Centre for Ocular Research & Education

Feed your addiction! Play the ultimate eye science game—Now free online

It was thrilling to unveil CORE Knowledge, the ultimate eye science game at ARVO 2018. Hundreds stopped by our booth to play and they were hooked in seconds to the rapid-fire, two-minute trivia game.

But the fun doesn’t have to stop just because ARVO has ended. CORE Knowledge is available for free online for you to continue to challenge your colleagues and friends from around the world. And newbies are welcome—if you haven’t played, this is one game you don’t want to miss! Go now to COREKnowledgeGame.org

Top scores will be displayed online for you to challenge and beat—will you make the cut?

Clinicians, researchers, journalists, students and industry professionals answered more than 14,000 questions during ARVO 2018. High scorer Rajini Peguda from the School of Optometry and Vision Science at UNSW Sydney, emerged the grand champion, and Will Ngo, University of Alabama School of Optometry, and Eric Carlson, Aerie Pharmaceuticals, came in second and third, respectively. Match wits with ARVO winners and challenge others to see your name reign on the board!

Got a Question for CORE Knowledge 2.0?

CORE Knowledge was born out of 30 years of working with partners to make great contributions to advancing vision science and research. With the first edition now played by members of the optometry and ophthalmology communities around the world, we invite you to submit questions to future editions of CORE Knowledge. Questions may be submitted, along with four multiple choice options (including the correct answer indicated) via email to COREgame@uwaterloo.ca.

Play, Play, Play!

CORE Knowledge is free and can be played online without downloading any software or applications. And there’s no limit to how often or how long you play. Go to COREKnowledgeGame.org

Learn more about CORE’s advanced biosciences, clinical research and education expertise at core.uwaterloo.ca

PRESS RELEASE – CORE Donates Digital Displays to ‘Iolani School as ARVO 2018 Comes to a Close

HONOLULU, May 4, 2018—At the conclusion of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting, the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) donated 4K flat screen displays, mounts and other supplies to the ‘Iolani School, a K-12 independent school located in Honolulu. The equipment was used at the annual ARVO meeting as CORE debuted the ultimate eye science game, CORE Knowledge, a digital, multiple choice trivia competition.

“We are grateful to CORE for thinking of us and making this donation to ‘Iolani,” said Tim Cottrell, Ph.D., head of school. “It’s likely that some of our students may some day attend ARVO themselves, as many make their way into medicine and research, helping bring positive change to the world.”

“If this donation helps spark the imagination and curiosity of even one student, it will be worth it,” said Lyndon Jones, PhD, FCOptom, FAAO, FBCLA, director. “Continued advances in ocular science require savvy people who can think independently, collaborate with peers, and ask questions that may never before have been posited. Perhaps we will have the pleasure of working alongside an ‘Iolani alumnus in the not too distant future.”

After being experienced by thousands of ARVO attendees, CORE Knowledge is now available for online play, using tablets, laptops and other mobile devices. Researchers, students, clinicians and others in the ophthalmology and optometry fields can simply visit COREKnowledgeGame.org, register with a few keystrokes, and take on peers around the globe.

CORE is the former Centre for Contact Lens Research (CCLR), having adopted the new brand in January 2018 to reflect its evolved and broadened scope of work. The Waterloo, Ontario, Canada-headquartered organization collaborates with sponsors, agencies and academia on advanced biosciences, clinical research and professional education, providing uncompromising independence and results of the highest quality. It serves a range of ophthalmic sectors, including medical devices, ocular pharmaceuticals, digital technology and others, with a focus on the anterior segment.

Founded in 1863, ‘Iolani School is situated on a 25-acre campus and serves 1,900 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. A culturally diverse, co-educational, college preparatory school with approximately 317 full-time faculty and staff, ‘Iolani is rated among the best independent schools in the country for its academic, arts and athletics programs. www.iolani.org

ARVO is the largest and most respected eye and vision research organization in the world. Its members include nearly 12,000 researchers from more than 75 countries, comprising clinical and basic researchers, many of whom are MDs and PhDs, as well as optometrists, osteopaths and veterinarians.

Download the press release (.pdf)

IACLE Americas Contact Lens Educator of the Year

Thanks to the International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE) for recognizing CORE Director Dr. Lyndon Jones as America’s Contact Lens Educator of the Year!

The awards were introduced in 2014 to recognize and reward achievements in contact lens education worldwide.

Other 2018 winners include Runa Mazumder, Assistant Professor at the Vidyasagar College of Optometry & Vision Science in Kolkata, India (IACLE Asia Pacific) and Wim Borst and Henri Eek from the Deltion College at Zwolle, the Netherlands (IACLE Europe/Africa-Middle East)

Jones accepted the award, noting that, “The vast majority of contact lens clinicians globally have been trained in some way by an IACLE-affiliated educator and without IACLE, and the resources it provides to educators, there is no doubt in my mind that contact lens practice would be behind where it is today. I am absolutely delighted to be given this award and I thank IACLE for its continued dedication to training the contact lens clinicians of tomorrow.”

The International Association of Contact Lens Educators was established in 1979 and is a non-profit, non-political association. IACLE has 782 active members (as of December 2017) in 71 countries and welcomes contact lens educators from all eye care professions and related disciplines. IACLE is dedicated to raising the standard of contact lens education and promoting the safe use of contact lenses worldwide. It is the leading provider of educational and information resources essential to contact lens educators.

See the press release

CORE Knowledge: The Ultimate Eye Science Game

Beginning Sunday, April 29, join the Centre for Ocular Research & Education at ARVO 2018 as we unveil CORE Knowledge. Match wits against your colleagues in Honolulu and around the world, putting your ocular knowledge to the test in a rapid-fire, fun-for-all quiz game.

Make sure to stop by CORE booth #1316 for your chance to play and win!

PRESS RELEASE – First of Its Kind Study Illustrates Prevalence of Myopia in Canadian Children

WATERLOO, Ontario, February 22, 2018—A study published in the journal Eye sheds light on the prevalence of myopia in Canadian children, validating findings and implications for healthcare policy makers, academic researchers and educators. Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, has been on the rise globally over the past several decades, with more severe forms being associated with high economic burden and increased risk for other vision-robbing conditions.

Findings in Myopia Prevalence in Canadian School Children: a Pilot Study indicated that while the rate of myopia was 6% in children aged 6-8, it soars to 28.9% in children aged 11-13. For one additional hour spent outdoors each week, the odds of being myopic were lowered by 14.3%. Genetics also play a role: children with at least one myopic parent were 2.52 times more likely to be myopic as well.

This study, the first of its kind in Canada, was conducted by the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE), the University of Waterloo’s School of Optometry & Vision Science and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Eye is the official journal of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists and is part of the esteemed Nature Research publishing group.

“Myopia is receiving significant attention from the eye health community worldwide, as incidence rates continue to climb among children at a startling pace,” said Mike Yang, OD, the paper’s lead investigator and a clinical associate at CORE. “Our research—the first non-clinical-practice-based epidemiological survey of myopia prevalence in Canada—paints a troubling picture, yet also shows the beneficial impact of outdoor time. We believe it adds meaningful, objective, and actionable knowledge to the research and clinical communities, as more efforts are placed against overcoming this critical and ever-growing problem.”

“The prevalence of myopia and the shift toward onset at an earlier age highlights the growing need for strategies to slow down its progression,” said Debbie Jones, FCOptom, FAAO, clinical professor at the School of Optometry & Vision Science and clinical scientist at the Centre for Ocular Research & Education. “CORE has played a significant role in clinical studies that have demonstrated the ability to control myopic progression. Patients may benefit from lower levels of myopia than if left unaddressed, likely lowering levels of sight threatening myopic complications.”

The paper notes that larger national studies would be able to provide even more evidence-based recommendations to the general public and healthcare stakeholders.

Download the press release (.pdf)

CORE Installs ‘Collected Insight’ Mural at University of Waterloo School of Optometry & Vision Science

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Faculty, Staff, Students and Community Celebrate Rebranding of CORE; Mural Collaboratively Created in Chicago Receives Permanent Home

WATERLOO, Ont., December 5, 2017—In mid-October, hundreds of the world’s foremost eye care professionals, researchers, students and industry leaders created a mural at the American Academy of Optometry’s annual meeting in Chicago, celebrating the launch of the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE). During a packed celebration yesterday, the work was unveiled and permanently installed at the University of Waterloo’s School of Optometry & Vision Science.

Formerly known as the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE), the new CORE name reflects the organization’s evolved focus on advanced biosciences, clinical research and education.

Titled Collected Insight, the 12-foot x 8-foot acrylic mural depicts the complexity and wonder of the eye and vision. Over the course of three days, Academy 2017 attendees donned protective lab coats and added their own artistic strokes to the massive canvas. Los Angeles-based artist John Park then transformed the cacophony of colors and shapes into the finished piece.

“Reaction to the CORE brand has been universally positive, as it better illustrates how we have broadened and deepened our offerings over the past 30 years, while at the same time advancing contact lens technologies and clinical knowledge,” said Lyndon Jones, PhD, FCOptom, FAAO, FBCLA, CORE’s director.

Download High Resolution Images from the Installation Using the Following Links:

CORE partners with contact lens innovators on programs that include materials formulation, care products, comfort initiatives, myopia control, dry eye, drug delivery, and education for both practitioners and patients. In more recent years, it has established a reputation for working with major and emerging pharmaceutical companies, digital technology giants, and academic institutions that value uncompromising independence and adherence to the highest quality standards.

“The Collected Insight mural and tonight’s celebration, attended by so many supporters and friends, shine a light on how success hinges on close partnerships. We have been fortunate to match the insights of our 50-person team with many of the world’s most brilliant scientists and clinicians, together achieving what would have once been deemed impossible,” noted Dr. Jones.

The mural is hung in the newest wing of the School of Optometry & Vision Science, immediately outside its main lecture theatre on the ground floor. The installation event was attended by a diverse group of faculty, staff, students, friends of CORE and members of the local community, many who have worked alongside CORE team members and/or have participated in CORE-led clinical trials.

CORE will begin using the brand on a widespread basis beginning in January 2018. For more information, please visit CORE.uwaterloo.ca.

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About the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE)

The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) – formerly known as the Centre for Ocular Research & Education – was established in 1988 at the University of Waterloo’s School of Optometry & Vision Science. Over the next two decades, founding director Desmond Fonn developed the organization from a three-person operation into a thriving hub of basic and applied research, playing a significant role in the early development and testing of silicone hydrogel lenses and the role of oxygen in corneal health, along with many other initiatives related to the performance of contact lenses and solutions.

In 2011, Lyndon Jones was appointed director, and has continued to inspire the organization’s evolution. Today, its approximately 50-person team collaborates with sponsors, agencies and academia on advanced biosciences, clinical research and education, providing uncompromising independence and results of the highest quality. It 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 cclr.uwaterloo.ca.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Mike McDougall, APR, Fellow PRSA
McDougall Communications for CORE
mike@mcdougallpr.com or +1.585.545.1815 (mobile)

Aimee J. Lewis
McDougall Communications for CORE
aimee@mcdougallpr.com or +1.585.414.9838 (mobile)

Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) Renamed Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE)

For nearly three decades, the world’s optometry and ophthalmology communities have partnered with the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) at the University of Waterloo’s School of Optometry & Vision Science on pioneering studies. Beginning in January 2018, the organization will adopt a new name: the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE).

“We have been fortunate to work with a broad range of sponsors and collaborators on many of the most dynamic developments in the field,” said Lyndon Jones, PhD, FCOptom, FAAO, FBCLA, CORE’s director. “Every day, our team dedicates itself to improving global eye health and vision through advanced biosciences, clinical research and education. CORE reflects our capacity to do so with uncompromising independence, by adopting the highest quality standards, and collaborating with world leaders in diverse research areas. It speaks to who we have become without forgetting where we began.”

A new logo echoes CORE’s primary focus on the eye. Interlocking elements in distinct blue, green, and orange colours represent biosciences, clinical research and education expertise, coming together in support of its mission.

“We continue to partner with innovators in contact lens technologies on myriad programs, including materials formulation, care products, comfort initiatives, myopia control, dry eye, drug delivery and education. Yet we are also working with major and emerging pharmaceuticals companies, digital technology giants, and academic institutions around the world on complex and fascinating initiatives that hold incredible potential for vision correction and enhancement,” continued Jones.

The CORE brand was premiered at the American Academy of Optometry’s 96^th annual meeting, which began today in Chicago. In conjunction, CORE commissioned Los Angeles-based artist John Park to co-create a massive 12-foot x 8-foot acrylic mural during the meeting, depicting the complexity and potential of the eye and sight.

On Wednesday, October 11 (4 – 7 p.m.) and Thursday, October 12 (11 a.m. – 6 p.m.), all badged attendees are encouraged to visit CORE booth #001 (turn right upon entering Hall D) in McCormick Place, slip on a protective lab coat, and add their own distinctive brush strokes to the one-of-a-kind portrait. The mural will be completed on the show floor on Friday, October 13, then formally unveiled at an evening reception. It will be permanently installed at CORE headquarters at the University of Waterloo’s School of Optometry & Vision Science in Waterloo, Ontario.

The official CORE name change will occur following final ratification by the University of Waterloo Board of Governors.

Click here for the Press Release

CORE Invites Academy 2017 Attendees to Co-Create Massive Mural

When doors open to the McCormick Place exhibit hall at Academy 2017 in Chicago, attendees will have the chance to literally leave their mark at the meeting. In celebration of its 30th anniversary in 2018, the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) commissioned Los Angeles-based artist John Park to co-create a massive 12-foot x 8-foot acrylic mural, which is focused on the complexity and wonders of the eye and sight. Read more

Epidemiology: Pediatric myopia in Waterloo Region

CORE researchers Mike Yang, Doerte Luensmann and Debbie Jones recently completed a cross-sectional myopia prevalence study targeting school children ages six to thirteen, in the first study to measure prevalence in a non-clinical Canadian population.

We know that the prevalence of pediatric myopia is growing worldwide, but until recently did not have any Canadian figures for comparison. CORE researchers Mike Yang, Doerte Luensmann and Debbie Jones recently completed a cross-sectional myopia prevalence study targeting school children ages six to thirteen, in the first study to measure prevalence in a non-clinical Canadian population. The work was conducted in collaboration with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and was partly funded by Essilor. Results were presented at the 2016 meeting of the American Academy of Optometry.¹

The study took place at schools in the Waterloo Region, an area that comprises two mid-sized Canadian cities representing a large demographic cross-section of people. With roots in manufacturing and farming, the region has more recently seen the growth of a thriving high-tech industry with a median age of 38 years. As of 2012, 19.1% of the population was under the age of 14.²

Automated refraction, subjective refraction and visual acuity were tested at a first study visit at participating Schools, and those with a subjective of at least -0.50D in at least one eye were invited to attend a second visit that repeated these tests after cycloplegia, along with other biometric measures. Parents provided information about their child’s activities via a questionnaire.

One hundred sixty-six children completed the study. Myopia prevalence was 17.5% among the overall group, 6% among ages 6-8, and 29% among ages 11-13. The mean subjective spherical equivalent refraction in myopic children was -1.10D at ages 6-8, and -2.44D at ages 11-13. In this study, 34.5% of the myopic children were uncorrected, which represented 6.0% of the entire group of children. Mean axial length increased by 1.03mm from ages 6-8 to ages 11-13 (p < 0.01). Examination showed that one additional hour of outdoor time per week lowered the odds of a child having myopia by 14%.

Yang M, Luensmann D, Fonn D, Woods J, Gordon K, Jones L, Jones D. Myopia prevalence in Canadian school children. American Academy of Optometry: E-abstract 165328.
Statistics Canada, 2011 census.