Optometry Externship Program

The Ophthalmology Department at The University of Virginia works in conjunction with the New England College of Optometry to provide a three month externship for optometry students. The primary focus of the fourth year optometry student is to participate in the UVA Primary Care Optometry Clinic and The Specialty Contact Lens Clinic.  In addition, students will have the opportunity to visit our glaucoma, cornea, and retina clinics as well as having the opportunity to interact with other faculty members and residents.  Evan J. Kaufman, OD, FAAO is the supervising faculty member for the optometry externs.

The program at UVA Ophthalmology is categorized as a specialty site for contact lens education.  The extern with be exposed to contact lens patients with a wide variety of problems, as well as using different types of contact lenses.  For example, the extern will gain experience in simple cosmetic fits including spherical, toric, and multifocal, as well as complex fits associated with keractoconus, corneal graphs, aphakia, and irregular astigmatism. The extern will also be working with scleral, hybrid, rosek, and custom specialty soft lenses.

The extern will also participate in the Primary Eye Care Clinic and will be exposed to patients with many different conditions ranging from diabetes to multiple sclerosis.  The extern will gain experience in areas from simple refractive care to co-managing glaucoma.  Additionally, the extern will have the opportunity to attend educational events such as Ophthalmology Grand Rounds and weekly department lectures presented by faculty and ophthalmology residents.