This document defines common medical abbreviations used in otolaryngology (EENT), optometry, and ophthalmology. Some key abbreviations are:
PE tube - A small tube placed in a child's ear to drain infection and fluid.
EENT - The medical specialty focusing on diagnosis and treatment of ear, eye, nose, throat, head, and neck disorders.
OS and OD - Latin abbreviations for left eye (oculus sinister) and right eye (oculus dexter) respectively.
VA - Visual acuity, a test measuring sharpness of vision using a Snellen chart from 20 feet away.
2. PE tube PE tube or pressure equalizing tube- is a small tube surgically placed in a child โs ear to assist in drainage of infection. It is usually placed due to recurrent ear infections or if fluid has built up in your ear causing hearing loss.
3. EENT EENT or Otolaryngology โis the branch of medicine and surgery that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment ear, eyes, nose, throat, head and neck disorders
4. BC BC or bone conduction is the conduction of sound to the inner ear through the bones of the skull. Which is sometimes used when you experience hearing loss. Some hearing aids employ bone conduction achieving an effect equivalent to hearing directly by means of the ears.
5. AU AU means both ears. When the doctor is writing a report, they may use several abbreviations, such as AU both ears AD right ear or AS left ear
6. OM OM or Otitis media is an inflammation of the middle ear. This inflammation often begins with a infection that causes a sore throat, cold or other respiratory problems and spreads to the middle ear. These can be caused by viruses or bacteria, and can be acute or chronic.
7. EM EM or emmetropia is the normal retractive condition of the eye in which parallel rays of light are all brought accurately into focus upon the retina.
8. XT XT or exotropia is on of the most common forms of strabismus, a condition that refers to a misallignment of the eyes. With exotropia one eye deviates outward (away from the nose) while the other is fixated normally.
9. Os OS is a latin abbreviation which means oculus sinister (left eye). OD is also a latin abbreviation which means oculus dexter(right eye).
10. EOM EOM or extraocular movement are the movements of the human eye performed by the extraocular muscles. There are six extraocular muscles, which act to turn or rotate the eye about on itโs vertical and horizontal axes.
11. VA VA or visual acuity is a test which measures the sharpness of a patients vision. Usually, a Snellen chart is used for this test and the patient identifies the letters from a distance of 20 feet.
