Optometrist Sheriden Goodmanson couldn't be happier to be practicing back home in Victoria, at the Admirals Walk Optometry Clinic.Passionate about her community and patient health, both drive the clinic's ethos as a premier destination for comprehensive eye care.
"I’ve always wanted to return home," says Dr. Goodmanson, a Victoria native. "Admirals Walk seemed very open and inclusive, qualities I deeply value."
Originally founded by Dr. Rachel Rushforth and now owned by Dr. Darcy Dennis, the clinic has built a reputation for being welcoming and inclusive.
It offers a full spectrum of eye care services – beyond providing vision assessments, glasses and contact lenses, comprehensive eye exams can also detect health issues like diabetes, high cholesterol or stroke.
Advanced technologies like scans of the eye's 10 layers and visual field assessment are part of their regular service.
A unique aspect of Admirals Walk is its dog-friendly policy, just one example of its patient-focused philosophy, catering to patients from the local military and Indigenous communities and others.
“Our clinic is not just medically oriented but also deeply patient-oriented, making everyone feel at home, regardless of race, gender, or sexuality,” Dr. Goodmanson says.
Dr. Goodmanson's journey in optometry is marked by diverse experiences, from her undergraduate days at the University of Victoria to her optometry training at the University of Waterloo. Her clinical rotations included working in remote areas like Smithers, B.C., and in busy urban centres like Calgary, offering a broad perspective on patient care across different settings.
“In Smithers, the closeness to the community oriented how the clinic was managed. We saw a variety of eye diseases and took time to really care for our patients,” she says, noting her experiences have instilled a commitment to patient care.
Dr. Goodmanson has also dedicated significant time to working with the special needs community. She has volunteered as a coach for the Special Olympics, provided eye exams at the Calgary 2024 Special Olympic Canada Winter Games, and worked with youths with special needs in Victoria. She expresses a strong desire to reconnect with this community as a health professional in her hometown.
The importance of eye care cannot be overstated. “You only have two eyes, and they're used every single day. Not only are they essential for basic daily tasks and social interactions, but they can also reveal a lot about your overall health.”
Dr. Goodmanson emphasizes that the eyes are unique in that they can show visible signs of high blood pressure, diabetes, strokes, and cancers through routine examinations.
As she settles back into her hometown, Dr. Goodmanson is particularly excited about serving people from the naval base, drawing a personal connection to her grandfather's past work there. “It feels like coming full circle, being able to care for the community that my family has been a part of,” she says.
For more information, visit admiralsvision.ca. Make sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram for any updates!