Illinois College of Optometry#History
{{Short description|Private optometry school in Chicago, Illinois}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{third-party|date=March 2011}}
{{Infobox university
|name = Illinois College of Optometry
|image = Illinois College of Optometry logo.png
|established = {{Start date and age|1872}}
|type = Private optometry college
| president = Mark Colip
|students = 616
|city = Chicago, Illinois
|country = United States
|coordinates = {{coord|41.8348|-87.6233|type:edu|display=inline,title}}
|website = {{URL|ico.edu}}
|administrative_staff = 48
}}
The Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) is a private optometry college in Chicago, Illinois. Graduating approximately 160 optometrists a year, it is the largest optometry college in the United States{{Cite journal|last=Register|first=Shilpa|year=2011|title=A Backward Glance on Optometric Education: Institutional Profile of Schools and Colleges of Optometry|url=http://journal.opted.org/articles/Volume_36_Number_2_Article3.pdf|journal=Optometric Education|volume=36|pages=76–81}} and the oldest continually operating educational facility dedicated solely to the teaching of optometrists.{{cite web|title=Rich Tradition - ICO|url=http://www.ico.edu/about-ico}} The college complex incorporates more than {{convert|366000|sqft|m2}} including an on-site eye care clinic, electronically enhanced lecture center, library, computerized clinical learning equipment, cafeteria, fitness center, and living facilities.
History
The Illinois College of Optometry was formed by the merger in 1955 of the Northern Illinois College of Optometry (NICO) and the Chicago College of Optometry (CCO).[https://www.ico.edu/history ICO History]
Facilities
The Illinois Eye Institute (IEI) is the principal clinical training facility for ICO students and is located adjacent to the college. In addition to primary eye care, sub-specialty care is available including glaucoma, retina-vitreous, neuro-ophthalmic disorders, cornea-external disease, orbit-oculoplastics, pediatrics/strabismus-amblyopia and low vision rehabilitation. Additional service areas within the IEI include The Alfred and Sarah Rosenbloom Center on Vision and Aging, Diabetic Eye Center, and Bronzeville Pharmacy. The IEI serves as a center for clinical research involving eye and vision problems including glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), cornea and contact lenses, and pediatric eye disorders.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}
Academics
The Illinois College of Optometry awards the degrees of Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) and Bachelor of Science in Visual Science (BSVS). The College also offers a joint program with the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Chicago to obtain an O.D. Degree and a Master of Science (M.S.) or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree. In addition, the college also offers a joint program with the Illinois Institute of Technology, where a student may obtain a BS in biology from IIT and an O.D. degree from the Illinois College of Optometry.
Notable alumni
- Donald L. Iverson, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly{{cite web|url=http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=1903&term_type_id=1&term_type_text=People&letter=I|title=Iverson, Donald L. 1923|publisher=Wisconsin Historical Society|access-date=October 11, 2013|archive-date=October 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012013708/http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=1903&term_type_id=1&term_type_text=People&letter=I|url-status=dead}}
- Chelsea Laden, retired professional ice hockey player and Destination Fear (2019 TV series) host
- Otto Frederick Rohwedder, inventor of bread slicing machine
- William Townsend, optometrist, Arkansas state legislator{{Cite web |last=Besett |first=Cody |date=2002 |title=Dr. William H. Townsend papers, 1962-2005, UALR.MS.0299 |url=https://arstudies.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/findingaids/id/12616/rec/1 |access-date=2023-12-27 |website=Center for Arkansas History and Culture, University of Arkansas at Little Rock |language=en}}
- Bob Whittaker, U.S. Representative from Kansas{{cite web|url= http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=W000426|title=WHITTAKER, Robert Russell, (1939 - ) |publisher= Biographical Directory of the United States Congress |access-date= October 4, 2012}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.ico.edu/}}
{{Colleges and universities in metropolitan Chicago}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Illinois College Of Optometry}}
Category:1872 establishments in Illinois
Category:Optometry schools in the United States
Category:Universities and colleges in Chicago