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Lanctôt Optical Announces Exclusive Canadian Distribution of Humphrey’s Eyewear

Lanctot Optique and Humphreys logos

Lanctôt Optical announced an exclusive partnership with Germany’s Eschenbach Optik to introduce Humphrey’s Eyewear to the Canadian market. This collaboration introduces a fresh, urban-inspired collection that combines vibrant, streetwear-influenced designs with the reliability of a globally respected optical brand.

A Legacy of Innovation and Style

Lanctot Optical Humphreys

Since its launch in 2000, Humphrey’s Eyewear has stood out for its bold, fashion-forward approach, offering frames that balance playful aesthetics with everyday wearability. Designed for those who see eyewear as an extension of personal style, the collection features dynamic colours, lightweight materi- als, and durable construction—all backed by Eschenbach’s legacy of precision engineering.

“Humphrey’s embodies individuality and authenticity—perfect for Canadians who see eyewear as a fashion accessory,’ said Diane Lanctôt, President of Lanctôt Ltée. ‘We are thrilled to offer this bold brand to our partners, combining European craftsmanship with local expertise. “

Strategic Value for Canadian Eyecare Professionals

Humphrey’s Eyewear fills a unique niche in the Canadian market, cater- ing to fashion-conscious wearers who prioritize both affordability and durability. The brand’s frames feature high-grade acetates and flexible metals, ensuring comfort without sacrificing style. For optical retailers, this means an opportunity to attract a broader demographic— from trendsetting teens to young professionals—with a collection that’s as practical as it is eye-catching.

About Humphrey’s Eyewear

Produced by Eschenbach Optik, a German leader in optical innovation for over a century, Humphrey’s Eyewear merges urban-inspired design with trusted craftsmanship. The brand’s focus on vibrant colours and versatile silhouettes makes it a go-to for opticians seeking to diversify their offerings with youthful, on-trend frames.

Click HERE for the press release.

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CooperVision and Dr. Greg Pearl Named Brien Holden Founders Award Recipients

Optometry Giving Sight logo a turquoise eye with black icons in the shape of people for the iris

Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) announces that CooperVision, Inc. and Dr. Greg Pearl, OD, have been selected as the recipients of its first-ever Brien Holden Founders Awards. These prestigious honors, established in memory of Professor Brien Holden, PhD, the late founder of OGS, celebrate those who have made remarkable, impactful contributions to advancing global vision care. The awards will be presented at the inaugural Brien Holden Founders Award Dinner on October 7 in Boston, MA, preceding the American Academy of Optometry’s 2025 Annual Meeting.

“Brien was a visionary leader, deeply committed to raising awareness about and addressing Uncorrected Refractive Error (URE) worldwide,” said OGS U.S. Board Chair, Dr. Juan Carlos Aragon. “His unwavering advocacy helped establish optometry services in underserved communities, ensuring that access to quality eye care became a global priority—both now and for generations to come.”

OGS Canada Board Chair, Dr. Susan Cooper, echoed this sentiment, highlighting Holden’s profound influence: “Brien possessed an indomitable spirit and a deep passion for improving lives through vision care. His steadfast commitment to global eye health was evident throughout his life.”

“In his honor, we created these awards to recognize organizations and individuals whose dedication to Optometry Giving Sight and the advancement of vision care worldwide has been truly exemplary,” added Dr. Cooper.

“CooperVision is deeply honored to receive this inaugural award honoring Dr. Holden’s life and legacy”, says Jerry Warner, President of CooperVision, Inc. ”Brien understood the innate power of uniting like-minded people and organizations around work that truly changes lives. We are proud to be a part of that work. “

“CooperVision and Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) are natural partners,” he adds, “ensuring vision care is available, accessible, and that preventive and corrective solutions are always at hand. Together, we offer people hope, independence, and the possibility of a fuller, richer life. We’re grateful to join OGS on this journey that Brien started and look forward to all that yet lies ahead.”

For Dr. Greg Pearl, receiving the award in Dr. Holden’s name is “truly a humbling honor. Brien has inspired my humanitarian efforts since I met him. Not only did he develop the silicone-hydrogel contact lens materials which we all use today, but he selflessly invested his profits from those lenses to establish the first optometry colleges in a dozen African countries.”

“As the first optometrist on the Board of Directors of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, his research demonstrated the global need for optometric services to the World Health Organization. He established OGS so that we may continue supporting the development of optometry in the world’s poorest countries. His humanitarian spirit continues to inspire all of us.”

Since its founding, OGS has awarded more than 200 grants supporting the establishment of 14 optometry schools,  more than 130 vision centers, and the training of over 14,000 optometry professionals. Programs partially funded by OGS have served more than 8 million people in 47 countries.

More information about dinner sponsorships, individual tickets, and memorial donations can be found here. 

Click HERE for the press release.

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EssilorLuxottica Signs Agreement to Acquire A-Look, Seen and OWL Retail Stores in Malaysia

EssilorLuxottica

EssilorLuxottica announces it has signed an agreement for the acquisition of one of the largest optical companies in Malaysia operating over 90 stores under the A- Look, Seen and OWL banners.

A-Look was founded in 2003 by Dato Terry Ngeow, with the opening of its inaugural store in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. At present, A-Look, Seen and OWL stores are located across East and West (or Peninsular) Malaysia.

With the acquisition of these renowned omnichannel and multi-branded stores, EssilorLuxottica aims at complementing its long-standing position in Malaysia, where the Group is currently present with both wholesale and retail activities. This move reflects the Group’s commitment to continuously elevating the industry by raising the standards of vision care delivery and accelerating the digitalization of the market to enhance in-store consumer experience.

“Leveraging the integration of A-Look, Seen and OWL stores within EssilorLuxottica’s network will improve our understanding of the Malaysian market, allowing us to better contribute to growing awareness, demand and appreciation for high quality innovative vision care products, eyewear and eyecare solutions amongst Malaysian consumers. Consumers and customers are at the heart of our strategy as we focus on their needs to deliver and improve access to visual care solutions available to all,” commented Francesco Milleri, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Paul du Saillant, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at EssilorLuxottica.

With an ambition to expand access to consumers in the dynamic Asia Pacific region, this move complements the Group’s existing and deeply rooted network in the region. EssilorLuxottica is committed to continue delivering high quality products, solutions and services to its valued customers. The Group’s footprint in the country also includes lens production facilities, offering quality proximity service to eyecare professionals.

The transaction is expected to close by the end of June 2025 pending customary closing conditions.

Click HERE for the press release.

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CooperVision Reveals Extensive Scientific Program at BCLA 2025 

CooperVision

CooperVision revealed its far-reaching scientific program for the 2025 BCLA Clinical Conference & Exhibition, which runs from June 5-7 in Birmingham, England. The 21 papers and posters reflect the company’s breadth of research and development investments across several of the most compelling topics in eye care, including myopia, astigmatism, presbyopia, and sustainability.

“Our participation in this year’s BCLA centers on helping people experience life’s beautiful moments through vision. That company-wide goal inspires our research teams and partners to pursue a deeper understanding of the human eye, innovative technologies to improve sight, and novel approaches that can help the clinical community meet the needs of current and prospective patients,” said Francis Erard, Vice President of Research & Development for CooperVision.

A global leader in myopia management,1 CooperVision-driven insights have been instrumental in shaping how the eye care profession addresses the issue. Professor Philip Morgan of Eurolens Research at the University of Manchester will present a new study that fitted myopia control spectacles with skin and ambient temperature sensors to precisely determine wearing times, which are associated with treatment efficacy. A number of demographic factors were determined to influence compliance to spectacle wear, with shorter wearing times observed among boys and children with lower refractive errors. These findings may support prescribing decisions, helping eye care professionals maximize myopia control potential among specific patient groups.

With toric soft contact lenses for astigmatism2 representing about a third of all soft lens fits,3 eye care professionals can benefit from understanding how the performance of a material used for a sphere lens compares to the same in a toric design. This is especially important considering that soft toric contact lenses have different thickness profiles for orientation stability. Ocular Technology Group–International (OTG-i) led a clinical study to determine diurnal comfort response and on-eye wettability between CooperVision® MyDay® sphere and toric lenses, assessed at seven time points over a 10-hour period for comfort and at the 10-hour point for surface de-wetting kinematics. Investigators determined that both designs exhibited similar levels of on-eye wettability and diurnal variation in comfort. This may encourage eye care professionals who appreciate MyDay® sphere benefits to address the needs of astigmatic patients with MyDay® toric.

Advances in multifocal contact lens design to correct presbyopia4 naturally lend themselves to requests for more information about certain performance characteristrics. CooperVision scientists, in collaboration with OTG-i, enrolled 45 presbyopes to wear MyDay® daily disposable multifocal with the Binocular Progressive System and Biofinity® multifocal with Balanced Progressive® Technology in random order over one week. Measurements of distance and near monocular and binocular visual acuities under different contrasts and lighting environments determined that the visual performance of both designs were not correlated with pupil size. As such, pupil size variability across presbyopes is not a key ocular variable to consider when fitting MyDay® multifocal and Biofinity® multifocal.

As part of its global commitment to sustainability,5 CooperVision is continuously exploring approaches to operate in ways that bring more value to both people and the planet.* In support of this mindset, a team from the company built on prior work to identify opportunities to decrease the carbon emissions from contact lens production through different materials, energy supplies, and packaging approaches. Their analysis determined that transitioning to renewable and/or certified lower-carbon alternatives could reduce the carbon footprint of certain contact lenses by nearly 25%, showcasing the transformative potential of materials selection, operating processes, and supplier collaboration while maintaining functional integrity.

Abstracts of the complete CooperVision scientific program for BCLA 2025—including the 2025 BCLA Da Vinci Award-winning work designed and supported by CooperVision regarding contact lens type and blinking patterns on tear film stability and halos—are available at CooperVision BCLA 2025 .

In addition to its scientific presentations, CooperVision is also highlighting myopia management as part of its exhibition floor stand and through multiple company-led educational sessions. These include Professors Ian Flitcroft, Nicola Logan and Philip Morgan presenting “A Myopia Story to Tell” on the mainstage on opening day (Thursday, June 5, 12 pm BST), and CooperVision’s Paul Chamberlain and Elizabeth Lumb exploring the next chapter of treatment during “Innovations in Myopia – Journey to Tomorrow” (Friday, June 6, 10: 30 am BST).

Held biennially, the BCLA Clinical Conference & Exhibition is the UK’s largest event dedicated to contact lenses and the anterior eye. It regularly attracts some of the brightest minds in science, academia, and industry to explore technological innovations, attend professional education sessions, and connect with top manufacturers.

____________________________________

References

1 Morgan, P. B., Read, M. L., Maldonado-Codina, C., Mirza, A., Chatterjee, N., Vega, J. A., Lumb, E., & Navascues-Cornago, M. (2025). A multisite investigation of the wearing times of spectacles for myopia control. Abstract presented at the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) Clinical Conference, 2025.

2 Guillon, M., Marullo, R., Pepe, P., Sulley, A., & Lazon de la Jara, P. (2025). Diurnal variation in comfort and end of day wettability of soft spherical and toric contact lenses. Abstract presented at the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) Clinical Conference, 2025.3 International Contact Lens Prescribing in 2024 (Morgan P, et al). Contact Lens Spectrum, January 2025. https://www.clspectrum.com/issues/2025/januaryfebruary/international-contact-lens-prescribing-in-2024/,  

4 Lazon de la Jara, P., Sulley, A., Marullo, R., & Guillon, M. (2025). Influence of pupil size on vision performance and visual satisfaction with two multifocal contact lenses. Abstract presented at the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) Clinical Conference, 2025.

5 Zucaro, A., Riggs, P., & Farwell, R. (2025). Reduced carbon footprint in contact lenses manufacturing and their packaging. Abstract presented at the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) Clinical Conference, 2025.

6 CVI data on file, 2023. 

Click HERE for the press release.

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Design Eyewear Group Acquires MENRAD Brand and Licensing Agreements with Jaguar, JOOP! and Morgan

Design Eyewear Group logo 2025

Design Eyewear Group has announced a significant expansion of its brand portfolio. As part of its ongoing strategy focused on innovation, creativity, and international growth, the company has secured new licensing agreements with Jaguar, JOOP!, and Morgan, and has acquired full proprietary ownership of the MENRAD brand, including all design rights and technical assets.

Design Eyewear Group menrad jaguar joop morgan logos

Formerly under the umbrella of the 125-year-old German eyewear manufacturer MENRAD, these brands each bring a distinctive identity, established customer base, and international recognition that align with our values and expertise in eyewear design and distribution.

With the addition of these brands, Design Eyewear Group (DEG) is strengthening their presence in especially Germany, and see major potential to expand in the US, Canada and other major eyewear markets globally.

Strategic Growth with Purpose

According to Lars Flyvholm, CEO of Design Eyewear Group, a key factor in the acquisition – carried out in the wake of MENRAD’s unfortunate insolvency – was DEG’s reputation as a stable, long-standing company with deep industry knowledge and strong customer relationships. Honouring MENRAD’s long- standing legacy, the acquisition represents a natural fit: both for the brands themselves and for Design Eyewear Group’s identity and values.

“This portfolio expansion reinforces our long-term strategy: to offer a diverse, high-quality selection of eyewear brands that resonate globally and reflect individual expression. The license owners have shown strong enthusiasm for partnering with us—not only because of our distinctive design profile and our ability to translate brand DNA into compelling eyewear collections, but also due to our solid track record, established market presence, and well- developed sales and distribution network in Europe and North America.”

Bringing New Life to Established Icons

The acquisition of the brand MENRAD marks a significant milestone. Not only is DEG taking over the entire inventory but also have full creative and commercial control of a brand with storing potential for revitalization and growth. MENRAD is known for its skilled craftmanship and technical innovation, and we look forward to shaping its next chapter under our roof.

A New Chapter Begins

“Entering the world of licensing marks an exciting new chapter for us. It’s a natural evolution of our design expertise and global presence—and it opens the door to fresh opportunities for growth. We’re committed to working closely with license owners, combining their deep brand knowledge with our strengths in product development and distribution. Each eyewear collection will be crafted in close alignment with the brand’s identity, ensuring every frame reflects the DNA that customers know and trust. We look forward to sharing more as development begins across these new lines,” Lars Flyvholm concludes.

Design Eyewear Group will take over the brands starting June 10, 2025.

Click HERE for the press release.

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