Written by Tessia Yu (1st year) and Katelyn Tsang (3rd year)
We had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Vyas at the St. Clair Eye Clinic in Toronto. He operates a primary care clinic with a focus on management of glaucoma and emergency eye care.
Dr. Vyas first presented us with some clinical cases and showed us how he uses the Zeiss Forum software and Telus EMR system to compile patient data and enhance efficiency. He then gave us a tour of his clinic, and discussed how he aims to equip his office with the latest technology. He stressed the importance of imaging technology in practice, especially the OCT and visual field machines. He also mentioned that his clinic would soon be offering IPL for the treatment of dry eye.
Dr. Vyas encouraged us to start to consider our preferences with regards to location, practice modality and ownership of a practice. He shared his breadth of experiences as an associate, in optometry-ophthalmology practices, and finally as an owner of a private practice. He discussed the advantages of freedom and flexibility of being an independent business owner, despite the initial time and investment required. He encouraged us to work in different practice settings to gain more experience and discover which setting appealed to us most.
Dr. Vyas also discussed his passion for giving back to underserved communities in developing countries. He spoke in great detail about his experiences travelling to various countries such as Jamaica, Mexico and Kenya to provide eye care. He talked about how it was a wonderful learning opportunity for students as well to refine their clinical skills. We hope to be able to participate in service trips in the future.
Overall, we had a wonderful time speaking with Dr. Vyas. We greatly appreciate his time and commitment to mentoring the next generation of optometrists.
Comments