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Glite Dictionary
exotropia

exotropia

9.9
One or both eyes turn outward so they point away from the nose
  • noun
  • /ˌɛkstrəˈtoʊpiə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : exotropía
  • Her doctor diagnosed her with exotropia after noticing her right eye turned outward.

Examples

  • The optometrist explained that exotropia causes one eye to drift outward when a person is tired.

  • Surgery is sometimes required to correct severe cases of exotropia.

  • Children with exotropia may have trouble focusing on objects straight ahead.

  • The doctor diagnosed her with exotropia at a young age.

  • Many children with exotropia may require surgery.

  • Children with exotropia often struggle to keep both eyes focused on the same point.

  • In some cases, the only effective treatment for exotropia is corrective eye surgery.

Synonyms

strabismus
vsexotropia
  • Specialized
1 9.8

A problem in which one or both eyes do not point the same way

is a specific subtype where the eyes turn outward
walleye
vsexotropia
  • Specialized
1 9.9

One or both eyes point outward instead of looking straight

is the standard medical term rather than the informal name
divergent strabismus
vsexotropia
  • Specialized
8.9

One or both eyes turn outward away from the nose

is the specific clinical term for that outward eye turn

Antonyms

esotropia
  • Specialized
9.9

One or both eyes turn inward toward the nose

Surface Forms

exotropia singular
exotropias plural

Morphology

exotropia = tropia (semi-transparent) = exo + trop + ia

The prefix 'exo-' signals 'outward' clearly, but 'tropia' is a specialized medical combining form meaning 'turning' that many learners will not know, so the term is only partly derivable.

Etymology

Exotropia comes from two parts: exo- meaning 'outside', like in exoskeleton, and -tropia meaning 'turning'. So exotropia is when one or both eyes 'turn' outward.