List of common ophthalmic abbreviations

List Of Common Ophthalmic Abbreviations

This list is not inclusive of all medical abbreviations used by the physicians and medical personnel of the Spokane Eye Clinic, but the most commonly used acronyms have been referenced.
When you get an eye report for a student, are you sometimes confounded by all the abbreviations?
This tip sheet has been designed as a quick reference sheet for all those abbreviations, and hopefully will make it easier for you to read and understand eye reports that are a part of your students’ records.

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.

1. List Of Common Ophthalmic Abbreviations

This list is not inclusive of all medical abbreviations used by the physicians and medical personnel of the
Spokane Eye Clinic, but the most commonly used acronyms have been referenced.
When you get an eye report for a student, are you sometimes confounded by all
the abbreviations?
This tip sheet has been designed as a quick reference sheet for all those
abbreviations, and hopefully will make it easier for you to read and understand
eye reports that are a part of your students’ records.

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.


A/C or AC anterior chamber Anterior chamber

A Applanation Tensions
A1% atropine 1%
Dilators (red top); Drops/Meds
AACG Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma

Abd Abduction,Turn Out

ACC
anterior cortical changes/ cataract
Lens: Diagnoses/findings
a.c.
Before Meals

ACG angle closure glaucoma
Glaucoma: Diagnoses/ findings
ACIOL
anterior chamber intraocular lens
Lens

Add
amount of plus reading power (for bifocal/progres-
sives)

Refraction
AION
anterior ischemic optic neuropathy Nerve/Neuro: Diagno- ses/findings
ALP
Argon Focal Laser

ALT

argon laser trabeculoplasty

Glaucoma: Procedures/ Lasers etc.
AMD/ ARMD age-related macular degen- eration
Retina: Diagnoses/findings


afferent papillary defect, relative afferent papillary de-
fect (I prefer APD because I am not sure if the “relative”

2. APD, RAPD
is really needed)
APD by reverse testing/con- sensual response

External
ARC Abnormal Retinal Correspondence
ARN Acute Retinal Necrosis
ARx autorefraction Refraction
ASC Anterior Subcapsular Cataract
AT, PFAT
artificial tears, preservative- free artificial tears
Drops/Meds
AV anterior vitreous
AVx anterior vitrectomy
Glaucoma: Procedures/ Lasers etc.

Ax
axis
[+/- number sphere] + [number cylinder] x [0-180
axis]

Refraction
B Bilateral
b.i.d. or b.d. Twice Daily
BD Base Down
BCVA best corrected visual acuity Exam
BDR background diabetic retinopathy Retina: Diagnoses/findings
BI Base In
BILT IOOA Bilateral Inferior Oblique Over Action
BIO Binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy
BK band keratopathy Cornea: Diagnoses/ findings
BLR Bilateral Lateral Rectus
BMR Bilateral Medial Rectus
BO Base Out
BOT No Tears or Breaks in Retina
BRAO branch retinal artery occlusion Retina: Diagnoses/findings
BRVO branch retinal vein occlusion Retina: Diagnoses/findings
BSL Bandage Soft Contact Lens
BSV Binocular single vision
BV Binocular vision
BVD Back vertex distance
BVP Back vertex power
BU Base Up
C/D cup/disc ratio Fundus exam
C/F cell/flare (graded 1+ to 4+) Anterior chamber
C/S conjunctiva/sclera Slit lamp exam
C1 Cyclogyl (cyclopentolate) 1% Dilators (red top); Drops/Meds
CACG Chronic Angle Closure Glaucoma
Cat Cataract
CB ciliary body Anatomy
CBB ciliary body band Gonioscopy
CC Cortical Clouding, Cataract

3. cc with refractive correction Exam
CCT/Pachy central corneal thickness/ pachymetry
CE cataract extraction
CF @ XX ft counts fingers (specify distance) Exam
CHBL Check / Change / Bandage Lens
CL/SCL/ HCL contact lens/soft .…/Hard .… Other
CL THERA Contact Lens Therapeutic Contacts
CM Cyclomydril (for peds patients) Dilators (red top); Drops/Meds
CME cystoid macular edema Retina: Diagnoses/findings
CNV choroidal neovascularization Retina: Diagnoses/findings
CNVM choroidal neovascular membrane Retina: Diagnoses/findings
COAG chronic open angle glaucoma Glaucoma: Diagnoses/ findings
CORAB Corneal Abrasion
C/O Complications
c/o Complain of
CPC cyclophotocoagulation Glaucoma: Procedures/ Lasers etc.
CPM Continue Present Management
CRA Chorioretinal Atrophy
CRAO central retinal artery occlusion Retina: Diagnoses/findings
CRVO central retinal vein occlusion Retina: Diagnoses/findings
CRx cycloplegic refraction Refraction
Cryo cryotherapy Glaucoma: Procedures/ Lasers etc.
CSCR central serous chorioretin- opathy Retina: Diagnoses/findings
CSDME Clinically Significant Diabetic Macular Edema
CSM central, steady, maintained Exam
CSME clinically significant macular edema (for diabetes) Retina: Diagnoses/findings
CSR Central Serous Retinopathy
CT Cover Test
CVF confrontation visual fields External
CWS cotton wool spot Retina: Diagnoses/findings
Cyl cylinder Refraction
D Diopter
D&Q deep and quiet Anterior chamber
D/C Discontinue
d/c Discharge
D/M/V/P disc/macula/vessels/periphery Fundus exam
DALK deep anterior lamellar ker- atoplasty Cornea : Procedures/ Lasers etc.
DBH dot blot heme (hemorrhage) Retina: Diagnoses/findings
DD Disc Diameters
DF Descemet’s fold Cornea: Diagnoses/find- ings
DFE dilated fundus exam Fundus exam
Dilators (red top) Drops/Meds
DLK diffuse lamellar keratitis Cornea : Procedures/ Lasers etc.

4. DM Diabetes Mellitus
DME Diabetic Macular Edema
DMR Double Maddox Rod
DMVP Disc,Macula,Vessels,and Periphery
DSEK Endothelial Keratoplasty
DV, dVA Distance Visual Acuity
E’ Esophoria at Near
E Endolaser
E (Circled) Erythromycin
E(T) intermittent esotropia distance Alignment
E esophoria Alignment
ECCE extracapsular cataract extraction Procedures/Lasers etc.
ECP Endoscopic Cyclophotocoagulation
ED epithelial defect Cornea: Diagnoses/find- ings
EKC epidemic keratoconjunctivitis Cornea: Diagnoses/find- ings
EOG electrooculogram Tests
EOM extraocular muscles/ movement
ERG electroretinogram Tests
ERM epiretinal membrane Retina: Diagnoses/findings
ET Esotropia for Distance Alignment
ET` Esotropia for Near
EUA Exam under Anesthesia
F+F fixes and follows Exam
F/U Follow-up
FB Foreign Body
FHx Family History
Flt Flat
FANG fluorescein angiography Tests
Focal focal laser photocoagulation Retina: Procedures/ Lasers etc.
FTMH Full Thickness Macular Hole
Fuchs Fuchs Endothelial Corneal dystrophy
GCA Giant cell arteritis Nerve/Neuro: Diagnoses/findings
GDX Diagnostic Glaucoma Test
gl Glasses
GLC Glaucoma
GLREF Glasses Refraction
GRREM Growth Removal
GT Glasses trouble
gtt(s) Drop(s)
GVF Goldmann visual field Tests
HA homatropine Dilators (red top); Drops/Meds
HA Headache
HARC Harmonious abnormal retinal correspondence

5. Hx, H/O History of
HM @ XX
ft
hand motion (specify dis- tance) Exam

HoT

hypotropia
(add an apostrophe to indi- cate at near – eg. ET’
means esotropia at near)

Alignment
HSV Herpes Simplex Virus
HT hypertropia Alignment

HVF
Humphrey visual field (usu- ally 30-2; need to
specify if 10-2 or red target, etc)

Tests
I iris Iris
ICCE intracapsular cataract extrac- tion Procedures/Lasers etc.
IK interstitial keratitis Cornea: Diagnoses/ findings
I.P.D. Interpupillary Distance
IO inferior oblique Anatomy
IOFB Intraocular Foreign Body
IOL Intra-ocular lens
ION ischemic optic neuropathy Nerve/Neuro: Diagnoses/findings
IOP intraocular pressure External
IR inferior Anatomy
IRMA intraretinal microvascular anomalies Retina: Diagnoses/findings
JOAG juvenile open angle glau- coma Glaucoma: Diagnoses/ findings
K Cornea , keratometry slit lamp exam
KC or KCN keratoconus Cornea: Diagnoses/ findings
KCS keratoconjunctivitis sicca Cornea: Diagnoses/ findings
KP keratic precipitate Cornea: Diagnoses/ findings
L lens Lens
L/L lids/lashes Slit lamp exam
Lag lid lag External
LASEK laser epithelial keratomileusis Cornea : Procedures/ Lasers etc.

LASIK
laser in situ keratomileusis, also laser-assisted in situ
keratomileusis (Hofstetter)
Cornea : Procedures/ Lasers etc.
LCA Leber’s congenital amaurosis Nerve/Neuro: Diagnoses/findings
LF levator function External
LHON Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy Nerve/Neuro: Diagnoses/findings
LI/LPI laser iridotomy/laser pe- ripheral iridotomy Glaucoma: Procedures/ Lasers etc.
LOE Loss of Eye
LOV Loss of Vision
LTG Low Tension Glaucoma
LP c projection light perception with projec- tion Exam
LP s projection light perception without projection Exam
LP light perception Exam

6. LR lateral rectus Anatomy
LVA Low vison aid
M1 Mydriacyl (tropicamide) 1% Dilators (red top); Drops/Meds
M Membrane Dissection
MACCK Macular Degeneration Check
MACEV Macular Degeneration Evaluation
MG myasthenia gravis Nerve/Neuro: Diagnoses/findings

MGD

meibomian gland dysfunction

Lids: Diagnoses/findings
MGP meibomian gland plugging Lids: Diagnoses/findings
MH Macular Hole
MP/Mx membrane peel/mem- branectomy Retina: Procedures/ Lasers etc.
MR medial rectus , Maddox rod Anatomy
MRD1 margin to reflex distance 1 External
MRD2 margin to reflex distance 2 External
MRx manifest refraction Refraction
MS multiple sclerosis Nerve/Neuro: Diagnoses/findings
M.Wing Maddox Wing
N2.5/N10 Neo-Synephrine (phenyleph- rine) 2.5% or 10% Dilators (red top); Drops/Meds
NAION nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy Nerve/Neuro: Diagnoses/findings
NAG Narrow Angle Glaucoma
NCT Non-contact tonometer
NI no improvement Exam
Nl,nl Normal
NLD Nasolacrimal Duct/ Obstruction
NLDO Obstructed Nasolacrimal Duct
NLP no light perception Exam
NP New Patient
NPA Near Point of Accommodation
NPC Near Point of Convergence
NPDR non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy Retina: Diagnoses/findings
NRC Normal Retinal Correspondence
NRx near refraction Refraction
NS nuclear sclerosis,Cataract Lens: Diagnoses/findings
NTG/LTG normal/low tension glau- coma Glaucoma: Diagnoses/ findings
NV or nVA Near Vision
NVA neovascularization of the angle Gonioscopy
NVD neovascularization of the disc Retina: Diagnoses/findings
NVE neovascularization elsewhere Retina: Diagnoses/findings
NVG neovascular glaucoma Glaucoma: Diagnoses/ findings
NVI neovascularization of the iris Iris
NWT Normal wearing time
OAG Open Angle Glaucoma

7. OCT NFL OCT of nerve fiber layer (optic nerve evaluation) Tests
OCT optical coherence tomog- raphy Tests
oculent Eye Ointment
OD right eye Anatomy
OHT ocular hypertension Glaucoma: Diagnoses/ findings
ON Optic Nerve
ONH Optic Nerve Head
Or,Orx Over-Refraction
OS Oculus sinister (left eye) Anatomy
OT Ocular Tension
OU Oculus uterque (both eyes) Anatomy
PAS peripheral anterior synechiae Gonioscopy
PBK pseudophakic bullous ker- atopathy Cornea: Diagnoses/ findings
PCC posterior cortical changes Lens: Diagnoses/findings
PCIOL posterior chamber Lens
PCT Prism Cover Test
PCO posterior capsular opacity (post-cataract patients) Lens: Diagnoses/findings
PD pupillary distance or prism diopter Refraction
PDG Pigment Dispersion Glaucoma
PDR proliferative diabetic retin- opathy Retina: Diagnoses/findings

PDT

photodynamic therapy

Retina: Procedures/ Lasers etc.
PED Pigment Epithelial Detachment
PEE punctate epithelial erosion Cornea: Diagnoses/ findings
PEK punctate epithelial keratopa- thy/keratitis OR
photo-electronic kerato- scope (Hofstetter)
Cornea: Diagnoses/ findings
PF palpebral fissure External
PG Pigmentary Glaucoma
PH pinhole visual acuity Exam
Phaco/ ACIOL or
Phaco/ PCIOL
phaco with anterior chamber intraocular lens or
posterior chamber intraocu- lar lens

Procedures/Lasers etc.
Phaco phacoemulsification Procedures/Lasers etc.
PHNI pinhole no improvement Exam
PION posterior ischemic optic neuropathy Nerve/Neuro: Diagno- ses/findings
PK penetrating keratoplasty Cornea: Diagnoses/find- ings
PKP penetrating keratoplasty Cornea : Procedures/ Lasers etc.
PL Perception of light
POAG/ OAG primary open angle glau- coma/open angle glaucoma Glaucoma: Diagnoses/ findings
POHS presumed ocular histoplas- mosis Retina: Diagnoses/findings

PPA peripapillary atrophy
Nerve/Neuro: Diagnoses/findings
PPV/Vx
pars plana vitrectomy/vitrec-
tomy
Retina: Procedures/
Lasers etc.

8. PR
Pneumatic Retinopexy
PRK photorefractive keratectomy
Cornea : Procedures/
Lasers etc.

PRP

pan-retinal photocoagulation


Retina: Procedures/
Lasers etc.
PRN As Needed

PS
posterior synechiae (desig-
nate location/clock hours)
Iris
PSC
posterior subcapsular
cataract
Lens: Diagnoses/findings
Pt
Patient

PVD
posterior vitreous detach-
ment
Retina: Diagnoses/findings
PXE pseudoxanthoma elasticum
Nerve/Neuro:
Diagnoses/findings
PXF pseudoexfoliation
Glaucoma: Diagnoses/
findings
q.2h. Every 2 Hours

q.h. Every Hour

q.i.d. Four Times Daily

q.s. Quantity Sufficient

qd Daily, Once a Day

qhs Nightly

qo Every Other


R/R
round/reactive Iris
R retinoscopy Refraction

RAPD

Relative Afferent Pupillary Defect


Rc

cycloplegic retinoscopy

Refraction
RD retinal detachment Retina: Diagnoses/findings

REF

REFRACTION

Ret. Retinoscopy

9. RNFL Retinal Nerve fibre Layer
RP retinitis pigmentosa Retina: Diagnoses/findings
RPE retinal pigment epithelium fundus exam
RK Radial Keratotomy

Rx Prescription

SB scleral buckle
Retina: Procedures/
Lasers etc.
sc without refractive correction Exam
SCH Subconjunctival Hemorrhage
SiO Silicone IOL
SL Schwalbe’s line Gonioscopy
SLE slit lamp exam Slit lamp exam
SLK
superior limbic keratocon-
junctivitis
Cornea: Diagnoses/
findings
SLT
selective laser trabeculo-
plasty
Glaucoma: Procedures/
Lasers etc.
SO superior oblique Anatomy
SOAG
secondary open angle
glaucoma
Glaucoma: Diagnoses/
findings
Sph sphere Refraction
SPK
superficial punctate ker- atopathy/keratitis Cornea: Diagnoses/ findings
SR superior rectus Anatomy
SRF Subretinal Fluid
SRNV subretinal neovascularization Retina: Diagnoses/findings
SRNVM
subretinal neovascular membrane
Retina: Diagnoses/findings
SS scleral spur Gonioscopy
ST Schiotz tension
Sub heme Subconjunctival Hemorrhage
Sx Surgery
T tonometry Tonometry
Ta
applanation (Goldmann) tonometry
Tonometry
t.i.d.
Three Times Daily

Tapp
Pressure by Applanation

TBU
Tear Break Up

TM trabecular meshwork Gonioscopy
TON traumatic optic neuropathy
Nerve/Neuro: Diagnoses/findings
Tono Tonometer Pressure Check

10. topo Topography

Tp pneumotonometer tonometry
Trab trabeculectomy
Glaucoma: Procedures/ Lasers etc.
TRD tractional detachment Retina: Diagnoses/findings
Ttono Pressure by Tonopen
Tx Treatment
U/S Ultrasound
UDFE undilated fundus exam fundus exam
UGH
uveitis glaucoma hyphema syndrome Glaucoma: Diagnoses/ findings
um
Micron
Ung
Ointment
V,Va,VA Vision or visual acuity Exam
VAc or VAcc Visual Acuity with Correction
Vas or VAsc Visual Acuity without Correction
VF visual field Tests
VH vitreous hemorrhage Retina: Diagnoses/findings
VMT vitreomacular traction Retina: Diagnoses/findings
W4D Worth 4 Dots
WC/LS warm compresses/lid scrubs Drops/Meds
WD Working Distance

WRx
wearing Rx (currently worn eyeglass/contact lens pre-
scription)

Refraction
X(T) intermittent exotropia Alignment
X,XP exophoria Alignment
XT exotropia Alignment
YAG Yytrium Aluminum Garnet Laser
Δ prism diopter Refraction

Note :- This list is not inclusive of all medical abbreviations used by the physicians
and medical personnel of the Spokane Eye Clinic, but the most commonly used
acronyms have been referenced.