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Bausch + Lomb Bolsters Pipeline with Acquisition of Whitecap Biosciences

Bausch + Lomb

Bausch + Lomb Corporation announced an affiliate has acquired Whitecap Biosciences, LLC, which is currently developing two innovative therapies for potential use in glaucoma and geographic atrophy (GA). The acquisition strengthens Bausch + Lomb’s expanding clinical-stage pipeline.

“We’re focused on finding treatments that address unmet needs or significantly improve upon the current standard of care. Glaucoma and geographic atrophy are two areas where we believe that dramatic improvement is possible. Whitecap Biosciences’ investigational medicines show real promise when it comes to slowing vision loss and perhaps even improving vision for patients with glaucoma, which would be a long-overdue breakthrough.”

Yehia Hashad, MD, chief medical officer and executive vice president, Research & Development, Bausch + Lomb

Whitecap Biosciences was founded in 2015 to develop novel therapies for ophthalmic diseases with a focus on glaucoma, GA and other serious eye diseases. The company successfully completed Phase 2 clinical trials for WB007, a highly potent alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, in glaucoma. Additional clinical trials are planned for both glaucoma and GA.

Glaucoma is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disease that occurs when excessive eye pressure or other causes lead to damage of the optic nerve. As one of the leading causes of preventable blindness, glaucoma affects about four million people in the United States, but if caught early, it is possible to help slow and potentially prevent vision loss.1-3 GA, also known as advanced dry age-related macular degeneration, affects approximately one million people in the U.S.4

“Glaucoma and geographic atrophy can cause severe vision loss, with many patients experiencing progressive deterioration,” said Scott Whitcup, MD, a founder and former chief executive officer, Whitecap Biosciences. “By joining a global leader like Bausch + Lomb, we hope Whitecap’s assets will be developed into effective treatments that improve visual outcomes for patients.”

References

  1. National Eye Institute. Glaucoma and Eye Pressure. Retrieved from https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/glaucoma/glaucoma-and-eye-pressure. Reviewed on Nov. 12, 2024.
  2. John Hopkins. Glaucoma. Retrieved from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/glaucoma. Reviewed on Nov. 12, 2024.
  3. Ehrlich JR, Burke-Conte Z, Wittenborn JS, et al. Prevalence of Glaucoma Among US Adults in 2022. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2024;142(11):1046–1053. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2024.3884
  4. Saundankar V, Borns M, Broderick K, et al. Annual prevalence of geographic atrophy and wet age-related macular degeneration among Medicare Advantage enrollees in a US health plan. J. of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy 31(1). doi.org/10.18553/jmcp.2025.31.1.88

© 2025 Bausch + Lomb.

Click HERE for the press release.

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Step Into Bold Style: The New Icon Lacoste Collection

Voila Optik Jan-Feb 2025 Marchon Lacoste L6056S_749

The oversized unisex acetate model (L6056S) from the New Icon Lacoste collection commands attention with its bold lines and refined details. The acetate frame features a striking double bridge on the front, delivering a daring aesthetic.

Transparent temples reveal a metal core adorned with Lacoste’s signature pattern, further elevated by a printed logo in elegant gold and silver tones.

Distributed by Marchon: www.marchon.com

About Marchon:

Working with leading brands to constantly push the envelope through distinct designs, innovative materials and clever constructions, Marchon Eyewear’s goal is to consistently design distinctive eyewear that offers accessible quality, style and value.

Marchon is proud of its diversified portfolio of brands, covering key demand segments in the premium end of the market.

Marchon Eyewear distributes its products through a global network of subsidiaries and distributors, serving over 80,000 accounts in more than 100 countries.

Whether helping people access quality care, supporting eye care providers in managing their practice, or partnering with local organizations to aid our communities, VSP Vision™ is there with a comprehensive portfolio of brands that keep health at the center of everything we do. As the first not-for-profit eye health company, care and compassion have led our growth for nearly 70 years. Today, our focus remains on helping those we serve bring their best vision to life.

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Childhood Myopia (part 2 of 4)

Close-up photograph of a smiling child holding a contact lens on the tip of their finger. Childhood myopia remedies include specialty contact lenses.

By Thomas Weissberger, RO

There are three key rules for childhood visual environment

  1. Children and young teens should spend at least two hours per day outdoors. While this can seem hard to achieve, it may be mostly achieved at school for primary school aged children, when this intervention is most crucial to prevent or delay myopia.
  2. Sun protection without excessive risk of sun exposure e.g. wearing hats, sunglasses, and seeking shade, are vital for eye health.
  3. Kids should be physically active for at least 60 minutes per day. This should be moderate to-vigorous level activity spent outdoors which is all the better for their visual development. For primary school aged children, this may be mostly achieved during break times.

As important as lifestyle management is, compliance is difficult to adhere to, and thus we need to look at corrective actions. First, let us look at the two main contact-lens based treatments.

Contact-lens based childhood myopia remedies

Orthokeratology: (ortho-k) is a non-surgical treatment method for ametropias, that involves using specially designed rigid gas permeable contact lenses to reshape the cornea. By reshaping the cornea, ortho-k lenses can temporarily correct the refractive error allowing patients to see clearly without the need for glasses or contact lenses during waking hours.

An infographic describing orthokeratology as one of the childhood myopia remedies. It shows three diagrams: "Before" with the focus behind the retina, "During" with the lens reshaping the cornea, and "After wearing" with the focus corrected on the retina. The text at the bottom explains that orthokeratology corrects the shape of the cornea by wearing lenses at bedtime. All of the text also appears in French.

Ortho-k lenses are worn overnight and removed in the morning, and the cornea retains its reshaped curvature throughout the day. The reshaping effect is believed to be achieved by redistributing the cornea’s epithelial and stromal cells, which causes a temporary change in the shape and thickness of the cornea. It is important to note that ortho-k is not a permanent solution and requires ongoing treatment to maintain the effect.

Atropine: Although the specific mechanism of atropine in myopia management is not fully understood, it is thought to inhibit scleral thinning or stretching, and hence eye growth. Low doses of atropine in 0.01%, 0.02%, and 0.05% concentrations have been found to be effective in slowing down myopic progression.

What childhood myopia remedies can opticians offer?

As Opticians, treatment options include specially designed contact lenses and spectacle lenses, as well as an innovative new idea based on contrast theory (currently only available in Japan).

Contact Lenses:

  • MiSight® contact lenses from Coopervision are daily disposable, soft CLs designed to control myopia progression in children ages 8 to 15 years.
  • MiSight® lenses are uniquely designed with concentric rings etched into the lens periphery. This design helps to focus light directly onto the retina and corrects the refractive error without causing the eye to grow longer.

Glasses: All the various treatments involve some type of concentric design in the lenses that create defocus effects on the peripheral retina without involving central vision.

The two largest developers/manufacturers of specialty lenses designed as childhood myopia remedies are Hoya and EssilorLuxottica. Each has developed their own lens design using slightly different technology. ZEISS also launched a new design in June, ZEISS MyoCare lenses.


The Practical Professor: Optical Solutions for the Real World

I am a second generation optician and have made all aspects of opticianry and optics my life. I have over 10 years of teaching experience as a former professor in the Dispensing Opticians’ program at Seneca College and at Georgian College. I was also responsible for
modernization of the optical curriculum.

I am a trainer and trainee (One never stops learning!), and I am available to share my knowledge and experience with today’s eye care professionals. As the owner of Special Eyes Optical Services, I am dedicated to supporting the optical industry. You can reach out to me at Tom@SpecialeyesOpticalServices.com.

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SNOB Milano Celebrates Its First Ten Years: A Decade of Growth, Innovation, and Consistency in the Optical World

Snob Milano

SNOB Milano celebrates an important milestone: ten years of activity. A decade in which the brand has evolved without ever betraying its essence, securing a prominent position in the global eyewear market.

SNOB MILANO_LA PROF_SNV214C004Z__m
SNOB MILANO LA PROF

Tommaso Bossetti, designer and founder of SNOB Milano, reflects on the journey so far: “We’ve carved out a privileged niche for ourselves in the clip-on sector, creating a recognisable and well-defined identity in the optical market. It’s not just the number of units sold or the turnover that satisfies us, but especially the daily recognition we receive from our customers and colleagues. Today, whenever a new brand launches a product with a magnetic clip-on, the question opticians and customers ask themselves is: ‘How does it compare to SNOB?'”

The consistency with which SNOB Milano has followed its vision and evolution has been crucial. In an ever-changing industry, the company has successfully combined technical research with refined aesthetics, delivering innovations that have never betrayed the brand’s essence: “We are not a successful brand, nor a niche brand, nor one destined for mass distribution… we are a bit of all of these, but always with a coherent soul, capable of evolving without ever betraying itself” Bossetti continues.

SNOB MILANO_FIN_SNV198C004Z__m
SNOB MILANO FIN

The brand’s journey has been marked by continuous technical improvements, without ever compromising on refined aesthetic research. Among the most significant achievements is the exclusive partnership with ZEISS Sunlens, which immediately elevated the clip-on line to a new level. This innovation has redefined the functionality of sunglasses. “We created a new gesture, a ritual that quickly spread on social media, generating word-of-mouth that also reached younger and female audiences. Our clip-on has become a symbol of practicality and quality, not just an accessory, but a true innovation that has made prescription frames even more versatile”.

SNOB MILANO_SCIANTOSA_titaniumSNV218TC001Z__m
SNOB MILANO SCIANTOSA

To celebrate this important anniversary, SNOB Milano will present two new developments at Mido 2025, marking the brand’s entry into previously unexplored territories. A new line of sunglasses, consisting of eight acetate models, all entirely made in Italy with ZEISS Sunlens lenses, and a renewed version of the famous Dogui, which evolves without losing its original shape, representing the essence of the brand. “We’ve changed everything to change nothing. It’s a statement of intent: to evolve without compromising our stylistic recognisability”.

The designer continues: “This anniversary is not just a point of arrival, but above all a starting point. The next ten years will be another challenge, where we will continue to focus on quality, innovation, and excellence, always striving to stay true to our philosophy”.

SNOB MILANO_VELOCE_titanium_SNV220TC002Z__m
SNOB MILANO VELOCE

Finally, a special thank you to those who have made this journey possible: collaborators, partners, and especially the Sordelli family, whose support and expertise have enabled SNOB Milano to achieve these results. “A special thanks to the Sordelli family, who welcomed me ten years ago. Without them, none of this would have been possible.”

Click Here for the press release.

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Discover the New Sunglasses Collection STAR ERA. MODERN ICONS by J.F. Rey

JF Rey image janvier 2025

Times change, but icons remain, continuing to inspire and captivate. This vision guided the creation of J.F. Rey’s new sunglasses collection, where they have adapted the timeless glamour to modern influences to bring 17 bold, iconic, and unforgettable designs to life for both men and women.

The STAR ERA. MODERN ICONS campaign brings this vision to life through a series of portraits inspired by the world of entertainment, showcasing the unique, assertive character of the creations.

Oversized and dazzling finishes take center stage, women’s models blend unique creativity with sophistication and emotion, offering styles as unique as the women who wear them. For men, the collection highlights strength and refinement, exploring new material combinations and exclusive technologies.

WOMEN SUNGLASSES COLLECTION

JF Rey Women collection spring 2025

This line strikes for its bold style, expressed through vibrant, shifting colors and sculptural shapes that exude dazzling glamour. Imagination meets elegance in the most unexpected ways, featuring unique and captivating designs. Unmistakably J.F. REY, it captures attention with its spectacular allure that steals the spotlights.

Acetate work is at the core of the line, highlighting the boundless creativity of the J.F. REY Design Studio. Sculpted like a multifaceted diamond (BIANCA, BARBARA, BETTY), it takes on a graphic style through layered lamination effects (BRITANY, BRIDGET, BABY) or is adorned with a metallic detail that serves as its memorable visual signature (BABETTE, BRYNN).

All frames are equipped with Category 3 polarized nylon lenses and Flex or three-pin hinges, depending on the models.

Presenting the Concept OVERLAY:

JF Rey Women collection spring 2025-Concept OVERLAY- 3 models
JF Rey Women collection spring 2025-Concept OVERLAY

BRIDGET, BRITANY, BABY

Artistic innovation and exceptional craftsmanship. These models are crafted from a triple laminate of acetate, creating a layered thickness effect at the corners of the eyes, while adding a striking geometric dimension to the frames.

Graphic and artistic colorways enhance the custom acetate compositions, adding an exclusive and unique touch to these retro shapes. The front and temples are elevated by satin metal details, an iconic signature of the collection, which endows the frames with their distinctive and timeless character.

MEN SUNGLASSES COLLECTION

JF Rey Men collection spring 2025

This men’s eyewear collection embodies strength and sophistication, blending exceptional craftsmanship with the best of modern technologies. Unique creations, aesthetic and high performing, distinguished by new combinations of materials and innovative designs.

Functional and elegant, they come with a modern style and exceptional quality, thereby enhancing the wearer’s confidence. Whether it’s the radical aesthetic of BRYAN, the sophisticated look of BRANDON topped with an aluminum or carbon top, or BURT, these models open new angles of acetate with bold, complex, and refined proposals.

Lightweight, comfortable, and durable, each frame is equipped with category 3 polarized nylon sunglasses lenses.

Presenting the Concept CARBON CORE:

JF Rey Men collection spring 2025- Concept CARBON CORE- 4 models
JF Rey Men collection spring 2025- Concept CARBON CORE

BYRON, BRODY, BURT, BILL

The CARBON CORE sunglasses feature a retro style inspired by iconic double-bridge shapes, combined with a highly technical and refined design. They push the limits of performance and aesthetics to deliver an exceptional product, pairing timeless elegance with cutting-edge technological innovations.

Their design is crafted from an acetate front and a monobloc carbon frame, both durable and ultra-light. Every detail is meticulously thought out to ensure the highest premium quality, from the polarized, anti-reflective lenses to the flawless finish. Designed for optimal comfort, these frames stand out for their lightweight nature and durability, exceeding standard expectations.

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