News

Dr. Gerry Leinweber (OD '80) has started many initiatives – an international vision care charity, a Central Alberta practice with three locations, a national optometrists’ co-op and a consulting business for optometry practices. It might have been some hockey goals in his youth that helped start him down his path of leadership.

Eyenova Biotech, an award-winning Waterloo-Hong Kong start-up, aims to improve early-stage eye drug testing by creating an ‘eye on a chip’ – a preclinical testing platform that replicates the complexity of the eye’s cellular environment and performs multiple tests at once, which saves time, costs and animal testing.

Dr. Sarah MacIver (OD ’10), an associate clinical professor, is an emerging leader in advocating for scope modernization and continuing professional development. Learn how her residency in New York State, where she collaborated extensively with other health-care professionals, helped her see the role optometrists could play in ocular disease care.

Dr. Stanley Woo gives an update on the School’s activities during the conference season, including a special invitation to CE Weekend & Alumni Reunion (June 6-7 in Waterloo). Spring brings many opportunities to connect with the profession across the country.

As construction begins on the transformative Waterloo Eye Institute, the School of Optometry and Vision Science's clinic will temporarily relocate. The interim location, just minutes away, will continue offering comprehensive eye care and specialized services with the same level of excellence while providing quality clinical education to our optometry students.

We bid a heartfelt farewell to Andrea Carthew, longtime Associate Director, Advancement whose dedication and hard work have been invaluable to our School and the optometric profession for the last 20 years. Andrea is pursuing a new opportunity at the University of Waterloo Faculty of Health as the new Director of Advancement.

Earlier this month, the newest cohort of optometrists, the class of 2028, entered the doors in Waterloo and began their journey into the profession. This class may be the first class of optometrists to begin their clinical practice within the Waterloo Eye Institute, set to open in 2026.   

Over the summer, several of our faculty members who you may remember from your time as a student, announced their retirement and concluded their teaching and clinical careers. Read each of their stories of impact on teaching and research: Dr. Murchison Callendar, Dr. Jeffrey Hovis, Dr. Elizabeth Irving, Dr. Daphne McCulloch and Dr. Trefford Simpson.

Dr. Victor Spear (OD’82) is helping us bring our vision for the Waterloo Eye Institute to life with a generous $250,000 matching gift. As construction on the Waterloo Eye Institute advances, we’re in the final stretch to reach our $35 million goal. With $7 million left to raise, now is the time to act. Every dollar you donate will be matched, doubling your impact and helping us achieve our vision. Together, we can make this dream a reality! 

In this section of the Insight alumni newsletter, we invite you to share your personal updates with other Optometry & Vision Science alumni, up to a maximum of 100 words, with an optional photo. We’d all love to hear about your weddings, babies, retirements, achievements, milestones and anything else you’d like to share.