Dr. Shauna Chorel is a valued member of the Doig Optometry team, lending her passion and expertise in quality eye care to her patients. She was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta and is proud to serve the community she grew up in. She states:
“My favourite part of my job is the satisfaction I feel when I have been able to help a patient with a problem and they are happy with the outcome. Whether it is their new eyeglasses or contact lenses, treating an eye condition or disease, or even just reassuring a patient that their eyes are doing well; it is rewarding to me to be able to help people.”
Dr. Chorel’s credentials and experience
Dr. Chorel achieved her Bachelor of Science Degree with Honours in Psychology from the University of Calgary in 1990 before obtaining her Doctor of Optometry Degree at the University of Waterloo in 1995.
Her training and credentials include:
- An externship at Omni Eye Services in Atlanta, Georgia
- Extensive ocular health experience during her externship
- Canadian Association of Optometrists member
- Alberta Association of Optometrists member
She has worked in London (Ontario), Airdrie, and Innisfail, Alberta but has spent most of her career in Calgary.
Client success stories
When asked about a client's success story, Dr. Chorel expresses that some of the successes she truly enjoys are prescribing eyeglasses to children who really need them, educating and guiding patients on healthy contact lens wear, and when a routine eye exam becomes a life-saving moment.
On children’s eyeglass prescriptions:
”Some of the very rewarding reports I have heard back from parents once their child starts wearing eyeglasses are that their child seems calmer, the child’s behaviour is better, the child sleeps better at night when they wear their eyeglasses all day, the child’s school performance has improved significantly, and the child’s confidence has improved. Hearing these reports makes my day.”
On helping contact lens patients understand how their contact lens can affect the health of their eyes:
“With contact lenses being so widely available, it is very easy to assume that they are perfectly safe and cannot harm the eyes. It is not often advertised that contact lenses do have the potential to cause serious eye injury or infections that, in extreme cases, can lead to severe vision loss and a need for a corneal transplant.
Educating patients on proper contact lens wear and care and the need for regular (at least annual) monitoring of the contact lens fit and eye health is a part of my job where I really feel I make a difference.
Examples include educating patients on the number of hours in a day that their lenses are designed to be worn safely and why, why it is important to replace contact lenses on a regular schedule, and how sleeping in contact lenses adversely affects corneal health. So many patients say, ‘No one has ever told me that before!’”
On how a routine eye exam can save your life
“There have been many occasions in my career where a routine eye exam has turned into a health or life-saving event. For example detecting hypertensive retinopathy (bleeding and swelling in the eye from high blood pressure), diabetic retinopathy or a choroidal melanoma (a tumour of the eye) in a patient who is completely unaware of the condition. I feel blessed to have a job where I can make such a beneficial impact on people's lives.
Career goals
Dr. Chorel’s biggest dream is to have a career where she could make a difference in people’s lives and she continues to accomplish just that in the world of optometry. Her career goals are simple - to continue to provide her patients with the best eye care possible and be committed to exceptional patient care, providing both a high level of competence and compassion.
Outside of Doig Optometry
Dr. Chorel and Dr. Doig married in 2009 and parent 6 wonderful children. In her spare time, Dr. Shauna Chorel enjoys creative activities such as photography, scrapbooking, and design along with staying active with hiking, dancing, and bike riding.
With a true heart of service and a passion for making a difference, Dr. Chorel also enjoys volunteering at her church and through organizations such as Samaritan’s Purse. One of her most rewarding experiences as a volunteer was helping clean up and rebuild after the Calgary and High River flood in June of 2013.
“It was amazing to see how the people of our city really pulled together to help those devastated by the flooding,” she reflects. “It was heart-warming to know we live in a province of such caring people.”
Why Doig Optometry?
Doig Optometry was established by two people who genuinely care and have a passion for making a difference in the lives of others, and that impression is felt through the office. With Patient Care Priority as their foundation, Dr. Doig, Dr. Chorel, and the entire Doig Optometry team work together to ensure that patients receive eye care that exceeds their expectations.
Each patient is unique and this line of work gives Dr. Chorel an opportunity to help patients with their vision needs. Dr. Chorel expresses that her favourite part of the job is the satisfaction she feels when she is able to help a patient with a problem and they are happy with the outcome. “
“I feel genuinely excited when I can find the best possible eyeglass prescription for a patient, and I enjoy solving interesting and complex problems.”