ophthalmic
Meaning of ophthalmic: Ophthalmic describes anything relating to the eye, including its anatomy, diseases, examinations, and medications formulated for eye use.
Definition of ophthalmic
Ophthalmic means relating to the eye. The word describes the anatomy of the eye and surrounding structures, diseases and conditions that affect vision or eye health, and the medical specialty of ophthalmology, which focuses on diagnosing and treating eye disorders.
The term is also used specifically to describe medications and products formulated for use in or around the eye, such as ophthalmic drops or ointments, which differ in formulation from products intended for oral, topical skin, or other routes of administration. An ophthalmic examination typically evaluates vision, eye pressure, and the structures of the eye using specialized instruments.
Ophthalmic care is provided by ophthalmologists, who are medical doctors specializing in eye diseases and surgery, as well as by optometrists, who provide primary eye care and vision correction within their scope of practice.
How ophthalmic is built
- ocul/o, ophthalm/o Combining form · Latin and Greek eye
- -ac, -al, -ar, -ary, -eal, -ic Suffix · Greek and Latin pertaining to, relating to
A medical term is read from its ending backwards: the suffix first, then the prefix, then the root. See all 223 word parts.
Used in a sentence
Ophthalmic drops were prescribed to reduce inflammation following the procedure.
Good to know
Ophthalmic and optic are related but not interchangeable; ophthalmic broadly describes anything relating to the eye, while optic more specifically refers to vision or to the optic nerve.
Word origin
Where “ophthalmic” comes from
From Greek ophthalmos, meaning "eye."