Optometrist

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɑpˈtɑmətɹɪst/

Definitions

1. A specialist who evaluates vision, diagnoses eye conditions, and recommends eyewear while also treating various ocular diseases
2. An expert in vision health who assesses eye function, prescribes corrective lenses, and addresses diseases related to the eye
3. A healthcare professional focused on examining eyesight, identifying vision-related issues, and suggesting appropriate corrective measures or treatments for eye ailments

Etymology: The word is built from "optometry" plus the suffix "-ist", meaning one who practises a discipline. "Optometry" in turn combines the Ancient Greek "optos", "seen" or "visible", from the verb "ópōpa", "I have seen", with "-metry", the measuring suffix from "métron", "measure". The result is a term for someone who measures the eye's ability to see, which is why the profession was named for measurement rather than for treatment. The "-metry" element was itself borrowed through Latin and Old French into English, where it appears in words like "geometry" and "thermometry". English then added "opto-" to it to produce "optometry", and "-ist" was attached to form the professional name. The suffix "-ist" passed into English through Latin and Old French, where it had come from Greek "-istēs", an agent ending that names a practitioner, and it is the same ending found in "dentist" and "pianist".

Synonyms: eye doctor, optician, vision specialist, ocular physician, eye care provider