William Hogue, a Tennessee native, graduated summa cum laude from the University of Tennessee with a degree in chemistry. He then earned both his Doctor of Optometry (OD) and Master of Science (MS) degrees from the New England College of Optometry (NECO) in Boston, where his MS thesis focused on the structural and functional differences in myopic eyes. After graduation, he completed a residency in ocular disease at the SUNY College of Optometry.