This document defines common medical abbreviations related to the eye, ear, nose and throat. It provides the abbreviation and definition for: - Pressure Equalizing Tube (PE Tube) - A small tube placed in a child's eardrum to drain fluid and equalize pressure. - Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat (EENT) - Referring to these areas, often a medical specialty. - Bone Conduction (BC) - Conduction of sound through the bones of the skull. - Both Ears (AU) - Referring to each or both ears, from the Latin "Auris Utraque".

1. What’s The Abbreviation?

2. Pressure Equalizing Tube
• Abbreviation: PE Tube
• Definition: A small tube
that is surgically placed in
a child’s eardrum to assist
in drainage of trapped fluid
and to equalize pressure
between the middle ear
cavity and the
atmosphere.

3. Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat
• Abbreviation: EENT
• Definition: Referring to the eye, ear, nose, and
throat. Usually suggests a medical specialty or
field, also commonly associated with ENT, or
ear, nose, and throat.

4. Bone Conduction
• Abbreviation: BC
• Definition: The conduction of sound through
to the inner ear through the bones of the
skull.
• This is the reason our own voices sound
different on a recording. It is used in new
technology like “Google Glass”

5. Both Ears
• Abbreviation: AU
• Derivation: Comes from Auris Utraque which
is Latin for each ear or both ears.
• Used in descriptions such as for medications
or for medical charts.

6. Otitis Media
• Abbreviation: OM
• Exact meaning is “inflammation of the middle
ear” but refers to an infection of the middle
ear.

7. Emmetropia
• Abbreviation: EM
• Definition: The state at which the eye is both
relaxed and in focus on an object more than 6
meters away.
• Eyes that cannot focus on such an object need
corrective lenses or surgery.

8. Exotropia
• Abbreviation: XT
• Definition: An outward turning of
the eyes.
• Can occur in babies by weeks 4-
6, but is usually resolved by week 8.
• More permanent exotropia often
develops at 1-4 years old.
• Symptoms include: decreased
vision, depth perception, outward
deviation of eyes, and sensitivity to
light

9. Left Eye
• Abbreviation: OS
• Derivation: Exact meaning is oculus sinister.
• Right eye, abbreviation OD, comes from
oculus dexter
• Both eyes, abbrevation OU, comes from
oculus uterque.

10. Extraocular Movement
• Abbreviation: EOM
• Exact meaning is “eye movements” and refers
to the movements of the eyes in all directions
and the eyelids.
• The eye is controlled by six muscles. Four
control basic movements: up, down, left, and
right. The other two control movement to
oppose head motion.

11. Visual Acuity
• Abbreviation: VA
• Definition: The clarity or sharpness of vision
• Visual Acuity is expressed as a fraction.
– Normal VA is 20/20.
– In an example of 20/40 The top number is the
distance from a particular object, 20 feet. The
bottom number is what a person can see from 20
feet away, that person with normal VA can see
from 40 feet away.