The abbreviation ‘OU’ stands for ‘oculus uterque’ in medical terminology, which is Latin for ‘both eyes.’ It is commonly used in ophthalmology to denote prescriptions and treatments that apply to both eyes of a patient.
When an eye care professional writes a prescription or notes an observation using ‘OU’, it indicates that the same treatment or evaluation is relevant for both the right eye (OD, oculus dexter) and the left eye (OS, oculus sinister). This is particularly important when dealing with conditions that affect both eyes or when a uniform approach is necessary for the patient’s treatment.