Our Practice in Grande Prairie

Dr. Finlay grew up by the gold mines in South Africa and knew from a young age she wanted to follow a medically related career. She applied to and was accepted to study optometry at the former Rand Afrikaans University in South Africa.

During her last year of studies, Dr. Finlay worked on the Train of Hope: South Africa’s Phelophepa. This custom-built train (now 2) travels throughout rural South Africa to deliver top-quality primary healthcare to disadvantaged communities. It was a wonderful experience to bring sight to so many people that otherwise do without. Those memories always remind her of why she loves practicing optometry.

For the following 10 years, Dr. Finlay was approached by various stakeholders to open and run new practices predominantly in the outer lying regions of South Africa.

Due to her special fondness for children, Dr. Finlay trained in and ran a branch of the Wise Eye Reading Clinic to provide a means of measuring reading dysfunction with a visograph and devising a treatment plan for those children struggling with reading problems.

After that, wanderlust won, and she cast her eyes to the Tropics. Dr. Finlay moved to the Twin Islands of Trinidad and Tobago and spent a wonderful 8 years working, playing, and scuba diving.

In this magical environment, she was exposed to and developed a special interest in many serious eye diseases, the most prevalent being glaucoma, diabetes, and keratoconus.

It once again became time for Dr. Finlay to broaden her horizons, and the magnificent landscapes of Canada called. She applied and was accepted to enter into the International Bridging Program hosted through the University of Waterloo. And so began her transition into Canada. After completing her bridging to allow Dr. Finlay to work in Canada, she accepted a position in Grande Prairie, AB.

As fate would have it, Dr. Finlay met her husband in Grande Prairie, where they live happily with their 4 rambunctious Great Danes.