Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

operation, Blalock
-
Taussig
See 
Blalock
-
Taussig operation.
operation, Macewen
See 
Macewen operation.
ophthalmia
Severe inflammation of the eye. Also
known as ophthalmitis.
ophthalmia, sympathetic
See 
sympathetic
ophthalmia.
ophthalmic
Pertaining to the eye. For example,
an ophthalmic ointment is designed for the eye.
ophthalmic artery
The artery that supplies
blood to the eye and adjacent structures of the face.
It arises from the internal carotid artery, which
courses up from deep within the front of the neck.
See also 
artery.
ophthalmic vein
One of the paired veins that
drain the orbital cavity that contains the eye. The
superior ophthalmic vein arises at the inner angle of
the orbit and follows the course of the ophthalmic
artery into the cavernous sinus, a large channel of
venous blood. The inferior ophthalmic vein arises
from a venous network at the forepart of orbit and
divides into two branches, one of which also ends in
the cavernous sinus. See also 
cavernous sinus; vein.
ophthalmitis
See 
ophthalmia.
ophthalmologist
A physician who practices
ophthalmology.
ophthalmology
The art and science of eye
medicine.
ophthalmopathy
Any eye disease.
ophthalmoplegic migraine
See 
migraine,
ophthalmoplegic.
ophthalmoscope
A lighted instrument that is
used to examine the inside of the eye, including the
retina and the optic nerve.
ophthalmoscopy
Examination of the interior of
the eye, including the lens, retina, and optic nerve,
using an ophthalmoscope. Ophthalmoscopy can be
indirect or direct. Indirect ophthalmoscopy, which
is generally performed by an ophthalmologist,
employs a headlamp device to shine a very bright
light into the eye. Direct ophthalmoscopy is in more
common usage by many health practitioners. The
examiner uses a device the size of a flashlight to
examine the eye that consists of a concave mirror
and a battery-powered light. The operator looks
through a single monocular eyepiece into the patient’s
eye. The ophthalmoscope is equipped with a rotating
disc of lenses to permit the eye to be examined at 
different depths and magnifications. The ophthalmo-
scope operator can better see into the eye by using
one of a number of drugs to dilate the patient’s pupil
and enlarge the opening into the structures within the
eye.
opiate
A medication or an illegal drug that is
derived from the opium poppy or that mimics the
effect of an opiate (a synthetic opiate). Opiate drugs
are narcotic sedatives that depress activity of the
central nervous system, reduce pain, and induce
sleep. Side effects may include oversedation, nau-
sea, and constipation. Long-term use of opiates can
produce addiction, and overuse can cause overdose
and potentially death.