Chapter VI - Eye Pharmacology

Pharmacology

Antiglaucoma drugs
Antiglaucoma drugs are drugs that lower the intraocular pressure by reducing production of aqueous humor by the ciliary body. Most drugs of this class are beta-adrenergics. Drugs: timolol maleate, brimonidine brinzolamide, levobunolol, methazolamide, and pilocarpine.

Anti-inflammatory and antiallergics

In case of severe ocular inflammations, topical preparations containing antibiotics and antifungal agents are used with or without a combination with corticosteroid, to suppress the inflammation of the eye. Drugs: sodium Cromoglycate, flurbiprofen sodium, diclofenac ophthalmic solution.

Cycloplegics and mydriatics
Cycloplegics are agents that paralyze ciliary muscles and result in pupil dilation. Mydriatics cause the dilation of pupils. Most of the mydriatics cause cycloplegia also. Drugs: atropine, homatropine, cyclopentolate, scopolamine, and tropicamide.

Miotics
Miotics are agents that cause constriction of the pupil of the eye mostly used in treatment of glaucoma. These agents are used to counteract mydriatics after having been used for testing refraction. Drugs: pilocarpine.

Topical antibiotics
Various antibiotics are used in many eye infections caused by pathogens like bacteria and any of these antibiotics are used in combination with corticosteroids. These antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infection and fungal infections of the eye, conjunctivitis keratitis, blepharitis, meibomianitis, trachoma, dacryocystitis and differ according to the type of infection of the Drug: norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, tobramycin, sulfacetamide, sodium, chloramphenicol, miconazole, silver sulfadiazine, acyclovir, ciprofloxacin, framycetin sulfate, and polymyxin.

Some Terms associated with ophthalmology

• Accommodation: ability of the eye to focus on near and distant objection by changing the convexity of the lens
• Achromatopsia: condition of color blindness of the eyes
• Amblyopia: decreased vision
• Astigmatism: visual condition in which light rays are unevenly focused on the retina due to abnormal curvature of the cornea
• Blepharectomy: excision of lesion of eyelid
• Blepharedema: swelling of eyelid
• Blepharitis: inflammation of eyelid
• Blepharoplegia: paralysis of muscles of eyelid
• Blepharoptosis: drooping of eyelid
• Blepharospasm: twitching or involuntary contraction of eyelid
• Cataract: clouding of lens of eye which results in loss of transparency
• Chemosis: accumulation of the lens of the eye which causes swelling around the cornea
• Choroid: the vascular layer of eyeball between sclera and retina
• Choroiditis: inflammation of choroid
• Choroidopathy: disease of choroid
• Conjunctiva: thin mucous membrane covering the front of the eyeball
• Conjunctival: related to the conjunctiva
• Conjunctivitis: inflammation of conjunctiva
• Cornea: outer transparent portion of the eye, which is continuous with the sclera and through which the light passes
• Dacryadenalgia: pain in tear glands
• Dacryadenitis: inflammation of tear glands
• Dacryorrhea: flow of tears
• Diplopia: double vision
• Epiphora: overflow of tears
• Erythropia: red eye
• Esotropia: condition in which both eyes turn inwards
• Exophthalmos : protrusion of eyeballs
• Exotropia: condition in which both eyes turn outwards
• Fundus: a part of the interior of eyeball which is exposed to view through ophthalmoscope
• Funduscope: instrument to view fundus
• Funduscopic: related to funduscopy
• Funduscopy: examination of the fundus of eye
• Glaucoma: pathologic condition of eye in which intraocular pressure increases
• Hordeolum: a small purulent inflammatory infection of sebaceous gland of eyelid; also called sty
• Hyperopia: farsightedness
• Hypertropia: squint in which the eyes look upward.
• Hypotropia: squint in which eyes look down words.
• Intraocular: inside the eye
• Iridoplasty: surgical repair of the iris
• Iridoplegia: paralysis of the iris
• Iridotomy: incision of the iris
• Iris: pigmented portion of eye which regulates the amount of light coming through the pupil
• Keratitis: inflammation of the cornea
• Keratoplasty: surgical repair of the cornea
• Keratotome: instrument to incise the cornea
• Keratotomy: incision of the cornea
• Laser iridotomy: cutting some fibers of the iris with laser
• Macula: small spot on the retina which is the area of sharpest vision
• Macule: a spot discoloration or thickening of the skin
• Miosis: constriction of the pupil
• Miotic: agents that constrict the pupil
• Myopia: nearsightedness
• Mydriatic: agent that dilates the pupil
• Nystagmus: involuntary oscillation of the eyeballs
• Ophthalmalgia: pain in the eyes
• Ophthalmectomy: excision of an eyeball
• Ophthalmodynia: pain in the eye
• Ophthalmologist: specialist in diseases of the eye
• Ophthalmomalacia: softening of the eye
• Ophthalmoplegia: paralysis of the ocular muscles
• Ophthalmoscope: instrument to view eyes
• Ophthalmus: eye
• Optic: pertaining to the eye
• Optic chiasm: point of crossing of optic nerves
• Optometrist: person who tests visual acuity and prescribes corrective lenses
• Phacoemulsification: process to disintegrate cataract
• Photophobia: marked intolerance to light
• Presbyopia: farsightedness associated with aging
• Pterygium: outward growth of tissue of the eye
• Pupil: the round opening in center of the iris through which light reaches the lens
• Pupillary: relating to the pupil
• Rectus: muscles of the eye
• Retina: innermost layer of the eye, which has nerve endings of the optic nerve
• Retinitis: inflammation of the retina
• Retinoblastoma: malignant sarcoma or neoplasm of the retina
• Retinopathy: any disease of the retina
• Retinoscopy: visual examination of the retina
• Retrobulbar: behind the eyeball
• Sclera: white of the eye, outermost fibrous laver
• Scleritis: inflammation of sclera
• Scleromalacia: softening of sclera
• Sclerostomy: surgical formation of opening in sclera
• Sclerotomy: incision of sclera
• Seton procedure: placing a tube in the anterior chamber to drain the excess fluid and decrease intraocular pressure.
• Slit lamp: instrument consisting of a microscope and a bright thin beam of light to examine an eye
• Strabismus: improper alignment of the eyes
• Sty: infection of the sebaceous gland of the eyelid
• Tonometry: test to measure intraocular pressure
• Trabeculectomy: excision of the trabecular meshwork to treat glaucoma
• Uveitis: inflammation of the uvea
• Visual acuity: clearness of vision
• Vitrectomy: excision of vitreous humor
• Vitreous: relating to vitreous humor
• Vitreous humor: thick, gelatinous substance within the eyeball
• Xanthopsia: a condition of the eye in which everything appears yellowish

Common Abbreviations
ace: accommodation
ARMD: age-related macular degeneration
Astigm: astigmatism
D: diopter
DR: diabetic retinopathy
Em: emmetropia
EOM: extraocular movement
ET: esotropia
IOL: intraocular lens
IOD: intraocular pressure
L&A: light and accommodation
myop: myopia
OD: oculus dexter (right eye)
OS: oculus sinister (left eye)
OU: oculus unitas (both eyes)
PAN: periodic alternating nystagmus
PAM: potential acuity meter
PERRLA: pupils equal, round, and reactive to light and accommodation
REM: rapid eye movement
RD: retinal detachment
st: strabismus
ung: ointment
VA: visual acuity
VF: visual field
XT: exotropia
COMBINING FORMS
blephar/o: eyelid
choroid/o: choroid
corne/o: cornea
dacry/o: tear, lacrimal
dipl/o: double
irid/o: iris
kerat/o: cornea
noct/o: night
ocul/o: eye
ophthalm/o: eye
presby/o: old age
retin/o: retina
scler/o: sclera
SUFFIX
-algia: pain
-dynia: pain
-itis: inflammation
-Iogist: specialist in study of
-malacia: softening
-opia: vision
-pathy: disease
-rrhexis: rupture
-scope: instrument to view
-spasm: involuntary contraction
-stenosis: stricture
-tomy: incision