What is the definition or description of: optometrist?

Eye health care: Optometrists or doctors of optometry are primary eye care providers along with ophthalmologists. They can prescribe glasses and contacts and diagnose and treat various medical eye conditions. They cannot perform surgery on the eye, only ophthalmologists can do that.

Eye non-physician: Optometrists are graduates of a four year program in eye disease and the business of running an office. They are not trained to do sophisticated diagnosis and cannot do surgery. They can do a fine job with glasses and contact lenses. They need to be distinguished from ophthalmologists who are fully trained medical doctors and can deal with glasses but also do medical treatment and surgery.