Pathopia: A novel nomenclature for induced refractive errors

Abstract

Refractive error or ametropia is a distinct eye condition that relates to ocular optics. Refractive error is not a pathologic state, but rather a condition inherent in ocular physiology as a result of operating as a biological camera. Subsequently, any refractive error resulting from an ocular pathologic state could be termed induced refractive error. This article sets out to enrich existing lexicon on ocular optics by coining pathopia as the appropriate word to qualify induced refractive error. Literature on this subject was reviewed and observation made that there has not been a unique taxonomic grouping for ocular anomalies presenting as overt refractive errors. The result showed that ocular morbidity concealed by a refractive error poses a significant challenge to early intervention and is likely to lead to poor visual outcome. It is concluded that pathopia or induced refractive error is a secondary refractive error due to distortions or abnormalities in cornea, lens, or retino-choroidal-scleral (RCS) complex resulting in increment or decrement in axial length or eye’s cumulative dioptric power.