Blog

March 30, 2022March 14, 2022

Cataract Surgery Linked to Reduced Risk of Developing Dementia

Cataract surgery is a common procedure for older adults with cataracts to help prevent vision loss. A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine shows that cataract removal may have wider health benefits and could help reduce the risk of developing dementia.

Researchers from the University of Washington analyzed data from over 3,000 participants in a longitudinal study. At the start of the study participants did not have cataracts. Over the course of the study approximately half of the participants received cataract surgery and 853 participants developed dementia. The data showed that individuals who had cataract surgery were about 30% less likely to develop dementia in the 10 years after surgery.

It isn’t clear exactly why this link between cataract surgery and dementia exists, but the research team gave some possible reasons. Vision loss may cause people to limit social activity and exercise. Decrease in these activities are linked to cognitive decline. As well,
the way cataracts impact vision could lead to specific changes in the brain or impact the way sensory input is received by the brain.

Regardless of the reason, this study provides strong evidence that helping people maintain vision as they age is crucial for healthy aging and better quality of life.

March 25, 2022March 25, 2022

Essilor® Launches Eyezen®+ Kids

On March 29, 2022, Essilor Canada is extending its family of Eyezen®+ lenses with a new Essilor® lens designed specifically for children. Eyezen®+ Kids lenses take into account children’s (aged between 6 and 12) parameters such as their morphology, their object distance and gaze directions to offer them better visual comfort and protection. With Eyezen®+ Kids lenses, eyecare professionals are equipped to meet the specific children’s visual needs and allow them to discover, learn something new everyday.

Eyezen®+ Kids lenses: designed for how they see the world

Essilor’s R&D department has found that children tend to move their eyes a lot more and often look up at the world around them because they are smaller, thus using a larger surface of the lens. In addition, children’s arms are shorter than those of adults. They therefore look at objects at a closer distance than adults. Finally, children have different facial features than adults.

Eyezen®+ Kids lenses: an all-in-one solution

The Eyezen® DualOptim^TM Kids technology takes children’s parameters into account to optimise the surface of the lens with 60% more surface area for optimal correction than a standard single vision lens.

In addition, Crizal® coatings provide advanced clarity and durability of the lenses and the Blue UV CaptureTM Technology protects children’s eyes from any harmful surrounding light, like those emitted by digital devices.

For more information, visit: www.essilor.ca/en/products/eyezen/eyezen-kids

Click HERE for the full press release.

March 25, 2022March 25, 2022

SightGlass Vision Taps into Partner Companies for Leadership Positions

SightGlass Vision, a joint venture between CooperCompanies and EssilorLuxottica to develop innovative technologies to address the global myopia epidemic, has named three eye care industry veterans to executive leadership positions.

Andrew Sedgwick has been appointed as chief executive officer. He was most recently senior vice president, Commercial Strategy for CooperVision. Sedgwick has also held posts as president of CooperVision’s European and Americas regions during his two decades with the company.

François Bloquiau becomes chief financial officer. He previously was CFO of EssilorLuxottica Brazil after holding senior finance and management roles with Essilor as well as for major retail, entertainment and financial services corporations.

Balthazar Masurel joins SightGlass Vision as vice president of Strategic Marketing. Most recently, he led global myopia control and presbyopia category marketing for Essilor. Before that, he spent eight years with Johnson & Johnson Vision in business development and marketing positions.

“Commercialization of Diffusion Optics Technology^™ is progressing in collaboration with our distributors, including the first European launch in the Netherlands and planned introductions for other markets this year,” said Sedgwick. “We are backed by a talented and growing team recruited from across the eye care profession—including the senior leaders announced today—and will be adding even more people in the coming months.”

Spectacle lenses using patent-protected SightGlass Vision^™ Diffusion Optics Technology^™^️ incorporate thousands of micro-dots that softly scatter light to reduce contrast on the retina—a method intended to reduce myopia progression in children.

Click HERE for the full press release.

March 24, 2022March 24, 2022

Rick Gadd named President of Wholesale Canada and President of Instruments for EssilorLuxottica N.A.

EssilorLuxottica announced that Rick Gadd has been named President of Wholesale Canada and President of Instruments for EssilorLuxottica North America. Rick, who has served as President of Essilor North America for the past two years, will take on the new role as the Company brings its lens and frames teams closer together in Canada. He will report directly to Fabrizio Uguzzoni, President of Wholesale North America for EssilorLuxottica.

Rick will bring his experience and leadership to the position, which includes responsibility for both the frame and lens wholesale business across Canada. In his dual role leading the Company’s Instruments business for N.A., Rick will help unlock the potential for the division’s leading technology, equipment and services designed to meet the changing business needs of the optical industry and help doctors and staff continue to build trusting relationships with their patients.

Christophe Perreault, who has served as President of Essilor Canada since 2017, has made the decision to return to his native France with his family. Christophe has been instrumental to the company’s Canada business in recent years, leading his team in a highly dynamic and changing environment.

“Canada continues to be a vital part of EssilorLuxottica’s North America business and will only grow in importance as we bring our lens and frame businesses together,” said Uguzzoni. “Rick is uniquely suited to deliver the promise of EssilorLuxottica to customers across Canada in the coming years. He is an exceptional leader and deeply committed to our mission, not to mention a Canadian who will fit right in with the incredible team there. I would also like to thank Christophe on behalf of the company for all his contributions – he leaves the business in great shape and in great hands.”

In his new role, Rick will split his time between Dallas and Montreal.

Click HERE for the full press release.

March 24, 2022March 24, 2022

Vision Expo+: a Complimentary, Virtual Extension of Vision Expo Experience Offered April 1-8, 2022

The Vision Council and RX, co-organizers of Vision Expo, announce that Vision Expo+, a complimentary digital extension of the Vision Expo experience, will be offered from Friday, April 1 to Friday, April 8, 2022. Vision Expo+ will be delivered through ShopVISION, Vision Expo’s global sourcing platform.

VisionExpo+ extends the Vision Expo experience in a virtual format to accommodate members of the vision care community from around the globe who are unable to physically attend Vision Expo East 2022. Vision Expo+ will offer a number of virtual experiences, including online showrooms from Vision Expo East’s more than 360 exhibitors and recorded content from events taking place at The Bridge, the main stage destination for collaborative learning, including EYE2EYE Series discussions.

“This digital experience extends the product discovery and sourcing benefits that make Vision Expo the ultimate event in eyewear and eyecare,” said Matthias Clock, Marketing Director, Vision Expo and ShopVISION. “Since ShopVISION’s launch with Vision Expo+ in 2021, we’ve made a number of significant improvements to our marketplace platform, including a new Request for Quote (RFQ) feature, expanded content offerings, and over 6,000 new SKUs from suppliers. We welcome all industry professionals to come and source products and establish new vendor relationships on our platform.”

To gain access to Vision Expo+ offerings, register for ShopVISION here by clicking the “Sign in/Join” button and then “Register Now.” ShopVISION and Vision Expo+ are being offered on a complimentary basis to all eyecare providers, buyers and all Vision Expo East 2022 exhibitors.

Vision Expo+ is delivered through ShopVISION, the new global digital sourcing solution built for optical and optometric providers. ShopVISION currently features more than 500 brands and more than 4,800 products across diverse categories, including frames, lens processing, medical and diagnostic, and business and practice management.

For more information on Vision Expo, visit visionexpo.com and follow Vision Expo’s social media channels, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Click HERE for the full press release.