The Ontario Association of Optometrists (OAO) announces the appointment of Mr. Mark Donnison as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective August 19, 2024. Mark’s appointment follows a comprehensive search process and marks a new chapter for the organization as it continues to advance its mission of promoting excellence in optometry across Ontario.
Mr. Donnison brings with him a wealth of experience and a proven track record in both leadership and in the healthcare sector. His senior leadership roles with the Canadian Blood Services, Coaching Association of Canada and in private optometric practice will be valuable in supporting our members and their patients in new and meaningful ways. His strategic vision and dedication align perfectly with the OAO’s commitment to supporting and elevating the practice of optometry.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mark Donnison as our new CEO. His expertise and forward-thinking approach will be instrumental in guiding our organization as we continue to support our members and advocate for the highest standards in optometric care. Mark’s leadership will undoubtedly help us achieve our goals and address the evolving needs of our members and the broader community.”
Dr. Shaina Nensi, President, Ontario Association of Optometrists
In his new role, Mark will be responsible for overseeing the OAO’s operations, developing strategic initiatives, and working closely with the board, staff, and members to advance the Association’s objectives. His appointment comes at a pivotal time as the OAO continues to address the challenges and opportunities facing the optometry profession.
“I am honored to join the Ontario Association of Optometrists and am eager to contribute to the organization’s mission. I look forward to collaborating with our dynamic membership, the board, and the dedicated staff team to further our goals and enhance the impact of optometry in Ontario.”
Transitions Optical, in collaboration with the Opticians Association of Canada (OAC), is launching a new Transitions GEN S certification program. This initiative aims to support eyecare professionals’ continuing education and equip them with the comprehensive tools and knowledge necessary to excel with Transitions GEN S lenses.
This new training course explores the latest innovation from Transitions by providing insights on the incredible new technology of Transitions GEN S, the features and benefits of the lenses, and the wearer experience and expectations for eyewear. Participants will also learn effective strategies for addressing common patient objections and how to answer frequently asked questions on topics such as lens activation and fadeback speed, indoor clarity, and colour consistency throughout activation.
Upon completion of the one-hour training course and final quiz, participants will earn one continuing education credit (Quebec one Non-professional, Optician) and their Transitions GEN S certification. NACOR 1 EG, activity number 110.674 Competencies are 4.4 1.7.2, 1.7.3, 3.13.12.
Ontario will be 1 Self-Directed, quebec 1 Domaine Non-professionnel
CCOA Credit, Ref code OAC-2024-173
There are 2 ways for eyecare professionals to participate in the training:
Individual Option:Participants can complete the certification at their convenience by selecting the individual option during registration. All necessary registration fields must be filled out.
Office Option: This option allows multiple staff members to complete the certification together on the same screen. Each participant will take the final quiz individually, and offices must complete all registration fields to identify their office.
Certified Transitions GEN S specialists will also receive access to Transitions’ monthly newsletter, which shares the latest Transitions information, marketing tips, ideas, best practices, and exclusive content for your social media. If at least three individuals from the same office complete the certification process, either individually or together as an office, the office or clinic will become a Certified Transitions® Distributor with a special badge on the Transitions.com store locator.*
Eyecare professionals and practices interested in the new Transitions GEN S training can learn more and earn their certification at Opticians.ca/event/TransitionsGenS_Online.
* Independent eyecare practices only. Practices must carry all products and colors to be eligible.
CooperVision Canada announced that its MiSight® 1 day contact lenses will be available in higher prescriptions. The full expanded range—covering -0.25D to -10.00D (0.50D steps after -6.00D)— means that MiSight® 1 day covers 99.97% of prescriptions for age-appropriate children – who have myopia and less than 1D of astigmatism.[1] The diopter extension for this innovative, specially designed lens will allow even more children to benefit from myopia management.
MiSight® 1 day contact lenses are backed by the longest-running soft contact lens study among children. The clinical trial has proven that MiSight® 1 day works for nearly all children with myopia,[2]† cuts myopia progression by half,[3]§ works at any age a child starts treatment (8+),3║ works for as long as the child wears them3║ and data indicates that there is no rebound effect with MiSight® 1 day contact lenses.[4],[5]¶
With myopia on the rise globally,[6] an increasing number of children may require the higher prescriptions that MiSight® 1 day lenses will offer.
“Every diopter matters, particularly for children whose myopia progression may have already placed them at a higher risk for conditions such as myopic maculopathy and glaucoma.[7] While early treatment is best, it’s never too late to start. Even older children starting with MiSight® 1 day have seen their myopia progression cut by half.”3§
Enrique Contreras, Country Manager, CooperVision Canada
As a global leader in myopia control* and management for children, CooperVision believes that options must be available for as many children as possible. With MiSight® 1 day’s additional range extension, eye care professionals in Canada can have even greater impact.
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*USA Indications for Use: MiSight® 1 Day (omafilcon A) Soft (Hydrophilic) Contact Lenses for daily wear are indicated for the correction of myopic ametropia and for slowing the progression of myopia in children with non-diseased eyes, who at the initiation of treatment are 8-12 years of age and have a refraction of -0.75 to -4.00 diopters (spherical equivalent) with ≤ 0.75 diopters of astigmatism. The lens is to be discarded after each removal. Canadian Indications for Use: MiSight (omafilcon A) Soft Contact Lenses for Myopia Control may reduce the rate of myopia progression in children (6-18) and correct ametropia. Reduction of myopia progression was observed in children with wearing time of 12 hours (8-16 hours) per day, 6.4 days (5-7) per week in a clinical study. Permanent myopia control after lens treatment is discontinued is not supported by clinical studies. MiSight (omafilcon A) Soft Contact Lenses for Myopia Control are indicated for single use daily disposable wear. When prescribed for daily disposable wear, the lens is to be discarded after each removal.
†90% of myopic eyes respond to MiSight® 1 day treatment; ages 11-15 at start of wear, n=90.
§Using measured and modeled data, pooled across ages (8-17), MiSight® 1 day slowed myopia progression by an average of approximately 50%.
║Children with myopia fit with MiSight® 1 day contact lenses ages 8-15 continued to experience slowed myopia progression as long as they remained in treatment.
¶ On average, for children aged 8-15 at start of wear. Instead, eye growth reverted to expected, age average myopic progression rates.
[1] CVI Data on file, 2022. SERE coverage of childhood myopia prescriptions with MiSight® 1 day for 104,810 eyes in Asia (China, Korea) and 116,336 eyes in Europe and USA aged 8-18 years.
[2] Chamberlain P et al. Long-Term Effect of Dual-Focus Contact Lenses on Myopia Progression in Children: A 6-year Multicenter Clinical Trial. Optom Vis Sci 2022 In Press.
[3] Arumugam B, Bradley A, Hammond D, Chamberlain P. Modelling Age Effects of Myopia Progression for the MiSight 1 day Clinical Trial. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2021;62(8):2333.
[4] Chamberlain P, Arumugam B, et al. Myopia progression on cessation of Dual-Focus contact lens wear: MiSight 1 day 7 year findings. Optom Vis Sci 2021;98:E-abstract 210049.
[5] Hammond D, Arumugam B, et al. Myopia Control Treatment Gains are Retained after Termination of Dual-focus Contact Lens Wear with no Evidence of a Rebound Effect. Optom Vis Sci 2021;98:E-abstract 215130.
[6] Holden et al, Global Prevalence of myopia and high myopia and temporal trends from 2000 through 2050. Ophthalmology 2016. 123(5):1036-1042.
[7] Bullimore et al. Myopia Control: Why Each Diopter Matters Optom Vis Sci 2019;96:463–465.
A new video series highlights how eye care professionals can use the WCO CooperVision® Myopia Management Navigator, an interactive and educational guide to evidence-based resources for managing myopia. Four World Council of Optometry (WCO) myopia management ambassadors—Nicola Logan, Ashley Wallace Tucker, Jagrut Lallu, and Síofra Harrington—offer practical insights for using the Navigator in clinical settings to guide discussions with patients and families.
WCO partnered with CooperVision, a global leader in myopia management, to launch the Navigator in April 2024 to further the adoption of myopia management as the standard of care. The free online resource provides a range of content, advice, and practical actions across the three M’s of myopia management: mitigation, measurement, and management.
“These videos are a powerful way to introduce the WCO CooperVision® Myopia Management Navigator program and our four expert ambassadors to optometrists globally. Each ambassador brings a unique global perspective and extensive background in myopia management. We believe their knowledge and skills will inspire eye care professionals worldwide to continue to adopt myopia management as a standard of care in their practices to address this public health crisis.”
Dr. Sandra Block, President, World Council of Optometry
The WCO myopia management standard of care resolution was developed and introduced in April 2021. It includes the three main standard of care pillars of mitigation, measurement, and management. With the global support of CooperVision, WCO has since worked to advance awareness and adoption of this landmark initiative.
To access the WCO CooperVision® Myopia Management Navigator, visit myopianavigator.info.
Explore the World Council of Optometry’s myopia management online resource featuring the standard of care pledge signup page, resolution, practical tools, and information for optometrists at https://myopia.worldcouncilofoptometry.info/.
EssilorLuxottica announces that it has entered into an agreement for the acquisition of the entire share capital of Optical Investment Group, a leading retailer of optical eyecare and eyewear products in Romania, from Innova/6, a private equity fund from Innova Capital Group, and a group of individual minority shareholders.
The agreement represents a significant step forward in elevating the optical market in Romania for the benefit of all industry players. It will allow the Company to grow appreciation for quality eyewear and eyecare solutions among consumers in the 19 million people country, while at the same time continuing to deliver our innovations to our more than 1,800 valued customers and partners who remain at the heart of our strategy.
Optical Investment Group was set-up in 2019 in cooperation with Innova Capital by combining two established Romanian optical retail chains – OPTIblu and Optiplaza. Over the past five years, Optical Investment Group has not only significantly expanded its network of traditional stores, but has also developed e-commerce channels, with a total of more than 650 talented employees and optometrists. Optical Investment Group operates through the country’s largest optical retail network comprising 99 directly operated stores, under three well-known banners: OPTIblu, Optiplaza and O51.
“We are pleased to welcome Optical Investment Group into our network, a well-established player in the Romanian optical market with an experienced management team and a deep knowledge of the local dynamics. Allowing us to further grow our retail presence in the CEE region, this acquisition supports our objective to elevate the Romanian market and expand access to high quality vision care for the benefit of all our stakeholders.”
Francesco Milleri, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, EssilorLuxottica
The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2024, pending regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
HOYA Vision Care introduces LensPreview, a new virtual try-on tool for photochromic, polarized, and mirror lenses, now available in the U.S. and Canada.
HOYA Vision Care introduces LensPreview, a new virtual try-on tool for photochromic, polarized, and mirror lenses, now available in the U.S. and Canada.
HOYA Vision Care introduces LensPreview, a new virtual try-on tool for photochromic, polarized, and mirror lenses, now available in the U.S. and Canada.
HOYA Vision Care introduces LensPreview, a new virtual try-on tool for photochromic, polarized, and mirror lenses, now available in the U.S. and Canada.
