can sailors go off-base to an optometrist? (see civilian eye doctor on tricare?)?

For spouses it wouldn't be a problem, for AD members themselves it could be. Usually they would need a referral. You can call Tricare themselves for your area and ask them or even call a place that accepts Tricare like WalMart. In some cases you pay out of pocket and then get a refund.

Either an Ophthalmologist (MD) or an Optometrist (OD) can do an eye refraction and prescribe glasses. My personal experience has been that optometrists take more time and are less likely to pawn off the refraction to a technician or other assistant. Conversely, many of them make money on the sale of contacts or glasses which can be a conflict of interest. An ophthalmologist will just give you a prescription and send you to an optician for fitting. To me, a good eye exam depends on a cooperative patient, and a patient examiner who is well trained and has a good work ethic.

Yeah My grandfather is retired and still under Tricare form his time in the navy, tricare will cover him, in fact as a member of the family the tricare may cover you aswell

If his prescription is less than 2 years old, he can take that to anywhere and have new glasses filled. He can get the prescription from the last place he was seen. Otherwise he is going to pay full price without a referral.

All he has to do, is take his glass's to his units med clinic to be replaced.

He doesn't need to see an eye doctor to get a new perscription.

If he wears civilian glass's, then go to the hospital and go to records and have them give him a copy of his last eye perscription and use it to get glass's where ever he wants.

Heck, it only cost $60 to get your eyes checked at a optometrist, you can do it at walmart.

not without a referral

if he goes without one it will be compeltely out of pocket and there will be no discount unless whoever offers a military one. Tricare will NOT ocver a thing.