Program Overview
Doctor of Optometry Program
The Doctor of Optometry program is a comprehensive curriculum that spans four years, providing students with a broad range of knowledge and skills in optometry.
First Year
The first-year courses cover a wide range of topics, including:
- Human anatomy
- Neuroanatomy
- Community health
- Geometric optics
- Ocular anatomy
- Physiology
- Pathology
- Primary-care optometry
- Ophthalmic optics
The first-year curriculum is divided into two semesters: Fall and Spring.
Fall Semester
| Number |
Description |
Credits |
Lecture |
Lab |
| OPTO5111 |
Optics I Lab |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| OPTO5133 |
Advanced Human Anatomy Lab |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| OPTO5134 |
Neuroanatomy Lab |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| OPTO5171 |
Clinic Practicum I |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| OPTO5233 |
Advanced Human Anatomy |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| OPTO5271 |
Optometry I |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| OPTO5314 |
Optics |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO5320 |
Vision Science I |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO5334 |
Human Neuroanatomy and Physiology |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO5344 |
Advanced Human Physiology and Molecular Biology |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| Totals |
20 |
16 |
12 |
Spring Semester
| Number |
Description |
Credits |
Lecture |
Lab |
| OPTO5112 |
Optics II Lab |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| OPTO5135 |
Ocular Anatomy Lab |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| OPTO5172 |
Clinic Practicum II |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| OPTO5194 |
Opthalmic Optics Lab |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| OPTO5221 |
Vision Science II |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| OPTO5272 |
Optometry II |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| OPTO5282 |
Community Health Optometry |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| OPTO5315 |
Optics II |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO5331 |
General Pathology and Medicine |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO5335 |
Ocular Anatomy and Physiology |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| Totals |
19 |
15 |
12 |
Second Year
The second-year curriculum builds upon the knowledge and skills acquired in the first year, introducing new topics such as:
- General and ocular pharmacology
- Anterior ocular diseases
- Sensory and motor aspects of vision
- Epidemiology
- Advanced diagnostic techniques
- Contact lenses
- Pediatrics
- Clinical skills and primary-care optometry
The second-year curriculum is divided into two semesters: Fall and Spring.
Fall Semester
| Number |
Description |
Credits |
Lecture |
Lab |
| OPTO6132 |
Medical Laboratory Procedures |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| OPTO6163 |
Primary Optometry Lab |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| OPTO6173 |
Clinic Practicum III |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| OPTO6190 |
Opthalmic Optics Lab |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| OPTO6219 |
Vision Science III |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| OPTO6234 |
Ocular Pathology I |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| OPTO6311 |
Optics III |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO6363 |
Primary Optometry |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO6434 |
General Pharmacology |
4 |
4 |
0 |
| Totals |
18 |
14 |
12 |
Spring Semester
| Number |
Description |
Credits |
Lecture |
Lab |
| OPTO6151 |
Pediatric Optometry I Lab |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| OPTO6174 |
Contact Lens Lab |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| OPTO6124 |
Perception |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| OPTO6291 |
General Clinic II |
2 |
1 |
8 |
| OPTO6312 |
Optics IV |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO6333 |
Ocular Pharmacology & Therapeutics |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO6335 |
Ocular Pathology II |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO6351 |
Pediatric Optometry I |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO6374 |
Contact Lens I |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| Totals |
20 |
17 |
14 |
Third Year
The third-year curriculum focuses on clinical practice, with an emphasis on:
- Specialty contact lenses
- Assessment and management of vision problems in children
- Geriatric vision and ocular disease
The third-year curriculum is divided into three semesters: Summer, Fall, and Spring.
Summer Semester
| Number |
Description |
Credits |
Lecture |
Lab |
| OPTO6115 |
Clinical Integration |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| OPTO7493 |
General Clinic IIIA |
4 |
2 |
18 |
| OPTO7150 |
Developmental Optometry |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
*Electives |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| Totals |
8 |
4 |
18 |
Fall Semester
| Number |
Description |
Credits |
Lecture |
Lab |
| OPTO7152 |
Pediatric Optometry II Lab |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| OPTO7131 |
Clinical Medicine |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| OPTO7230 |
Glaucoma |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| OPTO7252 |
Pediatric Optometry II |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| OPTO7361 |
Geriatric Optometry |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO7336 |
Ocular Pathology III |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO7375 |
Contact Lens II |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO7494 |
General Clinic IIIB |
4 |
0 |
16 |
|
*Electives |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Totals |
20 |
14 |
19 |
Spring Semester
| Number |
Description |
Credits |
Lecture |
Lab |
| OPTO7120 |
OPT III Rounds/ Case Discussion |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| OPTO7130 |
Ophthalmic Lasers, Refractive Surgery, & Surgical Techniques Lab |
1 |
0 |
2 |
| OPTO7162 |
Vision Rehabilitative Lab |
1 |
0 |
2 |
| OPTO7253 |
Pediatric Optometry III |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| OPTO7262 |
Rehabilitative Optometry |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| OPTO7330 |
Ophthalmic Lasers, Refractive Surgery & Surgical Techniques |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO7337 |
Ocular Pathology IV |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO7383 |
Practice Management I |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO7495 |
General Clinic IIIC |
4 |
0 |
16 |
|
*Elective |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Totals |
21 |
14 |
20 |
Fourth Year
The fourth-year curriculum consists of three semesters: Summer, Fall, and Spring. Two terms are devoted to external clinical rotations, and one term is spent on campus in advanced seminars and clinical practice.
Rotation A - Externships I
| Number |
Description |
Credits |
Lecture |
Lab |
| OPTO8990 |
Community Health Clinics |
9 |
0 |
20 |
| OPTO8991 |
Community Health Clinics |
9 |
0 |
20 |
| Totals |
18 |
0 |
40 |
Rotation B - Externships II
| Number |
Description |
Credits |
Lecture |
Lab |
| OPTO8992 |
Community Health Clinics |
9 |
0 |
20 |
| OPTO8993 |
Community Health Clinics |
9 |
0 |
20 |
| Totals |
18 |
0 |
40 |
Rotation C - Specialty Clinic / Didactic Semester
| Number |
Description |
Credits |
Lecture |
Lab |
| OPTO8338 |
Rounds and Recent Developments |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO8384 |
Practice Management II |
3 |
3 |
0 |
| OPTO8696 |
General Clinic IV |
6 |
0 |
20 |
|
*Elective |
3 |
0 |
0 |
| Totals |
15 |
6 |
0 |
The fourth-year externships provide students with experience working in multidisciplinary healthcare settings, broadening their patient care experiences and raising awareness of various factors that influence healthcare delivery. Advanced seminars during the fourth-year campus term cover topics such as practice management and administration, primary-care diagnosis and treatment, new developments in optometry, and clinical rounds. Students spend their clinic time in specialty clinics, including pediatrics, medical eye care, specialty contact lenses, vision rehabilitation, and advanced primary-care practice.
