Front-end Fact Sheet

Founded in 1971 and located in New York City, the State University of New York College of Optometry is a leader in education, research and patient
care, offering the Doctor of Optometry degree as well as MS and PhD degrees in Vision Science. The College is regionally accredited by the Commission on
Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. Its four-year professional degree program and residency programs
are accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association.

Students and Admissions

Degrees awarded: OD PhD OD/MS OD/PhD	Enrollment: 402	Students from New York State: 56%	Average GPA of entering classes: 3.59	Residents: 41 (2018-19) Residency areas: Cornea and Contact Lenses; Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Family Practice; Low Vision Rehabilitation; Ocular Disease; Pediatrics; Primary Eye Care; Acquired Brain Injury; Vision Therapy and Rehabilitation; Combined Residency and Graduate Degree (MS or PhD) in Vision Science.
OD Applicants (Class of 2023): 436 applicants; 100 enrolled
National Board average pass rates (5-year average): 95% of students pass all three parts of the NBEO by graduation.
Alumni: approx. 3,200	Graduate Students: 11 PhD 9 OD/MS 3 MS	Female/male ratio: approx. 71%:29%

Faculty

Research

The College conducts a robust program of basic, translational and clinical research.

33

Grants in FY 2018-19

$2.73

approx.

million

Funding

Patient Care

The University Eye Center (UEC) is one of the largest optometric outpatient facilities in the nation and offers both primary and specialized vision care services.

69,626

Patient visits in FY 2018-19

240,000

Including UEC, Satellite Clinics and Educational Affiliates. Total Patient Encounters

Clinical Education

2,400

Hours of clinical experience for each OD student over four years

• Primary Care, including pediatrics, children with special needs and
  learning disabilities, and infants.
• Advanced Care, including specialized care for patients with
  cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration and other ocular
  diseases, specialty contact lenses, and imaging services.
• Rehabilitation, including individualized care for patients with
  visual disorders, low vision, and head trauma.
• Social Work Services, including free support groups, other support
  services, and referrals for long-term counseling.
• Eyewear Center, with a large selection of frames, designer eyewear,
  and specialty lenses.
• Community Outreach, including education, screenings, support groups,
  and homebound care touching 9,600 lives through The Bowery Mission,
  and partnerships with hospitals affiliated with NYC Health +
  Hospitals and other medical centers, and community based
  organizations.

The College also has 65 affiliated clinical sites.

International Affiliations

01

WENZHOU MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, WENZHOU, CHINA

02

LV PRASAD EYE INSTITUTE, HYDERABAD, INDIA

03

UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA.

Optometric Center of New York

Founded in 1956, the OCNY is the nonprofit allied and endowing foundation of the College.

21

OCNY trustees

$10.8

million

Assets

Finances

Location

All classrooms, research facilities, the University Eye Center, and the library are located in a 298,000 square-foot, 18-story building on 42nd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Midtown Manhattan. There are additional externship sites around New York City and beyond.

Revised March 31st, 2020

FACT SHEET