As you look through the course descriptions in our curriculum, you will see the depth and range of study and training offered by our Optometry program. One exciting and effective approach is introducing our students to clinical education from the first day. For example, Optometry 200A (Clinical Examination of the Visual System; Fall semester) is taught in the first semester of the program, when you will learn how to take case histories, perform preliminary examinations of the eye, and measure refractive error. By the spring of your first year, Optometry 200B (Clinical Examination of the Visual System; Spring semester) will introduce you to advanced examination techniques.

These clinical procedures will be complemented by coursework in biology, optics, and pharmacology. We have found that this early introduction to the clinical examination, combined with basic science courses, makes the learning of optometry interesting and relevant. Please look at our curriculum and see for yourself how we integrate clinical and basic science from day 1 of the program.

First Year

Fall Semester

Optometry 200A: Clinical Examination of the Visual System (2 units)
Two hours of lecture per week. Fundamentals of the optometric examination. The 200A course begins a five-semester journey (200A/B/C/D/E) designed to teach the theory and techniques of procedures in a routine optometric examination of the visual system. These include case history, entrance testing, refraction, phoropter testing, biomicroscopy techniques, direct ophthalmoscopy, binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy, and the signs and symptoms related to different refractive errors. Selected lectures on confidentiality of health care records, HIPPA compliance, ethical considerations, laws related to practice and vision care, as well as managed care and other insurance issues.

Optometry 200AL: Clinical Examination of the Visual System (3 units)
Six hours of laboratory per week. Fundamentals of the optometric examination. Case history, visual acuities, objective and subjective methods of determining refractive status. Basic examination of anterior ocular structures and the ocular funds; perimetry.

Optometry 272A: Healthcare Economics, Law, and Policy (2 units)

This course examines the history of US health care, healthcare systems in other countries, key economic issues that drive health care costs, value and community-based models of care delivery, current laws and policies that impact optometrist, health inequities, racism, implicit/explicit biases, social determinants of health, AI in eye care, the optometrist’s role in providing access to affordable, high-quality health care.

Optometry 203A: Geometrical Optics (4 units)
Three hours of lecture, one 2-hour laboratory, and one 1-hour discussion per week. Geometrical methods applied to the optics of lenses, mirrors, and prisms. Thin lens eye models, magnification, astigmatism, prism properties of lenses, thick lenses.

Optometry 205: Visual Perception and Sensitivity (4.5 units)
Three and one-half hours of lecture and one 2-hour laboratory per week. Psychophysical basis for clinical tests in acuity, perimetry, and color vision. The visual stimulus and photometry. Visual receptors. Psychophysical method and visual threshold. Light sensitivity. Contrast sensitivity. Light and dark adaptation. Temporal and spatial properties of visual function. Color vision and abnormalities. Changes with age and disease. Visual illusion. Basis for advanced diagnostic procedures.

Optometry 206A: Anatomy and Physiology of the Eye (2 units)
Four hours of lecture for seven and one-half weeks. This course focuses on the anatomy and physiology of the eyeball. Overview of the gross anatomy of the eye followed by eye-relevant cellular and molecular biology. Cellular and molecular details of structure and function of each of the various non-neural components.

Optometry 206D. Neuroanatomy/Neurophysiology of the Eye & Visual System (2 units)
Four hours of lecture for seven and one-half weeks. Prerequisites: 206A (must be taken concurrently). Structure and function of the neurosensory retina, photoreceptors, RPE including blood supply. Current concepts of etiology and management of major retinal conditions. Overview of diagnostic techniques in retinal imaging, electrophysiologic testing and new genetic approaches. Structure and function of the early visual pathway including retinal ganglion cells, optic nerves, lateral geniculate nucleus and visual cortex. Pupillary responses. Specialization in the visual cortex.

Spring Semester

Optometry 200B. Clinical Examination of the Visual System (2 units)
Two hours of lecture per week. Prerequisites: 200A. Fundamentals of the optometric examination. This course is the second in a series of four semester courses designed to teach students the theory and techniques of the various procedures that are part of a routine optometric examination of the visual system. In this course, students will learn diagnostic elements of the optometric examination, including increased proficiency in case history, entrance testing, refraction, phoropter testing, ocular health testing, case presentation, patient consultation, presbyopia testing, advanced biomicroscopy techniques, and the signs and symptoms related to different refractive errors. Selected lectures on confidentiality of health care records, HIPPA compliance, ethical considerations, laws related to practice and vision care, as well as managed care and other insurance issues.

Optometry 200BL. Clinical Examination of the Visual System (3 units)
Six hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisites: 200AL. Classification and epidemiology of refractive errors, evaluation of accommodative and binocular status. Tonometry, advanced techniques of examining the posterior pole, evaluation of visual pathway function.

Optometry 222A. Optics of Ophthalmic Lenses (4 units)
Three hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisites: Vision Science 203A. Optical and physical characteristics of ophthalmic lenses, to include spheric and aspheric surface of single and multifocal lens designs, and ophthalmic prisms. Lens power measurement methods, lens thickness power relationships and considerations in designing prescription eyewear. Characteristics of absorptive lenses, ophthalmic coatings, lens materials, and their role in ocular protection.

Optometry 203B. Optical System and Physical Optics (4 units)
Three hours of lecture, one 2-hour laboratory, and one 1-hour discussion per week. Prerequisite: Vision Science 203A. Principles of optical systems, principles and clinical applications of apertures and stops, aberrations and optical instruments. Optics of the eye. Selected topics in physical optics, diffraction, interference, polarization.

Optometry 206B. Anatomy and Physiology of the Eye and Visual System (3 units)
Two-and-a-half hours of lecture and one hour of laboratory per week. Prerequisites: 206A. Structure and function of the tissues of the eye, ocular appendages, and the central visual pathways. Basic concepts of physiological, neurological, embryological, and immunological processes as they relate to the eye and vision. Foster an appreciation of the pathophysiology of various disease processes. Convey the importance of anatomy and physiology in the medical approach to ocular disease processes.

Optometry 217. Oculomotor Functions and Neurology (2 units)
One and one-half hours of lecture per week and five 2-hour laboratories. Prerequisites: Vision Science 203B. Neuro-anatomical pathways for the control of eye position and movement, gaze holding, image stabilization, and tracking eye movement systems, oculomotor signs of disorders of the central nervous system (palsies, nystagmus, ophthalmoplegia, cog-wheel pursuits, saccadic dysmetria), the near visual-motor response and the synergistic coupling of accommodation and convergence, binocular misalignment (heterophoria and fixation disparity), and presbyopia.

Optometry 219. Binocular Vision and Space Perception (2 units)
One and one-half hours of lecture per week and five 2-hour laboratories. Prerequisites: Vision Science 203A and Vision Science 203B. Perception of space, direction, and distance. Binocular retinal correspondence, horopters, differential magnification effects, and anomalies of binocular vision development. Sensory vision, local stereopsis, static and dynamic stereopsis, binocular depth cues.

Second Year

Fall Semester

Optometry 200C. Clinical Examination of the Visual System (2 units)
Two hours of lectures per week. Prerequisites: 200B. Fundamentals of the optometric examination. Case analysis of refractive, accommodative, and binocular anomalies. Pediatric examination techniques. Advanced methods of examining the peripheral ocular fundus, anterior chamber angle evaluation. Selected lectures on confidentiality of health care records, HIPPA compliance, ethical considerations, laws related to practice and vision care, as well as managed care and other insurance issues.

Optometry 200CL. Clinical Examination of the Visual System (2 units)
Four hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisites: 200BL. Case analysis of refractive, accommodative, and binocular anomalies. Pediatric examination techniques. Advanced methods of examining the peripheral ocular funds; anterior angle evaluation.

Optometry 213. Evidence-Based Optometry (1 unit)
Basic concepts in evidence-based optometry including various clinical study designs, potential sources of bias in each design as well as development of a systematic approach to evaluate strength of evidence from published studies, to identify potential limitations and develop appreciation for the importance of evidence-based practice as a practice philosophy.

Optometry 222B. Ophthalmic Optics and Environmental Vision (2 units)
Two hours of lecture per week. Prerequisites: Optometry 222A. Ophthalmic lens aberrations and minimization. Ophthalmic lens design relating to anisometropia, aniseikonia, and high refractive errors. Optics of the eye, contact lens optics, and optical principles of low vision aids. Environmental vision and related ophthalmic standards.

Optometry 226A. Systemic Pharmacology (2.5 units)
Two hours of lecture and one hour of discussion per week. Prerequisites: Basic pharmacology, terminology, and concepts (both pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic) and pharmacotheraphy of medical conditions commonly encountered in clinical optometric practice (including cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, diabetes, infection and inflammatory conditions, as well as central nervous system disorders).

Optometry 236A. Systemic Disease and Its Ocular Manifestations (3 units)
Two hours of lecture and two hours of discussion per week. The pathophysiology, pharmacotherapy, and clinical management of systemic and ocular diseases will be discussed through a combination of lecture and problem-based learning approaches. Disease processes will be emphasized and include cellular injury and repair, inflammation, infection, degeneration, and neoplasia. Neurologic, cardiovascular, endocrine, pulmonary, and congenital disease and their relative ocular manifestations will be presented.

Vision Science 215. Vision System Development (Infant Vision, 2 units)

Development of the eye and the visual system. Normal development of the eye, retina, and central visual pathways. Effects of visual deprivation. Assessment of optical and visual function in human infants. Refraction and refractive error in infants and children. Development of visuomotor function, spatial vision, color vision, binocular vision, and depth perception. The issue of child abuse and the reporting requirements for optometrists suspecting abuse are discussed.

Spring Semester

Optometry 200D. Clinical Examination of the Visual System (2 units)
Two hours of lectures per week. Prerequisites: 200C. Fundamentals of the optometric examination. Lectures will focus on refractions, effective adds, pupil testing, optic nerve evaluation, and other appropriate topics in preparation for students to conduct direct patient care in third year clinics. Selected lectures on confidentiality of health care records, HIPPA compliance, ethical considerations, laws related to practice and vision care, as well as managed care and other insurance issues.

Optometry 200DL. Clinical Examination of the Visual System (2 units)
Four hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisites: 200CL. Modification of the exam sequence for specific patient needs. Evaluation and management of tear film disorders, analysis of vision with cataract. Patient management and professional communications, legal and ethical issues, managed care and optometry.

Optometry 226B. Ocular Pharmacology (2.5 units)
Two hours of lecture and one hour of discussion per week. Prerequisites: 226A. Basic pharmacology, terminology, and concepts (both pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic) as applied to the eye and ophthalmic drugs, clinical prescribing issues including formulation, dosing and prescribing, and pharmacotherapy of anti-inflammatory, centrally acting, hormonal and other “specialist” systemic drugs.

Optometry 236B. Systemic Disease and Its Ocular Manifestations (3 units)
Two hours of lecture and two hours of discussion per week. Prerequisites: 236A. The pathophysiology, pharmacotherapy, and clinical management of systemic and ocular diseases will be discussed through a combination of lecture and problem-based learning approaches. Disease processes will be emphasized and include cellular injury and repair, inflammation, infection, degeneration, and neoplasia. Neurologic, cardiovascular, endocrine, pulmonary, and congenital disease and their relative ocular manifestations will be presented.

Optometry 240. Diagnosis and Treatment of Sensory/Motor Anomalities (3 units)
Two and one-half hours of lecture per week and eight two-hour laboratories per semester. Prerequisites: Vision Science 217 and 219. Diagnosis and treatment of heterophoria, accommodative, vergence and oculomotor anomalies including sensory anomalies and amblyopia. Rationale and methods for treatment with lenses, prism, occlusion, and vision training. Design and implementation of treatment programs.

Optometry 260A. Contact Lenses: Examination of the Contact Lens Patient (3 units)
Two hours of lecture and one 2-hour laboratory per week. Prerequisite: Optometry 200C. The physiological basis for fitting contact lenses. Effects of a contact lens on the tears, lids, and cornea. Examination procedures and instrumentation used in monitoring the ocular response to contact lenses. Contact lens inspection, care, and handling.

Vision Science 206C. Anatomy and Physiology of the Eye and Visual System – Problem Based Learning (PBL): (2 units)

Small group, seminar style course utilizing problem based learning to review and discuss clinical cases. This course is designed to give an overview of the anatomy and physiology of the eye, while also covering many other aspects of basic and clinical science in optometry, including the diagnosis and therapeutic treatment of disease. Scenarios related to professional responsibilities, ethical and legal issues, public health impact, health disparities, as well as the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion are addressed and incorporated in the cases. 

Third Year

Summer Semester

Optometry 430A. Optometry Clinics (8 units)
Minimum of 32 hours of clinic combined with 1 hour of lecture and four hours of seminar per week. Clinical practice in examination techniques and interpretation of clinical data. Primary care optometric exams.

Optometry 432. Introduction to Clinical Topics for the New Clinician (2 units)
This course emphasizes ocular conditions and diseases that are commonly encountered during patient care. The goal is to improve observational skills for new clinicians by presenting clinical information in a Grand Rounds format and to increase efficiency for comprehensive eye examinations by outlining alternative strategies for examining patients and analyzing clinical data.

Fall Semester

Optometry 241. Advanced Management & Rehabilitation of Sensory/Motor Anomalies (3 units)
Two and one-half hours of lecture and eight 2-hour laboratories per week. Prerequisite: Optometry 240. Advanced diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of strabismus, neurologic oculomotor disorders, amblyopia, and other associated sensory anomalies. Assessment and management of developmental and acquired visual perceptual disorders in relationship to learning disabilities. Design and implementation of treatment programs.

Optometry 246. Diagnosis and Treatment of Anterior Segment Ocular Disease (4 units)
Four hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: Optometry 236. This course series consists of the pathophysiology, pharmacotherapy, and clinical management of systemic and ocular disease through a combination of lectures and team-based learning approaches. Disease processes will be emphasized and include cellular injury and repair, inflammation, infection, degeneration, and neoplasia. Neurologic, cardiovascular, endocrine, pulmonary, and congenital disease and their relative ocular manifestations will be presented. The basic principles of pharmacology will be followed by overviews of drugs used to treat diseases of each system. The role of the optometrist in the health care system will be emphasized.

Optometry 251. Low Vision and Geriatric Optometry (2.5 units)
Low Vision and Geriatric Optometry covers visual impairments, rehabilitation, and elderly care. Low Vision explores the causes of visual impairment, comparing definitions like legal blindness and WHO staging. It includes detailed discussions on low vision exams, devices (telescopes, magnifiers), and prescribing methods. Geriatric Optometry discusses issues and cases in visual/ocular function, sociology (ageism, elder abuse, housing, economics), physical and physiology-related concerns (falls, driving, polypharmacy, alcohol), public health (ethics, disparities, culturally competency, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), mental health (suicide, dementia), and environment (non-optical aids and services).

Optometry 430B. Optometry Clinic (9 units)
Two hours of seminar per week and a minimum of 18 hours of clinic per week. Prerequisites: 430A. Examination of patients in a primary care setting, prescribing of optometric therapy, management of emergency procedures, and vision screenings of children and adults.

Optometry 200E. Clinical Examination and Treatment of the Visual System (2 units)
One hour of lecture and two hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisite: Opt 200DL. Instrumentation, techniques, and principles for examination, diagnosis, and treatment of ocular disease. Introduction to optometric informatics related to ocular disease.

Spring Semester

Optometry 256. Diagnosis and Treatment of Posterior Segment Ocular Disease (4 units)
Four hours of lecture per week. Prerequisites: Optometry 246. This course series consists of the pathophysiology, pharmacotherapy, and clinical management of systemic and ocular diseases through a combination of lecture and problem-based learning approaches. Disease processes will be emphasized and include cellular injury and repair, inflammation, infection, degeneration, and neoplasia. Neurologic, cardiovascular, endocrine, pulmonary, and congenital disease and their relative ocular manifestations will be presented. The basic principles of pharmacology will be followed by overviews of drugs used to treat diseases of each system. The role of the optometrist in the health care system will be emphasized.

Optometry 430C. Optometry Clinic (9 units)
Two hours of seminar per week and a minimum of 18 hours of clinic per week. Prerequisites: 430A. Examination of patients in a primary care setting, prescribing of optometric therapy, management of emergency procedures, and vision screenings of children and adults.

Optometry 200F. Clinical Examination and Treatment of the Visual System (2 units)
The purpose of the Ophthalmic Laser and Minor Surgical Procedures (lecture and laboratory) is to familiarize optometry students with ophthalmic laser instrumentation, surgical laser procedures, the use of lasers in management of ocular conditions and the introduction of minor surgical techniques. Types of ophthalmic lasers, laser-tissue interactions and safety considerations associated with laser surgery will be covered. Pre- and post-operative considerations for ocular conditions commonly managed with lasers will be covered through lecture and laboratories. Students will perform simulated ophthalmic laser surgery in the ophthalmic laser laboratory. Periocular surgical procedures topics will include aseptic and sterile techniques, types of lesion removal, and post-operative care. The associated surgical procedure laboratories provide hands-on experience in performing various injections, simulated removal of lesions using multiple techniques, and suturing procedures. For both laser and minor surgical procedures, we will cover appropriate patient selection (indications and contraindications), thresholds for making appropriate surgical referrals, as well as informed consent, OSHA guidelines and safety considerations.

Fourth Year

Summer Semester

Optometry 440A. Advanced Optometry Clinic (5 units)
Two hours of seminar and a minimum of 20 hours of clinic per week. Prerequisite: Optometry 430C. Optometric examination of patients in the primary care clinic performed independently by student clinicians under supervision of the clinic staff.

Optometry 441A. Specialty Clinics (5 units)
Two hours of seminar and a minimum of 16 hours of clinic per week. Prerequisite: Optometry 430C. Examination, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and management of patients in the specialty clinics.

Fall Semester

Optometry 440B. Advanced Optometry Clinic (9 units)
Two hours of seminar per week and a minimum of 22 hours of clinic per week. Prerequisites: 440A and 441A. Examination of patients in a primary care setting. Diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, patient management and follow-up.

Optometry 441B. Specialty Clinics (7 units)
Examination, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and/or management of patients in specialty clinics; ocular disease, contact lenses, binocular vision, ophthalmic optics, and environmental and occupational vision.

Optometry 271A. Practice Management (0.5 units)

An online course focusing on entrepreneurship, financing alternatives, business loans, human resources, marketing, personal finance, business law as it affects optometry.

Spring Semester

Optometry 440C. Advanced Optometry Clinic (9 units)
Two hours of seminar per week and a minimum of 22 hours of clinic per week. Prerequisites: 440A and 441A. Examination of patients in a primary care setting. Diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, patient management and follow-up.

Optometry 441C. Specialty Clinics (7 units)
Examination, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and/or management of patients in specialty clinics; ocular disease, contact lenses, binocular vision, ophthalmic optics, and environmental and occupational vision.

Optometry 271B. (0.5 units)

An online course focusing on entrepreneurship, financing alternatives, business loans, human resources, marketing, personal finance, business law as it affects optometry.