We want to talk about health again, and with our vision being one of our main senses to perceive this world, we decided to make this new blog about eye care terminology and vocabulary in Spanish. And knowing how important it is to have clear, good communication with your patients to assist them, you will find a guide to medical Spanish for Optometrists, Opticians and Ophthalmologists who are familiar with beginner to advanced Spanish.
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INTRODUCING YOURSELF TO PATIENTS
First, we have some lists with simple phrases to introduce yourself to your patients and to get to know them, their symptoms, current issues with their vision, and their family history.
| ENGLISH PHRASES | SPANISH PHRASES |
|---|---|
| Good morning | Buenos días |
| Good evening | Buenas tardes |
| You can come in and take a seat | Puede pasar y tomar asiento |
| My name is (name here) | Mi nombre es (name here) |
| I will be your (profession here - see below) | Yo seré su (profession here - see below) |
| What is your name? | ¿Cuál es su nombre? |
| It's a pleasure to meet you | Es un placer conocerlo/a |
EYE CARE TEAM NAMES IN SPANISH
| ENGLISH TERMS | SPANISH TERMS |
|---|---|
| Ophthalmologist | Oftalmólogo |
| Optometrist | Optometrista |
| Optician | Óptico |
ASKING PATIENTS BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR VISIT
| ENGLISH PHRASES | SPANISH PHRASES |
|---|---|
| What brings you here today? | ¿Qué lo trae aquí hoy? |
| What issue are you having with your vision? | ¿Qué problema está experimentando con su visión? |
| How long have you been experiencing this issue? | ¿Hace cuánto está experimentando este problema? |
| Do you have any family members with the same or a similar problem? | ¿Tiene usted algún familiar con el mismo problema o algo similar? |
| Tell me more about that | Cuénteme más acerca de eso |
| Have you ever been diagnosed? | ¿Ha sido diagnosticado/a antes? |
| How old are you? | ¿Qué edad tiene? |
| Do you have any other health issues? | ¿Padece usted algún otro problema de salud? |
| Do you take any medication? | ¿Toma usted alguna medicación? |
| What’s the name of the medication and daily dose? | ¿Cuál es el nombre de la medicación y en qué dosis la toma? |
| Have you had any previous optical prescriptions? | ¿Le han sido prescritos lentes antes? |
| Did you feel any progress or on the opposite side some issue/discomfort with them? | ¿Tuvo usted algún tipo de progreso o por el contrario algún problema o incomodidad con ellos? |
EYE EXAM SPANISH GUIDE
If you need a guide to perform a basic eye exam in Spanish, we’ve got you covered. Our guide will provide you with accurate information and commands for you to determine their visual health.
| ENGLISH PHRASES | SPANISH PHRASES |
|---|---|
| I'm going to put you in this machine to test your visual acuity | Voy a colocarlo en esta máquina para evaluar su agudeza visual |
| Simply look to the front, you’ll see a small balloon, focus on it | Simplemente, mire hacia al frente, va a observar un pequeño globo, enfóquese en él |
| Done | Listo |
| Now let’s go to the next machine, sit here please | Ahora vamos hacia la siguiente máquina, siéntese aquí por favor |
| I’ll point out different elements in the chart on the wall, and you have to tell me what you see | Voy a señalar diferentes elementos en la tabla de la pared y usted debe decirme qué ve |
| If you were to describe the last item that you couldn't see with clarity, you’ll say it’s… | Si tuviera que describir el último ítem que no ve con claridad, diría que es…. |
| Blurry | Borroso |
| Crooked | Torcido |
| Undefined edges | Bordes no definidos |
| Bigger size, like in a magnifying glass | Tamaño agrandado, como en una lupa |
| One of the edges is undefined at: 90° 180° 40° 140° | Uno de los bordes no está definido a los: noventa grados ciento ochenta grados cuarenta grados ciento cuarenta grados |
| I’m going to test different lens powers, and you will tell me, looking at the table in the wall, if your vision improves or worsens | Voy a probar diversos aumentos y usted debe decirme mirando hacia la tabla en la pared si la calidad de su visión mejora o empeora |
| Rest your chin here, please | Apoye su mentón aquí por favor |
| This machine possesses a strong light that may be a little uncomfortable, I’ll have to let you know at certain times when I need you to stop blinking, it will be just for an instant | Esta máquina posee una fuerte luz que puede ser algo incómoda, tendré que hacerle saber en algunos momentos que necesito que deje de parpadear, será solo por un instante |
| Don’t blink, please | No parpadee, por favor |
| You can blink now | Puede parpadear ahora |
| As a last step, I’m going to apply this substance to your eyes, to dilate your pupils and check the retina state with a small device called a Retinoscope | Como último paso, voy a aplicar esta sustancia en sus ojos, para dilatar sus pupilas y poder observar el estado de su retina con un pequeño aparato llamado Retinoscopio |
OTHER USEFUL PHRASES FOR OPTOMETRISTS, OPTICIANS, AND OPHTHALMOLOGISTS
We made a list with different phrases to help you schedule a new appointment, diagnose or to give directions for prescribed medication.
| ENGLISH TERMS | SPANISH TERMS |
|---|---|
| I want to see you again in… | Quiero verlo/la de nuevo en... |
| I’m going to prescribe you this medication, you have to apply it... | Le voy a prescribir esta medicación, debe aplicarla... |
| Once a day | Una vez al día |
| Twice a day | Dos veces al día |
| Three times a day | Tres veces al día |
| Four times a day | Cuatro veces al día |
| Three days | Tres días |
| One week | Una semana |
| One month | Un mes |
| Two months | Dos meses |
| Three months | Tres meses |
| One year | Un año |
| You suffer a case of (insert pathology) | Usted sufre un caso de (insert pathology) |
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OPHTHALMOLOGY AND EYE TERMINOLOGY IN SPANISH
In addition, we put together this list providing you with the appropriate terms for your profession in Spanish, that way you can communicate with patients or a colleague properly.
| ENGLISH TERMS | SPANISH TERMS |
|---|---|
| Eyelid | Párpado |
| Pupil | Pupila |
| Iris | Iris |
| Eyelashes | Pestañas |
| Sclera | Esclera |
| Eyebrows | Cejas |
| Hyaloid canal | Canal hialoidea |
| Cornea | Córnea |
| Choroid | Coroides |
| Ciliary body | Cuerpo ciliar |
| Fovea | Fóvea |
| Vitreous humor | Humor vítreo |
| Lens | Cristalino |
| Macula | Mácula |
| Optic nerve | Nervio óptico |
| Eye | Ojo |
OPHTHALMOLOGY EQUIPMENT IN SPANISH
| ENGLISH TERMS | SPANISH TERMS |
|---|---|
| Lensometer | Lensómetro |
| Keratometer | Queratómetro |
| Slit lamp | Lámpara de hendidura |
| Retinoscope | Retinoscopio |
| Snellen chart | Tabla de Snellen |
| Visual field-testing maps | Analizador de campo visual |
| Corneal topographer | Topógrafo corneal |
| Cycloplegia | Cicloplejía |
| Fluorescein | Fluoresceína |
| Trial lenses | Caja de prueba |
| Phoropter | Foróptero |
| Contact lenses | Lentes de contacto |
| Prescription lenses | Lentes de receta |
EYE CHART IN SPANISH (SNELLEN CHART)
SPANISH PRONUNCIATION OF THE SNELLEN CHART ITEMS
| ENGLISH TERMS | SPANISH TERMS |
|---|---|
| Lensometer | Lensometro |
| Keratometer | Queratómetro |
| Slit lamp | Lámpara de hendidura |
| Retinoscope | Retinoscopio |
| Snellen chart | Tabla de Snellen |
| Visual field-testing maps | Analizador de campo visual |
| Corneal topographer | Topógrafo corneal |
| Cycloplegia | Cicloplejia |
| Fluorescein | Fluoresceína |
| Trial lenses | Caja de prueba |
| Phoropter | Foróptero |
| Contact lenses | Lentes de contacto |
| Prescription lenses | Lentes de receta |
| Dividing lines | Líneas divisorias |
| Green line | Línea verde |
| Red line | Línea roja |
MOST COMMON EYE CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS
| ENGLISH TERMS | SPANISH TERMS |
|---|---|
| Myopia | Miopía |
| Astigmatism | Astigmatismo |
| Hypermetropia | Hipermetropía |
| Myopic astigmatism | Astigmatismo miópico |
| Hyperopic astigmatism | Astigmatismo hipermetrópico |
| Glaucoma | Glaucoma |
| Conjunctivitis | Conjuntivitis |
| Strabismus | Estrabismo |
| Macular degeneration | Degeneración macular |
| Retinal detachment | Desprendimiento de retina |
| Loss of vision | Pérdida de visión |
| Photophobia | Fotofobia |
| Amblyopia | Ambliopía |
| Blepharitis | Blefaritis |
| Eye ointment | Ungüento ocular |
| Eye drops | Gotas |
| Visual exercises | Ejercicios oculares |
OTHER SPANISH RESOURCES FOR OCULAR PROFESSIONALS
There are so many tools in this technologically and advanced world we live in, and you should get a hold of them in order to improve your language day to day:
➔ Use online apps like Duolingo to improve your vocabulary, and practice a little every day, so your brain gets more and more familiar with the sounds.
➔ Join online groups on Facebook with people that are learning too, so you can exchange your knowledge.
➔ Create your phrasebook, including what you have learned and useful phrases for your daily basis.
➔ Connected with the previous point, you can also get a medical Spanish tutor to help you create your phrasebook, expand your vocabulary and improve your understanding of spoken Spanish. Having someone who speaks the language fluently makes the difference, since you can also practice speaking and correct all pronunciation mistakes and work towards your goals. A tutor will always be your support when learning a new language.
➔ You can also check our 149 Spanish Medical Terms For Medical Professionals blog to learn more Spanish medical terms.
About the Author:
Specializations: Spanish Tutors on Zoom
Bio: 28-year-old graphic designer and writer with 7 years of experience, passionate about communication in all its aspects as the main tool to forge links. I consider myself a detailed, patient, and empathetic person, so even if you consider yourself a difficult student, I will know how to guide you to reach the level of Spanish you need for whatever activity you have in mind. As a student of Literature, I always had the same love for books and their stories, as well as for the Spanish language and its formation. I believe that the best way to learn is to be passionate about what you are learning and that is what I always want to achieve with my students. I have worked with children, adolescents, and adults, so I have knowledge about the different learning stages that a person can go through and the different strategies to approach them.
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Disclaimer: The information found on this website is meant only to aid healthcare professionals who want to improve their Spanish skills to communicate with their Spanish-speaking patients and not to be used as medical advice. Medical professionals should not rely on the content of this website to evaluate, diagnose or treat any health related condition.