In this episode of The 20/20 Podcast, Dr. Harbir Sian reconnects with returning guest and dry-eye expert Dr. Claudine Courey, recorded live at the OSI Summit at White Oaks Resort in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The conversation is completely unscripted — a candid mix of clinical pearls, entrepreneurial insight, and authentic reflections on optometry, business, and life.

Dr. Courey shares the latest from Eye Drop Shop, including its partnership with OSI and the launch of Rinsada, a new in-office ocular-surface rinse now available in Canada. They discuss how Eye Drop Shop empowers optometrists to retail dry-eye and clean-beauty products online without carrying inventory, creating new revenue streams and patient touch points.

The conversation flows into business mindset, patient education, and the difference between selling and helping. Harbir and Claudine also swap perspectives on personal growth, risk-taking, and what it means to build an authentic optometry brand. The episode closes on themes of humility, gratitude, and balance — with Harbir reflecting on the podcast’s 200-episode journey and Claudine reminding us that everything — good or bad — is temporary.

Key Topics

• Partnership between Eye Drop Shop and OSI Group
• Launch of Rinsada, a new in-office saline flush treatment for allergy and debris removal
• Empowering ODs through e-commerce and passive-income tools (like Auto)
• The importance of patient touch points and staying top-of-mind online
• Shifting from “selling” to presenting solutions
• Harbir’s behind-the-scenes story of how The 2020 Podcast began
• Handling tough industry conversations and asking hard questions
• Mindset: accountability, resilience, and self-leadership in optometry
• Work-life balance, gratitude, and the role of support systems

Featured Guests

• Dr. Claudine Courey, Optometrist & Founder of Eye Drop Shop (Montreal, QC)
• Dr. Harbir Sian, Optometrist, Speaker, Host of The 20/20 Podcast

Resources Mentioned

• Eye Drop Shop — dry-eye & clean-beauty products for clinics and patients
• Rinsada — new in-office ocular-surface rinse treatment
• OSI Group — Optometric Services Inc. network
• Otto Optics — integrated e-commerce solution for ODs

Quotable Moments

“We’re not selling — we’re giving patients solutions to their problems.” — Dr. Claudine Courey

“If it’s all my fault, it’s also all up to me to fix it.” — Dr. Harbir Sian

“Everything is temporary — whether it’s good or bad.” — Dr. Claudine Courey

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During Summer 2025, the Contact Lens Institute (CLI) conducted an extensive survey among Canadian and U.S. residents that indicated substantial opportunity for increased contact lens adoption by Gen Z, as well as identifying purchase drivers that the eye care community can employ to encourage use.

The data showed an eight percent difference in Gen Z contact lens wear (35%) compared to Millennials (43%), with Gen X (22%) close to historic norms. The eight-point Gen Z-to-Millennial gap represents considerable unmet upside in patient volumes, practice revenue, and wearer lifestyle benefits.

In an attempt to understand how Gen Z may be distinctive from older populations when it comes to choosing a product or service, CLI also asked respondents to indicate the importance of eight values-centered factors in their decision-making, whether for eye care or otherwise. Three values ranked highest across all ages: affordability (85-89%), convenience of purchase (69-73%), and speed to obtain the product (66-71%). A remarkable Gen Z breakout was social responsibility, which influences their decision making substantially more than Gen X.

At Vision Expo West this September, a panel of CLI Visionaries including Andrew Bruce, Dr. Jade Coats, and Jennifer Seymour discussed some of these important preliminary findings and what they mean for how practice teams and retailers can shape their communications with current and potential patients alike.

About the speakers:

Andrew Bruce, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM, FCLSA, is a licensed master optician and contact lens fitting specialist in Vancouver, Washington, and founder of ASB Opticianry Education Services.

Jade Coats, OD, FAAO, is a nationally recognized optometrist from Bentonville, Arkansas, with clinical expertise in ocular surface disease, dry eye management, contact lenses, and perioperative care for premium cataract and refractive surgery.

Jennifer Seymour, LDO, FCLSA, NCLEM, ABO-AC, AAS, is a Nevada Licensed Dispensing Optician, ABO-AC and NCLE-AC nationally certified. Her passion for fitting contact lenses came during her schooling for licensure, learning how contact lenses change patients’ lives.

Learn more about the Contact Lens Institute and its Next Gen data:

https://www.contactlensinstitute.org/resources/see-tomorrow/shiftingfocusgenz/

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IDOC, the largest independently owned alliance of independent optometrists in the United States.

In this episode, I chat with Dave Brown who is the CEO & President of IDOC. Since joining IDOC in 2014 and becoming CEO shortly thereafter, Dave has led IDOC through transformative growth–expanding its offerings, deepening member value, and advancing the organization’s mission to help independent optometrists live the practice of their dreams.

In this episode, we discuss the big rebrand the organization has just gone through. Dave shares the various resources and services that IDOC provides its members. We also discuss the recent investment that IDOC received investment from Doug and Mary Perkins who are the founders of Specsavers. I took a minute to ask Dave about how this investment will impact the future of IDOC and potentially the future of the profession in the US.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! http://www.aboutmyeyes.com/podcast/

This year has big year for conversations regarding scope modernization in Canada (and on The 20/20 Podcast!).

We have had many guests and experts from across the country throughout the year sharing their insights on why scope modernization is important for the public and for optometry.

Alberta has long been the province that has lead the way in terms of scope in Canada. And once again, optometric leadership in Alberta is knocking on the door of broadening their scope and helping to set a new precedent in Canada.

In this episode, Dr. Michelle Duke, President of the Alberta College of Optometrists, discusses what Alberta optometry is asking for in their current scope proposal and the potential new optometry school in Alberta.

In recent weeks, Adriana LaGrange, Alberta's Health Minister tweeted that she is looking forward to finalizing an agreement with the Alberta College that would ensure they have the education and training required to provide "additional services". It will be exciting to see what changes are on the horizon in Alberta.

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When we think of implementing a specialty in our clinics, we often think of equipment we need to purchase, whether we have the patient base, and perhaps what type of training is needed. What often gets overlooked is the cost of seeing the patients who fall into the particular specialty.

In this episode, Dr. Jennifer Lyerly shares some of the key metrics, costs, and fees that are associated with getting a myopia management practice to become profitable. Some of the key details include:

- How to calculate chair cost

- Comparing average revenue to revenue from specialty care

- How to determine fees for specialty care

We also discuss what US doctors can expect with the introduction of the Stellest myopia management spectacle lenses. Having prescribed this technology to many dozens of children in Canada, Harbir shares his experience with the lens.

This episode will help doctors understand what important factors they should evaluate whether they are just starting out in myopia management or looking to elevate their existing myopia practice.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! http://www.aboutmyeyes.com/podcast/

You know those people who seem to master every chapter of their career evolution — effortlessly moving from launching a tech startup to leading a multi-location optometry empire? Dr. Henry Reis is one of them. But don’t be fooled by the accolades — his path was anything but effortless. In this deep-dive interview, we pull back the curtain on Dr. Reis’s remarkable journey, uncovering the power of reinvention, the grit behind a groundbreaking AI startup, and the secrets to building an optometry practice that truly puts patients first. Get ready to be inspired, challenged, and maybe even nudged to step outside your own comfort zone.

Connect with Harbir:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! http://www.aboutmyeyes.com/podcast/

Elevating the patient journey is about more than just good care — it’s about crafting a seamless experience from the first online search to post-visit follow-up. Dr. Wes McCann, owner of Doctors Vision Group, shares practical strategies for optimizing every touchpoint in an optometry practice, from streamlining intake and cross-training staff to refining handovers between doctors and opticians. With insights on marketing, clinic flow, patient communication, and even community engagement, he reveals how intentional design of the patient journey can reduce bottlenecks, increase efficiency, and build stronger patient relationships. This conversation offers a roadmap for practitioners ready to transform patient care into a complete, memorable experience.

Connect with Harbir:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! http://www.aboutmyeyes.com/podcast/

Specialty eyecare is one of the fastest-growing opportunities in optometry — and two trailblazers are showing how to make it your own. In this live interview, Dr. Ying Zhao shares how she turned a personal passion for myopia management into a thriving specialty practice, while Dr. Janice Luk reveals how she built expertise in dry eye and beauty-related ocular conditions by stepping outside her comfort zone. Together they discuss overcoming imposter syndrome, collaborating with other industries, leveraging social media to attract patients, and building a specialty that elevates optometry beyond refractions. Whether you’re a new graduate or a seasoned clinician, their insights will help you carve your own path into specialty care.

Connect with Harbir:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! http://www.aboutmyeyes.com/podcast/

Business ownership in optometry can feel like a leap of faith—but it’s also one of the most rewarding paths a new graduate can take. In this live event, Dr. Michelle Mann and Dr. Sara Kirby share their contrasting journeys—one building a cold-start practice from the ground up, the other buying into an established clinic—and reveal the real-world lessons behind financing, staffing, equipment investment, adaptability, and finding joy in the process. Their insights demystify practice ownership, showing how passion, preparation, and the right partnerships can help you build a thriving business and a fulfilling career.

Connect with Harbir:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review & share! http://www.aboutmyeyes.com/podcast/

In the latest episode in the Scope Optimization series on The 20/20 Podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Dr. Mark Eltis who is the President of the College of Optometrists of Ontario, a Director of the ABO, and well-renowned speaker/educator in the industry.

In the episode, Dr. Mark Eltis touches on variety of topics related scope modernization including:

• Optimizing scope is in the best interest of the public
• Optometrists are already equipped with the tools to perform many advanced procedures
• His experience with completing the Advanced Procedures Program at the University of Waterloo
• Why he believes it is an exciting time to be in optometry

Watch/listen to previous episodes in the Scope Optimization Series:

https://aboutmyeyes.com/scope-expansion/

Stay tuned for more episodes in the series.

Big thanks to the CAO for giving us the space to record these episodes during the Biennial Congress in Halifax this summer.

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