Meet Dr. Tanya Polonenko

Dr. Tanya Polonenko received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Waterloo, School of Optometry in 2011. She completed a residency in Vision Therapy and Rehabilitation, as well as Primary Care, from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Optometry, where she continued on as full-time clinical faculty in the Binocular Vision Clinic.

In 2013, Dr. Polonenko returned to Canada in the Toronto area where she practiced full scope Optometry with a focus on vision rehabilitation, concussion and acquired brain injury, visual perceptual skills assessment, and special needs examinations, in both a private practice and concussion centre setting.

Dr. Polonenko is now an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Waterloo, School of Optometry and Vision Science. She supervises in the Habilitation Services (Binocular Vision, Vision Therapy, Concussion and Low Vision) and Pediatric Clinics, and is also a secondary Residency Supervisor for the Pediatric and Vision Therapy residency program. She had an integral role in establishing their concussion and vision therapy clinics.

Dr. Polonenko completed her first fellowship with the American Academy of Optometry in 2013 and completed her second fellowship in vision therapy and rehabilitation in 2017 with the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD). She has also collaborated with an Occupational Therapist Masters student at Salus University and Lakehead University, conducting clinical research.

While working as an associate in private practice, Dr. Polonenko had a primary role in expanding the clinic within a short period of time, and was the day-to-day managing Doctor for two years while the owner was on leave. She also joined a new concussion centre, and facilitated its growth and development by providing visual rehabilitation.

Dr. Polonenko has also lectured at international and provincial conferences across North America in the field of Optometry, and has been a regular guest lecturer for a fourth-year course in the optometry curriculum at the University of Waterloo, School of Optometry.