• Chung Shan Medical University offers the only university-level optometric education in Taiwan.
• The medical school first offered optometric extension courses in 1992 to opticians nationwide.
• In 1999 the School of Optometry was formally established and the four-year Bachelor of Optometry program commenced. The inaugural year enrollment consisted of 45 students.
• Beginning in 2000, the School of Optometry officially began admitting students through the nationwide Joint College Entrance Examination.
• After four years of study, students graduate with a Bachelor of Optometry degree.
• The School plans to enroll approximately 85 students in the year 2006.

The mandate of the School of Optometry is to train professional, competent and ethical practitioners of optometry based on the North American standard of optometric education. Education begins with the basic sciences in first year and leads to upper-year professional courses in the areas of optics, refraction, contact lenses, dispensing, binocular vision, low vision, and clinical skills. The program culminates with fourth year clinical internships to ophthalmology departments in hospitals, as well as retail optical stores. Students can expect to graduate with the knowledge, skills, and judgment required to be fully independent ophthalmic professionals.

The research program at the School of Optometry is currently being organized. We are in possession of key diagnostic equipment such as a retinal camera, corneal topographer, Keystone vision trainer, as well as standard examination equipment including slit lamps, phoroptors and keraometers. As well, the School has the services of several full-time teaching assistants, making us well poised to begin significant research activity in the near future.