The season for patios, beaches and outdoor activity is upon us, and as Canadians spend more time in the sun, their risk of getting cataracts increases without adequate protection of sunglasses from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. As June also marks Cataract Awareness Month, it becomes all the more important to raise awareness and educate Canadians about cataracts, the primary cause of vision loss.

Despite cataracts impacting over 2.5 million individuals in Canada today, a recent survey conducted by the Canadian Ophthalmological Society (COS) reveals that 38% of Canadians are still unfamiliar with the disease and the majority (73%) are unaware it’s the leading cause of blindness.

Additionally, when it comes to protecting their eyes from harmful UV rays, younger Canadians are not taking enough precaution: only a third of respondents say that their children regularly wear sunglasses on a sunny day (33%) or during the summer months (32%). Just 13% say their children wear them on a cloudy day, despite the fact that UV rays are still present.

“Cumulative, prolonged exposure to harmful UV rays increases the risk of developing cataracts and other eye conditions,” says Dr. Phil Hooper, President of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society. “Over time, this exposure gradually causes the lens to become clouded, resulting in increasingly blurred or hazy vision that eventually interferes with everyday activities. Wearing sunglasses across all seasons, from a young age, will help protect the eyes from UV exposure, reducing the risk of developing cataracts later in life.”

While this eye disease is more common in people over 60, taking the necessary precaution from a young age will only help decrease their chances of getting this eye disease in the future.

To address the survey findings, the COS urges Canadians to take proactive steps to protect their eyes from UV radiation and cataracts.

The following recommendations are essential:

1. Encourage consistent use of sunglasses: Wear sunglasses with 100% UV protection even on cloudy days, as some UV rays can still pass through even under extreme overcast.
2. Promote UV-protective eyewear for car rides: UVA rays can penetrate glass, so emphasize the importance of wearing sunglasses in vehicles to minimize UV exposure during travel.
3. Advocate for year-round eye protection: Educate your peers about the need to wear sunglasses throughout the year, not only during the summer months, to maintain optimal eye health.

Click HERE for the full press release.

The first in-person demonstration of the World Council of Optometry (WCO) and Alcon’s new, practical tool to help with the diagnosis and treatment of dry eye disease will happen at the upcoming 2023 BCLA Clinical Conference & Exhibition on Saturday, June 10. Global eye care practitioners (ECPs) in Manchester will hear directly from the wheel developers world-renowned educators–Professors Jennifer Craig, Lyndon Jones, and James Wolffsohn–about how and why it was designed.

The at-a-glance, interactive tool allows ECPs to easily reference three pillars of mitigation, measurement, and management through an accessible format for the broadest possible use.

Conference attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and further explore the WCO Alcon Dry Eye Wheel, which is now available on demand along with the recent webinar series focused on the diagnosis and treatment of dry eye disease at dryeye.worldcouncilofoptometry.info. The website also features other evidence-based, practical tools that optometrists and staff can use regardless of their geographic location or available resources.

“We are excited to present the WCO Alcon Dry Eye Wheel to colleagues and friends from around the globe at BCLA,” said Lyndon Jones, DSc, FCOptom, FAAO, Director of the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) in the School of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Waterloo (Canada). “This easy-to-use tool will help to improve quality of life for our patients as we navigate the journey toward diagnosis and treatment of dry eye disease.”

Click HERE for the full press release.