63 global eye care organizations and more than 25,700 practitioners have accepted the World Council of Optometry (WCO) Myopia Management Standard of Care Pledge challenge. WCO and myopia management category leader CooperVision issued the challenge for eye care professionals worldwide to adopt myopia management as the standard of care.

Learn more and take the pledge.

WCO President-elect Dr. Sandra Block said, “The response in just over a month since we launched the challenge has been impressive. Myopia has reached epidemic levels and we know that myopia can lead to eye health issues that reveal themselves in adults.  It is our hope that early diagnosis of myopia and management can help reduce the long-term eye health complications. Taking the pledge sends a clear message that organizations and eye care professionals understand the seriousness of myopia as a public health threat and that they are taking active measures to manage that threat.”

The World Council of Optometry and CooperVision introduced the myopia management standard of care resolution in April 2021, defining an evidence-based standard of care comprised of three main components:

• Mitigation — Optometrists educating and counseling parents and children, during early and regular eye exams, on lifestyle, dietary, and other factors to prevent or delay the onset of myopia.
• Measurement — Optometrists evaluating the status of a patient during regular comprehensive vision and eye health exams, such as measuring refractive error and axial length whenever possible.
• Management — Optometrists addressing patients’ needs of today by correcting myopia, while also providing evidence-based interventions (e.g., contact lenses, spectacles, pharmaceuticals) that slow the progression of myopia, for improved quality of life and better eye health today and into the future.

The World Council of Optometry has a myopia management online resource featuring the standard of care resolution, pledge signup page, and practical tools and information for optometrists available at https://myopia.worldcouncilofoptometry.info/.

WCO is holding its second global virtual event on myopia management, “Advancing the Standard of Care,” on February 16, 2023. Hear directly from patients and eye care professionals working in research and clinical practice on how they have integrated myopia management into their practices. Sessions are planned in different time zones to suit your schedule. Register at https://bit.ly/WCOMyopiaEvent223.  

Click HERE for the full press release.

Fighting Blindness Canada (FBC) is marking Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Awareness Month with activities to inform and educate Canadians about the leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 55, impacting approximately 2.5 million Canadians.

“Many research groups are working to develop new treatments for AMD, including those to reduce vision loss or even restore vision when it has already been lost,” said Dr. Larissa Moniz, Director of Research and Mission Programs at Fighting Blindness Canada.

As part of AMD Awareness Month, Fighting Blindness Canada is inviting Canadians to participate in the following:

• Attend FBC’s View Point webinar. “The Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Clinical Trial Landscape” on Tuesday, February 21, 4 pm EST. Dr. Tom Sheidow from the University of Western Ontario will discuss and answer audience questions about the current state of therapies for dry and wet AMD.
• Visit FBC’s AMD Resource Page to learn about AMD, how it impacts the retina, and risk factors.
• Download an Amsler Grid to do an at-home check for any eyesight changes.
• Sign the petition to support Bill C-284 that calls for a National Eye Care Strategy; eensuring timely diagnosis and access to new treatments for people with AMD.

Click HERE for the full press release.

The 51^st edition of MIDO opens Saturday, February 4 at Fiera Milano Rho, as the international eyewear show welcomes the entire global eyewear supply chain.

MIDO 2023 IN NUMBERS

• Just over 1,000 exhibitors
• More than 150 countries represented
• 6 pavilions
• 8 exhibit areas
• 3 international prizes awarded to opticians and exhibitors
• More than 30 scheduled activities including 3 days of conferences, meetings, round tables and events
• More than 250 accredited journalists from around the globe
• 7 social channels for sharing videos, photos and posts about the show
• 1 official TV channel with interviews and in-depth features from the MIDO pavilions
• 1 B2B digital platform for exploring news, contacts and some of the exhibitors’ collections

“MIDO returns to the first days of February, a position we can confirm for editions through 2026,” stated MIDO President Giovanni Vitaloni. “This worked in our favor, eliciting a massive response by companies – including the return of industry giants, Asian brands and the debut of small, independent businesses that have made MIDO their market entry of choice. The first weeks of February are strategic for companies and buyers to operate in a timely manner, getting an early look at the new collections in order to realize a return on investment in the first quarter of the year.”

EYEWEAR INDUSTRY DATA FROM 2022 AND FORECASTS FOR 2023

Thanks to its robust international orientation, in 2022 Italy’s eyewear industry, comprising 830 companies and 18,250 employees, performed brilliantly on international markets, but inflation and economic uncertainty had an impact. Based on a preliminary 2022 forecast by ANFAO, Italy’s eyewear production in 2022 totaled €5.17 billion, up 24% from 2021. Exports of frames, sunglasses and lenses (representing about 90% of industry production), grew 22.5% over 2021, to reach approx. €5 billion. The United States, traditionally the eyewear industry’s primary export market, with a more than 30% share, increased 20.2% compared to 2021.

Prevailing concerns for the first half of 2023 are cost increases – in energy, raw materials, shipping, services, logistics, packaging, etc. – estimated to have doubled, on average, compared to the pre-pandemic period. This forces businesses to operate with lower and lower margins, putting survival of the companies themselves at risk, especially SMEs.

KEY WORDS FOR MIDO 2023: INTERNATIONALIZATION, A FOCUS ON OPTICIANS AND SUSTAINABILITY

Regarding the former, the MIDO numbers speak for themselves: exhibitors, buyers, opticians, industry professionals, journalists and students are expected from around the world.

Many opportunities for debate, reflection, exchange of ideas and interaction are reserved specifically for opticians and buyers. Every year, thousands of Italian and international professionals flock to MIDO in pursuit of the latest innovations and trends in eyewear and, above all, to finalize sales agreements and conduct business.

Created just for them is the “How To?” cycle, at OTTICLUB in Pavilion 3, which addresses the practical everyday activities of optical shops with realistic content on different topics, like style consultation, point of sale renovation, marketing and communication, events as a means of promotion, etc.

“The topic of sustainability is extremely important,”concluded Vitaloni. “We want MIDO to be an opportunity to share experiences with those who are already accomplished in this area. For some time now, many eyewear companies have been active in sustainability projects, and we decided to dedicate an award specifically to them. We will present the CSE (Certified Sustainable Eyewear) Award at a special ceremony on Sunday, February 5. At the same time, we know how great an impact large-scale events like MIDO can have and therefore at the recent editions, we have endeavored to reduce not only its environmental, but also its social impact. Among the first results achieved is ISO 20121:2012 Sustainability Certification, obtained at the 2022 edition, certifying the sustainable management of large events. In February we will be evaluated for this year’s edition.”

NOT-TO-BE-MISSED EVENTS AT MIDO 2023

Kick-off for the show will be on Saturday February 4, 10 am at OTTICLUB, in Pavilion 3, with welcome addresses by President Giovanni Vitaloni, along with CEO and  Managing Director of ITA Roberto Luongo, City of Milan Municipal Councillor, Alessia Cappello and  CEO and Managing Director of Fiera Milano Luca Palermo.

The calendar of events continues throughout the three days of the show with business meetings, conferences and events. Many more show events can be found on the MIDO website at https://www.mido.com/en/otticlub

MIDO will be open at Fieramilano (Strada Statale del Sempione 28 -Rho), Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th February from 9 am to 7 pm, and Monday, 6th February from 9 am to 6 pm.

Click HERE for the full press release.

IRIS Mundial announces that, for a 16^th year, the organization will benefit from an annual fundraising campaign organized by IRIS, The Visual Group, its main partner.

The campaign will be held throughout the month of February in IRIS stores across Canada. For each pair of glasses sold during the month, $10 will be donated to the organization. The IRIS Ophthalmology Clinic also agreed to donate $25 per eye surgery performed. IRIS Mundial also appeals to the public by giving them the chance to give a second life to their glasses; IRIS stores will give every pair of used glassed they receive from the public to IRIS Mundial. These efforts will enable disadvantaged individuals to obtain eye exams, eyeglasses and ocular surgeries. Since 2008, IRIS stores, with the participation of the IRIS Ophthalmology Clinic, have donated more than $1,311,900 to IRIS Mundial, including $92,160 in 2022. The goal for 2023 is to reach $95,000.

“Thanks to the constant support of the public and IRIS The Visual Group, we can continue to offer quality visual care to the most disadvantaged through our projects. Thank you so much for helping to change their lives!”, says Johanne de Champlain, chairwoman of IRIS Mundial.

The donations collected to date have resulted in the establishment of three Programs for the Prevention and Fight against Blindness (PPFB) in Haiti and in Senegal. For several years, these initiatives have enabled adults and children in the targeted areas to have access to a comprehensive quality eye care system. IRIS Mundial’s support to its partners takes many forms, from the construction or rehabilitation of community eye clinics, to financial and equipment support, as well as continuing education in the field of eye care.

In addition to its three permanent programs, IRIS Mundial has completed 24 one-time projects around the world. Typically, some 30 Canadian volunteers (optometrists, opticians, ophthalmologists and others) participate in these one-time projects and work with local professionals to provide visual care to 2,000 people. The purpose of these projects is to identify the most common oculovisual problems, as well as to assess the needs and also the possibility of implementing a permanent program at these sites in the future.

Click HERE for the full press release.

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