Spex By Ryan is a unique shop of independent eyewear in Saskatchewan, Canada that challenges conventional thoughts of what an eyewear store should be. We are excited to have a chat with the owner, Ryan, on why more people should choose independent eyewear, and how he made Spex By Ryan stand out from the optical crowd.

Check out Spex By Ryan's website https://www.spexbyryan.com/ and book your next flight to Saskatchewan to get your latest, trendy pair of glasses!

Optometrists and optometry students are high-functioning individuals who may often experience mental fatigue and burnout due to the stressful demands of our careers and personal lives. So we dive deep into a conversation about high-functioning stress with Nikita Sehgal, a licensed psychotherapist. We discuss the signs and symptoms of high-functioning stress, what steps we can take to manage our stress, and how to approach loved ones who may be demonstrating these signs as well.

Be sure to learn more on Nikita's Instagram page @inclusivepsychotherapy and visit her website https://inclusivepsychotherapy.ca/ to schedule a therapy session!

Dr. Alexopoulos completed a Paediatric and Infant Vision Residency at SUNY, and is now an assistant professor at ICO. We have a great conversation with her on how to approach infant exams, and modifying ourselves and our examination techniques to provide care for children with special needs.

Resources:

1. Prescribing for Hyperopia: Quick Tips for New Optometrists - https://eyesoneyecare.com/resources/prescribing-hyperopia-quick-tips-new-optometrists/

2. To prescribe or not to prescribe? Guidelines for spectacle prescribing in infants and children - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1444-0938.2011.00600.x

We have a conversation with Dr. Delaram Shirazian, an assistant clinical professor at the SUNY college of optometry. She is the creator of the Instagram account @humaneyezinghealthcare, where she emphasizes the importance of community care and the doctor-patient relationship. Her IG posts also share snippets from medical humanity research papers that express how the doctor-patient relationship is strongly affected by our communication skills.

Follow Dr. Shirazian on Instagram @humaneyezinghealthcare to learn more about this topic and reflect on your personal communication skills towards your patients.

We're back with another case reflection! Rav shares a case of recurrent anterior uveitis in a 25-year-old male patient. We go over her thought process when diagnosing the underlying condition and how she adjusted the treatment plan throughout the weeks.

Let us know how we're doing on our podcast and what your thoughts are on this episode! Feel free to leave a rating on the podcast app, comment on our IGTV video @foureyesoptom or send us a DM!

Dr. Steven Hoang is a graduate from the University of Waterloo and the owner of Respect Eye Care in Alberta. Dr. Hoang shares how he carefully curated a unique brand and clinic design, and a very welcoming environment for his patients. 

Check out Respect Eye Care on Instagram @respect.eyecare and let us know what you think about our episode by leaving us a rating! 

We talk with Dr. Kimberly Chan, an optometrist in Toronto, all about her experience with personal branding as a healthcare professional, and her journey from American optometry school into a Canadian optometric career. 

Resources:

1. Follow Dr. Chan on Instagram @drkimberlychan

2. Eyes on Eyecare Articles by Dr. Chan: 

https://eyesoneyecare.com/resources/5-things-need-practice-optometry-in-canada/

https://eyesoneyecare.com/resources/ontario-optometry-exam-fees/

https://eyesoneyecare.com/resources/6-important-tips-ontario-optometry-opportunities/

https://eyesoneyecare.com/resources/4-step-guide-ohip-billing-ontario-optometrists/

Dr. Maharaj joins our podcast again to discuss how optometrists have common personality traits that could either benefit our careers or become our downfalls. These common traits also begin to reveal an interesting perspective on why optometry is beginning to shape shift towards specialization and tiering of medical optometry and refractive care.

In the second half of our conversation, we brought up the status of our mental health. We walk with Dr. Maharaj about mental exhaustion and burnout that is currently present in our profession, and what strategies we've done or need to start doing in order to conquer those feelings together as a group. 

Welcome to the New Grad Case Reflection series! The purpose of these particular episodes is to reflect on how we diagnosed and managed a unique or challenging case as a new graduate doctor. We review our thought process behind each step, what made us nervous, and ask ourselves how to better manage these cases in the future. Our ultimate goal for this series is to reassure new grad ODs that we are not perfect, but we are constantly learning every day to become exceptional doctors!

In this episode, Amrit goes through her thought process as she manages a 15-year-old male patient with a unilateral hyperopic shift. Let us know your thoughts on this case on our Instagram IGTV @foureyesoptom. 

We're back with another edition of our end-of-season happy hour episode! Grab your spiked eggnog and listen to us play Never Have I Ever - Optometry Edition, and ramble on about nonsense like always. 

Make sure to mark your calendars for February 2021 when we will be back with new episodes to feed your optometry podcast cravings. We'll be delivering more clinical content with case discussions, interviewing amazing ECPs (like always), and discussing topics that expand beyond the optometry world!

**This episode does contain explicit language that may be offensive to some. Please take what we say lightheartedly!**