scotoma

American  

[skoh-toh-muh] / skoʊˈtoʊ mə /

noun

Pathology.

plural

scotomas, scotomata

1. loss of vision in a part of the visual field; blind spot.

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scotoma British  

/ skɒˈtəʊmə, skɒˈtɒmətəs /

noun

1. pathol a blind spot; a permanent or temporary area of depressed or absent vision caused by lesions of the visual system, viewing the sun directly ( eclipse scotoma ), squinting, etc

2. psychol a mental blind spot; inability to understand or perceive certain matters

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Other Word Forms

• scotomatous adjective

Etymology

Origin of scotoma

1535–45; < Late Latin < Greek skótōma dizziness. See scoto-, -oma

Example Sentences

Look at a partial eclipse long enough and you can burn the sun into your retinas, which can result in a permanent hole in your vision called a scotoma.

From Slate • Mar. 3, 2024

Another memorable image is a scientific illustration of “a scintillating scotoma, one of many manifestations of migraine aura.”

From Washington Post • Apr. 20, 2023

In the spectrum’s wake was an area of diminished vision called a scotoma.

From Nature • Oct. 13, 2020

The field of vision is frequently limited by the white and exhibits much stranger anomalies, a special irregularity of outline with deep peripheral scotoma, which we shall see is a special characteristic of the epileptic.

From Criminal Man According to the Classification of Cesare Lombroso by Lombroso, Gina

The other phenomenon above mentioned, which occurs in defective vision without being actually a necessary symptom, is the depreciation of the central visual acuity, which we designate as central scotoma in acquired amblyopia.

From Schweigger on Squint A Monograph by Dr. C. Schweigger by Schweigger, C.