The Illinois College of Optometry Student Blog

Aloha from Honolulu on the island of Oahu! I’m very lucky to be spending my fall quarter fourth-year rotation in this magical place. A big thanks to the US Air Force and Navy for such a great opportunity! You may or may not already know that fourth-year optometry students rotate at different externship sites during this last year of their graduate education. ICO is one of the few schools that has sites for students in almost every state as well as international locations. We

Aside from shadowing different eye doctors, upon entering optometry school, I didn’t know any current optometrists or optometry students. Looking back, I wish I had gotten to know a current optometry student. They could have not only answered my questions about applying and what the field is like, but also explained to me what I would truly experience in optometry school… especially all of the math! I strongly, strongly dislike math. I’ve always felt that way. I’m not sure if

As a third year at ICO, you are required to complete a “CPS rotation.” This is when you work at an off-campus site owned by the school and treat patients within the Chicago Public School system. Patients rage in ages from infancy to 21 years old. The location of the site is Princeton Elementary School. A portion of it has been transformed into a clinic where students from surrounding schools can be treated. Working with CPS gives us a chance to enhance the availability of hea

Upon entering optometry school I knew little to nothing about diseases of the eye. I also did not know that, even if someone does not have eyesight, they still need to frequently visit their eye doctor. Why? Well, optometrists do so much more than simply prescribe glasses. They care for the eye as well as the surrounding tissues and orbit. This includes treating patients with prosthetic eyes. I recently began my rotation through our Cornea and Contact Lens Department. This de