See & Be Seen Eyecare Downtown

Some people grow up wanting to be a famous athlete, an astronaut, or even the Prime Minister of Canada. Dr. Patel’s childhood ambition was to be an Optometrist. His dream leads him to live and practice all over the world, but his heart has always been in Toronto.

Dr. Patel was born in Toronto and grew up in the Markham area. After completing his Bachelor of Science in 2003 from the University of Waterloo, he went on to study at the prestigious New England College of Optometry in Boston, MA.

Having earned his Doctorate in 2007, Dr. Patel moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he practiced for three years in a variety of settings: surgical, and private practice. He was also part of the medical team that performed examinations on the Cincinnati Bengals NFL team.

Dr. Patel moved back to Toronto in 2010 and became the Lead Optometrist of The Herzig Eye Institute. As director of the Dry Eye Clinic, he was the first practitioner in North America to use the Lipiflow Thermal Pulsation device. His dream of owning his own practice led him to open See & Be Seen Eyecare in 2013.

Dr. Patel works hard to stay at the cutting-edge of eye health. He regularly attends continuing education seminars and, as a leader in the optometric industry, has consulted for companies such as Allergan, Shire Pharmaceuticals, Bausch & Lomb, and Tear Science. He is also a regular lecturer for the Ontario Pharmacy Association as well as the Ontario Medical Association. Dr. Patel has been voted Top 3 Optometrists in Toronto in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Dr. Patel’s passion for giving back has led him to participate in volunteer missions with Optometry Giving Sight in India and VOSH in Nicaragua. He was on the board of directors for the Ontario Association for Optometrists (OAO) and served as the association’s communication chair. Dr. Patel lives in Liberty Village, Toronto with his wife and two young children. In his spare time, he enjoys listening to old-school hip-hop, exploring the city on his bike, traveling and cheering on his beloved Toronto Raptors.

Dr. Leung was born and raised in North York, ON and always had a passion for optometry since middle school. She graduated with both her Honours Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Optometry on the Dean’s Honours List in 2019 from the University of Waterloo. Dr. Leung was also the Class President and Valedictorian for the Class of 2019. She was awarded the FYidoctors Academic Leadership Award and the Dr. Margaret Hansen Des Groseilliers Award presented by the Canadian Optometric Education Trust Fund, one of the most prestigious awards granted to a student with exceptional leadership skills.

Dr. Leung has had the privilege of receiving extensive training in advanced dry eye disease management and treatment in Brampton, ON. She also gained valuable experience in the management of diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration as well as management strategies for myopia control. She also had the opportunity to work for LASIK MD in providing pre and post-operative care for LASIK and PRK surgeries. She has a keen interest in dry eye disease, specialty contact lenses, myopia control, and ocular disease. Dr. Leung is an active member of the Canadian Association of Optometrist and the Ontario Association of Optometrist.

She prides herself on staying up to date with the latest research and technology related to eye health while providing thorough patient education and care. In her spare time, Dr. Leung loves to spend time with family and friends, traveling around the world, and weight training at the gym. She is excited to practice full-scope optometry and to be a part of the Liberty Village community!

Dr. Michael Woods graduated with honours from the University of Waterloo’s Optometry program in 2013. He completed both his Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours) and his Masters of Clinical Anatomy degrees at the University of Western Ontario. His externship in Washington, D.C., allowed him to work in conjunction with an Ophthalmologist concentrating on treating cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes, and the anterior surface of the eye. He has also worked for the Center for Contact Lens Research (CCLR) in Waterloo, giving him extensive experience with contact lenses. For the last 3 years, he worked in North York, performing comprehensive eye exams for all ages. His special interests include dry eye and contact lenses.

While not in the office, Dr. Woods enjoys going to the gym, running, swimming, and travelling. He has travelled to Ecuador previously for a medically based eyecare mission.