Blog - Page 4 of 868

July 9, 2026July 9, 2026

Nuance Audio Glasses Launch in Canada

EssilorLuxottica Nuance audio logos 2026

EssilorLuxottica has announced the Canadian launch of Nuance Audio Glasses, assistive listening eyewear designed for adults experiencing mild-to-moderate listening difficulty.

The product integrates open-ear listening technology into prescription-ready eyewear, creating a new category opportunity for optical retailers and eye care professionals. According to EssilorLuxottica, the glasses do not require an audiologist’s prescription or fitting appointment.

Nuance Audio Glasses allow wearers to adjust their listening experience through a companion app. Users can choose between Frontal Mode, which enhances sounds coming from in front of the wearer, and All Around Mode, which amplifies speech and ambient sound from multiple directions. An in-app calibration process allows further personalization based on the wearer’s listening preferences. An optional remote control is also available for app-free adjustments.

The glasses are available in two frame shapes: Panthos, a rounded 48 mm silhouette, and Square, offered in 54 mm and 56 mm sizes. Colour options include Shiny Black, Shiny Burgundy and Deep Blue. The frames can be fitted with prescription lenses or blue-light-filtering lenses and are positioned as a suitable pairing with Transitions lenses.

Each pair comes with a case that includes a built-in charging pad. A full charge provides up to eight hours of continuous use. The suggested retail price is $950.

EssilorLuxottica says the product has been tested in partnership with Western University under controlled but realistic noise conditions. According to the company, the study, conducted in part at Western University, showed up to a 29% improvement in speech understanding in difficult acoustic environments.

“Nuance Audio Glasses are now available in 14 countries and more than 17,000 stores worldwide. The response to the product has made it clear that people are ready for a new approach to hearing care,” said Stefano Genco, global head of Nuance Audio at EssilorLuxottica. “Expanding into Canada allows us to meet that demand with a solution that is as discreet and design-forward as it is effective, and we want Canadian eye care professionals to be the first to bring it to their communities.”

The Canadian launch follows broader international recognition for Nuance Audio. The product was named to TIME’s 100 Best Inventions and received a SILMO d’Or award in the smart eyewear category.

Nuance Audio Glasses are now available in Canada through select optical and audiologist retailers, along with authorized providers.

Click HERE for the press release.

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July 9, 2026July 9, 2026

New Report Highlights Opticians’ Role in Contact Lens Success

CLI Opticians Contact Lens Survey report 2026

A new Canadian survey from the Contact Lens Institute, conducted in partnership with the Opticians Association of Canada and Optik Magazine, points to a strong and expanding role for opticians in supporting contact lens patients.

The report, Vision for Growth: Opticianry’s Essential Role in Contact Lens Wear and Care, is part of the Contact Lens Institute’s See Tomorrow series, which explores attitudes affecting contact lens prescribing, adoption and long-term wear. The online survey was conducted from April 23 to May 5, 2026, among 247 Canadian opticians working in independent, corporate and optometry-led settings.

Strong Interest in Contact Lens Care

The findings show that opticians are highly engaged in helping patients optimize both glasses and contact lens wear. Seventy-seven percent of respondents expressed significant interest in helping patients optimize their contact lens experience, while another 22% expressed moderate interest.

The survey also found that opticians are already deeply involved in the contact lens patient journey. Ninety-one percent said they answer patient questions about contact lens wear, while the same percentage provide hands-on training for contact lens insertion. Ninety percent provide hands-on removal training.

Other common roles include checking in with patients about their contact lens experiences in-office, following up after a new contact lens prescription, sharing best practices with colleagues and providing printed education or instruction resources.

Two-thirds of respondents said they would like more involvement in the patient wearing experience, suggesting an opportunity for practices to make greater use of opticians’ contact lens knowledge and patient relationships.

Dual Wear and Patient Training

The survey also highlights strong support for dual wear. Ninety-three percent of respondents said they look for opportunities to encourage eligible patients to consider both glasses and contact lenses.

Insertion and removal training emerged as a critical area of patient support. Eighty-nine percent of respondents said a patient’s understanding of insertion matters significantly to their willingness to continue contact lens wear. The same percentage said understanding removal matters significantly.

Training and Practice Growth

Interest in additional contact lens education was also high. When asked about additional training, 77% indicated they were very likely to take advantage of new resources if made available, based on a self-rating of six or seven on a seven-point scale.

Continuing education accreditation appears to be an important motivator, with 77% saying they would be very likely to engage in contact lens training if courses were CE-accredited by their provincial licensing body. Online education was preferred by two-thirds of respondents.

The report also points to broad recognition of the business value of contact lenses. Ninety-eight percent of owner respondents and 83% of non-owner respondents said they were completely or somewhat familiar with how contact lenses contribute to practice revenue and profitability.

Taken together, the findings suggest that Canadian opticians are well-positioned to play an even more active role in contact lens care, patient education and practice growth.

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July 8, 2026July 8, 2026

Optician’s Role in Myopia Management: A new CE Course by Dorina Reiz

OptikConEd.com has announced a new continuing education collaboration with Dorina Reiz, Director of Continuing Education at Opticaledu and a distinguished professor in the Opticianry program at Seneca Polytechnic in Toronto.

A course authored by Reiz will be hosted on OptikConEd.com, the online continuing education platform for opticians. Users can enroll and complete courses 24/7, with credits available for both NACOR and the College of Opticians of Ontario.

The course, “Myopia Care and the Optician as a Key Provider“, focuses on the optician’s important and expanding role in the fast-growing field of myopia management. The course provides 2 hours of CE credit.

The course reviews the growing prevalence of myopia, particularly among children, and explores contributing factors such as digital learning, increased screen exposure, reduced outdoor activity and changing visual demands.

Myopia Management Approaches Reviewed
It also outlines current approaches to myopia management, including specialized spectacle lens technologies, contact lens interventions, pharmacological options, binocular vision considerations and lifestyle strategies.

A key focus is the role of opticians in fitting specialized optical devices, educating patients and families, and collaborating with optometrists and ophthalmologists to support better outcomes.

Opticians and optical professionals can learn more about OptikConEd at www.optikconed.com.

Enrollment for Myopia Care and the Optician as a Key Provider is available here: https://www.optikconed.com/myopia-care-and-the-optician-as-a-key-provider.

July 8, 2026July 8, 2026

GIGI STUDIOS Marks 10 Years of Eyewear Design

GIGI STUDIOS is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026, marking a decade of growth for the Barcelona-based eyewear brand.

Founded on a family heritage of more than 60 years in the eyewear sector, the brand has built its identity around contemporary design, craftsmanship and a fashion-led creative direction.

Over the past decade, GIGI STUDIOS has expanded its international presence and is now available in more than 50 countries. The company works with more than 5,500 clients and has a direct sales force in 17 markets, including France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.

“Ten years is not something you celebrate every day. Looking back, all I can feel is gratitude for everyone who has joined us throughout this journey: our team, collaborators, clients, friends… Celebrating this milestone is the result of many talents coming together,” said Patricia Ramo, CEO of GIGI STUDIOS.

The brand points to its VANGUARD collection as a defining part of its evolution, reflecting its focus on distinctive design, craftsmanship and attention to detail. GIGI STUDIOS has also strengthened its global image through campaigns, international events and collaborations, including the “Raw” campaign starring Erin Wasson, as well as regular appearances at SILMO Paris and during Paris Fashion Week.

The anniversary also coincides with the company’s move into new headquarters designed by architect Isern Serra. The space was conceived as a setting for creation, collaboration and connection.

“More than ever, these ten years fuel our desire to keep creating, imagining, pushing ourselves further and dreaming of the projects ahead,” said Ramo.

Through its anniversary, GIGI STUDIOS is highlighting both its heritage and its ongoing ambitions as an independent eyewear brand with an international presence.

Click HERE for the press release.

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July 8, 2026July 8, 2026

Oakley to Release Limited-Quantity Infiniloop Eyewear Design

Oakley has announced Infiniloop, a limited-quantity eyewear release that explores a minimal frame structure built around the idea of a single continuous line.

The design uses a dual-material construction, with titanium used for the upper frame line and Oakley’s O-Matter material used for the lower frame line. The two lines meet at select intersection points, leaving open space around the lenses and creating the appearance of lenses suspended within the frame.

According to Oakley, Infiniloop was developed as part of the brand’s ongoing design experimentation, with a focus on reducing the frame structure to the fewest lines needed to support the lenses across the face.

The release will be available in limited quantities, including Polished Chrome and Matte Black with Prizm Black lenses.

The design is also connected to Future Genesis, Oakley’s creative storytelling platform. The launch of Infiniloop will be accompanied by a collector’s set of comic books from Future Genesis Chapter 2, which continues the story of the character Maxine Fearlight.

Oakley Infiniloop is scheduled to be released on July 14, through Oakley.com and select Oakley stores.