About Us

Dr. Mei-Ling Chan was born and spent her early years in the tropical island of Penang, Malaysia. At the age of twelve, she made the trek to Canada. She is an alumni of the University of Waterloo, graduating from the faculty of Optometry (including an externship in a tertiary eye care facility in Atlanta) in 2002, and from the faculty of Science (Honours Biochemistry) in 1998. Following a two year stint in the seaside town of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, she came home to Ontario and started practicing in Barrie. Together with her husband and their children, she now calls Barrie home, and is very excited to have recently opened her new optometry office in town. She is a member of the Ontario and Canadian Association of Optometrists. She has served as a clinical assessor in the Canadian Assessment of Competence in Optometry, which tests the competency of an individual to enter practice in Canada. Dr. Chan has also participated in various questions standard setting workshops. These workshops contribute to the development and maintenance of the competence assessments. Dr. Chan enjoys reading optometry journals and attending conferences (especially those held in tropical locales during our Canadian winters!) to keep abreast of the continually expanding scope of optometry. Optometry is more than just checking prescriptions and dispensing glasses. With a barrage of retailers advertising glasses and contact lenses, we lose sight of what weʼre trying to achieve: healthy eyes that provide us with good, comfortable, clear vision all our lives. Early detection and intervention is crucial in many eye diseases in order to minimize the damage. This view is clearly supported by the government, who expanded the provincial scope of optometry to include the ability to prescribe therapeutic drugs. Now, in addition to our role in detecting eye diseases,  optometrists can also treat or initiate treatments of these diseases. My goal is to provide my patients with the knowledge that will empower them to make good choices regarding the health of their eyes. I look forward to getting started on our partnership. Mei-Ling Chan, OD