As scope of practice expansion is actively being considered across Canada, the Canadian Ophthalmological Society (COS) is emphasizing that patient safety must remain the central and non-negotiable principle guiding any changes to healthcare delivery.
While COS supports innovation and system modernization, it is deeply concerned that several proposed changes would expand independent clinical authority to non-physician providers without sufficient safeguards, standardized training equivalency, or mandatory review by relevant physician specialists.
“Patient safety is not negotiable, and it depends on ensuring that clinical responsibility matches the depth and breadth of medical training required to assume it,” said Dr. Mona Dagher, President of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society. “Diagnosis, treatment decisions, and procedural care require the full medical training of physicians, including the ability to integrate systemic disease, assess risk, and manage complications in real time.”
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors and surgeons trained to diagnose and manage eye disease within the context of overall health, including systemic conditions. This training is developed through medical school and years of residency within a structured, supervised, and accountable system, an approach that is fundamental to ensuring patient safety.
In eyecare, delayed or incorrect diagnosis can result in irreversible vision loss. Even routine-appearing assessments or procedures require the ability to recognize subtle but critical findings, escalate care appropriately, and manage complications when they arise.
From a primary care perspective, the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) reaffirms the importance of maintaining clear scope definitions grounded in training.
“We support the position of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society and the importance of appropriate scopes of practice based firmly on training and expertise,” said Sarah Cook, President of the College of Family Physicians of Canada. “We support collaboration—not substitution.”
COS and its physician partners are calling for mandatory, transparent, and medical expert-led review of any proposed scope of practice changes to ensure alignment between training, responsibility, and patient safety.
“At its core, this is about protecting patients,” added Dr. Dagher. “Different professionals contribute to care, but roles are not interchangeable. The level of care delivered must always match the level of training required to provide it safely.”
The American Academy of Optometry has opened registration and housing for Academy 2026 Anaheim, its premier annual meeting bringing together leaders in eye care, research, and vision science. The meeting will take place September 30-October 3, 2026, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA. Early bird registration rates are available now through July 29, 2026.
Academy 2026 Anaheim will offer more than 300 hours of continuing education, along with new research and clinical insights designed to advance patient care. Attendees will have the opportunity to customize their experience through a wide range of educational formats and special programs.
Education highlights include:
More than 300 hours of continuing education
Scientific papers and posters showcasing the latest research and interesting case reports
Section and Special Interest Group (SIG) symposia addressing specialized and relevant areas of focus
Hands-on workshops and intimate Academy Classroom Exchange (ACE) courses available to add-on enhancing your experience
Advanced training opportunities in lasers, surgical procedures, and aesthetics, with each offering 16 hours of CE as well as a certification in these specialized areas
“The Academy meeting is more than an event; it’s a celebration of the people and ideas that move our profession forward,” said Academy President, Jeffrey Walline, OD, PhD, FAAO. “When we come together in Anaheim, we strengthen our community, elevate our science, and reaffirm our commitment to lifelong learning. Register now and join us for an unforgettable Academy 2026 Anaheim.”
A featured highlight of this year’s meeting is the Plenary Session, “Insights to Action: Research Redefining Clinical Practice Today,” taking place Wednesday, September 30. This session will bring together leaders from Academy Sections and SIGs to present landmark studies that are reshaping clinical care. Through concise and high-impact presentations, this Plenary Session translates cutting-edge evidence into meaningful clinical insights, reinforcing the Academy’s commitment to advancing patient care through research driven practice.
Another key session, the Monroe J. Hirsch Research Symposium, titled “Oculomics – Leveraging Ocular Biomarkers to Assess Systemic Health,” will explore how advances in ocular imaging and diagnostics are enabling earlier detection of systemic diseases, including cardiovascular and neurodegenerative conditions.
The meeting will also feature hundreds of Scientific Program paper and poster presentations, including the popular Hot Topic CE Paper Sessions, offering timely insights into emerging research and clinical trends.
The abstract submission window for the Scientific Program will be open May 1-May 29, 2026, and are open to both members and nonmembers. Guidelines can be accessed here. The final program schedule will be announced in late July.
In addition to the continuing education opportunities, attendees will have access to a robust exhibit hall Wednesday through Friday, featuring more than 170 companies showcasing the latest technologies and innovations in eye care. There will also be additional opportunities to engage with industry partners during enriching breakfast, lunch, and dinner sessions scheduled throughout the meeting.
The Academy 2026 Anaheim Program Preview provides an overview of meeting highlights, educational offerings, and attendee resources, including information on contracted hotels, childcare services, and things to do in Anaheim.
Registration and housing are now open. Early bird registration rates will be available through July 29, 2026. For more information or to register, visit www.aaopt.org/2026.
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Carrot has announced that more than 5 million tests have been completed using its visual diagnostic platform across more than 2,400 eye care clinics in the United States and Canada.
The company describes the milestone as a sign of growing adoption of automated and portable visual testing tools in clinical practice, as eye care providers look for alternatives to more traditional room-based diagnostic equipment.
Carrot, which recently rebranded from Virtual Field, launched its first virtual reality-based visual field testing solution in 2018. Since then, the company says it has expanded the platform to include 15 exam types, including visual fields, colour vision, pupillometry, and extraocular motility (EOM), along with analytics, reporting, and workflow support tools.
According to Carrot, demand for flexible diagnostic technologies is increasing as clinics face pressure to improve efficiency, manage staff workload, and enhance the patient experience. The company says its platform is designed to support those operational needs while maintaining clinical reliability.
“In clinic, after comparing head-to-head visual fields, the results appear functionally indistinguishable from legacy tabletop perimetry,” said Dr. Andy Morgenstern, OD, FAAO, FNAP, an advisor to Carrot.
The company says it plans to continue expanding the platform’s capabilities in areas including automation, analytics, interoperability, and new exam development.
Ophthalmic lens production has long presented environmental challenges for optical laboratories. Many are now working to reduce their ecological footprint through innovative equipment and processes.
In general, environmental challenges for optical labs fall into three main areas: water consumption, energy use, and material waste. Patrick Brown, director of Riverside Opticalab in Ottawa, has observed some improvements in recent years.
According to him, water consumption has dropped significantly due to advances in equipment. “Most systems now circulate water in a closed loop, and some, such as the MEI Systems equipment we use to cut lenses to frame dimensions, no longer use water at all.”
However, electricity remains a major challenge. Equipment has always been energy-intensive, and increasing automation on production lines further raises consumption. “The more we automate our production, the harder it becomes to reduce energy use,” he says. Newer machines may require more power, but they also work faster, meaning they operate for a shorter period of time to produce each lens.
The environmental impact of energy use depends heavily on the electricity source. In 2024, nearly half the electricity supplied to Ontario consumers by Hydro One came from nuclear power, and roughly a quarter from hydroelectricity. Natural gas and oil generated 16.6% of electricity, while renewables accounted for 11.6%. In Quebec and British Columbia, electricity comes almost entirely from hydroelectric and renewable sources.
Some measures can still help. Riverside Opticalab has replaced its halogen bulbs with LED lighting and is now studying the possibility of modernizing the building’s ventilation system, which could further reduce energy consumption.
Reducing Environmental Impact at FYidoctors
At FYidoctors, the largest eye care provider in Canada, several initiatives have been implemented over the past five years to improve the environmental footprint of its ophthalmic laboratory in Delta, British Columbia.
“We enjoy two advantages in British Columbia,” notes Nancy Morison, vice president of the laboratory. “Our electricity comes from renewable sources, mainly hydroelectricity, and we are located in a rainforest, so we have plenty of water.” She adds, however, that the company must still carefully manage its water use to avoid waste.
Nancy Morison is pleased that the laboratory’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have declined even as company revenues and production volumes have increased. Emissions dropped from 89 tonnes in 2023 to 77 tonnes in 2025. To achieve this, the company replaced all lighting in its more than 6,000-square-metre facility with LED bulbs. It also upgraded production equipment to newer models, which are more energy-efficient and use less water.
Other initiatives are less obvious but equally significant. “In 2023, we found a company that agreed to collect the gloves we use and recycle them,” explains Nancy Morison. “This has enabled us to recycle 4,500 kilograms of gloves that would otherwise have ended up in landfills.” The company has also replaced bubble wrap with reusable neoprene packaging for every pair of eyeglasses shipped between the laboratory and its clinics.
In 2026, FYidoctors will update its filtration system that removes plastic from the water used in surfacing. The new equipment will allow the lab to collect the equivalent of a full garbage bag of plastic waste and compress it into a small brick. At the same time, water trapped in the plastic will be expelled and recycled. “We really want to achieve 100% recycling of the water we use,” concludes Nancy Morison. “We are currently at 98%.” She adds, “We’re proud to offer our clinics and patients products that they know come from a lab with sustainability as one of our goals.”
Innovative Processes at New Look
At the New Look Vision Group laboratory in Montreal, surfacing, tinting, edging and frame fitting are performed on lenses. “During these steps, material loss is the biggest challenge,” says Sébastien Chailley, senior vice president, operations and technologies. Production begins with a plastic block roughly the size and shape of a hockey puck weighing about 150 grams (called a semi-finished lens). The final result: two lenses weighing about 20 grams each. In other words, three-quarters of the plastic is lost in the process.
To reduce this waste, New Look Vision Group uses various semi-finished sizes, always selecting the smallest possible based on the prescription. On average, this cuts material loss in half.
Surfacing equipment also consumes large amounts of water to cool machinery and flush away cutting residue. For just under a year, the lab has used a new MEI Systems machine, the Core-TBA, which performs dry machining. “About 12% of our production is currently done using this equipment, which uses virtually no water,” explains Sébastien Chailley. “In 2026, we expect to acquire two additional machines that will allow us to exceed 35% dry production.”
During machining, the “hockey puck” must be blocked in place. Typically, this is done with a lead-based metal alloy that melts at around 55°C. Although reused, a small amount is lost each time. These residues are difficult to recover and may enter wastewater, and lead is highly polluting. The Core-TBA uses vacuum blocking technology, eliminating the need for the metal alloy. It also removes the need for a protective plastic film on the front surface of the lens during surfacing.
Besides environmental benefits, the process lowers production costs. “It also affects our energy consumption,” adds the vice president. “We estimate that by fully switching to vacuum blocking, we will save about 400 litres of water per day and use three times less electricity.”
New Look Vision Group plans to go further. Around early April 2026, the lab is expected to receive a U.S.-made Fusion-M machine from Quantum, which allows a mirror-type anti-reflective coating to be applied directly to the semi-finished lens. Currently, the company must order multiple semi-finished types with different coatings and eventually discard unused ones when they are not purchased. Producing them in-house will better match actual needs and reduce waste.
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J.F. REY is highlighting SLEDGE, a collection that combines titanium, acetate, carbon fibre and a patented screwless hinge system in an architectural approach to eyewear design.
HOYA Vision Care Canada has announced the availability of Sensity 3, Sensity Colours and Sensity Shine, expanding its light-adaptive lens portfolio for eye care professionals across Canada.
The American Academy of Optometry has announced its 2026 award recipients, recognizing leaders in optometry, vision science, education, research, clinical care and service.
J.F. REY has introduced IMAGINE, its 2026 kids eyewear collection designed for children aged 4 to 12, with frames emphasizing colour, transparency, comfort and durability.
Toulch Rimless has signed a Canadian distribution agreement with Audace Lunettes, which will represent the Montreal-based brand and its Phi collection across Canada.
J.F. REY is highlighting SLEDGE, a collection that combines titanium, acetate, carbon fibre and a patented screwless hinge system in an architectural approach to eyewear design.
HOYA Vision Care Canada has announced the availability of Sensity 3, Sensity Colours and Sensity Shine, expanding its light-adaptive lens portfolio for eye care professionals across Canada.
The American Academy of Optometry has announced its 2026 award recipients, recognizing leaders in optometry, vision science, education, research, clinical care and service.
J.F. REY has introduced IMAGINE, its 2026 kids eyewear collection designed for children aged 4 to 12, with frames emphasizing colour, transparency, comfort and durability.
Toulch Rimless has signed a Canadian distribution agreement with Audace Lunettes, which will represent the Montreal-based brand and its Phi collection across Canada.
J.F. REY is highlighting SLEDGE, a collection that combines titanium, acetate, carbon fibre and a patented screwless hinge system in an architectural approach to eyewear design.
HOYA Vision Care Canada has announced the availability of Sensity 3, Sensity Colours and Sensity Shine, expanding its light-adaptive lens portfolio for eye care professionals across Canada.
The American Academy of Optometry has announced its 2026 award recipients, recognizing leaders in optometry, vision science, education, research, clinical care and service.
J.F. REY has introduced IMAGINE, its 2026 kids eyewear collection designed for children aged 4 to 12, with frames emphasizing colour, transparency, comfort and durability.
Toulch Rimless has signed a Canadian distribution agreement with Audace Lunettes, which will represent the Montreal-based brand and its Phi collection across Canada.
J.F. REY is highlighting SLEDGE, a collection that combines titanium, acetate, carbon fibre and a patented screwless hinge system in an architectural approach to eyewear design.
HOYA Vision Care Canada has announced the availability of Sensity 3, Sensity Colours and Sensity Shine, expanding its light-adaptive lens portfolio for eye care professionals across Canada.
The American Academy of Optometry has announced its 2026 award recipients, recognizing leaders in optometry, vision science, education, research, clinical care and service.
J.F. REY has introduced IMAGINE, its 2026 kids eyewear collection designed for children aged 4 to 12, with frames emphasizing colour, transparency, comfort and durability.
Toulch Rimless has signed a Canadian distribution agreement with Audace Lunettes, which will represent the Montreal-based brand and its Phi collection across Canada.
