The Brandt Group of Companies, a long-standing supporter of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), has made an unprecedented contribution of $2 million in support of CNIB programs in Western Canada. This momentous donation, which was made possible by Brandt’s Thanks a Billion program, marks the largest single gift ever received by CNIB Saskatchewan in CNIB’s 100+ years of serving the community.

Over the years, Brandt has continuously demonstrated its commitment to supporting CNIB and its initiatives, sponsoring various events and activities, including the CNIB Guide Dogs with Purpose Gala, as well as the unforgettable fireworks event on New Year’s Eve in 2020.

“Brandt has been an exceptional partner to CNIB, and their support continues to have a significant impact on the lives of our participants across Canada,” says Christall Beaudry, Vice President, Western Canada at CNIB. “This historic donation will profoundly shape CNIB’s endeavors in Saskatchewan, while also enabling the growth of the Mobile Hub and CNIB Guide Dogs programs across Canada.”

“The work of CNIB is a gamechanger for thousands of Canadians whose lives have been impacted by blindness,” says Shaun Semple, Brandt CEO. “Brandt is proud to offer tangible support for critical community programming through CNIB and its many initiatives.”

The symbolic presentation of the generous donation took place on July 6th, during a Saskatchewan Roughriders game, emphasizing the shared vision of fostering positive change in the community.

Click HERE for the full press release.

VANNI’s latest collection of sunglasses skillfully combines elegance and boldness. Your clients will love their exclusive range of colours and materials.

Featured model: 3054 col. 390.

Check out the collection: www.georgesetphina.com

CooperVision’s global packaging and distribution center in West Henrietta, N.Y. has earned the prestigious LEED^® Silver certification for its environmentally conscious design and operation. The 235,000-square-foot facility—which processes and ships nearly one billion contact lenses each year to customers around the world—excelled in LEED evaluation categories including materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and water efficiency.

“CooperVision continuously seeks opportunities to be more sustainable in our operations and identified and implemented several enhancements at our West Henrietta site for a positive environmental impact,” said Jim Fiorino, Senior Director, Distribution Operations, Americas, CooperVision.

The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence in sustainable design, construction, and operations.

CooperVision’s packaging and distribution center received additional innovation credits for its exemplary performance regarding diverting waste from landfills, as well as its organic composting program. It also earned regional priority credits based on its LED lamp replacement project in its warehouse and offices, a site management policy and improvement plan for its green spaces, and renewable energy credits. The facility is powered by 100% renewable energy.

CooperVision’s LEED certifications and BREEAM rating reflect only a portion of its environmental initiatives focused on saving water and conserving energy; reducing, reusing, and recycling resources; and empowering people within the company and the communities in which it operates.

In 2021, CooperVision pioneered the world’s first plastic neutral contact lenses through a partnership with Plastic Bank^®, through which the company purchases credits to fund the collection, processing, and reuse of general ocean-bound plastic waste that is equal to the weight of the plastic contained in the product. CooperVision now offers a complete portfolio of net plastic neutral contact lenses in designated countries.

Click HERE for the full press release.

Essilor, part of EssilorLuxottica, released the Varilux® XR series™ progressive lens in Canada. Recognized as the best overall progressive lenses, according to the press release, Varilux® XR series™ progressive lenses harness the power of artificial intelligence and combined with its scientists’ unmatched understanding of consumer lifestyles. The innovative lens is available exclusively to Essilor Experts™ and EssilorLuxottica 360 members in Canada until October 2023, after which it will be widely available.

In today’s modern lifestyles, our eyes move more than 100,000 times a day to process all the visual information we are exposed to. Moreover, researchers from Essilor studied over 6,500 consumers to enrich their understanding of presbyopes’ lifestyles and visual challenges.

“Eyecare professionals now have access to Varilux® XR series™, a new breakthrough technology that will take presbyopic patient care to the next level,” said Sherianne James, chief marketing officer and SVP of professional services marketing for EssilorLuxottica North America. “We are committed to making sure this launch is successful for eyecare professionals by offering a comprehensive suite of tools.”

Support materials for eyecare professionals include in-depth educational content on Varilux® XR series™, including through Leonardo, EssilorLuxottica’s digital learning platform; in-store merchandising materials that demonstrate the quality of this new innovation to patients.

There will be a new promotion for the release, from now until Dec. 31, 2023, all Varilux® XR series™ personalized designs are sold at the price of the non-

personalized Varilux® XR design. Varilux® XR series™ lenses improve the wearer’s binocular vision. The two new products in the Varilux® XR series™ are Varilux® XR design and Varilux® XR track lenses.

The lens was developed with artificial intelligence, using one million data points from eyeglass wearers, so it can predict everyone’s visual behaviour. Using digital twinning technology, Essilor has the ability to establish a visual behavior profile for every single prescription and provide the first eye-responsive progressive lens that respects the natural behavior of the eye.

Varilux® XR series™ progressive lens wearers benefit from instant sharpness, even in motion, with +49% more volume of broadband vision compared to Varilux®. In independent third-party tests, 87% of consumers, mostly wearing the premium progressive lens, preferred Varilux, to their previous lenses, after trying them, with no change in their prescription. And 95% of wearers adapted to their new lenses on the first day.

Click HERE for the full press release.

AYA Optical releases new styles Strength, Pace and Freedom featuring artwork by Cree artist and storyteller Michael A. Koby Turtleheart. The new styles feature galloping painted horses, a sacred symbol in Native American culture that was meant to give strength and power to both the horse and rider.

The capsule collection is now online at www.AYAOptical.com , with $10 from the sale of each frame going to Agape a non-profit that offers life-changing experiences by bringing horses and people together.

Koby’s inspiration for this series came from his own childhood connection to horses. Says Koby, “Focusing on horses was easy for me, wild horses, spotted horses, and the painted horses of my ancestors fill my dreams. Horses connect us to the land and symbolize freedom of movement across the plains. I also wanted to touch on the spiritual connection a horse and rider share.”

The artwork focuses on a simple horse design in strong colours and a sense of movement, to give the colours chosen, and the markings on the horses more importance.

Click HERE for the full press release.