øje

Øje (plural øjne) is the Danish noun for the organ of sight, the eye. It is used in both anatomical contexts and everyday speech. The definite singular is øjet, and the plural definite form is øjnene.

Anatomy and function: The eye is housed in the eye socket (orbit). It consists of structures such as the cornea, lens, iris and pupil, retina, and the optic nerve. Light enters through the cornea and pupil, is focused by the lens, and the retina converts light into neural signals that travel to the brain via the optic nerve.

Etymology: The word øje comes from Old Norse auga / Old Danish forms, from Proto-Germanic *augō, and is cognate with Norwegian øye/auge, Swedish öga, German Auge, and English eye. This root is shared across the Germanic languages and reflects the long history of the term.

Cultural and usage: Common Danish expressions include "have øje for detaljer" (to have an eye for detail) and "slå et øje" (to take a quick look). The word appears in idioms and everyday speech about vision, perception, and attention, reflecting the central role of sight in daily life.

Health and disorders: Common eye conditions include myopia (nærsynethed), hyperopia (langsynethed), cataract (grå stær), glaucoma (grøn stær), and age-related macular degeneration. Regular eye examinations and proper eye care are important for prevention, early detection, and treatment of many problems affecting vision.