optometry

American  

[op-tom-i-tree] / ɒpˈtɒm ɪ tri /

noun

1. the practice or profession of examining the eyes, by means of suitable instruments or appliances, for defects in vision and eye disorders in order to prescribe corrective lenses or other appropriate treatment.

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optometry British  

/ ˌɒptəˈmɛtrɪk, ɒpˈtɒmɪtrɪ /

noun

1. the science or practice of testing visual acuity and prescribing corrective lenses

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Other Word Forms

• optometric adjective
• optometrical adjective

Etymology

Origin of optometry

First recorded in 1890–95; opto- + -metry

Example Sentences

Chung runs an academic optometry clinic that works with local schools in Pomona.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

She found out about her eye during a routine optometry appointment.

From Slate • Jan. 27, 2024

Four others that are adjacent to one another — the Rantisi children’s hospital, Al-Nasr Hospital, and two other medical centers specializing in optometry and psychiatry — were evacuated Friday.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 12, 2023

The applications even reach into disciplines such as optometry and mental health:

From Salon • Jan. 17, 2023

“Her father owns the optometry school where Billy was going. He also owns six offices around our part of the state. He flies his own plane and has a summer place up on Lake George.”

From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut