2 8 O P T I C A L P R I S M | M A R C H 2 0 2 6
F E AT U R E
Meet the women pushing Canada’s eye care profession
forward with power and poise.
BY DAVID GOLDBERG
Women now represent 63% of Canadian optometrists,
a complete reversal of a historically male profession,
according to a 2025 report by the Canadian Association of Optometrists. Among
the youngest cohorts in the profession, women outnumber men by an even wider
margin. But the real shift isn’t just in numbers; it’s in approach. Across eye care, a
new generation, led by women, is transforming the industry into something more
innovative, more sustainable, and in many ways, more human.
Optical Prism spoke with four women representing the breadth of Canadian eye
care, each at the forefront of her field and reshaping the profession through expertise,
empathy and leadership. Admired by their peers, they define success by the lives
they improve.
fter sustaining a concussion just two months after she started practicing
optometry, Dr. Rae Teixeira navigated a frustrating recovery. It opened
her eyes to how optometrists can do much more for patients with visual-related
symptoms after a head injury. Inspired by her own struggles as a patient,
Teixeira now specializes in neuro-visual optometry.
OP: How did your concussion and the symptoms it triggered shape your
approach to care and your understanding of leadership in optometry?
RT: After dedicating four years and significant financial investment to
my education, I had injured my most valuable resource: my brain. Initially,
I slept more than 18 hours a day, lost significant weight, struggled with
impaired short-term memory and experienced visual symptoms that made
working extremely difficult.
I was fortunate to be working in a neuro-optometry practice at the time, which
allowed me to begin treatment immediately. The process was long, non-linear
and humbling. Living through a concussion taught me the nuances of recovery,
how difficult it is for patients to articulate their symptoms, and the emotional
toll of living with an invisible injury.
Most importantly, it shaped how I con-
nect with patients — I understand much
of what they’re going through because
I’ve been through it myself.
OP: How do you help patients and
their families understand the connec-
tion between concussions and vision
problems?
RT: I emphasize the difference between
clarity and comfort of vision. Many
patients are told their vision is “fine”
because they can see 20/20, but our
work goes far beyond clarity. My vision
was 20/20 throughout my concussion
recovery, but I could not process or
organize my vision productively. In a
neuro-visual assessment, we go beyond
20/20, to assess how functional and
comfortable the visual system is —
looking at symptoms like headaches
with visual tasks, eye movement dys-
function, double vision, light sensitivity,
and visual processing difficulties.
Connection is equally important. Many
of these patients have already seen
multiple providers and invested signifi-
cant time, money, and energy into trying
to get better. By the time they reach
my chair, they’re often exhausted and
discouraged. Taking time to listen and
validate their experience is critical.
DR. RAE TEIXEIRA, OD
Neuro-Optometrist, Vision Care Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Leading
Ladies
For neuro-visual care to
become more standard,
not every optometrist needs
to specialize in it. What’s
essential is foundational
awareness.
OP: Neuro-visual care is still considered
“niche” by many. What will it take for
this to become standard practice in
optometry?
RT: For neuro-visual care to become
more standard, not every optometrist
needs to specialize in it. What’s essen-
tial is foundational awareness: knowing
what signs and symptoms to look for
after a concussion or TBI, understanding
basic screening tools, and being familiar
with referral pathways to providers who
can help.