Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation

One of Edmonton’s oldest institutions has decided to support one of Edmonton’s newest institutions.

The Optometrists' Clinic on Jasper Avenue has been providing top-quality eye care to the city of Edmonton since 1938. Originally located in the Tegler Building, the Optometrists' Clinic moved to its present location in 1962 and now has four locations in Edmonton, Leduc, and Westlock. The Clinic recently made a generous $10,000 donation to the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation’s Eye Institute of Alberta campaign.

Formerly the Regional Eye Centre at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, the Eye Institute of Alberta was renamed in October 2015 to better reflect its dynamic role as not only a busy patient care centre, but an important hub for education and ophthalmic research in Alberta. Originally designed to serve 12,000 patients annually, the Eye Institute of Alberta now sees more than 45,000 patients every year. Given that exceptional volume, the importance of the Eye Institute of Alberta is what inspired Dr. Angela Endres and her colleagues at the Optometrists' Clinic to make their significant gift to the campaign.

“We’re taking care of people’s eyes all the time,” says Dr. Endres. “So we wanted to support a place that’s going to provide our patients with expert eye care when they need it.”

“We’re very familiar with the Eye Institute of Alberta and the ophthalmologists who work there,” says Dr. Benjamin Doz, an optometrist at the Clinic. “We refer patients to the Royal Alex on a regular basis, and so when we learned about the campaign to improve the facility, we knew it was something we wanted to support.”

The Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation is dedicated to raising $4 million to help the Eye Institute of Alberta to continue providing the very best in vision and eye care. This funding will be designated towards three priority areas: $2.3 million for a major renovation of the patient waiting area and clinical areas, $1 million for enhancing the Ophthalmic Surgical Skills Centre, and $700,000 for a Research and Innovation Fund. By strengthening these key components of the Eye Institute of Alberta, the facility’s number one priority – patient care – will continue to be the main focus.

“Strengthening patient care is at the core of what we do,” says Dr. Karim Damji, Clinical Section Head of Ophthalmology at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. “We are looking to the future and positioning ourselves to offer the services that patients with more complex problems require – for example, those with cancers, challenging retinal detachments and cataracts, as well as seniors who have complex general health conditions and require specialized care.”

Haily Nguyen, Patient Care Manager at the Eye Institute of Alberta, is enthusiastic about the proposed renovations and what they will mean to the large number of patients treated there every day. “Along with improved esthetics, layout and flow, our waiting rooms will see more chairs added for the comfort of patients’ and attending family members,” says Nguyen. “The renovations will also help improve access for patients with mobility issues, and a play area for children is being created.”

Thanks to generous community support from individuals and community-minded businesses like the Optometrists Clinic, the Eye Institute of Alberta campaign is on track to reach its $4 million goal.

Given the work that they do to keep people’s vision healthy, Dr. Endres and her colleagues certainly see the need to support the Eye Institute of Alberta and its important services.

“With our aging population, more and more people need specialized care for their eyes,” remarks Dr. Endres. “We’re grateful that the Eye Institute of Alberta is there for those patients who need that care. The Optometrists' Clinic is proud to serve our patients and happy to help the Eye Institute of Alberta to continue providing great care for their patients.”

Read more about the Eye Institute of Alberta campaign