Separate the condition, the difference, and the standard
Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.
A display entry on astigmatism described uneven focusing of light associated with the shape of an eye's cornea or lens, rather than using the term for any blurred photograph. Two wooden frame samples in the display were dissimilar in shape and proportion despite being painted the same blue. A deviant measurement label used centimeters where the display's explicit style standard required millimeters for every length. The editor checked the meaning of the term, the visible differences, and the reference standard separately, without making any claim about a visitor's own vision.
The astigmatism entry identified a particular refractive condition; a blurred image alone did not establish that condition or its cause in a person. The dissimilar frames shared a color but differed in characteristics relevant to the display's comparison of shapes. The deviant label departed from the specified unit convention, which did not by itself mean the underlying measurement was inaccurate. The team made the unit presentation consistent and kept the entry focused on word meaning, allowing differences and departures from a standard to be described without turning them into unsupported conclusions.
Before you move on
Look away from the passage. Can you explain each focus word in your own words?
Original fictional passages for vocabulary practice.