optician

views updated May 29 2018

optician A person who makes or deals in optical instruments, including spectacles. A dispensing optician makes up and dispenses spectacles and other corrective lenses. An ophthalmic optician measures several aspects of vision, in particular the refractive power of the eyes, and provides spectacles with lenses to correct refractive errors. The word ‘optician’ is becoming obsolete, being replaced by the American term, optometrist.

Peter Fells


See optometry; refractive errors; spectacle.

optician

views updated Jun 11 2018

op·ti·cian / äpˈtishən/ • n. a person qualified to make and supply eyeglasses and contact lenses for correction of vision. ∎ rare a person who makes or sells optical instruments.

optician

views updated May 29 2018

optician (op-tish-ăn) n. a person who either makes and fits glasses (dispensing o.) or who can both test people for glasses and dispense glasses (ophthalmic o. or optometrist).