BOCP key terms

The proportion of the optic nerve head occupied by the central pale cup relative to the whole disc; progressive enlargement, especially with neuroretinal rim thinning, suggests glaucomatous damage.

The band of tissue between the optic cup and disc margin containing axons and capillaries; it thins in glaucoma, characteristically in the inferior and superior poles first.

Examination of the anterior chamber angle using a mirrored or prismatic contact lens to classify open, narrow, or closed angles and identify peripheral anterior synechiae.

Glaucoma caused by obstruction of aqueous outflow when the iris blocks the trabecular meshwork; may be acute with pain and halos or chronic and asymptomatic.

The production of fluid by the ciliary epithelium and its drainage through trabecular and uveoscleral pathways; imbalance raises intraocular pressure.

Non-invasive imaging that uses low-coherence light to measure retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell thickness, supporting early detection and monitoring of glaucomatous structural loss.

Perimetry that maps the patient's sensitivity across the visual field; glaucomatous patterns include arcuate defects, nasal steps, and paracentral scotomas.

Topical ocular hypotensive agent that increases uveoscleral outflow; common side effects include eyelash growth, iris darkening, and periorbital pigmentation.

Ocular hypotensive drug that reduces aqueous production by blocking ciliary beta receptors; systemic absorption can cause bradycardia and bronchospasm.

Closure of the tear drainage punctum, by digital pressure or plugs, to prolong contact time and reduce systemic absorption of topical ocular medications.

An agent that dilates the pupil, such as a parasympatholytic or sympathomimetic; used for fundus viewing and refraction, with caution in narrow angles.

A drug that paralyzes the ciliary muscle and dilates the pupil, temporarily eliminating accommodation; used in pediatric refraction and for relieving accommodative spasm.

Retinoscopy or refraction performed after accommodation is paralyzed, revealing the full hyperopic error and reducing over-minus results in children.

Objective refraction technique in which the examiner observes the movement of the red reflex while neutralizing it with lenses to estimate refractive error.

The sphere power plus half the cylindrical power; used to summarize a toric prescription and to select soft lens powers when cylinder is not corrected.

A refractive condition in which power varies across meridians, usually due to toroidal corneal or lenticular curvature, producing blurred vision at all distances.

The distance from the back surface of a spectacle lens to the corneal apex; it must be compensated when converting between spectacle and contact lens powers.

The radius of curvature of a contact lens back surface, selected to align with corneal curvature and influence lens centration, movement, and comfort.

A progressive non-inflammatory corneal thinning disorder producing conical protrusion, irregular astigmatism, and reduced best-corrected acuity; managed with rigid lenses or cross-linking.

Reduced best-corrected acuity in one or both eyes caused by abnormal visual experience during development, with no structural cause; treated by correcting refractive error and occluding the better eye.

Misalignment of the visual axes, classified as esotropia, exotropia, hypertropia, or hypotropia; may cause diplopia or amblyopia depending on age of onset.

Binocular vision test in which each eye is alternately occluded while fixation is observed, detecting manifest and latent deviations and measuring their magnitude.

A latent tendency for the eyes to deviate when fusion is broken; compensated phorias are asymptomatic while decompensated ones cause asthenopia.

Disjunctive eye movement in which the eyes rotate in opposite directions, either converging for near targets or diverging for distant ones.

Increase in the crystalline lens power produced by ciliary muscle contraction, allowing the eye to focus on near objects.

Age-related loss of accommodative amplitude beginning in the fourth decade, causing difficulty with near vision and corrected with reading adds or multifocal designs.

A spectacle lens with a continuously increasing plus power from distance to near zones, with peripheral astigmatism requiring adaptation.

A significant difference in refractive error between the two eyes, which can cause aniseikonia, poor binocularity, and amblyopia in children.

An area of reduced or absent visual sensitivity within the field, described by location, size, and whether it is absolute or relative.

Optical and non-optical devices such as magnifiers, telescopes, and filters that use magnification or contrast enhancement to improve function in patients with irreversible vision loss.

Technique of directing gaze so that images fall on a healthier parafoveal retinal area, compensating for a central scotoma.

Microvascular retinal disease from chronic hyperglycemia, showing microaneurysms, hemorrhages, exudates, and neovascularization in advanced stages.

Retinal vascular changes from elevated blood pressure, including arteriolar narrowing, arteriovenous nicking, flame hemorrhages, and papilledema in severe cases.

Bilateral optic disc swelling caused by raised intracranial pressure; it may present with transient visual obscurations and enlarged blind spots.

Lubricating ocular solutions or gels that supplement the tear film in dry eye, with viscosity and preservative content chosen to match severity and dosing frequency.

The process of disclosing risks, benefits, and alternatives so a patient can voluntarily agree to a procedure or treatment.

Maintaining accurate, timely, and legible clinical documentation that supports continuity of care and meets legal and professional standards.