Privacy Policy and Personal Health Information Practices
Empress Eye Clinic
Dr. Heshmati Optometry Professional Corporation
Last updated: October 2026
Our Commitment to Privacy
Empress Eye Clinic is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and security of our patients’ personal information and personal health information.
We collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect personal health information in accordance with Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA), other applicable laws, and the professional obligations governing optometrists in Ontario.
This policy explains our information practices and how patients may request access to or correction of their records or raise privacy concerns.
1. Information We Collect
Depending on the services requested, we may collect:
- Personal identification and contact information, including name, date of birth, address, telephone number, and email address.
- Medical and ocular history, medications, allergies, symptoms, and relevant family history.
- Examination findings, diagnostic images, test results, prescriptions, referrals, and treatment records.
- Appointment requests, contact lens orders, and communications with our clinic.
- Insurance and payment information necessary to administer services and process claims.
- Website information such as browser details, pages visited, and technical information collected through website technologies.
2. How We Use Personal Health Information
We may use personal health information to:
- Provide eye examinations, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up care, and other optometric services.
- Maintain patient records and coordinate care with other health care providers.
- Communicate about appointments, prescriptions, referrals, and contact lens orders.
- Process payments and eligible insurance claims.
- Meet legal, professional, regulatory, and recordkeeping obligations.
- Support authorized clinic administration, quality assurance, and patient safety.
We do not use personal health information for unrelated marketing without the consent required by law.
3. Consent and Disclosure
We obtain consent where required by PHIPA. Consent may be express or implied where permitted by law.
We may disclose relevant information to other health care providers involved in patient care, laboratories, insurers, authorized service providers, regulatory authorities, or other parties when permitted or required by law.
Patients may withhold or withdraw consent, subject to applicable legal limitations.
4. Appointments, Website Forms, and Electronic Communications
Our website provides forms for appointment requests, contact lens orders, and other inquiries.
Information submitted through these forms is used to respond to requests and administer relevant services. Submissions may be stored within our website systems and communicated to authorized clinic staff.
An online appointment request is not confirmed until our clinic confirms it.
Electronic communications, including email and text messages, may involve privacy and security risks. We use appropriate safeguards and may recommend alternative communication methods when sensitive information is involved.
Patients should avoid submitting unnecessary sensitive medical information through general website forms or ordinary email.
Our website, website forms and related email are hosted and delivered by third-party service providers (for example, our website host). These providers may store or process information on servers located outside Canada, where it may be subject to the laws of those jurisdictions.
Our website forms are protected by Google reCAPTCHA, which collects technical information (such as device and browser information and interactions with the page) to distinguish people from automated spam. Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
5. Website Analytics and Advertising
Our website may use Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Google Ads conversion measurement, cookies, and similar technologies to understand website usage and evaluate advertising.
These technologies may collect technical and usage information, including browser information, device information, pages visited, and website interactions.
We do not intentionally provide patient medical records, diagnoses, examination findings, or identifiable personal health information to advertising platforms for targeted advertising.
We seek to configure our website and analytics systems to minimize unnecessary collection and disclosure of personal information and comply with applicable privacy requirements.
Visitors may manage cookies through their browser settings and any privacy controls provided on the website.
6. Marketing Communications
We may communicate information about clinic services, educational resources, and promotions where permitted by law.
Where consent is required for marketing or commercial electronic messages, we obtain the appropriate consent.
Recipients may withdraw consent or unsubscribe using the available method.
7. Safeguarding and Retaining Information
We take reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, loss, and destruction.
Access to patient information is restricted to individuals who require it for authorized purposes.
We retain patient records in accordance with applicable Ontario laws and professional recordkeeping obligations. Records are securely disposed of when no longer required and lawful disposal is appropriate.
8. Access to and Correction of Patient Records
Patients may request access to their personal health information and correction of information they believe is inaccurate or incomplete, subject to applicable legal exceptions.
We may require information to verify identity and locate the requested records.
Formal access requests are generally answered as soon as reasonably possible and within 30 calendar days, subject to extensions permitted under PHIPA.
Reasonable fees may apply where legally permitted.
If a request is refused, we will provide the required explanation and information about available complaint procedures.
9. Privacy Concerns and Complaints
Patients with privacy questions, concerns, or requests for access to or correction of records may contact:
Privacy Contact
Empress Eye Clinic
Dr. Heshmati Optometry Professional Corporation
5095 Yonge Street, Unit B6
North York, Ontario M2N 6Z4
Phone: 416-223-4500
Email: info@empresseyeclinic.com
Patients may also contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.
Website: https://www.ipc.on.ca
10. Third-Party Websites
Our website may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites and encourage visitors to review their policies.
Some pages include content from third parties, such as Google Maps and our Instagram feed. These services may collect information according to their own privacy policies.
11. Updates to This Policy
We may update this policy to reflect changes in legislation, professional requirements, technology, or clinic practices.
The current version will be available at:
https://empresseyeclinic.com/privacy-policy/
