In this episode of The 20/20 Podcast, Dr. Harbir Sian sits down with internationally respected myopia management expert Dr. Patrick Simard for a wide-ranging, thought-provoking conversation recorded live at the OSI National Summit in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Dr. Simard—author, clinician, researcher, educator, and practice owner—shares his journey from associate to partner, and from primary care optometry to full-time specialty practice. With a rare blend of clinical depth and business insight, he offers practical guidance on ownership, long-term succession planning, and how independent optometrists can grow without selling out.

The discussion then dives deep into myopia management, from entry-level strategies to cutting-edge developments. Dr. Simard explains why there is no safe level of myopia, why early and even pre-myopia intervention matters, and what’s coming next in orthokeratology, optics, and pharmaceutical treatments.

This episode is packed with actionable advice, mindset shifts, and future-focused insights for optometrists interested in specialty care, business growth, and preserving independence.

🧠 5 Important Learning Points

1. There Is No “Safe” Myopia
2. Dr. Simard emphasizes that even low levels of myopia in young children carry long-term risk, reframing myopia as a disease that requires earlier and more proactive intervention.
3. You Don’t Need to Master Everything to Start Myopia Management
4. Optometrists can begin with one modality they’re comfortable with and build their toolbox over time—waiting for perfection only delays patient care.
5. Entrepreneurial Mindset Matters in Practice Ownership
6. Ambition, initiative, and a willingness to engage beyond the exam room are key traits that turn associates into future partners and help clinics grow sustainably.
7. Pre-Myopia Is the Next Frontier
8. Emerging evidence supports intervening even before myopia develops, using tools like atropine or optical strategies to delay onset and reduce progression risk.
9. Independence Is a Long-Term Strategy, Not an Accident
10. Dr. Simard highlights how thoughtful partnership structures, early succession planning, and collaboration can keep practices independent and thriving for decades.

💬 5 Key Quotes

“There is no safe level of myopia. A nine-year-old at minus one is not normal.”

“You don’t need to master the entire toolbox—just start with the one you feel comfortable with.”

“Giving up a piece of the pie doesn’t mean making less money. A bigger pie benefits everyone.”

“Specialists don’t compete—they collaborate.”

“If you hesitate to start myopia management, now is the right time to jump in.”

👤 About the Guest

Dr. Patrick Simard is a graduate of the Université de Montréal, where he also earned a Master’s degree in Vision Science and later an MBA from HEC Montréal. He is a Fellow of multiple international academies, a Diplomate of the AAO (CCLRT), a clinical instructor and lecturer since 2002, and a co-owner of Clinique d’Optométrie Bélanger. His clinical and research interests include myopia control, orthokeratology, scleral lenses, and aberrometry. He is also a co-holder of a patent for a contact lens design aimed at controlling myopia and axial elongation.

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In this episode, Dr. Harbir Sian sits down with Nancy Dewald — renowned leadership consultant, owner of Lead Up Training & Consulting, consultant with Kleinman Performance Partners, and named one of Vision Monday’s Most Influential Women in Optometry.

Nancy brings her extensive experience in staff development, leadership, and organizational culture to break down two major topics every clinic owner should understand:

1. The Working Genius framework — a simple, powerful way to understand team strengths and improve implementation.
2. Blending generations in the workplace — strategies to reduce conflict, build empathy, and support a stronger, more connected team.

⭐ Key Topics Discussed

1. The Working Genius Model

• Why burnout is often not “too much work” but the wrong type of work.
• The six Working Geniuses — Wonder, Invention, Discernment, Galvanizing, Enablement, Tenacity — and how every task or project requires all six.
• How identifying your team’s geniuses prevents false starts, failed initiatives, and implementation bottlenecks.
• Using team maps to see missing strengths and make better hiring decisions.
• Real-world insights on how certain genius combinations drive momentum, while others can unintentionally stall progress.

2. Avoiding Burnout Through Alignment

• Ensuring team members are doing work that aligns with their strengths.
• Why tasks in your “frustration zone” drain your energy and how to rebalance your workload.
• When to delegate, outsource, or strategically schedule difficult tasks.

3. Leadership Essentials

• Why clear expectations are the most commonly missed leadership skill.
• How leaders can build more effective teams by understanding roles, gaps, and what each person needs to succeed.
• Lessons from Patrick Lencioni’s Five Behaviors of a Team: trust, healthy conflict, commitment, accountability, results.

4. Blending Generations in the Workplace

• Why “we are more alike than we are different” — and how focusing on differences harms teams.
• Understanding values and experiences that shape Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z.
• The importance of empathy, curiosity, and individualized support.
• Practical adjustments clinics can make to support different generations (communication styles, flexibility, additional benefits, etc.).

💬 Key Quotes from the Episode

• “Burnout really isn’t about doing too much work — it’s about doing the wrong type of work.” — Nancy
• “When we’re working in our geniuses, we’re more effective, the team is more productive, and we can get things done.” — Nancy
• “If things are going well, do we really need Wonder?”
• “Yes — while Walmart was trying to get more people into their parking lot, Amazon was bringing things to their door.”* — Nancy
• “Just because you're the leader doesn’t mean you have to have all the answers.” — Nancy
• “We tend to focus on the 1% that makes us different instead of the 99% that makes us the same.” — Nancy
• “At the end of the day, we’re human. We’re wired for connection. We all want to be seen.” — Nancy
• “When you hired them, they showed up and were a great employee. If something has changed, it’s not always them.” — Nancy

🎧 Why This Episode Matters

If you’re a clinic owner, manager, or anyone trying to lead a high-performing optometry team, this episode offers:

• A structured roadmap to implement ideas more successfully
• Tools to reduce burnout across your clinic
• A deeper understanding of how different generations think and work
• Strategies to build culture, improve communication, and get results

Whether you're looking to strengthen your leadership skills or foster a more unified team, Nancy’s insights offer clear, actionable takeaways you can implement immediately.

Connect with Nancy:

https://www.leaduptrainingandconsulting.ca/about-me

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-dewald-69267112/

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.

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

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/