Indigenous Children Eye Examination
ICEE is a Canadian nonprofit founded in 2019 that provides free pediatric eye care — including on-site clinics, telemedicine, and eyeglasses — to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children across Canada, funded primarily through Jordan's Principle and the Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersHamilton, Canada
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Indigenous Children Eye Examination does
Indigenous Children Eye Examination (ICEE) is a Canadian registered nonprofit founded in 2019 by Dr. Kourosh Sabri, a pediatric ophthalmologist and McMaster University professor, to deliver free pediatric eye care to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children across Canada. Operated from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, ICEE provides an integrated service stack: periodic on-site eye examination clinics in remote Indigenous communities, telemedicine clinics connecting pediatric ophthalmologists with locally trained nurses and youth at community health centers, free prescription eyeglass provision, and coordination of surgical or tertiary care referrals to children's hospitals. A Local Youth Eye Technician Training Program develops in-community clinical capacity, illustrated by technicians such as Davida Nakogee in Attawapiskat, Ontario.
The organization's core technology is a telemedicine platform enabling remote pediatric eye consultations between McMaster-affiliated specialists and trained local personnel at community health centers. ICEE also functions as a healthcare access conduit, leveraging established community trust to introduce additional services into remote communities. There is no proprietary software product, mobile application, or AI-driven clinical tooling disclosed; the technology footprint is limited to standard remote video consultation infrastructure.
ICEE's revenue model is a hybrid of per-service government reimbursement and philanthropic funding. First Nations care is funded through Jordan's Principle, a federal child-first funding mechanism; Métis care is funded through the Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation; and additional operations are supported by charitable donations. All services and eyeglasses are provided at no cost to children and families. The organization operates in Ontario and Saskatchewan, with services extending to Inuit communities in Nunavut, and has cumulatively delivered 1,242 eye exams, 941 pairs of eyeglasses, and 147 telemedicine appointments. Its addressable market is estimated at over 400,000 Indigenous children across Canada.
Indigenous Children Eye Examination firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Indigenous Children Eye Examination
- Legal name
- Indigenous Children Eye Examination
- Website
- https://iceenow.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- ICEE is a Canadian nonprofit founded in 2019 that provides free pediatric eye care — including on-site clinics, telemedicine, and eyeglasses — to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children across Canada, funded primarily through Jordan's Principle and the Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Indigenous Children Eye Examination industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Indigenous Pediatric Eye Care Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Optometrists (62132), Optical Goods Retailers (45613)
- SIC
- Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Ophthalmic Goods (3851)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Optometry Clinics (Primary Eye Care) (HLAKAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Health Screening & Preventive Care Programs (Vision/Hearing/Immunization) (EDACAMAJ)
Keywords
Where Indigenous Children Eye Examination is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hamilton
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Indigenous Children Eye Examination business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Jordan's Principle Funding: All care in First Nations communities is supported through Jordan's Principle, which provides funding for essential services to First Nations children.
- Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation: Vision care for Métis communities is funded through the Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation.
- Donations: Charitable donations from individuals and organizations support operations, including providing free eyeglasses to children in need.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Indigenous Children Eye Examination product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ICEE provides free pediatric eye care services to Indigenous children across Canada, delivering comprehensive eye examinations, prescription eyeglasses, telemedicine follow-up, and tertiary surgical referrals in remote First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities. The organization supplements clinical delivery with a customized training program that prepares local Indigenous youth to serve as eye technicians and vision screeners within their own communities.
Product overview
ICEE operates as a nonprofit healthcare organization offering a unified service model centered on bringing eye care to Indigenous children across Canada. The core offerings consist of on-site eye clinics (in-person pediatric eye exams in remote communities), telemedicine clinics (remote consultations via video), and a local youth training program (preparing community members as eye technicians). Supporting services include eyeglass provision at no cost, coordination of tertiary care referrals, and broader healthcare access facilitation. These services work together to provide end-to-end vision care—from screening and examination to treatment and specialist referral—for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- On-site Eye Clinics Periodic in-person pediatric eye examination clinics held at community health centers in remote First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, providing full eye exams and prescription eyeglasses at no cost to families.
- Telemedicine Clinics Remote eye care consultations connecting pediatric ophthalmologists with trained local nurses and youth at community health centers via telemedicine technology.
- Local Youth Eye Technician Training Program Customized online and in-person training program that prepares local Indigenous youth to serve as eye technicians and vision screeners within their own communities.
- Eyeglass Provision Provision of prescription eyeglasses at no cost to Indigenous children who need vision correction, facilitated through partnerships with opticians and eyeglass dispensers.
- Tertiary Care Coordination Referral coordination and transportation arrangements for Indigenous children requiring specialized or surgical care at tertiary children's hospitals.
Quantifiable outcome
- 1,242 eye exams conducted
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Indigenous Children Eye Examination
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Indigenous Children Eye Examination technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Indigenous Children Eye Examination partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA)coreWAHA is a key strategic partner providing access to First Nations communities in the Weeneebayko region. The partnership enabled the first in-person ICEE clinic in Moosonee, Ontario in 2020. Dr. Elaine Innes and Lynne Innes of WAHA are featured in ICEE's promotional materials.
- McMaster UniversitycoreICEE is founded by Dr. Kourosh Sabri, a pediatric ophthalmologist and McMaster University professor. The organization operates from McMaster University, which provides institutional support, infrastructure, and academic credibility.
- Hamilton Health SciencesminorRegional health system whose logo appears in the ICEE footer. Provides institutional support and referral pathway for tertiary care of Indigenous children requiring specialized treatment.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Indigenous Children Eye Examination competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Indigenous Services Canada (ISC): Federal department funding Indigenous health programs including Jordan's Principle. Comparable as the upstream funder and policy counterpart for ICEE's pediatric Indigenous eye-care delivery model.
- McMaster University Department of Ophthalmology: Academic institution housing ICEE and its founder. Comparable as an institutional anchor providing clinical, research, and reputational infrastructure analogous to what ICEE relies on for its operating model.
Broad incumbents
- Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB): Canada's largest nonprofit serving people with vision loss, including Indigenous community programs. Comparable as a Canadian vision-services nonprofit, though broader in scope and more rehabilitation-focused than ICEE's pediatric clinical model.
- Lions Clubs International Foundation: Long-standing global nonprofit that funds pediatric vision screening and eyeglasses through local Lions clubs. Comparable as a funder and delivery channel for free pediatric eyeglasses, though with a volunteer-club model rather than ICEE's physician-led clinics.
- Essilor Vision Foundation (EssilorLuxottica): Corporate foundation that funds and supplies free eyeglasses to underserved children globally. Directly comparable to ICEE's free eyeglass-provision model, though operating at a much larger, multi-country scale.
Direct peers
- ORBIS International: Nonprofit that delivers eye care and ophthalmology training in underserved communities worldwide, including pediatric programs. Highly comparable to ICEE's mission-driven, community-based pediatric eye-care delivery model.
- Seva Foundation: Public health nonprofit focused on restoring vision and preventing blindness in underserved populations, with pediatric and Indigenous-adjacent programs. Closely comparable to ICEE's combination of clinical service delivery and community capacity-building.
- Vision Health International: Nonprofit that runs volunteer eye-care missions and distributes glasses in remote and Indigenous communities. Directly comparable as a free-service pediatric/adult vision-care delivery organization with similar operating model.
Emerging players
- Optometry Giving Sight: Global fundraising initiative supporting optometry-led vision care, training, and infrastructure in underserved communities. Comparable to ICEE's optometrist-led, training-anchored model of pediatric eye care delivery.
Regional players
- Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA): Regional Indigenous health authority serving communities along the James Bay coast. Although ICEE's strategic partner, WAHA is also a comparable Indigenous health-services operator providing primary and specialty care to the same communities ICEE serves.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Indigenous Children Eye Examination social profiles
Digital presenceIndigenous Children Eye Examination financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Indigenous Children Eye Examination leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Indigenous Children Eye Examination funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Indigenous Children Eye Examination M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Indigenous Children Eye Examination
What does Indigenous Children Eye Examination do?
ICEE provides free pediatric eye care services to Indigenous children across Canada, delivering comprehensive eye examinations, prescription eyeglasses, telemedicine follow-up, and tertiary surgical referrals in remote First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities. The organization supplements clinical delivery with a customized training program that prepares local Indigenous youth to serve as eye technicians and vision screeners within their own communities.
Is Indigenous Children Eye Examination a public or private company?
Indigenous Children Eye Examination is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Indigenous Children Eye Examination founded?
Indigenous Children Eye Examination was founded in 2019.
Where is Indigenous Children Eye Examination based?
Indigenous Children Eye Examination is headquartered in Hamilton, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Indigenous Children Eye Examination make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Jordan's Principle Funding is the primary driver. The others are hamilton Health Sciences Foundation and donations.
Who are Indigenous Children Eye Examination's main competitors?
Others on record are Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and McMaster University Department of Ophthalmology. Broad incumbents are Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), Lions Clubs International Foundation and Essilor Vision Foundation (EssilorLuxottica). Direct peers are ORBIS International, Seva Foundation and Vision Health International. Optometry Giving Sight is listed as an emerging player. Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA) is listed as a regional player.
Does Indigenous Children Eye Examination have an API?
No public API is recorded for Indigenous Children Eye Examination.
What industry is Indigenous Children Eye Examination in?
Indigenous Children Eye Examination's product category is Indigenous Pediatric Eye Care Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAKAKAB, Optometry Clinics (Primary Eye Care), with a secondary code of EDACAMAJ, Health Screening & Preventive Care Programs (Vision/Hearing/Immunization). Its NAICS code is 62132 and its SIC code is 8011.