In this exclusive feature with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, Polydor Strouthos, President and Partner at Labtician Ophthalmics, shares insights into the company’s strategic approach to pioneering advancements in the ophthalmic healthcare industry. With decades of experience and a leadership track record in both the US and Canadian markets, Polydor has played a key role in establishing Labtician as a leader in specialized eye care solutions. From developing groundbreaking products like Lab™TRIACTIV to fostering collaborative partnerships with Canadian clinicians and global innovators, Polydor discusses how Labtician is meeting unmet needs in the industry. He also offers valuable advice to small and medium-sized enterprises aiming to make their mark in specialized healthcare markets. Through his vision and leadership, Polydor continues to champion innovation, improve patient outcomes, and expand Labtician’s impact both locally and globally.
Polydor Strouthos is a Partner and President of Labtician Ophthalmics, Inc. a global leader in ophthalmic healthcare. He has a thirty-year track record of thriving in highly competitive, local, and international HealthCare Markets.
Labtician has a rich history of partnering with leading eye care professionals and focusing on specialized products that often fall outside the scope of larger manufacturers. How has this targeted approach shaped your strategy for launching new products independently versus through strategic partnerships?
At Labtician, we’re committed to advancing the visual health of patients through solutions that make a real difference. Our strategy is intentionally focused on agility—bringing specialized products to market quickly by collaborating closely with Canadian clinicians and global innovators.
We often focus on niche needs that may not meet the revenue threshold for large global companies but are critically important to patient care. That’s where our approach shines. Some products we commercialize independently, while others are introduced through partnerships that align with our mission and values.
By concentrating on underserved segments of the ophthalmic market, we’ve carved out a unique space where we can offer meaningful solutions while remaining nimble and innovative in our go-to-market approach.
The recent launch of Lab™TRIACTIV is being hailed as a new benchmark in dry eye care. Can you walk us through the science behind this product and explain what sets it apart from other artificial tears in the market?
Lab™TRIACTIV is a new kind of artificial tear designed to deliver longer-lasting relief with fewer applications. What sets it apart is its ability to target all three layers of the tear film – lipid, aqueous, and mucin – helping to hydrate, protect, and stabilize the eye’s surface more effectively.
It’s the only eye drop in Canada using this specific liposomal technology, which improves how long the ingredients stay on the eye and how well they work. That means patients can use it less often and experience consistent comfort, something that helps with both satisfaction and adherence to treatment.
Lab™TRIACTIV is also preservative-free, contact lens-compatible, and formulated to deliver clear, blur-free vision. For patients, it fits easily into daily life and reduces the constant reminder of dry eyes.
Ultimately, our goal is to help people stop thinking about their eyes and get back to focusing on life.
Labtician is known for its collaborative culture and commitment to advancing visual health. How do you work with Canadian clinicians and global partners to foster innovation and ensure your solutions address real-world needs in eye care?
We actively engage Canadian eye care professionals to identify unmet clinical needs. From there, we search globally for innovative technologies that align with those needs and collaborate with partners to bring those solutions to the Canadian marketplace.
This collaborative model ensures clinical relevance and patient-centred design from the outset. Our success lies in bridging local insight with global innovation, something we take great pride in. By doing so, we’re able to deliver impactful products that improve outcomes and truly resonate with both clinicians and patients.
Innovation for us isn’t about reinventing the wheel — it’s about being purposeful, connected, and responsive to real-world challenges in the industry.
With Labtician’s expansion into both surgical and therapeutic divisions, what’s next in your innovation pipeline, and how do you maintain your commitment to developing and commercializing Canadian-led solutions in the eye care industry?
While we don’t operate a traditional R&D department, our innovation pipeline is fueled by strategic collaborations. We continuously seek out global innovations that haven’t yet reached the Canadian market and work with partners to customize and commercialize these solutions locally.
Future innovations will expand our presence in ocular surface health and surgical care, two areas with significant opportunity to improve patient outcomes. Our approach remains rooted in Canadian-led insights, ensuring the solutions we introduce are not only clinically valuable but also meet the unique needs of our healthcare ecosystem.
At the core of our expansion is a commitment to bringing innovation that supports patients, while empowering clinicians with tools that make their work more impactful.
As a Canadian success story with a legacy of innovation, what key takeaways or advice would you like to share with small and medium-sized businesses striving to make an impact in specialized healthcare markets?
The most important lesson we’ve learned is to stay focused on purpose. In our case, it’s improving visual health through targeted innovation. That clarity of mission has guided every partnership, product decision, and market entry we’ve done.
For SMEs in healthcare, agility is a powerful advantage. Use it to respond quickly to evolving patient needs and identify gaps that larger players may overlook. And never underestimate the value of collaboration, especially with local experts (clinicians in our case), who bring deep insight and a shared desire to make a difference.
By staying true to your purpose, listening closely to your end users, and embracing strategic partnerships, it’s possible to make a meaningful impact, even in highly specialized and competitive markets.
