In May of 2020, CNIB received a transformational gift from Scotiabank to ensure the futures of youth with sight loss remain as bright as ever.
Scotiabank’s gift was crucial in allowing CNIB to quickly shift their services and develop a wide range of virtual programs to help young people with sight loss when they needed it most. Not only are these programs helping youth stay connected and engaged while warding off significant isolation during the pandemic, they’re also helping them build vital employment and leadership skills that will put them on the road to success in the future.
So far nearly 450 young Canadians with sight loss have participated in
these life-changing programs. Now, more than ever, programs like these are
essential in helping youth with sight loss achieve their educational and
vocational goals.
One of the
key barriers to bringing vision care to the developing world is the lack of
affordable testing tools and Essilor’s ClickCheck™ is breaking down that
barrier.
Uncorrected
poor vision is the world’s largest unaddressed disability and a public health
crisis today, with 2.7 billion people suffering from this condition, of whom
90% live in developing or rural areas at the economic base of the pyramid
(BoP). To better serve this population, this latest innovation, the ClickCheck™
enables vision screening to be conducted anytime, anywhere.
Designed
with a telescope-like shape, the ClickCheck™ is an intuitive tool that can
quickly and easily estimate refractive errors. It is portable and requires no
electricity to operate, which makes it ideal for vision screening in all settings
– from semi-urban areas and rural villages to remote communities. It is
designed for use by primary vision care providers (such as Eye Mitra opticians)
and NGOs working in vision care in developing countries, where the cost of an
autorefractor can be out of reach.
The
ClickCheck™ recorded three wins at the prestigious global International Design
Excellence Awards in 2020: Gold in the Medical and Healthcare category; Silver
in the Social Impact category; and the Jury Chair’s Award.
Winner of
the Essilor’s See Change innovation challenge in 2016, the ClickCheck™ was
conceptualized by US design consultancy TEAMS Design and was first known as
“QuickCheck”. After refinement and field testing by teams from our Base of
Pyramid Innovation Lab, 2.5 New Vision Generation and Center of Innovation and
Technology, the ClickCheck™ was created.
IMAGINEM, derived from the Latin word for image, is a new global omni-channel media brand that captures the creativity and daring reflected in the spirit of independent eyewear designers.
The brand concept was conceived in Milan, heart of the European fashion world, and celebrates Independent eyewear collections from around the world.
The North American print magazine will be delivered exclusively to the top 7,500 highly targeted independent eyewear retailers and will debut in April 2021. Over 1,000 will be issued to Canadian optical retailers.
IIMAGINEM will be made available on a complimentary basis to qualifying independent eye care professionals. ECPs may request a free subscription from the IMAGINEM website.
IMAGINEM’s omni-channel media consists of a premium quality print and digital replica magazine, an exquisitely curated Instagram page, an interactive bold website and digital e-newsletter communications.
A preview version of IMAGINEM is now available online.
Content Creator and Customer Relations Manager, Alexandra Amico, was inspired by the opportunity to develop the brand image from experience gained over 10 years working with leading independent eyewear brands in Europe; “It’s very exciting to be part of this premium concept with global reach.”
The global reach of IMAGINEM will be extended through language-specific versions of the digital publication in French, German and Italian.
IMAGINEM has enlisted national brand Ambassadors; well-recognized eyewear fashionistas and social media influencers in specific markets, including Canada, to build awareness of the IMAGINEM brand and its advertising clients.
Together, social media Ambassadors, media partnerships and the multi-language approach will provide independent eyewear collections with unprecedented global reach and cost effectiveness.
FYidoctors announced its latest clinic merger with the addition of Bobcaygeon Eye Care in Central Ontario. Nestled in the community of Bobcaygeon on the Trent–Severn Waterway, the merger marks the FYidoctors’ first clinic in the region.
“The FYidoctors banner continues to
experience record growth across the province of Ontario, and we couldn’t be
more pleased to share today’s exciting announcement,” said Dr. Alan Ulsifer,
CEO and Chairman of FYidoctors. “We look forward to serving the community of
Bobcaygeon with the same comprehensive, trusted vision care they’ve come to
expect over the years – alongside highly respected and experienced
optometrists, Dr. Anderson and Dr. Crerar.”
Founded in
1992 by Dr. Robert Anderson and Dr. Faye Crerar, the husband-and-wife duo
opened the practice with the intention of providing the residents of Bobcaygeon
with the most comprehensive eye care available. As the first optometric clinic
to open in the community over 28 years ago, the local practice welcomes the new
partnership with FYidoctors and the added benefits now available to patients.
“Myself,
along with Dr. Crerar’s vision for Bobcaygeon Eye Care has always been to
ensure our patients are receiving top quality vision care,” said Dr. Anderson.
“We’re confident that this new partnership will continue to deliver on this
commitment to our patients, and we’re excited about what the future holds for
the practice in the coming years.”
Europa Eyewear announces a strategic alliance with BIHOCL (bio-sel) making it possible for Canadian ECPs to offer their patients the purest form of Hypochlorous acid – a naturally occurring biocide solution that inactivates pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, spores, and fungi.
The team at BIHOCL has discovered a process to stabilize hypochlorous acid (HOCl) making it extremely safe and shelf-stable for three years.
This process helps make BIHOCL an excellent treatment option for dry eye and blepharitis patients.
Additionally, Europa Eyewear are working with Mydryeye.ca to offer their consulting services to ECPs interested in adding BIHOCL to their practices.
“We are thrilled to have the Optometrists from My Dry Eye consulting for us. They bring the highest level of expertise about dry eye syndrome and are a fabulous resource for the ECPs in Canada.” – Rob Soloway, President, Europa Eyewear Canada.
New Consumer inSights data from The Vision Council shows stable vision care habits in Q4 2025, with modest increases in out-of-pocket spending and continued preference for in-store eyewear purchases.
The Contact Lens Institute and United Opticians Association are partnering to deliver an OptiCon ’26–exclusive panel featuring new consumer and professional research on opticianry’s role in contact lens success.
MIDO has released the exhibitor list for its 2026 edition, returning to Milan with around 1,200 exhibitors, new exhibition areas, and expanded industry programming.
New Consumer inSights data from The Vision Council shows stable vision care habits in Q4 2025, with modest increases in out-of-pocket spending and continued preference for in-store eyewear purchases.
The Contact Lens Institute and United Opticians Association are partnering to deliver an OptiCon ’26–exclusive panel featuring new consumer and professional research on opticianry’s role in contact lens success.
MIDO has released the exhibitor list for its 2026 edition, returning to Milan with around 1,200 exhibitors, new exhibition areas, and expanded industry programming.
New Consumer inSights data from The Vision Council shows stable vision care habits in Q4 2025, with modest increases in out-of-pocket spending and continued preference for in-store eyewear purchases.
The Contact Lens Institute and United Opticians Association are partnering to deliver an OptiCon ’26–exclusive panel featuring new consumer and professional research on opticianry’s role in contact lens success.
MIDO has released the exhibitor list for its 2026 edition, returning to Milan with around 1,200 exhibitors, new exhibition areas, and expanded industry programming.
New Consumer inSights data from The Vision Council shows stable vision care habits in Q4 2025, with modest increases in out-of-pocket spending and continued preference for in-store eyewear purchases.
The Contact Lens Institute and United Opticians Association are partnering to deliver an OptiCon ’26–exclusive panel featuring new consumer and professional research on opticianry’s role in contact lens success.
MIDO has released the exhibitor list for its 2026 edition, returning to Milan with around 1,200 exhibitors, new exhibition areas, and expanded industry programming.
