Introducing the Ray-Ban Meta X COPERNI Limited Edition, fusing Ray-Ban’s iconic design, Meta’s cutting-edge technology, and Coperni’s futuristic aesthetic to deliver a new take on the iconic Wayfarer. The style debuted March 9 during Coperni’s Fall Winter 25’ runway show centered around the digital community, where models wore the frames to record from the runway, showing Ray-Ban Meta’s hands-free recording capabilities.
The Coperni Limited Edition is Ray-Ban Meta’s first collaboration with a fashion brand and frames the iconic Ray-Ban Wayfarer shape in transparent black, featuring a unique twist of Grey Mirrored Lenses with both logos etched into the lens. For more exclusivity, the inside temple hosts a Limited Edition numbering while the arm tip hosts a Coperni logo plaque. The Ray-Ban Meta x Coperni Limited Edition comes with a black charging case with a subtle Coperni embossing on the back of the case as well as a Coperni plaque.
This cutting-edge device seamlessly integrates advanced AI capabilities, camera, audio, and voice assistant functionality, empowering you to capture life’s moments, stay connected, and access information on-the-go. Ray-Ban Meta X COPERNI is a step beyond the bounds of fashion and innovation, available in a limited quantity of 3600 for $549 USD.
CooperVision has earned Zero Waste Facility Program Certification for six of its global contact lens manufacturing and distribution sites.*1 The certification, which demonstrates the degree to which operations prevent or divert waste from landfills, was attained by the company’s facilities in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico; Alajuela, Costa Rica; Delta Park and Mount Park in the U.K.; and Scottsville and West Henrietta, N.Y.*1
Each site was evaluated and certified individually by SCS Global Services (SCS), an international leader in third-party environmental and sustainability certifications, under its latest Zero Waste standard. CooperVision facilities which have varying diversion percentages achieved certification through a combination of recycling, composting, waste-to-energy, resale, and reuse.*1
“Getting the waste diverse certified at all six of these facilities is not only a celebration of our current efforts but serves as another significant benchmark of progress in our sustainability journey,” said Rolando Torres, Chief Operations Officer, CooperVision. “Our teams continuously explore opportunities to operate more sustainably across the entire business. We won’t stop here.”
The Zero Waste Facility Certification reflects the latest milestone in CooperVision’s environmental initiatives focused on conserving energy; reducing, reusing, and recycling resources; and empowering people within the company and the communities in which it operates.*†1 CooperVision’s facilities in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Scottsville, and West Henrietta also hold prestigious LEED® certifications, and Mount Park a BREEAM® “Excellent” rating.‡ 2,3
CooperVision pioneered the world’s first net plastic neutral contact lenses§4 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.◊5 The initiative has had an environmental impact equivalent to more than 466 million plastic bottles recovered since its inception in 2021. ¶6 CooperVision now offers a complete portfolio of net plastic neutral contact lenses in designated countries
The company is continuously working to minimize environmental impact and support People + Planet around the globe as part of broader efforts across CooperCompanies to contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.** 2,5 For more information, visit coopervision.com/sustainability.
* Zero Waste Program Certification is obtained through SCS Global Services, an international leader in third-party certification, validation, and verification for environmental sustainability.
† Zero Waste Program Certification for six global manufacturing and distribution sites — Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico; Alajuela, Costa Rica; Delta Park and Mount Park in the UK; and Scottsville & West Henrietta, NY.
‡ Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. BREAM: Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology.
§ Range defined as all 1 day brands and segments: sphere, toric and multifocal.
◊ Plastic used in participating CooperVision soft contact lens products is determined by the weight of plastic in the blister, the lens, and the secondary package, including laminates, adhesives, and auxiliary inputs (e.g. ink). The determination does not include plastic used during the manufacturing process for both these products and their packaging.
¶ CooperVision, through its collaboration with Plastic Bank, to have collected and converted approximately 9.3M kg of plastic destined for waterways as of February 2025. Using Plastic Bank’s metric of 1kg of plastic equaling 50 standard 202mm bottles, that will be the equivalent of approximately 466M plastic bottles not reaching our oceans.
** Refers to continuous manufacturing improvement processes undertaken by CooperVision to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions.
Multi-hyphenated artist, entrepreneur, actor and fashion icon A$AP Rocky and Ray-Ban hosted an exclusive event celebrating his new role as creative director and previewing his upcoming collection at the Trattoria del Ciumbia during Milan’s Fashion Week.
Two special installations of Rocky’s unreleased designs were featured during the dinner. Opening into a modern touch of the Ray-Ban heritage, it highlighted a brand-new overexaggerated version of the iconic Wayfarer. Later, the celebrations moved into a black light private room with highlighted futuristic LED shield shapes, bold colors and innovative designs where guests were able to try on some of the exclusive styles.
The evening continued with an official after party hosted by Ray-Ban & A$AP Rocky with sounds that carried guests through the evening by DJ Hell Raton.
The event featured an impressive list of celebrities and models such as Maneskin’s Vic de Angelis, Taylor Hill, Brent Faiyaz, Ice Spice, Isabeli Fontana, Alton Mason, Fai Khadra, Charli D’Amelio, Romeo Beckham, Anna Dello Russo, Rafael Pavarotti, Charley Vezza, Caro Daur, Loli Bahia, Rose Villain, Bresh, Clara Soccini and more.
While the exclusive event concluded, over 200 guests from the fashion and creative industries were gifted a special A$AP Rocky newspaper, building momentum from the recent appointment as the new Creative Director for Ray-Ban Studios.
Click HERE for the press release.
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The fast-paced conversation touches on the top 20 contact lens searches on Google, the majority of which were purchase driven; a revelation that consumers are seeking contact lens removal advice far more than insertion guidance; and continued opportunity to raise the benefits of both glasses and contact lens use with patients.
Panelists include Roxanne Achong-Coan OD, FAAO, FIAOMC, FSLS, Dip CCLRT, of Coan Eye Care and Optical Boutique in Ocoee, Fla.; Ryan Corte, OD, of Northlake Eye in Charlotte and Asheville, N.C.; and Nishan Pressley, OD, of Essential Eyecare & Optical in Apopka, Fla. Contact Lens Institute Chairperson Charissa Lee, OD, MBA, FAAO, moderates the conversation.
With run time of under 20 minutes, the video is ideal for use with individual and group staff training. It complements a range of additional reports and training tools developed through CLI’s See Tomorrow initiative, all accessible to the eye care community at no cost from contactlensinstitute.org.
CLI conducted the digital search research using Google “contact lenses” auto-complete results for U.S. and Canada, and TikTok auto-complete results in English, sourced via AnswerThePublic.com, with data collected weekly from January 3-31, 2025. Auto-complete suggestions employ language, location, and trending user behaviors to suggest the most searched phrases over the past several weeks. In addition, CLI analyzed Google Trends data for December 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025. Google Trends reports relative rankings of search terms over a defined period, using completed user behaviors, plus rank-ordered related topics and searches from the same user sample.
Left to Right: Charissa Lee, OD, MBA, FAAO; Nishan Pressley, OD; Roxanne Achong-Coan OD, FAAO, FIAOMC, FSLS, Dip CCLRT; and Ryan Corte, OD. Left to Right: Charissa Lee, OD, MBA, FAAO; Nishan Pressley, OD; Roxanne Achong-Coan OD, FAAO, FIAOMC, FSLS, Dip CCLRT; and Ryan Corte, OD.
Survey: Canadian ECPs Show Strong Preference for Locally Sourced Optical Products
A recent survey conducted in February and March 2025 reveals that Canadian Eye Care Professionals (ECPs) are increasingly mindful of where their optical products come from, with a strong preference for Canadian-made options—if available at competitive pricing and quality. However, the results also highlight a lack of transparency in sourcing, with many ECPs unaware of the actual country of origin for the frames, lenses, and contact lenses they purchase.
Survey Participation and Respondent Profile
The survey gathered 131 responses from Canadian ECPs, with:
64% identifying as Optometrists
67% working in Independent Optometry Clinics, while the remainder were split among Independent Optical Stores, Retail Chains, and other business models.
This respondent mix provides insight into purchasing preferences among decision-makers in independent practices, a key segment of the optical industry.
Limited Awareness of Product Origins
The findings indicate that most ECPs do not know the exact country of origin for the products they stock:
Ophthalmic Lenses – Only 27% of respondents were “Very Certain” or “Often” aware of their origin.
Eyewear Frames – Awareness was higher, with 55% having some knowledge, but only 22% reporting certainty.
Contact Lenses – Awareness was lowest, with only 12% “Very Certain” of country of origin.
This uncertainty is due in part to a lack of labeling requirements in Canada, as well as the complexity of global supply chains. One respondent noted:
“Even for companies that say their products are made in Canada, many of the parts are sourced elsewhere. It’s hard to know how much is actually being produced domestically.”
Another highlighted the need for clearer labeling:
“I would love to receive more information on where products are made if such information was available.”
Strong Preference for Canadian Sourcing
When asked where they would prefer to source their optical products—assuming equal price and value—ECPs ranked their preferences as follows:
1️⃣ Canada 2️⃣ Europe 3️⃣ Asia 4️⃣ USA
This aligns with growing consumer interest in Canadian-made goods, particularly in response to recent tariff threats and trade tensions. As one respondent put it:
“Since the tariff threats, many patients have asked about country of origin and specifically about Canadian-made products.”
Another added:
“Although buying Canadian hasn’t been a priority in the past, with the recent climate, it has been brought up more and more. Both patients and staff members want to be consciously buying Canadian.”
Would ECPs Switch to Canadian Alternatives?
If given the option, 53% of ECPs said they would make an effort to switch to Canadian-made products, while another 44% said they might, depending on cost, quality, and availability. Only 2.5% indicated that country of origin would not influence their purchasing decisions.
Some respondents emphasized the need for competitive pricing and quality to drive this shift:
“If the industry provided great quality at good pricing, I think more ECPs would actively choose Canadian products. But we have to make the shift collectively.”
Others noted the lack of available Canadian-made options, particularly in frames and lenses:
“I struggle to find Canadian brands from a manufacturing aspect and would happily stock Made in Canada alternatives that also support sustainability and environmental consciousness.”
Do Patients Ask About Country of Origin?
Although ECPs themselves are becoming more aware of sourcing, patient inquiries about country of origin remain limited:
15% of ECPs said patients frequently ask about the origin of their lenses, frames, or contact lenses.
40% reported occasional inquiries from patients.
28% said it is rare, and 17% have never been asked.
However, interest in Canadian-made options appears to be increasing:
“I will bring up the Made in Canada products, and most patients appreciate the information and choose Canadian. This has been more pronounced over the past month.”
The Challenge of Determining Country of Origin
For frames in particular, determining country of origin is not always straightforward. Even when labeled as “Made in [Country X]”, frame production often involves a global supply chain. Materials such as acetate, hinges, screws, and temples may be sourced from multiple countries before final assembly. As a result, a frame designed in Canada but assembled elsewhere may contribute to the Canadian economy, but not qualify as truly “Made in Canada.”
One respondent reflected on this challenge:
“One needs to define country of origin. Designed in Italy, manufactured in China, inspected and assembled in Italy, distributed by a U.S. company—so which is the origin?”
Another emphasized the value of Canadian design and branding even when manufacturing occurs abroad:
“Fully designed and made in Canada is rare. But frames designed by Canadian-domiciled companies still contribute to our economy and industry.”
What Should ECPs Ask Their Suppliers?
With limited transparency in product sourcing, ECPs can take a more proactive role by asking suppliers key questions, including:
🔍 For Ophthalmic Lenses:
Where are these lenses manufactured and processed?
Are coatings and edging done in Canada?
Are fully Canadian-made lens options available?
👓 For Eyewear Frames:
Where are these frames designed and assembled?
Do Canadian-branded frames use imported components?
Are there truly Made-in-Canada frame options?
🛠️ For Finished Jobs from Labs:
Where do the lab’s lenses come from—Canadian sources or imports?
Are coatings and edging services performed in Canada?
Can I request Canadian-sourced materials?
One respondent summed it up:
“We should all be more mindful of where products are made and be able to speak to that comfortably.”
Final Takeaways
This survey confirms that while ECPs have limited awareness of product sourcing, there is strong interest in Canadian-made optical products, particularly as economic and political factors shift buying preferences. However, the industry faces challenges in transparency and availability, particularly for frames and lenses.
Looking ahead, greater visibility on product sourcing and clearer labeling could help both ECPs and patients make more informed choices.
HOYA Vision Care introduces LensPreview, a new virtual try-on tool for photochromic, polarized, and mirror lenses, now available in the U.S. and Canada.
HOYA Vision Care introduces LensPreview, a new virtual try-on tool for photochromic, polarized, and mirror lenses, now available in the U.S. and Canada.
HOYA Vision Care introduces LensPreview, a new virtual try-on tool for photochromic, polarized, and mirror lenses, now available in the U.S. and Canada.
HOYA Vision Care introduces LensPreview, a new virtual try-on tool for photochromic, polarized, and mirror lenses, now available in the U.S. and Canada.
