A surgical procedure that cuts or incises the corner of the eyelid, often done to enlarge the eye opening or relieve pressure.
From Greek 'kanthos' (corner of the eye) and 'tome' (cutting). Medical terminology formed in the 19th century to describe a surgical technique that dates back centuries, with surgeons needing a specific term for this emergency or corrective eye procedure.
Surprisingly, canthotomy is sometimes an emergency procedure—doctors will cut the corner of your eye in critical situations to reduce pressure and save vision! It's a dramatic example of how medical terms are named for exactly what they describe: cutting the corner.
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