Miramichi Optometry

11/02/2026

The staff had a little fun on Friday dressing up for Halloween, lots of laughter for sure.

10/29/2026

Update, the motion did NOT pass.

Our office is closed today to attend the Provincial Legislature where a motion to look at the feasability of an eastern optometry school at UNBSJ will be debated. We are sorry if this causes any inconvenience. You can watch at http://legnb.ca/en/webcasts

For anyone who has sought an eye exam lately, you will know there is a shortage. Last year we had 156 new eye doctors start who trained in the two schools in Canada, but also 152 who had trained in the US. We cannot delegate the training of our professionals to another country.

09/29/2026

Please note that we are closed on Wednesday September 30th.

09/20/2026

Please share and sign the attached petition in the link at the bottom (once on the page, scroll down).
Canada has only two schools of optometry, with room for about 150 students combined. Compare that to 10 dental schools, more than 15 physiotherapy programs, and 11 pharmacy schools. Because of this gap, about half of Canada's practicing optometrists have had to train abroad, almost always in the United States, simply because there wasn't room for them here (currently believed to be almost 600 students). It becomes very hard to return home with US debt and paying in CAN dollars. What happens if these students are prevented from attending schools in the US for any reason?

Canada has only two schools of optometry. That's why so many optometrists train in the U.S. instead of at home — and why Canadians shouldn't have to leave the country to train for a profession that serves Canadians.

09/15/2026

Always happy to support our team.
P.S. Send the shorter players next time. LOL

08/10/2026

“Myopia Management” is field of study that is rapidly evolving, from being able to do little except prescribe stronger glasses as children develop nearsightedness, to being able to slow or even stop the changes. The video below provides an overview of two main lens competitors, but there are also contact lenses and night time drops that can be effective. The main thing is to pick one of these options to help your child. Our office currently uses Hoyavision Miyosmart lenses from Japan.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wew-_Q90ziU&pp=0gcJCWgCo7VqN5tD4gcEEgJmYg%3D%3D&ra=m

07/29/2026

Did you know NASA technology drove early advances in the scratch resistance and UV-reflective properties of prescription and sunglass lenses.

For decades, ground and polished glass had been the preferred lens in the eyeglass industry. That changed in 1972 when the Food and Drug Administration issued a regulation that all sunglasses and prescription lenses must be shatter-resistant. The main disadvantage to glass is its brittleness, so eyeglass manufacturers turned to plastics. Plastic lenses had many advantages (lower manufacturing costs, excellent optics, far better absorption of ultraviolet radiation, lightweight), but although they were resistant to shattering, they were highly susceptible to scratching.

NASA’s Dr. Ted Wydeven of the Ames Research Center generated the technological seeds for the first scratch-resistant plastic lenses while working on a spacecraft water purification system. To alter a membrane in the purification process, Dr. Wydeven coated a filter with a thin plastic film using an electric discharge of an organic v***r. The research continued as NASA developed an abrasion-resistant coating for the astronaut space helmet visors and other plastic surfaces of aerospace equipment. Foster-Grant invested over 10 years of research trying to find a coating for lenses that could give glass-like scratch-resistance while keeping all the benefits of plastic. In 1983, Foster-Grant obtained a license from NASA for the scratch-resistant coating technology.

The company combined its own technology with NASA’s and produced a superior lens. Their scratch-resistant lenses lasted, with normal wear, ten times longer than the most widely used plastic optical lenses, surpassing even glass. Today, the majority of sunglasses, corrective, and safety lenses sold are made of plastic.

Our office currently uses lenses from Hoyavision. This Japanese company ranks among the top manufacturers for anti reflection and scratch resistant lenses.
https://www.hoyavision.com/for-spectacle-wearers/

07/24/2026

Please share. This is important, we need your help.

Optometrists are like every other health care profession, there are not enough of us. Miramichi currently has limited optometrist resources. Our office is booked solid until Christmas, despite seeing patients five days per week and very little time off.

The only two optometry schools in Canada are in Waterlo (english) and Montreal (french), with a total yearly graduation of about 145. There are currently more Canadian optometry students studying in the US than there are in Canada, but coming back home is difficult with US dollar debt.

Two new optometry schools are being proposed in Canada, one for the west in Calgary, and one for the east at UNBSJ in Saint John NB. The one in New Brunswick will supply more optometrists for the Atlantic region (in addition to any coming from the existing schools). The NBAO has the support of the other provincial associations, and all NB GOV parties have indicated support for this.

To help move this forward, we request that you download the letter below, fill it out in support of the new school, and return it to our office by any means of your choice.

Thank you.

English
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bc0JU3PaJIC5ZFf83zSLlTCHSMeeAsRf/view?usp=drive_link
French
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gljFLKmZ_q5hNbnhklqYy1tdUZlWE3ov/view?usp=drive_link

07/19/2026

Congratulations go out to Amanpreet Kaur, who recently completed her Canadian Certified Optometric Assistant (CCOA) course. This 10 month program involves online studies, quizzes, and a final exam, while working in an optometry practice gaining hands on knowledge. More information is available at https://opto.ca/ccoa. Amanpreet has been employed at our practice since February 2025, she looks forward to assisting you.

07/19/2026

We have welcomed Jillian Mutch to the practice for a summer student experience. Jillian is a graduate of NSER and has completed year one of the two year NBCC Moncton Opticianry course, she will be returning to school in September. Jillian looks forward to assisting you.