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)AHAsteroid 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 retinopathyERMEpiretinal membrane ESR Erythrocyte sedimentation rateFTMHFull thickness macular holeFMNSFusion maldevelopment nystagmus syndrome(Latent nystagmus) Fx Family history GPC Giant papillary conjunctivitis Hx Hospital or History HES Hospital eye service IDDM Insulin dependent diabetes mellitusILMInternal 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 glaucomaMHMacular 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 detachmentPXFPseudoexfoliative syndrome RD Retinal detachment RK Radial keratotomy RP Retinitis pigmentosa SEAL Superior epithelial arcuate lesion SLK Superior limbic keratoconjunctivitisSMHSubmacular 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
Contact lens terms 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 The College of Optometrists Members' Handbook (PDF) theOptom.com Optometry Acronyms and Abbreviations