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October 20, 2020October 20, 2020

AAOF Announces 2020 Johnson & Johnson Vision J. Pat Cummings Scholarships

The American Academy of Optometry Foundation (AAOF), in collaboration with Johnson & Johnson Vision, announces the 2020 J. Pat Cummings Scholarship recipients. This award is bestowed annually to a second or third year optometry student who best demonstrates the ideal eye care standards of practice, achievement in both academic performance and extra-curricular activities, and participation with other professional pursuits such as involvement with patients through internships, community service, and other volunteer activities.

The 2020 J. Pat Cummings Scholarship recipients, including from the two Canadian universities, are:

Marilou Paquet	University of Montreal School of Optometry
Cedrick Mah	University of Waterloo School of Optometry & Vision Science
Emily Ertel	Indiana University School of Optometry
Binu Koruthu	Inter American University of Puerto Rico School of Optometry
Vincent Thoren	Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University School of Optometry
James Carpenter	Michigan College of Optometry
Eric Van Meter	Midwestern University Arizona College of Optometry
Iva Hoxha	New England College of Optometry
Heather Polson	Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry
Brianna Marie Herring	Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry
Kathleen Thomas	Pacific University College of Optometry
Dustin Weidert	Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University
Rebecca Phung	Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University
Sonali Das	Southern College of Optometry
Julie Song	State University of New York College of Optometry
Abby Almomar	The Ohio State University College of Optometry
Sanjana Sravani Vitta	University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry
Madison Sachs	University of California Berkeley School of Optometry
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan	University of Houston College of Optometry
Sarah D’Amore	University of the Incarnate Word Rosenberg School of Optometry
Samuel Killion	University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry
Brian Helmetag	Chicago College of Optometry at Midwestern University
Cassie Napier	University of Pikeville Kentucky School of Optometry
Alexander Wong	Illinois College of Optometry
Crystal Sin	Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry

Click HERE for the full press release.

October 19, 2020October 27, 2020

ABB Canada Introduces ABB Analyze Practice Performance Business Solution

ABB Optical Group Canada (ABB Canada) is introducing ABB Analyze, powered by Glimpse, to Canadian eye care professionals (ECPs). ABB Analyze is a business solution designed to help ECPs attract and retain patients and drive efficiencies in their practices or stores.

ABB Analyze is a practice metrics management software offering a tailored business dashboard fully customized to the unique analytical needs of each practice or store. ABB Analyze helps ECPs and staff efficiently measure and track performance, identify growth opportunities, forecast future trends, and anonymously compare results among thousands of eye care businesses with easy and intuitive reports.

The software securely integrates with electronic health records and practice management systems to provide in-depth analytics, live benchmarking, staff metric engagement tools, performance measures, goal setting and tracking, multi-location comparisons, missed revenue identifiers, and daily metrics, among other features. A mobile app allows data and reports to be accessed easily and securely from anywhere on any mobile platform.

“ABB Analyze is a unique business management solution designed to help ECPs track and measure key performance indicators within their practice, helping them make better, more informed business decisions,” said ABB Optical Group Canada Country Manager Marc Tersigni.

“ABB Analyze has been fantastic for our clinic. It has helped us concentrate on meaningful metrics for growth and has made the calculation of these metrics as simple as a click. All of them are laid out by time frame, by staff member or optometrist to help grow individual performance,” said Dr. Shaun MacInnis with Island Eyecare in Sydney, NS.

Click HERE for the full press release.

October 19, 2020October 19, 2020

July 2020 StatsCan Report Shows Slowing Bounce-Back

While June 2020 retail sales (unadjusted) showed considerable upside compared to the previous month, the rate of the bounce-back has slowed considerably with the release of JULY 2020 Retail sales by StatsCan.

From the APRIL low of $43.6 M, May retail sales increased 35.8% and June increased 19.0% over May. July numbers however are a stark reminder that full recovery of economic activity may not yet be in the cards. July retail sales reached $57.2 M a mere 1.7% increase.

Source: StatsCan retail trade sales by Province and Territory

Looking for good news, the July 2020 result did post 4.5% higher than July 2019.

Taking a sector-specific view July 2020 Canadian Health and Personal Care(H&PC) retail sales show a similar trend to that of all retail sales.

June H&PC sales showed a strong bounce back of 10% from May, but the July sales rebound, while still positive, was only up 1.5% compared to the prior month.

H&PC retail category is a broad swath of personal care retail operations that includes pharmacies and optical stores but excludes mass merchandisers and private optometry clinics. As such, the H&PC retail category might not be an exact benchmark for individual practices.

Not all regions across the country shared equally in the relatively positive numbers.

British Columbia and Quebec lead the way with +5.5% and +4.2% month over month sales growth respectively while Ontario and Man-Sask showed declines of 1.3% and 2.6% respectively in July.

October 15, 2020October 15, 2020

Health Canada Approves First Sight-Restoring Gene Therapy for Inherited Eye Diseases

On October 14, 2020, Health Canada announced their approval of the first sight-restoring innovative treatment voretigene neparvovec (Brand name: Luxturna). This announcement is the first targeted gene therapy approved in Canada for any disease. This treatment is specifically for individuals with the inherited blinding eye diseases retinitis pigmentosa (RP) or Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) resulting from mutations in the RPE65 gene that leads to vision loss and eventually blindness.

“Lives will be transformed in Canada because of approval of this research-delivered groundbreaking treatment. For the first time, it means we have a treatment option – bringing hope to families affected by genetic mutations causing blindness and to everyone in the vision loss community.” says Doug Earle, President & CEO, Fighting Blindness Canada.

For families like the Gandhi’s, the approval of this treatment has been years in the waiting. Sophia Gandhi, mother of Zara, 10 years old born with blindness due to LCA from the RPE65 gene mutation says, “Zara was diagnosed with blindness at 6 months old. We had great doctors, but treatment options were not available to help improve Zara’s limited sight. When we learned about Luxturna many years ago, we knew one day it must and would come to Canada (…).”

Dr. Elise Héon a clinician-scientist in the field of ocular genetics with The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, and Zara’s eye doctor says, “This milestone approval of Luxturna is a significant step forward in the treatment of inherited blinding eye diseases. Until now, patients like Zara had no treatment options and the progression towards complete blindness was inevitable. These families now have hope with the promise of a one-time treatment option that can improve or restore vision, especially night vision.” The Hospital for Sick Children will be one of the sites for this treatment in Canada.

While this treatment has been approved by Health Canada, families are awaiting recommendations from Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies In Health (CADTH) and the Institut national d’excellence en santé et en services sociaux (INESSS) for coverage in provincial drug benefit programs later this fall.

Earle adds, “People with vision loss due to the RPE65 mutation for the first time in history have a chance for improved vision. And now, it’s the provincial governments turn. Health Canada’s approval of the treatment will not mean much if Canadian families can’t afford to access it. We are calling on the provinces to fund this groundbreaking treatment for Canadian families in need.”

“Fighting Blindness Canada urges all eye health practitioners to encourage their patients and families to continue supporting the science by getting their genetic testing done. Genetic testing will identify if they can be treated now and help advance research of all inherited blinding eye diseases.” says Doug Earle. “Please visit FightingBlindness.ca to obtain a step by step guide of how to get genetic testing done in your province.”

Click HERE for the full press release.

October 14, 2020October 14, 2020

HOYA Wins Prestigious Silmo d’Or Award in Paris

HOYA Vision Care announces that its MiYOSMART lens has won the Silmo d’Or Award in the Vision category at the recent SILMO Paris Optical Fair. The spectacle lens was developed to address and manage myopia in children through years of partnership with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and launched in Hong Kong and the Peoples Republic of China in 2018.

The MiYOSMART lens, an easy to use, non-invasive treatment to control myopia, has been shown to slow the progress on average by 60% based on results from a two-year clinical trial published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

“Innovation and collaboration to bring the best solutions to Eye Care Professionals and their patients is at the core of HOYA Vision Care’s mission,” says Alexandre Montague, CEO HOYA Vision Care. “It is an honour to be recognized by our peers receiving the Silmo d’Or Award for our ground-breaking MiYOSMART lens which is successfully managing and controlling myopia in children.”

After launching MiYOSMART in several Asian markets, Canada – as reported by Optik NOW in July 2020 – and Australia, HOYA Vision Care began the roll out of the MiYOSMART lens in Europe in 2020, starting in France.

MiYOSMART has not been approved for use in the treatment of Myopia in all countries, including the U.S., and is not currently available for sale in all countries, including the U.S.

Click HERE for the full press release.