About Us
Family owned and operated, Gimbel Eye Centre offers patients the full range of options for vision correction surgery available today. Even though Gimbel Eye Centre has performed over 200,000 surgeries, we will only recommend a procedure if we are confident that you’ll get the results you’re looking for. Our mission at Gimbel Eye Centre is to support the whole health of the individual by providing preventive, curative, and restorative health services from an ophthalmology perspective in a patient- and employee-friendly environment. With the combination of extensively trained and experienced eye care professionals, advanced diagnostic and treatment techniques, and a comprehensive, compassionate approach, we aim to provide the absolute best in care.
Below, you will find an overview of our practice along with links to pages with additional information. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Gimbel Eye Centre.
- About Our Founders
- Fast Facts
- Reputation for Care
- Creed of Service
- Eye Care Services
- Blog
- Career Opportunities
About Our Founders
Howard V. Gimbel MD, MPH, FRCSC
Dr. Howard Gimbel spent more than 50 years helping patients improve their eyesight and reduce serious risks to their vision. He is a pioneer in ophthalmology and developed new techniques in cataract surgery that have helped improve safety and results in patients across the globe. Dr. Gimbel's extraordinary achievements, technical excellence, and commitment to patient care led to his investiture in the Alberta Order of Excellence in 1992. In 2018, Dr. Gimbel was one of only six Calgarians to be appointed to the Order of Canada, which is one of the highest civilian honours bestowed by our nation.
An experienced refractive and cataract surgeon known for his dedication to advanced technologies in both laser refractive and cataract surgery, Dr. Gimbel co-authored two textbooks and a variety of book chapters on his surgical experience. The Gimbel Eye Center, headed by Dr. Gimbel, was the first freestanding ophthalmic surgery centre in Canada.
Judith Gimbel
"Were it not for Judy,” says Dr. Howard Gimbel, “there would not have been a Gimbel Eye Centre.” For more than two decades, this remarkable woman has juggled the roles of wife, mother, grandmother, church worker, and senior executive"
As Chief Executive Officer of I Care Services Ltd., (the management company which operates Gimbel Eye Centre and provides management support to Howard Gimbel Professional Corporation), and as President of Gimbel Eye Foundation, Judy has made a major contribution to eye care internationally.
When Gimbel Eye Centre faced a period of explosive growth in the early 1980s, Dr. Gimbel knew he needed an administrator who shared his commitment to “doing what’s best for the patient” and who had the ability to manage many complex administrative duties. In Judy, he was fortunate to find just such an individual who shared his vision and goals and could manage the rapidly expanding clinic while simultaneously developing the Gimbel Eye Surgical Centre in 1984, which was the first outpatient surgical centre in Canada.
The need for highly skilled technicians to support growing patient demand motivated Judy to oversee the development of the Ophthalmic Assisting Guide, a competency-based in-house training program which has launched the careers of many highly skilled ophthalmic technicians. This training program has since been translated into three languages.
Judy has always been deeply committed to Dr. Gimbel’s research and teaching activities. Because many patients were also interested in these activities and wished to support them in their research and educational endeavours, Judy founded the Gimbel Eye Foundation in 1984 and today it continues to receive donations and bequests. This charitable organization was established with the goal of improving the quality of medical and surgical eye care around the world and currently works towards this mandate by funding clinical research studies and educational projects that impact the practise of ophthalmology around the world. Some of these projects focus on the prevention of blindness.
Judy’s success in administering the affairs of a surgery centre can be attributed to her education in office administration and to her commitment, intuition, and energy. Judy credits her zest for living and her husband’s stamina to their adherence to healthy diet and lifestyle practices. Her lifelong interest in nutrition and health led her to complete a Master’s Degree in Public Health at Loma Linda University. Gimbel Eye Centre’s focus on eye health and the video, “An Eye on Wellness”, resulted from Judy’s determination to educate patients about the benefits of healthful living.
Judy remains committed to her personal priorities. Her life is anchored in her Christian faith and her love of her husband and family. She is also very proud of her five children and twelve grandchildren and enjoys spending as much time with them as possible.
Fast Facts
- Gimbel Eye Centre has been a family owned business operating in Calgary since 1964.
- We have performed over 200,000 eye surgeries, and have served patients from over 50 countries around the world.
- Gimbel Eye Centre recruits only highly qualified surgeons, which has earned us the respect of the international medical community.
- We were the first practice in Canada to perform laser vision correction, refractive lens exchange and implantable collamer lens procedures.
- Our surgeons have authored numerous medical journal articles and books and are regularly featured as presenters at international conferences.
- All information about the results of our surgeries is in our computerized medical records systems. We access this data on a regular basis to monitor the safety and effectiveness of our procedures and to refine our surgical techniques.
Our Reputation for Care
When choosing where to have your procedure, knowing all your options and understanding what happens after surgery is just as important as the surgery itself. That is why we provide complete patient care.
- We talk to you about the result you are looking for.
- We do a complete medical analysis of your eye problems.
- We explain all your options and the possible long-term consequences of each.
- We will never pressure you into something you are not completely comfortable with.
- Our eye doctors follow up with your regular doctor so he or she is aware of your surgery and has all the information needed for your future health needs.
- We recruit only highly qualified surgeons who are working in the field.
- We are recognized internationally for our commitment to your care.
"I was really impressed with the professionalism, caring and friendly attitude of the members of your team. It made me comfortable and satisfied with the way you talked to your patients. All I could say is – thank you for your excellent service. I couldn’t ask for more."
Fidel H.
Our Creed of Service
As Committed Members of the Gimbel Eye Centre team:
- We dedicate ourselves to the service of others, regardless of their personal circumstances, background, beliefs, or stage in life.
- We will provide quality medical care to our patients and will continually advance our education and skills, using the finest technology available.
- We will apply patience and attentive listening as we practice the art of caring.
- We will use friendly and open communication with others and we will promote an efficient use of time for ourselves and for those around us.
- We will endeavour to create an atmosphere of quality caring for our patients, their families, and for those we work with.
- As we strive to meet the needs of those we serve, may our success be measured in preserved, restored, and enhanced vision, and in the wellness and satisfaction of those entrusted to our care.
Eye Care Services
Gimbel Eye Centre offers services to patients experiencing a number of conditions, including:
- Individuals who are looking for surgical refractive error correction – these procedures are not covered under provincial health plans.
- Individuals who have been diagnosed with cataracts – this procedure is generally covered under provincial health plans.
- Individuals with retinal conditions and glaucoma
- Individuals seeking general eye and vision care
Treatments available at our practice can address a number of different eye conditions with results that improve vision without the need for excessive reliance on corrective eyewear. In addition, our advanced cataract treatments can dramatically reduce the risks of severe vision loss and, in some cases, potentially result in vision that is even better than it was before the cataract developed.
Blog
Our updated blog offers the latest ophthalmology news and details on events happening here at Gimbel Eye Centre. You can find information on new treatments, the benefits of specific vision care procedures, recent media appearances by our doctors, and other news related to eye conditions and vision improvement.
Career Opportunities
Gimbel Eye Centre has been a leader in the field of vision care for many years, and we continuously strive to provide an exemplary workplace for individuals looking for new eye care career opportunities in this extraordinary profession. Find out about positions available, benefits packages, and more.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Each and every Gimbel Eye Centre employee shares a common goal, and that is working together to help patients discover the freedom—and all of the joy that comes with it—of no longer wearing glasses or contacts. Beyond the work we do in our clinics, we understand the importance of being a responsible global citizen as well as the need to give back. Our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee provides opportunities for employees to engage in social, environmental, volunteer, and charitable initiatives that benefit their communities and the global community at large.
Gimbel Eye Centre gives back
Gimbel Eye Centre supports a broad range of community initiatives through various donations, sponsorships, and employee volunteer activities. Here’s a look at just some of the things we’ve done:
Operation Eyesight
Gimbel Eye Centre is proud to encourage all of its employees, from clinical staff to those at the head office level, to participate in a voluntary per payroll donation. All proceeds collected from this initiative benefit Operation Eyesight, an international development organization with the goal of eliminating preventable blindness across the world.
We've also more recently undertaken a number of initiatives (with the help of our patients) to help raise even more money for this worthwhile organization.
Over the last 8 years, Gimbel Eye Centre and its affiliates have raised over $68,000 for Operation Eyesight. Through our various initiatives, we’re proud to continue supporting their work into the future.
