Common Abbreviations in Ophthalmology
Editor and Author: Jonathan A. Barnett, MD
, Ghazi Bou Ghanem, MD, Meagan Tran, MD, Marina Shenouda, MD
Reviewed by John B. Bond III, MD
- OD = Right eye | OS = Left eye | OU = Both eyes
- VA = Visual acuity | VAcc = with correction [glasses or contact lenses] | VAsc = without correction
- PH = Pinhole acuity - PHNI = No Improvement of vision with pinhole
- Gtt = Drops
- Ung = Ointment
- EOM = Extraocular muscles
- IOP = Intraocular pressure
- CVF = Confrontation visual fields
- CF = Count fingers
- HM = Hand motion
- DFE = Dilated fundus exam | SLE = Slit lamp exam | PLE = Pen light exam
- RAPD = Relative afferent pupillary defect
- KED = Corneal epithelial defect (i.e., corneal abrasion)
- PEE / SPK = Corneal punctate epithelial erosions / Superficial punctate keratopathy
- FBS = Foreign body sensation
- PFATs = Preservative-free artificial tears
- SCH = Subconjunctival hemorrhage
- DD = Optic disc diameter (can be used as unit of measurement in retinoscopy)
- W&q = Conjunctiva is white and quiet (i.e., normal)
- D&q = Anterior chamber is deep and quiet (i.e., normal, no inflammation)
- AC = Anterior chamber
- ON = Optic nerve | ONH = Optic nerve head
- RD = Retinal detachment
- PVD = Posterior vitreous detachment
- DR = Diabetic retinopathy | NPDR: Nonproliferative DR | PDR: Proliferative DR
- CNV = Choroidal neovascularization
- NVI = Neovascularization of the iris | NV = Neovascularization of the angle | NVD = Neovascularization of the optic disc | NVE = Neovascularization elsewhere (usually peripheral retina)
- CE/IOL = Cataract xtraction with intraocular lens (i.e., cataract surgery)
- IV = Intravitreal (e.g., “IV injection”)
