An integrated optical waveguide refractometer, believed to be novel, is presented. The sensor is based on an antiresonant reflecting optical waveguide and uses the strong attenuation dependence on the refractive index of antiresonant cladding layers as the sensing principle. The theory and the operation of the sensor are discussed in terms of one- and two-dimensional geometry. The theoretical predictions and numerical analysis show that a versatile sensor can be realized. The design trade-offs are discussed, and the sensitivity and measurement range are presented.