Optometry Schools

Detailed profiles of schools for Optometry from the EdRef college search portal.

Optometry programs last 4 years and result in the Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree, which is required to practice optometry in the U.S. The programs are educational as well as clinical, and students must have completed at least 3 years of pre-optometry education at an accredited college. Most optometry programs require applicants to have earned a bachelor’s degree. The first 2 years of optometry programs include education in the areas of basic health and vision science. Although this part of the program includes an introduction to clinical practice, students focus on this area heavily in the third and fourth years, gaining experience in primary, secondary, and tertiary care.

Some programs include an internship component, which is sometimes located outside the country. Students gain hands-on, clinical experience at facilities such as hospitals, community care centers, and health care centers. Some graduates of these programs pursue research and academic careers, and some go on to become leaders in the field of optometry. Most provide some type of primary vision care to patients, diagnosing and treating a variety of visual diseases and disorders.