Some advantages of regular eye exams Have you been putting off getting an eye exam because you don’t like doctors, or you are not aware of the benefits it can offer? A lot of people choose to avoid doing routine eye exams for various reasons. At...
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What questions should I ask my optometrist? Have you been putting off going to see your optometrist because you have a fear of doctors or because you just don’t know what questions to ask them about your vision? At Mountain Eye Care, we make it...
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Advantages of wearing contact lenses Many people tend to ask what the advantages of wearing contact lenses are, especially people who are transitioning from eyeglasses. At Mountain Eye Care, we take great pride in assisting our patients with...
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Facts about vision correction Do you think that you need glasses because you are dealing with vision issues? Are you looking to learn more about how eyeglasses can help with vision correction and how you can have your eyes thoroughly tested? At...
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Frequently asked questions about vision care Do you think you are in need of glasses for vision correction? Are you trying to choose an optometrist to see for your vision care needs? There are probably lots of questions that you have about your...
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Should I switch from glasses to contact lenses? Wearing prescription eyeglasses every single day to see up close, far away, and every distance in between can sometimes become a cumbersome experience. If you are looking for a way to get relief...
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How Can I Tell If I Have Bad Night Vision? The main indication of night blindness is difficulty seeing well in dark or dim lighting, especially when transitioning from a brighter to a lower light environment, like walking from outside into a...
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How Can Poor Vision Affect Your Mental Health? Mental health has become a subject of conversation at the forefront. Did you know that having poor vision can contribute to poor mental health? At Mountain Eye Care, we are always encouraging our...
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What Should I Bring to a Vision Consultation? Living with vision loss can be frustrating at times. There are so many challenges, and learning new ways to see and do things is never easy. As you experience vision loss, you experience a world of...
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Mountain Eye Care and CNIB Mountain Eye Care works with CNIB to raise awareness about the prominence of vision loss in our society. You read that right! Vision loss is quite prominent in Canada, primarily due to our ageing population. A 2011 CNIB...
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]