Dr. Glen Chiasson is a 1995 graduate of the University of Waterloo School of Optometry. He owns and manages two practices in Toronto.

In 2009, he co-hosted a podcast produced for colleagues in eye care, the “International Optometry Podcast”. He is a moderator of the Canadian Optometry Group, an email forum for Canadian optometrists. He is the host of “Eyes Wide Open”, a new podcast aimed at presenting new technologies and services for optometrists.

Dr. Chiasson enjoys tennis, hockey, and reading. He lives in Toronto with his wife and two sons.

Glen Chiasson

Why did you choose your field?

I needed glasses when I was in grade school and I thought my optometrist was a pretty cool guy with a pretty fun job. After 20+ years, helping people see and feel better still feels good.

Where do you see your practice / eye care in ten years?

• More medical optometry with more and more of the ‘routine eye care’ (aka ‘vision tests’ / refractions) being done online, on your smartphone, etc.

What changes to eye care do you see coming down the pipe?

• I think we will see a lot more artificial intelligence in medicine, with both good and bad outcomes. I think there will also be more personalized medicine (individualized medications based on your genetics, 3D-printed frames customized to your face and head, etc)

What is currently the most exciting thing in your field to help patients?

• I continue to be fascinated and impressed with all the instruments we can use to see inside a patient’s eye. I imagine they will only continue to get better and better.

What is something you plan on implementing in your practice this year?

• More aggressive screening for, and managing, dry eye and meibomian gland dysfunction.

What is something you have done in your practice to set you apart?

• As a practitioner, you need to be yourself. We like to have a fun, relaxed atmosphere in the office and I think patients like this too.

What metrics do you track in order to gauge your success?

• Monthly gross, monthly net, and production per doctor day at work. Family time and “time to just relax and do nothing” at home.

What business books would you recommend other ECPs read?

• The E-Myth Optometrist (part of the E-myth series). Anything by Jeffrey Gitomer for sales insight.

What advice would you give a new grad today?

• If you can, develop a specialty. Especially in a big city, you need to stand out from the crowd.

How do you hire new staff? What is the process and who does the hiring in your office?

• We post ‘want ads’ in the usual places or we get referrals from current staff. My office manager does most of the screening process. The staff typically have more interaction among themselves than with me so I want the current team to feel comfortable with the new hire.

General Interest / Personal Questions

If you could take one album, one book, and one luxury item to a desert island, what would they be?

• REM, “Life’s Rich Pageant”, “1984” by George Orwell, and a genie to provide unlimited wishes.

What is your favorite TV show / Netflix series?

• Currently, I am waiting for the next season of “Peaky Blinders” and “Ozark” on Netflix.
• All time TV Show = the first 10 seasons of “The Simpsons”.

What’s your Favorite food?

• Hard to beat a steak dinner.

Favorite past-time/hobby?

• Cooking. I find it very relaxing, and then there’s food at the end!

What’s your favorite 80’s jam? (or decade you graduated high school in)

• In high school, I was into bands like REM and The Smiths, which aren’t really known for their “jams”. That being said, and assuming “jam” refers to something danceable, I remember “Let Your Backbone Slide” by Maestro Fresh Wes being really popular when I started university. “U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer was also a big hit around then too.

What would you do if you won 10 million dollars? What would you do with your practice?

• I would book a trip around the world. I would likely still practice part-time but I would hire a manager to deal with all the day-to-day management.

Describe your perfect day.

• Make a coffee and drink it in the backyard. Make a big breakfast for my family. Play some tennis. Come home and jump in the pool to cool off and then chill out poolside. Quick nap in a hammock in the mid-afternoon then some more swimming. BBQ dinner with some wine. Read for a bit or watch a little TV then off to bed.