finished edges and higher overall lens reproducibility. 

Ultraviolet radiation: (UVR) constitutes high energy electromagnetic waves from the sun. These waves can also be given off by artificial sources like welding machines, tanning beds and lasers. Their reflective nature increases their potential intensity. UVR is divided into UV-A, UV-B and UV-C.
UVR is a contributor in the development of several eye disorders. These include age related macular degeneration, cataracts, pterygium, photokeratitis, and pinguecula.

 

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