The SILMO Academy will bring together the global optical and vision care community in Bali from April 6–8, 2026 for its CPD-accredited International Congress.
The three-day scientific meeting will gather researchers, clinicians and international opinion leaders around a programme organized into five major themes shaping contemporary practice:
Putting People First — patient-centred care and evolving professional roles
Healthy Ageing & Presbyopia — WHO initiatives, demographic change and visual needs
Gaining a Competitive Edge in Practice — clinical innovation and differentiation
Light Management & Myopia — the influence of light on refractive development
Future Advances in Optometry & Optics — artificial intelligence, smart eyewear and med-tech evolution
The congress will feature a range of international speakers, including World Council of Optometry President Dr. Cindy Tromans, European Council of Optometry and Optics President Gabrielle Janssen, Professor Rupert Bourne (UK), Professor David Elliott (UK), Professor Eric Papas (Australia) and Professor Weizhong Lan (China).
SILMO Academy positions the event as a global scientific forum aimed at advancing knowledge exchange and professional development across the optical sector.
The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) has published Issue 88 of Contact Lens Update, which focuses entirely on scleral lenses—one of the most transformative modalities in modern contact lens practice. Four feature stories examine the expanding role of sclerals, real-world prescribing trends, and the technologies shaping contemporary practice. The bi-monthly publication is available at no charge by visiting ContactLensUpdate.com.
“Today’s scleral lenses are no longer simply a last-resort option,” said Daddi Fadel, adjunct assistant professor at the University of Waterloo. “They have evolved into a powerful, highly customizable platform, giving clinicians the ability to manage complex visual and ocular surface challenges with unprecedented precision, comfort, and confidence.”
Contact Lens Update Issue 88 Contributors (clockwise from top left): Daddi Fadel, Rute J. Macedo de Araújo, Anitha Arvind, Monica Chaudhry, Jamie Kuzniar, Nicholas Brown.
Fadel, who is among the world’s most recognized authorities in specialty contact lenses, wrote the issue’s opening editorial. She outlines the “what, why, and how” of scleral lenses, describing their evolution into a versatile therapeutic and optical platform. Fadel explains their essential role in restoring visual quality, comfort, and quality of life where conventional corrections fail, and details how advanced diagnostics, customized scleral alignment, and emerging optical technologies enable optimized vision and ocular surface outcomes.
Rute J. Macedo de Araújo, PhD, is an optometrist, vision scientist, and researcher at the University of Minho (Braga, Portugal) who concentrates on specialty lenses, corneal irregularities, and visual quality. She authors the feature article on current trends in scleral lens prescription, management, and evaluation. Her review highlights real-world scleral lens prescribing and management through the SCOPE initiative, illustrating progress in lens design and care but wide variability in follow-up practices.
Anitha Arvind, PhD, associate professor and head of Optometry at GD Goenka University and an expert in contact lenses and dry eye, and Monica Chaudhry, a senior optometrist with more than 40 years’ experience in specialty lenses and founder of MCVI, offer the clinical insight. These Gurugram, India-based professionals present a case showing how scleral lenses successfully managed long-term visual instability, irregular astigmatism, and contact lens intolerance post–radial keratotomy, using advanced corneal imaging to guide lens selection for stable vision and comfort.
The conference highlight is presented by Jamie Kuzniar, FSLS, FAAO, founder of Elevate Eye Care + Eyewear (Rochester Hills, Mich., U.S.), and Nicholas Brown, director of Engineering at Ovitz Inc. (Rochester, N.Y., U.S.). This case series presents clinical outcomes using wavefront‑guided scleral lenses to enhance visual quality in keratoconus patients. The results demonstrated significant reduction in higher‑order aberrations and improved visual acuity by custom correcting patient-specific optics and optimizing lens stability and fit for better real-world vision.
Every year when Pantone announces its Color of the Year, the fashion and design worlds buzz. But in optical, we tend to ask a different question: What does this mean for eyewear? For our patients? For our dispensary?
For 2026, Pantone chose Cloud Dancer, a soft, warm white that feels clean, airy, and modern. And while you might not think “white” can drive trends, Cloud Dancer opens a lot of doors in eyewear styling and retail.
(Frame: J.F. Rey, JF1590 col. 1098)
Why This Color Matters to Opticians
White is often overlooked in frame design. Many opticians remember the days when white frames felt too bold or too niche. But Cloud Dancer isn’t a harsh, bright white. It’s warmer, softer, and far more wearable. Think of it as the “gentle white” that fits easily into everyday style.
For optical professionals, this means: • It’s a neutral that works across skin tones. • It allows us to highlight shape, fit, and craftsmanship, not just color. • It supports the minimalist, clean-aesthetic trend patients are craving.
As someone who has spent decades in dispensaries, classrooms, and consulting rooms, I’ve learned that patients often want something new, but not risky. Cloud Dancer hits that sweet spot: fresh, modern, but approachable.
Cloud Dancer Frames: The New Quiet Statement
We’ve seen bright acetates, bold torts, and vibrant metals take their turn in the spotlight. Now, Cloud Dancer brings in something different: the quiet statement frame.
Picture this in your board: • Matte white titanium in soft geometric shapes • Warm white acetate with polished edges • Subtle laminated whites paired with gold or champagne metal temples • Oversized but weightless-feeling sculpted acetates
These look high-end, clean, and architectural, exactly the kind of styling that elevates a patient’s look without overwhelming them. Cloud Dancer gives opticians a chance to reintroduce white frames in a new, elegant way.
(Frame: Marchon, Linda Farrow, Boyd Explorer Sunglasses)
Why Patients Will Love It
Patients today aren’t just choosing eyewear, they’re choosing identity. Cloud Dancer fits beautifully with current lifestyle trends: • Minimalism without feeling cold • Sustainability-focused shopping, white suggests purity and simplicity • Calming neutrals that pair with everything from denim to tailored workwear
This shade also photographs beautifully, and as we know, patients love taking a selfie in their new glasses. A clean white frame pops on camera without being flashy.
Retail & Dispensary Opportunities
Opticians and optical store owners can have fun with this trend, not just in frames, but in merchandising and branding.
Suzanne Sendel Agency, Coco and Breezy, Lucy
Consider: • A Cloud Dancer–themed display wall • White props and acrylics to make colourful frames stand out • Styling cards featuring soft-white backgrounds • A “Color of the Year” window feature that highlights the trend
EssilorLuxottica, Moncler, 0ME8015U
A warm white backdrop naturally draws the eye to the eyewear itself. As the owner of Quality Optical, I’ve seen firsthand how small colour cues in merchandising shift patient perception and elevate the perceived value of the collection.
Lens Technology Meets Style
White frames pair exceptionally well with: • light tints (rose, champagne, grey-green) • gradient sun tints • blue-light filters • mirrored coatings
(Frame: Claudia Alan, AYA Optical, River)
The contrast between a Cloud Dancer frame and a warm-toned lens can create a sophisticated, fashion-forward look, especially appealing to younger buyers and multifocal wearers looking to refresh their style.
A Colour That Resets the Mood
Cloud Dancer represents clarity, softness, and a fresh start. And our patients feel this. They’re coming in looking for simplicity, calm, and items that work with their busy lives. This colour supports the shift toward mindful, intentional design.
And honestly, after the last few years, a colour that feels like a breath of fresh air is exactly what our industry needs.
Final Thoughts
Cloud Dancer isn’t just a paint-chip shade. It’s a moment. A mood. A soft reset for eyewear styling as we move into 2026.
For opticians, it’s an opportunity to: • refresh displays • introduce softer neutral frames • guide patients toward a new, clean aesthetic • bring warmth and simplicity back into fashion conversations
Eyewear doesn’t have to shout to make an impact. Sometimes the most powerful statement is the quiet one. Cloud Dancer reminds us of that.
About the Author:
Shan Khan, RO
Shan Khan, is an optician and educator passionate about advancing eye care and eyewear awareness in Canada. As Editor-in-Chief of Optik Magazine, she brings a keen industry perspective and a commitment to spotlighting innovation, style, and professionalism across the optical landscape.
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Essilor has launched Varilux Immersia, a new occupational lens designed to support presbyopes during sustained near and intermediate vision tasks, particularly those involving digital devices.
The company notes that modern visual habits increasingly involve screens and close-range multitasking, which can contribute to eye strain, focusing difficulty and postural discomfort if not properly addressed.
Varilux Immersia is intended to expand usable near vision while helping maintain a more natural head position. The lens is offered in two versions:
Immersia.mid for vision up to five feet (guaranteed up to 1.5 feet)
Immersia.room for vision up to ten feet (guaranteed up to three feet)
According to Essilor, the design is based on analysis of real-world viewing environments and screen positioning, combined with simulation modelling used during research and development. The company reports the lens can provide a wider area of clear near vision compared with a standard progressive lens and allow a broader range of comfortable head postures.
Standard progessive lens / Varilux Immersia lens
The product also incorporates W.A.V.E 2.0 technology to manage higher-order aberrations and maintain visual quality in different lighting conditions.
In supporting materials, Essilor suggests occupational lenses may complement progressive lenses for presbyopes who spend long periods on close-range tasks. The company positions the Immersia.room option as suitable for early or emmetropic presbyopes, while Immersia.mid may serve as an additional pair for ametropic presbyopes.
Essilor states the goal of the lens is to provide more comfortable near-range vision during work and daily activities involving multiple viewing distances.
BostonSight has announced a five-year strategic roadmap focused on advancing scleral lens technology, research, and practitioner education, with an emphasis on improving access to specialty lens care worldwide.
The organization says the plan centres on collaboration across clinical, engineering, and scientific communities, alongside expanded training resources and new technology platforms intended to support ocular surface treatment.
To lead the initiative, BostonSight has formalized several leadership roles. Dr. Karen Carrasquillo, Chief Innovation and Education Officer, and Andrew Heim, Chief Technology Officer, will oversee innovation and technology strategy, working with Director of Innovative Technologies Dr. Chirag Patel and Director of Engineering Olga Tomashevskaya.
Heim joined BostonSight in 2025 as its first CTO and will focus on aligning technology infrastructure with clinical and operational goals, including the use of artificial intelligence to support clinical decision-making and strengthening data security practices.
According to BostonSight President and CEO Sara Yost, the appointments are intended to help the organization expand technological capabilities while maintaining reliability for practitioners and partners.
The roadmap also includes development of new data-driven scleral lens design approaches. BostonSight says Patel’s work analyzing corneo-scleral data has contributed to improving fitting efficiency, while ongoing engineering collaboration aims to enhance optical performance of lenses.
The organization further plans to expand access to its educational platforms globally, combining clinical training with digital delivery tools.
BostonSight states the broader objective is to increase availability of specialty lens care by supporting practitioners with training and technology resources.
FYidoctors expands access to dry eye care with a new national program featuring advanced diagnostics, tailored treatment plans and IPL therapy in select clinics.
JOS Titan Bold is a men’s frame crafted from pure titanium, featuring bevelled edges, masculine matte tones, and beta-titanium temples for durability, flexibility, and refined fit.
In today’s workplace, stress isn’t just common, it’s constant. Shifting expectations, increased workloads, ever-changing schedules, difficult colleagues, and the pressure to “perform with a smile” can stretch even the highest-achieving professionals thin.
Vision Expo returns to Orlando in March 2026 as a unified annual event, featuring accredited education, new product launches and a 40th anniversary celebration.
FYidoctors expands access to dry eye care with a new national program featuring advanced diagnostics, tailored treatment plans and IPL therapy in select clinics.
JOS Titan Bold is a men’s frame crafted from pure titanium, featuring bevelled edges, masculine matte tones, and beta-titanium temples for durability, flexibility, and refined fit.
In today’s workplace, stress isn’t just common, it’s constant. Shifting expectations, increased workloads, ever-changing schedules, difficult colleagues, and the pressure to “perform with a smile” can stretch even the highest-achieving professionals thin.
Vision Expo returns to Orlando in March 2026 as a unified annual event, featuring accredited education, new product launches and a 40th anniversary celebration.
FYidoctors expands access to dry eye care with a new national program featuring advanced diagnostics, tailored treatment plans and IPL therapy in select clinics.
JOS Titan Bold is a men’s frame crafted from pure titanium, featuring bevelled edges, masculine matte tones, and beta-titanium temples for durability, flexibility, and refined fit.
In today’s workplace, stress isn’t just common, it’s constant. Shifting expectations, increased workloads, ever-changing schedules, difficult colleagues, and the pressure to “perform with a smile” can stretch even the highest-achieving professionals thin.
Vision Expo returns to Orlando in March 2026 as a unified annual event, featuring accredited education, new product launches and a 40th anniversary celebration.
FYidoctors expands access to dry eye care with a new national program featuring advanced diagnostics, tailored treatment plans and IPL therapy in select clinics.
JOS Titan Bold is a men’s frame crafted from pure titanium, featuring bevelled edges, masculine matte tones, and beta-titanium temples for durability, flexibility, and refined fit.
In today’s workplace, stress isn’t just common, it’s constant. Shifting expectations, increased workloads, ever-changing schedules, difficult colleagues, and the pressure to “perform with a smile” can stretch even the highest-achieving professionals thin.
Vision Expo returns to Orlando in March 2026 as a unified annual event, featuring accredited education, new product launches and a 40th anniversary celebration.
