As Director Stan Woo has travelled the country this last year, most recently in Alberta and Nova Scotia, he’s been sharing an exciting new vision for the School of Optometry & Vision Science.
We must be bold and innovative with our plans for the future. Building on the generosity of donors who have contributed to our clinic renovation project, we’ve reimagined, expanded and rebranded that project to set our sights even higher. We’re pleased to share details of an initiative we believe will have a lasting positive impact for education, research and patient care.
The Waterloo Eye Institute is a $40 million initiative that aims to transform vision care across Canada by ensuring that optometrists are trained to the highest scope of practice in North America. This goal is complemented by innovative research that will support policy development and health care delivery.
The Waterloo Eye Institute strategic goals are to:
- Put education before legislation
- Embrace inter-professional education and collaborative practice
- Reimagine the patient pathway
- Use our expertise in imaging to
What does our vision include?
An ambulatory surgical center
- Ophthalmological services for medical and surgical treatment that will alleviate the demand on hospital operating rooms.
- Increased patient access, decreased wait times, promote inter-professional models of care.
Clinical programs/services
- Reimagined patient pathway to fully serve our patients needs from wellness to surgery, from ages 1 to 101, improving experience and efficiency.
- Elevated profile that highlights breadth of expertise and position as a referral centre.
- Expansion of services in growing areas such as vision therapy, concussion, myopia and dry eye disease.
- Students introduced to patient contact earlier in the program, starting in first year.
A diagnostic imaging center
- Centre of Excellence for telehealth, e.g., reading center for diabetes, AMD, glaucoma.
- Increased access for patients from underserved areas to diagnostic services.
- Resource for clinical education and continuing professional development.
Development of a world-leading ocular imaging facility consolidated around eye-brain interactions
- Detection and monitoring of eye and brain disease using retinal imaging and eye movement analysis (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, diabetic retinopathy, genetic diseases).
- New treatments for vision loss that focus on improved neural processing of residual visual input to the brain (AMD, stroke and amblyopia).
- A research theme of “the eye as a window to the brain” (mechanisms of neuron death and regeneration).
- New imaging methodologies (adaptive optics, quantum technologies for imaging, machine learning).
Top talent
- Funding and recruitment for a Chair in Vision Science
Residency education/training
- Program enhancement and increased enrolment.
Continuing Professional Development
- As a national resource, we will expand educational opportunities to the optometric profession that will enhance and advance clinical knowledge and skills as the profession across Canada pursues the idea of specialization and expands the scope of optometric practice into new areas.
As optometrists, we are stewards of the gift of sight. We believe that the Waterloo Eye Institute will allow us to better fulfil that responsibility by increasing patient access to the highest level of care, by facilitating inter-professional education and collaboration, and by supporting the discovery of new techniques and treatments.
To make this bold vision a reality, we will be seeking the support of our alumni, the profession, the university and the government. We look forward to sharing more information as the project evolves and welcome your support to make this vision a reality.
For more information on the Waterloo Eye Institute, please contact Andrea Carthew, Associate Director, Advancement at acarthew@uwaterloo.ca or 519-888-4567 ext. 36319.
