The CSE (Certified Sustainable Eyewear) Award is a prize established by MIDO, in partnership with ANFAO and Certottica, to honor sustainability in the global eyewear industry.

All exhibitors at MIDO 2023 are eligible to participate in this first edition of the award by nominating a pair of sunglasses, eyewear frames or an eyewear case. An international panel of expert judges will evaluate the competing products which, to qualify for a win, must have been produced in compliance with the principles of sustainability.

Recycled materials, reduced consumption in the production and distribution processes, maximization of the supply chain, elimination of waste, degree of recyclability, use of renewable resources and any certifications already achieved, are just some of the criteria the jury will use to determine the first winners in the following 6 categories:

CSE Award Sunglasses Europe

CSE Award Sunglasses Rest of the World

CSE Award Frames Europe

CSE Award Frames Rest of the World

CSE Award Cases Europe

CSE Award Cases Rest of the World

To participate, exhibitors at MIDO 2023 must complete the online form, available from 15 December 2022 to 15 January 2023 in the “Take Part” section of the official website: https://www.mido.com/en/.

“This is a necessary step in the eyewear industry,” comments MIDO President Giovanni Vitaloni. In our sector we have companies that have been truly committed and active in the field of sustainability (environmental, social, economic) for a long time: I am thinking of the big players but also independent brands that produce with the lowest possible impact on the ecosystem. This award is a fundamental milestone for us, which does not, however, decree the end of this journey, but the stage of a path that began in 2019 and which obtained, for MIDO 2022, the ISO 20121:2012 certification, which proves the sustainable management of major events.”

Click HERE for the full press release.

With the holidays fast approaching, the Canadian Ophthalmological Society wants to stress the importance of purchasing eye-safe toys when shopping this holiday season. Many children end up in the emergency room with toy-related eye injuries each year, and with December marking Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month, it’s a reminder for Canadians to take proper precaution when considering which toys to give to children.

“With all the excitement during the holidays it’s easy to forget about basic safety, however eye injuries among children are one of the major causes of visual impairment,” says Dr. Phil Hooper, President of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society.

A survey by the Canadian Ophthalmological Society, in partnership with the Canadian Association of Optometrists, revealed that when it comes to purchasing gifts, only 16% of Canadians report shopping for toys with eye safety in mind.

In addition to toys, the amount of time children use their new electronics, including video games and iPads/tablets, should also be monitored, given the increasing evidence that prolonged screen time increases the risk of myopia in children. 

The survey also revealed that since the pandemic began, parents report that their children are spending about 4.4 hours in front of a screen on average, which is 1.2 hours more than they did prior to the pandemic. Three-in-five parents whose child(ren)’s COVID screen time is greater than pre-COVID feel that this increased screen time has negatively impacted their child(ren)’s eye health. Findings from the survey also demonstrate the importance of creating a National Vision Health Strategy to educate Canadians on eye health care. 

To help prevent eye injury in children, the Canadian Ophthalmological Society outlines some safe toy purchasing tips Canadians should keep in mind this holiday season:

• Be sure to confirm the toy is age-appropriate
• Avoid certain toys that pose a high risk of eye injuries such as toy guns, lasers, aerosols like silly string, flying toys and long, pointy toys such as swords
• Show children how to properly play with the toys in a safe manner
• Keep toys that pose a potential eye injury risk away from children unless supervised by an adult
• Include protective eyewear when giving sports equipment
• Find out if the packaging has been inspected and approved by the proper regulatory bodies, including the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA), Canadian Standards Association (CSA), or the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

Click HERE for the full press release.