Our Practice
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Practice HistoryThe origins of our practice began with the "Wallace" building on Granville St., at the foot of Blower's St. Ron Wallace and his father before him, practiced Optometry in this building for many years. Ron was elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly for the Province of Nova Scotia, and later served many years as Mayor of the City of Halifax.In 1981, Dr. Dobbelsteyn and Dr. Gray took over the Wallace practice at 1555 Granville Street sharing patient responsibilities, and subsequent practice growth in 1983 required expansion and a move to 1577 Granville Street. A second examination room, a larger dispensary, and improved administration and staff areas were welcome changes! Our staff also continued to grow, and this growth necessitated a search for a third associate, and Dr. Carl Davis joined as a welcome addition to the practice in 1985. In 1988, owing to changes in the Granville Street area, and the need for additional patient care, parking and administrative space, the practice was relocated to our present space at 1591 Brunswick Street. The practice became officially known as Drs. Dobbelsteyn, Davis, and Gray, Optometrists. With this move came the benefit of four examination rooms and larger reception areas. Our multi-user computer system was implemented in 1992. This was a period of great progress, as we improved the convenience, safety and expediency afforded by computerized record keeping. In 1993, Dr. Grant Wood joined the practice for a two-year period, eventually deciding that the west coast captured his interest, and he relocated to Gibson, BC. During that time, diagnostic equipment was updated, and we entered a new age which introduced debit cards, e-mail, advanced phone systems, website development, computerized TV patient education formats, and Optometric Communication chat groups. These advances in technology streamlined many rtasks for our doctors and staff, and allowed us to better serve our patients. Dr. Jeff Sangster joined the practice in September 1998, having graduated from the University of Waterloo. Jeff is also an alumnus of Saint Mary's University, and was very pleased to have the opportunity to work back in his hometown. 2002 heralded the installation of state-of-the-art digital imaging equipment for capturing retinal photographs with the ability for review in each examination room. This technology is vital for timely investigation of glaucoma patients, those with diabetes, and any patient with anomalies in the external or internal parts of the eye which require the monitoring of change. In 2003, we added two examination rooms dedicated to contact lens therapy and urgent care needs. This increased our response time for patients with sudden onset red eye issues, pain, or sudden vision change/loss. Additionally, we added some "comfort" space for staff members, a meeting room, and a wheelchair accessible washroom. At this time, the practice adopted the name of Halifax Optometry Clinic Inc. New instrumentation continued to find its way into the practice, and the GDx nerve fibre layer analyser proved to be a welcome tool for the early detection of glaucoma. In 2005, Dr. Tim Maillet joined our practice. Dr. Maillet's extensive educational background and research were a welcome addition to the team. He has subsequently elected to pursue his interest in pre and post-op laser surgical care in Halifax. 2006 saw the addition of the Optomap retinal scan by Optos in our practice. This exciting technology is now utilized and recommended for every patient in our practice allowing unprecedented retinal views which aid in the detection of eye diseases. Dr.Leah Gallie joined our group in September of 2007 to bring our team of doctors to five. Our relationship with Dr. Gallie began in the summer of 2004 when she joined us for a summer as a young intern. A graduate of the University of Waterloo, Leah completed some of her studies in Texas, adding depth and experience to her skills. She is thrilled to be back in the Maritimes. In 2008, we changed our practice name! Insight Optometry Group branding initiative was conceived to better represent our clinic philosophy and direction. Our eyeglass dispensary also benefited from makeover, with new styles, and its own identity as the Eyeware Studio by Insight. We look forward to the opportunities ahead, and move forward with our the best interests of patients in mind. |