Elizabeth Williamson
READING TIME: 2 MINUTES
The University of New Brunswick and the University of Waterloo in Ontario have recently signed a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between the two institutions "with the intention of establishing a school of optometry in Saint John to serve Atlantic Canada." This partnership was brought on by leadership from the New Brunswick Association of Optometrists. In response to the increasing demands for eye and vision care, the Association was keen to seek opportunities for students in Atlantic Canada to pursue optometry. If this partnership appears to simply be an opportunity to garner attention, think again. Currently, there are only two schools for optometry in all of Canada, the University of Waterloo and the Université de Montréal. Because of this, those wishing to study optometry are usually left with one option; studying abroad. Homesickness, the challenges of living abroad, and an increased cost of education become barriers to entry in the field of Canadian optometry. Even if it’s Canadian students learning optometry, they might not return to become Canadian optometrists. According to Heather Campbell, the director of UNB's Integrated Health Initiative, students are more likely to stay in their home communities if they can study close to them. "By collaborating with a leader like the University of Waterloo, we're able to expand opportunities in health education and make a real difference for Atlantic Canadians," says Director Campbell.

UNB/Website
The partnership between the universities is in its infant stages. Currently no decisions have been made about how the curriculum will work and where clinical education and training will take place. Things like deciding the number of available seats and determining logistics will also take time. Both institutions are committed to bringing optometry students to their full potential.
The ultimate goal of this partnership will be to increase the flow of optometrists in Canada, recruited primarily from the Atlantic provinces. As mentioned above, students studying abroad are a factor in the shortage of Atlantic Canada optometrists. By rectifying this, the goal of meeting the need of rural or under-served communities can become a reality. The official press release of this partnership emphasized this fact. "Ocular and systemic diseases – such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, hypertension and diabetes – are prevalent in rural and Indigenous communities, with more patients suffering preventable vision loss than in urban Canada." In turn, this partnership aligns with UNB’s Integrated Health Initiative (IHI), which aims to provide effective, sustainable health care to Canada
This feeling is mutual between the two universities. Dr. Stanley Woo, the Director of University of Waterloo, says "Every decade since the 1980s, an institution of higher education has attempted to create a school of optometry in Canada ... What is different this decade is that we propose to partner with accredited institutions ... to have more opportunities for the many talented Canadians seeking to address the eye care needs of the public as optometrists." Consider for a moment how many people you know use glasses. Then consider the two schools of optometry in Canada. This partnership at the moment seems insignificant, but perhaps in time, it will transform into something that will benefit Canada as a whole.