All About See & Be Seen Eyecare in Liberty Village & Midtown

Some people grow up wanting to be famous athletes, astronauts, 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 at 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, including surgical and private practice. He was also part of the medical team that performed exams 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. As a leader in the optometric industry, he regularly attends continuing education seminars and 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 Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (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, travelling, and cheering on his beloved Toronto Raptors.

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 at the University of Western Ontario.

His externship in Washington, DC, 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 Centre for Contact Lens Research (CCLR) in Waterloo, giving him extensive experience with contact lenses. Recently, 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 eye care mission.

Dr. Wynn Nguyen graduated with honours from the University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science in 2020. She completed her Bachelor of Medical Sciences with distinction at the University of Western Ontario. She was awarded the prestigious Canadian Association Award of Merit for her professionalism and effective leadership in student organizations. She served as the president of the Canadian Association of Optometry Students (CAOS) and sat as student councillor on the Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO). She continues to be an active advocate of eyecare.

She has weathered all climates during her externships from Miami, Florida to Winnipeg Manitoba. She trained with optometrists and ophthalmologists at the Eye Care Centre of South Florida in complex ocular diseases, oculoplastics, and specialty contact lenses. She trained with optometrists at Waverley Eye Care with special focuses on vision therapy and low vision. She values global vision health, which led her to provide eye care in Ecuador with the Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity.

Prior to optometry school, she worked as a beauty consultant for Estee Lauder. Given her background, she has a special interest in ocular aesthetics and vision therapy.

When not looking at eyes, she enjoys trying novel desserts and gambling with interesting recipes.