The 25^th Transitions Academy brought together over 850 industry experts from 45 countries around the world last week at the J.W. Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando. Attendees learned about Transitions latest strategic projects and participated in professional development and product technology seminars, heard from experts and educators on marketing and industry trends, and learned from their colleagues and partners at the three-day, invitation-only event, which was themed “Eye Care Love Forever.”

Chrystel Barranger, president EMEA wholesale, EssilorLuxottica and president Essilor photochromics and Transitions Optical, began Thursday morning’s opening session by welcoming attendees from around the world to Transitions Academy and discussed the new reality of the optical industry. Following the opening remarks, Coralie Barrau, senior photobiology scientist, innovation manager for light management, R&D EssilorLuxottica, discussed light management science, and Brian O’Neill, vice president, global innovation, technology and operations, Transitions shared how the renewed Transitions^® portfolio offers tailored solutions to meet patient needs. Charlotte Hamel, global marketing vice president, Transitions, continued the Thursday morning session with a focus on style and showcasing Transitions^® collections. To close the morning session, Hamel highlighted the consumer journey and how to build awareness, consideration, and conversion around Transitions lenses.

Thursday’s curriculum continued with four options for industry and professional development elective sessions:

• Be Inclusive to Better Serve Patients, Dr. Diana Canto-Sims, O.D., Buena Vista Optical; Dr. Essence Johnson, O.D., Parkland Hospital, Black Eyecare Perspective; Dr. Janette Pepper, O.D., Southern College of Optometry; Dr. Devin Sasser, O.D., Eye Clarity Vision; and Arlene Segovia, marketing manager of trade communications, Transitions.
• Become a Master of Storytelling, Shawn Devine, senior and master facilitator, Training Edge.
• Latest Design Trends to Recommend in Style, Paula Donnelly, vice president, advanced product development, EssilorLuxottica; Meredith Feldman, strategic account manager, wholesale, Transitions; Sheena Taff, optician and optical blogger, Roberts & Brown Opticians; and Lucile Van Deuren, retail marketing manager, Europe, Transitions.
• Leadership: The Dynamics of Communication, Rebecca Armacost, senior faculty and executive coach, leadership development institute.

Thursday afternoon began with a keynote from disruption strategist Shawn Kanungo. Kanungo’s keynote “Bold Ones: How to Innovate and Disrupt Ourselves” explored how individuals can apply the innovations and disruptions occurring around them to become more dynamic and valuable. Attendees closed the afternoon with another industry or professional development elective of their choice:

• Become a Master of Storytelling
• Embracing Our Phygital World, Chris Bell, global digital junior brand manager, Transitions; Fahem Ben Messaoud, global vice president digital, business innovation, strategic projects and IT, EssilorLuxottica; Steve Noble, chief strategy officer, Grey Midwest; and Elizabeth Wales, associate marketing manager, key accounts, Transitions.
• Leadership: The Dynamics of Communication
• Unlock Your Potential with the Transitions Portfolio, Jessica Hoch, business development manager, Transitions; Lucie Laborne, global brand manager, Transitions; and Barbara Ann Sharon, training, learning, and development consultant, Training Edge.

Transitions Academy continued on Friday with a presentation on how Transitions is a catalyst for growth, beginning with a panel moderated by Chrystel Barranger and featuring perspectives from eyecare lovers:

• Ernesto Diaz, president LATAM wholesale, EssilorLuxottica
• Dr. Essence Johnson
• David Rips, president and CEO, Younger Optics
• Fabrizio Uguzzoni, president North America wholesale, EssilorLuxottica
• Walid Elali, GM Magrabi Lens Innovation Center, UAE

Following the panel, Fahem Ben Messaoud, Eric Pecceu, senior vice president and general manager, global sales, Transitions, and John Schubach, global director, lenscaster sales, Transitions shared how partners can be successful with Transitions based on results from 2021 and 2022. Regional highlights that can inspire global activations were also shared from the Transitions Optical team including:

• Marielle Collombat, marketing director Europe, Transitions
• Rose Harris, senior associate director, channel marketing, Transitions
• Vanessa Johns, marketing director LATAM, Transitions
• Michelle Sabo-Sherwood, associate director, trade communications and events, U.S., Transitions
• Isabelle Tremblay, director of sales and marketing, Transitions, Canada

Additional Transitions team members continued the general session with presentations on best practices for accelerating growth with the Transitions portfolio, education, elevating the patient experience in-store and online, and recommending to all eyeglass wearers a complete pair of eyeglasses with frames and lenses. Presenters included:

• Chris King, global associate director marketing education, Transitions
• Kayla Worthy, marketing manager, trade shows and events, Transitions
• Stephen Tackett, senior marketing manager, North America channels, Transitions
• Pierre Devie, commercial director EMEA, Transitions

The general session concluded with Transitions team members celebrating the career and achievements of José Alves, general manager of the Americas, as he retired from Transitions Optical after over 30 years with the company. Alves first joined the company in 1991 as a production manager. Since then, he has held many roles across the organization and played an integral part in growing Transitions Optical in Latin America, advancing to general manager in 2004. In 2015, Alves was appointed as general manager of Americas where he overlooked the North America region and global channel management while still retaining his responsibilities for Latin America. Alves has been known for his energy, passion, and enthusiasm during Transitions events and acted as the co-host for the 25^th Transitions Academy.

Friday morning continued with the following industry and professional development elective sessions:

• Get in the Game: How to Get a Yes, Miriam Isa, on air personality, Clevver Media
• Latest Design Trends to Recommend in Style
• Unlock Your Potential with the Transitions Portfolio

Friday afternoon began with a closing keynote “Resilience in the Face of Uncertainty” from Ben Nemtin, author and founder of The Buried Life Movement, which spoke to how leaders and teams must dig deep within themselves to break through and find opportunity in uncertain times. Later that night, Drew Smith, Vanessa Johns, and Laurent Dosseville, commercial director Europe, Transitions, EssilorLuxottica led the 2021 Transitions Innovation Awards ceremony, where the winners of the 2021 Transitions Innovation Awards were announced.

Click HERE for the press release.

Fighting Blindness Canada’s (FBC) Clinician Scientist Emerging Leader Awards (CSELA) were launched in 2017 to build the pipeline of ophthalmologists and optometrists who also do research. Clinician-scientists help translate laboratory research into the clinic and help bring clinical trials to Canadian patients. Six years on, CSELA winners have undertaken prestigious training fellowships and launched their own independent research careers.

In 2022, FBC announces three new CSELA winners, Dr. Marko Popovic, Dr. Mélanie Hébert and Dr. Kirill Zaslavsky.

Dr. Popovic: Comparing Two Common Treatments for Retinal Detachment

Marko Popovic is a resident in the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences at the University of Toronto. He is currently completing a Master of Public Health in epidemiology at Harvard University. Dr. Popovic’s project focuses on retinal detachment. Retinal detachment occurs when the retina, the light-sensing part of the eye, pulls away from the back of the eye. It is relatively common, with one in every 300 people experiencing it in their life. It can be caused by eye injury or surgery. Retina detachment is also more common as you age, and your risk might be higher if you have a family history of retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy or certain other eye conditions including extreme myopia (nearsightedness).

Dr. Popovic will be undertaking an epidemiological study to analyze the safety, effectiveness, and cost implications of two common treatments for retinal detachment.

Dr. Hébert: A Clinical Trial to Test Two Surgical Strategies for Retinal Detachement

Dr. Mélanie Hébert is an ophthalmology resident at Université Laval. Dr. Hébert completed an MSc degree in biomedical sciences alongside her medical degree. Dr. Hébert is also tackling the topic of retinal detachment, undertaking a clinical trial to see if combining two common repair and reattachment methods produces better results than one treatment alone. FBC funding will help launch this six-year randomized study. Dr. Hébert’s and Dr. Popovic’s studies are using complementary methods and taken together, they have the potential to provide important information to guide clinical practice and improve outcomes for patients with retinal detachment.

Dr. Zaslavsky: Finding the Cause of Birdshot Uveitis

Dr. Kirill Zaslavsky is currently a third-year ophthalmology resident at the University of Toronto. Prior to residency, he completed a combined medical degree/PhD program at the University of Toronto. Dr. Zaslavsky is studying a rare autoimmune eye disease called birdshot uveitis. Birdshot uveitis is a sight-threatening immune-mediated eye disease that typically affects 40 to 60-year-old women. Birdshot uveitis is treated with immune-suppressive therapy. However, treatment response is hard to predict, and the disease is characterized by flare-ups. The causes of birdshot uveitis are not clear.

In this project, Dr. Zaslavsky is trying to understand which immune cells may be contributing to the autoimmune reaction that lead to birdshot uveitis. By analyzing and identifying the different types of immune cells from patients with birdshot uveitis he hopes to determine which cells are important in this disease and establish a framework for dissecting other autoimmune and inflammatory retinal conditions.

Click HERE for the full press release.

CNIB announces that Deloitte Canada has donated 300 smartphones to the Phone It Forward program. This donation will support and empower people with sight loss across Canada to live more active, independent lives.

Modern smartphones are life-changing tools in the hands of individuals who are blind or partially sighted. The Phone It Forward program takes modern, gently used smartphones; refurbishes them; outfits them with accessible apps and puts them directly into the hands of Canadians who are living with sight loss. Recipients are also provided with training on how to use their new smart devices with confidence.

With these devices in hand, people with sight loss are able to do things that may have seemed challenging before – from travelling safely alone using GPS to reading prescription labels and taking medication safely to connecting with loved ones.

Click HERE for the full press release.

Transitions Optical has named the winners for its annual Transitions Innovation Awards program, which recognizes both individuals and companies for their innovative efforts to support Transitions^® lenses.

“Honoring this incredible group of Transitions Innovation Awards winners and finalists was a perfect way to round off our 25^th anniversary celebration of Transitions Academy,” said Drew Smith, director, North America channels, Transitions Optical. “Our winners’ and finalists’ creativity and achievements are inspiring, and we are thankful for their continuous engagement and innovation with the Transitions brand.”

Canadian Eyecare Practice of the Year

The Canadian Eyecare Practice of the Year title recognizes independent eyecare practices in Canada that are actively promoting healthy sight to their patients and within their local communities, and who have demonstrated excellence in supporting Transitions lenses.

• Winner: MAVUE Marie Trudel (Quebec City, Quebec)
  • Finalists: Optométrie Gravel (Thetford Mines, Quebec) and Sun City Optics (Kamloops, British Columbia)

Canada Retailer of the Year

The Canada Retailer of the Year title is awarded to a retailer in Canada for actively supporting Transitions lenses and demonstrating a commitment to enhancing the vision of their customers and communities.

• Winner: Newlook Lunetterie•Eyewear
  • Finalist: Costco Optical

2021 Transitions Brand Ambassador

The Transitions Brand Ambassador award celebrates an individual who best showcases their dedication to be an influential advocate of Transitions lenses.

• Winner: Jennifer Chinn, O.D. – Dr. Chinn’s Vision Care (San Diego, California)
  • Finalists: Mélissane Bourque, optician – Opto-Réseau Pointe-aux Trembles (Montreal, Quebec) and Michelle Selway, regional optician advisor, training and coaching – BonLook (Western Canada)

Click HERE for the full press release.

In conjunction with World Ocean Day, two senior executives are offering thought-provoking environmental insights to deepen the eye care industry’s understanding of how plastic neutrality benefits practices, patients, and communities worldwide. The fireside chat with CooperCompanies Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel at CooperCompanies Dan McBride and Plastic Bank Founder and CEO David Katz is now available at one-day-better.ca

Acknowledging the vital role that plastics play in everyday life, the executives discuss why plastic neutrality is a model quickly capturing people’s attention. In 2021, CooperVision introduced the world’s first plastic neutral contact lensesby purchasing credits from Plastic Bank’s collection, processing and reuse of general ocean-bound plastic waste that is equal to the weight of the plastic contained in designated products. It has grown to become the largest plastic neutrality initiative in the contact lens industry.

To date, the initiative has made a significant environmental and social impact worldwide. In 2022, the equivalent of 32 million plastic bottles have been prevented from polluting the oceans and the equivalent of nearly 60 million plastic bottles has been collected since the program’s inception. Collectors and their families in 171 coastal communities have directly benefited from exchanging ocean-bound plastic for necessities such as clean water, groceries, cooking oil, school tuition, and even health insurance.

“CooperVision has significantly expanded sustainable practices within our facilities over the past several years, including recycling, reuse, water conservation, and energy conservation. As a medical device manufacturer, plastic plays a critical role in the hygienic delivery and sterile protection of our products around the world. The Plastic Bank partnership extends our commitment with an innovative plastics collection model, made even more meaningful through its social mission,” says McBride. “It creates a circular ecosystem that reflects our vision of plastics being responsibly used, recovered, and reborn in perpetuity.”

Circularity—which is the continued, regenerative reuse of plastic—creates exponential value and change, according to Katz. When a piece of material is collected, recycled, placed back into manufacturing, and reintroduced to a consumer in a new form, the ecosystem grows. It’s not a linear effect, but one that spirals outward for continual impact.

Click HERE for the full press release.