Privacy Policy

Eye Story Optical (“we”, “us”, or “our”), operated by Eyeandeh Optical Inc., takes the protection of your identity and personal information very seriously. This Privacy Policy (the “Policy”) applies to the personal information we collect in store, through our website at https://eyestory.ca, and throughout our relationship with you as a patient or customer.

This Policy describes the personal information we may collect from you; the purposes for which we collect it; how we use it; and when we may share it with third parties. It also describes the choices you have regarding the collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information. Eye Story Optical will not collect, use, or disclose your personal information other than in compliance with this Policy and applicable Canadian privacy law, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act(PIPEDA) and, for personal health information, Ontario's Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA).

By using our website or our in-store services, you agree to the terms of this Policy. We will notify you of any material changes by publishing an updated Policy on our website. Your continued use of our website and services after such publication constitutes your acceptance of the updated Policy.

Where we offer mobile-optimized access to our website, the provisions of this Policy apply equally to all such mobile access and use.

1. When Is Information Collected?

You may visit our store or browse our website without disclosing personal information. However, we will collect personal information in the following circumstances:

• Making an eye exam or consultation appointment online, by telephone, or in store.
• Creating or updating a patient file in store.
• Purchasing eyewear or optical products in store.
• Subscribing to our newsletters or promotional communications.
• Emailing us with questions or comments.
• Using our contact form on this website.

Eye Story Optical does not collect financial data such as credit card numbers through our website. In-store payment information is handled securely through our point-of-sale system and is not retained by Eye Story Optical beyond what is required for transaction records.

2. What Type of Information Is Collected?

The type of personal information we collect depends on the nature of your interaction with us. It may include:

• Identifying information: first name, last name, and date of birth.
• Contact information: mailing address, email address, and telephone number.
• Health card and insurance information: OHIP number and extended health benefit plan details.
• Clinical information: ocular prescription, eye health history, medications, and visit records. This is personal health information governed by PHIPA.
• Purchase information: products and services purchased in store.
• Communication preferences: your preferred language and how you wish to be contacted.

When you visit our website, we may also automatically collect certain technical information through cookies and similar technologies. This may include browser type, operating system, Internet service provider, IP address, pages viewed, and the date and time of your visit. Please see Section 6 (Cookies & Analytics) for more details.

3. Why Is This Information Collected?

Eye Story Optical collects and uses your personal information for the following purposes:

• Confirming and managing your eye exam or consultation appointment.
• Sending appointment reminders and follow-up care communications.
• Providing comprehensive eye care services and dispensing prescription eyewear.
• Processing direct billing claims with your insurance provider.
• Manufacturing prescription lenses ordered through our practice.
• Sending promotional communications, such as newsletters or seasonal offers, where you have consented to receive them.
• Responding to your questions and improving our products and customer service.
• Maintaining accurate patient and business records as required by law and professional standards.

You may withdraw your consent to receive promotional communications at any time. See Section 5 (Your Choices About Promotional Communications) below.

4. Is Your Information Shared With Third Parties?

We do not sell or lease your personal information to unaffiliated third parties. However, we work with a small number of trusted service providers who assist us in operating our business. These providers process information only as necessary to deliver their services to us:

• Resend — delivers appointment-request and confirmation emails.
• Vercel — hosts our website and web infrastructure.
• Google — provides analytics (via Google Tag Manager) and the embedded map on our Contact page. Google Workspace hosts our business email.
• Insurance providers — for patients using direct billing, we submit claim information to your insurer on your behalf.
• Optical laboratories — prescription details are shared with licensed labs for the manufacturing of your lenses.

We may also disclose your personal information as required by law, in response to a legal process or law enforcement request, or as necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Eye Story Optical, our patients, or others.

In the event of a sale or transfer of all or substantially all of our business, personal information we hold may be disclosed to a prospective purchaser, subject to equivalent privacy protections.

5. Your Choices About Promotional Communications

We only send promotional communications — such as newsletters, seasonal offers, or appointment reminder campaigns — to patients and customers who have consented to receive them.

If you prefer not to receive promotional messages from us, you may opt out at any time by:

• Clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email we send you.
• Emailing us at info@eyestory.ca with your full name, phone number, and email address.
• Calling us at (416) 221-8833.

Please allow up to two (2) weeks for your request to be processed. During this period you may continue to receive communications already in progress. Please note that opting out of promotional communications does not affect transactional communications related to your appointments or care — we will still contact you to confirm or remind you of scheduled appointments.

6. Cookies & Analytics

Our website uses cookies — small data files placed on your device — to track preferences and improve the browsing experience. We use Google Tag Manager to manage analytics, which may set cookies that help us understand how visitors use our site.

Cookies may collect information such as browser type, operating system, IP address, pages visited, and session duration. The use of cookies is a standard practice across most websites and helps us serve you better.

Most browsers are set to accept cookies by default, but you can configure your browser to refuse cookies or alert you when they are being sent. Disabling cookies will not prevent you from booking an appointment or contacting us, but some website features may function differently.

7. How Is Your Information Secured?

Eye Story Optical has adopted appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information against loss, theft, and unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, or modification — taking into account, among other factors, the sensitivity of the information and the purposes for which it is used.

Personal health information is retained and protected in accordance with PHIPA and the record-keeping requirements of the College of Opticians of Ontario. All staff, contractors, and agents with access to personal information are required to comply with this Policy.

8. How Long Is Your Information Retained?

We retain your personal information for as long as is reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this Policy, or for such longer period as may be required or permitted by applicable law and professional regulations. Clinical records are retained for the minimum periods required of regulated health professionals in Ontario. When information is no longer needed, it is securely destroyed or anonymized.

9. Accessing, Correcting, or Withdrawing Your Consent

Eye Story Optical will ensure that the personal information it holds is as accurate, complete, and up-to-date as necessary for the purposes for which it is used. You have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you.
• Request a correction to inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
• Withdraw consent to the collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information for certain purposes.
• Lodge a complaint regarding our privacy practices.

To exercise any of these rights, or if you have questions or concerns about this Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us directly using the details below. We will respond within the timeframes required by law.

10. Mobile Privacy

When you use a mobile device to access our website, we may receive information about your device, including a unique device identifier, and, if you have enabled location services, your approximate location. We use this information solely to provide location-relevant content such as maps and directions.

We will only send push notifications or location-based alerts to customers who have explicitly opted in to receive them. You can disable location services or notification permissions at any time through your mobile device's settings. If you have questions about disabling these features, we recommend contacting your device manufacturer or mobile carrier.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, such as eyewear brand pages or insurance provider sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those external sites and encourage you to review their own privacy policies before providing any personal information.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. We will notify you by publishing the updated Policy on this page with a revised “Last updated” date. Your continued use of our website or services following publication constitutes your acceptance of the revised Policy.