Nicky Lai

I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles (1998), and a Doctor of Optometry degree with a concurrent Master of Science degree in Vision Science from The Ohio State University (2003). I completed a Clinical Residency in Contact Lens at The Ohio State University College of Optometry in 2004 to gain more expertise in my clinical area of interest.

During optometry school, I discovered my interest in clinical teaching and was fortunate to find a position as an associated clinical faculty member, where I precepted optometry interns in the Contact Lens Service, Primary Care Service, and Pediatric Service. As I gained more clinical teaching experience and involvement in our program, I moved over to full time clinical faculty in 2012. I have served as chief of the OSU Wilce Student Health Center Optometry Service and then chief of Contact Lens Service at the OSU College of Optometry Main Clinic. I have been in my current position as Professor of Clinical Optometry since 2025.

Along with my clinical responsibilities, I am currently the course and lab instructor for Optometry 7510 Contact Lens I and Optometry and 7530 Advance CL labs. I have taught in the Advanced Procedure labs as well as Advance Contact Lens didactic course in the past. My main objective in teaching is to translate classroom knowledge into clinical practice. In the laboratory courses, I emphasize procedural skills beyond repetitive practice to include interpretation of findings and understanding of techniques so students know how to troubleshoot during complex or difficult cases. I also use clinical cases to approach course content and demonstrate concepts relevant to patient care.

As chair of the Admissions Committee, I understand the importance of a diverse and well-prepared student body. We use a holistic approach in our selection process, where we consider each candidate's academic success as well as leadership potential, communication skills, ability to show empathy, and personal uniqueness. We are looking for students with the desire to be excellent optometric clinicians but who also want to be leaders in their profession, develop their professional identity, and find their niche. We want our alumni to contribute beyond the immediate impact of each patient and toward changing their community in their own unique ways.