蓝莓视频

Thanks to support from the optometry profession, alumni and donors across Canada, the University of 蓝莓视频 will begin construction next year on the 蓝莓视频 Eye Institute (WEI), a state-of-the-art facility supporting advances in vision research, optometric education and patient care.

At a celebration at 蓝莓视频鈥檚 School of Optometry and Vision Science on September 19, gifts totalling $8.5 million from two of the country鈥檚 leading vision care providers 鈥� FYidoctors and IRIS, The Visual Group 鈥� were announced. These contributions and those of other generous donors have enabled the School to turn the corner on its $35 million Seeing Beyond 2020 campaign, making the construction of the 蓝莓视频 Eye Institute a reality.

鈥淭he 蓝莓视频 Eye Institute is needed more than ever as we face a national and global vision crisis, with one in five Canadians at risk of losing their sight from eye disease,鈥� said Dr. Stanley Woo, director of the School.

Dr. Vivek Goel, 蓝莓视频鈥檚 president and vice-chancellor, noted that 鈥渢he WEI will leverage both the School of Optometry鈥檚 expertise and the University鈥檚 unconventional and collaborative approaches to research and education as well as provide excellent care for patients in our community.鈥澨�

Recognizing the strengths of the School of Optometry and the vision for the 蓝莓视频 Eye Institute, FYidoctors and IRIS have both stepped forward with unprecedented gifts, significantly contributing to the campaign.听

The FYidoctors network has made a historical contribution, donating $5 million in support of the WEI (including a $2.5 million corporate donation and $2.5 million in contributions from the company鈥檚 individual optometrists). IRIS has generously donated $2.5 million, in addition to an earlier $1 million gift to the WEI, made in November 2022.

With 67,000 square feet of new and renovated space, the WEI will push the boundaries of eye and vision care, clinical education and research to benefit patients in the 蓝莓视频 region and across the country.

鈥淭he WEI represents the future of optometry in Canada, and it will provide world-class education opportunities, equipping the next generation of optometrists to provide quality eye care. Students will gain immensely by working alongside healthcare professionals and experts in the WEI鈥檚 modernized clinic,鈥� said Dr. Alan Ulsifer (OD 鈥�90), CEO of FYidoctors.听听

Dr. Woo added, 鈥淭he WEI will be a national resource for our profession. It will offer us a chance to train and collaborate with optometrists from around the world as well as help us reach underserved and marginalized communities that are often at greatest risk of eye conditions. We are grateful to have the support of partners like IRIS and FYidoctors.鈥�

On top of advancing optometric education and patient care, the WEI has the potential to shape the future of health care. Using the eye as a window to the brain, WEI researchers will deploy their expertise in AI, biomedical sciences and digital imagery to develop new treatments for widespread conditions such as Alzheimer鈥檚 and Parkinson鈥檚 disease, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetes.

Dr. Daryan Angle (OD 鈥�01), vice-president of business development at IRIS, said: 鈥淥ur support for the WEI aligns with IRIS鈥檚 commitment to funding eye and vision research and innovation. We hope to advance the profession in a way that keeps optometry in Canada healthy, strong and moving forward."

For more information about the 蓝莓视频 Eye Institute, please contact:听

Kelsey Gagnon, 听
Associate Director, Advancement 听
School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of 蓝莓视频听
kelsey.gagnon@uwaterloo.ca