Optometry is a health profession that is concerned with the care
of those ailments of the eye that can be treated by physical
(rather than chemical or surgical) means, such as lenses and
exercises. The Doctor of Optometry or optometrist, is also
responsible for detecting other disorders that can be diagnosed or
indicated through eye examinations but that involve other parts of
the body, among which are high blood pressure, diabetes, brain
tumors. In these cases it is the optometrist's responsibility to
refer the patients to physicians. You may know that an optometrist
should not be confused with an ophthalmologist (a medical doctor
who has specialized in the care of the eye and often performs
surgery and prescribes drugs), or with an optician (who has been
trained to make and grind lenses). The State College of Optometry of
SUNY requires, in addition to the general courses listed, one
year of calculus and one semester each of Statistics and Abnormal
Psychology. Applicants should maintain an overall GPA of 3.2 - 3.3,
and must take additional Math and Physics (Optics) course.
The Optometry
Admissions Test (OAT) is administered twice a year, generally
in February and October. We recommend that you take it in the
spring of your junior year if you plan to enter an optometry school
in the fall after graduation from college. Information booklets and
registration materials for the OAT examination are available in Dr.
Zimmerman's Office, room 221 St. Albert Hall.
Information about optometry school application fees, dates and
requirements is available here.