News

The “Class of 2020” may have the most appropriate name possible for a graduating class of optometrists. 2020 has been called the Year of Vision by eye care professionals around the world, and this class was set to hit the ground in the summer of 2020 with their license to practice in hand.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and what should have been the culmination of four years of intense study for optometry doctoral students was disrupted, leaving the students and the School of Optometry and Vision Science struggling to find solutions.

June 18^th marked Convocation Day for the Class of 2020. But unlike other years, these graduates won’t walk across the stage to the applause of their peers, families and friends.

Thanks to the pandemic which cancelled in-person celebrations, they received their degrees in the mail, along with video congratulations from University President Feridun Hamdullahpur, a letter of congratulations from School Director Stanley Woo, and personal notes from staff and faculty.

The School is proud to announce that graduate students Dania Abuleil and Amy Chow have each won the Amit & Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student.

Drs. Lyndon Jones, Shamrozé Khan and Marlee Spafford are among the recipients of the 2019 Outstanding Performance Award. The award recognizes excellence in teaching and scholarship and is awarded to faculty in each of the University’s six Faculties. Our WOVS professors were among 15 honorees from the Faculty of Science.

Hendrik Walther, a clinical scientist in our Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE), wasn’t about to let COVID-19 get in the way of running the 2020 Boston Marathon last month. Instead, he created his own 46 km route around KW, visiting many CORE colleagues (from a distance) along the way. Read more about his race in Waterloo's Daily Bulletin.

Congratulations, Hendrik, and we hope to cheer you on in the next Boston Marathon!

By 2050, it’s estimated that 50 per cent of the world’s population will be myopic. In a video originally aired last fall, Dr. Debbie Jones discusses rising rates of myopia in young children, why it’s important to diagnose and manage myopia, and the products that are available to help slow the progression of the condition.

What is dry eye disease and why is it important to get treatment? Dr. Sarah MacIver appeared on the Rogers TV program In Studio to speak about dry eye symptoms and management, as well as how the Optometry Clinic is responding to patients during the COVID-19 crisis. 

The interview originally aired on Rogers TV.

Even in the midst of the pandemic, staff at the Centre for Sight Enhancement continue to support people with low vision. Visit Waterloo Stories to read how CSE staff are helping clients overcome feelings of isolation through technology, counselling and more.

The School of Optometry & Vision Science will host five different COPE-approved sessions at the end of every month, starting April 28, 2020 at 10am EST. Session times will likely move to the evening once we are all back to routine care. Each session will feature two different cases by two different speakers. They will be hosted in our virtual classroom that allows for interaction through real-time polling, activities and discussion. Case topics for each session will be tailored to feedback from our community following the April 28 session.

In the coming years, members of the Ontario Association of Optometrists (OAO) may remember the 2020 Annual Awards as the ceremony that was forced online by COVID-19. But here at the School, we’ll look back on it as a celebration of our community’s achievements as five faculty members were recognized for their service to both the association and the profession. Here are the awards, which were presented by OAO President Dr. Joshua Smith on April 5.