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December 7, 2016April 24, 2018

Vision Expo East Announces Innovative New Education Content

Alexandria, VA – Numerous innovative programs have been added to the education curriculum at International Vision Expo East 2017, taking place at the Javits Center in New York, NY (Education: Mar. 30–Apr. 2; Exhibition: Mar. 31–Apr. 3). Registration is now open for the industry’s most comprehensive continuing education program, held steps away from the largest exhibit hall of eyewear and eyecare products in the Americas.

“Vision Expo East 2017 features over 300 hours of continuing education, including 20 specialty tracks,” said Mark Dunbar, OD, FAAO, Co-Chairman, Conference Advisory Board. “Attendees have access to endless program choices developed and delivered by the industry’s most prestigious lecturers, which is just one of the reasons why 99% of eyecare professionals attending say they gain valuable insights at International Vision Expo that will have a positive impact on their practice.”

The attendee-favorite Global Contact Lens Forum returns as a “meeting within a meeting”, with a new format offering direct access to thought leaders discussing the future of the contact lens practice, along with the latest advancements and critical business strategies.

The Ocular Surface Disease and Wellness Symposium will teach attendees how an ocular practice can mirror a preventative care model to better diagnose and treat patients, and the expertise needed to recognize dry eye diseases.

“Vision Expo is noted for its diversified curriculum applicable to all eyecare providers, covering the latest hot-topics,” said Ben Gaddie, OD, FAAO, Co-Chairman, Conference Advisory Board. “This year, we are excited to unveil an innovative collaboration with the biggest name in technology. As the global hub for the eyecare industry, we’re bringing attendees a high-value experience throughout all four days.”

New education programs at International Vision Expo East 2017:

The all-new Vision Series format allows attendees to continue learning over lunch while industry leaders address the latest clinical innovations.
Building on its success and high demand from Vision Expo West, Vision Expo East will host a new, expanded Scleral Lens Track including a hands-on workshop. Attendees will gain a thorough understanding of the scleral lens fitting process and advanced problem solving techniques.
Attendees will learn from the next generation of industry leaders at the Intrepid Talks, where members of The Intrepid Eye Society present on the advancement of optometry covering topics related to future medical therapeutics/delivery platforms, diagnostics, collaborative care models, practice development and more.
New Blue Light sessions present everything from the latest research findings to the basics of blue light—both indoors and outside—and how to communicate this critical information and offer the best solutions to patients.
The new Practice Owner & Manager Essentials program will focus on the business side of optometry for doctors and key decision makers, including strategies doctors need to grow business.
The newly created, retail-focused Manager’s ‘To-Do-List’ mini-track features actionable takeaways attendees can immediately implement.

Additionally, Vision Expo has partnered with Google and Marketing4ECPs to share techniques to optimize technology to grow business. More details will be announced in January.

December 7, 2016April 24, 2018

3M to Sell Safety Prescription Eyewear Business

3M announced today that it has entered into an agreement to sell its safety prescription eyewear business to HOYA Vision Care. The safety prescription eyewear business is part of 3M’s Personal Safety Division, which is in the Safety & Graphics Business. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

3M, with more than 90 years as an industry leader in safety prescription eyewear in North America, provides a comprehensive line of frames, prescription lenses, and premium coating options in a custom-made solution. 3M’s safety prescription eyewear business has annual global sales of approximately $45 million.

“After a thorough strategic review, we have decided to exit the safety prescription eyewear business to focus on our core personal safety businesses,” said Bernard Cicut, vice president and general manager, Personal Safety Division. 3M will retain its safety non-prescription eyewear business, often referred to as plano eyewear.

3M is a global leader in personal safety solutions, including respiratory protection, fall protection, hearing protection, and plano (non-prescription) eye protection.

The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of 2017, subject to customary closing conditions. Approximately 140 3M employees are expected to join HOYA after the transaction has closed.

December 7, 2016April 24, 2018

Laurent Vacherot Named New President of Essilor

At the December 6, 2016 Board of Directors’ meeting, Hubert Sagnières, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Essilor, proposed strengthening the Company’s executive management by appointing Laurent Vacherot as President and Chief Operating Officer. Laurent has been Co-Chief Operating Officer since 2010.

In his new role, Laurent Vacherot will take direct responsibility for Essilor’s operations with all operational executives reporting directly to him. Finance, Human Resources, Corporate Mission, Communications and Strategy will report to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

After consulting the Nominations Committee and the Executive Officers and Remunerations Committee, the Board of Directors unanimously approved the proposal. It also proposed to appoint Laurent Vacherot as director, subject to the approval of shareholders at Essilor’s next Shareholders’ Meeting to be held on May 11, 2017.

Commenting on these changes, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Hubert Sagnières said: “As industry leader, Essilor has been able to associate key strategic decisions with operational efficiency to carry out its mission of “improving lives by improving sight”. The exciting range of our key day-to-day operational challenges includes innovating, expanding in market segments complementary to our core businesses and gaining footholds in vast countries with extensive markets. The realignment of our organization will help us accelerate the implementation of our strategy and lay the groundwork for the Company and our teams to achieve meaningful and value-adding growth over the long term. I am delighted at the prospect of working even more closely with Laurent at the head of Essilor’s operational management, in carrying out our mission on behalf of our customers and in the interests of our shareholders and employees.”

December 6, 2016April 24, 2018

Jimmy Choo’s “LASH” Sunglasses: Playful Glamour

Safilo introduces the Autumn/Winter 2016 Collection of Jimmy Choo Eyewear. Vintage cat-eye sunglasses instantly transform your look with interchangeable clip on detail framing the eyes with either a glamorous black with snake leather or a more rock chic vibe with gold studs on black suede (photo).

Distributed by Safilo: www.safilo.com

December 6, 2016April 24, 2018

Microbes in Your Gut Influence Major Eye Disease

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the industrialized world, affecting over 10 million individuals in North America. A study lead by Dr. Przemyslaw (Mike) Sapieha, researcher at Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont (CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal) and professor at the University of Montreal, published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, uncovered that bacteria in your intestines may play an important role in determining if you will develop blinding wet AMD.

AMD is characterized by a heightened immune response, sizeable deposits of fat debris at the back of the eye called soft drusen (early AMD), destruction of nerve cells, and growth of new diseased blood vessels (wet AMD, late form). While only accounting for roughly 10% of cases of AMD, wet AMD is the primary form leading to blindness. Current treatments becomes less effective with time. It is therefore important to find new ways to prevent the onset of this debilitating disease.

While many studies on the genetics of AMD have identified several genes that predispose to AMD, no single gene can account for development of the disease. Epidemiological data suggests that in men, overall abdominal obesity is the second most important environmental risk factor, after smoking, for progression to late-stage blinding AMD. Until now, the mechanisms that underscore this observation remained ill defined. Elisabeth Andriessen, a PhD student in the lab of Professor Sapieha found that changes in the bacterial communities of your gut, such as those brought on by a diet rich in fat, can cause long-term low-grade inflammation in your whole body and eventually promote diseases such as wet AMD. Among the series of experiments conducted as part of this study, the group performed fecal transfers from mice receiving regular fat diets, compared to those receiving a high fat diet, and found a significant amelioration of wet AMD.

“Our study suggests that diets rich in fat alter the gut microbiome in a way that aggravates wet AMD, a vascular disease of the aging eye. Influencing the types of microbes that reside in your gut either through diet or by other means may thus affect the chances of developing AMD and progression of this blinding disease”, says Dr Sapieha. Professor Sapieha holds the Wolfe Professorship in Translational Vision Research and a Canada Research Chair in retinal cell biology. The study was funded by the Foundation Fighting Blindness, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the Fond de Recherche en Ophthalmologie de l’Université de Montreal.

http://nouvelles.umontreal.ca/en/article/2016/11/15/microbes-in-your-gut-influence-major-eye-disease/