Dr. Emily Leach was born in South Africa and raised in Calgary, Alberta before making Boston her home.

After earning her Bachelor of Science with distinction in Physiology and Pharmacology from the University of Saskatchewan, she went on to obtain her Doctorate from the New England College of Optometry (NECO). During her time in optometry school, Dr. Leach served as the executive student council president, among other leadership roles. 

Throughout her training, she completed clinical externships across multiple specialties, including a contact lens and refractive surgery center in Miami, advanced ocular disease at the Providence VA Hospital, and several local community health centers. 

After graduating, she collaborated with Dr. Kristen Brown to expand the NECO Center for Eye Care-Commonwealth’s dry eye service, while also working part-time at Forefront Eye Care (formerly Korb & Associates). Dr. Leach then spent a year practicing in Calgary and rural Alberta, before returning to Boston—and, more importantly, back to Forefront Eye Care—as full-time associate.

In addition to her role at Forefront Eye Care, Dr. Leach serves as an adjunct clinical professor at the NECO. She is an attending optometrist in the primary care and contact lens departments, mentoring third and fourth-year student interns in the clinic, laboratory sessions, and workshops.

She is certified in MiSight Myopia Control and is a member of both the Massachusetts Society of Optometrists and the American Optometric Association. With experience in primary care, ocular disease, dry eye management, and specialty contact lenses, Dr. Leach is accepting new patients and looks forward to providing them comprehensive eye care for years to come.

In her free time, Dr. Leach enjoys spending time with her husband and their golden retriever, Rupert. She loves cooking, running along local trails, and exploring new restaurants. Rupert, a certified therapy dog, accompanies her as they volunteer at local businesses, hospitals, and assisted living facilities throughout the Greater Boston Area.