The State University of New York College of Optometry is a public school specializing in optometry located in New York City. Established in 1971 due to a legislative mandate of the New York State, the institution belongs to the State University of New York (SUNY) system. It serves as a center of research on vision and the sole school of optometry in New York.
Also a member of the SUNY Eye Institute, the school is located in the former Aeolian Building in midtown Manhattan. The said establishment was built in 1912 for the Aeolian Company, which is a known piano manufacturer.
The college offers a professional degree, the Doctor of Optometry (O.D.), and two academic degrees, the Master of Science (M.S.) in Vision Science and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Vision Science. Also provided by the college are continuing education courses for practicing optometrists.
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SUNY College of Optometry Acceptance Rate
*We wanted to tell you about the acceptance rate of SUNY College of Optometry but unfortunately, that information is not available. You may contact the school for more information regarding their acceptance rate.
Admitted Students Profile
There are approximately 80 to 100 optometry students enrolled in the school’s professional degree program every year. Roughly 20 of these students go on to pursue an M.S. degree in Vision Science across the four years.
Tuition Figures
SUNY College of Optometry only provides graduate school. For the academic year 2018-2019, the tuition and fees for in-state residents amount to $13,001 while the costs for out-of-state students amount to $24,561.
The estimated graduate tuition and fees at SUNY Optometry for 2019-2020 school year are $13,331 for New York residents and $25,115 for out-of-state students. Based on those numbers, the cost of education at the school has risen by 2.54% for New York residents and increased by 2.26% for out-of-state rates compared to the previous year.
It’s also worth noting that the tuition and fees in SUNY College of Optometry are a bit higher than the average amount of similar public health schools’ tuition, which amounts to $21,137.
Location
Spanning 298,000 square feet, the campus can be found at 33 West 42nd Street, New York City. The school has a University Eye Center that offers eye care, corrective lenses, and vision therapy to the public. This facility is one of the largest outpatient eye clinics in the country, recording over 73,000 patient encounters in the years 2012 to 2013.
Academics
The College of Optometry offers degrees in the areas of vision science and optometry. After undergraduate school, students may take the Doctor of Optometry (OD), a four-year professional program. Students pursuing the program generally have majored in the natural sciences at the undergraduate level. There are select undergraduate colleges that offer accelerated acceptance.
Doctors of Optometry are widely recognized as the main providers of eye care. They offer treatment for different ocular diseases and prescribe glasses and contact lenses. They are also responsible for treating patients with various conditions that affect their ability to effectively function in daily life.
There’s also a Ph.D. program in vision science—a research degree that focuses on the structure and processes of vision. A bachelor’s degree in the sciences is recommended in order to be admitted to this program.
Additionally, SUNY College of Optometry has research and graduate programs that are administered through the Graduate Center for Vision Research. At present, the said facility receives nearly $4 million in annual funding for research grants. Clinical research in the school is conducted through the Clinical Vision Research Center.
Student Life
There are lots of things to do for students who have different passions and interests. SUNY College of Optometry offers students with many different clubs and organizations to choose from.
Student groups established in the school include, ACE: The Health Practitioner’s Society, American Optometric Student Association (AOSA), Beta Sigma Kappa (BSK), Contact Lens Education and Research Club (CLEAR), Canadian Association of Optometry Students (CAOS), Chinese Culture Optometric Student Association (CCOSA), and California Student Optometric Student Association (COSA).
Other organizations open to students are the following: College of Optometry in Vision Development (COVD), Connecticut Student Association of Optometrists (CTSAO), Fellowship of Christian Optometrists (FCO), Jewish Optometric Association (JOA), Lions Club (LC), Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA), National Optometric Student Association (NOSA), New Jersey Society of Optometric Physicians (NJSOP), New York State Optometric Association (NYSOA), Student Chapter of American Academy of Optometry (SAAO), Student Chapter of American Public Health Association (SAPHA), Student Optometric Association for Private Practice (SOAPP), SPECtrum, Student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (SVOSH), and Student Glaucoma Society (SGS).
Athletics
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Notable Alums
Since its foundation in 1972, SUNY College of Optometry has produced thousands of alumni who became notable personalities in the field of optometry. Below are some of them:
- Daniella Rutner, chief of the Vision Rehabilitation Service of the University Eye Center
- Matthew Vaughn, SUNY Optometry assistant clinical professor and instructor of record for pediatric optometry and vision development
- Soney Siriphone (OD), supervising optometrist at Community Healthcare Network and adjunct assistant clinical professor at the College of Optometry
- Jill Saxon, lecturer and director of professional strategy for Bausch + Lomb
- Benjamin Casella, chief executive officer of Casella Eye Center, 2019 American Optometric Association (AOA) Optometrist of the Year and the College’s Distinguished Residency Alumni Award recipient
- Diane Russo, associate professor of optometry at New England College of Optometry (NECO) in Boston
- Julia Appel, 2019 Alumna of the Year Award recipient and associate clinical professor at SUNY College of Optometry
- Nicole Poon, 2019 Johnson & Johnson Vision Award of Excellence in Contact Lens Patient Care recipient
Learn more about the other SUNY colleges. Each SUNY has its own unique offerings, campus and academic requirement.
