The magnitude of effective communication between medical team members and patients in order to achieve excellence in patientcentered healthcare cannot be understated. Improper exchange of clinical findings can lead to medical errors, and the profound significance of successful communication has been described as “the most important medical instrument” in the lay press. As for all health care providers, the optometrist-patient relationship is also dependent upon effective communication, as is the link between referring optometrists and consulting ophthalmologists. Indiscriminate use of medical terms undermines these aims in several, key ways.