Blog

July 6, 2018July 3, 2018

Myopia Awareness Week to Go Global

The World Council of Optometry and the Brien Holden Vision Institute (BHVI) have formed a partnership to bring Myopia Awareness Week, previously limited to Australia, to a global audience.

The aims for Myopia Awareness Week are to raise awareness in the community about myopia, highlight the critical role optometrists play in treating myopia, and to encourage optometrists to stay current with emerging trends in myopia control and management.

World Council of Optometry President Scott Mundle, OD, spoke to Optik about the partnership: “Myopia correction and prevention is an optometry issue and WCO should take the lead globally. Working with the BHVI makes sense since we already are working on a number of projects, including Our Children’s Vision, Adopt a School, School Eye Health to name a few.”

Kovin Naidoo, CEO of the Brien Holden Vision Institute, said, “We are thrilled to join with the World Council of Optometry on this much larger campaign to raise awareness on a global scale. The partnership will garner the support of industry and other key players to make sure the message of the looming public health crisis and the need for action, reaches large sectors of the general population as well as practitioners.”

Myopia Awareness Week 2018 in Australia was the 14^th to the 18^th of May. The designated date for 2019’s Myopia Awareness Week has not yet been set.

July 5, 2018June 21, 2018

Genetic Factors for Myopia Identified

A genetic study from the Mainz University Medical Center has identified 161 genetic factors for myopia.

Published in Nature Genetics by the Consortium for Refractive Error and Myopia (CREAM), this is the largest genetic study of myopia to date.

Working with the gene test provider 23andme, researchers evaluated the data from 250,000 individuals from Europe, Asia and North America.

Most of the 161 factors the study identified were previously unknown. One discovery was that all retinal cell types contribute to the development of myopia. The paper sheds light on the relationship between environmental and genetic factors: “Our results support the notion that refractive errors are caused by a light-dependent retina-to-sclera signaling cascade.”

The study gave researchers some insights into the underlying biological mechanisms that lead to myopia, and support the case that education-related behaviour is a major environmental cause. Myopia has spread into a worldwide epidemic as education levels all over the world are rising and people perform more close-up tasks in poor levels of daylight.

“Send your kids to play outside for two hours every day,” says Professor Norbert Pfeiffer, Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Mainz University Medical Center. “And it’s not just their eyes that will benefit.”

More information: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-018-0127-7

July 4, 2018July 4, 2018

Essilor Canada Launches New Crizal® Sapphire 360° UV

Available July 4, 2018, the new Crizal® Sapphire™ 360° UV coating provides nearly invisible lenses with the best in class transparency for optimal comfort of vision. Thanks to its 360° Multi-Angular Technology™, reflections are reduced on lenses from light sources coming from any direction, all around the wearer.

Until now, anti-reflective coatings only took into consideration light sources in the frontal angle, between -15° and +15°. After 4 years of research, Essilor R&D has developed the 360° Multi-angular Technology that is able to capture and control the light coming from all directions: front, side and back, providing the optimal level of performance for a new generation of anti-reflective coatings lead by Crizal Sapphire 360° UV with E-SPF 35 index. Thanks to the 360° approach, the coating architecture on both sides of the lens is optimized, taking into account the interaction of both surfaces, and is reinforced with the introduction of a new nanolayer. This nanolayer guarantees the best in class transparency for nearly invisible lenses with UV protection.

Crizal Sapphire 360° UV lenses offers eyeglass wearers better transparency and better transmission of visual information, by reducing disturbing reflections from all direction. It provides them with optimal comfort and allows them to see and be seen in the best possible light.

Available on all Essilor Rx lenses, in all materials.

Click HERE for the full press release.

July 3, 2018

Essilor and Delfin extend the deadline of the Combination Agreement

Essilor and Luxottica announce the extension to July 31, 2018 of the deadline of both the Combination Agreement and Contribution Agreement signed between Essilor and Delfin, Luxottica’s majority shareholder.

As of today, the Chinese competition authority has not yet approved the contemplated combination between Essilor and Luxottica, such approval being a condition precedent to the closing of the combination. The parties remain confident that they will succeed in completing the antitrust processes in China and Turkey in the coming weeks.

The first General Meeting of EssilorLuxottica shareholders which was scheduled for July 25, 2018 will be reconvened by the EssilorLuxottica’s Board of Directors for a later date to be announced as soon as possible.

Click HERE for the full press release.

July 3, 2018

Transitions Launches Style Fix Contest in Canada

Transitions Optical launched a contest that gives consumers and eyecare professionals a chance to win Transitions Signature lenses style colours.

Winners will receive a seasonal, personalized style accessory and a $500 gift card to apply to the purchase of Transitions lenses and frames.

To enter the contest, Canadian consumers and eyecare professionals should visit www.Transitions.com/StyleFix to take a short quiz on style and lifestyle preferences to find which new Transitions Signature lenses style colour – sapphire, amethyst, amber or emerald green – is their ideal match.

The contest will have three entry periods: July 1-31, September 1-30 and November 1-30. Four winners will be chosen at the end of each entry period. Consumers and eyecare professionals are encouraged to enter each period for a chance to win the Transitions lenses prize package.