Page 8 - Envision March-April 2020

www.envisionmagazine.ca

Our View

4660, Montée Saint-Hubert,
Saint-Hubert (QC) J3Y 1V1
JoAnne Sommers 450 629-6005 / 1 888 462-2112
Editor-in-Chief Fax: 514 360-6523
www.bretoncommunications.com
PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER
Martine Breton
martine@bretoncom.com
hanks to modern medicine, Canadians are living longer, healthier EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
JoAnne Sommers
lives. Unfortunately, that longevity comes with a heightened risk of Tel. 250 469-4350
sight-threatening conditions, including age-related macular degeneration, mjsommers51@gmail.com
Tdiabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. Advances such as intravitreal injections SENIOR EDITOR
for wet AMD, plus improved treatments for diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, are Paddy Kamen
Tel. : 778 363-3405
helping to control the incidence of very advanced vision loss. But as our population paddykamen@gmail.com
continues to age, the number of people with low vision issues will grow.
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Shirley Ha
That represents a great practice-building opportunity for ECPs. As the feature story Margaret Osborne
in this issue points out, working with LV patients is well within an optometrist’s
SPECIAL ADVISOR, CONTACT LENSES
scope of practice. And technological advances in low vision aids now make it Joshua Josephson, B.Sc, OD, FAAO, FACLP
possible to differentiate your practice from those of other ECPs by providing MEDIA COORDINATOR / COPY EDITOR /
innovative services that assist the visually impaired. You can serve the needs of a RESEARCHER
growing population while increasing revenues and attracting new patients. Omar Chraïbi
editorial@bretoncom.com
Dr. Angela Yoon, optometrist/owner of Scarborough Eye Care, has worked with WEB COORDINATOR
Vanessa Pelletier
low vision patients for the past 15 years. Her practice, like those of many LV advertising@bretoncom.com
specialists, focuses mainly on primary care, with about 15 per cent of her time
dedicated to low vision services. Dr. Yoon says there are currently too few SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
envision@bretoncom.com
optometrists, ophthalmologists, occupational therapists, opticians and other
professionals involved in low vision rehabilitation in Canada. GRAPHIC DESIGN
Marco Gagnon
design@bretoncom.com
That issue is complicated by the fact that there is no integrated model for low vision ADVERTISING
rehabilitation across the country, which leads to inconsistent service from region to Martine Breton
region, gaps in care, and/or duplication of services. martine@bretoncom.com
1 888 462-2112
Tel.: 450 629-6005
Toronto optometrist Dr. Ken Mandadakis says the biggest challenge facing Fax: 514 360-6523
Canadians with low vision is a lack of access to testing and follow-up. “Primary CIRCULATION/CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
Vanessa Pelletier
care eye doctors and even treating specialists are busy and may not have the time to support@bretoncom.com
discuss a low vision referral. When I see a low vision patient for the first time they
often say they wish they had been offered help years ago.” PRINTING
Miromedia
One of the most compelling reasons for expanding into the low vision area can be Published six times a year
found in the satisfaction ECPs express about this work. Legal deposit
National Library of Canada
Dr. Yoon talks about how loyal and appreciative her LV patients are, adding that she ISSN 1925-8801 (Print) | ISSN 1925-881X (Online)
finds it very rewarding to discover innovative solutions that help them reclaim their Canadian Publication Mail Product
lives. Convention NO 40021196
Postage Paid in Quebec
Adds Dr. Morris Sher of Innisfil Eye Care: “It’s so satisfying when you can help people Any reproduction, in whole or in part, of the herein
to participate again in activities they enjoy and improve their quality of life.” publication, is strictly forbidden, without the written
authorization of the publisher.
Professional satisfaction combined with an opportunity for practice building: Printed in Canada
it sounds like a winning combination. n Please recycle
E

6 / MARCH — APRIL 2020 / www.ENVISIONMAGAZINE.ca /