Our Practice in Vancouver

Dr. Vanessa Flak joined our team in 2017 after moving from Lethbridge, Alberta, where she had practiced optometry for 6 years.  She completed her undergraduate degree in neuroscience (with High Honours), while also holding a leadership role with the women’s  U of L soccer team.

Dr. Flak earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Waterloo (with Honours).  She has a special interest in children’s vision and the evolving research in the area of myopia development in children. Dr. Flak is committed to continuing education and has taken advanced courses in binocular vision so that she can better serve her patients with binocular vision disorders, and computer-related eye strain.

Dr. Flak loves living in Vancouver and has enjoyed meeting our longstanding patients, as well as welcoming new patients to our clinic.

Dr. McDougall has practiced in downtown Vancouver since 1995. After graduating from Optometry from Pacific University (with distinction), he spent a year in specialized residency training at one of the largest medical centres in North America. Since practicing in Vancouver, Dr. McDougall has been actively involved in the BC Association of Optometry.

Dr. McDougall volunteers as the head provincial Clinical Director for the Opening Eyes program of Special Olympics Canada.  In addition, he actively volunteers with the non-profit Third World Eye Care Society, delivering eye care and eyeglasses to those in need in the developing world.  He has participated in projects in Mexico, Ethiopia, Central America, and the Philippines.

Dr. Dawn Reinders has practiced in downtown Vancouver since 1995, shortly after graduating from Optometry at Pacific University (with distinction). She received her certification in therapeutic pharmaceutical agents in 1993, and previously practiced at a medical-based Eye Centre in the US. Since practicing in Vancouver, she has acted as a consultant to the ophthalmic industry and has run several national clinical trials for new contact lens materials and solutions. Dr. Reinders has chaired the Greater Vancouver Optometric Society for several years, and she has been active in developing continuing education programs for Optometrists and Optometric Assistants.

Dr. Reinders has volunteered with the Opening Eyes program of Special Olympics at many regional and national events. Dr. Reinders is the proud mother of two young boys, and she has a special interest in the importance of vision and visual processing in learning. Understanding the role vision plays in efficient reading, for both children and adults, has led Dr. Reinders to provide informational sessions for Health Canada occupational health conferences.

Dr. Cindy Wagner moved to Vancouver in January 2005. She graduated from the Optometry program at the University of Waterloo in 2002 and has her certification in therapeutic pharmaceutical agents. After graduating, she went on to specialize in contact lenses and ocular pathology at the University of California, Berkeley. Continuing on at Berkeley as a clinical instructor, she spent time in the contact lens and primary care clinics. Teaching appealed to her, and her next move was to New Zealand where she taught at the University of Auckland in the areas of primary care, contact lenses and ocular therapeutics.

Dr. Wagner has spent time working on many different ocular research projects with the University of Waterloo. She also published a research paper with IBM in 2002. In addition, Dr. Wagner has spent time volunteering with the non-profit organization’s Eye Care International and Third World Eye Care Society. She participated in projects in Mexico in 2001, Vietnam in 2007 and Ethiopia in 2009.

Dr. Wagner is also involved with B.C. Guide dogs.  You may have been lucky enough to see her training Gidget right in our clinic.