AIRDRIE EYECARE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Council Member With the Alberta Association of Optometrists
- Optometrist / Bio
Dr Amy Forrest, originally from Regina, Saskatchewan, completed her Doctor of Optometry degree at the University of Waterloo in 2003. During her final year of study, she participated in clinical externships in primary eyecare and ocular disease in Regina and Fort Myers, Florida. Following graduation, Dr Forrest moved to Taber, Alberta where she opened the Eye Health Clinic and practiced there for nine years before joining the Airdrie and Innisfail Eyecare team in 2012. Dr Forrest became a partner at the Airdrie and Innisfail Eyecare Centres in 2014 and enjoys the new challenge of practicing and managing a larger, multi-clinic practice.
Dr Forrest has a special interest in contact lens fitting and ocular trauma and pathology. She divides her time between the Airdrie and Innisfail locations.
Since 2009, Dr Forrest has been a council member with the Alberta Association of Optometrists and has filled many roles, including Director of Member Education and Director of Government Relations & Insured Services. She is currently acting as Director of Programs & Benefits.
Away from the clinic, Dr Forrest enjoys spending time with her husband, their two young sons and two dogs. She is often found camping during the summer and cheering for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Dr Bryan Thome grew up in Airdrie and lived here until the end of his Undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Science in Biological Science in 2005. He then went on to Optometry School at Pacific University in Oregon and graduated in 2009 with distinction. It was at Optometry School where he met his wife, Dr Melissa Thome. In his final year of study, Dr Thome participated in a humanitarian eyecare mission in Honduras. He also completed internships at a Refractive Surgery Center in Denver, Colorado as well as an Ophthalmology Practice in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The first five years of his practice were spent in the interior of British Columbia. In the summer of 2014, Dr Thome was thrilled at the opportunity to return home and join the Airdrie and Innisfail Eyecare team. Dr Thome and his wife are very happy to be back in Alberta and continuing their careers in Airdrie.
Dr Jared Long joined the Airdrie and Innisfail Eyecare Centres in 2003 and has been a managing partner since 2008. He enjoys the challenge of switching between patient care and management of teams in the respected clinics.
Dr Long is a 2003 graduate of the Doctor of Optometry program at the University of Waterloo. He also received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Manitoba. While in optometry school, Dr Long completed clinical externships in primary care and ocular disease with optometrists and ophthalmologists in Calgary and Vancouver with a focus on Glaucoma treatment.
Dr Long delight in providing continuing care to both new and existing patients and has developed a special interest in the areas of pediatrics and ocular trauma and pathology. With many advancements in digital imaging of the eye, such as Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and autofluorescence (AF), he is excited to demonstrate areas of concerns to patients, early before vision loss occurs.
Away from the clinic, Dr Long is committed to providing eyecare services to those in need and has participated in projects in rural communities in Jamaica, Malawi and Mexico. He is a member of Canadian Vision Care and the Alberta Association of Optometrists.
Dr Long grew up on a grain farm in rural Manitoba and is typically found skiing, hiking, biking and camping in the nearby Rocky Mountains.
Dr. Jessica Bylsma was born and raised in Red Deer. She then moved to Calgary and finished her Bachelor of Science in Biology at the University of Calgary in 2013. She spent the next four years in Waterloo, Ontario where she graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Doctor of Optometry degree in 2017. In the summer of 2015, she was able to provide ocular health exams to patients without access to eye care in Lima, Peru. Dr. Bylsma completed an externship in ocular disease and therapeutics in Pinellas Park, Florida.
She has a special interest in contact lenses, myopia control and dry eye management. She is a member of the Canadian and Alberta Association of Optometrists. Dr. Bylsma joined the Airdrie and Innisfail Eyecare Centre team in 2022. She is looking forward to connecting with new and returning patients and helping the Airdrie and Innisfail communities with their eye care needs. Outside of work, Dr. Bylsma enjoys spending time with her family and fishing, baking and taking trips to the mountains or Sylvan Lake.
Dr. Rieck joined the Airdrie and Innisfail Eyecare Centre group in 2020 and is happy to be practicing in the city where she grew up. Dr. Rieck focuses on providing comprehensive eye care to patients of all ages - starting with infants as young as 6 months old. She enjoys learning how each patient uses their eyes, and making recommendations that work with their lifestyle. She is interested in educating patients, dry eye, and children's vision including myopia control.
Away from the office she enjoys travelling, or can be found hiking in the mountains. She is passionate about figure skating and has won 2 silver medals at the World Synchronized Skating Championships.
Dr Melissa Thome grew up in Devon, a small town south of Edmonton. She attended the University of Alberta for most of her undergraduate degree and completed it at Pacific University in Vision Science in 2005. It was at Pacific University in Oregon where she met her husband, Dr Bryan Thome. She completed her Optometry Graduate degree in 2009 and during her final year of study she participated in a humanitarian eyecare mission in Costa Rica. She also gained experience at internships at a Vision Therapy clinic in Denver, Colorado, as well as at a Native American Health Centre in Miami, Oklahoma which was focused heavily on ocular disease. Melissa and Bryan practiced for five years in Penticton, BC and in the summer of 2014 moved back home and are excited to join the Airdrie and Innisfail Eyecare team. They both look forward to getting involved in this thriving community.
Dr. Nicole Deschamps grew up in small-town Saskatchewan. She obtained a Bachelor of Vision Science prior to attending the Optometry program at Pacific University in Oregon. Following graduation in 2011, Dr. Deschamps settled in Alberta. Clinical training included diverse primary care externships in Alberta and North Dakota, as well as ocular disease management at the Hot Springs Veterans Hospital in South Dakota.
In 2017 Dr. Deschamps joined the Airdrie and Innisfail Eyecare group. Dr. Deschamps welcomes the opportunity to travel throughout North America to attend continuing education conferences, which keeps her well-informed about advances in eyecare. Dr. Deschamps enjoys providing optometric care to patients of all ages, and looks forward to developing long term doctor-patient relationships at the Airdrie Eyecare and Innisfail Eyecare Centres.
When not working, Dr. Deschamps can be found spending time with her husband on their grain and cattle farm. She also dedicates a great deal of time and skill to showing and riding reining horses.
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Dr Tania Marcolin
Optometrist
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Dr Rebecca Milkovich
Optometrist
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Dr Lillian Rieck
Optometrist
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Dr Jessica Bylsma
Optometrist
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Dr. Rebecca Milkovich was born and raised in Rycroft, Alberta. Dr. Milkovich graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science prior to completing her Doctor of Optometry at the University of Waterloo, graduating with Honours in 2016. She participated in an eye care mission trip to Peru during her studies and hopes to be involved in future trips.
Dr. Milkovich completed clinical externships in primary care, binocular vision and ocular health settings, including a Veteran's Affairs Medical Clinic that allowed her extensive experience in detecting various ocular pathologies.
Dr Milkovich is pleased to join the Airdrie and Innisfail eyecare group and looks forward to living and practicing in such a growing and vibrant community.
Away from the clinic Dr.Milkovich enjoys time with family and friends. She is always looking forward to finding the next place to travel and loves getting outdoors. She also enjoys trips to the mountains, running, hiking and skiing.
Dr Tania Marcolin grew up in Calgary Alberta. She graduated from Ambrose University with a bachelor of science, prior to completing a Doctor of Optometry degree from Midwestern University in Arizona in 2018. Clinical training included internships at two veteran affairs (VA) facilities in Tallahassee, FL and Tulsa, OK as well as a private practice in Phoenix, AZ.
Dr. Marcolin joined the Airdrie and Innisfail Eyecare Centre group in early 2019. She looks forward to providing exceptional optometric care to both communities. When not working Dr Marcolin enjoys traveling and spending time with her family. A movie buff, she can often be found catching the latest blockbuster on a Friday night.