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Woodys’ Ariadna: Where Design Meets Soul

Optik July-August 2025 Voila Mood Woodys Ariadna

From Woodys’ ANIMA collection, the Ariadna col. 3 frame embodies harmony, sophistication, and bold design. Handcrafted in personalized acetate, it’s part of a spring-summer release that blends couture details, innovative shapes, and premium materials like beta titanium and Zeiss lenses. Elegant, expressive, and unmistakably Woodys.

Distributed by Mood Eyewear: www.moodeyewear.com

About Mood Eyewear:

Mood Eyewear Inc is proud to lead in the latest European optical trends, integrating European fashion influences to enhance the visual experience. We consider it both a duty and an honor to support our business partners by providing personalized and efficient service. Our exclusive collections are carefully curated to blend creativity, innovation, art, design, craftsmanship, and cutting-edge technology.

Established in 2006, Mood Eyewear was founded with the aim of importing and offering prestigious optical and sunglass collections to the Canadian market. Our group ensures the distribution of renowned European brands, selected for their quality and distinctive aesthetics. 

We are the exclusive distributors in Canada for brands such as Blackfin, Woodys, Le Parc, Visionario, X-Ide, MIC, I-Man, Komono, and Kunoquist.

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FYidoctors Launches First-Ever Mobile Optometry Clinic to Expand Access to Eye Care Across Canada

FYidoctors Trademark logo 2024

FYidoctors announces the launch of its first-ever Mobile Clinic, a fully-equipped, custom-built optometry clinic designed to bring advanced eye care directly to Canadians wherever they are.

Rooted in FYidoctors’ mission to make vision care more accessible, the Mobile Clinic is a groundbreaking initiative designed to eliminate barriers like distance, mobility, and time. The Mobile Clinic delivers comprehensive, turnkey eye care services: on-site eye exams, lens prescriptions, frame selection, and order fulfillment all under one mobile roof.

“We believe that no one should be limited by where they live or work when it comes to accessing quality eye care,” said Jenna MacArthur, FYidoctors Regional Coach, “The launch of our Mobile Clinic is a proud moment for FYidoctors. It brings to life a long-standing vision of reaching more Canadians with the eye care they deserve.”

Designed from the ground up, the FYidoctors Mobile Clinic is fully equipped with:

  • A modern exam lane
  • 400+ frame options for all ages and styles
  • Prescription lens dispensing services
  • An accessible wheelchair lift
  • Onboard washroom
  • Wi-Fi connectivity
  • Solar-powered operations for sustainable energy use

FYidoctors’ inaugural Mobile Clinic service was on August 15, 2025 in partnership with Goodwill Alberta where the FYidoctors team cared for multiple patients at a local Calgary location, with nearly all patients recieving new glasses after their eye exams. Next, the team served in Calgary at Central Memorial Park on August 21, 2025 in partnership with Calgary Pop-Up Care Village to provide eye care to vulnerable community members.  

Whether serving remote communities, seniors with limited mobility, first responders, corporate workplaces, or underserved populations, the Mobile Clinic brings FYidoctors’ patient-first approach beyond the traditional clinic setting.

With a nationwide rollout planned, FYidoctors is targeting areas with limited access to optometric services — helping close the gap in care for thousands of Canadians. The initiative is designed not only to provide convenience but also to address deeper issues in health equity particularly in rural and Indigenous communities.

“Building this clinic has been a dream for us.  It is now real and serving those in need,” added Dr. Alan Ulsifer, CEO and Chair of FYihealth group, “It’s about meeting people where they are and removing barriers to care because clear vision is essential for learning, working, and living well. We hope to build many more.”

To learn more or to request the FYidoctors’ Mobile Clinic to come to your community, visit https://fyidoctors.com/pages/mobile-clinic.

Click HERE for the press release.

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New Discovery Could Help the Retina Heal Itself

Fighting Blindness Canada research

Some animals, like zebrafish, can regenerate parts of their retinas—but humans and other mammals, that kind of repair has long seemed impossible.

Now, scientists at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) have made a discovery that could change that. Their research, published in Nature Communications, may offer a way to restore vision by prompting the retina to regenerate nerve cells lost in degenerative diseases like retinitis pigmentosa.

The team focused on Müller glia—support cells in the retina that can transform into new neurons in fish, but not in mammals. The reason? In mammals, a protein called PROX1, produced by damaged retinal nerve cells, enters Müller glia and blocks regeneration. In fish, PROX1 isn’t present in these cells—allowing regeneration to occur.

To overcome this barrier, the KAIST team developed an antibody therapy that blocks PROX1 from entering Müller glia. In mouse models of retinitis pigmentosa, the treatment reactivated the cells’ regenerative ability and led to the return of both retinal structure and visual function.

The potential therapy is now being further developed by biotech company Celliaz, which plans to continue preclinical studies with the goal of advancing to human clinical trials in the future.

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The Vision Council Releases New Research Highlighting Canadian Consumer Vision Trends in Q1 and Q2 2025

The Vision Council logo

The Vision Council announces the release of the Consumer inSights Canada Q1 and Q2 2025 report, offering a comprehensive overview of Canadian consumer behaviors and attitudes related to vision correction, eye exams, managed vision care, and eyewear purchasing. Based on survey responses from over 3,000 Canadian adults, this report delivers critical insights for industry professionals looking to understand and serve the Canadian optical market.

The findings highlight the impact of socioeconomic factors on access to vision care, with vision insurance coverage notably higher among younger and higher-income Canadians. While eye exam rates have improved since previous waves, a significant share of adults, especially those without insurance, have gone more than two years without an eye exam. The preference for in-person eyewear purchases continues to be strong, reflecting the value consumers place on personalized service, product fit, and immediate fulfillment.

“From eyewear purchasing preferences to vision insurance usage, this report sheds light on how Canadians are navigating their vision care,” said Alysse Henkel, Vice President of Research and inSights at The Vision Council. “We’re seeing improvements in eye exam rates and continued strong in-person purchasing, with 47 percent of prescription glasses wearers making a purchase in the last year, with most buying from their exam provider. These insights are essential for businesses that want to remain competitive and responsive to the evolving expectations of Canadian consumers.”

Key Findings from Q1 and Q2

  • 82 percent of respondents use some form of vision correction, with 50 percent having had an eye exam in the past year.
  • 43 percent report having vision care insurance, most commonly through employer-sponsored plans, and the majority used their benefits to offset eyewear and contact lens costs.
  • 47 percent of prescription glasses users purchased eyewear within the last year.
  • While in-person shopping dominated (87 percent), a significant portion of online buyers (34 percent) returned to physical retail for their most recent purchase.
  • Contact lens users were more likely to buy online (29 percent), though many limited purchases to short-term supplies.
  • Among recent purchases of plano sunglasses, 55 percent spent under $50, and Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Foster Grant were the most cited brands.
  • Findings from the Consumer inSights Canada Q1 and Q2 2025 report are based on a nationally representative survey of 3,077 Canadian adults aged 18 or older. The survey collected detailed information about consumer behaviors across key categories such as eye exams, vision insurance, optical product preferences, and purchase patterns.
  • The full report is available in The Vision Council’s Research Download Center as a complimentary download for members of The Vision Council, with a paid option for non-members to download. 

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New Test Could Help Detect Children’s Vision Issues Earlier

Fighting Blindness Canada logo

Testing visual acuity in young children has long been a challenge, as traditional eye charts rely on letter recognition. For children too young to read, subtle vision problems often go undetected until later years — reducing opportunities for early intervention.

Dr. Susan Leat, a professor at the University of Waterloo, is aiming to change that. With funding from Fighting Blindness Canada, Dr. Leat and her team have developed the Waterloo Differential Acuity Test (WatDAT), designed specifically for children under the age of three. The test is currently in Beta trials.

Instead of reading letters, children play a simple “odd-one-out” game: they are asked to point to the picture that looks different from the others. This approach has proven both intuitive and effective for very young patients.

In recent studies, 96% of children between 18 months and 4 years old were able to complete the test, and results closely matched the gold-standard tests used in adults. WatDAT may be capable of detecting up to 96% of vision deficits at an earlier age than ever before.

Both digital and printed versions of WatDAT have been created, and independent optometrists across Canada are now evaluating the tool in real-world clinics. If successful, the test could soon be widely available to eye care professionals.

Dr. Leat notes that early detection of vision problems is critical: untreated vision loss in early childhood can affect motor skills, learning, and long-term opportunities. She emphasizes that the project would not have been possible without the support of Fighting Blindness Canada.

WatDAT represents a potential breakthrough in pediatric eye care — giving optometrists the ability to identify and address vision concerns in children long before they can say, “I can’t see.”

Source: Fighting Blindness Canada

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