Clinical

The Illinois Eye Institute, located right onsite at ICO, offers training that students will not find anywhere else in the world. The IEI provides students with the patient volume, complexity, and diverse care experiences that are integral to becoming a well-rounded clinician. The IEI is one of the largest providers of vision and eye care services in the United States, offering students access to more than 100,000 patient visits each year.

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All ICO students rotate through primary eye care at the IEI, as well as optometric specialty service areas, including advanced ophthalmic care, contact lenses, low vision and pediatrics/binocular vision. In the first year, students assist patients in making their way through the IEI. Second-year students gain more experience through rotations in the IEI Community Screening Program and Fait Family Eyewear Center. Students take on more responsibility for patient care sessions in the third year, while also continuing the didactic program. The entire fourth year is comprised of hands-on patient care at IEI and rotations through affiliated externship sites, with the goal of developing primary care optometrists who can master any type of clinical environment.

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