ophthalmologist

American

[of-thuhl-mol-uh-jist, -thuh-, -thal-, op-] / ˌɒf θəlˈmɒl ə dʒɪst, -θə-, -θæl-, ˌɒp- /

noun

a doctor of medicine specializing in ophthalmology.

ophthalmologist British

/ ˌɒfθælˈmɒlədʒɪst /

noun

a medical practitioner specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See eye doctor.

Etymology

Origin of ophthalmologist

First recorded in 1825–35; ophthalmo- + -log(y) + -ist

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Swollen MicroShunts can be structurally fragile," said ophthalmologist and Assistant Professor Ryo Tomita of Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, the study's first author.

From Science Daily • Jan. 16, 2026

A walking lifestyle, preparing healthy meals at home and getting plenty of rest limit our doctor visits to annual physicals and periodic checkups at the dentist, dermatologist and ophthalmologist.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 2, 2026

“It’s our obligation to say something,” said Lipka, an ophthalmologist.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 10, 2025

Professor Carlos Pavesio, consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, says Ellie's case is a "breakthrough in the diagnosis of infectious diseases".

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2025

After the exam we went to the ophthalmologist and I picked out my eyeglasses.

From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023