Can a doctor refer you to optometrist?

They can't refer for a routine eye exam, only for things like eye/orbit injuries, glaucoma, or other eye diseases. Even then referrals would be for an ophthalmologist and not an optometrist.

If you're in post-secondary, chances are you have some sort of health coverage included in tuition if you haven't opted out; or at least it was very common when I went through it. This would help reduce the cost for both the exam and glasses.

More Info: Focused Optometry