PHOTO COURTESY UTRGV NEWSROOM
The UTRGV School of Optometry is moving forward in the accreditation process after receiving a Stage One designation from the Accreditation Council on Optometry Education on May 6, and university leaders are preparing to proceed to the next phase in Fall 2027.
The program aims to expand proper eye care in the Rio Grande Valley while creating new opportunities for students specializing in the field, according to Dr. William Miller, dean of the school.
According to the Texas Health and Human Services, as of 2025, Hidalgo County ranks No. 103 in the state in the number of licensed optometrists with 72, and Cameron County ranks No. 108 with 33.
Since receiving the Stage One designation, the program will focus on completing a required self-study submitted to the Accreditation Council on Optometry Education.
“The self-study encompasses what you plan to do with the school, which includes faculty and students and clinics and everything,” Miller said.
The dean said the university is set to meet with creditors Saturday to discuss Stage Two decisions by mid-May. The next step will include a site visit, bridging the program a step closer to preliminary accreditation.
Another important component was the research collaboration with the South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, consisting of faculty and students who will focus on diabetes-related eye diseases and early detection.
Miller added optometrists play a key role in identifying diabetes before patients are diagnosed.
“Sometimes, optometrists are the first health-care providers that actually get to diagnose diabetes,” he said.
The integration of optometry along with the rest of UTRGV medical departments will allow them to provide more coordinated care, capturing “the patient and provide care from head to toe.”
The School of Optometry is set to be located in the nearly 89,000-square-feet former Monitor newspaper building in McAllen, located at 1400 E. Nolana Ave., designed to serve both patients and students.
The location will include 31 exam lanes and is expected to employ more than 20 faculty members once renovations are completed.
The program also plans to enroll about 40 students per cohort, creating a smaller and more dynamic learning environment compared to other optometry schools in Texas, according to the dean.
While the accreditation process is ongoing, Miller added the goal is to build a program that combines education, clinical care and research, addressing regional health-care needs and professional training opportunities.
