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Glite Dictionary
photocoagulator

photocoagulator

9.9
A surgical tool that uses a laser to make small burns on the retina to fix tears
  • noun
  • /ˌfoʊtəʊkəʊˈɡjʊleɪtə/
  • Specialized
: fotocoagulador
  • The ophthalmologist used a photocoagulator to treat the patient's retinal tear.

Examples

  • Training is required to operate a photocoagulator safely and effectively during eye procedures.

  • Advancements in photocoagulator technology have improved outcomes for diabetic retinopathy surgery.

  • The photocoagulator is essential for treating eye conditions.

  • Can a photocoagulator help with retinal repair?

  • The ophthalmologist used a photocoagulator to treat the patient's retinal tear.

  • Advancements in photocoagulator technology have improved outcomes for diabetic retinopathy surgery.

  • Training is required to operate a photocoagulator safely and effectively during eye procedures.

Surface Forms

photocoagulator singular
photocoagulators plural

Morphology

photocoagulator = photocoagulate (semi-transparent) = photo + coagulate + or

The word is formed regularly from the technical verb photocoagulate plus the agent/instrument suffix -or, but the base term itself is specialized medical vocabulary.

Etymology

Photocoagulator comes from the parts photo- meaning 'light', as in photograph, and coagulate meaning 'to clot' or 'to stop bleeding'. So a photocoagulator is a tool that uses light to 'clot' or seal tissue, which is why doctors use it to repair tears in the eye.