NEXT GEN:
Tech-savvy optometrist
Dr. Patrick Sauvageau
has found time to
practice, teach, invent
and create multiple
businesses in his
seven years of
optometry.
The 31-year-old
father's current quest
is to establish his new
optical e-commerce
hub Opfront.ca, and
help prepare
independents for the
growing battle in the online
marketplace.
“We offer independent eyecare profes-
sionals a platform to sell eyewear
online legally,” says Sauvageau.
“We're developing technological
tools to support their business growth.
So basically it's an integrated online
store that showcases in-store inventory
in real-time.”
Sauvageau is proud to tout the new
venture as the only e-commerce site
of its kind that can provide that for
independent companies in this
capacity.
“So we're building both websites and
webstores,” he says.
“What we want to provide is an omni-
channel solution for clinics to be able
to show their inventory to patients,
so the patient can look at it, be able to
34 Optical Prism | April 2017
in 2016, Sauvageau is
also preparing to com-
mercialize Retnia Inc.
in the next year, a new
patented invention he
says is “a groundbreak-
ing oximetry device
that will be a tool to
improve the detection
and management of
ocular diseases.”
By Troy Patterson
reserve up to three frames to try on in
the clinic. So it's really a cool thing to
have, so your patient can go to see all
the colours you have in one frame, be
able to reserve it, buy online contact
lenses legally, so that's pretty new.”
The site also provides all the data col-
lected to clinics, which allows eyecare
professionals to see what's going on,
the age group accessing the site, and
locations, “so you can really adapt
your offer to what people are
looking for.”
He's also the co-owner of three inde-
pendent clinics – his home practice
Optiboutiq in Quebec City (optibou-
tiq.com) and two Voskins clinics in
Montreal (voskins.com), which offer
high-end products and services.
As CEO of Opfront, which he founded
He's admittedly a
busy man, but says he
enjoys taking part in
all aspects of the optical industry.
His efforts have earned him “few
awards for entrepreneurship” which
he points to his love for his career.
“I think the profession has been a
passion for me over the last few years,”
Sauvageau says. “I've liked it so much,
I like everything about it. I like teaching,
I like practising obviously, I like the
political side of it and the association,
the business side of it obviously.”
A graduate of the University of
Montreal's School of Optometry in
2010, he's also been on the board of
the Association of Optometrists of
Quebec since he graduated almost
seven years ago.
His interest in optometry was once a
toss up between the medical field and
music. Sauvageau was somewhat
familiar with the industry, as his aunt