Honouring Dr. Thomas-Alexandre Noël, Winner of the 2026 H. James Cobean, OD Memorial Award

OAO President Dr. Shaina Nensi (Left) presenting the H. James Cobean Award to Dr. Thomas-Alexandre Noël (Right) 

On March 28, 2026, during the President’s Lunch at the OAO Symposium, Dr. Thomas-Alexandre Noël was presented with the prestigious H. James Cobean Award, one of the highest honours in Ontario optometry. The award was presented by Dr. Shaina Nensi, with Dr. Noël’s family in attendance for the special occasion. 

The H. James Cobean Award recognizes a lifetime of outstanding service, leadership, and dedication to the profession of optometry. Its recipients are individuals whose impact has been felt across professional advocacy, education, regulation, and the advancement of patient care. Dr. Noël’s distinguished career reflects each of these qualities. 

For more than two decades, Dr. Noël has played an influential role in strengthening eye care in Ontario and across Canada. He has served on the Board of the Ontario Association of Optometrists, was Vice-President of the OAO, and contributed his expertise to numerous committees, including governance, finance, the Scheduled Fee Guide, and insurance working groups. Dr. Noël also served as President of the College of Optometrists of Ontario and chaired several committees, including Discipline, Registration, Quality Assurance, and Fitness to Practice. He served as the Ontario representative on the Canadian Association of Optometrists Council, where he also contributed to the Finance Committee. He volunteered as an examiner for the Canadian Standard Assessment in Optometry (CSAO) and continues to serve the College of Optometrists of Ontario as a Council member.

Dr. Noël is widely respected for his ability to build collaboration across the broader eye care system. He co-founded and co-chaired the Eye Health Council of Ontario, bringing together leaders from optometry, ophthalmology, and opticianry to improve how care is delivered across the province. Under his leadership, the council developed several peer-reviewed clinical guidelines published in the Canadian Journal of Optometry, focusing on collaborative care in glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetes. These publications have helped strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration between optometry and ophthalmology across Canada. For example, Prince Edward Island adopted the diabetes guidelines developed by EHCO to form its provincial guidelines.

His commitment to education has also left a lasting mark. Dr. Noël supported the development of the first French-language optician training program at Collège La Cité and has mentored countless optometry and medical students through clinical training, placements, and externships. Many emerging professionals have benefited from his generosity, guidance, and example.

Dr. Noël’s expertise has played a direct role in shaping provincial health policy. He was a key contributor on the provincial government committee responsible for publishing the Quality-Based Procedures (QBP) for cataracts, glaucoma, cornea, and retinal care (including macular degeneration and diabetes), working closely with Health Quality Ontario and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. His leadership helped ensure the inclusion of optometry in the delivery of this care across Ontario, establishing evidence-based standards that continue to guide patient care today. He also served as Co-Chair of the Health Quality Ontario Glaucoma Quality Standard Clinical Expert Advisory Group (2016–2019), contributing to provincial clinical standards on glaucoma care.

He has been invited to present at major professional forums, including as the first Canadian optometrist to present at the Sally Letson Symposium, where he delivered a lecture on glaucoma focused on collaboration between optometry and ophthalmology. He has also presented at CHEO’s Annual Pediatric Refresher Course, reflecting his recognized expertise in clinical care and interdisciplinary collaboration in pediatric eye health.

He played a pivotal leadership and facilitation role in fostering unprecedented collaboration between the Canadian Ophthalmological Society (COS) and the Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO), successfully bringing both organizations together to develop two landmark joint statements—the first of their kind in Canadian history. His efforts helped align traditionally separate professional bodies around shared, evidence-based priorities in pediatric eye health. This collaboration resulted in the co-development of national Frequency Guidelines for Eye Exams for Children under the Age of 5, published in Spring 2021, as well as the Joint Position Statement on the Effects of Electronic Screens on Children’s Vision and Recommendations for Safe Use, published on November 5, 2017. These contributions have strengthened interdisciplinary cooperation and continue to guide clinical practice, public health messaging, and parental awareness across Canada.

His expertise has been sought in multiple advisory roles, including the Provincial Vision Task Force and the Champlain LHIN Vision Task Force, which help direct provincial eye health policy in Ontario.

In recognition of his contributions, Dr. Noël received the “121e bâtisseur de l’optométrie” distinction from his alma mater, the Université de Montréal School of Optometry, in 2022.

Dr. Noël’s career is defined by service, integrity, and sustained leadership. Through his work in regulation, association leadership, education, and public policy, he has strengthened the profession of optometry and improved care for patients across Canada. The Ontario Association of Optometrists is proud to recognize his extraordinary contributions with the H. James Cobean Award.

Dr. Thomas-Alexandre Noël alongside his family

An overview of some of Dr. Noël’s professional activities:

• 2025 – present: Provincial Council Member – College of Optometrists Ontario
• 2018 – present: Member of the Provincial Vision Task Force of Ontario
• 2018 - 2020: Director on the Council of the Canadian Association of Optometrists, representing Ontario
• 2017– 2023: Director on the Board of the Ontario Association of Optometrists
  • 2022-2023: Chair of Insurance Working Group and Member of Governance Committee
  • 2018 – 2020: Director on the Council of the Canadian Association of Optometrists, representing Ontario
  • 2018-2020: Vice President
  • 2017-2020: Member of Governance Committee
• 2017 – 2019: Member of the Advisory Board of FYidoctors / Visique
• 2016 – 2022: Co-Chair of the Health Quality of Ontario (HQO) Glaucoma Quality Standard Clinical Expert Advisory Group for MOHLTC (Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care) - publishing report in March of 2019.
• 2015– 2017: President of the College of Optometrists of Ontario
• 2015 – present: Committee Member of the Champlain LHIN Vision Care Network
• 2015 - present: Executive Member of the Comité Consultatif du programme d’optique du Collège Cité Collégiale
• 2015 – 2017: Board Director of Ontario at the FORAC (Federation of Optometric Regulatory Authorities of Canada) Council.
• 2015 – 2016: Member of the Cornea Quality Base Procedures, Clinical Expert Advisory Group for MOHLTC (Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care - Ontario) – published report in May of 2016
• 2014 – present: Member of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society (COS) / Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) Leadership Working Group – facilitator for discussions on a National Vision Strategy.
• 2016: Panel Member of the Diabetic Retinopathy Project Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting for the Canadian Ophthalmological Society (COS)
• 2014 – 2015: Member of the Retina Quality Base Procedures, Clinical Expert Advisory Group for MOHLTC (Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care - Ontario) – published report in May of 2015
• 2010 – 2016: Co-Chair of the Eye Health Council of Ontario
• 2009 – 2016: Member of the Board of Directors of the Ottawa South Federal Liberal Association
• 2008– 2017: Elected Provincial Council Member of the College of Optometrists of Ontario
  • 2017 – 2018: Co-Chair of the Quality Assurance Committee
  • 2016 – 2017: Member of the Governance Committee
  • 2012 – 2015: Vice-President and Committee Member, and Chair of the Registration Committee
  • 2009 – 2017: Committee Member and then Past-Chair of the Discipline Committee
• 2002 – 2007: Examiner at the Canadian Standard Assessment in Optometry (C.S.A.O.) Exams in Optometry, Montreal, Quebec.
• 2001 – 2004: President of the Ottawa Society of Optometrists, Ottawa, Ontario.
• 1999 – 2000: Vice-President of the Student Council AÉOUM

About the H. James Cobean Award

Dr. H. James Cobean was a former President-Elect of the Ontario Association of Optometrists. He was a respected leader who made significant contributions to the profession early in his career.

The H. James Cobean Award recognizes optometrists who have demonstrated long-term dedication to advancing eye care and supporting the profession. Recipients have made meaningful contributions through leadership, education, and service.

It is one of the OAO’s highest honours, recognizing individuals whose work has had a lasting impact on both the profession and patient care.