Kaien Island Optometry

After spending his early childhood in India, Dr. Birk immigrated to Canada with his family at the age of 6. He spent the majority of his adolescence in Abbotsford, BC, which led him to pursue his Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Biology and minor in Chemistry at the University of the Fraser Valley. He then decided to pursue a career in optometry and completed his

doctorate at the University of Waterloo in 2021. Dr. Birk strives to provide excellent care to patients of all ages. For the last year, Dr. Birk has been practicing in the lower mainland in his hometown of Abbotsford but was enticed to move to Prince Rupert since he enjoyed his time so much interning during optometry school in a rural clinic setting in Grand Prairie, Alberta. 

Dr. Birk has considerable experience managing many

ocular diseases and co-managing surgical cases. He enjoys diversity in his clinical settings from contact lens fittings to managing dry eye disease.

Outside of work, Dr. Birk enjoys playing basketball and football. He also loves exploring the outdoors and scenery of beautiful British Columbia.

After spending his childhood in Alexandria along the Mediterranean coast, Sherif came to Canada with

his family in search of a better life. Dr. Sherif spent most of his adolescent life in the Greater Toronto

Area which led him to pursue his Bachelor’s degree at York University. Sherif completed a degree in

Biomedical Science with Honours. It was during this time that he discovered his passion for Vision

sciences. With this newfound passion for vision, Sherif pursued a Doctor of Optometry degree from the

University of Waterloo. Sherif will be graduating in the class of 2021 from the University of Waterloo

Optometry program.

During his optometry training, Sherif completed several clinical rotations that emphasized ocular disease.

These clinical rotations had a special focus on diagnosing and managing a variety of eye conditions

suchas: diabetic + hypertensive retinopathy, dry eye, glaucoma, blepharitis, macular degeneration,

cataracts, and more. Sherif gained extensive knowledge of fitting the various types of contact lens. In

addition to general contact lens fittings, his training helped him master the following: specialty fittings

for keratoconus or corneal transplants; myopia control for children; contact lenses for patients with

astigmatism; and multifocal contacts.

Looking to make a difference – and return to life along a shoreline, Sherif is excited to become part of the

Prince Rupert community and care for its residents’ eye care needs. 

In his spare time, Sherif enjoys

playing hockey and basketball as a right winger and point guard, respectively. His other hobbies include

long hikes, reading, and trying new recipes