NEW YORK—Companies and organizations throughout the world that are dedicated to promoting vision and eye health showed their commitment to these causes with an outpouring of support on World Sight Day yesterday. World Sight Day served as a springboard for a wide range of initiatives, as VMAIL reported on Oct. 6 and Oct. 8. To mark the 20th anniversary of World Sight Day, EssilorLuxottica deployed numerous initiatives across the world, including awareness campaigns, art collaborations, vision screenings and donations of glasses, accelerating… Read more »

ORLANDO—The American Academy of Optometry Foundation (AAOF), in partnership with the Allergan Foundation, has announced two grant recipients this year in the areas of the anterior segment and glaucoma. The recipient of the Allergan Foundation Grant in the area of the anterior segment is Suzanne MJ Fleiszig, OD, PhD, FAAO. Dr. Fleiszig is a professor of optometry and vision science, microbiology, and infectious disease and immunity at the University of California, Berkeley School of Optometry. Read more »

WASHINGTON, D.C.—To generate greater consumer familiarity with contact lens health and safety year-round in the U.S. and Canada, the Contact Lens Institute (CLI) has launched The EASY Way (Eyes, Awareness, Safety and You). The program includes simplified wear and care tips, attention-grabbing infographics, and companion digital resources for eyecare professionals and staff to use in their practices, all available from EASYWayProgram.org. At the center of the program are three easy steps to healthy, comfortable contact lens wear: Read more »

CARLSBAD, Calif.—Centricity Vision, a global ophthalmic technology company, announced that Jim Mazzo has been appointed to the company’s board of directors. Mazzo is one of the ophthalmic industry’s best known and most well respected business leaders with over 40 years of experience. His global reputation for building and running world-class organizations is based on 22 years leading Allergan’s North American and European eyecare organizations; seven years as Chairman, president and CEO of Advanced Medical Optics (AMO); four years as executive… Read more »

LAVAL, Quebec and DEER PARK, Ill.—Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE/TSX: BHC), Bausch + Lomb and Eton Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ETON) jointly announced that the FDA has approved Alaway Preservative Free (ketotifen fumarate) ophthalmic solution, 0.035%, antihistamine eye drops (EM-100). The new drops will be “the first over-the-counter (OTC) preservative-free formulation eye drop approved to temporarily relieve itchy eyes due to pollen, ragweed, grass, animal hair and dander,” according to the announcement. These are the the eye symptoms that affect approximately 80 percent of people with allergies,… Read more »

DUNEDIN, Fla.—iViews Imaging System and Oculo recently announced a North American partnership to bring an integrated solution to enhance clinical collaboration and improve models of eyecare. “We are delighted to work with the iViews team, who so clearly share Oculo’s passion to improve eyecare for patients by providing superior solutions for clinicians. Oculo will bring comprehensive teleophthalmology tools that enhance both the clinical practice and business performance for our optometry and ophthalmology customers,” said Dr. Kate Taylor, CEO and founder of Oculo. Read more »

CHARENTON-LE-PONT, France—Essilor said Monday that it launched a trial of its Stellest lens, a new generation of spectacle lens solutions in the fight against myopia, in July at the Wenzhou Medical University Eye Hospital in China. Read more »

CHICAGO—Prevent Blindness, the nation’s oldest volunteer non-profit eye health organization, has declared October as Contact Lens Safety Month. Read more »

BALTIMORE— While many medical specialties have heavily relied upon telehealth as a means to observe, interact with and evaluate patients, “ocular telemedicine requires a slightly different approach when it comes to managing eye health,” according to a new white paper issued by Versant Health. Read more »

EMERYVILLE, Calif.—NovaBay Pharmaceuticals is expanding its Avenova consumer marketing programs designed to generate greater awareness of its antimicrobial lid and lash spray and promote online sales. Read more »