We’re nearing the finish line! Only $4.7 million remains to reach our $35 million goal and bring the Waterloo Eye Institute to life in 2027. You can help us cross that finish line by choosing a giving option that’s meaningful to you:
Graduation Year Gift — Donate an amount that reflects your grad year (e.g., Class of 1995 → $1,995).
Eye Exam Challenge — Donate the cost of 12 eye exams ($125 × 12 = $1,500).
This is a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity to shape the future of optometric education and patient care. Show your support here: https://bit.ly/4uPgM6I
#UniversityOfWaterloo #UWaterloo #SchoolOfOptometryAndVisionScience #GivingDay #GiveTodayBuildTomorrow
Help shape the future of optometric education.
Next Thursday, our UWaterloo community comes together—alumni, families, students, faculty, staff, and retirees—to transform generosity into lasting impact. Join us and Give Today to Build Tomorrow.
You can donate here: bit.ly/4uPgM6I
#UniversityOfWaterloo #UWaterloo #SchoolOfOptometryAndVisionScience #GivingDay #GiveTodayBuildTomorrow
Thanks to the generosity of 122 donors, we raised an outstanding $197,000 on Giving Day 2025. This is a true testament to our competitive, committed, and community‑driven nature.
We’re also nearing a major milestone. The Waterloo Eye Institute is set to open in June 2027, and we’re in the final stretch of the Seeing Beyond 20/20 Campaign. The School of Optometry & Vision Science has now raised $30.3 million, with just $4.7 million to go before reaching our goal. It is a remarkable achievement that reflects our shared dedication to the profession and our collective spirit.
And right now, your impact can go even further. From now until May 21, all eligible gifts up to $1,000 will be matched dollar for dollar (while matching funds last), doubling your impact.
Let’s keep the momentum going! You can donate here: bit.ly/4uPgM6I
#UniversityOfWaterloo #UWaterloo #OptometryAndVisionScience #GivingDay #GiveTodayBuildTomorrow
This past weekend marked the fifth year of our prestigious Office-Based Laser and Minor Surgical Procedures Course, with our largest cohort to date.
Following over 6 weeks of virtual education, optometrists from across Canada joined us for two intensive days of interprofessional, expert-led hands-on training, refining their anterior segment laser techniques and advancing their minor procedure skills in a high-calibre academic setting. Congratulations to all our participants and thank you for spending your weekend training with us!
#UniversityOfWaterloo #SchoolOfOptometryAndVisionScience #AdvancedODTraining #ProceduralOptometry
Join us in celebrating Dr. Sophia Capo (OD ‘21) on being named the Young Optometrist of the Year by the BC Doctors of Optometry.
Her dedication to patient care, education and community service continues to make a meaningful impact across BC. She even completed her first triathlon this year, raising over $10,000 for the We See BC Foundation, a non-profit she founded to expand access to eye care for underserved populations.
Congratulations, Dr. Capo. You continue to inspire us all!
Mark your calendars: Giving Day is May 21, 2026. 🎉
From now until May 21, all eligible gifts up to $1,000 will be matched dollar for dollar by two donors (while matching funds last), tripling your impact.
Every contribution counts, thank you for supporting what’s possible.
#UniversityOfWaterloo #SchoolOfOptometryAndVisionScience #UWaterlooGivingDay #GiveTodayBuildTomorrow
The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) unites over 11,000 clinicians, researchers, and vision scientists from around the world to share discoveries and shape the future of vision research.
At their annual meeting this year, a few of our vision science graduate students presented their research:
Nijani Nagaarudkumaran
Amritha Stalin
Sharon Qiu
August Baughan
Michelle Peimann (Waterloo staff)
Asfia Soomro
Simran Pattar
Wuao Jia
William Le
Shilpa Gorla
Congratulations to all of our students on this exciting milestone. Your hard work and contributions continue to strengthen and inspire our community.
#UniversityOfWaterloo #Optometry #SchoolOfOptemetryAndVisionScience #ARVO
Humans of the Waterloo Eye Institute
Meet Dr. Ernest Lucchetti, an Assistant Clinical Professor, Teaching Stream and Co-Head, Primary Care Service. “I’m driven by the joy of teaching, mentoring, and coaching – finding my greatest reward in watching students grow in confidence and skill under my guidance.”
#Optometry #HumansOfWEI #UniversityOfWaterloo #WaterlooEyeInstitute
Today, we’re excited to officially welcome Dr. Jonathan Niavis as a new member of our faculty!
Dr. Niavis completed his OD in 2019, followed by a Pediatrics and Vision Therapy residency in 2020 at the University of Waterloo. He’s been working as a clinical instructor with us, but is now taking a role as an Assistant Clinical Professor, Teaching Stream, with a specialization in Binocular Vision and Vision Therapy.
Dr. Niavis, we’re so excited to have you join our faculty in this new capacity!
Wrapping up our Vision Science Graduate Conference we recognized one guest with the Larkworthy Memorial Lecture Award.
Following the Second World War, Dr. Donald Larkworthy attended and graduated from the College of Optometrists of Ontario in 1949. He practiced in Stratford, Ontario, where he was deeply committed to the health and vision care needs of his patients. Passionate about lifelong learning and the advancement of the optometric profession, Dr. Larkworthy made a bequest to the School of Optometry & Vision Science to establish the Larkworthy Memorial Lecture Award.
This year’s award was presented by Jane Larkworthy, Dr. Larkworthy's daughter, to Professor Kevin Duffy, who received his PhD from the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University. Dr. Duffy is currently conducting research at Dalhousie University focused on reversing the effects of visual deprivation through retinal inactivation.
At this year’s Graduate Student Research Conference, we were delighted to welcome special guests who shared their career path experiences, Caitlin Mullin, Martha Kubarakos, and Emmanuel “Manny” Alabi. They also answered students’ thoughtful questions about life after graduate school. Thank you all for your time and insights!
Our Graduate Student Research Conference celebrated award recipients whose achievements reflect a strong commitment to excellence!
Nijani Nagaarudkumaran – Daytech Manufacturing Ltd Prize, Class of 1948 Graduate Scholarship, University of Waterloo Graduate Scholarship, Presidents Graduate Scholarship, Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology
Ashita Bidarkar – Daytech Manufacturing Ltd Prize
Sharon Qiu - Desmond Fonn Contact Lens Research Award, University of Waterloo Graduate Scholarship, Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program (OGS) Doctoral Research Award, Presidents Graduate Scholarship
Yangchen Dolker – Dr. Emerson Woodruff Graduate Scholarship in Pediatrics, University of Waterloo Graduate Scholarship
Lauren Hoare - Dr. Emerson Woodruff Graduate Scholarship in Pediatrics, University of Waterloo Graduate Scholarship, Provost Doctoral Entrance Award for Women
Sadaf Ghaeni Hesaroueiyeh – H. Winston Algate Award in Graduate Studies, Outstanding Teaching Assistantship Award (Clinical Science Award)
Erica Chow – Clinical Scientist Graduate Award, University of Waterloo Graduate Scholarship, NSREC Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship – Masters, President's Graduate Scholarship
Ivy Vong – Douglas Ingleton Graduate Scholarship in Ocular Health, University of Waterloo Graduate Scholarship
Cindy Sun - Samit & Reshma Sharma Graduate Scholarship in Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo Graduate Scholarship
Sandra Thomas – Outstanding Teaching Assistantship Award (Basic Science Award)
Shilpa Gorla - University of Waterloo Graduate Scholarship
Heather Hudecki - University of Waterloo Graduate Scholarship
Amir Tabandehjooy - University of Waterloo Graduate Scholarship
Anne Marie Yeboah – NSREC Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral, President's Graduate Scholarship, Graduate Students Association’s Award for Black and Indigenous Students
Supriya Aryal - NSREC Canada Graduate Research Scholarship (CGRS M) - Masters, President's Graduate Scholarship
Thank you to everyone who and supported this event!
