Leading school of optometry in NYC, part of SUNY system, advancing vision science education and research.
SUNY Optometry offers a four-year Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree, Master of Science (MS) in Vision Science, and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Vision Science. The college is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and professionally accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education. Students complete over 2,400 hours of clinical experience; 97% pass all three parts of the national board exams before graduation, with a five-year average first-attempt pass rate of 95%. The college also offers 16 clinical residency programs with specializations in cornea and contact lenses, ocular disease, primary care, pediatric optometry, and vision rehabilitation.
SUNY Optometry is recognized as a global leader in vision research, ranking second nationally among optometry schools in research funding. The college holds 47 active grants totaling $14 million and conducts basic, translational, and clinical research through the Graduate Center for Vision Research. Research areas include molecular and cellular biology, genetics, ocular structure and function, visual neuroscience, eye movements, neural plasticity, visual psychophysics, eye development, neuroprotection, accommodation, refractive error, and models of ocular pathology.
The University Eye Center (UEC) is one of the largest optometric outpatient facilities in the nation, examining over 60,000 patients annually and providing more than 240,000 total patient encounters across the UEC, satellite clinics, and educational affiliates. Services include primary care (pediatrics, special needs), advanced care (cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration, specialty contact lenses), vision rehabilitation, and social work services.
The college occupies the historic Aeolian Building in Midtown Manhattan across from Bryant Park, built in 1912 for a piano manufacturer. The 298,000 square-foot facility houses classrooms, research laboratories, and the University Eye Center. SUNY Optometry is expanding with a new campus in Syracuse opening in 2026, extending its reach across New York State.
SUNY Optometry traces its roots to the Columbia University School of Optometry, founded in 1910 as the first university-based optometry program in the US. After Columbia closed its program in 1956, the Optometric Center of New York (OCNY) was established. Governor Nelson Rockefeller signed legislation on April 14, 1971, establishing SUNY College of Optometry. The college's first class graduated in 1975 with 17 students. In 1974, it established the first optometric residency program in the country.