'refractive' originates from Latin, specifically the element 'refract-' coming from 'refringere' where 're-' meant 'back' and 'frangere' meant 'to break'; 'correcting' originates from Latin 'corrigere', where 'cor-' is a variant of 'com-' meaning 'together/with' and 'regere' meant 'to make straight or rule'.

'refractive' developed from Medieval Latin 'refractionem' > Late Latin 'refract-' into English as 'refraction' and the adjective 'refractive'; 'correcting' comes from Latin 'corrigere' > Old French 'correger/corregir' and Middle English 'correcten', giving modern 'correct' and its participle 'correcting'.

Initially, 'refract' referred to the physical bending or breaking back of rays (light); 'correct' meant to make right or straight. Together in modern usage the compound phrase has come to mean 'making right the eye's refractive (light-bending) errors', i.e., restoring proper focus.