John's journey from an Electrical Engineering Apprentice to a respected Optometrist in Canada is marked by resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to excellence.

Starting with British Coal, he honed technical skills before transitioning to law enforcement with Nottinghamshire Constabulary, earning commendations for bravery and performance. Despite a severe assault leading to retirement, he returned to education, completing high school before studying Optometry at Bradford University.

Working for various optometry chains provided insights into differing patient care approaches. Recognizing a misalignment with corporate values, John forged his own path.

Relocating to Canada, he completed the Optometry Bridging Program at the University of Waterloo, establishing himself as a self-employed optometrist in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia before founding Ocean Optometry with his friend and colleague, Dr. Euan McGinty.

His involvement in industry events, leadership, and dedication to patient care, particularly in managing chronic conditions like dry eye, reflect his commitment to professional development and community service.

John's journey underscores perseverance, learning, and integrity in crafting a meaningful career in Optometry.

Dr. Karley Brooking grew up in Enfield, Nova Scotia. She spent many years coaching children’s trampoline classes and loved being around people. In high school, she developed a love for science and problem-solving. Keeping in mind her extraverted side, she realized a career in optometry could blend both passions, to help people and pursue a science-based field. 

She studied at Mount Saint Vincent, graduating top of her class with a Biology degree. She then moved to the University of  Waterloo to receive her doctor of optometry degree. Wanting to expand her horizons, she did internships in rural Alberta and BC.

After 4 years away, she missed the East Coast fondly, and was very happy to return to practice Optometry in Halifax. Since then, she has been immersing herself in conferences to expand her knowledge of dry eye disease, myopia control, and eyewear. 

When not at work, you can often find Karley sampling craft beers from local breweries or  trying new restaurants, hanging with her cat Peanut, or spending time at the beach. A new hobby has been starting her Instagram page “eye.karley”, where she aims to educate the public about eye care in an easy, accessible way.

From a young age Dr. Kaitlyn Skinner knew she wanted to become an eye doctor, so she followed an interesting path to an inevitable destination. 

First stop was Bowling Green State University to play volleyball and earn her Bachelor's degree while winning a varsity conference championship. Next stop was a year stint of professional volleyball for Club Voleibol Emevé in Lugo, Spain.

After hanging up her volleyball shoes, Kaitlyn pursued her interest in optometry, earning her degree, back near her hometown, at the University of Waterloo. And in 2019, her last stop, landing her in Nova Scotia joining Ocean Optometry. 

Kaitlyn loves everything about Primary Eye Care, Pediatrics and Dry Eye. Building relationships with patients, seeing them grow up and learning their stories, while providing the highest level of care. 

Outside of the clinic, Kaitlyn loves to play volleyball, hike Nova Scotia’s coastline, find live music around the city, and travel the world.

Alicia joined Ocean in 2015 and has been a key part to its evolution. 

Selecting our exclusive eyewear has always been a passion for Alicia. She’s enthusiastic about the brands we work with and takes great care in curating the collections.

In 2020, Alicia’s role expanded to Dry Eye Technician, which has evolved to Dry Eye Lead. Alicia is motivated by the results achieved through our in-office treatments. She loves sharing her knowledge and mentoring.

In her spare time, Alicia is a director of the board for the Nova Scotia College of Dispensing Opticians. She recently contributed to changes to the national licensing exams for opticians in Canada.

You’ll find Alicia with her nose in a book, listening to Country music and sipping on the same coffee she started the day with hours earlier.

Alicia welcomes you to stop by Ocean Optometry anytime and ask her why meibomian glands are like garden hoses.

Meet Joana Maria Prohens Monserrat, born and raised in the tranquil embrace of Mallorca but with a heart yearning for excitement! At her university in Barcelona, she immersed herself in Asian Studies, where she became engrossed in the Oriental languages and cultures.

Joana Maria's journey to Nova Scotia was sparked by her insatiable curiosity and thirst for knowledge and to explore new fileds. Curious about the world of optometry and being interested in the Dry Eye world she became an ocular hygenist.

In her spare time she enjoys reading comic books as well as classic literature. While developing her linguistic prowess in five distinct languages, she also enjoys imersing herself in the virtual world of gaming! She is currently expanding her linguistic repertoire to include Korean as well.

With her contagious enthusiasm, Joana Maria Prohens-Monserrat is the embodiment of sunshine on a cloudy day, a beacon of joy wherever she goes.