Blog

August 26, 2026August 26, 2026

The Vision Council Foundation Expands “See What Matters” with New Back‑to‑School Eye Health Toolkit

The Vision Council Foundation has launched its 2026 back‑to‑school campaign, “See What Matters – Empowering Education,” encouraging families to prioritize comprehensive eye exams and healthy vision habits as students prepare to return to the classroom. The initiative expands the Foundation’s growing library of free educational resources designed to support families, schools and eyecare professionals.

This year’s campaign places particular emphasis on conditions and behaviors that can hinder learning, including digital eye strain, dry eye linked to screen use, and the rising prevalence of childhood myopia, which now affects an estimated 30% of children and adolescents in the United States.

Research from Focused inSights: Provider Approaches to Myopia Management shows that 91% of eyecare providers recommend annual myopia screening, with excessive screen time, genetics and limited outdoor activity identified as the leading risk factors.

New Toolkits for Providers, Schools, Families and Media

To support the campaign, the Vision Council Foundation has released a series of free, downloadable toolkits tailored to different audiences:

Eyecare Providers — Printable materials and social media content to help keep eye health top‑of‑mind for patients, both in‑office and online.
Schools and Parents — Resources to help families and educators prioritize vision health, including information on myopia, a family eye exam checklist and a postcard for school nurses to share screening results.
Media — Background data on children’s vision health and childhood myopia, including research from The Vision Council.

These toolkits represent the second major release under the See What Matters initiative, which promotes the importance of vision health across all ages through accessible educational materials.

Eye Exams as a Back‑to‑School Essential

“Eye exams belong on every family’s back‑to‑school checklist, right alongside shopping for new clothes and school supplies,” said Ashley Mills, CEO of The Vision Council and The Vision Council Foundation. “Children deserve the best possible chance to learn and thrive in school, and that starts with making sure they go into the school year seeing their best.”

The full “See What Matters – Empowering Education” toolkit is available at: thevisioncouncilfoundation.org/see-what-matters/

Source: The Vision Council

Want to see more like this article? Click here to subscribe to our FREE print magazines and e-newsletters!

August 26, 2026August 26, 2026

Bausch + Lomb Advances Two First‑in‑Class Eye Health Therapies Following New Clinical Results

Bausch + Lomb is advancing two investigational therapies in its pharmaceutical pipeline after reporting new clinical results, including a dual‑action dry eye drop entering Phase 3 and a topical TRPV1 antagonist showing early efficacy in reducing ocular pain.

Dual‑Action Dry Eye Drop to Enter Phase 3

The company confirmed that its lifitegrast + PFHO combination eye drop will progress to Phase 3 trials. The therapy is designed to target both inflammatory and evaporative components of dry eye disease — two mechanisms typically treated separately.

A Phase 2 study involving 443 patients did not meet its Day 29 primary endpoint but showed a statistically significant improvement at Day 15, a timepoint accepted by the FDA for corneal staining outcomes. At Day 15, 41.6% of patients using the combination achieved a ≥3‑unit improvement in corneal staining, compared with 18.8% on lifitegrast alone.

Safety findings were consistent with the known profiles of XIIDRA® and MIEBO®, with no new signals reported. Phase 3 trials will use Day 15 as the primary endpoint.

TRPV1 Antagonist Shows Strong Early Pain Reduction

Bausch + Lomb also reported positive Phase 1b results for BL1332, a first‑in‑class topical TRPV1 antagonist being developed for ocular surface pain. In a capsaicin‑challenge model, BL1332 produced a statistically significant reduction in pain intensity versus vehicle and shortened pain duration from 37.8 seconds to 1.6 seconds.

Exploratory findings showed complete pain resolution in 68.2% of treated eyes, compared with 0% in the vehicle group. No severe pain was reported among BL1332‑treated participants.

BL1332 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 study in patients experiencing pain after photorefractive keratectomy, with topline results expected in the coming months.

Next Steps

Both programs are expected to continue through late‑stage development. Bausch + Lomb has indicated that future studies will explore broader applications for BL1332 across multiple ocular pain conditions.

Source: Bausch + Lomb

Want to see more like this article? Click here to subscribe to our FREE print magazines and e-newsletters!

August 25, 2026August 25, 2026

SILMO Paris Set to Become the Global Capital of Eyewear and Optics in One Month

Silmo Paris nouvelle image de marque 2026

In just one month, SILMO Paris will open a new season for the global eyewear and optical industry. From 25 to 28 September, Paris Nord Villepinte will welcome nearly 34,000 visitors, 950 exhibitors, more than 1,500 brands and professionals from 150 countries, offering a comprehensive look at the creativity, diversity and momentum shaping the sector.

The four‑day event promises discovery, inspiration, networking and forward‑thinking ideas—an opportunity for professionals to explore emerging trends, test new technologies and engage with the industry’s leading voices.

More Than 60 Conferences Across Four Thematic Spaces

Artificial intelligence, smart glasses, health, retail transformation, CSR and evolving professional roles will be at the heart of over 60 conferences.

Highlights include:

Friday, 25 September — Smart glasses: understand, anticipate and take action
Saturday, 26 September — Predictive and preventive healthcare through the eye: imaging and AI
Sunday, 27 September — Stand out or disappear: why retail needs to reinvent itself
Monday, 28 September — Training tomorrow’s opticians in smart glasses and artificial intelligence

Full conference programmes are available on SILMOParis.com.

Key Highlights at the Heart of SILMO Paris 2026

Several major features will anchor this year’s edition:

SILMO NEXT & Tech Village — Smart glasses, AI, demonstrations and immersive experiences showcasing the future of optical innovation.
SILMO d’Or — Celebrating excellence in design, innovation and new uses across the eyewear and optical industry.
Trends Forum — Shapes, materials and colours defining the upcoming season.
CSR Area — A 160 m² space dedicated to responsible innovation, featuring a materials library, start‑ups, workshops and round tables.
SILMO Talks — Insights and analysis on market evolution and emerging practices.
Contact Lens Workshops — Practical sessions to deepen expertise and enhance professional practice.

SILMO Paris invites attendees not only to observe change, but to experience it firsthand.

SILMO Paris 2026 — 25 → 28 September — Paris Nord Villepinte

Source: SILMO Paris

Want to see more like this article? Click here to subscribe to our FREE print magazines and e-newsletters!

August 25, 2026August 25, 2026

SDC Technologies Expands Strategic Partnership with flō Optics

SDC Technologies and flō Optics have announced a significant expansion of their strategic partnership through a follow‑on investment by SDC Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. The investment was made as part of flō Optics’ recently completed SAFE financing round and reinforces SDC’s commitment to the company’s digital lens coating and surface treatment platform.

As lead strategic investor in the round, SDC has substantially increased its investment and will appoint a representative to flō Optics’ Board of Directors, further strengthening the collaboration between the two companies. The move builds on the relationship established during flō Optics’ Series A financing in July 2025 and reflects SDC’s growing confidence in the company’s technology, commercial progress and long‑term growth potential.

Shared Commitment to Innovation in Ophthalmic Coatings

“This investment is a strong vote of confidence in both our technology and our execution,” said Jonathan Jaglom, CEO of flō Optics. He noted that SDC’s expanded involvement and Board participation underscore a shared belief in the scale of the opportunity as flō Optics transitions from development into early commercialization.

SDC Technologies President and CEO Richard Chang highlighted flō Optics’ progress in advancing a transformative approach to ophthalmic lens coating. “We believe flō Optics is well‑positioned to drive meaningful innovation in the industry, and we look forward to supporting the team as they scale commercialization and accelerate market adoption.”

All eligible existing shareholders exercised their pro‑rata participation rights in the financing round, demonstrating continued support from both strategic and financial investors.

Funding to Support Commercialization and Next‑Generation Platforms

Proceeds from the financing will support expanded customer deployments, ongoing commercialization activities and continued development of flō Optics’ next‑generation digital coating platforms. Together, SDC Technologies and flō Optics aim to advance the future of ophthalmic lens manufacturing through coating technologies designed to improve precision, efficiency and sustainability.

For more information, visit sdctech.com.

Source: SDC Technologies / flō Optics

Want to see more like this article? Click here to subscribe to our FREE print magazines and e-newsletters!

August 25, 2026August 25, 2026

DOT™ Spectacle Lenses Surpass Two Million Wearers Worldwide

SightGlass Vision has announced a major milestone in pediatric myopia management: more than two million children worldwide have now worn DOT™ spectacle lenses. The achievement comes less than a year after the company surpassed one million wearers, reflecting rapid global adoption of contrast‑management–based myopia control.

Powered by Diffusion Optics Technology™, DOT lenses are the first spectacle lenses to provide myopia control through contrast management, a scientific approach supported by multiple clinical studies. Eye care professionals across several countries have incorporated DOT lenses into their myopia management protocols, citing ease of adaptation, strong clinical evidence and high acceptance among children.

Eye Care Professionals Highlight Ease of Adaptation and Clinical Confidence

“Two million children in DOT lenses is a powerful reminder of why we do this work,” said Andrew Sedgwick, CEO of SightGlass Vision. “We’re proud that so many eye care professionals trust DOT lenses to correct vision today and help reduce future eye health risks.”

Clinicians in Canada and the U.K. report that DOT lenses have become a reliable option in their practices. At The Chow Eye Institute, Teddy Chow notes that most children adapt within days and wear DOT lenses as their everyday glasses. In the U.K., Craig McArthur of Peter Ivins Eye Care highlights the growing urgency of early intervention as screen time accelerates myopia progression in young children.

New Clinical Data Strengthens Evidence for Contrast Management

SightGlass Vision’s pivotal CATHAY study recently reported two‑year results showing that DOT lenses:

saved more than 1.00D of myopia progression on average in Chinese children aged 6–10
slowed average myopia progression by 67% (0.78D)
reduced axial length progression by 62% (0.40 mm) across children aged 6–13

The response in China has been particularly strong, with practitioners rapidly integrating contrast management into their clinical approach.

DOT lenses first became available in 2021 and are now offered in Canada, China, Israel, Spain and the U.K., with additional markets expected in 2026.