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August 25, 2016April 24, 2018

What is the Link Between Sleep Apnea and Glaucoma?

New research from Hokkaido University in Japan measured the increase in eye pressure of apnea patients during sleep and found a surprising correlation with glaucoma.

People with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) are more likely to suffer from strokes and cardiovascular disease. They are also ten times more likely to suffer from glaucoma.

Published in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, the researchers developed a method of continuously measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) during the night, without waking the patient, using a contact lens sensor. Using this sensor they were able to monitor the effects of apnea-hypopnea events (pauses in breathing or overly shallow breathing) on IOP values.

The sleep study was conducted on seven males with sleep apnea (mean age 52) and no history of eye disease. Patients diagnosed with glaucoma were specifically excluded from this study. These patients experienced between 20-80 apnea-hypopnea events per hour (events which last for at least 10 seconds, long enough to affect blood oxygenation). An apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) over 30 is classified as severe sleep apnea.

The overnight contact lens monitoring found that IOP levels “significantly declined in immediate response to apnea events, suggesting an elusive link between OSAS and glaucoma in terms of how OSAS contributes to the pathogenesis of glaucoma as a proposed risk factor.”

This research reinforces that there is a strong correlation between pressure within the chest cavity and intraocular pressure, though they caution that studies with larger sample sizes are needed to determine the mechanism of OSAS-related glaucoma.

Full text of paper: http://iovs.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2525820

August 25, 2016April 24, 2018

Inface Now Part of Design Eyewear Group

COS is pleased to announce that Inface has become part of the Design Eyewear Group. Inface is now part of a strong portfolio of distinct and fashion-forward brands and is poised for growth and expansion.

The new management team at Design Eyewear Group has set the course for future expansion and posts solid bottom and top line results for all four brands.

Despite the recent changes, Inface’s foundation and philosophy remain strong and unchanged. The passion for eye-catching design and the desire to create frames that capture the individual personality of each customer lies at the heart of the Design Eyewear Group.

In Canada, Inface shows solid growth in the marketplace and is a popular choice amongst consumers.

See Infoclip.ca’s previous report on Design eyewear group.

www.inface.com
www.designeyeweargroup.com

August 25, 2016April 24, 2018

ZEISS Meditec Reports Solid Revenue Gains

With 3 quarters of the fiscal year complete on June 30, ZEISS Meditec reports 6.7% year over year revenue increase, aided by a favourable currency trend. Adjusted for currency affects, revenue growth was 4.5%. Revenue in both the Ophthalmic Systems unit and the Surgical Ophthalmology unit outpaced total growth, showing increases of 7.5% and 8.6% respectively. The two units account for 73.4% of the Groups total revenue.

Virtually all the growth was derived from the Asia Pacific area (+20.3%). Europe showed marginal growth while the Americas region had a marginal increase due entirely due to favourable currency affects. Research and Development expense ratio remained the same as the prior year, at 11.3 %.

The report attributes strict cost control to a significant boost to earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT). EBIT reached € 110.5 million for the 9-month period reaching 13.8% of revenue versus 12.0% compared with same period last year.

Source: http://applications.zeiss.com/C1257A290053AE30/0/F1B83BAFEB012F8FC1257FFF004BB172/$FILE/9_month_report_1516.pdf

August 25, 2016April 24, 2018

International Vision Expo Takes Eyewear Back to School

Las Vegas, NV –As the back-to-school season kicks off, International Vision Expo West is helping attendees reach a largely untapped audience with a variety of education sessions geared toward children’s eye health, as well as exhibitors displaying the latest eyewear and sunwear trends for children, teens and parents alike. Additionally, through its partnership with the Think About Your Eyes campaign – a national public awareness campaign aimed at educating consumers on the benefits of vision health – Vision Expo is arming attendees with the information they need to make informed eyewear purchasing decisions to successfully target these markets. This year’s event will be held in Las Vegas at the Sands Expo & Convention Center (Education: Sept. 14-17, 2016; Exhibition: Sept. 15-17, 2016).

While 25% of children have a vision problem that can interfere with learning and behavior, 60% of parents don’t feel an eye exam is an essential part of a child’s healthy check-up schedule. Think About Your Eyes – led by industry Visionaries – is working to change that with their latest effort featuring a virtual reality experience showing parents what it’s like to be a student with a vision impairment, and in tandem, Vision Expo is preparing eyecare providers for the needs of this specific audience.

Children’s vision correction is more nuanced and often requires a more specialized approach than that needed for adults. Vision Expo is taking the lead in showcasing the latest youth eyewear products and providing workshops on how to best serve children who need vision correction. Attendees can take advantage of the 320+ hours of education offered at Vision Expo, including sessions focusing on the latest in pediatric eye diseases and the psychology of pediatric dispensing, among other noteworthy topics.

Attendees can view the full education schedule online.

In addition to continuing education courses, the conference will offer 180,000 square feet of exhibit space showcasing company and product innovation; parties and events; co-located meetings; and press conferences announcing the launch/preview of new products. Many exhibitors have displays geared toward kids’ frames, with many more honing in on teens and young adults.

Vision Expo proudly supports the Think About Your Eyes campaign and its mission to educate consumers about the importance of vision health and annual comprehensive eye exams.

To learn more about Vision Expo, or to register, visit: www.VisionExpoWest.com.

August 25, 2016April 24, 2018

Essilor Named one of World’s Most Innovative Companies by Forbes

Charenton-le-Pont, France — Essilor announced that it has been named by Forbes as one of 100 of the world’s “Most Innovative Companies” for 2016. This is the sixth year in a row Essilor has earned a spot on this prestigious list, which recognizes publicly traded companies that have been identified by investors as being innovative now and in the future.

Innovation is at the core of Essilor’s strategy and has shaped its corporate culture for 170 years. The company currently invests more than 200€ million per year in research and innovation, and has three Innovation and Technology Centers staffed by 500 researchers throughout the world who collaborate with an international network of a hundred public and private research partners to develop solutions to provide better solutions for all consumers’ vision needs, whatever their geography or income.

As part of its mission to improve lives by improving sight, Essilor is widening its field of innovation to include all aspects of visual health and ensure the company meets the vision needs of the 7.2 billion people in the world. The company’s R&D efforts are focused in six key areas including: presbyopia among seniors; myopia in young adults; well-being and visual health; sun; polarized and photochromic lenses; and the development of innovative services for online sales and inclusive business models.

Committed to bringing innovation to all populations and improve access to vision correction, Essilor launched, earlier this year, the See Change Challenge to seek innovative solutions to improve the lives of the 2.5 billion people who live with uncorrected poor vision by facilitating access to vision care. The See Change Challenge aims to uncover low-cost, easy-to-use and scalable solutions that can be used by primary vision care providers in underserved areas to accurately measure eye refractive errors, as 95% of these 2.5bn people live in emerging countries.

To read complete press release, click HERE.