Blog

August 16, 2016April 24, 2018

Essilor Acquires MyOptique Group

Charenton-le-Pont, France – Essilor has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire MyOptique Group Ltd., a leading European online prescription glasses, contact lenses and sunglasses business.

The transaction is consistent with Essilor’s mission to “improve lives by improving sight”. Essilor’s online business helps to raise awareness among an ever-growing community of consumers about the importance of protecting and correcting their eyesight. It also facilitates access to high-quality optical products that improve visual health, thus benefiting all industry players.

Based in the United Kingdom, MyOptique Group reported £57 million in revenue in the year ended April 30, 2016. The company’s unique value proposition is built around a successful multi-category, multi-brand model, which is being deployed through a number of local websites, such as Glasses Direct (prescription glasses) and SunglassesShop (non-prescription sunglasses) in the UK, Lensbest (contact lenses) in Germany and LensOn (contact lenses) mainly in the Nordic countries.

The acquisition will enable Essilor to broaden its online footprint to Central Europe and to enhance its capabilities in successful multi-category, multi-brand models. MyOptique Group’s key management team will remain in place.

Click HERE to read full press release.

August 12, 2016April 24, 2018

OWP BLAU – Loud and Quiet, Bold and Discreet

The colour blue is fresh, cool and simple… And perfectly eponymous with the brand new OWP collection. Light-hearted design meets OWP’s typical sophistication and creates a young, fresh look. Ten styles and three creative concepts form the new collection’s starting line-up.

STYLES 2154, 2155 (photo):
Milled temples which expose exciting layers of acetate. Additionally with glued colour parts.

STYLES 1410, 2156, 7599(photo), 8609:
Colourful natural wood laminates and stylish shapes in acetate or stainless steel.

Distributed by Lanctôt: www.rlanctot.com

August 11, 2016April 24, 2018

Novel Compound Protects Retina from Environmental Stress

A chemical based on a compound found in broccoli shows promise as a possible treatment for macular degeneration, according to a July 2016 Scientific Reports article.

Researchers at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging noted that the naturally occurring chemical indole-3-carbinol (I3C), found in broccoli, was able to activate protein pathways responsible for removing toxins from the retina. After studying how I3C could be made more potent, they developed the chemical 2,2’-aminophenyl indole (2AI), which is ten times better at activating these receptors than I3C.

“2AI protected human retinal cells in culture from stress,” said lead author Arvind Ramanathan. “And it also protected retinal cells in mice from light-mediated damage. We are very excited about the potential for 2AI and look forward to developing it further.”

“You would have to eat an unreasonable amount of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables to get enough of a protective effect to impact AMD,” he added. “This method allows us to capitalize on nature’s wisdom to find related molecules that can deliver therapeutic benefit.”

The protective effects of activating these protein pathways may be a result of increasing concentrations of omega-fatty acids within retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells and reducing concentrations of reactive unsaturated lipids, researchers believe. “We know that eating a diet rich in fish and omega fatty acids reduces the risk of AMD, even though we don’t fully understand the mechanisms involved,” said Ramanathan.

View the full Scientific Reports paper here.

August 11, 2016April 24, 2018

Private Reception and Fashion Seminar at SILMO 2016 for Canadian ECPs

Lanctôt and Optik are proud to make available a private reception and fashion trends presentation by Dominique Cuviller, Editor in Chief of TRENDS by SILMO on Friday, September 23 at 2 pm. Attendees to the seminar will also receive SILMO d’Or passes for two and VIP SILMO pass for the entire SILMO experience.

Please complete the request form by clicking here. Confirmation of your reservations will be made in September following your SILMO registration. Limited places available.

August 11, 2016April 24, 2018

Transitions Survey Reveals Light Sensitivity Is a Common Issue for Canadians

PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — The majority of Canadians say they are sensitive to light and glare, according to the “Light and Eyewear” 2016 survey[1] from Transitions Optical, Inc.

When asked how sensitive they were to light and glare, 71 percent of Canadians say they are sensitive, with 19 percent saying they are very sensitive. Only 7 percent are not sensitive to light and glare at all. Even if they don’t consider themselves ‘light-sensitive’ specifically, almost all Canadians are bothered by light to some extent. In a 2015 survey, 95 percent of Canadians said that they are bothered by light; and three fourths of those bothered said these problems frequently impact their ability to do or enjoy a task at hand (“Light and Glare” 2015 survey from Transitions Optical, Inc.)[2].

One of the tasks heavily affected by light and glare is driving. The 2016 survey found that Canadians report being even more sensitive to light and glare in the car than in general. A significant 78 percent of Canadians say they are sensitive to light and glare in the car, and 26 percent say they are very sensitive.

According to the 2016 survey, 59 percent of Canadians identify bright, glaring light as damaging to the eyes – even more than UV rays (56 percent). This shows how being light sensitive has turned into a concrete concern for many Canadians and reinforces potential interest in lens options that could help.

Click HERE to read the full press release.

[1] Online survey conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of Transitions Optical, Inc., among 1,002 Canadian adults, ages 18-69, between February 29th and March 10th, 2016.

[2] Online survey conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of Transitions Optical, Inc., among 1,000 Canadian adults, ages 18-69. The survey included oversamples to statistically significant subgroups of Asian Canadians, African Canadians and Aboriginal Canadians and was fielded between February 20th and March 6th, 2015.