As part of CNIB Guide Dogs’ class of 2022, 16 Canadians who are blind or partially sighted have graduated with their guide dogs on International Guide Dog Day (April 27) after completing intensive training. 

Whether it’s avoiding obstacles, stopping at curbs and steps or negotiating traffic, these guide dogs foster independence for people living with sight loss. In these partnerships, the handlers provide directional commands, and the dogs ensure the teams’ safety. 

At the graduation ceremony, five buddy dog partnerships have also graduated alongside the guide dog partnerships. A CNIB Buddy Dog is partnered with a child or youth who is blind or partially sighted. Whether it’s feeding, grooming or walking this well-trained family pet, a buddy dog provides a child with an opportunity to care for a dog and, in some cases, makes it easier to transition into a guide dog partnership.

“Today’s graduating dogs are changing the lives of Canadians with sight loss from coast to coast to coast. As we celebrate CNIB Guide Dogs’ 5^th anniversary this year, we have more than 150 dogs in the program, with 52 guide dog teams and 19 buddy dog partnerships across Canada,” says Diane Bergeron, president of CNIB Guide Dogs and guide dog handler for 38 years. “The other dogs are still being raised and/or trained.”

Since launching in 2017 with just 2 puppies and 2 staff members working from home, CNIB Guide Dogs has raised, trained, and matched 77 dogs in communities across Canada, including 52 guide dogs, 19 buddy dogs, and 6 ambassador dogs. 

CNIB Guide Dogs will launch its own dog-breeding program in 2022 to train Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, and crosses of the two breeds. The new breeding program will enable CNIB Guide Dogs to raise, train and match more dogs with people with sight loss across Canada, and help close the gap for those waiting to be matched with a guide dog or buddy dog.

Click HERE for the full press release.

Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands. Its luxurious canal houses and charming gabled facades represents the golden age of Dutch heritage. Nearing the end of the 20th century, the city emerged into a more innovative, contemporary and SLEEK architecture.   

This transformation of a venerated culture was the inspiration to egress from the traditional eyewear landscape of piecemeal metal construction and bulky acetates, transpiring to a more innovative, contemporary and uninterrupted SLEEK design process.

Strak Amsterdam, the resulting new eyewear collection, is defined by frame fronts crafted from a single plate of Japanese titanium mated to temples formed from a single rod of Beta-titanium.

The new collection is dedicated to the premise of being lightweight yet sturdy. Craft and manufacturing extremes have resulted in a new, and decidedly raw capture of what it means to be industrial with style.

Distributed by Canadian Optical Supply.

Click HERE for the full press release.

With its multicoloured, patterned acetate, MO-1170 is sure to be a popular style for those looking to make a statement. Bold, but with a feeling of timeless elegance, it features sophisticated metal details on the temples, beveling along the top of the front eye shape, and unique square accents on the front endpieces. A keyhole bridge provides extra comfort.

Distributed by: www.westgroupe.com/ca/moleskine/

CooperVision will share new data and analysis demonstrating the performance and efficacy of its innovative MiSight^® 1 day contact lens during the 2022 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting in Denver from May 1-4.

“The increasing severity and prevalence of myopia progression in children is one of the greatest healthcare issues today, with consequences that will last for generations,” said Paul Chamberlain, BSc (Hons), Director of Research Programs for CooperVision. “Our extensive scientific and commercial innovations have made it easier for eye care professionals to address this challenge and incorporate myopia management as the standard of care. The works we are presenting at ARVO build further confidence in MiSight^® 1 day contact lenses^* as a preferred approach.”  

Dual Focus Contact Lenses Induce Myopic Defocus in Children During Near Viewing (Meyer D, et al) presents evidence that myopia control using MiSight^® 1 day contact lenses in age-appropriate children is achieved through added myopic defocus, validating prior hypotheses. The study also quantified the myopic defocus dose delivered to children in two ways: by diopters and by the proportion of light focused in front of the retina. This work was conducted with the Indiana University School of Optometry.

Prior Myopia Control Effects Retained Upon Cessation of Dual-Focus Soft Contact Lens Wear (Hammond D, et al) offers further in-depth analysis of the seven-year MiSight^® 1 day clinical trial, which is the longest-running soft contact lens study among children. The twelve months following treatment cessation, mean axial elongation data indicated no evidence of rebound effect, signifying the myopia control gains were retained.

This latest work provides a deeper dive into the year seven data. These results indicate that treatment effects are retained regardless of when treatment ceased at any age between 14 to 18. The investigators conclude that starting MiSight^® 1 day at a younger age* and continuing throughout teenage years reduces time during which untreated eye growth can occur.

Click HERE for the full press release.

The 50^th edition of MIDO came to an end May 1 amid enthusiasm and optimism. The appointment for all industry professionals is for next year, February 4-6, 2023, at Fiera Milano Rho.

Plenty of innovations and a variety of experiences were offered to participants eager to experience emotions and meet each other in-person, at an engaging event that brings fashion back to the forefront and relaunches the eyewear industry. From the opening event world premiere of the previously unreleased music composition by Maestro Ennio Morricone “Infinite Visioni”, to the performance by Dargen D’Amico and the celebration of the stars of the show and of the industry with the Bestore and Stand Up For Green awards.

“The bottom line for this edition is undoubtedly positive because the 22,000 visitors to MIDO 2022 were of high quality and driven by a willingness to buy, despite the challenging times, overcoming the adversities of the difficult moment we are experiencing – said Giovanni Vitaloni, President of MIDO. We confirmed our ability to be benchmark for the sector, strengthening MIDO’s role in the creation of business and ideas. We have had excellent feedback from exhibitors and visitors alike on the activity experienced here: this is a fresh start for the industry. Exhibitions should be in-person events…” concluded Vitaloni.

The over 660 exhibitors from 45 countries across 5 pavilions and 8 exhibition areas met visitors from over 50 countries: Europe, United States, Israel, Brazil, India, Tunisia, Iran, South Africa and United Arab Emirates.

Equally significant was the presence of online participants connected to the B2B platform, designed to engage in the show those who – from all over the world – were unable to attend the live event. The wonder of MIDO was also broadcast live on MIDOTV, which this year produced 77 videos broadcast live on YouTube, with a total of 350,000 views.

SEE YOU IN 2023, ON FEBRUARY 4-6

Click HERE for the full press release.