Mission Statement

POPS is a professional student organization dedicated to helping individuals who are interested in pursuing a career in optometry. We encourage strong relationships between students and optometrists and provide hands-on experience for vision care through shadowing and volunteer opportunities. Our members are active participants in the community by volunteering for Prevent Blindness Texas and Kids Vision for Life. Both programs are aimed at holding free vision screenings whether it be in and around the community or at a local Austin school. This helps interested pre-opt students become more engaged in the field of optometry.

We educate our members to develop an understanding and awareness of the optometry career in order to shape them into knowledgeable and competitive applicants. This is done by having admissions representatives from various optometry schools and local doctors come in as guest speakers at the meetings.

POPS provides many events for its members such as the Student-Doctor Conference, visits to University Houston College of Optometry and Rosenberg School of Optometry, and attending the Texas Optometric Association Convention. All of these events help members get a glimpse of how rigorous optometry school is and what to expect in the profession.