Your Privacy Matters

Uptown Eye Specialists, part of U Vision Group (UVG), is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your personal information, including your personal health information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information in accordance with Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of information when you visit our website, book an appointment, or interact with our services:

• Personal health information: Medical history, diagnostic results, treatment records, and referral information, collected and managed through your clinical care at our facilities.
• Contact information: Name, email address, phone number, and mailing address provided when you book an appointment or submit an inquiry.
• Website usage data: We use Google Analytics (GA4) to collect anonymized data about how visitors interact with our website, including pages visited, time on site, and general geographic region. This data does not identify you personally.
• Cookies and consent preferences: Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. You may manage your cookie preferences through the consent banner displayed when you first visit our site.

How We Use Your Information

• To provide and coordinate your clinical care across the UVG network of specialist clinics
• To communicate with you about your appointments, treatment plans, and follow-up care
• To process referrals from and to your family physician, optometrist, or other healthcare providers
• To improve our website and services based on anonymized usage patterns
• To comply with legal and regulatory obligations

How We Protect Your Information

Your personal health information is stored securely in compliance with PHIPA requirements. Our website is hosted in Canada with Canadian data residency. We use encryption, access controls, and regular security audits to protect your data. Only authorized clinical and administrative staff have access to your personal health information, and only to the extent necessary to provide your care.

Disclosure of Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your personal health information only in the following circumstances:

• Within the UVG network: To coordinate your care across our specialist clinics (Uptown Eye Specialists, U Eye Laser Cosmetic, U Optical, U Dry Eye Institute, U Surgical Centre) when clinically appropriate.
• With referring providers: To communicate with your referring physician or optometrist as part of your care pathway.
• As required by law: When disclosure is required by law, regulation, or court order.
• With your consent: When you have provided explicit consent for a specific disclosure.

Cookies and Analytics

Our website uses cookies and Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our site. Analytics data is collected in aggregate and does not identify individual visitors. You may adjust your cookie preferences at any time using the cookie settings link in the footer of our website. We honour your consent choices in accordance with PIPEDA.

Your Rights

Under PHIPA and PIPEDA, you have the right to:

• Access your personal health information held by our clinics
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Withdraw consent for non-essential uses of your information
• File a complaint with the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) if you believe your privacy rights have been violated — ipc.on.ca · 1-800-387-0073

Records Retention

Clinical records are retained in accordance with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario requirements — a minimum of ten years from the date of the last entry, or for patients under 18, ten years from the day the patient reached or would have reached the age of majority — after which records are securely destroyed.

Third-Party Services

Appointment requests made through our online booking links are processed by Calendly, a third-party scheduling provider whose servers may be located outside Canada. Only the information you enter into the booking form (such as your name, contact details, and appointment preference) is shared with this provider — no clinical records are transmitted. By using online booking you consent to this processing; you may always book by phone instead.

Email Communications

If you subscribe to our newsletter or updates, we will send you email communications only with your consent, in accordance with Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). Every commercial email we send identifies the sender and includes a working unsubscribe mechanism. You may withdraw your consent at any time, and appointment-related communications are unaffected by your marketing preferences.

Text messages and email from us

Uptown Eye Specialists and U Optical are part of U Vision Group. We send text messages and emails to our own patients for two purposes only, both relating to care you have already sought or booked. We do not send marketing, promotions, newsletters, product offers or requests for reviews to these numbers, and no other organization sends messages on our behalf.

1. One-time verification codes. When you use the appointment lookup on this website, we send a one-time verification code to the mobile number or email address already recorded on your patient file. The code confirms it is you before any appointment information is shown. It is single-use and expires in 10 minutes. A verification code message contains no appointment details, no doctor's name and no clinic location.

2. Appointment reminders. If you have asked us to remind you about your appointments, we send a reminder before each booked appointment, and you can reply to confirm, cancel or ask to change it. This is typically one or two messages per appointment. You choose whether to receive reminders. We record your choice on your patient file, and you can change it at any time by calling us or by replying STOP. A reminder message contains the clinic name and your appointment date and time only. It does not contain your doctor's name, the reason for your visit, or any details of your care.

We only ever send to contact details already on your file. You cannot type in a phone number or email address, and neither can anyone else on your behalf. If your contact details are out of date, please call us at (416) 292-0330 so we can correct them.

Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to any message to opt out of text messages, or HELP for help. Opting out does not affect your care. You can still use the appointment lookup by email, and we will still contact you by phone or by mail about your appointments.

Text messages and email are not secure. They can be read by anyone with access to your phone or your inbox. We keep the content of these messages to the minimum for that reason. If you would rather not receive information this way, please tell us and we will note it on your file.

How long we keep it. We record that a message was sent, and whether a verification code was used, as part of the access log we are required to keep. We do not keep the code itself once it has been used or has expired.

Who handles the message. Text messages and emails are delivered by Microsoft Azure Communication Services on our behalf, with data stored in Canada. They act as our service provider and may not use your information for their own purposes.

Questions, concerns or complaints about how we handle your information can be directed to our Privacy Contact:

Julia Tsui
Privacy Contact, U Vision Group
julia.tsui@uvisiongroup.com · (416) 292-0330

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to complain to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario at 1-800-387-0073 or ipc.on.ca.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us:

Uptown Eye Specialists
Phone: (416) 292-0330
Email: info@uptowneye.ca

This policy was last updated on June 4, 2026.