Our Doctors & Our Practice
in Maple Ridge

Originally from Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Dr. Hurlbert returned to BC after graduating from the University of Waterloo, School of Optometry, in 1995. In 1997, he joined Maple Ridge Eye Care and assumed ownership of the practice shortly thereafter.

Dr. Hurlbert attended the Omni Eye Center in Atlanta in 1994 where he worked alongside cataract, glaucoma, and retinal surgeons in the treatment of advanced eye disease. Subsequent to this, he was certified by the American Board of Examiners in the treatment and management of ocular disease.

Dr. Hurlbert enjoys living and volunteering in the community. He was previously elected to the board of the College of Optometrists of BC in October 2007, serving for close to 4 years, as well as serving on the Board of the British Columbia Doctors of Optometry. Dr. Hurlbert now volunteers, currently working as the treasurer, on the board of directors for the Ridge Meadows Child Development Centre, a nonprofit society that provides early intervention therapies in the areas of speech and language, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy to local children under the age of 5.

In his spare time, Dr. Hurlbert enjoys playing soccer and has played in the Fraser Valley Soccer League for over 20 years. Additionally, he has managed the Masters O-35 North Delta team for the past three years.

Dr. Hurlbert’s wife, Eileen, works for the practice as well (behind the scenes). They have 2 wonderful daughters, aged 12 and 14 years old.

Dr. Gary Matter received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Waterloo in 2007 with an emphasis in human physiology. He later returned to school to pursue his passion for eye care. In 2012 he graduated from the renowned New England College of Optometry amongst the flourishing medical community in Boston, Massachusetts. He has the distinction of being a member of the Optometric Honour Society during all 4 years of schooling in Boston. He completed a specialty contact lens rotation in the treatment of keratoconus, post-surgical complications, and many more corneal conditions utilizing scleral lenses and other forms of custom contact lenses.

Originally from Ontario, Dr. Matter appreciates the people, the outdoors, and everything British Columbia has to offer so much, he relocated to Pitt Meadows, joining Maple Ridge Eye Care optometrists in August of 2012. He became a partner in the practice in September of 2015. Since then, he has enjoyed establishing himself in the local community and providing quality eye care in the Ridge Meadows area.

Originally from Delta, Dr. Naidu graduated with honours from the Illinois College of Optometry in 2018.

As an extern at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Dr. Naidu triaged urgent care cases, co-managing patients with ophthalmologists of all sub-specialties. This externship also allowed him to fit a wide variety of specialty contact lenses including scleral lenses, RGP lenses, and orthokeratology lenses. During his time as an extern at the Illinois Eye Institute in Chicago, Dr. Naidu treated and managed patients at the Chicago Public School System with conditions such as amblyopia, strabismus, and binocular vision disorders. These 2 externships related to 2 areas of interest for him: specialty contact lenses and ocular disease.

Dr. Naidu has been an active volunteer over the years, serving for a year as the elected president of the Gold Key International Optometric Honor Society. He also mentored for the Vancouver Boys and Girls Club for 2 years, where he launched a new program designed to tutor/mentor foreign students within the community.

Dr. Naidu has now moved to a practice closer to his home but will be seeing patients a few days at our office throughout the year. We’re sorry to see him go after 6 and a half years with our clinic but wish him great success in all future endeavours.

Dr. Abigail Asirvatham earned her Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Physiology from the University of British Columbia in 2006. She then pursued a Doctor of Optometry degree at the University of Waterloo, graduating with Honours in 2010. During her university years, she conducted several research projects and developed an interest in teaching. Her internship was completed at Scarborough Eye Associates under the guidance of a retinal surgeon, where she gained valuable experience with ocular diseases and observed numerous retinal surgeries. Additionally, she interned at a laser refractive surgery clinic during a summer vacation as an optometry student.

Outside of her professional life, Dr. Asirvatham enjoys reading, skating, outdoor activities, and spending time with her friends and family.

Dr. Vuong grew up in Lethbridge, Alberta, as the child of Chinese-Vietnamese refugee parents. His parents, of Chinese heritage but raised in Vietnam, brought a blend of Chinese and Vietnamese culture into their home, which, paired with the Western Canadian environment, provided Dr. Vuong with a unique and open-minded perspective on life. He deeply appreciates the sacrifices his parents made after fleeing Vietnam in the 1980s and settling in Canada. It was in Lethbridge where they met, built a family, and worked tirelessly in factories to ensure Dr. Vuong and his siblings had every opportunity available to them. Whenever he faces challenges, he reflects on the hardships his parents endured, which helps him gain perspective.

Dr. Vuong chose to stay close to home for his undergraduate studies, earning a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences with honours and great distinction from the University of Lethbridge. He then attended Optometry school at the University of Waterloo, where his fourth-year internship at a Toronto retinal ophthalmology clinic became an unforgettable experience. There he encountered a variety of rare and complex internal eye conditions, which sparked his passion for offering comprehensive eye care. After graduating from Waterloo in 2020, he spent five years practicing in Grande Prairie, Alberta. Now he is eager to bring the expertise he gained in rural Alberta to serve the community of Maple Ridge and surrounding areas with exceptional optometric care.

In his downtime, Dr. Vuong enjoys playing basketball and tennis casually. He also has a creative side, often engaging in still-life and portrait drawing.