Changing the Way People See the World.
NECO is a welcoming, professional community that collaborates to inspire change beyond higher education, advancing eye care and making it accessible to all.
As a NECO student I have had the opportunity to connect and network within the optometric industry and even represent the school at a number of high-profile events and conferences. Faculty have extended their professional network to students and have really inspired me to keep going and reminded me why I wanted to be an optometrist.
NECO has shown me that each patient is unique and requires the use of not only clinical skills, but also interpersonal skills as well. I have had the opportunity to meet many individuals from different circumstances, and can recognize the importance of this exposure early on in my education will have a tremendous impact on my career and the way I practice.
NECO’s accelerated program offered me the chance to treat patients much sooner compared to other programs. During my first semester, I was exposed to pediatric care and learned I had an interest in treating children and pediatric eye diseases. I wouldn’t have figured this out as quickly if I was at another school.
NECO has given me the opportunity to meet and collaborate with students from around the world. I have lived in the US my whole life, so hearing my international classmates’ perspective on healthcare is really eye opening. Conversely, I am also reminded how similar people tend to be, especially as students in a medical program.
2024 Commencement
See all details about our 130th Commencement Ceremony on May 19. Celebrate the Class of 2024 with us at Boston Symphony Hall.
If you can’t make it in person, we will be live-streaming the Ceremony. Watch along at necolivestream.org.
Our Doctor of Optometry Program
Become a competent, compassionate optometry professional. Our four-year OD is our most popular academic program, where you can tailor your experience to your career goals, including a dual degree and concentration options.
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500 students.
NECO has 500 students across its multiple degree programs.
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3 concentrations to consider.
Pediatric Optometry, Low Vision Rehabilitation, Cornea & Contact Lens.
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4 years of clinical experience.
Hands-on experience starting within the first few weeks in your first year.
Additional Degree Programs
NECO also offers accelerated, international, and dual-degree programs, as well as a Master of Science in Vision Science.
A rich history of advancing the future of eye care.
New England College of Optometry has been an innovator in eye care education since 1894. Learn about us and our history.
Innovative Clinical Training & Technology
Learn from forward-thinking faculty members and gain experience with the latest technological advances in optometry.
Strong Network of Student Support
A close-knit community like NECO means personalized attention and access to plenty of resources and services that will help you succeed.
Living & Learning in Boston
From the small, family feel of our intimate, historic campus to all that the thriving Boston region has to offer, you’ll find plenty of ways to get involved and grow professionally at NECO.
Community-based. Expansive. Cross-cultural.
Diverse partnerships mean diverse experiences. NECO’s collaboration with community health centers, industry innovators, and more than 50 clinical training sites give our students rich, real-world learning experiences.
NECO Center for Eye Care
Comprehensive and compassionate patient care is at the heart of the NECO optometry school experience. Working alongside licensed optometrists, our highly skilled students provide primary eye care and specialty services to people of all ages.
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Two locations
The NECO Center for Eye Care encompasses two teaching facilities: Commonwealth Avenue and Roslindale. It is one aspect of our larger network of training opportunities throughout the region.
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Comprehensive Services
NECO Center for Eye Care is one of the most comprehensive eye centers in New England, offering standard and specialty services. These include low vision rehabilitation, myopia control, contact lens services, and vision therapy. As a student, you have the opportunity to learn alongside experts in these areas.
Community Partners and Outreach
When Massachusetts opened its first community health clinic, NECO was there. In the decades since, we’ve provided much-needed access to eye care for residents of Boston and beyond — while providing valuable learning experiences to the next generation of optometrists.
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Increasing Eye Care Access
In addition to community health clinics, we serve a range of organizations. These include public schools, VA hospitals, homeless shelters, and low vision centers.
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67,500 patients
treated across nine area clinics in one year. Our clinical model enhances access to eye care across the region.
Clinical Affiliations & Externship Sites
In your final year, you’ll provide full-time patient care through four faculty-supervised externships: community health, ocular disease, specialty care, and an elective of your choice.
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Train in Boston and Beyond
Complete your rotations within our regional clinical network; nationally across 30 states; or at partner sites in China, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
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Find Your Focus
You can complete rotations in pediatrics, vision therapy, and specialty contact lenses. Electives could take you to Indigenous health centers in Alaska and New Mexico, military clinics in Virginia and Rhode Island, or academic medical centers in the U.S. and abroad.
Innovation Center
From beta testing emerging equipment to taking part in research, students benefit from the Innovation Center’s collaboration with industry partners to advance the field.
Endless Opportunities
Purva
“Every doctor I have learned from at NECO health centers is so passionate about community health care and addressing the needs of every patient, I get to witness first-hand how these doctors, and even myself as a student, make an impact in the large disparity within eye care.”
- Class Year 2025
Why Optometry?
As a doctor of optometry, you see the difference you make in people’s lives every day. One of the most flexible and fulfilling areas of healthcare, optometry is an in-demand, well-paying field.
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$144,015
Average annual wage. (BLS.gov, 2020)
Optometry offers a good living—and increased earning potential for practice owners and specialists.
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#20
Best Healthcare Job
U.S. News & World Report ranks optometrist among the top 20 healthcare jobs in America for quality of life, pay, and future growth.
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Flexible and Versatile
As an OD, you can work in a range of settings: hospital or private practice; education or industry.
Explore NECO
We offer many ways to explore NECO. Start with a virtual tour or consultation with our Admissions staff. You can also schedule a Q&A with a current student to learn more about the community of support, clinical training, and academic rigor at NECO.