The latest episode of Eye on the Industry features Dr. Harbir Sian, an optometrist, clinic owner, educator, digital creator, and host of The 2020 Podcast, for a wide-ranging discussion on the future of optometry in Canada.
Hosted by Christine Zeggil and Isabelle Tremblay, Episode 10 examines several of the issues shaping modern practice today, including scope modernization, social media, clinic culture, myopia management, and the leadership skills needed to move the profession forward.
Digital Presence as a Modern Practice Tool
A central theme of the episode is the growing importance of digital and social media for optometrists. Dr. Sian explains that as more consumers spend time online, platforms such as Instagram and TikTok have become practical tools for patient education, practice visibility, and professional branding.
He encourages eye care professionals who feel intimidated by social media to start small and focus on consistency. Short-form video, regular posting, and repurposing content across platforms, he says, can help practitioners build confidence while learning what resonates with their audience.
Scope Modernization and Access to Care
Dr. Sian also shares his perspective on scope modernization across Canada, arguing that allowing optometrists to practise to the level of their training can improve access to care, reduce system inefficiencies, and better serve patients—particularly in underserved communities.
He notes that progress depends not only on regulatory change, but also on alignment within the profession itself. In his view, optometry must continue pushing forward rather than risk losing ground.
Why Myopia Management Matters
Another key topic is myopia management, an area Dr. Sian is especially passionate about. He frames myopia not simply as a refractive issue, but as a condition with long-term implications for ocular health.
By intervening earlier, he explains, practitioners may help reduce the future risk of conditions associated with higher myopia. He also points to the value of measurable outcomes, such as axial length tracking, in helping families understand the impact of treatment over time.
Culture, Empathy, and Leadership
When the conversation shifts to leadership and practice culture, Dr. Sian returns repeatedly to one word: empathy.
He suggests that strong clinic culture depends on empathy, consistency, regular team communication, and clearly defined values. Weekly staff meetings, ongoing feedback, and meaningful recognition, he says, all contribute to a healthier workplace and stronger long-term performance.
As leadership expectations continue to evolve, Dr. Sian argues that modern clinic leaders must understand what motivates different generations of team members and adapt their communication style accordingly.
Looking Ahead
Episode 10 offers a thoughtful look at where optometry is headed—and what today’s professionals can do to build more visible, modern, and patient-centered practices.
🎧 Listen to Eye on the Industry – Episode 10: What Optometry Needs Next with Dr. Harbir Sian wherever you get your podcasts.
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Linda Farrow has appointed AVI US (Aerial Vision International US Corp.) as distributor for Jacquemus Eyewear in the United States and Canada, according to an announcement from the brand.
AVI US is the U.S. subsidiary of Aerial Vision International, a Rome-based global eyewear distributor that has been active in the market for more than 30 years. The company established its New York-based U.S. operation in 2019 and says it has since expanded its presence across North America.
According to the announcement, AVI US has built North American distribution partnerships with brands including Retrosuperfuture, Marni and MM6. Through the broader AVI group, the company also serves as licensee for Lotto Sport and Briko eyewear.
The appointment adds Jacquemus Eyewear to AVI US’s North American portfolio. The eyewear line is produced by Linda Farrow.
For the Autumn/Winter 2026 season, the Jacquemus Eyewear collection introduces several new design details, including flush-set lenses and thick lenses integrated into acetate to create a flat side profile. The collection also includes updated rimless styles featuring bevelled lens detailing and a new metal-backed rimless shield construction.
CooperVision has launched MADE BETTER, a new global sustainability platform that begins with the MyDay daily disposable contact lens family. According to the company, the initiative brings together responsible sourcing, manufacturing efficiencies and efforts to offset part of the product line’s plastic footprint.
As part of the launch, CooperVision said MyDay packaging now incorporates ISCC PLUS-certified materials in participating products, while manufacturing updates are aimed at lowering carbon impact. The company also said it continues to offset a portion of the MyDay range’s plastic footprint through its plastic neutrality program.
Key elements highlighted by CooperVision include the use of certified bio-attributed plastic in MyDay blister packaging, lower-carbon energy where possible in production, and manufacturing sites that recycle more than 90% of waste. The company said its collaboration with Plastic Bank has also supported the collection and recycling of the equivalent of more than 659 million plastic bottles from coastal communities as of February 2026.
“CooperVision’s sustainability progress begins with innovation—in materials, manufacturing, and the way we think about the full life cycle of our products,” said Aldo Zucaro, senior director of corporate responsibility at CooperCompanies. “MADE BETTER Promise reflects how we are turning those innovations into real-world impact.”
CooperVision said the MADE BETTER platform is intended as an ongoing global commitment, with future advances in materials, technologies and processes aimed at further reducing environmental impact over time.
EssilorLuxottica and Top Charoen announced that they have closed a transaction for EssilorLuxottica to become the partner of Top Charoen through the acquisition of a meaningful stake, cementing the long-standing relationship between the two companies. Top Charoen is Thailand’s largest retail chain with over 2,000 stores across all regions of the country.
Thailand is a strategic hub for EssilorLuxottica’s global manufacturing and business operations. The partnership with Top Charoen further strengthens EssilorLuxottica’s commitment to elevating vision care across the region and worldwide, while bringing us closer to consumers to anticipate their future needs.
Top Charoen was founded in 1947 with the opening of its first store in Saraburi, and a mobile van to make eye care accessible even to remote and rural areas. Today, Top Charoen operates under different banners, including Top Charoen, Luxoptic, Eye Class, Eye Bright, Eye Sport, Big C Optical, Robinson Optical, and Beautiful Optic. Top Charoen also runs an optical e-commerce business through its own platform and certain local third-party marketplaces.
“Our partnership with Top Charoen will strengthen our existing presence in one of the most significant countries in Asia, elevating vision care standards and advancing the development of the emerging wearable category across the region. At the same time, we remain deeply committed to our customers, meeting their demand for high-quality, innovative vision care products and services; together, as partners, we will be uniquely positioned to drive awareness and actions to address Asia’s growing visual health needs. Patients and consumers remain at the heart of our Group’s strategy as we continue to expand access to advanced eyewear and eyecare worldwide,” commented Francesco Milleri, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Paul du Saillant, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at EssilorLuxottica.
What do Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X Really Want from Eye Care Practices
By any measure, contact lenses remain a cornerstone of modern vision correction. Yet despite ongoing innovation and a steadily expanding global market, the overall number of contact lens wearers has not grown at the same pace as the technology. One emerging explanation lies not in the lenses, but in the people wearing them.
A recent study commissioned by the Contact Lens Institute (CLI) sheds new light on how generational differences shape attitudes toward contact lenses and eye care. Surveying more than 1,300 vision-corrected individuals across the United States and Canada, the research reveals that each cohort approaches contact lenses with notably different priorities, values, and expectations.
For eye care professionals, these findings offer timely insight into how patient communication, prescribing strategies, and practice workflows can be better aligned with what today’s patients actually want.
A Snapshot of Today’s Contact Lens Wearers
The study surveyed 1,308 respondents between July and August 2025, divided into three cohorts: Gen Z (ages 15–28), Millennials (29–44), and Gen X (45–60). Participants were asked about their vision correction preferences, reasons for wearing contact lenses, attitudes toward new lens technologies, and the values that influence purchasing and care decisions. One headline finding stands out: Millennials remain the most engaged contact lens wearers, with 43% reporting regular use. Gen Z follows at 35%, while Gen X lags significantly behind at just 22%.
Vision Correction Device Use
More striking is the comparison between younger generations. Despite growing up in a digital-first, innovation-driven environment, Gen Z is 8% less likely to wear contact lenses than Millennials. Among dual wearers, Gen Z also reports using glasses more frequently than contact lenses, signaling a shift in how younger patients perceive eyewear as part of identity and lifestyle rather than a compromise.
Why Patients Choose Contact Lenses
The reasons patients give for wearing contact lenses vary sharply by generation, and those differences carry meaningful implications for practice conversations.
For Gen Z and Millennials, personal appearance ranks as the top motivator. More than half of Gen Z respondents cite appearance as their primary reason for wearing contact lenses, followed closely by freedom from glasses and the absence of visual obstruction. In contrast, Gen X places far greater emphasis on functional benefits such as comfort, convenience, and visual clarity, with appearance ranking much lower.
Top Reasons for CL Wear by Generation
This distinction challenges a long-standing clinical assumption: that optimal vision is the primary driver of contact lens adoption. In fact, the study shows that across all cohorts, vision quality ranks only mid-range among reasons for choosing contact lenses. Lifestyle, identity, and practicality often matter more.
For practices, this underscores the importance of reframing conversations. Positioning contact lenses solely as a refractive solution will certainly miss the emotional and lifestyle motivations that truly influence patient decisions.
Technology: A Stronger Pull for Younger Patients
Advancements in contact lens technology resonate most strongly with Gen Z and Millennials. Features such as UV protection, reusable lens options, toric designs, and lenses optimized for extended wear use all score significantly higher with younger cohorts than with Gen X.
Interestingly, even multifocal lenses for presbyopia, arguably most relevant to Gen X, receive lower enthusiasm from that group than from Millennials. This suggests that older patients may not necessarily associate newer lens technologies with personal benefit, highlighting a potential gap in patient education rather than product relevance.
For younger patients, innovation itself carries symbolic value. Technology signals progress, personalization, and alignment with modern lifestyles. Practices that actively introduce and explain new lens options may find greater engagement among Gen Z and Millennial patients who are already predisposed to value innovation.
Values Drive Purchasing Decisions
Across all generations, three practical considerations dominate purchasing decisions: affordability, convenience, and speed of access. Nearly 90% of respondents cite value for money as their top driver, followed closely by ease of purchase and rapid product availability.
Generationally-Differentiated Purchase Drivers
Beyond these universal priorities, generational differences emerge. Brand authenticity, individual expression, and social responsibility matter significantly more to Gen Z and Millennials than to Gen X. Younger patients want to feel that their choices reflect who they are and what they stand for, while older patients prioritize trust, clarity, and tangible value.
Interestingly, when it comes to interactions with eye care professionals and staff, Gen X places the highest importance on authenticity. This suggests that while brand messaging may resonate more with younger cohorts, personal, straightforward communication remains critical for older patients.
What This Means for Practice Strategy
The study’s findings reinforce a simple but powerful idea: one size-fits-all communication no longer works. For Gen Z, contact lens discussions should focus on self-expression, lifestyle fit, and innovation. Emphasizing how lenses support individuality, integrate 16% with digital habits, and align with broader social values can help bridge the current gap in contact lens adoption.
Millennials, already the most engaged wearers, benefit from conversations that address comfort, ease of use, and evolving needs. As this cohort approaches presbyopia, proactive education about multifocal and specialty lens options becomes increasingly important. For Gen X, success lies in authenticity and practicality. Clear explanations, functional benefits, and transparent value propositions are more likely to resonate than technology-driven messaging. Across all age groups, the study highlights the importance of extending contact lens conversations beyond the exam room. Efficient ordering systems, fast turnaround times, and well-trained staff all play a role in reinforcing perceived value and convenience.
Looking Ahead
Roughly one in six individuals in North America currently wear contact lenses. While that number has remained relatively stable, this research suggests that growth opportunities still exist— particularly among younger patients whose values and motivations differ from those of older generations. Understanding generational preferences allows eye care professionals to move beyond clinical assumptions and engage patients on a more personal level. By aligning recommendations with lifestyle goals, social values, and practical concerns, practices can strengthen patient relationships, improve satisfaction, and support long-term contact lens retention.
In an increasingly competitive and patient-driven market, listening closely to what different generations value may be just as important as the next technological breakthrough.
About the Author:
Dr. Jennifer Liao, OD, FAAO, FSLS
Jennifer Liao, OD, FAAO, FSLS is an associate professor of optometry, attending optometrist, and residency director of the Cornea and Contact Lenses Residency program at the New England College of Optometry. She is the lead instructor of the main contact lenses course and directs cornea and contact lens–focused clinical training with expertise in advanced contact lenses, dry eye management, and myopia control.
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Episode 10 of Eye on the Industry features Dr. Harbir Sian on scope modernization, social media, myopia management, clinic culture, and the future of optometry in Canada.
EssilorLuxottica has acquired a stake in Top Charoen, Thailand’s largest retail optical chain, reinforcing its long-standing relationship with the company and its presence in Southeast Asia.
By any measure, contact lenses remain a cornerstone of modern vision correction. Yet despite ongoing innovation and a steadily expanding global market, the overall number of contact lens wearers has not grown at the same pace as the technology.
Episode 10 of Eye on the Industry features Dr. Harbir Sian on scope modernization, social media, myopia management, clinic culture, and the future of optometry in Canada.
EssilorLuxottica has acquired a stake in Top Charoen, Thailand’s largest retail optical chain, reinforcing its long-standing relationship with the company and its presence in Southeast Asia.
By any measure, contact lenses remain a cornerstone of modern vision correction. Yet despite ongoing innovation and a steadily expanding global market, the overall number of contact lens wearers has not grown at the same pace as the technology.
Episode 10 of Eye on the Industry features Dr. Harbir Sian on scope modernization, social media, myopia management, clinic culture, and the future of optometry in Canada.
EssilorLuxottica has acquired a stake in Top Charoen, Thailand’s largest retail optical chain, reinforcing its long-standing relationship with the company and its presence in Southeast Asia.
By any measure, contact lenses remain a cornerstone of modern vision correction. Yet despite ongoing innovation and a steadily expanding global market, the overall number of contact lens wearers has not grown at the same pace as the technology.
Episode 10 of Eye on the Industry features Dr. Harbir Sian on scope modernization, social media, myopia management, clinic culture, and the future of optometry in Canada.
EssilorLuxottica has acquired a stake in Top Charoen, Thailand’s largest retail optical chain, reinforcing its long-standing relationship with the company and its presence in Southeast Asia.
By any measure, contact lenses remain a cornerstone of modern vision correction. Yet despite ongoing innovation and a steadily expanding global market, the overall number of contact lens wearers has not grown at the same pace as the technology.
