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anterior synechia

anterior synechia

9.6
A place where the iris sticks to the clear front part of the eye after injury or infection
  • noun
  • /ænˈtɪr.i.ər sɪˈniː.ki.ə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sinequia anterior
  • In cases of inflammation, anterior synechia can form between the iris and cornea.

Examples

  • After the injury, the patient developed anterior synechia, causing vision problems.

  • Peripheral anterior synechiae and stromal vascularization were present in one quadrant.

    Academic text (2007)
  • The doctor explained that anterior synechia can lead to increased pressure in the eye.

Synonyms

synechia
vsanterior synechia
  • Specialized
9.9

The coloured part of the eye sticks to the lens or cornea after damage

refers only to adhesions between iris and cornea rather than to lens adhesions

Antonyms

posterior synechia
  • Specialized
9.9

The coloured part of the eye sticks to the clear lens behind the pupil after inflammation

Surface Forms

Morphology

anterior + synechia

The phrase is transparently compositional: 'anterior' (= toward the front) modifies 'synechia' (an adhesion of the iris to lens or cornea), so the overall meaning is simply an adhesion located at the front of the eye (iris to cornea). Although medical and technical, a B1 learner who knows both constituent meanings can reliably derive the MWE's meaning from them.

Etymology

Anterior synechia is a medical name that comes from words meaning 'front' and 'sticking together', seen in its parts anterior and synechia. The name gives a clear picture: the iris, the colored part of the eye, becomes stuck to the cornea, the clear front of the eye, so it means 'the iris stuck to the front of the eye'.