WATERLOO, CANADA and BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, November 30, 2020— The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) and Myopia Profile today announced an alliance designed to expand both organizations’ services and reach. This unique venture brings together two groups both at the forefront of research and education in their respective fields. The affiliation will grow CORE’s already extensive clinical research capabilities, adding expertise in specialty lenses, gas permeable, orthokeratology and scleral contact lenses, provide Myopia Profile with priority access to a world-leading clinical research site, and further extend the professional and patient education capabilities for which each team is internationally known, including the areas of myopia management.
The heads of CORE and Myopia Profile—Dr. Lyndon Jones and Drs. Paul and Kate Gifford, respectively—have a multi-decade professional relationship dating back to the mid 1990’s. They have often collaborated on projects, lectures and other initiatives designed to advance ocular health and science.
“Our new alliance is a natural extension of our respect for one another, which has grown into friendship as the years have passed. We have long been aware of synergies in our work, along with areas where we can each extend the capabilities of the other. I’m delighted that the time is right for our respective organizations to take this step, and I am excited to see what we can achieve together,” said Dr. Jones.
“We share many points of view with CORE—clinically and personally—making this partnership a natural evolution of our relationship. Paul and I are delighted to be able to work more closely with the wider team at CORE, and look forward to sharing the results of this joint venture with the profession,” said Dr. Kate Gifford.
CORE and Myopia Profile will maintain their individual identities, facilities and staffing while pursuing projects together.
About Myopia Profile
Myopia Profile is the world’s largest and most popular, multi-channel educational resource dedicated to childhood myopia management. Developed by husband-and-wife optometrist team Drs Paul and Kate Gifford, it was first built around the Clinical Myopia Profile patient communication tool developed by Kate from 15 years’ experience in her Brisbane CBD practice. Starting as a bulk email to share the tool, then a website, then a Facebook group, Myopia Profile has now grown into a thriving, engaged community of many thousands of optometrists around the world, across web and social media platforms. The Myopia Profile team develops internationally accessible professional education, online courses, clinical communication tools and public awareness assets, and has expertise in bespoke industry learning and software solutions, and collaborative translational research. For more information, please visit myopiaprofile.com.
About the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE)
The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) – formerly known as the Centre for Contact Lens Research – was established in 1988 at the University of Waterloo’s School of Optometry & Vision Science. Over the next three decades, the organization evolved from a three-person operation into a thriving hub of basic and applied research, collaborating with sponsors, agencies and academia on advanced biosciences, clinical research and education. Its uncompromising independence and results of the highest quality have been at the heart of many of the most prominent advances in eye health. Today, its approximately 50-person team serves a range of ophthalmic sectors, including medical devices, ocular pharmaceuticals, digital technology and others, with a focus on the anterior segment. For more information, please visit core.uwaterloo.ca.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Aimee J. Lewis or Mike McDougall, APR, Fellow PRSA
McDougall Communications for CORE
aimee@mcdougallpr.com +1.585.414.9838 | mike@mcdougallpr.com +1.585.434.2150