Johnson & Johnson Vision has
appointed Rajesh K. Rajpal, M.D. as Chief Medical Officer and Global Head of
Clinical and Medical Affairs.
In this role, Dr. Rajpal will lead the
integration of rapidly evolving medical and clinical insights into new product
development to address unmet needs of patients and eye care professionals
around the world. He will also oversee clinical trials and the generation of
surgical and vision care evidence, and serve as the critical liaison to
government agencies and to the academic, scientific, and industry communities.
Dr. Rajpal joins Johnson & Johnson
Vision from Avedro, where he served as Chief Medical Officer. Active in
research and professional education, Dr. Rajpal has served as principal
investigator in numerous clinical trials, authored multiple original
peer-reviewed publications and textbook chapters, and has lectured
internationally on topics related to corneal disease, cataract and refractive
surgery.
He is the
founder of the See Clearly Vision Group, an ophthalmology and optometry group
practice with multiple offices in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area.
Dr. Rajpal earned his medical degree and
completed his residency in Ophthalmology at the Medical College of Virginia
followed by a Fellowship in Cornea and External Diseases at Wills Eye Hospital
in Philadelphia.
I-MED Pharma announces Health Canada approval for the E>Eye Laser,
which is now available to Canadian eye care professionals. With exclusive
Canadian distribution rights, I-MED Pharma brings this device to the Canadian
marketplace.
E>Eye is the first and only CE certified medical device in the world
using patented IRPL® technology developed specifically for the treatment of dry eye
disease caused by meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), the leading cause of
evaporative dry eye.
This new type of polychromatic pulsed
light produces perfectly calibrated and homogeneously sequenced “cold light”
pulses which safely stimulate the meibomian glands to resume secretions,
restoring the lacrymal film and improving symptoms associated with ocular
dryness.
Daniel Hofmann, President of I-MED
Pharma stated, “The E>Eye is a revolutionary device that offers patients an
affordable, long-lasting solution for dry eye management. It is radically
different from other existing treatment options for dry eye disease and it has
many advantages over traditional IPL devices currently on the market.”
Optometry
Giving Sight (OGS) announces that CooperVision has renewed their partnership
agreement for three years through 2022. CooperVision is Optometry Giving
Sight’s largest corporate donor and has been supporting our work in Giving
Sight and Hope since 2008, and as such OGS recognizes them as their Global
Platinum Partner in both the U.S. and Canada.
In addition
to CooperVision’s partnership support, the company provides funding in a
variety of ways that includes its patient rebate program, World Sight Day
Challenge participation worldwide and its global charitable giving program,
Cooper Giving.
“CooperVision
is delighted to continue to support Optometry Giving Sight as we are committed
to their efforts to bring accessible and sustainable eye care to communities
throughout the developing world,” says Jerry Warner, CooperVision’s President
of North America.
Eric
Anderson, Interim Executive Director for OGS adds, “We couldn’t do what we do
without CooperVision’s outstanding commitment. We are so very grateful to their
leadership and their employees in advancing the cause of bringing eye care to
those who are in need. Thank you CooperVision!”
The Etnia Barcelona SS20 collection is a genuine explosion of life and colour, an ode to the beauty of the natural world. This season’s designs are inspired by the colour palette of California’s national parks, European forests and the depths of the Amazon Rainforest.
Etnia’s design team has also incorporated natural materials of the highest quality into the collection, such as cotton and wood.
He
has been described as a mad man, a creative genius, a brilliant organizer and
even the founder of independent eyewear. He’s right up there at the top of the
pantheon of “eyewear gods” with very few others. His eccentric life and his
nefarious ending however, have relegated his creative genius to the background.
Udo Proksch became, through marriage to a famous actress and singer, a major player in the artistic, social and political life of Austria. In 1972, Proksch bought Vienna’s prestigious Demel café, and one year later opened Club 45 on top of the cafe. The private club quickly became one of the most popular haunts of the city. On any given night, you could come across cold-war spies, heads of state, artists and movie stars.
A
Pioneer of Independent Eyewear
Proksch – creative genius and evil mad man
Proksch
revolutionized the whole approach to eyewear. In the 1950s and early 1960s, before
the rise of licensed brands frames were still mostly seen as medical devices. While
some artists, including Pierre Maryl and Oliver Goldsmith, made beautiful and
original frames, Udo Proksch brought industrial scale to the effort. He was
recruited by Wilhelm Anger, Optyl’s founder, when he won an arts competition
and subsequently became creative director for Carrera.
He also worked on Viennaline and made it immensely popular at the time, selling more than 15 million pieces of the Gigi frame – an unheard success with a creator frame at the time.
Subsequently he launched his own collection: Serge Kirchhofer. He became so involved with the brand it became his alter ego, even adding the name to his passport as his legal alias. He brought a new vision that went further than just the frame creation bringing new approaches to packaging, branding and marketing.
Genius
Gone Evil
Unfortunately,
Proksch’s life ended very badly. In
1977, the freight ship Lucona sank in the Indian Ocean, causing the death of
six passengers. Years later, it was proven that the vessel was intentionally destroyed
by explosives orchestrated by Proksch to extort insurance money from the
disaster.
Proksch brought creator frames to scale through industrial innovation.
In
the scandal that followed, several Austrian ministers were forced to resign for
obstructing the investigation and forgery. Proksch fled Austria finding refuge
in the palace of notorious Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Proksch finally
came back to Austria, was sentenced to prison and died there in 2001 during
heart surgery.
Proksch is remembered in a fascinating book, Udotopia, by Luisa Jean Cooper, commissioned by Michael Jardine, founder of Mondottica and Brando Eyewear. The full interview of Jardine , by Optik journalist Jean francois Venne is available in the April – May Issue of Optik Magazine.
The Students of Vision Scholarship Program, presented by Transitions Optical and the Opticians Association of Canada, challenges future eye care professionals to develop a creative initiative that helps young adults better understand the impact of light on visual comfort, performance and everyday life. Top submissions will receive scholarships and smart eyewear equipped with Transitions lenses.
A new Vision Council report shows most adults with digital eye strain symptoms never seek care, underscoring the importance of eyecare providers in guiding patients.
Applications are now open for the MIDO AWARDS 2027, including the CSE Award, CSE Corporate Award and Best Store Award, recognizing sustainability, innovation and excellence across the global optical industry.
Kevin rode four miles to a Healing California Pop-Up Vision Clinic supported by OGS, where he received a full exam and prescription bifocals at no cost—improving his safety, independence, and quality of life.
Optometry Giving Sight has awarded nearly $1 million in 2026 grants to 20 organizations worldwide, supporting sustainable optometry education, school eye health programs, and community-based primary eye care across six continents.
The Students of Vision Scholarship Program, presented by Transitions Optical and the Opticians Association of Canada, challenges future eye care professionals to develop a creative initiative that helps young adults better understand the impact of light on visual comfort, performance and everyday life. Top submissions will receive scholarships and smart eyewear equipped with Transitions lenses.
A new Vision Council report shows most adults with digital eye strain symptoms never seek care, underscoring the importance of eyecare providers in guiding patients.
Applications are now open for the MIDO AWARDS 2027, including the CSE Award, CSE Corporate Award and Best Store Award, recognizing sustainability, innovation and excellence across the global optical industry.
Kevin rode four miles to a Healing California Pop-Up Vision Clinic supported by OGS, where he received a full exam and prescription bifocals at no cost—improving his safety, independence, and quality of life.
Optometry Giving Sight has awarded nearly $1 million in 2026 grants to 20 organizations worldwide, supporting sustainable optometry education, school eye health programs, and community-based primary eye care across six continents.
The Students of Vision Scholarship Program, presented by Transitions Optical and the Opticians Association of Canada, challenges future eye care professionals to develop a creative initiative that helps young adults better understand the impact of light on visual comfort, performance and everyday life. Top submissions will receive scholarships and smart eyewear equipped with Transitions lenses.
A new Vision Council report shows most adults with digital eye strain symptoms never seek care, underscoring the importance of eyecare providers in guiding patients.
Applications are now open for the MIDO AWARDS 2027, including the CSE Award, CSE Corporate Award and Best Store Award, recognizing sustainability, innovation and excellence across the global optical industry.
Kevin rode four miles to a Healing California Pop-Up Vision Clinic supported by OGS, where he received a full exam and prescription bifocals at no cost—improving his safety, independence, and quality of life.
Optometry Giving Sight has awarded nearly $1 million in 2026 grants to 20 organizations worldwide, supporting sustainable optometry education, school eye health programs, and community-based primary eye care across six continents.
The Students of Vision Scholarship Program, presented by Transitions Optical and the Opticians Association of Canada, challenges future eye care professionals to develop a creative initiative that helps young adults better understand the impact of light on visual comfort, performance and everyday life. Top submissions will receive scholarships and smart eyewear equipped with Transitions lenses.
A new Vision Council report shows most adults with digital eye strain symptoms never seek care, underscoring the importance of eyecare providers in guiding patients.
Applications are now open for the MIDO AWARDS 2027, including the CSE Award, CSE Corporate Award and Best Store Award, recognizing sustainability, innovation and excellence across the global optical industry.
Kevin rode four miles to a Healing California Pop-Up Vision Clinic supported by OGS, where he received a full exam and prescription bifocals at no cost—improving his safety, independence, and quality of life.
Optometry Giving Sight has awarded nearly $1 million in 2026 grants to 20 organizations worldwide, supporting sustainable optometry education, school eye health programs, and community-based primary eye care across six continents.
