Appalachian College of Optometry and Emory & Henry College Sign Agreement to Develop School of Optometry

GRUNDY, Va.—Officials from Emory & Henry College and the Appalachian College of Optometry signed an agreement Jan. 30 to work together to develop a school of optometry here. This formalizes an effort to achieve accreditation for the school. They hope to meet a large need both for education in the field and for accessible, quality eyecare in the region. Currently, the two closest schools of optometry are the University of Alabama's School of Optometry in Birmingham and The Ohio State University's College of Optometry in Columbus.   "Both of these schools are relatively small, accepting approximately 40 to 65 students each year. That leaves a large geographic gap in providing optometry education for potential students in our region," said Brian Looney, who was named president of the Appalachian College of Optometry in April 2012, as reported by VMail. -   See more