Illinois College of Optometry

Illinois College of Optometry The Illinois College of Optometry is among the world's leading optometric institutions. Learn more about us at www.ico.edu.

ICO is dedicated solely to the student of optometry- and proud of it. Our unmatched resources make us the ideal home for aspiring eye doctors. Students who choose ICO leave as well-rounded ODs, best prepared for life. Our optometry-focused faculty and courses cultivate great doctors. From their very first year, ICO students get hands-on clinical experience with real patients in the Illinois Eye In

stitute. Our campus offers convenient space to live and study in, just steps from class. We’re also located minutes from the heart of Chicago. The Windy City is a hub of culture and entertainment- not to mention the home of over 2.5 million potential optometric patients! Whether or not they stay in Chicago, our graduates are ready for anything. ICO has the largest optometric alumni network in the United States. So, wherever our ODs roam, a top-notch team has their backs. This page is home to news, blog posts, events coverage, photos, and more from ICO. If you see something you love (and we hope you do,) learn more at ICO.edu.

If you haven't signed up to attend ICO's Homecoming 2026, this is a friendly reminder that registration is now open!Reli...
09/02/2026

If you haven't signed up to attend ICO's Homecoming 2026, this is a friendly reminder that registration is now open!

Relive fond memories on campus while making brand new ones throughout a weekend of networking and reconnecting alongside ICO Alumni, Faculty and Students on October 16-18!

Click below to view this year's events and register while spaces are still available!
https://www.ico.edu/homecoming

As we kick off the final week of August, we'd like to once again congratulate our Class of 2029 for reaching the latest ...
08/24/2026

As we kick off the final week of August, we'd like to once again congratulate our Class of 2029 for reaching the latest milestone on their journey to become optometrists at this year's White Coat Ceremony!

From this point forward, they'll spend the coming years building the clinical skills and knowledge to serve patients and communities with excellence. We couldn't be prouder of how far they've already come, and we can't wait to see everything they'll accomplish.

Check out the photo album: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjD39xy

Watch the ceremony in full: https://youtube.com/live/Y4_M6XPsIl8?feature=share

A milestone moment is almost here as we prepare to celebrate the Class of 2029 at ICO's White Coat Ceremony on Saturday,...
08/20/2026

A milestone moment is almost here as we prepare to celebrate the Class of 2029 at ICO's White Coat Ceremony on Saturday, August 22nd at 2:00 PM!

This ceremony marks a meaningful transition towards independence for our second-year students, as their time supporting patient care in the first-year Clinical Assistant Program is done and they will now be seeing patients directly in Primary Eye Care. By donning their white coats and reciting the optometric oath, they'll be reaffirming their commitment to the patients they'll serve throughout their careers.

Congratulations to the Class of 2029 on this next step in your journey toward becoming doctors of optometry!

Can't join us in person? Watch the ceremony live on ICO's YouTube channel: https://ow.ly/ShIg50ZwjFS

On Saturday, August 15, ICO’s future optometrists battled it out at the annual ICOlympics! 🏆Luckily, the weather coopera...
08/17/2026

On Saturday, August 15, ICO’s future optometrists battled it out at the annual ICOlympics! 🏆

Luckily, the weather cooperated, making for a fun-filled day of competition. From dodgeball and volleyball to arm wrestling and, of course, our favorite eating contest, the classes brought plenty of energy and school spirit!

This year, the Class of 2028 brought the intensity and came out on top! 🎉

Congratulations, Class of 2028! 🏆👏

Last week, ICO welcomed Dr. Amy Puerto, AOA Board of Trustees member, to campus! During her visit, Dr. Puerto shared ind...
08/17/2026

Last week, ICO welcomed Dr. Amy Puerto, AOA Board of Trustees member, to campus!

During her visit, Dr. Puerto shared industry updates with ICO faculty and students, met with institutional leadership, and toured our campus.

Thank you, Dr. Puerto, for spending time with the ICO community.

This past week, ICO welcomed the Class of 2030! Orientation was a huge success, with a week that included campus tours,...
08/10/2026

This past week, ICO welcomed the Class of 2030!

Orientation was a huge success, with a week that included campus tours, a walk to 31st St Beach, student panels, industry connections, team activities, and a Chicago Architecture boat tour, the Class of 2030 got their first taste of life at ICO and in Chicago. 👓

We also want to give a huge shout out to this year's Orientation Team! You all did an amazing job helping to get our new students acquainted with ICO. And a thank-you to everyone who came together behind the scenes to make Orientation such a success! 👏

Here’s to the start of an amazing journey!

Today was officially move-in day for the Class of 2030, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome the newest members of...
08/05/2026

Today was officially move-in day for the Class of 2030, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome the newest members of the ICO family! 🎉

A huge thank you to our incredible Student Orientation Team for all their hard work today! From helping our incoming students get settled to making them feel right at home, you helped make move-in day a great experience.

Welcome to ICO, Class of 2030! We’re so happy you’re here! 💙

Women In Optometry recently sat down with Dr. Stephanie Messner to reflect on her incredible 41-year career at the Illin...
08/03/2026

Women In Optometry recently sat down with Dr. Stephanie Messner to reflect on her incredible 41-year career at the Illinois College of Optometry, from joining the faculty in 1985 to serving as Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

In this special feature, Dr. Messner looks back on the people, experiences and milestones that have shaped her career and her time at ICO.

A big thank you to Women In Optometry for sharing Dr. Messner’s story and helping us celebrate this incredible milestone!

Read the full article: https://ow.ly/XiYP50ZvVnL

ICO Homecoming 2026 registration is NOW OPEN! Join fellow Alumni for Homecoming on October 16-18, 2026. Reunite with cla...
07/31/2026

ICO Homecoming 2026 registration is NOW OPEN!

Join fellow Alumni for Homecoming on October 16-18, 2026. Reunite with classmates and friends, connect with faculty and students, earn CE credits, and see the exciting transformations taking place across campus, including the new Primary Eye Care Center!

Visit https://www.ico.edu/homecoming for more information.

Big news from ICO research! The Illinois College of Optometry has entered into a sponsorship agreement with Deya, a tele...
07/30/2026

Big news from ICO research! The Illinois College of Optometry has entered into a sponsorship agreement with Deya, a tele-eyecare technology company, to support a new AI-focused research study.

Led by Drs. Yi Pang, Jennifer Harthan, and Erica Ittner, the study will use smartphone high-definition cameras to capture anterior segment eye images through Deya's innovative imaging system. These images will help train and refine Deya's AI clinical decision support tool: technology designed to help eye care providers deliver safe, doctor-directed tele-eyecare to their patients.

This project is believed to be the first of its kind using smartphone-acquired anterior segment images to support clinical decision-making, and it's just one of nearly 150 research studies currently underway at ICO.

A big thank you to Deya's Chief Medical Officer and ICO '91 alum Scott Jens, OD, FAAO, for his help in securing this partnership; we're proud to see our alumni and faculty continuing to lead the way in optometric research and innovation!

Find out more: https://www.visionmonday.com/technology/article/deya-partners-with-illinois-college-of-optometry-on-ai-model-training-research/

Address

3241 S Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL
60616

Telephone

+13129497000

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Illinois College of Optometry posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category