Dr. Debbie Jones, Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) at the University of Waterloo
A new podcast designed for non-medical listeners explains the reasons behind the global childhood myopia epidemic and what that means for Canadian families. Featuring Dr. Debbie Jones, from the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) and internationally known myopia expert, the 22-minute discussion is part of the Don’t Lose Sight interview series from the Canadian Association of Optometrists.
The episode is available on the series website, as well as through major podcast platforms including Spotify and Amazon Music.
Dr. Jones defines myopia and how it can worsen as a child grows. Speaking with podcast host Denise Balch from Connex Health, she describes the associated risks for more severe vision impairment later in life as a potential consequence.
Dr. Jones notes that recent work showed a 30% prevalence among 11- to 13-year-olds in the Waterloo-Kitchener region. Remarkably, one-third of those children’s caregivers were unaware of the problem until the research project uncovered the condition.
Far from being insurmountable, preventing or delaying the onset of myopia is possible, says Dr. Jones. She recommends that group benefits administrators and wellness coordinators help their employees consider outdoor time and screen time plans for their children. She also describes a range of therapies that are available to slow myopia progression, including specialized contact lenses and eyeglasses, as well as eye drops.
Dr. Jones concentrates her clinical work in pediatric optometry and research in myopia control.
The School of Optometry and Vision Science is celebrating a commitment of $1 million from IRIS, Canada’s most established network of optometrists, opticians and ophthalmologists.
IRIS made their pledge to enhance diagnostic imaging and improve technology for future optometrists as part of the School’s Seeing Beyond 2020 campaign. This fundraising campaign will create the Waterloo Eye Institute (WEI) – a national resource that will enrich student experiences, deliver care to remote communities and support patient health across the Waterloo region.
“I’m grateful for this commitment to the School of Optometry and Vision Science from IRIS,” says Dr. Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo. “Providing advanced imaging technology will not only enhance our students’ education, but also improve patient care across our region.”
L-r: Dr. Stan Woo (Director, School of Optometry and Vision Science), Dr. Barbara Pelletier (Optometric Coordinator, IRIS), Dr. Daryan Angle (Vice President, Business Development, IRIS) and Dr. Carol Cressman, at the announcement of the IRIS pledge to School of Optometry and Vision Science Seeing Beyond 2020 campaign.
“We are always looking at how technology can play a role in eye care and enhance the level of service we provide for patients,” says Dr. Daryan Angle, vice president of business development and optometrist at IRIS. “Contributing specifically to the imaging lab will help bring quality care to future generations and prepare optometrists for the highest level of practice.”
This investment will equip the WEI with diagnostic imaging resources, providing opportunities for students to learn about ground-breaking technology and allowing patients to better understand their own eyes. Additional resources will include a lab with a library of images that will give students detailed knowledge of eye diseases.
“Digital imaging is an essential part of daily clinical practice now. This contribution from IRIS will allow us to ensure that we are at the forefront of innovative ophthalmic technology, enabling us to optimize and improve health outcomes for our patients,” says Dr. Nadine Furtado, professor and head of Ocular Disease and Imaging Services in the School of Optometry. “It will also give our students the opportunity to have experiential training with the latest technology and prepare the next generation of optometrists for the future of eye care.”
With improved access to care and expertise, patients in Waterloo region will have a greater ability to protect their vision and their overall health.
“On behalf of the School’s patients, clinicians and students, I’d like to thank IRIS for their extraordinary partnership,” says Dr. Stanley Woo, director of the School of Optometry & Vision Science. “With this support, the Waterloo Eye Institute will enhance clinical education and improve outcomes of patients in our local and global communities. This is a remarkable investment, and a testament to IRIS’s commitment to innovation in eye care.”
Optik Editor Shan Khan travelled to the City of Light to get caught up on the latest trends in eyewear design, technology and manufacturing. Here is her SILMO Paris Diary!
A source of inspiration and progress, the SILMO Paris has been influencing the optical world for more than 50 years. The 2022 forum featured more than 735 exhibitors across a diverse range of categories including smart and connected machines and glasses, children’s eyewear, luxury frames, sport frames, and lens and eyewear materials.
Welcome to Paris!
It’s so exciting to be amid the hustle and bustle of the fabulous French capital, surrounded by fashion, grace and elegance. I am in my element – energized to be here and filled with anticipation for this iconic and inspiring event.
The doors of SILMO Paris open into a calm and serene space. Ushers dressed in 1940s-style bellhop uniforms, along with stylishly- dressed models in beautiful yellow leather skirts are there to happily greet and direct me. Walking into the vast expo space is like a dream come true for an optical nerd like me, with large exhibit halls filled with spectacular designs and innovations.
Voting for the SILMO d’Or awards start today with winners announced tomorrow night. I’m so excited to be asked to judge the nominees – what a fantastic experience. There are literally hundreds of independent designers here – it’s hard to take it all in.
New silicone artwork frames by Morfo Eyewear of Italy catch my attention. The poetry is in the material here, with the mineral substance taking on unpredictable shapes and colours.
Custom “bespoke” frames are hot. Designers like Nina Mur offer up an old-style creativity, an art form that has almost been forgotten. It gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling to see these designs.
A lot of manufacturers are also devoting more resources to developing new shapes, styling and colours for children’s frames. I’m thrilled to chat with Eyelet designer Mr. Yang about some of the key trends in eyewear for kids.
The SILMO Trends Forum highlights some of the product and design themes we can expect to see in the coming months. Here they are:
Combination (unlimited designs) – Composite frames – in metal and plastic – assert their “streamlined sophistication” with essential shapes.
Big Brown – Black has not disappeared, of course. However, intense dark browns are taking over, offering a variety of rich tones.
Bulky – Glasses with nothing to hide, eager to grab centre stage, with substantial proportions that can be quite exaggerated. A wide array of materials, thickness and curves steal the show for an impressive look.
Enlightened Classics – This concept takes a new perspective of familiar eyewear shapes, redesigning and resizing them to bring a fun touch and a stylistic twist that reaches outside the box, breaking with the established codes while maintaining a certain elegance.
There’s also lots of opportunity for professional development, with the show addressing two current issues: myopia and the importance of good vision in an ageing population. Experts shared their research and shed light on these two broad themes. The SILMO Next forum looked at how technology can revolutionize the optical and eyewear sector, including a workshop about the emergence of the Metaverse in the optical world.
I end the day exhausted but energized and ready to take in more of the city of light.
It’s SILMO d’Or Awards Day
Returning to the event space on Sunday, it’s nice to be able to check in with our independent Canadian eyewear designers, shining as they always do.
The Rapp booth is very busy, with many interested visitors.
Spectacle Eyeworks was proudly displaying a stunning new collection. I was flattered to be introduced to two new namesake frames by creator Mehran Baghaie, the “Shan,” inspired by yours truly, and “Wendy,” named for Wendy Buchanan, Optician and Image consultant, founder of Perceptions Eyewear in Mississauga.
Speaking of Wendy, I was so proud to see her nominated for the International Optician of the Year Award. Nominees were evaluated based on criteria including professionalism, communication skills, innovation, creativity and commitment to the profession. It was a tight race for our Canadian nominee against opticians from three other countries, with the award going to Grant Hannaford of Australia. Congratulations to Grant!
After a few invigorating days at SILMO, I leave Paris feeling both excited and overwhelmed by the sheer scale and spectacle of this amazing show. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to absorb the extraordinary creativity and energy on display, and to meet with new and old friends in this inspiring atmosphere. The experience has left me feeling extremely optimistic about the future of our industry and our incredible potential. I can’t wait to return — until we meet again!
The Toronto International Centre was the venue for a full day of CE, workshops and trade exhibits focused exclusively on Myopia Management on Sunday November 6th.
Nearly 200 participants availed themselves of the opportunity to learn and networkon the topic, which is evolving quickly. The global leading role that Canada plays in advancing therapeutic options and standard of care were repeating themes through the day.
Canada has lead the way in establishing myopia management as the standard of care and offers a wider array of approved treatments to slow the progression of myopia relative to the more conservatively regulated US market. This is particularly true as it relates to specially designed spectacle lens options.
The event was organized by CRO (Clinical & Refractive Optometry), and Review of Myopia Management (RMM) and copresented with GMAC (the Global Myopia Awareness Coalition).
THE Myopia Meeting provided 4-hours of COPE-approved continuing education credit interspersed with manufacturer workshops by CooperVision, EssilorLuxottica, and Hoya. Johnson & Johnson Vision was also a sponsor and shared information about its new lenses now available in Canada
After an introduction by Review’s chief medical editor Dwight Akerman, OD, MBA, FAAO, FBCLA, FIACLE, Debbie Jones, BSc, FCOptom, presented her course: “Myopia Control—Where We Are Now and Where We Are Going.”
Vishakha Thakrar, OD, FAAO, FSLS, in her presentation on “Managing Myopia Control Challenges and Complications,” reiterated Canada’s myopia management standard of care along with the currently available treatments, and discussing the genetic and environmental factors influencing myopia including information on the impact of the COVID pandemic on myopia prevalence.
Langis Michaud, OD, MSc, author of Managing Myopia One Child at a Time, began his CE course by emphatically stating, “You have to do something instead of single vision lenses. Because “Any myopia progression before the age of 10 is a time bomb!”
Stephanie Ramdass, OD, MS, MBA, FAAO, FSLS, wrapped up the day with her course: “Tips for Troubleshooting Myopia Management.” “Myopia spectacles really do have an advantage here in Canada,” she said, referencing the spectacle lenses available there that are not yet FDA approved in the U.S. “If we can target that 6- to 8-year-old group we can make a difference.”
As GMAC Board chair, Dr. Millicent Knight explained how the organization has been building consumer awareness around myopia management since 2018 including a brief overview of plans for Canada.
The calendar of events for the forthcoming edition of MIDO set to take place February 4th to 6th at Fiera Milano Rho, will soon be available. Only at MIDO will opticians find the entire eyewear supply chain represented – from manufacturers of lenses and machinery to the leading international producers of optical and sun frames, alongside small independent designers. OttiClub is the space where training and conferences with industry professionals are held, while the famous MIDO squares will be enlivened with meetings, conversations, enjoyment and entertainment.
Even though the calendar of conferences, events and meetings during the show is still being finalized, the exhibit areas and pavilions for the next MIDO are certain. In fact, six pavilionsat Fiera Milano Rho will host MIDO 2023, one more than at the previous edition.
The trade fair also returns to its ‘traditional’ location with stands in pavilions 1 and 3, 2 and 4, 6 and 10. Also confirmed are the exhibit areas – Fashion District, Design Tech, Design Lab, Lenses, FAiR East, Tech, Lab Academy and Start Up. The latter, introduced last year, will host emerging players at an eco-sustainable stand made with recycled and recyclable materials, in keeping with the show’s environmental accountability program begun in 2019.
Exhibitors from around the globe, arriving from Europe as well as from the UK and USA, to mention just the top countries, have already reserved their space at MIDO. Excellent response also from Asian businesses that are returning this year to the area dedicated to their products.
“We are extremely pleased with the participation by Asian countries, especially China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, India, Malaysia and Thailand, that, despite the still-high Covid restrictions,will exhibit at the forthcoming edition of the show, remarked Giovanni Vitaloni, President of MIDO. Last May, as we closed the doors of MIDO 2022, we were determined to bring back the Asian exhibitors and, in spite of the difficult international situation, we are achieving our objective, another sign of the international appeal of the Milanese eyewear show.”
Nominations are open for the BeStore award, decided by an international jury of experts and presented to optical centers that offer the best shopping experience, in the ‘Design’ category, and the most outstanding customer service, in the ‘Innovation’ category. To nominate your stand, complete the form: https://www.mido.com/en/bestore-award by no later than January 9, 2023.
Now in its 2nd edition, theStand Up for Green award will also be presented at MIDO 2023, in recognition of the most sustainable stand, in terms of focus on environmental impact and use of materials. To nominate your stand, please complete the form on the website by January 15, 2023:https://www.mido.com/en/stand-up-for-green. Award winners will be announced during MIDO 2023.
The American Academy of Optometry (AAO) was recognized as a Cochrane Eyes and Vision (CEV) Center for Evidence-based Vision Care during Academy 2024 Indianapolis, November 6-9, 2024.
K-774’s retro-inspired look features patterned base acetate and custom lamination on the temple, creating a striking look where colours blend seamlessly.
Delve into the world of night vision technology. From thermal imaging to infrared systems, explore how these innovations improve our ability to see in the dark.
The American Academy of Optometry (AAO) was recognized as a Cochrane Eyes and Vision (CEV) Center for Evidence-based Vision Care during Academy 2024 Indianapolis, November 6-9, 2024.
K-774’s retro-inspired look features patterned base acetate and custom lamination on the temple, creating a striking look where colours blend seamlessly.
Delve into the world of night vision technology. From thermal imaging to infrared systems, explore how these innovations improve our ability to see in the dark.
The American Academy of Optometry (AAO) was recognized as a Cochrane Eyes and Vision (CEV) Center for Evidence-based Vision Care during Academy 2024 Indianapolis, November 6-9, 2024.
K-774’s retro-inspired look features patterned base acetate and custom lamination on the temple, creating a striking look where colours blend seamlessly.
Delve into the world of night vision technology. From thermal imaging to infrared systems, explore how these innovations improve our ability to see in the dark.
The American Academy of Optometry (AAO) was recognized as a Cochrane Eyes and Vision (CEV) Center for Evidence-based Vision Care during Academy 2024 Indianapolis, November 6-9, 2024.
K-774’s retro-inspired look features patterned base acetate and custom lamination on the temple, creating a striking look where colours blend seamlessly.
Delve into the world of night vision technology. From thermal imaging to infrared systems, explore how these innovations improve our ability to see in the dark.
