Alcon announced the expansion of the partnership with Plastic Bank – an organization that builds recycling ecosystems in under-developed communities to fight plastic pollution while providing collection members with a path out of poverty. For each ton of plastic introduced in the marketplace, Plastic Bank will collect an equivalent amount of ocean-bound plastic in vulnerable coastal communities.

In 2022, Plastic Bank removed more than 649,000 kilograms (kg) of plastic waste from the environment to offset the plastic used by Alcon for select Surgical and Vision Care products. Alcon aims to support the plastic removal of more than 990,000 kg in 2023 – the equivalent of stopping more than 49 million plastic bottles from reaching the ocean this year.

Beyond environmental impact, Alcon’s partnership with Plastic Bank will help more than 330 collection communities globally in 2023. Collection members exchange the plastic they collect for life-improving benefits such as health insurance, grocery vouchers and school supplies.

“While single-use plastics are essential to the safety and convenience of medical products, we strive to minimize their impact on the environment by supporting important initiatives like this program with Plastic Bank,’” said Charles Herget, Head of ESG at Alcon.

In 2022, Plastic Bank’s program with both the Surgical and Vision Care products helped remove the equivalent of more than 32 million plastic bottles.

Click HERE for the full press release.

May is Vision Health Month, and the Canadian Ophthalmological Society (COS) wants to stress the importance of vision health care, especially when assessing the overall needs of Canadian seniors. According to a 2022 survey by the COS, 4 in 10 Canadians (41%) have experienced or been diagnosed with at least one change to their eye health over the past two years – with this number increasing to 56% among respondents aged 65 and over.

More than 1.2 million Canadians live with vision loss today, and over 8 million Canadians live with one of the four major eye diseases. Blinding diseases affect older adults (55+) at much higher rates, and as Canada’s population ages, the number of individuals affected by vision impairment will rise.

In an effort to address this, the COS is taking part in the National Seniors Council’s Aging at Home consultations – an initiative that aims to engage various stakeholders, including healthcare experts, to identify gaps and further support required for Canadians who wish to age within the comfort of their own homes.

“Vision loss can have a significant impact on the physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being of seniors, and their ability to live independently,” says Dr. Phil Hooper, President of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society. “Health care needs increase with age and many seniors require coordinated care that involves both surgical and medical interventions to address their vision loss, so developing solutions for this concern now will further support the Aging at Home initiative which, in turn, will allow seniors to live at home safely.”

Education and awareness of eye health and eye diseases are crucial to help reduce the risk of vision loss amongst seniors. While most Canadians are familiar (62%) with cataracts, only one-quarter (27%) of Canadians know that cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in the country. Less than half (47%) are familiar with glaucoma and only 39% are familiar with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) which is the second leading cause of blindness. Fewer are aware of diabetic retinopathy (22%) and contact lens-associated dry eye disease (26%).

Seniors with vision loss are more likely to enter residential care, and they may also be more likely to access residential care earlier because of vision loss. To minimize the risk of vision loss among seniors, the COS recommends:

• Focus on screening and collaboration among the eye care team: Frequent and regular eye exams will allow for earlier detection of blinding eye diseases, which will ensure earlier treatment to help delay the onset of vision loss.
• Increasing residency positions: One of the main concerns about the current surgical backlog is that over time it will worsen due to the growing need and there won’t be enough trained ophthalmologists. There is a need to increase the number of residency positions in ophthalmology across Canada and develop new models to allow the entry of internationally trained physicians.
• Creating a National Vision Health Desk: This will provide the pan-Canadian view necessary to help integrate care and increase access to vision health across Canada. A national-level view will help understand issues and address the lack of coordination at the government and patient levels.

Click HERE for the full press release.

When it comes to the five senses, Canadians place the highest value on their vision, but almost half are still forgoing their regular eye exams, according to the findings of a new national survey commissioned by FYidoctors and conducted by Maru Public Opinion.

The survey, released as part of an awareness campaign for Vision Health Month in May, asked questions running the gamut on eye health, with fresh new findings on a range of eye-related topics, including what’s keeping Canadians from visiting their optometrists, screen time habits, as well as what their organ donation plans likely won’t include.

According to the survey findings, vision ranks as the most important sense Canadians say they would never want to lose entirely. Eighty-three percent of respondents ranked their eyesight at the top, followed by hearing (8%); taste (4%); touch (3%); and smell (2%). Despite the overwhelming votes for vision, however, a significant crowd of Canadians (42%), admit they ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ seek out their optometrist to get their eyes examined, while the rest (58%), make the appointment at least once every two years.

“With May being Vision Health Month, it’s an important reminder for Canadians to book  their regular eye exam,” says Dr. Alan Ulsifer, Chair and CEO of FYidoctors. “The results of this survey point clearly to the fact that Canadians place high value on their eye health, but not enough are taking the proper steps to maintaining it.”

The survey also found reasons cited for not booking an eye exam include self-diagnosed lack of need, general procrastination or lack of time and not enough insurance coverage. One in ten Canadians, typically those aged 18-34, admit to never getting their eyes checked, while a third (33%) of respondents say they visit their O.D. only occasionally every few years. Those least likely to book a visit live in the Prairies (51%), followed by Quebec (46%); BC (43%); Ontario (41%), Atlantic Canada (40%); and Alberta (35%).

Additionally, the survey also found that:

Screen-time is still a long time: Almost 7 in 10 Canadians are eyeing their screens for six or more hours a day. One in 5 are watching a screen 10-15+ hours a day. That equals 3,650 hours or 152 days each year.

• Those Canadians most likely to be scanning their screens for 10+ hours a day (21%), they are most likely to be the youngest (18-34; 33%), followed by their middle aged (35-54; 24%) and oldest (55+; 11%), and are more likely to be women (23%) than men (19%).
• By region, the top screen watchers can be found in: Manitoba / Saskatchewan / Ontario (24%); Alberta (21%), Quebec (20%), British Columbia (19%), and

Atlantic Canada (15%)

Optics Intact: Of the following body parts: Eyes, Heart, Lungs, Liver, Kidneys they would not want to donate when they pass, Canadians ranked Eyes at the top spot. Ranked in order: Eyes (35%); Heart (22%); Lungs (12%); Liver (9%); and Kidneys (8%). Gen X ranked eyes #1 at a higher rate than any other generation not wanting to donate them, followed by Millennials (37%); Boomers (32%); and Gen Z (28%).

On a No-name basis: A significant group of Canadians surveyed (43%) admit not even knowing their optometrist’s name (those who do, are most likely to be the eldest Canadians, ages 55+)

Sight-Specific Driving: Almost 3 in 10 drivers (27%) who require prescription glasses behind the wheel say they don’t always wear them.

“Whether it’s providing advice about how blue light affects their eyes when viewing screens, or the fact that eye exams can help detect other diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, or even brain tumors, it’s important to take that time with your optometrist,” says Dr. Ulsifer. “The best way to stay on top of eye health is booking a comprehensive exam appointment — we think Canadians should all agree on that.”

Click HERE for the full press release.