Staphyloma of the cornea

A forward bulging and thinning of the cornea. It may result from a disease of the cornea (e.g. keratoconus), trauma, atrophy, raised intraocular pressure or as a complication of photorefractive surgery in which the corneal stroma has been left thinner than about 250 μm. If uveal tissue is included in the protrusion, the condition is called a staphyloma. If the ectasia is limited to a peripheral part of the cornea, it is called Terrien's disease or Terrien's marginal degeneration.

Source: Ophthalmic Dictionary including pronunciation, derivation and definition of the words used in Optometry and Ophthalmology by James J. Lewis, Oph. D. Professor of Optometry in the Northern Illinois College of Ophthalmology and Otology, Chicago.