Blog

May 21, 2018May 18, 2018

Safilo North America Appoints Stephen Wright Chief Commercial Officer

Stephen Wright will begin as CCO effective June 19^th 2018, replacing outgoing Henri Blomqvist, who is leaving the company to pursue other interests.

Stephen Wright has held a number of positions within the eyecare industry during his career, including President of Altair Eyewear, Senior Vice President of the Americas for Marchon Eyewear, and most recently President of VSP Global Omni-Channel Solutions.

“We are very happy to welcome Stephen and to count on his expertise and deep knowledge of the US market, its relevant stakeholders and the different dynamics. US is an historical market for Safilo and we were intent on selecting a leader with a deep knowledge of the specific market needs, able to work hand in hand with all of our different customers,” comments Angelo Trocchia, CEO of Safilo Group. “We want to be closer and closer to the market, to better understand what is truly relevant for our local consumers, capitalizing more on our strong brand portfolio and on our independent business approach.”

Click HERE to read to full press release.

May 18, 2018May 20, 2026

Polaroid Eyewear Launches Heritage Collection

Polaroid launches Heritage, a unique project that brings together capsule collections from different eras, starring original pieces revisited in line with the latest trends and retraces the brand’s history, from the 1930s to today. Each collection features timeless silhouettes reinterpreted with a contemporary twist, embodying an aesthetic that goes beyond fashion trends.

The late 1930s witnessed a groundbreaking event when the Chrysler Corporation ran the first commercial 3D movie, filmed and viewed using Edwin Land’s polarized sheets, at the 1939 World Trade Fair in New York City. The new movie genre was to be watched with Polaroid’s unique 3D glasses.

This revolutionary event is the inspiration behind the first capsule collection of the Heritage project.

Sophisticated and unique, clip-ons make a comeback in the collection: the new PLD 6045/S acetate model features a rectangular shape and comes in three colorways – white, black, and red. The front bears the original wording “press,” which indicated where on the frame one needed to apply pressure to attach the clip-on to the glasses, while the original metal mount detail is also still visible on the front.

Distributed by Safilo: www.safilo.com

May 18, 2018May 17, 2018

Dreamcatcher Eyewear Launches Workshop Program

Dreamcatcher Eyewear in Toronto is now accepting registrations for their training program for the creation of unique, handmade eyewear.

The program will consist of four sessions (one per week) of 2-3 hours each. Students will be guided, step by step, from the design phase to selecting the raw acetate, to producing the finished product: hand-made, old-fashioned eyewear. All materials and tools will be provided at the workshop, including quality Italian Mazzucchelli acetate in a wide array of colours. The experience is designed to deliver “the experience of old-school handmade eyewear crafting in a very fun, hands-on, and educational way.”

Future workshops will incorporate additional materials, including metal.

Registration will be ongoing, and inquiries may be directed to info@dreamcatchereyewear.com or 647-334-2580. Registrants may apply at any time.

May 18, 2018May 16, 2018

New Canadian Guideline for Screening for Impaired Vision in Older Adults

The guideline, published in English and French in the Canadian Medical Association Journal by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (CTFPHC), is aimed at primary care practitioners.

The task force considered the benefits of screening for visual impairment in primary health care and referring patients to optometrists for formal vision testing. The new guideline recommends against primary care screening of older adults not reporting concerns about their vision.

“We found no evidence of benefit to patients aged 65 years or older from being screened for impaired vision as a way to prevent limitations on daily living or other consequences,” said Dr. Brenda Wilson, Task Force Impaired Vision Working Group Chair. “The task force therefore recommends against screening for impaired vision in primary care settings for people living independently in the community.”

This guideline was last updated in 1995, where primary screening was recommended for elderly patients with at least a 5 years’ history of diabetes.

The new guideline is available for download in English and French.

May 17, 2018May 17, 2018

Valeant To Change Name to Bausch Health Companies Inc.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals announced that the company will change its name to Bausch Health Companies Inc., effective July 2018.

As part of the name change, the Company will roll out a new corporate brand identity in July 2018, which will include new imagery and web site, and will trade under the new symbol, BHC. Until that time, the company will continue to trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the present symbol VRX.

“Becoming Bausch Health Companies is a major step forward in our transformation,” said Joseph C. Papa, chairman and CEO, Valeant.

“We completed an extensive assessment of the name entities available from within our portfolio and also assessed several potential new names. As our review progressed, it became clear that Bausch Health Companies best represents the company we are today,” said Mr. Papa.