Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry
Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry
Graduate Health Professions Education
Graduate Health Professions Education
Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry, based in Pomona, California, offers a graduate Doctor of Optometry (OD) program that prepares students with a focus on optometric rehabilitation and neuro-optometry. The program is designed to train eye care professionals capable of addressing visual disorders related to neurological and physical health conditions. The college blends academic rigor with practical experience to produce well-rounded clinicians ready to meet diverse patient needs.
The mission of the College of Optometry, as stated on westernu.edu, is to graduate healthcare providers who are skilled, compassionate, and dedicated to serving a diverse global community. The college emphasizes rehabilitation of the visual system, neuro-optometry, and interdisciplinary education. It is committed to advancing optometric care through research, teaching, and clinical practice innovation.
The college’s faculty and leaders in optometric education and clinical service are a significant factor in its success. The university focuses on hiring and supporting educators committed to excellence and innovation. Faculty members are encouraged to develop creative teaching approaches and participate in collaborative research efforts that cross traditional academic boundaries.
This environment nurtures both inquiry and practical learning. Faculty guidance prepares students for various professional settings, from private and group practices to hospital-based clinics and community health centers, ensuring their competence in all aspects of optometric care.
Admission to the College of Optometry is competitive and considers academic achievement and personal background. In 2024, 26.6% of the incoming Doctor of Optometry class were from states outside California, while 2.1% were international students. Over the past five years, students from thirty states have attended, demonstrating the program’s wide-reaching appeal.
Such diversity enriches the academic environment, offering students opportunities to interact with peers from various cultures and experiences. This helps build cultural competence, essential for providing effective eye care to diverse populations.
Since its establishment in 2008, the College of Optometry has emphasized optometric rehabilitation as a key component of its curriculum. This specialty focuses on patients who experience visual and perceptual difficulties caused by brain injury, stroke, neurological disease, or developmental disabilities. The program includes vision therapy and low-vision rehabilitation to help patients maximize their visual function.
This focus equips graduates with the skills to treat conditions beyond routine eye care. The program addresses complex visual challenges related to neurological impairments, preparing students for work in a growing and vital area of optometry.
Hands-on clinical training is a core part of the educational experience at Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry. The WesternU Health Eye Care Institute in Pomona is the college’s central clinical teaching facility. Students provide patient care under the supervision of experienced faculty doctors.
At the institute, students perform comprehensive eye exams and treat various conditions, including diabetic eye disease, low vision rehabilitation, vision therapy, and neuro-optometric rehabilitation. This experience allows students to translate classroom learning into real-world practice.
Low vision rehabilitation is essential, helping patients with significant vision loss use adaptive devices and techniques to maintain independence. Neuro-optometric rehabilitation focuses on improving visual function and quality of life for patients recovering from neurological trauma such as strokes or brain injuries. The institute collaborates with rehabilitation hospitals and healthcare professionals in related fields to provide integrated care.
A critical component of the Doctor of Optometry curriculum is the fourth-year externship. This year, students work full-time clinical rotations at various sites, gaining broad exposure to different patient populations and clinical settings.
Externship locations include private optometry offices, ophthalmology practices, Veterans Administration clinics, Indian Health Service facilities, military medical centers, and specialty clinics affiliated with WesternU. During this phase, students care for over 1,700 patients, which allows them to develop their clinical judgment, diagnostic skills, and ability to communicate effectively with patients.
In addition to clinical rotations, students complete a distance-based Practice Management course, which prepares them for the business and administrative aspects of an optometric practice.
Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry is committed to a humanistic tradition, emphasizing collaboration, community engagement, accountability, integrity, and respect. These values are integrated throughout the college’s educational programs and culture.
The college’s core values are reflected through four perspectives:
The Public Perspective bridges the gap between advanced optometric care and underserved populations, ensuring equitable access to eye health services.
The professional perspective involves uniting optometry professionals and advocating for the field among health policy decision-makers.
The Student Perspective supports providing students with pathways to achieve clinical excellence, ethical practice, and service to society.
The Faculty Perspective encourages faculty to liaise between advanced knowledge, students, patients, and the broader community.
Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry is dedicated to producing skilled, ethical, and compassionate optometrists ready to serve diverse communities. Its focus on rehabilitation and clinical training prepares graduates to meet the evolving needs of eye care patients and contribute meaningfully to the profession.