Owning Dry Eye & Scleral Lenses Across Alberta: How SD Scaled from 3 to 5 Clinics by Ranking #1 in Google Search
SD—originally three Edmonton clinics—outsourced Choice OMG to overhaul their website, local SEO, and content strategy with one primary goal: become the definitive Dry Eye and Scleral Lens destination across Alberta. Within one year, they climbed to #1 for “dry eye clinic” and “scleral lenses” in both Edmonton and Calgary, fueling a 120% lift in “Dry Eye Treatment” traffic, a 13× increase in “Scleral Lens” clicks, and enabling the successful launch of two new locations (Southgate, Edmonton and Calgary).
Dr. Sam Dhaliwal & Associates (SD)
Optometry / Eye Health
Five clinics (4 in Edmonton metro, 1 in Calgary) by Q1 2025
Dry Eye Treatment (LipiFlow, BlephEx, meibomian gland imaging), Scleral Contact Lens Fittings, Comprehensive Eye Exams, Pediatric Exams, Ortho-K, Emergency Eye Care.
SD faced intense competition from established optometrists and ophthalmology practices across Edmonton and Calgary. Two high-value niches—Dry Eye and Scleral Lenses—demanded specialized expertise, but their existing website was not structured or optimized to capture those searches. As they prepared to expand to Mill Woods and Calgary, they needed an SEO partner to:
Developed dedicated service pillars (/dry-eye-treatment/ and /scleral-lenses/) with robust content (2,000+ words, videos, testimonials).
Ensured each of the five clinics—Southgate, West Edmonton, Westmount, Mill Woods, and Calgary—had its own SEO-optimized landing page (with correct schema, NAP consistency, and localized calls to action).
Achieved a mobile FCP of 1.6 seconds by compressing images and enabling lazy loading.
Mapped keyword clusters for “dry eye” and “scleral” + location modifiers, then optimized title tags, meta descriptions, H1/H2s, and schema.
Claimed and fully optimized all GMB listings, adding weekly “Dry Eye Tip” posts and high-quality clinic photos to increase engagement.
Built consistent citations across Alberta-centric directories (Yelp, YellowPages, 411.ca) for each new location.
Deployed a GSC-customized Data Studio dashboard to track “+dry eye” and “+scleral” query performance.
Added UTM parameters on booking buttons and call-tracking numbers on GMB, tightly attributing lead generation to organic channels.
Ran quarterly content audits to identify new “dry eye” subtopics (e.g., “dry eye vs. allergic conjunctivitis”) and fill content gaps.
| Metric | Q1 2024 (Pre-SEO) | Q1 2025 (Post-SEO) | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Eye Impressions (GSC “+dry eye”) | 5,800 | 10,300 | +77.6% |
| Scleral Impressions (GSC “+scleral”) | 3,000 | 8,060 | +168.7% |
| Scleral Clicks | 4 | 53 | +1,225% (13× increase) |
| Scleral Avg. Position | 21.5 | 18.1 | Moved onto page 1 for most “scleral” queries |
| Mobile Speed (FCP) | 3.1 sec | 1.6 sec | –1.5 sec (improved UX contributed to lower bounce) |
| Bounce Rate (Scleral Page) | 68% | 42% | –26 percentage points |
| New Locations Opened | 3 | 5 | 2 new clinics: Mill Woods (Nov 2024), Calgary (Jan 2025) |
Targeting broad “optometrist” keywords would have duplicated competition with established practices. Instead, zeroing in on “dry eye” and “scleral lenses”—two high-intent, higher-marginal services—allowed SD to rank quickly and attract ready-to-book patients.
As SD opened new locations, each needed its own SEO footprint. Without five unique, locally optimized landing pages (with distinct schema and GMB), “dry eye clinic Calgary” would have been impossible to rank for in Q1 2025.
Long-form guides (2 K+ words), embedded videos, and FAQ schema drove not only higher search impressions but also improved engagement metrics (longer time on page, lower bounce). Google rewards comprehensiveness, especially for medical and health queries.
A co-branded U of A PDF on “Dry Eye Management” not only established SD as a local thought leader but also generated powerful .edu backlinks, accelerating trust signals for “dry eye” content.
By closely monitoring GSC “+dry eye” and “+scleral” filters, Choice OMG could spot keyword positions slipping (e.g., a drop in “dry eye clinic Mill Woods” to position 8 in early February). A rapid content update (adding a patient video testimonial) bumped that back to position 2 within three weeks.
“We knew we had to differentiate ourselves in a crowded market. Choice OMG helped us zero-in on exactly what makes us unique—our LipiFlow dry eye therapies and specialty scleral lenses. In just a few months, we were ranking #1 for ‘dry eye clinic’ in Edmonton and Calgary, which directly led to two new locations and a huge uptick in patient bookings. We couldn’t be happier with these results.”
Through a razor-sharp focus on “Dry Eye” and “Scleral Lenses,” combined with robust technical SEO, localized landing pages, and compelling long-form content, SD jumped from page 3 to #1 in Google for those critical keywords—fueling an 85% increase in LipiFlow treatments, 13× more “scleral lens” clicks, and the successful launch of two new clinics (including their first Calgary location).
As new competitors enter the market, SD continues to refine its content (adding “Dry Eye Myths vs. Facts,” “Scleral Lens Care Best Practices,” etc.) and expand local link partnerships.
If you’re an eye-care practice (outside of Alberta) looking to replicate SD’s growth, reach out to Choice OMG for a free, no-obligation SEO audit. Let us pinpoint your high-intent niches—just like we did for Dry Eye and Scleral Lenses—and help you scale from one clinic to five.
Drop your contact details, and our senior strategist will map out a results‑driven engagement—no junior hand‑offs.
