Dr. Murari Patodia believes in the importance of community. Having grown up and completed his high school education in Sarnia, he felt a strong connection to the city and its people. He also believed that the community was under-served by eye care professionals. "I knew that there was a need for eye care specialists here. I believe that just because you live in a smaller community, doesn’t mean you should receive less than the best care," he explains. With his home community in mind, Dr. Patodia attended some of Canada’s most reputable institutions for the study of his specialty, including Western University, University of Toronto and the Ivey Eye Institute.
Following thirteen years of education and training, Dr. Patodia opened his practice on March 3, 1996 in a building on Water Street in Sarnia. "We outgrew it the day we opened, but we were there for a year and a half before we moved into this building," he explains. They are currently located at 1298 Exmouth Street. Over the course of two decades, they have continually expanded their service offering and they are now known as Sarnia Eye, Esthetics & Lasik Clinic (SEE Lasik). SEE Lasik is currently in the process of relocating for the second time in order to better meet the needs of their patients in a timely manner. "We are always striving to improve access and quality of care. The new location promises to do just that with more ease and comfort for our patients."
Dr. Patodia enjoys practicing in Sarnia because of the diversity of his patient base. "In a larger city setting you might be pigeonholed in a small aspect of eye care and you might only do certain types of procedures. Here, I can do it all. I perform Lasik, cataract, glaucoma and eye lid surgeries. I also provide laser, injections for diabetes and macular degeneration." He remains committed to remaining at the forefront of eye care technology. "We have been the first in the country to purchase certain diagnostic equipment," he explains. One such piece of equipment is the Heidelberg HRA. "We have a patient that flies in from Kingston every three months to visit us. He’s been coming to us because we’ve invested in this piece of equipment. It conducts an OCT scan, which is almost like a living biopsy. It’s the gold standard."
Dr. Patodia’s clinic also started offering esthetic services in 2001. While at first it might seem like a departure from his original specialty, he explains that ophthalmology and esthetics have much in common. For example, Botox was previously an ophthalmic solution before an esthetic one. Ophthalmologists like Dr. Patodia are trained on the use of lasers and light therapy, which feature prominently in esthetic treatments, allowing him to use his skills in a new way. "For me, it’s a different expression of who I am and what I can do. It’s a different kind of pleasure."
Chris Skillas learned what it took to run a restaurant from his dad, Nick, who owned Lee's Snackhouse on Campbell Street for over thirty years. "I started in the family business when I was a kid. I would wash dishes and flip bacon...
Student Kirsten Vandenheuvel was all set to work her summer job in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Suddenly the job disappeared and Kirsten needed to come up with a Plan B. "I was scrolling through Facebook and came across an ad for something called Summer Company," Kirsten recalls. "That
Volunteers and members are at the heart of the Lawrence House Centre for the Arts. The Lawrence House was constructed in 1892 by the Lawrence family. In 1878 Jacob Lawrence had moved to Sarnia and opened a sawmill on the St. Clair River. His son William Lawrence expanded the business by bringing in
Some things never change, and Manleys Stationery & Office Supplies is proof of that: even as they've evolved from selling yeast to textbooks to stationery and office furniture, Manleys has, for over 100 years, prioritized customer service above all else. Manleys was founded in 1900 by Bl
Lori Kennedy has lived with depression since she was a teenager. In 2015, she suffered a complete psychological breakdown. I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, acute burnout, and severe anxiety. I took a leave of absence from my work and attended workshops and therapy to learn how to m
In 2011, a new committee group was formed to organize the Captain Kidd Days event in Corunna. The event was started in 1986 by the Business Improvement Association. It was originally located at the top of Ferry Dock Hill. Patti Deveraux, who had run the event for as long as we could remember, was
In 2005, Marc Alton and Anne Kurtz-Alton purchased a 90-acre farm in Plympton-Wyoming to make their dream of starting a winery a reality. "When we came to look at the farm, everything was blooming, the wind was warm, the smell was amazing, and we fell in love," shares Kurtz-Alton. The Altons han
Chef Paresh Thakkar opened Personal Touch Eatery & Catering in September of 2011. He has been in the restaurant business for 12 years, having worked at Lola's, Paddy Flaherty's and two restaurants in Canmore, Alberta. Opening...