title: List of optometric abbreviations
text: # List of optometric abbreviations
  
  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.
  
  ## Eye examination terms
  
  | Abbreviation | Term | Description (notes) |
  | - | - | - |
  | AC | Anterior chamber | fluid-filled space between the iris and the endothelium |
  | AC 4/4 | Grade 4 anterior chamber angle | open angle between cornea and iris |
  | AC 3/4 | Grade 3 anterior chamber angle | |
  | AC 2/4 | Grade 2 anterior chamber angle | |
  | AC 1/4 | Grade 1 anterior chamber angle | |
  | AC 0/4 | Grade 0 anterior chamber angle | closed angle between cornea and iris |
  | AC/A | Accommodative convergence / Accommodation ratio | the portion of the range of convergence that occurs in response to accommodation |
  | Acc | Accommodation | process of changing optical power to maintain focus as distance changes |
  | Ad | Advised | |
  | Add | Addition | |
  | AIT | After-image transfer | |
  | ALT | Alternating | |
  | ALT ET/SOT | Alternating esotropia | |
  | ALT XT/XOT | Alternating exotropia | |
  | ARC | Anomalous retinal correspondence | |
  | A/V | Arteriole–venue ratio | |
  | BIO | Binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy | |
  | BSV | Binocular single vision | |
  | BV | Binocular vision | |
  | BVD | Back vertex distance | |
  | BVP | Back vertex power | |
  | CD | Centration distance | |
  | C/D | Cup–disc ratio | |
  | CF | Count fingers vision – state distance | |
  | c/o or c.o. | Complains of | |
  | CT | Cover test | |
  | c/u | Check up | |
  | CW | Close work | |
  | Δ | Prism dioptre | |
  | D | Dioptres | |
  | DC | Dioptres cylinder | |
  | DNA | Did not attend | |
  | DOB | Date of birth | |
  | DS | Dioptres sphere | |
  | DV | Distance vision | |
  | DVD | Dissociated vertical deviation | |
  | EF | Eccentric fixation | |
  | FB | Foreign body | |
  | FD | Fixation disparity | |
  | FF | Foveal fixation | |
  | FHG | Family history of glaucoma | |
  | FMH | Family medical history | |
  | FOH | Family ocular history | |
  | F/U | Follow up appointment | |
  | GH | General health | |
  | G(M)P | General (medical) practitioner | |
  | HA | Headaches | |
  | HARC | Harmonious abnormal retinal correspondence | |
  | HM | Hand motion vision – state distance | |
  | Hx | History | |
  | IOL | Intra-ocular lens | |
  | IOP | Intra-ocular pressure | |
  | ISNT | Inferior, Superior, Nasal, Temporal | rule used to assess optic disc appearance |
  | K | Keratometry | |
  | OS | oculus sinister (left eye) | |
  | LHyperT or LHT | Left hypertropia | |
  | LHypoT | Left hypotropia | |
  | LO | Lenticular opacity | |
  | L/R FD | L/R fixation disparity | |
  | L/R | L hyperphoria | |
  | Left ET | Left esotropia | |
  | LVA | Low vision aid | |
  | MDU | Mallett distance unit | |
  | MNU | Mallett near unit | |
  | M.Wing | Maddox Wing | |
  | MR | Maddox rod | |
  | NB: NAD | No abnormality detected | (is frequently used but is not recommended) |
  | NCT | Non-contact tonometer | |
  | ND | Neutral density filter | |
  | NLP | No light perception | No light perception is considered total visual impairment, or total blindness; see Visual impairment#Classification |
  | NPC | Near point of convergence or no previous correction | |
  | NRC | Normal retinal correspondence | |
  | NV | Near vision | |
  | NWT | Normal wearing time | |
  | o symptoms | Zero symptoms | |
  | ϕ | Horizontal orthophoria | |
  | θ | Vertical orthophoria | |
  | ⊕ | Horizontal and vertical orthophoria | |
  | OC's | Optical centres | |
  | Occ. | Occupation | |
  | OD | oculus dexter (right eye) | |
  | OH | Ocular history | |
  | OMB | Oculo motor balance | |
  | ONH | Optic nerve head | |
  | Oph | Ophthalmoscopy | |
  | OS | oculus sinister (left eye) | |
  | OU | oculus uterque (both eyes) | |
  | PD | Pupillary distance | |
  | PERRLA | Pupils equal, round, reactive to light and accommodation | |
  | PH | Pinhole | see Pinhole occluder and Visual_acuity#Legal_definitions |
  | PHNI | Pinhole No Improvement | see Pinhole occluder and Visual_acuity#Legal_definitions |
  | PHVA | Pinhole Visual Acuity | |
  | PL | Perception of light | |
  | POH / PrOH | Previous ocular history | |
  | PPA | Peri-papillary atrophy | |
  | Pt | Patient | |
  | RAPD | Relative afferent pupillary defect | |
  | OD | Right eye (oculus dexter) | |
  | Ret. | Retinoscopy | |
  | RHyperT | Right hypertropia | |
  | RHypoT or RHT | Right hypotropia | |
  | RNFL | Retinal nerve fibre layer | |
  | RPE | Retinal pigment epithelium | |
  | RSOT | Right esotropia | |
  | Rx | Prescription | |
  | SE | Spherical Equivalent | |
  | SLE | Slit lamp examination | |
  | SLM | Slit lamp microscope | |
  | EP | Esophoria | |
  | ET | Esotropia | |
  | Supp. | Suppression | |
  | V | Vision (unaided) | |
  | VA | Visual acuity | |
  | VA Dcc - VA Dsc | Visual acuity with Distant chart with correctors | Visual acuity with eye chart at Distant 20 feet (6 m) and with (cc: Latin cum correctore) correctors (spectacles); Dsc is without (sc: Latin sine correctore) correctors. See Visual_acuity#Legal_definitions |
  | VA Nsc - VA Ncc | Visual acuity with Near chart without correctors | Visual acuity with eye chart at Near 15.7 inches (400 mm) and without (sc: Latin sine correctore) correctors (spectacles); Ncc is with (cc: Latin cum correctore) correctors. See Visual_acuity#Legal_definitions |
  | VA OS | Left visual acuity | |
  | VA OD | Right visual acuity | |
  | VDU | Visual display unit | |
  | VF | Visual field | |
  | VPS | Variable prism stereoscope | |
  | WD | Working distance | |
  | X/12 | X months | |
  | X/52 | X weeks | |
  | X/7 | X days | |
  | XP | Exophoria | |
  | XT | Exotropia | |
  
  ## Clinical conditions terms
  
  | Abbreviation | Term | Description (notes) |
  | - | - | - |
  | AH | Asteroid hyalosis | |
  | AMD/ARMD | Age-related macular degeneration | |
  | ACG/CAG | Angle closure glaucoma | |
  | BDR | Background diabetic retinopathy | |
  | BP | Blood pressure | |
  | BRAO | Branch retinal artery occlusion | |
  | BRVO | Branch retinal vein occlusion | |
  | Cat | Cataract | |
  | CLAPC/CLIPC | Contact lens associated/induced papillary conjunctivitis | |
  | CLARE | Contact lens associated red eye | |
  | CLPU | Contact lens associated peripheral ulcer | |
  | CNS | Central nervous system | |
  | CNV | Choroidal neovascularization | |
  | CRAO | Central retinal artery occlusion | |
  | CRVO | Central retinal vein occlusion | |
  | CSR | Central serous retinopathy | |
  | CVA | Cerebrovascular accident | |
  | Dx | Diagnosis | |
  | dDx | Differential diagnosis | |
  | DR | Diabetic retinopathy | |
  | ERM | Epiretinal membrane | |
  | ESR | Erythrocyte sedimentation rate | |
  | FTMH | Full thickness macular hole | |
  | FMNS | Fusion maldevelopment nystagmus syndrome | (Latent nystagmus) |
  | Fx | Family history | |
  | GPC | Giant papillary conjunctivitis | |
  | Hx | Hospital or History | |
  | HES | Hospital eye service | |
  | IDDM | Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus | |
  | ILM | Internal limiting membrane | |
  | IRMA | Intra-retinal microvascular abnormality | |
  | KCS | Keratoconjunctivitis sicca | |
  | KP | Keratic precipitates | |
  | LASEK | Laser epithelial keratomileusis | |
  | LASIK | Laser in-situ keratomileusis | |
  | LTG | Low-tension glaucoma | |
  | MH | Macular hole | |
  | MI | Myocardial infarction | |
  | MS | Multiple sclerosis | |
  | NIDDM | Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus | |
  | NRR | Neuro-retinal rim | |
  | NS | Nuclear sclerosis | |
  | NTG | Normal tension glaucoma | |
  | PDR | Proliferative diabetic retinopathy | |
  | PDT | Photodynamic therapy | |
  | PK | Penetrating keratoplasy | |
  | POAG | Primary open-angle glaucoma | |
  | PPDR | Preproliferative diabetic retinopathy | |
  | PRA | Pan-retinal ablation | |
  | PRK | Photorefractive keratectomy | |
  | PRP | Pan-retinal photocoagulation | |
  | PSCC | Posterior sub-capsular cataract | |
  | PVD | Posterior vitreous detachment | |
  | PXF | Pseudoexfoliative syndrome | |
  | RD | Retinal detachment | |
  | RK | Radial keratotomy | |
  | RP | Retinitis pigmentosa | |
  | SEAL | Superior epithelial arcuate lesion | |
  | SLK | Superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis | |
  | SMH | Submacular hemorrhage | |
  | SPK | Superficial punctate keratitis | |
  | SPEE | Superficial punctate epithelial erosions | |
  | Sx | Symptoms | |
  | TIA | Transient ischaemic attack | |
  | T1 diab | Type 1 diabetes | |
  | T2 diab | Type 2 diabetes | |
  | Tx | Treatment | |
  | Vx | Vomiting | |
  
  ## Contact lens terms
  
  | Abbreviation | Term |
  | - | - |
  | BC | Base curve |
  | BOZD | Back optic zone diameter |
  | BOZR | Back optic zone radius |
  | BVP | Back vertex power |
  | CLAPC/CLIPC | Contact-lens-associated/induced papillary conjunctivitis |
  | CLARE | Contact-lens-associated red eye |
  | CLPU | Contact-lens-associated peripheral ulcer |
  | Dk | Unit of permeability |
  | DW | Daily wear |
  | EW | Extended wear |
  | FOZD | Front optic zone diameter |
  | FVP | Front vertex power |
  | HEMA | Hydroxyethyl methacrylate |
  | HT | Handling tint |
  | HVID | Horizontal visible iris diameter |
  | K | Keratometry |
  | MWT | Maximum wearing time |
  | OS/OD | Overall size/overall diameter |
  | OZD | Optic zone diameter |
  | PMMA | Polymethyl methacrylate |
  | RGP | Rigid-gas-permeable |
  | SCL | Soft contact lens |
  | SiH | Silicone hydrogel |
  | SEAL | Superior epithelial arcuate lesion |
  | SLK | Superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis |
  | SPK | Superficial punctate keratitis |
  | SPEE | Superficial punctate epithelial erosions |
  | TBUT | Tear break-up time |
  | Tc | Centre thickness |
  | TD | Total diameter |
  | Te | Edge thickness |
  | TWT/WTT | Today wearing time |
  | VPA | Vertical palpebral aperture |
  | WT | Wearing time |
  
  ## Pharmacy and drug terms
  
  | Abbreviation | Term |
  | - | - |
  | A.d. | As directed |
  | bd/bid | Twice a day |
  | gt | One drop |
  | gtt | drops |
  | GSL | General sales list |
  | Gutt/g | Guttae (drops) |
  | Meds | Medications |
  | Nocte/QHS | At night |
  | Occ | Ointment |
  | od/QD | Once a day |
  | otc | Over the counter (bought medication) |
  | P | Pharmacy (drug) |
  | POM | Prescription-only medicine |
  | prn | When required |
  | q | Every (e.g. q2h – every two hours) |
  | qds/qid | Four times a day |
  | Rx | Prescription |
  | tds/tid | Three times a day |
  | ung | Ointment |
  
  ## Examination types and enhanced care schemes
  
  | Abbreviation | Term |
  | - | - |
  | DFE | Dilated fundus examination |
  | DFP | Digital fundus photograph(y) |
  | DRS | Diabetic retinopathy screening |
  | GIES | Glasgow Integrated Eyecare Scheme |
  | PEARS | Primary Eyecare Acute Referral Scheme |
  | WEHE | Welsh Eye Health Examination |
  | WLVS | Welsh Low Vision Service |
  