Centre for Ocular Research & Education

Experts Address Dangers of Inappropriate Contact Lens Substitution in New Contact Lens and Anterior Eye Paper

WATERLOO, ONTARIO, October 4, 2021—A newly published review paper addresses the dangers and consequences of inappropriate soft contact lens substitution by consumers and resellers, offering objective, evidence-based perspective on a globally proliferating issue. All soft contact lenses are not created equal (Efron N, et al.; doi.org/10.1016/j.clae.2021.101515) is now in press from Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, the peer reviewed journal of the British Contact Lens Association.

Its authors represent some of the most prominent researchers in the contact lens field: Nathan Efron, Phillip Morgan, Jason Nichols, Karen Walsh, Mark Willcox, James Wolffsohn, and Lyndon Jones, who is director of the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE).

The paper details the multifactorial reasons that qualified eye care professionals choose a particular contact lens, including a patient’s anterior ocular anatomy and physiology, lens handling, appearance, lifestyle, and affordability. However, those critical considerations may be ignored when purchasing from unregulated suppliers or even regulated suppliers who fail to understand that all soft contact lenses are not the same.

The research considers 16 independent material, design, optical and other properties of soft contact lenses, evaluating the reasons why these properties might be appropriate for a given lens wearer. These include surface treatment, internal wetting agents, oxygen permeability, water content, modulus, total diameter, back optic zone radius, thickness, edge profile, back surface design, optical design, power, color (tint), ultraviolet protection, wearing modality and replacement frequency.

The paper subsequently highlights problems likely experienced when using contact lenses other than those which have been specifically prescribed. Substitution of all but one of the properties considered (back surface design) was found to be related to at least one—and as many as six—potential sources of patient dissatisfaction and adverse ocular events.

The authors write that “Given the wide range of parameters and properties available, few soft contact lenses are identical in their clinical performance. The consequences of inappropriate substitution of soft contact lenses can vary from physical or visual discomfort to significant physiological complications.”

“While highly trained eye care professionals appreciate the differences between soft contact lenses, that is not well understood by some regulatory bodies, various retailers, and the public at large. My co-authors and I believe there are substantial opportunities to better illustrate those variations and the very real consequences of inappropriate substitution. We hope this paper will serve as a benchmark for advancing that discussion,” said Dr. Jones.

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About the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE)
The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) 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 +1.585.545.1815

Dr. Lyndon Jones Elected as Royal Society of Canada Fellow

WATERLOO, ONTARIO, September 8, 2021—Dr. Lyndon Jones, director of the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) and professor at the School of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Waterloo, has been named a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) Class of 2021.

Founded in 1882, the RSC comprises the Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences, and The College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. The organization recognizes excellence, advises the government and other entities, and promotes a culture of knowledge and innovation in Canada and with other national academies around the world.

Dr. Jones is among 89 new fellows across Canada elected by their peers for outstanding scholarly, scientific, and artistic achievements. He is one of three University of Waterloo researchers to be awarded this elite distinction.

“I am extremely honored to be admitted to this long-standing scholarly organization,” said Dr. Jones. “The RSC challenges its members to make significant contributions of knowledge, understanding, and insight through engagement with society and I look forward to furthering its mandate in any way I can.”

“This year, the Royal Society of Canada welcomes an outstanding cohort of artists, scholars and scientists, all of whom have excelled in their respective disciplines and are a real credit to Canada,” said RSC President Jeremy McNeil.

Dr. Jones’ research interests primarily focus on the interaction of novel and existing contact lens materials with the ocular environment, dry eye, and the development of novel materials for ocular drug delivery. He has authored over 400 refereed and professional papers, one textbook and given over 1000 invited lectures at conferences worldwide in over 40 countries. He has been awarded over 30 national and international awards. He holds three of the higher clinical awards granted by the UK College of Optometrists, is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, in which he is a Diplomate in Cornea and Contact Lenses and is also a Fellow of both the International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE) and the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA).

Alongside his fellow inductees, Dr. Jones will be awarded his fellowship in November, during the RSC’s Celebration of Excellence and Engagement Weekend.

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About the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE)

The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) 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 +1.585.545.1815

New Contact Lens Update Focuses on Axial Length Measures in Myopia Management

WATERLOO, Ontario, September 7, 2021—Issue 61 of Contact Lens Update, now available for free from the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE), addresses the importance of physiological growth and axial length in myopia management. Sharing new insights from recent research publications and conference presentations, the latest edition is packed with clear information to help increase understanding about one of the most discussed topics in eye care.

Jeff Walline, associate dean for Research at The Ohio State University College of Optometry and study chair of the Bifocal Lenses In Nearsighted Kids (BLINK) Study, contributes both the editorial and feature article review. He discusses the merits of including axial length measures in myopia management practice and shares important information on how to interpret them. This can help practitioners understand expected versus myopic eye growth, and therefore the impact of myopia management interventions that have been prescribed.

A related study by Alex Nixon and his colleagues is shared in the conference highlight. Their poster examines the presence of physiologic eye growth in myopic children, concluding that clinicians must be aware of its presence when judging the efficacy of myopia management interventions. While complex, a better appreciation of these growth factors will help enhance eye care professionals’ overall care of young myopes.

Rounding out the issue are Shalu Pal’s clinical case studies that provide real-world insights. She shares three cases, demonstrating in each how axial length measures are used to help inform the efficacy of the chosen myopia management intervention, and how that ultimately informs the patients’ ongoing treatment plan.

“Myopia management has dominated discussions across the profession for the past couple of years, and momentum is only growing,” said Lyndon Jones, CORE’s director. “A glance at agendas for upcoming meetings such as the Global Myopia Symposium and American Academy of Optometry shows intense interest in axial length and physiological growth. This issue of Contact Lens Update is a perfect primer for members of the eye care community before logging on or flying into a conference.”

Published six times per year, Contact Lens Update provides a global platform for unbiased clinical insights based in current research. Since 2011, each issue has provided dependable and up-to-date ocular health information for more than 60,000 leading eye care professionals.

In addition to a complete archive of back issues, ContactLensUpdate.com offers a resource library that provides no-cost professional tools, patient resources, images and video. It also houses complimentary technical training videos produced by International Association of Contact Lens Educators, plus an industry glossary. Industry professionals can access the latest issue directly from ContactLensUpdate.com or quickly sign up for email receipt of future issues.

The publication receives support from the educational arms of Alcon, CooperVision, and Johnson & Johnson Vision.

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About the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE)

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 +1.585.545.1815

Expertscape Names Lyndon Jones as the Decade’s Top Contact Lens Expert

CORE’s Chau-Minh Phan Also Included Among Top 40 Researchers

WATERLOO, ONTARIO, August 25, 2021—Biomedical website Expertscape has published an update to its rankings of the world’s top authorities in contact lenses. Lyndon Jones, PhD, DSc, FCOptom, FAAO, director of the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE), achieved top honors for the past decade.

CORE Research Assistant Professor Chau-Minh Phan, MSc, PhD, FAAO, was ranked 38^th. The University of Waterloo—at which CORE is based—ranks number three among institutions globally. Several distinguished CORE and University of Waterloo School of Optometry & Vision Science alumni are also recognized.

“It’s a genuine honor to be named among peers for whom I have the utmost respect and admiration,” said Jones, who also topped the list in 2019. “No single person is responsible for the breathtaking advances being made in contact lenses. This list reflects widespread brilliance in chemistry, materials science, optics, engineering, clinical excellence and so many other fields that are leading to better products, treatments and patient experiences. Moreover, there’s unprecedented collaboration among these researchers, further accelerating the pace of change.”

Expertscape objectively ranks people and institutions by their expertise in more than 29,000 topics, based on searches of PubMed-logged articles spanning the past decade. The website allows health care professionals and consumers to find the best institutions, the leading experts, and the latest publications about a range of medical subjects. The entire contact lens ranking—which accounted for 3,688 articles published from 2011-2021, can be accessed at http://expertscape.com/ex/contact+lenses

Dr. Jones is also represented on Expertscape’s contact lens solutions global experts’ list, ranked number three.

Earlier this year, an independent group unveiled a dynamic global ranking system to recognize the world’s top 200 optometry researchers. Updated automatically every 24 hours, the Global Optometrist Top 200 Research Rankings are available at optomrankings.com. While Expertscape focuses on number of papers published, OptomRankings also incorporates h-index, years of active publishing, and number of citations across a longer time span.

CORE has been involved in some of the most meaningful advancements in the history of contact lenses, including the evolution of silicone hydrogel lenses and extended wear, the development of the daily disposable lens modality, and understanding dropout and dissatisfaction with lens wear. Many of the contact lens and dry eye products currently on the market have undergone preliminary testing at CORE prior to their regulatory approval. The organization is also at the forefront of evaluating contact lens, spectacle and pharmaceutical myopia management interventions.

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About the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE)

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 +1.585.545.1815

CORE Summarizes BCLA CLEAR Guidance for Contact Lens Practitioners

New Issue of Contact Lens Update Interprets and Consolidates the 10 Global Sub-Reports into a Single, Easy-to-Use Document

WATERLOO, Ontario, June 15, 2021—The latest issue of Contact Lens Update, now available for free from the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE), consolidates conclusions from the new British Contact Lens Association’s (BCLA) Contact Lens Evidence-based Academic Reports (CLEAR) initiative into an easy-to-read summary for contact lens practitioners.

“CLEAR brought together 10 committees and more than 100 authors from sixteen countries to produce 300 pages of scientific review. This covered all aspects of contact lens practice, from routine fitting through to specialty lenses, management of complications, and future technology,” said Karen Walsh, CORE’s education team leader and editor of Contact Lens Update. “Our BCLA-commissioned summary of all ten sub-reports extracts and explains the insights most relevant for clinical practice in one simple guide. This will become a frequent reference for eye care professionals wanting to implement the latest standards in contact lenses while remaining abreast of forthcoming trends and opportunities.”

The CLEAR sub-report summary promotes best practice, evidence-based procedures and clinical decision making for contact lens patients. Found in the issue’s Feature Article section, each five-minute read provides an overview of key take aways by topic and a link to the comprehensive open access paper for further reading. Multiple CORE scientists authored the original reports; they joined other CORE staff and global collaborators in developing the new condensed guidance.

CLEAR author and BCLA Certificate Programme Lead Dr. Manbir Nagra wrote the new issue’s editorial. She identifies common themes across the reports, highlights how to interpret scientific publications, examines the evidence base for several widely held beliefs, and looks to the future of contact lens practice.

Insights from CORE Senior Research Scientist Dr. Sarah Guthrie are shared in the Conference Highlight. Presented this week at the 2021 BCLA Clinical Conference & Exhibition, her work with multifocal soft contact lenses explores the link between comfort and vision performance, reminding eye care professionals of the importance of optimising both elements to help enhance the wearing experience.

“It’s a lovely coincidence that Issue #60 of Contact Lens Update is being published during the 60^th anniversary of soft contact lens pioneer Otto Wichterle creating the very first hydrogel lenses in his kitchen. The CLEAR series paints a fascinating portrait of how far we have come in the past six decades, and the breathtaking developments on the horizon,” said Dr. Walsh.

The publication receives support from the educational arms of Alcon, CooperVision, and Johnson & Johnson Vision.

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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 +1.585.545.1815

CORE Announces 2021 BCLA Virtual Clinical Conference Presentations for June 13-14

Future Contact Lens Applications, Comfort and Multifocals on Tap for Globally Streamed Event

WATERLOO, Ontario, June 3, 2021—The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) today announced its participation in the 2021 BCLA Virtual Clinical Conference, which will run from June 13-14 as a globally-available digital live stream. Even in the midst of the pandemic, CORE has continued to widely publish and present topics critical to the future of optometry and ophthalmology.

Among the conference highlights will be Dr. Lyndon Jones’ COPE-accredited session on future applications for contact lenses, culled from the BCLA’s new Contact Lens Evidence-based Academic Reports (CLEAR) series. Contact Lens Technologies of the Future (Jones L, et al.) represents one of the most comprehensive reviews of advancements that will shape the category’s future, including novel biomaterials, nanotechnology progress, unique optical designs, biosensing discoveries, antibacterial agents, plus battery miniaturization and power transfer.

“Since its initial publication only two months ago, the future technologies paper has captured the attention of our peers and from emerging entrants to the category. It has also drawn interest from mainstream news media in multiple countries, sparking dozens of stories and stimulating consumer interest in contact lenses. The opportunities for manufacturers, eye care professionals and of course the millions who will benefit from these innovations cannot be overstated,” said Jones.

Dr. Chau-Minh Phan, a research assistant professor with CORE, was among the paper’s 14 co-authors. Six other CORE scientists contributed to the broader BCLA CLEAR Reports series, serving as co-authors on a variety of papers that cover anatomy and physiology, complications, evidence-based practice, and the effect of lens materials and design.

Professor Eric Papas will chair an Alcon-sponsored session on contact lens comfort, with contributions from Professors Lyndon Jones, Jennifer Craig (New Zealand) and Greg Sawyer (USA) on the BCLA main stage, as part of the conference’s application track. They will review the complex interactions that occur between contact lens materials, ocular surface cells and the tear film, and how these interactions impact comfort and ultimately wearer retention.

Professor Jones will also be one of four BCLA-designated North American hosts acting as chairs for the second half of day one. In addition, CORE researchers Jill Woods, Doerte Luensmann, Marc Schulze, and Sarah Guthrie are each presenting narrated posters regarding a multifocal contact lens clinical study, available as part of the conference’s extensive scientific program.

BCLA anticipates that more than 1,000 United Kingdom and international contact lens professionals will attend the June 2021 conference over the course of its 30-hour live stream.

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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 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

New Contact Lens Update Focuses on Ocular Allergy

Latest Issue Provides a Comprehensive Review of the Condition and Practical Advice on Contemporary Management

WATERLOO, Ontario, April 29th, 2021—The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) has published issue number 59 of its free online education magazine, Contact Lens Update. Just in time for peak allergy season in the Northern Hemisphere, this edition provides an overview of the essential aspects of diagnosing and managing this itchy, uncomfortable condition that can impact up to 40% of patients.

Drs Laura Periman, Sathi Maiti & Natasha Balani

This issue’s editorial has been written by members of the Periman Eye Institute in Seattle, Dr. Laura Periman and her two fellows Drs. Sathi Maiti and Natasha Balani. Together they give a complete review of ocular allergy, plus all-important practical advice on how best to diagnose and treat the condition, from its mildest to most severe forms.

A recent publication highlighted the connection between ocular allergy and dry eye disease, and Dr. Katherine Mastrota, director of optometry for the NY Hotel Trade Council Employee Benefit Funds, provides a review of that work in the feature article. Her overview offers clear guidance to help improve patient care, and illustrates the importance of accurate differential diagnosis and the need for tailored treatment across the spectrum of these two inter-related conditions.

The theme of practical, clinical advice in this issue of Contact Lens Update continues with Canadian Optometrist, Dr. Shawn Moore’s review of an open access publication that covers all aspects of allergic conjunctivitis. From quality-of-life considerations to the need for inter-professional collaboration for complicated cases, Moore shares insights along with a simple treatment algorithm for use in practice.

Finally, the conference highlight brings a glimpse of the future with an additional, soon to be available, new option for contact lens wearers who have seasonal allergies. With the recent regulatory approval for an antihistamine-releasing contact lens being given in Japan, this novel technology has taken a step closer to becoming available for patients. Ahead of that, read about its sustained drug-release profile in work by Dr. Brian Pall and colleagues that was presented at ARVO 2020.

The publication receives support from the educational arms of Alcon, CooperVision, and Johnson & Johnson Vision.

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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 +1.585.545.1815

Contact Lenses to Advance Well Beyond Refractive Error Correction, According to New BCLA CLEAR Report

Contact Lens Technologies of the Future Paper Reviews Progress in Materials and Designs that Underpin Innovative Uses for Disease Detection & Therapy, Drug Delivery, Vision Enhancement and More

WATERLOO, Ontario, March 29, 2021—A newly-published paper represents one of the most comprehensive reviews of advancements to come in contact lenses, catapulting the commonly-used medical device to applications well beyond refractive error correction.

Contact Lens Technologies of the Future (Jones L, et al.) is now in press from Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, the peer review journal of the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA). It joins nine other papers being printed in next month’s special edition as part of the BCLA-led Contact Lens Evidence-based Academic Reports (CLEAR) series.

“There are a range of diverse technologies that are shaping the future of contact lenses, in some cases already showing their potential in late-stage development initiatives and even commercially-available products,” said Lyndon Jones, director of the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) and the paper’s lead author. “Novel biomaterials, nanotechnology progress, unique optical designs, biosensing discoveries, antibacterial agents and even battery miniaturization and power transfer are coalescing like never before. The next several years will see incredible advancements and growth for an expanded contact lens category.”

The extensively-referenced paper explores several areas in which innovations are anticipated to make an impact. The presence of biomarkers in the tear film will give rise to diagnostic contact lenses to help detect and monitor systemic and ocular diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and dry eye disease. Integrated circuit progress may give rise to in-lens intraocular pressure monitoring for glaucoma and even retinal vasculature imaging for early detection of diseases such as hypertension, stroke and diabetes.

Ocular disease treatment and management may likewise benefit from progress in fluid dynamics, materials science and microelectronics. Dehydration-resistant materials combined with electro-osmotic flow and reactive oxygen species-scavenging materials—when integrated into lenses—could offer alternative dry eye disease therapies. Liquid crystal cells could replicate the functionality of the pupil and iris arrangement, autonomously filtering incoming light to overcome physiological defects. Embedded, tunable spectral filtering has the potential to mitigate color vision deficiencies.

Drug delivering contact lenses may offer more accurate dosing versus traditional eye drops, increasing the residence time of a drug on the ocular surface with less exposure to elements such as blinking and non-productive conjunctival absorption, reducing the many known side effects of drugs. Delivery might come from in vitro uptake and release, incorporation of drug-containing nanoparticles into contact lens materials during the manufacturing process, and even molecular imprinting to imbue polymers with memory characteristics that aid dispensation. These techniques and related advancements will open up opportunities for contact lenses as theranostics, the multi-disciplinary medical field that combines therapeutics and diagnostics. Uniting sensing technology and microfabrication, theranostic lenses would release appropriate therapeutics based on continuous monitoring inputs, replacing more invasive procedures.

While “smart” lenses have become associated with on-eye head-up displays, the authors write that optical enhancements extend well beyond those manifestations. Customized optics could address aberrated eyes, with the front surface of a lens shaped to specifically reduce measured aberrations based on each person’s unique corneal shape. Embedded microelectronics might constantly monitor corneal gaze direction, controlling optical elements to address presbyopia in real time. Myopia control lenses are slowing axial growth in children, responding to one of the most pressing issues in eye health today. And optical and digital display discoveries hold the potential for assisting people who suffer from low vision—and then extend to the general population to replace or supplement traditional screens.

The paper concludes with an overview of packaging and storage case material and design developments that may offer improved hygiene and reduced wearer-induced contamination.

Joining Dr. Jones as one of this paper’s 14 authors is Chau-Minh Phan, a research assistant professor with CORE. Six other CORE scientists contributed to the BCLA CLEAR Reports series, serving as co-authors on papers regarding anatomy and physiology, complications, evidence-based practice, and the effect of lens materials and design.

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About the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE)
The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) 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 +1.585.545.1815

CORE Offers Tips on Seeking Eyecare During the Pandemic, Provides Free Infographics for ECPs to Use with Patients

Companion Feature Article for The Conversation Answers Frequent Patient Questions; Now Reaching Millions Worldwide through Mainstream Media

WATERLOO, Ontario, March 10, 2021—As the global COVID-19 pandemic enters its second year, a new initiative from the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) is addresses questions that may keep people from seeking proper eye care.

CORE has designed two infographics that eye care professionals can incorporate into ongoing patient communications, such as through newsletters, email campaigns, website content, social media and in-office displays. Created to be quickly read and easily understood, one infographic focuses on reasons to urgently contact an eye doctor. The other reassures patients of common steps being taken to ensure safety during in-office exams. Both are available for download from COVIDeyefacts.org and may be used at no cost if the content is not altered.

In conjunction, CORE Clinical Scientists Alison Ng, PhD, BSc(Hons), MCOptom, FAAO, and Mike Yang, OD, BSc, FAAO, have authored a consumer-facing feature story in collaboration with The Conversation, the non-profit, independent news organization that carries content from academic experts. “Why You Shouldn’t Neglect Eye Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic” is being distributed to major mainstream news outlets around the globe. The story has already been published by high visibility sources including Yahoo! News, The National Post, and MSN.

“Like many of our peers worldwide, CORE’s optometrists and clinical scientists have been hearing people’s confusion and concerns about their eyes in relation to COVID-19. Addressing the most frequent should help patients and their families maintain healthy vision while remaining safe,” said Dr. Ng. “Through our new infographics and feature story, we hope that eye care professionals will be able to spread the word even further in their communities.”

CORE has been one of the most prominent and cited voices regarding ocular health during the pandemic, including leading efforts in mid-2020 to combat misinformation regarding COVID-19 and contact lens wear. The group was also responsible last year for bringing global professional and consumer attention to mask associated dry eye (MADE). More information regarding these programs and the new initiative are available at COVIDeyefacts.org.

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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

New Website Dynamically Tracks World’s Top Optometry Researchers

WATERLOO, Ontario, March 5, 2021— Four ocular researchers have developed a dynamic global ranking system to recognize the world’s top 200 optometry researchers. Updated automatically every 24 hours, the Global Optometrist Top 200 Research Rankings are available at optomrankings.com.

Drs. Philip Morgan, Lyndon Jones, Jason Nichols and Nathan Efron, along with programmer George Morgan, created the website based upon a new co-authored paper that was published in Clinical and Experimental Optometry. The paper can be downloaded at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08164622.2021.1878863

Inclusion on the list is determined through widespread global searches that identify optometrists who have published extensively, in both optometry and other disciplines. All metrics are compiled through a custom tool that accesses the Scopus search engine. Ranking factors include h-index, number of publications, years of active publishing, and number of citations. Individual h-indexes of the top 200 range from 68 to 21, with numbers of published papers as high as 443.

Lyndon Jones, director of the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) at the University of Waterloo, a paper co-author and co-creator of the website, is currently ranked #14. He also ranks fifth among optometrists who have been cited at least 1,000 times in a single year, fifth in the category of most prolific optometrists, and eighth in publication rate.

“It’s quite incredible to see the efforts of researchers with a background in optometry reflected through this new tool, and intriguing to consider the total impact of their work,” said Dr Jones. “While I’m humbled to be among many peers and friends, I am even more enthusiastic to see the growing impact of new research and researchers, helping the field continue to evolve. This publication certainly confirms the fact that optometry is an evidence-based discipline.”

The University of Waterloo ranks fifth among all institutions on the list. In addition to Dr. Jones, the following Waterloo researchers are ranked: Trefford Simpson, Desmond Fonn, Jacob Sivak, Daphne McCulloch, Thomas Freddo, Paul Murphy, Christopher Hudson, Luigina Sorbara, William Bobier and Anthony Cullen.

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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 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