Written by: Shreya Jain I had the pleasure of virtually meeting Dr. Joe Hoja, an optometrist and owner of Peterborough Optometric. Dr. Hoja was passionate about sharing his experience and vast knowledge of managing clinical and business aspects of a practice. He proudly recognized that a combination of innovative technologies, optometric techniques, and a large team have contributed to the success of his practice. Peterborough has the largest population of older adults in Canada. Dr. Hoja detailed how he caters his optometric services to this niche population, which has been instrumental to the growth of his practice. For example, Peterborough Optometric provides specialized eye care services for managing dry eye, myopia, and macular degeneration, all of which increase in prevalence with age. Dr. Hoja emphasized the importance of introducing new technologies into one’s practice. In particular, Dr. Hoja and his team have been the first providers in Canada equipped with the AdaptDx Dark Adaptometer, a fascinating technology that helps with the early detection of age-related macular degeneration. When asked how he first became aware of the test, Dr. Hoja expressed his enthusiasm for continuing education by regularly engaging with health professionals globally to share new research, learn about successful treatments, and identify effective optometric and business strategies. He acknowledged that the availability of advanced technologies in his clinic has been pivotal in supporting the cost of eye exams, thus overcoming financial constraints associated with government funding. Lastly, Dr. Hoja highlighted the uniqueness of his practice, which is optimally efficient. As a large clinic with innumerable staff, scribes are available for record-keeping, while optometric technicians are responsible for the refractive procedures. This streamlined process allows Dr. Hoja to focus on his patients’ ocular health, where he can see about 13 patients per day! Thank you to CAOS and Dr. Joe Hoja for this mentorship opportunity!
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