New data reported earlier this month found an overwhelming majority of students entering into optometry school this fall are women—and this isn’t the first year. While the trend of women enrolling in optometry schools has steadily risen in the last few years, their presence in the optometric world is still relatively recent when compared to men. From incoming optometric classes to current practicing optometrists, we’ll give you the rundown on just how far women have come—and how far there is to go. First, a broader look at women optometrists. We’ll take you back to modern optometry in the early 20th century—just when women were beginning to increasingly gain access to higher education in the United States. A notable pioneer: Gertrude Stanton, OD, credited as the first woman in the U.S. licensed to practice optometry—though, technically, she only received her license “by exemption” in 1901—who later ran an all-female optical business. And after Dr. Stanton? By 1912, a reported 500 ...