Director's message

At the School of Optometry & Vision Science, we’re helping people see.

We’re committed to ensuring all Canadians receive the highest level of eye and vision care. To achieve that goal, we aspire to be a global innovator in optometry and vision research, education, and patient-centred collaborative care.

Here’s how we’re bringing that mission to life:

Translating innovation from the lab to the clinic

Ben Thompson adjusting a testing apparatus on a female patient's head.

The School is home to two renowned research centres:  the Centre for Sight Enhancement and Centre for Ocular Research and Education. Here, and in labs all across the School, acclaimed scientists are engaged in work that has a direct application to patient care, from designing ocular screening tests for Alzheimer’s disease to finding new ways to treat children with amblyopia. And through interdisciplinary collaboration with colleagues across campus and around the world, we’re tackling some of the biggest health issues our society faces, including reducing the burden of neurodegenerative diseases and restoring lost vision.

Educating tomorrow’s optometrists and vision scientists

Two male optometry students examine a patient.

Leveraging state-of-the art educational tools and the expertise of award-winning instructors, we train optometry students who are equipped to practice anywhere. We also act as a resource for optometrists across Canada, offering specialized education opportunities for continued professional development.

In our thriving vision science graduate program, students are mentored by distinguished faculty working in a broad range of fields, from neuroscience to contact lens development, and participate first-hand in the development of new technology and treatments.

Providing life-enhancing patient care

A female optometry student examines a patient.

The School offers one of the largest, most comprehensive eye and vision centres in Canada. We care for patients of all ages in our primary care, ocular health, pediatric and specialty clinics. And now, with the launch of the Seeing Beyond 20/20 campaign, we envision a better system of eye and vision care for people in own community and across Canada.

Through this website, we invite you to learn more about the School and our clinical, education and research programs. And we hope you’ll join us  ̶  as a student, a patient, a colleague, an alumnus or a donor  ̶  in our mission.

Together, we’ll help people see.

Stanley Woo, OD, MS, MBA, FAAO
Director, School of Optometry & Vision Science