The professional program leading to the Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) is four years in duration. During the first phase of the program, students learn the basic biological and visual sciences that constitute the foundation of clinical practice, as well as the fundamentals of ocular examination, treatment, and therapy. Rotations through various clinics in the University Optometric Center begin in the first professional year and continue with more and more responsibility into the third and fourth years. During one-half of the fourth year, interns rotate through off-campus hospitals and other health care facilities as part of the External Clinical Education Program. At the completion of the fourth year the Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree is awarded. Once the state board exam is passed, a license to practice is given, allowing the graduate to begin practicing.

This profession, which began in the early 20th century, is a health care discipline which has grown significantly with advanced educational programs and the adoption of new state laws for the use of diagnostic and therapeutic drugs in optometric care.

“Doctors of optometry are independent primary health care providers who specialize in the examination, diagnosis, treatment and management of diseases and disorders of the visual system, the eye, and associated structures as well as the diagnosis of related systemic conditions." (definition adopted by the American Optometric Association)

Today, doctors of optometry provide vision care to more than 70% of Americans. Conditions typically treated by Doctors of Optometry include:

• diseases and disorders of the anterior segment of the eye such as corneal abrasions/ulcers/ infections, glaucoma and the management of other ocular diseases and conditions
• visual skills problems such as the effective ability to move, align, fixate and focus the ocular mechanism as in reading, driving, computer use, hobbies, etc.
• the inability to properly process and interpret visual information such as in problems of perception, visualization and retention as in the learning task
• poor vision-body coordination as one interacts with the environment such as in sports, occupations, or just everyday spacial judgments
• clarity problems, be they simple near or farsightedness or the complications due to the aging process, disease, accidents or malfunction.
  Doctors of Optometry also are concerned with:
• the diagnosis, management and referral, when required, of such systemic diseases as hypertension, diabetes and others which are often first detected in the eye
• preventive measures as in infants and children's visual development, job/school/hobby related tasks, and nutrition and hygiene education.

Though Doctors of Optometry are trained in all aspects of ocular and visual conditions and most practice Primary care optometry, there are those who choose to emphasize or specialize in. These "specialties" do not require additional certification as they are part of the clinical training in the four-year optometric curriculum, though one year Residencies are available in specialty areas, but they are not required :

• Pediatrics
• Learning Disabilities
• Contact Lenses
• Ocular Disease
• Vision Therapy
• Geriatrics
• Occupational Vision
• Low Vision
• Sports Vision
• Rehabilitative Vision