On Thursday, May 11, one of Canada’s longest-standing comedy events returns to Toronto. Comic Vision ‘Cocktail Edition’, hosted by Fighting Blindness Canada, supports advancing vision research, bringing hope to 1.2 million Canadians living with vision loss.

Taking place at The Concert Hall (formerly the Masonic Temple), Comic Vision will be a stylish evening of mingling and fun, featuring a stellar line-up of Canadian comedic talent, including Jeff Tseng, Anjelica Scannura, George Westerholm, Rob Pue, and will be hosted by Rick Mercer Report and Little Mosque on the Prairie alum Greg Eckler.

“Since 1999, Comic Vision has raised over $10 million for Fighting Blindness Canada,” said Maria Karakoulas,

Event Manager, Comic Vision and Community Events. “With 1.2 million Canadians currently living with vision loss, this evening of laughs translates to so much more for our community – the funds directly contribute to research that is transforming lives.” 

Single tickets, a table for eight, or a premium comedy package with designated table service for 10 are available. All tickets include savory food stations and cocktails.

To purchase tickets, visit comicvision.ca/Toronto.

When: Thursday May 11, 2023, doors open at 6 p.m.

Where: The Concert Hall (formerly Masonic Temple), 888 Yonge St., Toronto, ON

Why: To raise funds in support of advancing vision research, brining hope to Canadians impacted by blindness.

Click HERE for the full press release.

Preliminary results from a new study indicate that individual question responses within the widely-used Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) symptom questionnaire can be correlated to specific clinical measures, providing eye care professionals better insight on treatment pathways. The CooperVision-supported work is being presented at the ARVO 2023 Annual Meeting this week.

Association of Clinical Signs with the Ocular Surface Disease Index: Preliminary Results from the Multicenter Neurosensory Abnormalities in ocular SurfAce Disease Study (Hom M., et al.) from the NASA Study Group probes deeper than past reports of overall OSDI score correlations. The multicenter, prospective, cross-sectional investigation assessed patients who presented for ocular surface disease care. In addition to completion of the OSDI, measures were taken for tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining (CFS), lissamine green conjunctival staining (LGS), Schirmer’s test, and meibomian gland grading (MGG).

Preliminary analysis included 250 participants across 13 sites. Significant correlations were identified between decreased TBUT and difficulty reading (r=-0.166, p=0.009). Increased CFS was associated with increased frequency of gritty sensation (r=0.166, p=0.008). Decreased Schirmer’s test was associated with increased symptom frequency in windy conditions (r=-0.195, p=0.002). MGG and LGS show no significant correlations.

“These outcomes should help eye care professionals derive even more value from their OSDI questionnaires, pointing them toward potential underlying issues and treatments,” said Anna Sulley, BSc(Hons), MCOptom, FAAO, FBCLA, Director, Global Medical Affairs at CooperVision. “We’re privileged to partner with some of the top researchers and institutions in ocular science, with the aim of improving fundamental clinical practice. The works being shared at ARVO 2023 reflect this collaborative spirit.”

An additional CooperVision-supported study on display in New Orleans demonstrates the effect of ceasing and then restarting contact lens use after three months in symptomatic wearers as measured by psychophysical responses to repetitive cooling stimuli.

Click HERE for the full press release.