International Womens Day — a day set aside each year to honour women’s contributions to society, the economy, culture, and politics — serves as a reminder of the continuous fight for gender parity and the need to remove structural obstacles that keep women from realizing their full potential.
We would also like to acknowledge Dr. Amit Sahota’s nomination for 31st annual RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Award for 2023.
This year’s theme is “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality” and champions the advancement of transformative technology and digital education. As we commemorate this day, we have the chance to consider the progress we have made in achieving gender equality and to recognize the work that remains to be done in order to ensure true equality for women around the world.
In honor of this year’s International Women’s Day, we interviewed Burnaby optometrist Dr. Amit Sahota.
International Women’s Day Interview with Dr. Amit Sahota
When asked what International Women’s Day means to her, Dr. Amit Sahota said it’s about independence, the freedom to choose her path, pay equity, and basic rights for women. Like many women growing up, for Dr. Amit Sahota there were too few visible female role models to offer inspiration, guidance, and career support.
While women entering the practice of optometry are now in the majority, this is a relatively new development. Alberta’s first female optometrist, Sadie Lampard, began her practice in 1942 and continued until 1993.
Sadie Lampard served as an example of what women can achieve and her practice helped to break down gender stereotypes.
“Innovation, technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.”
UN Women
What Innovations & Technologies Does Real Eyes Optometry Use?
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is particularly impactful for Real Eyes Optometrist Dr. Amit Sahota as innovation and technology play such a large role in assisting patients.
Beyond the comprehensive eye exams, many patients are familiar with, vision-threatening conditions and symptoms are treated by specialty services — the juggernauts of the optometry world.
Women have special eye-care needs because they can be at higher risk for some eye diseases.
Prevent Blindness America and the National Eye Institute
Refractive Surgery
We often take our eyes for granted and refractive errors are one of the most common vision problems that impact more than 150 million Americans. Refractive surgery could mean no more corrective lenses — but it may not be right for everyone.
There are several types of refractive surgery procedures and like other medical treatments, your certified practitioner will complete an evaluation and take into account your health, medical history, lifestyle needs, and preferences prior to making a recommendation.
Vision Therapy
Providing individualized visual skills improvement plans is one of Dr. Amit Sahota’s passions. Like physiotherapy, vision therapy is a highly individualized program crafted to improve visual skills for patients with conditions such as binocular vision dysfunctions, eye focusing disorders (accommodation), strabismus (eye turn), amblyopia (lazy eye), and certain visual processing disorders (visual perception).
With a blend of technology and expertise, Dr. Amit Sahota’s passion for problem-solving and personalized care programs enable her to alter the course of a patient’s visual function.
Dr. Amit Sahota’s Personal Motto
“People won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.”
— Maya Angelou
Radio Frequency
Despite having been used for over 20 years, with a long-standing history within dermatology and cosmetic aesthetics, radio frequency treatments are a relatively unknown technological innovation with instant gratification and long-term benefits.
The radio frequency machine stimulates the production of collagen and elastin reformation, which tightens the skin, minimizing the appearance of facial lines and wrinkles. Radio frequency was initially used to improve skin tone but later on it was found to also improve dry eye symptoms.
With Real Eyes Optometry’s radio frequency treatments, Dr. Amit Sahota is able to treat patients that suffer from burning eyes, vision fluctuations, difficulty wearing contact lenses, overly watery eyes, irritated and itchy eyes, and a number of other dry eye symptoms. This is no small technological innovation given the number of women who experience dry eye symptoms.
3.2 million women in America suffer from itching, burning and irritation of the eyes.
International Women’s Day Interview: Gender Equality in Optometry
Unlike many other health based professionals, within optometry most treatments are gender inclusive.
Gender can predisposition you to certain conditions, such as dry eyes for women; however, the specialty services are highly gender inclusive.
Previously a male-dominated profession in Canada, 53% of the current optometrist workforce is female as of 2016.
Dr. Amit Sahota has seen this trend continue and spoke to the inclusive environment Real Eyes Optometry has created for staff members and patients of all backgrounds including but not limited to black, indigenous, and other people of color (bipoc).
Her patient-centric dedication to families and children has earned Dr. Amit Sahota a loyal following.
“I was referred to come visit Real Eyes Optometry as it was time to get my eyes checked. This is my first time here and I was welcomed by the friendly staff at the counter. Dr. Sahota conducted the eye examination and the entire process was smooth and she answered all the questions I had. I had many eye examinations from other optometrists and I would say this was one of the best, most thorough examinations I had. Dr. Sahota is highly knowledgeable, caring and patient. I highly recommend anyone to visit here for your next eye examination.”
“My family and I see Dr. Sahota, and are extremely pleased with their services. The optometrists are so patient and caring, and all the staff are very helpful. We also saw Dr. Pati for an emergency, and he spent the time answering my daughters questions. We are so appreciative of his experience as he helped clear her problem and took the time to ensure she was comfortable. Top marks for this clinic!”
Real Eyes Optometry is currently accepting new families and patients of all ages, including kids!