optometrist

American

[op-tom-i-trist] / ɒpˈtɒm ɪ trɪst /

noun

a licensed professional who practices optometry.

optometrist British

/ ɒpˈtɒmɪtrɪst /

noun

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

"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 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

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.

The group brings an optometrist to campus, meaning kids who need an eye exam can get one the same day and go home having gotten a prescription and ordered glasses.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

Nobody’s screaming at a digital umpire to go to the optometrist.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

An optometrist and glasses-maker has become the latest subject for the world-renowned artist, David Hockney.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

A semiretired optometrist and longtime Ventura resident, Kutrosky, 90, is participating in stair-climbing races — fast ascents up high-rise buildings — into his 10th decade.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2025

Later on, as a middle-aged optometrist, he would weep quietly and privately sometimes, but never make loud boohooing noises.

From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut

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