“Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground,” quoted Theodore Roosevelt. Vision and sight. They are considered one of the five main senses. There are so many neat and interesting facts about this body, yet it is so easy to overlook. Here in Liberty Village, we have three optical clinics and retail stores to help us protect and maintain our eyes.

Liberty Village Eyecare

They have some of the cutest and punniest sandwich boards in Toronto. Located on the west side of the neighbourhood, find Liberty Village Eye Care at 1209 King St W. With two eye doctors on site, Dr Glen Chaisson and Dr Christina Vesco, they are both extremely equipped to help their clients in any way possible. Some of the clinic services include comprehensive eye exams, management of ocular diseases and management of LASIK and refractive surgery. Take a wander through their showroom for some of the nicest and trendiest optical and sunglass frames around!

See and Be Seen Eye Care

Located in the heart of the Liberty Market Building at 171 E Liberty St, See and Be Seen Eye Care is an optical clinic owned and operated by Dr Ritesh Patel. Their windows are always showcasing the latest and greatest eyewear and once customers step into their space, they are greeted by the friendly staff. See and Be Seen offer eye exams, treatments for dry eye through Lipiflow Thermal Pulsation and also offer laser eye surgery.

Pearle Vision

A trusted name in the optical retail world with over 400 locations, find Pearle Vision at 51 Hanna Ave. Open 7 days a week, the great team are there to help with comprehensive eye exams and are able to educate customers on eye conditions like dry eye and glaucoma. And once the best optical solution has been determined, check out their selection of designer frames or contact lenses.

Ontario Health Insurance Plan Coverage (OHIP) Coverage for Eyes

Under certain conditions, OHIP does have some eye care coverage. Here are some key points to keep in mind (taken from the official OHIP website)

• People 65 years and older and those younger than 20, are covered by OHIP for a routine eye examination provided by either an optometrist or physician once every 12 months plus any follow-up assessments that may be required.
• Specified ophthalmology services for patients of any age with specified medical conditions or diseases affecting the eyes are insured.
• Insured persons aged 20 to 64 years with specified medical conditions affecting the eye can receive an OHIP insured regular eye examination once every 12 months.

For more information or further clarification, visit one of Liberty Village’s optical clinics or visit the OHIP website.

5 Weird and Wonderful Eye Facts  

• Eye colour is determined by the amount of melanin in the eye, the inherited genes and the age of the person – sciencing.com
• If the human eye were a digital camera it would have 576 megapixels. – opto.ca
• An eye weighs 28 grams and is approximately 2.5 cm wide – londonvisionclinic.com
• The first pair of spectacles were invented back in 1268 in England by Roger
  Beacon – uwaterloo.ca
• The eye is the fastest muscle in the body – floridaretinainstitute.com

Let’s not take our eyes for granted and make sure to see an optometrist on the regular!

Meg Marshall

A city gal at heart but with a soft spot for the country. If not out shopping for the next coveted fashion piece or checking out one of Toronto's delicious eateries, Meg can be found riding her horses.

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