Bay Eye Care

07/04/2026

Alex is back with his third article in UNO Magazine as part of his four-part series, Clear Vision!👀
This edition focuses on dry eye.
If your eyes feel gritty, irritated, or tired by the middle of the afternoon you’re definitely not alone.
Dry eye is one of the most common things we see in clinic now, affecting people of all ages and lifestyles. What used to be more of an issue for the older population now has some new contributors: lots of screen time, indoor environments, and for many women, changes in different life stages.
The challenge is that while lubricating drops can feel good short-term, they don’t address the underlying cause. Over time untreated dry eye can actually progress, and we’re now seeing more cases where the glands have become permanently affected after years of dysfunction. That’s why early intervention is so important.
Our focus is on restoring natural gland function, not just masking symptoms. We use treatments like IPL to calm inflammation and improve the health of the eyelids, and LipiFlow to gently clear and reset blocked glands—often combining the two for better long-term results. Alongside in-clinic treatments, we also tailor advice around your environment, lid hygiene, targeted drops, and supplements to help keep things stable and comfortable long-term.
Want to look into the treatments for dry eye here at bay eye care? Read a bit more about LipiFlow and IPL on the below links.
IPL: https://www.bayeyecare.co.nz/ipl-for-dry-eye
LipiFlow: https://www.bayeyecare.co.nz/lipiflow-for-dry-eye
We’ve got a copy in the clinic, so if you arrive early for your appointment, feel free to take a seat, relax, and have a read. You’ll learn more about what makes Bay Eye Care unique — and pick up some useful tips for keeping your eyes in top shape.
Not visiting us soon? No problem!
You can read the article online here:
https://www.unomagazine.co.nz/latest-issue

02/04/2026

We’re hopping off for a short Easter break! (pun intended)

Bay Eye Care will be closed from Friday, 3rd April through to Monday, 6th April, as our team takes some time to relax and recharge. We’ll be back bright and early with our usual hours on Tuesday, 7th April.

Our best contact over this time is alex@bayeyecare.co.nz

For any eye emergencies, please contact your local optometrist, your GP, or accident & emergency services.

Wishing you a safe and happy Easter!🐰
– The Bay Eye Care Team

25/03/2026

A Few Changes (and a Warm Welcome!) at Bay Eye Care

👋Farewell to Aidan Quinlan,
We’re sad to be saying goodbye to Aidan, who will soon be heading across the ditch to Australia with his partner Georgie for an exciting new chapter. Since joining Bay Eye Care in 2023, Aidan has been an integral part of the team. Many of you will have seen him in clinic and experienced firsthand his professionalism, warmth, and expertise. He will be greatly missed by both patients and colleagues alike. We wish you all the very best Aidan and our door is always open when you’re back visiting the BOP!

👁️Ongoing Care for Aidan's patients,
Of course patients of Aidan's will continue to be well-looked after here in the clinic. Principal Optometrist Mr Alex Petty has a wealth of experience in handling the range of specialty areas of eye care that we are known for at Bay Eye Care.

🎉Welcome Mariam,
We are also excited to announce that optometrist Ms Mariam Baissy will be joining the Bay Eye Care team in May. Mariam is a very friendly, empathetic and intelligent clinician with skills in managing ocular disease, dry eye problems and contact lenses. Mariam is NZ-trained at the University of Auckland (Bachelor of Optometry with first-class honours) and has been recently practicing on the Kapiti Coast, along with outreach services managing diabetic retinal eye disease on the West Coast of the South Island. Mariam is thrilled to be joining the team and making Tauranga her new home and we’re just as excited to have her on board. Please join us in giving her a warm welcome!

Mariam will be available for appointments 5 days a week from 11th May and booking is easy!!
Give Gracie a call: 07 571 6644
Email us at: info@bayeyecare.co.nz
Or jump online and book at your convenience: https://www.bayeyecare.co.nz/book-online

We look forward to seeing you soon! 😊

13/02/2026

If you’ve popped into the practice today (Friday 13th February), you may have noticed that Gracie is holding down the fort solo!

That’s because our two optometrists, Alex and Aidan, are attending the CCLS (Cornea and Contact Lens Society) Conference, which is being held locally this year in a slightly less-than-sunny Tauranga!🌧️

We’re excited to share that Alex has been invited to speak at the conference. He’ll be presenting on:

- Dry Eye diagnosis and management using infrared meibography imaging.
Infrared (IR) meibography is a non-invasive imaging technique that allows us to clearly visualise the meibomian glands inside the eyelids. This technology helps diagnose and monitor Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) - One of the leading causes of dry eye disease.

- Fitting the new Abiliti 1-Day Myopia Control soft contact lens for children.
Myopia (short-sightedness) occurs when the eye grows longer than normal. Children who develop myopia at a young age (under 20) often experience faster progression, meaning their prescription can continue to increase until their eyes stop growing. New-generation myopia control lenses are designed to help slow this progression and support long-term eye health.

If you’d like a behind-the-scenes look at what Alex and Aidan are up to today, check out the link below!
https://web.cvent.com/event/8ebdf4e3-9e99-4c01-83a2-2dddac0962f1/websitePage:9d608d47-a25f-4b13-9b56-0f8a2cd7d328

If you’re after any solutions or products, or simply need to pop into the practice for any reason, we’re still open as usual! Gracie is here and will be more than happy to help with any purchases or enquiries😁😎

16/12/2025

Alex is back with his second article in UNO Magazine as part of his four-part series, Clear Vision!👀

This edition focuses on Ortho-K (Orthokeratology) A specially designed overnight contact lens that gently reshapes the front surface of your eye while you sleep😴. Once the lenses are removed in the morning, the temporary reshaping allows you to see clearly throughout the day. For many people, this means freedom from glasses or daytime contact lenses altogether!

At Bay Eye Care, many of our patients are successfully using Ortho-K lenses and loving the results. If you’d like to learn more about whether Ortho-K could be right for you, visit our website or give us a call - We’d be more than happy to help!😁

We’ve got a copy in the clinic, so if you arrive early for your appointment, feel free to take a seat, relax, and have a read. You’ll learn more about what makes Bay Eye Care unique — and pick up some useful tips for keeping your eyes in top shape!
Not visiting us soon? No problem!
You can read the article online here:
https://www.unomagazine.co.nz/latest-issue

27/11/2025

🌞🎄It’s that time of year again!! Summer, Christmas, New Years and all the good things in between!🎄🌞

What a fantastic year it has been here at Bay Eye Care! Aidan and Alex have welcomed a record number of new patients, many referred by family and friends. We’re truly grateful for the trust you’ve placed in us to care for the eyes of the people you love. 💙

🎁 Holiday & Summer Break Hours:
Even our little clinic elves are gearing up for a rest! Bay Eye Care will be closing for two weeks from 11:30am on Friday, 19th December. If you need anything before then, please get in quickly - appointments are filling up fast.
We’ll return refreshed, tanned and ready for 2026 on Monday, 5th January.
You can already book 2026 appointments through our online booking system - Link is below.

🌞 Summer Essentials: Don't forget to stock up. If you’ll need eyedrops, solutions or contact lenses over the Christmas/New Year break, please pop into the clinic at 60 Eighth Avenue in the next month, or contact us and Gracie can organise a courier for anything you need if you're not local. Please get in touch with us as early as possible to make sure everything arrives before we close on the 19th.

✨ A note for Bausch & Lomb contact lens wearers:
If you’ve previously purchased your lenses through the MySparkle app, please note this service is no longer available due to changes with the NZ distributor. Don’t worry you can still order these lenses directly through the clinic. Just give Gracie a call or email and she can place the order for you.

Thank you for an incredible 2025! If we don’t see you before the end of the year, see you in 2026!🎊

🎉 Wishing you a safe, sunny and relaxing summer holiday and a joyful Christmas and New Year!

- The team at Bay Eye Care: Alex, Aidan and Gracie👓🌟
E: info@bayeyecare.co.nz
Ph: 07 571 6644
Online Booking: https://www.bayeyecare.co.nz/book-online

12/10/2025

UNO What?! 👀
Bay Eye Care is proud to be featured in the latest issue of Bay of Plenty’s lifestyle magazine, UNO!

Our very own Alex is kicking off a 4-part series called "Clear Vision", where he’ll be busting common eye health myths and answering the questions we get asked the most.

We’ve got a copy in the clinic, so if you arrive early for your appointment, feel free to take a seat, relax, and have a read. You’ll learn more about what makes Bay Eye Care unique — and pick up some useful tips for keeping your eyes in top shape!

Not visiting us soon? No problem!
You can read the article online here:
https://www.unomagazine.co.nz/main-blog/clear-vision

08/10/2025

✨👓 The Force is strong with these two...
Our optometrists Alex and Aidan are heading across the ditch to the Star Wars-themed OSO Conference on the Gold Coast, Australia! 🛫🪐☀️

They’re trading in their phoropters for lightsabers (just temporarily) and joining the Jedi Council of eye care to learn, connect, and bring back knowledge from a galaxy not-so-far-away 👁️⚔️

May the vision be with them!

We're proud to share that Alex has been selected as a guest speaker at the upcoming conference! He’ll be presenting on the benefits and process of Orthokeratology (OrthoK) — a vision correction method used by many of our patients here at Bay Eye Care.

Take a sneak peek at the Star Wars-themed OSO Conference here!
https://web.cvent.com/event/a3792283-6ebf-499f-8446-0c20edfd62ed/summary

08/10/2025

Bay Eye Care will be closed on Monday, 13th October as our team will be attending the OSO conference in the Gold Coast☀️

We look forward to returning to the practice on Tuesday 14th of October with fresh insights and knowledge to continue providing the best care for our patients!

12/06/2025

Welcome to the team, Grace!!🎉

You may have noticed a new face at the front desk if you have been in recently... Sadly, Georgia will be leaving us and is off on a new, exciting adventure in Cambridge. She will be dearly missed by the Bay Eye Care team.

Grace recently moved here from Palmerston North and has spent the last 6 years working in the automotive industry. Grace is all about great customer service, which makes her a perfect fit for our team.

Outside of the practice you will find Grace spending time at the beach, running, skiing during winter and enjoying a margarita or two🍸

We’re excited to have her on board!

10/06/2025

Our Director Alex Petty was a guest speaker at the AFT stand for the National GP Conference in Rotorua on Saturday the 7th of June.

This conference had around 1200 attendees including GPs, Nurses & Practice Managers. Alex was discussing Dry Eye Disease diagnosis and management with allied health care providers so they can better help their patients.

For more information on Dry Eye Disease at Bay Eye Care or to book an appointment, please refer back to our website! www.bayeyecare.co.nz

07/05/2025

Have you ever noticed squiggly lines or dark spots drifting across your vision? You’re not alone. These are called floaters.

Go check out Aidan's recent blog focused on our new VitroCap-N supplements that are key to maintaining healthy eyes and reducing the symptoms of floaters.

If you have ever noticed squiggly lines or dark spots drifting across your vision , you’re not alone. These are called floaters. Floaters are usually harmless, however they can be incredibly frustrating, especially when they interfere with reading, driving, or simply enjoying clear vision.