Chicago-based private equity investment firm Wind Point Partners has acquired Vision-Ease Lens, manufacturer of LifeRx^®, ChangeRx, SunRx, Coppertone^®, Novel and Novella lenses. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

 

Vision-Ease Lens was owned by Insight Equity, another private equity investment firm, this time based out of Dallas.

 

“This recapitalization with Wind Point Partners will enable our long-term growth in some key areas, while continuing our excellence in day-to-day operations,” said Doug Hepper, president and CEO of Vision-Ease Lens, in a news release. “We will also be able to devote more resources to global growth.”

 

Wind Point is confident the deal offers good value: “Vision-Ease Lens is a strong investment for our firm because of its long-standing stability and position as a market leader in value-added ophthalmic lenses, as well as the breadth of its products and strong brand reputation,” said Nathan Brown, a managing director at Wind Point.

Source:

http://www.vision-ease.com/Home/About-Us/News/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/25.aspx

 

 

“VISION” CATEGORY  

BBGR with“Sirus Plus”

 

“MATERIAL/EQUIPMENT” CATEGORY 

INTERACTIF VISUEL SYSTEME with “DEEP LIGHTS by Activisu”

 

“LOW VISION” CATEGORY

TELORION with “Telorion Zoom”

 

“CHILDREN” CATEGORY

CAROLINE ABRAM with “5+5=10” de Tête à Lunettes

 

“OPTICAL FRAME” CATEGORY

LUCAS DE STAËL with “Stratus”

 

“SUNGLASS” CATEGORY

MASUNAGA X Kenzo Takada with “Campanule K18”

 

“SPORTS EQUIPMENT” CATEGORY

BOLLÉ Sport Protective with “Coverage” collection Enfant

 

“FRAME TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION” CATEGORY

MORGENROT EYEWEAR with “Morgenrot SC3”

 

“SPECIAL PRIZE FROM THE JURY”

PIERO MASSARO with “PM415”

 

 

 

Novartis Canada employees have raised $150,000 for breast cancer research as part of the 10^thannual Ride for Life cycling event.

 

Out of the 80 employees representing the various divisions at Novartis Canada, 47 cycled the full 600 km from Toronto to Montreal in four days. The others took part in portions of the event, such as on the first day, at the Quebec border or on the final day at the arrival point at Novartis headquarters in Dorval.

 

Over the past ten years, Novartis has raised almost $1 million for breast cancer research during this event. Most of the cyclists have been personally affected by cancer.

 

The cyclists were met at the end of the event by Breast Cancer Foundation’s mobile exhibition, La Virée Rose, the objective of which is to raise awareness among the Quebec population. The agency’s director general, Francine Cléroux, is grateful for the dedication of Novartis employees over the past decade. “Their contributions have played an important role in the Foundation being able to invest more than $16 million into research over the past 10 years,” she said.

Source: http://www.newswire.ca/fr/story/1415640/ride-for-life-almost-1-million-raised-by-novartis-employees-for-breast-cancer-research-in-10-years

 

The organizers of the latest Vision Expo West are satisfied with the results from this year’s show. “Considering what is happening at other industry shows, the fact that we kept our attendee base (15,000) and the same exhibition area means we were successful,” says Tom Loughran, vice president of Reed Exhibitions Group.

 

Mr. Loughran points out that VEW offers its attendees the largest continuing education program in the industry. In addition to holding special complementary events outside the show, such as the contact lens forum, the show offered 39 various courses and almost 400 hours of training. Aside from the traditional clinical aspects, the 2014 program also gave ECPs an opportunity to acquire critical knowledge on the client experience and ways to increase their revenues, as well as on new technologies that have a direct impact on their practice, such as smart glasses or connected objects.

 

VEW also introduced some new equipment and frames, celebrities (Randy Jackson, Victor Ortiz), a video in progress (Sight: The Story of Vision) and several new apps for tablets that help take measurements and inform patients about their eye health.

 

In short, this year’s show was a full experience and plans for the next show are already underway. In 2015, it is to be held September 17–19 in Las Vegas.

 

Watch for the November issue of Opt!k Magazine to read our complete coverage of VEW 2014.

 

 

Here are the nominees in the different categories for the Silmo d’Or 2014:

 

“VISION” CATEGORY  

BBGR with“Sirus Plus” – Hall 6 C 059

 

“MATERIAL/EQUIPMENT” CATEGORY 

ESSILOR with “M’EYE Sign”  – Hall 6 J 083
FITTING BOX with “OWIZ” – Hall 6 D 103
INTERACTIF VISUEL SYSTEME with “DEEP LIGHTS by Activisu” – Hall 6 F 096
LUNEAU TECHNOLOGY with “VX55”  – Hall 5 J 044
OPTI 3 with “Logic Frame” – Hall 5 J 029

 

“LOW VISION” CATEGORY

ACCES’SOLUTIONS with “Eye Pal Ace+” – Hall 5 G 035
TELORION with “Telorion Zoom” – Hall 6 D 121
VISIOLE with “E-Bot” – Hall 5 F 043

 

“CHILDREN” CATEGORY

CAROLINE ABRAM with “5+5=10” de Tête à Lunettes – Hall 5 M 093
KARAVAN & Co with “PIXI” de Karavan kids – Hall 5 S 051
KARAVAN & Co with “Mme Princesse” de Monsieur Madame – Hall 5 S 051
OPAL with “Tartine & Chocolat TCAS153” – Hall 5 T 051 
NETOPTIC with “3118” – Hall 5 G 139

 

“OPTICAL FRAME” CATEGORY

CAROLINE ABRAM with “GAYLA” – Hall 5 M 093
FACTORY900 with “Retro Future by 900” – Hall 5 K 113
HAPTER with “HAPTER M02M” – Hall 5 N 106
LUCAS DE STAËL with “Stratus” – Hall 5 L 121
PIERO MASSARO with “PM415” – Hall 5 D 071

 

“SUNGLASS” CATEGORY

DITA EYEWEAR with “Thom Browne TB-801” – Hall 5 E 110 
FACE à FACE/WOOW with “Masai” – Hall 5 G 073
Ic! Berlin with “S42 Wedding” – Hall 5 E 073
IRRESISTOR with “Pop Star” – Hall 5 P 132
MASUNAGA X Kenzo Takada with “Campanule K18” – Hall 5 F 103

 

“SPORTS EQUIPMENT” CATEGORY

BOLLÉ Sport Protective with “Coverage” collection Enfant – Hall 6 A 012
BOLLÉ with “6th Sense RX” – Hall 6 A 012
JULBO with ”Venturi” – Hall 6 B 014
LIBERTY SPORT REC SPECS F8 with “Frog Eyes” – Hall 6 A 009 
LUNETTES GRASSET ASSOCIÉS with “Lacroix-Legend 66” – Hall 6 G 068

 

“FRAME TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION” CATEGORY

iHUMAN with  “Find Me” –  Hall 5 P 121
MOREL with “Trad” – Hall 6 C 042
MORGENROT EYEWEAR with “Morgenrot SC3” – Hall 5 B 128
VISION TECHNOLOGIES EUROPE with “Smart Frames” – Hall 6 D 120
VUILLET VEGA with “Celeste” – Hall 6 D 036

 

ClipInfo will announce the name of the winners the day following the Gala, to be held Friday, September 26.