Gimbel Eye Centre

What Gimbel Eye Centre does

Gimbel Eye Centre is a privately held ophthalmology practice founded in 1964 in Calgary, Alberta, specializing in refractive and cataract surgery. The practice operates a multi-modality clinical offering that includes LASIK, PRK, refractive lens exchange (RLE), implantable collamer lenses (ICL), intraocular lenses (IOLs), collagen cross-linking, and cataract surgery. It claims several Canadian firsts, including the first laser vision correction, the first RLE, and the first implantable corrective lenses performed in Canada, and has accumulated over 200,000 surgical procedures across its history.

The business model is direct-to-consumer: patients self-refer or are referred by optometrists for elective vision-correction surgery as well as medically indicated cataract care. Revenue is generated per procedure, with pricing set individually by modality (LASIK and PRK typically priced per eye; RLE, ICL, and cataract priced per eye or per case inclusive of the lens implant). The practice maintains two locations — Calgary (headquarters) and Edmonton — and is operated by a team of specialist ophthalmologists alongside an optometrist, with no external private equity or venture capital involvement.

The practice is founder-led: Dr. Howard Gimbel, recently appointed to the Order of Canada, is transitioning into a new role, indicating an active succession event. As a single-specialty surgical practice, Gimbel Eye Centre is differentiated primarily by clinical reputation, surgeon tenure, and procedural breadth rather than by technology platform or scale economics.

Name

Gimbel Eye Centre

Legal name

Gimbel Eye Centre

Website

https://gimbel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gimbel Eye Centre is a Calgary-based, founder-owned ophthalmology practice founded in 1964 that performs refractive and cataract surgery (LASIK, PRK, RLE, ICL, IOLs, cross-linking) for individual patients across two Alberta locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vision Correction Surgery

NAICS

Offices of Optometrists (62132)

akta.pro primary industry

Ophthalmology Clinics (Medical & Surgical Eye Care) (HLAKAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cornea, External Disease & Refractive Surgery (LASIK/PRK) (HLAKAKAF), Ophthalmology Surgery Centers (HLAFAIAF), Ocular Imaging & Diagnostic Testing Centers (HLAKAKAN)

Keywords

• Vision correction surgery
• Laser eye surgery
• Refractive surgery
• Cataract treatment
• Ophthalmology services

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Vision Correction Surgical Procedures: Fee-for-service revenue from surgical vision correction procedures including LASIK, PRK, RLE, ICL implantation, and cataract surgery. Revenue is one-time per procedure with potential for follow-up enhancement procedures.
2. Eye Care Consultations and Assessments: Revenue from pre-operative assessments, consultations, and post-operative care visits. The practice offers complimentary assessments as a patient acquisition tool.
3. Financing and Payment Plans: The practice offers financing options to help patients manage the cost of surgical procedures, which may involve partnerships with financial service providers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gimbel Eye Centre is a specialized ophthalmology practice that performs vision correction surgical procedures including LASIK, PRK, refractive lens exchange (RLE), implantable collamer lenses (ICL), cataract surgery, and collagen cross-linking. The practice offers pre-operative assessments, surgical procedures, and post-operative care for patients with refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, presbyopia) and cataracts.

Product overview

Gimbel Eye Centre is a specialized eye care practice offering a comprehensive suite of vision correction procedures. Their core portfolio consists of surgical treatments including LASIK Surgery, Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK), Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE), Implantable Collamer Lenses (ICL), Cataract Surgery, Collagen Cross-linking, and Intraocular Lens (IOL) implants. These procedures address common refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, presbyopia) as well as eye diseases. The practice also provides Vision Enhancements for post-operative refinement. The centre was the first in Canada to perform laser vision correction, refractive lens exchange, and implantable corrective lens procedures, having completed over 200,000 vision correction procedures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LASIK Surgery

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200,000 vision correction procedures performed by their surgeons
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• ASCRS (American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional society affiliation providing access to latest research, techniques, and best practices in cataract and refractive surgery.
• ASOA (American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional society affiliation supporting practice management excellence and operational standards in ophthalmic practices.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Bochner Eye Institute: Toronto-based premium refractive surgery clinic offering LASIK, PRK, ICL, RLE, and cataract surgery. Comparable in surgeon-led, premium positioning to Gimbel and competes for the high-end Canadian refractive surgery market.
• LASIK MD: Canada's largest laser vision correction provider with dozens of clinics across the country. Direct competitor to Gimbel Eye Centre in LASIK, PRK, and ICL procedures, competing on the same elective refractive surgery patient pool with stronger scale and brand recognition.
• Herzig Eye Institute: Toronto-based refractive surgery clinic offering LASIK, SMILE, ICL, RLE, and cataract procedures with premium IOLs. Competes with Gimbel in the Canadian premium refractive surgery segment with similar technology and surgeon-led positioning.
• TLC Laser Eye Centres: Long-established North American laser eye surgery chain offering LASIK and other refractive procedures in Canadian markets. Operates with similar fee-for-service model and competes for the same elective vision correction patients as Gimbel.

Broad incumbents

• Vision Group Holdings: Canadian parent company that operates and invests in multiple laser vision correction and ophthalmology brands. Provides broader competitive context as a scaled consolidator in the same refractive surgery space where Gimbel operates.

Regional players

• Pacific Laser Eye Centre: Vancouver-based refractive surgery practice serving British Columbia with LASIK, PRK, and ICL procedures. Comparable in clinic-based, surgeon-led service model to Gimbel but operates in a different Western Canadian geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eyegimbel
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gimbel-eye-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gimbel Eye Centre