xerophthalmia

2 definitions found

xerophthalmia - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Xerophthalmia \Xe`roph*thal"mi*a\, n. [L., fr. Gr. ?; xhro`s dry
     + ? the eye. See Ophthalmia.] (Med.)
     An abnormal dryness of the eyeball produced usually by
     long-continued inflammation and subsequent atrophy of the
     conjunctiva.
     [1913 Webster]

xerophthalmia - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  xerophthalmia
      n 1: abnormal dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea of the eyes;
           may be due to a systemic deficiency of vitamin A [syn:
           xerophthalmia, xerophthalmus, xeroma, conjunctivitis arida
           ]