Finding an optometrist in Ottawa usually means picking between a big chain inside a mall, an independent boutique, or a neighbourhood clinic that's been around for decades. This list pulls together ten currently operating practices across the city, checked against their own websites and public review platforms like Google, Yelp, and Birdeye. It leans toward variety, downtown, the Glebe, Westboro, Barrhaven, Kanata, and Orléans, rather than ranking one city-wide winner.
1. Bastien & Prizant Optometry
Area: ByWard Market, downtown · Rating: 4.9 (613 reviews, Birdeye) · Since: 1913
This Cumberland Street practice has been part of the ByWard Market for over a century and is now a partner clinic of FYidoctors. Reviewers consistently single out Dr. Harry Prizant for being thorough and personable, and the practice is known locally for a large in-house eyewear selection spanning a wide range of price points. It suits patients who want a long-established, full-service clinic with deep neighbourhood roots.
2. Conroy Optometric Centre
Area: St. Laurent Boulevard, east end · Rating: 4.7 (248 reviews, Birdeye)
Conroy Optometric Centre offers comprehensive eye exams, glaucoma testing, and contact lens fitting from its St. Laurent Boulevard location. Patients describe staff as consistently kind and describe doctors like Dr. Campbell and Dr. Anstey as thorough, taking time to explain findings rather than rushing through an exam. It's a solid pick for patients who want an in-depth assessment without a downtown commute.
3. I See Optometry
Area: Lower Town, near ByWard Market · Rating: 4.4 on Google (48 reviews)
I See Optometry, or Je Vois Optométrie, is a bilingual clinic on Clarence Street using OCT imaging, retinal cameras, and visual field analyzers as part of standard exams. The practice offers direct billing to most major insurers and keeps evening and Saturday hours, which makes it a practical option for people who can't get away during a weekday. Reviews for individual doctors, including Dr. Josée Martineau and Dr. Erin Kelcher, are generally positive.
4. Eyes in the Glebe
Area: The Glebe · Specialty: specialty contact lenses and dry eye therapy
This independent clinic on Bank Street builds OCT retinal scans into its standard exam rather than treating them as an upsell, and it fits a wide range of specialty lenses, including scleral and ortho-k lenses for astigmatism and irregular corneas. It also runs dry eye therapy programs with tailored recommendations for artificial tears or punctal plugs. The practice leans into independent, sustainably made eyewear, which suits patients looking for something other than mass-market frames.
5. Merivale Vision Care
Area: Nepean, west end · Since: 1987
Merivale Vision Care has operated on Merivale Road since 1987 and offers comprehensive eye exams, contact lens fittings, and sports vision assessments alongside a large frame selection. The clinic has previously been voted a consumers' choice optometrist in local polling, and it markets a "holistic wellness" approach to exams that goes beyond a straight prescription check. It's a reasonable option for west-end families who want continuity with one practice over the years.
6. eyeDOCS
Area: Multiple locations, Kilborn, Westboro, Kanata, Riverside South, Preston · Specialty: wide field retinal imaging
eyeDOCS runs several full-service clinics across Ottawa and Eastern Ontario, now operating as partners of FYidoctors, with its original Kilborn Avenue location joined by outposts in Westboro, Kanata, Riverside South, and Preston. Reviewers at the Westboro location praise Dr. Kuang for thorough, precise exams, and the group uses wide field retinal imaging to screen for early signs of eye disease. The multiple locations make it a convenient option for patients who want the same clinic group no matter which part of the city they're in.
7. Nuvo Eye Centre
Area: Orléans and Beechwood Avenue · Specialty: vision therapy and binocular vision
Nuvo Eye Centre, also part of the FYidoctors network, specializes in vision therapy for amblyopia, strabismus, and convergence disorders alongside routine exams and myopia control, with locations on Vanguard Drive in Orléans and Beechwood Avenue. This makes it a good fit for families with kids who need more than a standard prescription check, on top of general contact lens fittings including multifocal and astigmatism-correcting lenses.
8. Barrhaven Optometric Centre
Area: Nepean, Barrhaven · Rating: 4.3 (183 reviews, Birdeye) · Since: 1979
Operating out of Fallowfield Road since 1979, Barrhaven Optometric Centre offers full-scope optometry in English and French with a second location added in Manotick in 2019. It holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and carries a long track record serving Ottawa's south end, making it a practical option for Barrhaven and Manotick residents who'd rather not drive downtown for an exam.
9. Kanata Optometry Centre
Area: Kanata, west end
Kanata Optometry Centre serves the west end with routine and specialized eye exams, and patients on RateMDs single out Dr. Amanda Spielman for being attentive and easy to talk to about ongoing eye care. It's a straightforward choice for Kanata residents who want a neighbourhood clinic rather than a downtown trip, though independent review volume for the practice is thinner than some of the other clinics on this list.
10. Eyemaxx Optical Studio
Area: Elgin Street, downtown · Specialty: fashion-forward frames, exams 7 days a week
Eyemaxx Optical Studio is an independently owned boutique on Elgin Street offering comprehensive eye exams seven days a week alongside a frame selection of more than a thousand styles. Reviewers highlight the attention paid to helping patients pick frames that actually suit their face and lifestyle, not just their prescription. It suits downtown patients who want the eyewear shopping and the exam handled in one stop, with flexible hours around a work week.
A note on completeness: this list covers ten currently operating practices found through public search and review platforms as of August 2026. Ottawa has many more optometrists, including several other FYidoctors and independent clinics, that simply weren't covered here.
How We Built This List
This list was compiled from public web sources, clinic websites, and customer reviews on platforms including Google, Yelp, and Birdeye. It is not a paid placement, and no business on this list is affiliated with ottown or its operator. It was last reviewed in August 2026.
Sources: Bastien & Prizant Optometry via FYidoctors, Conroy Optometric Centre, I See Optometry, Eyes in the Glebe, Merivale Vision Care, eyeDOCS, Nuvo Eye Centre, Barrhaven Optometric Centre, Kanata Optometry Centre, Eyemaxx Optical Studio
