What to consider when buying eyeglasses Are you in need of eyeglasses to correct your vision issues? Are you looking for an eye care facility that can provide you with plenty of selection of brands of eyeglasses? At Mountain Eye Care, we take...
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Reasons why you should get an eye exam Have you always heard about how it’s a good idea to get an eye exam on a regular basis? Are you considering scheduling an eye exam for yourself but you are wanting to learn about it first? At Mountain Eye...
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Some health benefits of polarized sunglasses While eye doctors everywhere recommend wearing sunglasses all year round to protect your eye health, you may wonder which kind to wear. Polarized lenses offer many advantages over their non-polarized...
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Reasons to consider contacts Are you finding it difficult to decide if you should wear contact lenses or eyeglasses? When trying to decide whether you want glasses or contacts, take a moment to consider all the benefits contact lenses have to...
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Why should I visit an optometrist? Visiting an optometrist on a regular basis is highly recommended to prolong the health of not just your vision, but also your overall health. Optometrists are able to administer vision tests that can diagnose...
Read moreBeginning September 1st, Optometrists across Ontario will stop providing OHIP insured eye exams for children, seniors and adults with OHIP covered eye conditions.
For over 30 years, successive Ontario governments have ignored Optometrists. In 1989 the fee paid for an OHIP insured eye exam was $39.15, today, over 32 years later, it is on average $44.65. This has not kept up with inflation and does not come close to covering the cost. Every time we perform an OHIP insured eye exam we do so at a loss. This is not sustainable.
ONTARIO IS THE LOWEST PAID IN CANADA
Our fees would have to increase by over 60% to reach the next lowest province. The bar graph here compares Ontario to other provinces that fully fund eye care.
You may have read the government has offered us an 8.48% increase in our fees. For a senior’s eye exam that would raise our fee to $51.00. While that seems generous, it still leaves us more than 30% lower than Manitoba, the next lowest paid province, while Ontario having one of the highest costs of living in Canada. Unfortunately, an 8.48% increase does not make up for 32 years of neglect. We need the government to prioritize and properly fund eye care to make it sustainable for years to come.
Please understand that we want this issue resolved permanently so that we can continue to provide the same high level of care that we’ve always provided for your eyes and vision.
We ask that you please treat our staff with kindness and understanding during this time.
Dr. Anukool Chadda,
Dr. Kevin Ahokas,
Dr. Eric Barry,
Dr. Janet Schenk,
Dr. Paul Zaugg
[Optometrists at Mountain Eye Care]