DEFINITION of Optometry

Optometry is a healthcare practice focused on examining eyes for visual defects, prescribing corrective lenses, and detecting eye abnormalities. Optometrists are healthcare providers who examine, diagnose, treat, and manage diseases and disorders of the eye and visual system, including performing vision tests and prescribing corrective lenses.


ETYMOLOGY of Optometry

greek

  • Opto- (Combining Form): Derived from the Ancient Greek optos, meaning “seen” or “visible”. This root is related to -opsis (“view” or “sight”) and ophthalmos (“eye”). It traces further back to the Proto-Indo-European root okw-, meaning “to see”.
  • -metry (Suffix): Derived from the Ancient Greek metria, meaning “a measuring of”. This comes from metron (“measure”), which stems from the PIE root me-, meaning “to measure”.

RELATED TERMS to Optometry

TermMeaningPrefix/Suffix?Notes
Optometryprofessional practice of measuring vision & prescribing corrective lenses--
ophthalmologistMD/DO who provides full medical & surgical eye careophthalm--
myopiaNearsightednessop-, myo-, -piadifficulty seeing far away
hyperopiaFarsightednesshyper-, -iadifficulty seeing up close


Med roots Appendix A Prefixes Appendix B Combining Forms Appendix C Suffixes Appendix D Suffix forms