XEROPHTHALMIA

xerophthalmia, xerophthalmus, xeroma, conjunctivitis arida

(noun) abnormal dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea of the eyes; may be due to a systemic deficiency of vitamin A

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

xerophthalmia (plural xerophthalmias)

(ophthalmology) A condition due to a deficiency of vitamin A where the conjunctiva and cornea become dry. The condition starts with conjunctival xerosis and night blindness and progresses to corneal xerosis and, later, a severe condition called keratomalacia.

Source: Wiktionary


Xe`roph*thal"mi*a, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. Ophthalmia.] (Med.)

Definition: An abnormal dryness of the eyeball produced usually by long- continued inflammation and subsequent atrophy of the conjunctiva.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

26 January 2025

NEGLECT

(verb) leave undone or leave out; “How could I miss that typo?”; “The workers on the conveyor belt miss one out of ten”


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Coffee Trivia

Contrary to popular belief, coffee beans are not technically beans. They are referred to as such because of their resemblance to legumes. A coffee bean is a seed of the Coffea plant and the source for coffee. It is the pit inside the red or purple fruit, often referred to as a cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit.

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