Eye Care Edge Inc. (“Eye Care Edge,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) operates EyeQ Learning, an online continuing education (CE) platform for eye care professionals, accessible at eyecareedge.com/ece-eyeq (the “Platform”). We are committed to protecting your personal information and being transparent about how we collect, use, and safeguard it.

This Privacy Policy applies to all users of the Platform, including users located in Canada and the United States. By accessing or using EyeQ Learning, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

1. Who We Are

Eye Care Edge Inc. is a corporation based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We are the data controller responsible for your personal information collected through the Platform.

Email: eceacademy@eyecareedge.ca
Address: 22 Royal Vista Dr NW, Unit 200, Calgary, AB T3R 0N2, Canada

2. Information We Collect

We collect personal information in the following ways:

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

Full name and professional title
Work email address
Professional role (e.g., optometrist, optician, practice manager)
Payment information (processed securely through our payment processor; we do not store full card details)
CE credit preferences and course selections
Messages or questions submitted through our contact form

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use the Platform, we may automatically collect:

IP address and approximate geographic location
Browser type, device type, and operating system
Pages visited, time spent, and navigation paths
Course progress and completion data
Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 7)

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information from payment processors (such as Stripe) or third-party authentication services to verify your identity or process transactions.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to:

Create and manage your EyeQ Learning account
Process course registrations and payments
Deliver on-demand course content and track your CE credit progress
Issue CE certificates and maintain records of completed coursework
Communicate with you about your account, purchases, and course updates
Send relevant educational newsletters or promotions (with your consent where required)
Improve the Platform and course content through analytics
Comply with legal obligations under Canadian and applicable US law
Prevent fraud and ensure platform security

4. Legal Basis for Processing (Canadian and US Users)

4.1 Canadian Users (PIPEDA / Alberta PIPA)

We collect and use your personal information with your knowledge and consent. You consent to this policy when you register for the Platform. In certain circumstances, we may collect or use information without consent where permitted by law (e.g., to comply with a legal obligation).

4.2 US Users (General Principles)

For users in the United States, our processing is based on contractual necessity (to provide the service you signed up for), your consent, our legitimate interests in operating the Platform securely and effectively, and compliance with applicable law. If you are a California resident, please see Section 9 for additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

5. How We Share Your Information

Eye Care Edge does not sell your personal information. We may share your information with:

Service providers: Third-party vendors who help us operate the Platform, including payment processors (e.g., Stripe), email delivery services, and hosting providers. These parties are contractually obligated to protect your data.
Professional accreditation bodies: The Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) and the American Optometric Association (AOA) may receive information about your CE credit completions as required for accreditation and credit reporting purposes.
Legal authorities: Where required by law, court order, or regulatory request.
Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the successor entity.

We do not share your information with advertisers or unrelated third parties.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with services. We also retain data as necessary to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

CE completion records are retained for a minimum of seven (7) years to support professional credential verification. You may request deletion of other account data at any time (see Section 8), subject to our legal retention obligations.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

EyeQ Learning uses cookies and similar technologies to:

Maintain your login session
Remember your course progress and preferences
Analyse Platform usage through tools such as Google Analytics

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect Platform functionality. We do not currently respond to “Do Not Track” browser signals, but we do not sell your data regardless.

8. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Correction: Request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Deletion: Request that we delete your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements.
Withdrawal of consent: Withdraw consent for marketing communications at any time by clicking “unsubscribe” in any email or contacting us directly.
Data portability: Request your data in a structured, machine-readable format where technically feasible.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at eceacademy@eyecareedge.ca. We will respond to your request within thirty (30) days, as required under applicable Canadian and US privacy law.

9. California Residents (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to:

Know what personal information we collect, use, disclose, or sell about you
Request deletion of your personal information
Opt out of the sale of personal information (note: we do not sell personal information)
Non-discrimination for exercising your CCPA rights

To submit a CCPA request, please email us at eceacademy@eyecareedge.ca with the subject line “CCPA Privacy Request.”

10. Cross-Border Data Transfers

Eye Care Edge is based in Canada. If you are located in the United States, your information will be transferred to and processed in Canada, which has privacy laws that differ from those in your state. By using the Platform, you consent to this transfer.

We take reasonable steps to ensure your information is protected during any cross-border transfer, including through contractual safeguards with our service providers.

11. Security

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. This includes secure socket layer (SSL/TLS) encryption for data in transit and access controls for data at rest.

No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. If you believe your account has been compromised, please contact us immediately.

12. Children’s Privacy

EyeQ Learning is intended solely for licensed or registered eye care professionals and adults in related professional roles. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 18. If we become aware that we have collected such information, we will delete it promptly.

13. Links to Third-Party Sites

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites or resources. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you by email or through a prominent notice on the Platform prior to the change taking effect. Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date of any update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact our Privacy Officer:

Eye Care Edge Inc.

Attn: Privacy Officer

22 Royal Vista Dr NW, Unit 200, Calgary, AB T3R 0N2, Canada

Email: eceacademy@eyecareedge.ca

If you are located in Canada and are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at www.priv.gc.ca. US residents may also contact the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov.