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October 23, 2020October 23, 2020

SILMO Outside the Walls, A Review

SILMO has managed to adapt this year with an itinerant version HORS LES MURS (“Outside the Walls”) that sought out contact with French opticians in their local areas. After successful events in Paris, Bordeaux and Rennes, the recent health measures did not permit the last stopover in Lyon to occur.

However, the results were positive for the some 75 participating exhibitors, representing every profession in the industry (frames and lens manufacturers, equipment providers, and more), who came into contact with more than 2,000 French visitors. The convivial SILMO spirit played a supporting role to the industry’s enthusiasm and determination to gather, even though the gatherings were limited to smaller groups within France.

Building on the strength of this first Outside the Walls experience within France, SILMO plans to expand its event formats and showcase arenas to other markets, bringing a new dimension to the SILMO Family.

Even during this most peculiar year, SILMO managed to maintain everything that makes it so unique and attractive, asserting a strong commitment to face the future.

-The 27th edition of the SILMO d’OR awards did not disappoint the participants, with expert jury members crowning the talent of innovative and creative companies.

-The latest edition of the digital magazine TRENDS by SILMO revealed the trends at the heart of this dynamic sector. This edition was printed for the occasion and distributed at the various sessions of SILMO Outside the Walls.

This special 2021 trend edition is, of course, still freely accessible on the website silmoparis.com.

-Because the future is continually taking shape, an entirely digital version of SILMO NEXT continues to explore the optics world of tomorrow. This edition focuses on the challenges of ecology.

-While it was not possible to pursue the SILMO ACADEMY seminar this year, the research does continue, and the members of the academy’s Scientific Committee received project submissions for a 10,000 grant, which was awarded to Dr. Angelo Arleo of Institut de la Vision for a project entitled “Rôle de l’intégration visuo-podale dans l’orientation spatiale et la mobilité au cours du vieillissement” (“The role of visuo-podal integration in spatial orientation and mobility during ageing”).

In the current extraordinary situation, SILMO is turning the page of 2020 and already beginning to prepare the 2021 edition – a great event to be held at Paris-Nord Villepinte in September 2021.

Click HERE for the full press release.

October 23, 2020October 23, 2020

Transitions and OAC Now Accepting Applications for 2020 Students of Vision Scholarship Program

As part of a partnership to support the next generation of eye care professionals, Transitions Optical and the Opticians Association of Canada (OAC) are now accepting submissions for the 2020 Students of Vision Scholarship Program. Currently enrolled (for the 2020-2021 school year) opticianry, optometry and optometric assistant students from across Canada are eligible to apply for the chance to win one of three prizes: a $2,500, $1,500 or $500 scholarship.

To enter the scholarship program, students must develop a project in the form of an essay, video or presentation about how they envision the future of the vision care industry and their coming role in it as an optical professional. Submissions will be evaluated against the following criteria: creativity, strategic thinking and ethics.

This year’s topic was inspired by research from Jobson Optical and the Vision Council around the global COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the industry and consumers. A survey by Jobson Optical Research showed that 58% of surveyed ECPs have been influenced into providing telehealth services because of COVID, and 62% of surveyed ECPs were planning to incorporate telehealth into future practice. Research by the Vision Council shows that consumers’ intentions to buy eyewear online has doubled since before COVID-19, and patients are using various technologies to communicate with their eye doctors and/or take care of their eye health, including social media, vision screening apps and digital communication methods.

“Changes are rapidly occurring in the vision care industry for both eye care professionals and consumers, from vision care needs to expectations for evolving technology,” said Patience Cook, director, North America marketing, TransitionsOptical. “This year’s theme speaks especially well to Transitions Optical as a brand in the photochromic industry that constantly seeks to lead in innovation.”

“As the future of the vision care industry evolves, vision care professionals must also be constantly prepared to evaluate ways of also evolving in practice,” said Robert Dalton, Executive Director, OAC. “Our hope is that this year’s scholarship topic will give participants a head start towards imagining how to prepare for a promising and evolving future in the vision care industry.”

All submissions should be sent to StudentsofVision@Transitions.com by December 4, 2020. The winners will be announced on December 18, 2020.

Click HERE for the full press release.

October 22, 2020May 20, 2026

Eyewear by David Beckham: Effortlessly British

Eyewear by David Beckham Collection for Fall/Winter 2020 introduces new sunglasses and optical frames, combining an effortless and British style. The acetate and metal frames feature subtle masculine design with distinctive details, all highlighted by an elegant colour palette.

David Beckham said, “I’m really proud of this new eyewear collection for Fall / Winter 2020 and look forward to people enjoying the different pieces. I have so many great memories of living in Paris and I love to visit whenever I can with my family, so I was excited to shoot the new campaign right in the heart of such a special city. It was great to work again alongside my son Brooklyn and see him capture the spirit of my collection in a city famous for its great style and rich culture.”

DB 7023 optical frame

These retro metal optical frames feature a classic pilot shape reinterpreted with distinctive details adding a sophisticated touch.

DB 7037/S (pictured above) sunglasses are available in gold with grey horn tips and grey lenses, gold with brown Havana tips and green shaded lenses, palladium with brown Havana tips and brown lenses, ruthenium with black tips and grey shaded lenses.

DB 7021 optical frame

These vintage-inspired rounded optical frames in acetate convey an effortless and contemporary feeling in their bold volumes. The palette includes monochromic colourways or subtle contrasts of refined Havana shades.

Click HERE for the full press release.

Distributed by Safilo: www.safilo.com

October 21, 2020October 21, 2020

HOYA Launches New Brand Positioning ‘For the Visionaries’

HOYA Vision Care announced the launch of its new global brand positioning ‘For the Visionaries’. Every day, Eye Care Professionals (ECPs) provide the gift of clear sight and HOYA Vision Care shares their passion and commitment to improving patients’ lives. Joint collaboration and mutual respect are key drivers for HOYA, enabling ECPs to improve sight for their patients through the provision of optimal vision solutions. Sharing their values of care, knowledge and foresight, HOYA strives to support ECPs in achieving improved vision for patients worldwide. By rolling out this positioning, HOYA reinforces its commitment to recognize and champion ECPs.

To HOYA, Eye Care Professionals are everyday unsung heroes. Through their dedication to providing the highest level of personal care and expert advice to their patients, these professionals transform how people see the world and provide the highest quality vision experience. ‘For the Visionaries’ is the embodiment of HOYA’s commitment to celebrate them.

“At its core, HOYA’s ‘For the Visionaries’ reaffirms our respect and commitment to the profession. We are constantly striving to better meet the needs of our customers. As a business partner, we are passionately dedicated to the success of Eye Care Professionals, to enable them to make that difference in their patients’ lives. It is in our DNA: we see the world through their eyes,” said Alexandre Montague, Chief Executive Officer, HOYA Vision Care. “We support them by providing products and services they can trust, for connecting them with their patients and growing their business.”

The brand positioning amplifies HOYA’s strongly embedded partnerships with ECPs who are essential to the company’s research and innovation, driving solutions to meet the evolving needs of their patients and to promote business success. With the ‘For the Visionaries’ positioning as a catalyst, the dedicated HOYA Vision Care team will continue to champion Eye Care Professionals by building dedicated partnerships, delivering ground-breaking solutions and developing innovative, market-leading technologies and services. Now, and into the future, HOYA will continue to provide business and market insights, education, practice marketing and lens consultation support, enabling ECP’s to provide the best care for their patients and to be the true visionaries that they are.

Click HERE for the full press release.

October 20, 2020October 20, 2020

CooperVision Presents Six-Year Data from MiSight® 1 Day Study

CooperVision is reporting the latest findings from its landmark MiSight^® 1 day clinical study, providing new insights about myopia management and the proven efficacy of the specially designed contact lens. Among many outcomes are that nearly one in four children’s eyes originally fit with MiSight^® 1 day remain stable for myopia after six years.

Paul Chamberlain, CooperVision’s Director of Research Programs, shared additional details October 9 during a paper presentation at the American Academy of Optometry’s virtual annual meeting.

*Paul Chamberlain, Director of Research Programs, CooperVision*

“Evaluating children who were prescribed MiSight^® 1 day at the study’s initiation, 23% of eyes after year six displayed a total refractive change of less than -0.25D (spherical equivalent), which could be considered clinically stable,” said Chamberlain. “There is now even more reason to recognize the substantial capability of this unique dual-focus contact lens.”

The newest findings also suggest that while intervention at an early age is optimal with MiSight^® 1 day, commencing treatment at an older age could similarly slow the rate of myopia progression. The original control group was refit into the dual-focus lens in year four. Comparing this population to the children fit with MiSight^® 1 day at initiation, there have been similar rates of myopia progression and axial length growth in the subsequent three years of assessment.

Six-year results continue to demonstrate excellent safety profile, wearing time, and visual acuity for children in daily disposable contact lenses over 653 wearing years. No other prospective randomized controlled study has offered conclusive data for such a high degree of continued efficacy in myopia management using a soft contact lens over a similar time span.

Additional CooperVision Myopia Management Research at Academy 2020

Age is further explored in an Academy virtual poster session now underway. Effects of Age on Myopia Progression with Dual-Focus and Single Vision Daily Disposable Contact Lenses (Arumugam et al., 2020) concludes that observed treatment effects in myopia management clinical trials may be dependent on the age of the subjects and study duration. Annual axial elongation rates were slowed by wearing MiSight^® 1 day during every year for ages 8-14 and myopia progression significantly slowed for ages 8-13. These results also emphasize the importance of early intervention to slow pathological growth during years of more rapid progression. Early intervention also allows an accumulating management effect over more years, resulting in greater total outcomes.

CooperVision MiSight^® 1 day is the first and only soft contact lens the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved* for slowing the progression of myopia in children, who at initiation of treatment are 8-12 years of age. It is the centerpiece of the company’s Brilliant Futures™ Myopia Management Program, in which more than 1,000 U.S. ECPs are now certified. Versions of this comprehensive program are presently being introduced in other countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Spain and Portugal.

Reporting six-year data at Academy 2020 and ongoing research are part of a series of far-reaching initiatives by CooperVision to help educate eye care and healthcare professionals about advances in myopia management, including widespread conference participation, study support, clinical training events and more.

Click HERE for the full press release.