Thanks to support from the optometry profession, alumni and donors across Canada, the University of Waterloo will begin construction next year on the Waterloo Eye Institute (WEI), a state-of-the-art facility supporting advances in vision research, optometric education and patient care.

At a celebration at Waterloo’s School of Optometry and Vision Science on September 19, gifts totalling $8.5 million from two of the country’s leading vision care providers — FYidoctors and IRIS, The Visual Group — were announced.

These contributions and those of other generous donors have enabled the School to turn the corner on its $35 million Seeing Beyond 2020 campaign, making the construction of the Waterloo Eye Institute a reality.

“The Waterloo Eye Institute is needed more than ever as we face a national and global vision crisis, with one in five Canadians at risk of losing their sight from eye disease,” said Dr. Stanley Woo, director of the School.

Dr. Vivek Goel, Waterloo’s president and vice-chancellor, noted that “the WEI will leverage both the School of Optometry’s expertise and the University’s unconventional and collaborative approaches to research and education as well as provide excellent care for patients in our community.” 

The FYidoctors network has made a historical contribution, donating $5 million in support of the WEI (including a $2.5 million corporate donation and $2.5 million in contributions from the company’s individual optometrists). IRIS has generously donated $2.5 million, in addition to an earlier $1 million gift to the WEI, made in November 2022.

With 67,000 square feet of new and renovated space, the WEI will push the boundaries of eye and vision care, clinical education and research to benefit patients in the Waterloo region and across the country.

“The WEI represents the future of optometry in Canada, and it will provide world-class education opportunities, equipping the next generation of optometrists to provide quality eye care. Students will gain immensely by working alongside healthcare professionals and experts in the WEI’s modernized clinic,” said Dr. Alan Ulsifer (OD ’90), CEO of FYidoctors.  

On top of advancing optometric education and patient care, the WEI has the potential to shape the future of health care. Using the eye as a window to the brain, WEI researchers will deploy their expertise in AI, biomedical sciences and digital imagery to develop new treatments for widespread conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetes.

Dr. Daryan Angle (OD ’01), vice-president of business development at IRIS, said: “Our support for the WEI aligns with IRIS’s commitment to funding eye and vision research and innovation. We hope to advance the profession in a way that keeps optometry in Canada healthy, strong and moving forward.”

Seeing Beyond 2020: The Waterloo Eye Institute video:

Click HERE for the full press release.

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With Le Club de Lecture, the FW 23/24 campaign, GIGI Studios creates a meeting place for reading, listening, and exploring the world from different perspectives.

The setting: an abandoned Parisian library. The protagonists: nine unique people who come together and connect thanks to their passion for books.

Le Club de Lecture, the FW 23/24 campaign by GIGI Studios, invites us to be spectators of the conversation that this group will have about their favourite books and wants to highlight the importance that literature can have as a trigger for empathy and self-discovery, and the need to take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life to be inspired and fully present in the moment.

VANGUARD COLLECTION FW 23/24:

The new GIGI Studios collection presents meticulously crafted models in the Barcelona atelier. Their delicate details and handcrafted finishes reiterate the brand’s commitment to exceptional design.

The new designs of the VANGUARD collection are characterised by geometric shapes and bold volumes in natural Italian acetate. BONNIE is an aviator model in an innovative colour palette.

The VANGUARD Optical FW 23/24 collection consists of eight powerful, uniquely styled acetate designs created to enhance all aspects of each personality. PHOEBE stands out for its two-layer acetate mix, producing unique transitions and gradients.

GIGI STUDIOS MEN FW 23/24:

GIGI Studios expands the MEN collection of optical and sun contemporary designs. A commitment to purity and character is reflected in the MELVILLE optical model, with a thick acetate rim and a slightly geometric shape.

BRYANT, one of the new acetate sun designs, features thick acetate rims and defined shapes. As with the entire MEN sun collection, the CR39 lenses are polarized.

Click HERE for the full press release.

For the first time, Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) Director Lyndon Jones joins the Vision Expo West 2023 Global Contact Lens Forum, sharing insights alongside peers Melissa Barnett, Jason Compton, Janelle Davison, and Sheila Morrison. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, September 27 in Las Vegas.

The Forum ‘meeting within a meeting’ design—which runs from 8:30 am to 3:15 pm PT—is structured to provide practical, timely clinical and business processes tips for any professional that recommends, fits, or prescribes contact lenses.

Topics include new products and technologies, ‘leveling up’ practice management pearls, and the good, bad, and ugly of myopia control. Participants can earn up to four hours of continuing education (CE) credits at no additional cost.

Dr. Jones will also join Dr. Barnett, Dr. Compton, and Dr. Shalu Pal the following day for “The Greatest Contact Lens Course Ever.” The two-hour session promises a series of rapid-paced presentations, including drug delivery, myopia management and scleral lenses, to expand attendees’ contact lens knowledge and patient interactions.

Vision Expo West pre-registration for educational courses is required at west.visionexpo.com.

Click HERE for the full press release.

For more Optik NOW news on CORE, click HERE.

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Distributed by Marchon: www.marchon.com