Our Doctors
Amanda Erickson, OD
Optometrist
Optometrist, Amanda Erickson, gave up the ocean and the west coast to relocate to Calgary to be part of Gimbel Eye Centre.
She initially heard about Gimbel Eye Centre's excellent reputation during optometry training at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, and after a few years in private practice in Courtenay, B.C., a friend encouraged her to apply for a position with Gimbel. With her partner Keith, who is a native Calgarian, she moved to Calgary to experience city culture and all the outdoor activities that Calgary and the surrounding area has to offer.
Dr. Erickson was studying biological sciences at University of Victoria and working as a field biologist when her own optometrist began to "open her eyes" to the possibilities of a profession in optometry. Although field biology was a very isolating occupation — unlike optometry — both were based in the biological sciences.
"I was attracted to optometry because it seemed like such a challenging and evolving field," she says, "and the profession presented many new opportunities. Today it gives me great satisfaction to provide the most accurate information to my patients to help them make informed choices about their eyes."
Dr. Erickson's first experience caring for refractive patients was during her schooling where she was an intern at Omni Eye Specialist in Denver, Colorado. There she became familiar with following refractive and cataract patients in a combined ophthalmology/optometry practice.
One highlight of her optometry career was a stint in 1997 in Jamaica through the Federation of International Self Help. With minimal equipment, she helped develop methods to perform eye exams in that country. "They were such lovely people and in such need," Dr. Erickson notes. "Due to the intensity of the sun in that region, there was a lot of untreated eye disease."
In addition to Gimbel Eye Centre's fine reputation, Dr. Erickson was also attracted to the focus that Gimbel places on preventative eye care. "The practice I worked at in B.C. had educational handouts from Gimbel that were available for sharing with patients," she notes, "and I was impressed with the quality of the information they had prepared.
"At Gimbel Eye Centre, I like the idea of working collaboratively with ophthalmologists in the overall health and destiny of our patients."
Despite Calgary's lack of ocean view, Dr. Erickson is exploring cultural opportunities offered by the big city and is considering taking art classes and she looks forward to canoeing, skiing and hiking in the wilderness areas surrounding Calgary.
