When most clinicians talk about “reinventing themselves,” they mean adding a new service, buying new technology, or refreshing a brand. For Dr. Henry Reis, reinvention meant changing countries, careers, and ultimately stepping into the risky world of tech entrepreneurship—all while building a thriving, multi-location eye care practice in British Columbia.



In this episode of The 2020 Podcast with host Dr. Harbir Sian, Dr. Reis shares how embracing change has shaped his journey from ophthalmologist in Brazil to optometrist, practice owner, and founder of an AI-driven diagnostics company. His story is a playbook for any eye care professional who feels the pull toward “what’s next,” but is afraid to make a move.



Topics Covered Reinvention as a Survival SkillBuilding AI for Eyes: The Reality of Being a FounderIntegra Eyecare: Collaboration Over CompetitionModernizing Scope: Better Access, Not Turf WarsLessons for New Optometrists: Don’t Be PassiveHard Work, Luck, and the Power of Caring



Reinvention as a Survival Skill



Dr. Reis doesn’t treat reinvention as a motivational slogan, it was a necessity. Moving from Brazil to Canada meant learning a new language, adapting to a new healthcare system, and essentially starting his career over.



In Brazil, the eye care landscape is built around ophthalmology and opticianry; there is no optometry profession in the middle. In Canada, he had to step into that middle ground and reframe his identity. The biggest barrier, he says, is not change itself, but the fear of losing what you already have.



Many clinicians feel this tension: “Why would I change anything when things are comfortable?” Dr. Reis flips that question. In a profession being reshaped by online retail, AI, and new care models, not changing is the real risk. Reinvention is how clinicians stay relevant, serve patients better, and avoid becoming obsolete.



Building AI for Eyes: The Reality of Being a Founder



The most dramatic reinvention in his career came in 2018, when he co-founded AI for Eyes, a hardware/software startup focused on dry eye diagnostics.



The idea was born after a lecture in Vienna on simplifying dry eye disease management. Dr. Reis highlighted a familiar problem: even when evidence-based algorithms exist, busy clinicians default to habit and skip key steps like osmolarity or symptom scoring. The solution he envisioned was bold—a device powered by artificial intelligence that could scan the ocular surface and generate consistent, repeatable, fast dry eye diagnoses.



From the outside, being “CEO and founder” sounds glamorous. The reality, as he shares, was far from it. He pitched investors, raised $1.2 million, and then spent countless late nights doing everything from strategy to marketing, from logo design to website building. The hardware was developed with StarFish Medical, and after multiple iterations, the team produced an alpha device with a working user interface and algorithm.



Eventually, recognizing the need for a dedicated SaaS and software expert to take the product to market, the company brought in a new CEO. Today, AI for Eyes is in its final stages of development and regulatory preparation—proof of concept realized, but only after years of grind that most people will never see.



For eye care professionals curious about entrepren...