Frequently Asked Questions

Doctors of Optometry (ODs/optometrists), America’s primary eye health care providers, are the frontline of eye and vision care. Doctors of Optometry are essential health care providers and are recognized as physicians under Medicare. They examine, diagnose, treat and manage diseases and disorders of the eye. In addition to providing eye and vision care, they play a major role in an individual’s overall health and well-being by detecting systemic diseases, and diagnosing, treating and managing ocular manifestations of those diseases, and providing vaccinations

Optometrists perform comprehensive examinations of both the internal and external structures of the eye, carry out subjective and objective tests to evaluate patients’ vision, analyze the test findings, establish a diagnosis, and determine the appropriate treatment. Optometrists treat a variety of conditions and illnesses. They treat eye diseases such as glaucoma and ulcers; visual skill problems such as the inability to move, align, fixate and focus the eye; and clarity problems such as simple near or farsightedness or complications due to the aging process, disease, accident, or malfunction.

Additionally, optometrists diagnose, manage, and refer systemic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and others that are often first detected in the eye; provide pre- and post- surgical care for cataracts, refractive laser treatment, retinal problems, and other conditions; and encourage preventative measures such as monitoring infants’ and children’s visual development, evaluating job/school/hobby related tasks, and promoting nutrition and hygiene education.

The day-to-day tasks of most Doctors of Optometry can be quite varied and challenging. Patient interaction can range from performing routine visual exams, removing a foreign body from the cornea, evaluating a child who is not performing well in school, managing the care of contact lens patients, prescribing medication for glaucoma, providing follow-up care after refractive surgery, and fitting a legally blind patient with a magnifying device that will enable the patient to read.

There are 24 schools and colleges of optometry – 23 are in the continental United States, and one is in Puerto Rico.

View a list of the schools and colleges of optometry.

The schools and colleges of optometry in the United States are accredited under the strict guidelines developed by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) (243 N. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63141; 1-800-365-2219) and therefore meet the educational requirements for license eligibility in any state. (Note: two Canadian schools of optometry – the University of Waterloo and the University of Montreal – are also recognized by ACOE). ACOE is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation as the accrediting body for optometric educational programs.

ASCO advises students against relying on any rankings of the schools in making their decisions. There are numerous factors that enter into a successful match between a student and an optometry school: the size of the school, its location and reduced costs of some schools based on contracts with certain states. ASCO recommends that applicants review the merits of the school(s) or college(s) they might wish to attend and determine which institution will best meet their individual needs. ASCO strongly advises students, if possible, to visit schools in which they have a particular interest.

Use the following sample undergraduate curriculum only as a guide. Not all the courses listed below may be required by all schools, and some schools may require other courses not included in this sample.

Freshman Year (Total Hours: 30)

• General Chemistry with labs
• College Algebra
• Trigonometry
• English
• General Biology with labs

Sophomore Year (Total Hours: 30)

• Organic Chemistry
• Microbiology or Bacteriology with lab
• Calculus
• Physics
• Psychology
• Statistics

Junior Year (Total Hours: 30)

• Physiology
• Biochemistry
• Anatomy
• History
• Speech
• Social Science
• Other humanities

All schools and colleges of optometry participate in OptomCAS – Optometry’s Centralized Application Service. OptomCAS opens the end of June/first of July for each application cycle. For more information about OptomCAS and to access the application, please visit the OptomCAS website at optomcas.org.

OptomCAS allows optometry applicants to use a single web-based application and one set of materials to apply to multiple schools and colleges of optometry. Applicants who apply through OptomCAS submit a completed web-based application comprised of biographical data, colleges and universities attended, academic course history, letters of recommendation, work experience, extracurricular activities, honors, and a personal essay. It is the applicant’s responsibility to read and follow specific instructions for OptomCAS and the schools and colleges of optometry.

Generally, colleges of optometry admit students who have demonstrated strong academic commitment and who exhibit the potential to excel in deductive reasoning, interpersonal communication, and empathy. Potential optometry students may be evaluated on the basis of grade point average, performance on the Optometry Admission Test (OAT))/other standard examinations, extracurricular and community activities, personal interview, professional potential, etc.

Optometry schools are looking for “well-rounded” candidates who have achieved not only in the classroom but also in other areas. Leadership ability, a disposition to serve others, and a work ethic characterized by dedication and persistence are just a few of the qualities that impress most admission committees.

Each institution has its own criteria; therefore, you should contact the school(s) or college(s) of your choice for specific application guidelines.

To be eligible to practice optometry in the U.S., you must hold the Doctor of Optometry degree from a school or college of optometry that is accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education. In addition, you must pass the examinations administered by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry and all relevant state licensure examinations. For further information, contact the National Board of Optometry at www.optometry.org.

Option 1

Of the schools/colleges of optometry, the following will award an OD degree to graduates of international programs upon successful completion of a customized curriculum:

• The New England College of Optometry
• Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University

Option 2

Of the schools/colleges of optometry, the following will admit graduates of international programs with advanced standing:

• Illinois College of Optometry
• The New England College of Optometry
• Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry
• Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University
• State University of New York State College of Optometry
• University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Optometry
• Western University of Health Sciences, College of Optometry

More information may be obtained directly from the individual institutions listed above.

Option 3

Sponsored Candidates
Candidates can be “sponsored” to take Part I, II, III, TMOD^®, and ISE^® by either a state licensure board of optometry or an accredited/pre-accredited institution. However, in order to become eligible to take Part III, sponsored candidates must first pass Parts I and II.

NBEO requires a letter from the state board or accredited/pre-accredited institution specifying for which exam(s) the candidate is being sponsored, along with the candidate’s name, date, and other relevant information.

Sponsorship letters will last a period of 12-months and will need to be renewed when the 12-month time period has expired. It is the responsibility of the candidate to contact the sponsoring state board or accredited/pre-accredited institution* directly to ensure that their letter is supplied to the NBEO. Please be certain to contact your state board of interest regarding their specific licensure requirements.