Local Optometrist Has Licence Revoked
By Rob Hindi
The College of Optometrists of Ontario has revoked the licence of a Windsor-Essex optometrist.
The college says Baseem Wahab is no longer allowed to practice optometry in any capacity as well as hold himself out as an optometrist, or use the restricted title of doctor, optometrist or any variation or abbreviation in the province of Ontario.
According to a statement on the college's website, Wahab provided false and misleading information when he registered with the college.
The college says he failed to disclose a prior licence to practice optometry in the State of Arizona and that his licence was removed in 2011 as a result of a disciplinary proceeding stemming from a failure to disclose 48 criminal charges filed against him for felony, fraud, and theft related to a credit card fraud case in 2009.
Mr. Wahab practised optometry at SEEN Vision Care at:
- 1614 Lesperance Road, Suite G6 (Tecumseh Town Centre), Tecumseh, Ontario, N8N 1Y3
- 3100 Howard Avenue (Devonshire Mall), Windsor, Ontario, N8X 3Y8
As of July 9, 2020, Mr. Wahab is no longer entitled to:
- practise optometry in any capacity,
- hold himself out as an optometrist, or
- use the restricted title of “Doctor”, “optometrist” or any variation or abbreviation thereof in the province of Ontario.
The statement goes on to say he indicted by a Federal Grand Jury for five counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, where he pled guilty to a Class E felony offence.
The college also reports, his licence to practice optometry in the State of Michigan was taken away in March 2013, based on his failure to notify the Michigan Board of Optometry of the disciplinary action taken by the Arizona Board.
The college says he was under disciplinary probation in Michigan when he applied to the college to practice in Ontario.
He practiced optometry at SEEN Vision Care in Tecumseh on Lesperance Road and in Windsor, on Howard Avenue at Devonshire Mall.
Wahab's Ontario licence was revoked back on July 9.