The Board of Directors of the Association of Optometry Schools and Colleges, staff, and invited guests gathered in mid-March for their annual Spring Board Meeting. This year’s Spring meeting was hosted by Dr. Fraser Horn, ASCO President and Dean of the Pacific University, College of Optometry.

Did you know that the number of female applicants to schools and colleges of optometry has increased by 26% since 2010-2011? And that the number of female students enrolled over roughly the same period of time has increased 37%? Or that the average GPA of both admitted applicants and of the entering class has risen over those same years?

The results of ORMatch 2025 were released on March 4. The Optometry Residents Match program (ORMatch) matches students and optometry residency programs based on a mutual ranking algorithm. Established by ASCO, ORMatch has been in operation since 2013.

Female faculty comprise 59.7% of total faculty at the U.S. schools and colleges of optometry in 2024-25, approximately the same percentage as last year, according to ASCO’s 2024-2025 Annual Faculty Data Report.

Mollie Mills has joined ASCO’s team as the Program Associate for Member Engagement. Mollie graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Management, and a minor in Arts and Cultural Management in Spring 2021.

ASCO and the Ethics Educators Special Interest Group are pleased to announce Michelle Shang as the winner of the 2025 Student Award in Clinical Ethics. This annual national award provides the winner with a cash award of $1,000 and an acrylic engraved plaque.

A Student’s Professional Dreams Fueled by CooperVision/National Optometric Association Scholarship

New Study by ACUVUE Shows Clear Vision Helps Gen Z with Confidence, Comfort and Connection

 

88% of Gen Z survey respondents say that having clear vision helps them appreciate their own self-expression, inspiring the launch of the Seen with ACUVUE campaign

We Spy With Our Eye – MyEyeDr. Expansion Into Arizona

Why NSUOCO Chose RevolutionEHR – And Why You Should Watch This

Specsavers Launches New Programs to Support Academic Success

 

Free access to exam prep with OptoPrep

How Luis Rojas, OD, Embraces Digital Technology to Meet Growing Eye Care Demands

Transitions Announces Call for Education Grant Applications

 

Optical Advancement grants are open to students interested in pursuing careers as an optometrist or optician in the United States

 

From Aspiration to Optometry: Serving My Appalachian Community

New England College of Optometry (NECO) mourns the passing of Maureen Hanley, OD, Class of 1981, a cherished faculty member who dedicated more than four decades to shaping the future of optometry. Dr. Hanley passed away on March 8, 2025, at the age of 69 surrounded by her family.

Driving simulator provides real-world experiences for patients, students

Indiana University, School of Optometry (IUSO) Associate Research Scientist Dawn Meyer, OD, led a study (funded by CooperVision) that showed soft contact lenses slowing myopia progression in age-appropriate children with low and moderate levels of myopia.

As a third-year Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO), Salus at Drexel University student, Mariana Garcia ‘26OD, is really interested in specialty contact lenses.

Southern College of Optometry (SCO) faculty members Drs. Morgan Olinger, Marie Bodack, and David Maze, along with Clinical Research Coordinator Elaine Turcotte, were honored at the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group meeting in Tampa, Florida.

The first time Riya Paranthan, OD ‘14, and Rohit Sachdeva, OD ‘14, crossed paths, they were at orientation waiting in line to have their photos taken for their badges as students in their first-year at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO), Salus University. Rohit cut the line in front of her to have his photo taken first. That’s not exactly how budding romances start.  

Latinos en Optometry has collaborated with VSP Vision™ to launch an exciting new blog series called “Cultural Responsiveness.” This initiative seeks to support both existing and prospective practitioners in understanding the importance of healthcare services that are responsive to the social, cultural, and linguistic requirements of patients.

The American Optometric Association (AOA), American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) and World Council of Optometry (WCO) are pleased to share that registration is now open for Optometry’s Meeting® | 5th World Congress of Optometry, taking place June 25-28 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis. This year, WCO will host its 5th World Congress of Optometry in partnership with Optometry’s Meeting – welcoming optometric professionals from around the world to an unprecedented collaboration under one roof.