Our Optometrists

Dr. Laansoo makes Lakeside Vision Care his second practice location and Morinville Vision Care his third location. He also sees patients at his busy south side location Southgate Vision Care. Dr. Laansoo has a passion for providing vision care to those less fortunate and has been on ten trips to five different countries providing eye care and donated eyewear to those less fortunate.

Dr. Kim Bugera makes Lakeside Vision Care her second location. Dr. Bugera is proud to have received two business awards for her practice in Morinville including Small Business of the Year in 2002 and Medium Business with Distinction in 2007. Dr. Bugera enjoys active involvement in the profession of optometry for which she has received a "Service to Optometry Award" in 2004. Her involvement includes volunteering for the College of Optometry Competency Committee 1996-2003, chairing the Edmonton Society of Optometrists 1996-2005, and most recently volunteering on the Eye See Eye Learn Committee (ESEL).

Dr. Salina Wazir obtained her degree in optometry from the New England College of Optometry, in Boston, Massachusetts. She was born and raised in Edmonton and felt very privileged to take part in an eye care mission to Nicaragua providing eye examinations, glasses and treatment to the less fortunate.

She completed her training at VA Jamaica Plain and East Boston Community health center both in Boston, Massachusetts and at Omni Eye center in Atlanta Georgia which specializes in ocular disease such as cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.

Dr. Wazir enjoys all aspects of optometry but has a particular interest in ocular disease and contact lens fittings including multifocal lenses.

Dr. Jennifer Ash grew up in Castledowns in the Lorelei and Cherry Grove communities. She has degrees from the University of Alberta in Edmonton and the New England College of Optometry in Boston. She has also completed a residency in Primary Care and Contact Lenses at the University of California in Berkeley.

Dr. Ash’s clinical experience includes the Baltimore Veterans Hospital in Baltimore, the Vision Institute of Canada in Toronto and the South Boston Community Centre in Boston. Thanks to her extensive experience Dr. Ash has been recognized as a member of the Beta Sigma Kappa International Optometric Honor Society.

Originally from Edmonton, Dr. Lau completed her BSc degree at the University of Alberta and subsequently attended the University of Waterloo where she graduated with a Doctor of Optometry degree. She believes that patient-centred communication as well as a compassion for their needs are both essential elements in providing excellent optometric care.

In the past, she had worked at the Gimbel Eye Centre as an ophthalmic technician, and had the opportunity to perform refractive surgery assessments, as well as post refractive and post cataract surgery exams. As part of her specialty clinical training, she completed her ocular disease externship at the John Dingell VA Hospital in Detroit and had extensive training on hospital based optometry including co-management glaucoma, trauma, emergency ocular care, cataract, retinopathy, contact lens fitting and complications as well as pediatric optometry.

Recently, she had the pleasure of participating in a Gift of Sight Missions trip in rural Mexico where her team performed eye exams and distributed over 12,000 pairs of donated spectacles. Dr. Lau continues to be widely involved in various volunteer community outreach events including the senior home visit at the Lions Village Castledowns, and providing free eye care to Edmonton's inner city at the Boyle McCauley Health Centre.

Aside from optometry, she also has a passion for interior design, volleyball, as well as cooking for family and friends.

As part of our Southgate/Lakeside/Morinville family, Dr. Lau is dedicated to serving the Edmonton community and welcomes new patients!

Originally from Edmonton, Dr.  Visnani completed her B.Sc Degree at the University of Alberta and completed her Doctor of Optometry Degree at the New England College of Optometry in Boston, Massachusetts in 1996. She completed externships at the Lahey Medical Centre, Harvard Community Health Care Centers in and around Boston which enables her to provide a holistic approach to patient eye health.

Dr. Visnani has a background in both private practice as well as refractive eye surgery. In addition to performing complete eye health exams, she has managed pre- and post- operative refractive surgery patients, glaucoma patients, ocular injuries, cataracts, retinal disease, contact lens care as well as pediatric optometry.

She believes in giving back to the community and has served on Executives both within her Ismaili Community as well as the Evansdale Executive and the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues. In her spare time she enjoys walks with her beloved English bulldog, Alibaba, and spending time with friends and family.