optometrist

American  

[op-tom-i-trist] / ɒpˈtɒm ɪ trɪst /

noun

• optometrists
  plural

1. a licensed professional who practices optometry.

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optometrist British  

/ ɒpˈtɒmɪtrɪst /

noun

1. Also called (esp Brit): ophthalmic optician. a person who is qualified to examine the eyes and prescribe and supply spectacles and contact lenses Compare optician ophthalmologist

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Synonym Usage

See eye doctor.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• optometrists
  plural

Etymology

Origin of optometrist

First recorded in 1900–05; optometr(y) + -ist

Compare meaning

How does optometrist compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• eye doctor vs. optometrist

Explanation

An optometrist specializes in testing the eyes and helping correct vision with glasses or contact lenses. If you can’t read anything below the giant E on the doctor's wall chart, don’t worry: an optometrist can help improve how you see. Words starting with "opto-" are related to vision, and an optometrist is trained in finding problems with the eyes and recommending treatment or correction. "Optometry" is the science of studying the eyes or vision, and an optometrist is specialized in this study. Two words that are sometimes confused are optometrist and "optician." While an optometrist is someone who examines and treats the eyes, an "optician" works with the optometrist to make the corrective glasses or contact lenses a patient needs.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

optometrist optometrists

Sarah Farrant, an optometrist from Taunton, warned that viewing the eclipse without protection could damage the retina and macular at the back of the eye.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

Wayne Gilmore, an optometrist who owns the local radio station that broadcasts high-school football games, doesn’t want to miss a potential economic boon.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

"These community camps are extremely important for villagers, because they have no access to eye care," said optometrist Gopinath Das.

From Barron's ● May 27, 2026

In Modoc County, which borders Oregon and Nevada, one optometrist serves a 90-mile radius.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 4, 2026

“I am so glad to see you here this evening, because this afternoon my optometrist gave me eye drops and I couldn’t see a thing! Before I officially illuminate our Olympic torch...”

From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein

Having a physically small or crowded optic nerve, also called a “disc at risk,” is the single strongest anatomical risk factor for developing NAION, optometrists and neuro-ophthalmologists said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

The men, both locum optometrists, were driving from Aberystwyth to Manchester at the time of the crash.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

The unionized workers include nurse case managers, mental health counselors, optometrists, pharmacists, physical therapists, clinical researchers, IT analysts and animal health technicians.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 14, 2025

"Our optometrists can estimate before they fly by what degree their prescription will change."

From Salon ● Nov. 22, 2024

Early in 1968, a group of optometrists, with Billy among them, chartered an airplane to fly them from Ilium to an international convention of optometrists in Montreal.

From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut

Related Words

• ophthalmologist