Why Eye Recommend?
Building the future of independent optometry, together.
You built your practice on your own terms. You chose independence because you believe in the freedom to lead, to decide, and to serve your patients your way. That choice matters, and it’s worth building on.
But running an independent clinic in today's evolving eye care environment isn't getting easier. With supplier negotiations, staff training, billing complexity, and technology investment; the business side of optometry keeps growing. And it can pull your focus away from the work that brought you here in the first place: curating and delivering the best eye care.
That's exactly the gap Eye Recommend was built to close.
Independence and support aren't opposites
There's a belief in our industry that you must choose: stay independent and figure things out on your own, or give up some control to access the resources and scale you need to stay competitive. Over the past 40 years, Eye Recommend has been structured to prove that idea wrong.
As a member-owned cooperative, Eye Recommend gives independent optometrists access to the tools, purchasing power, coaching, and community without asking you to give up an ounce of ownership or autonomy. You run your clinic. Eye Recommend helps you run it better.
Eye Recommend’s network spans hundreds of independent practices coast to coast. That collective scale is what unlocks exclusive supplier programs, group buying advantages, and resources that no single clinic could access alone.
But scale without support is just a number. What makes Eye Recommend different is the depth of the community behind it.
Strategy that shows up in your clinic every day
Building a cooperative is about more than developing new programs or negotiating supplier contracts. It’s about making sure every initiative translates into something you can feel in your practice.
“My role is really about turning strategy into execution. It’s about building programs that genuinely serve our members, implementing those solutions in practices, and bringing the community together so we can all elevate and grow,” stated Teresa Sebastian, Chief Operations Officer, Eye Recommend.
“That's why we've spent the past year rebuilding our digital foundation: streamlining how you access resources, improving how we communicate with you, and creating a more connected experience across coaching, education, billing, and member tools. Less friction. More customization. A platform built for how independent clinics operate,” said Lee Raffey, Chief Executive Officer, Eye Recommend.
That execution mindset shapes everything Eye Recommend does. It starts with our business coaching: a tailored, one-on-one process where business coaches work alongside clinic owners to uncover opportunities specific to their practice and curate a plan built around their goals. From there, learning and development trainers bring those plans to life with hands-on, customized training for the entire team. And it doesn’t stop at implementation: coaches and trainers follow up consistently, checking in to measure progress, refine the approach, and make sure the gains stick.
Community is the competitive advantage
The most powerful part of this work isn’t the programs or the purchasing power — it’s the people. Staying genuinely close to members, hearing what’s working and what isn’t, and letting those conversations shape what comes next is what keeps Eye Recommend moving in the right direction.
“What gets me most excited every day is hearing directly from our members the value they’re finding, the ideas they’re bringing forward, the opportunities they want us to help them act on. That’s what drives everything we do,” said Sebastian.
“Having that direct feedback loop is what keeps Eye Recommend moving in the right direction. When a member identifies an opportunity for growth, it shapes the programs we build. We learn from each other constantly,” explained Raffey.
This year, Eye Recommend is making space for more of those stories. Through its monthly Focal Point series, practices, suppliers, and team members across Canada share what independent optometry looks like day to day — the wins, the pivots, and the moments that make this community worth showing up for.
What membership looks like
When you join Eye Recommend, you gain more than a buying group. You gain a team that's invested in your success; one that works alongside you with tailored, curated solutions designed around where your practice is today and where you want to go.
“We’re not here to tell practices how to run their clinic. We’re here to make sure they don’t just survive; they thrive,” said Teresa Sebastian.
- Dedicated business coaches start by getting to know your practice deeply, uncovering the opportunities specific to your clinic and building a tailored, curated plan to help you act on them with confidence.
- Learning and development trainers translate that plan into hands-on, customized training for your entire team. Helping to strengthen clinical skills, service delivery, and the leadership capabilities that elevate patient experience and build long-term patient loyalty.
- Centralized billing and integrated business tools reduce the administrative load, so you can spend more time with your patients.
- Continued follow-up from coaches and trainers who check in regularly, track your progress, and adapt the approach as your practice evolves, so momentum doesn’t stall after the first session.
And behind all of it, a national network of over 1,700 like-minded professionals who share what’s working, celebrate each other’s wins, and show up for one another.
For Sebastian, what truly sets the cooperative apart is community and the ability to meet each practice where they are.
The future of independent optometry is yours to shape
Independent optometry is changing. Technology is transforming patient care. Consolidation is reshaping the competitive landscape.
The pressures on clinic owners are real, and they're not going away.
“Every independent optometrist who chooses to invest in their practice, their team, and their patients is making a statement about what eye care should look like in Canada. We’re here to use the resources of our group to make it happen,” said Raffey.
Eye Recommend exists to ensure that independent optometrists lead this change. With the right resources, a strong community, and a cooperative that grows alongside you, the future of independent optometry is bright.
You've built something worth celebrating. Let's build on it together.
Ready to learn more about Eye Recommend membership?