Archives: Core News

Research scientists in Canada, United Kingdom and United States share guidance on safe wear and handling; thorough hand washing and disinfection compliance are important

WATERLOO, Ontario, March 12, 2020—Three of the world’s most published researchers in eye health are responding to misinformation circulating regarding contact lens and spectacles/glasses wear amidst Novel Coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic.

Lyndon Jones, director of the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) at the University of Waterloo (Canada); Philip Morgan, director of Eurolens Research at The University of Manchester (United Kingdom); and Jason Nichols, Associate Vice President Research and Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry (United States) and editor in chief of Contact Lens Spectrum are advising eye care professionals and consumers to heed sound, evidence-based practices.

• Contact Lens Wear is Safe. Despite myths and misinformation that have arisen over the past 48 hours, contact lens wear remains a safe and highly effective form of vision correction for millions of people worldwide.
• Proper Hand Washing is Essential. When using contact lenses or spectacles, careful and thorough hand washing with soap and water followed by hand drying with unused paper towels is paramount. For contact lens wearers, this should occur before every insertion and removal.
• Disinfect Contact Lenses. Contact lens wearers should either dispose of their daily disposable lenses each evening, or regularly disinfect their monthly and two-week lenses according to manufacturer and eye care professional instructions.
• Disinfect Spectacles and Glasses. Some viruses such as COVID-19 can remain on hard surfaces for hours to days, which can be transferred to spectacles wearers’ fingers and faces. This especially holds true for presbyopes (people generally over the age of 40). Most presbyopes require reading glasses and they may be putting them on and off their face multiple times a day. This age group appears to be among the more vulnerable population for developing COVID-19, as compared with contact lens wearers, who are typically younger.
• Discontinue Lens Wear Only if Sick. Ceasing contact lens wear when sick is advised, consistent with guidance for other types of illness.
• Spectacles are Not Proven to Offer Protection. There is no scientific evidence that wearing spectacles or glasses provide protection against COVID-19 or other viral transmissions.

A recent peer-reviewed paper published in Contact Lens and Anterior Eye draws attention to how hand washing habits could affect the development of contact lens related microbial keratitis and corneal inflammatory events.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization recommend that people clean their hands often to reduce their risk of contracting the virus. Specifically, they advise all people to:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Use approved personal protective eyewear (medical masks, goggles or face shields) in certain settings involved in the care of patients (https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331215/WHO-2019-nCov-IPCPPE_use-2020.1-eng.pdf).

About the Experts

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, Director Lyndon Jones and the 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.

Eurolens Research at the University of Manchester is a specialist contact lens and ocular surface research group, founded in 1990.  The group is led by Professor Philip Morgan who also serves at Head of Optometry and Deputy Head of the Division of Pharmacy and Optometry at the University.  Professor Morgan is Immediate Past President of the International Society for Contact Lens Research and Vice President of the International Association of Contact Lens Educators.

Jason J. Nichols, OD MPH PhD is an Associate Vice President for Research in the Office of the Vice President for Research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Professor in the School of Optometry. He also actively conducts ocular surface and contact lens research and trains PhD students and Fellows. He writes and lectures extensively on contact lenses and ocular surface conditions such as dry eye and meibomian gland disease.  Dr. Nichols is currently Editor of Contact Lens Spectrum and Contact Lenses Today®, whose publications reach over 50,000 eyecare practitioners worldwide. He also chairs the Global Specialty Lens Symposium, which is the largest contact lens specific meeting in North America. Dr. Nichols also serves as an Associate Editor for Eye and Contact Lens and is on the editorial board of The Ocular Surface. Dr. Nichols is a dual diplomate in both the American Academy of Optometry’s (AAO) sections of Public Health and Environmental Optometry and Cornea, Contact Lenses, and Refractive Technology. His awards include three Ezell Fellowships and the Borish Award from the American Academy of Optometry and Distinguished Scholar and Fellow of the National Academies of Practice.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Mike McDougall, APR, Fellow PRSA
McDougall Communications for CORE
mike@mcdougallpr.com or +1-585-545-1815 (mobile)

Mike Addelman, Media Relations Officer
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester
michael.addelman@manchester.ac.uk or +44 7717 881567

Adam Pope, Public Relations Specialist
University of Alabama at Birmingham
arpope@uab.edu or +1-205-934-6986

Recent Study Highlights Importance of Good Practices to Avoid Infection

WATERLOO, Ontario, March 11, 2020—As bottles of soap are flying off the shelves and hand sanitizer is in short supply since the global spread of Novel Coronavirus COVID-19, people are paying more attention to hand washing practices. While there is no suggestion of an association between COVID-19 and safe contact lens wear, for the millions of lens wearers worldwide, the increased focus on hand washing is a welcome message.

A recent literature review from Professor Emeritus Desmond Fonn and the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) reports that proper hand hygiene is especially important for people who use contact lenses. The peer-reviewed study, published in Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, draws attention to how hand washing habits could affect the development of contact lens related microbial keratitis, which can be severe and sight-threatening, and corneal inflammatory events.

“Everyone is suddenly Googling handwashing techniques with the spread of COVID-19,” said Lyndon Jones, PhD, DSc, FCOptom, FAAO, FBCLA, the paper’s co-author and director of CORE. “Clearly this is sensible advice to help reduce the risk of transferring the virus, however, outside of the current crisis, focus on good hand washing techniques should be mandatory for contact lens wearers too. With the amount of information available on this topic right now, it is timely to remind lens wearers of just how much the simple act of thorough hand washing can reduce their risk of lens-related complications occurring.”

The paper notes that in line with its ability to reduce the spread of disease, careful and thorough hand washing with soap and water followed by hand drying with unused paper towels should greatly reduce the transfer of microbial contamination from hands to the contact lens or eye. Clean hands plus use of daily disposables results in the lowest risk of contact lens-related complications. For wearers of reusable lenses there are additional guidelines on lens and case cleaning which can be downloaded for patient use from CORE’s Contact Lens Update educational resource.

Seeing is Believing

In 2018, CORE published a series of eye-popping photos that demonstrate the rapid growth of bacteria associated with mishandling contact lenses.  CORE researchers exposed new, clean contact lenses to both clean and unwashed hands. Unwashed hands were pressed into agar (Figure 2a), and also used to handle a new contact lens (Figure 2b). Scientists then repeated the procedure after following recommended handwashing practices, touching both the agar directly, along with applying and removing a contact lens (Figures 2c and 2d). The results clearly demonstrate the impact handling has on contact lenses. Samples that had been touched with unwashed hands showed significantly higher numbers of visible bacteria. By comparison, the contact lens touched with clean hands had only a minimal bacterial load.

“Contact lenses are a safe, highly effective form of vision correction used by millions of people worldwide, but ignoring good contact lens care can have a devastating effect on eye health and vision,” says CORE senior research associate Miriam Heynen, MSc, who conducted the experiment with laboratory research assistant Vivian Chan, BSc. “Taking care of your contact lenses with clean, dry hands is essential, a point that is clearly illustrated in the images shared here.”

Photos from the handling study are available for use by eye care professionals and contact lens wearers alike at https://core.uwaterloo.ca/news/seeing-is-believing-eye-popping-photos-show-why-good-contact-lens-hygiene-is-essential/

Dr. Jones concluded by saying “We understand the relevance of good hand washing practices for everyone in the current climate of COVID-19. Beyond the current heightened focus, it is also prudent to remind contact lens wearers of their ongoing need to conduct good hand hygiene prior to touching their lenses and eyes.”

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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 CONTACT
Aimee J. Lewis
McDougall Communications for CORE
aimee@mcdougallpr.com or +1.585.414.9838

Organization Continues to Extend Its Global Reach in Ocular Research;
Multiple Scientists to Present Papers, Posters and More in the Netherlands

WATERLOO, Ontario, February 24, 2020—Scientists from the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) will have their largest-ever presence at the 8th Dutch Contact Lens Congress (Nederlands Contactlens Congress / NCC), which runs March 15-16 in Veldhoven, The Netherlands. CORE researchers are scheduled to present multiple papers, posters and education sessions on some of the most critical issues in contact lens prescribing and development, including industry growth, contact lens safety, wearer satisfaction and pediatric use.

“The theme of the conference is ‘Beyond 2020’ and we consider this an apt description of what we have in store for NCC this year,” said CORE Head of Clinical Research Jill Woods, MSc, MCOptom, FAAO, FBCLA. “Our topics are central to what’s ahead for the entire contact lens category. CORE’s independence, the breadth of our research capabilities, and our work with a range of sponsors globally generate unique perspectives—ones we’re excited to share in Veldhoven.”

Dr. Woods is the lead author of “5 years of daily disposable contact lens wear in children,” which will be presented on Monday, March 16 at 1:30 p.m. in conjunction with the MiSight® 1 day clinical study group. She will also deliver a podium review of the “Satisfaction of habitual wearers of reusable multifocal lenses when refitted with a daily disposable, silicone hydrogel multifocal lens” poster on the afternoon of Sunday, March 15, in addition to co-moderating the larger session.

Doerte Luensmann, PhD, Dipl. Ing. (AO), FAAO, a senior clinical scientist at CORE, will speak on new digitally-aided techniques for successful lens fitting as part of two paper presentations. “The use of a modern web-application to assist reusable toric lens fitting success” and “Toric lens fitting success supported by an online fitting app” will be shared back-to-back, beginning on Monday, March 16 at 2:12 p.m.

CORE Clinical Scientist Karen Walsh, BSc(Hons), PGDip, MCOptom, FIACLE, FBCLA, and Director Lyndon Jones, PhD, DSc, FCOptom, FAAO, FBCLA, are teaming up at NCC for two continuing education programs that are sure to draw sizable crowds.

The first program, on Sunday, March 15 at 11:15 a.m., explores the opportunities for continued expansion of the daily disposable modality. They will be joined by Philip Morgan, BSc, PhD, MCOptom, FAAO, FBCLA, director of Eurolens Research at The University of Manchester.

The second program will take place on Monday, March 16 at 9:30 a.m. Drs. Walsh and Jones will partner with Marco van Beusekom, BOptom, FIACLE, Professional Affairs manager, Benelux, Johnson & Johnson Vision, to discuss best practices in safe wear and care of contacts and the importance of encouraging compliance in practice.

In addition to its clinical education tracks, NCC is also known for bringing together eye care professionals with social events, celebrating friendships and professional relationships alike. The eye care professionals attending NCC will be in for a special treat as the opening day comes to a close, when Drs. Jones and Walsh assist Sarah Morgan, BSc(Hons), MPhil, MCOptom, FAAO, FBCLA, in a comedy and live music-filled eye and music-themed quiz. Those festivities get underway at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 15 in the Baronie Room.

For more information about CORE, please visit core.uwaterloo.ca.

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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

 Issue #52 Showcases Biosensing and Integrated Displays;
Provides Advice on Scleral and Orthokeratology Materials for Immediate Use in Practice

WATERLOO, Ontario, February 17, 2020—The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) has published issue number 52 of its free online education magazine, Contact Lens Update. With contributions from experts in North America and Australia, the new edition explores multiple aspects of current and future contact lens material technologies.

In a provocative editorial, CORE research scientist and OcuBlink co-founder Chau-Minh Phan discusses ongoing research into biosensing contact lenses, noting the many and varied diseases that can be detected and monitored through tears. He also evaluates the Mojo smart lens, whose recent concept unveiling at the 2020 CES conference generated unprecedented worldwide attention from the technology and healthcare communities.

Imagine being able to recommend a contact lens that contains an antihistamine to help with seasonal allergy symptoms. This technology is on the near horizon. Alex Hui, senior lecturer at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, reviews a recent clinical study in patients with confirmed allergic responses who wore special drug-loaded contact lenses while exposed to allergens.

While the future is filled with intriguing advancements, the good news is that today’s eye care professionals do not have to wait for all new materials technologies. In a clinical insights story, Langis Michaud, professor at the University of Montreal, discusses the evolution of highly oxygen permeable materials for scleral and orthokeratology use. He shares research that can help increase the oxygen delivery of the scleral lens system, and practical advice that can be applied immediately for patient benefits.

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.

# # #

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

Issue #51 Presents Key Learnings & Advice for Instant Application to Everyday Practice

WATERLOO, Ontario, December 16, 2019—The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) has published issue number 51 of its free online education magazine, Contact Lens Update. For the first time, an entire edition has been dedicated to a single conference: the Canadian Dry Eye Summit, which was held in Toronto in mid-November.

“Clinical management of dry eye disease is front of mind for many practitioners as they explore building and expanding their contemporary evidence-based practice,” said Karen Walsh, CORE clinical scientist and Contact Lens Update editor. “We’re excited to bring the best of the Canadian Dry Eye Summit to professionals around the world through our newest issue.”

In its second year, the sold-out two-day conference delivered credible and practical education to nearly two hundred optometrists. Speakers ranged from authors of the Tear Film and Ocular Surface (TFOS) Society’s Dry Eye Workshop (DEWS) II report, to TFOS DEWS II global ambassadors, through to practitioners who are already successfully operating dry eye specialties in their businesses.

Key observations from the speakers are summarized in the editorial of this special edition along with a downloadable summary of the TFOS DEWS II diagnostic and treatment algorithms designed by CORE. The conference highlights section covers how to take steps to start or expand a dry eye practice. Nutrition and supplementation as they relate to dry eye are reviewed in the feature article, and a clinical insight focuses on the use of symptom questionnaires.

“We were delighted with the level of enthusiasm displayed by the practitioners attending the summit,” said Dr. Richard Maharaj, specialist dry eye practitioner and educational chair of the conference. “We hope the education shared will help practitioners to better serve their dry eye patients, and believe this collaboration with CORE and Contact Lens Update will help disseminate that information to a much wider audience. Dry eye practice is a rewarding area in which to specialize. I encourage any interested practitioners to read this edition of Contact Lens Update, to consider attending one of our two conference dates for 2020 in Vancouver and Toronto and to stay engaged with our online learning resource which is currently being developed.”

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 CooperVision, Alcon and Johnson & Johnson Vision.

# # #

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

Bi-Monthly Digital Publication Helps Eye Care Professionals Advance Contact Lens Patient Care and Practice Success

SAN RAMON, Calif., December 3, 2019—Affirming its commitment to supporting eye care professionals (ECPs) worldwide through clinical education, CooperVision has become a sponsor of Contact Lens Update (contactlensupdate.com). Published six times per year by the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE), the digital magazine 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 readers. November marked Contact Lens Update’s 50^th edition, for which noted Australian optometrist and research scientist Paul Gifford was invited to guest curate content focused on orthokeratology.

“CooperVision is proud to become a sponsor of Contact Lens Update, reflecting our aligned objectives to share new developments with ECPs that help advance contact lens patient care and practice success,” said Gary Orsborn, OD, Vice President, Global Professional & Clinical Affairs for CooperVision. “We work closely with and consider CORE to be a key research partner. Contact Lens Update is known for aggregating new research findings and identifying key insights, translating ocular science for the benefit of contact lens clinical practice and wearers.”

“We’re delighted to have CooperVision partner with us in support of Contact Lens Update, ensuring its continued availability and evolution for tens of thousands of dedicated readers across six continents,” said Karen Walsh, MCOptom, CORE Clinical Scientist and the publication’s editor.

In addition to accessing a complete archive of back issues, ECPs can visit ContactLensUpdate.com’s resource library for no-cost professional tools, patient resources, images and video. The site also houses complementary technical training videos produced by International Association of Contact Lens Educators, plus an industry glossary. Clinicians, researchers and educators can access the latest issue directly from ContactLensUpdate.com or quickly sign up for email receipt of future issues.

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About CooperVision

CooperVision, a unit of CooperCompanies (NYSE:COO), is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of soft contact lenses. The Company produces a full array of monthly, two-week and daily disposable contact lenses, all featuring advanced materials and optics. CooperVision has a strong heritage of solving the toughest vision challenges such as myopia, astigmatism and presbyopia; and offers the most complete collection of spherical, toric and multifocal products available. Through a combination of innovative products and focused practitioner support, the company brings a refreshing perspective to the marketplace, creating real advantages for customers and wearers. For more information, visit www.coopervision.com.

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 Contact

Mike McDougall, APR, Fellow PRSA
McDougall Communications for CooperVision
mike@mcdougallpr.com or +1-585-434-2150

Aimee J. Lewis
McDougall Communications for CORE
aimee@mcdougallpr.com +1-585-414-9838

Latest Issue Designed for ECPs Interested in Ortho-K but Don’t Know Where to Start and for Those Seeking Updates on New Research in the Field

WATERLOO, Ontario, October 31, 2019—The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) has published its 50^th edition of Contact Lens Update. Since the first issue in 2011, the digital magazine has been translating latest global research into relevant, practical advice for eye care professionals.

“Feedback from subscribers shows more than nine out of ten practitioners say Contact Lens Update is a useful resource, provides relevant information and helps them stay informed¹,” said Karen Walsh, CORE clinical scientist and its editor. “Given that track record, CORE is delighted to release the landmark 50^th issue as a special edition focused on ortho-K.”

Paul Gifford, the noted Australian optometrist and research scientist specializing in ortho-K and myopia control, was invited by CORE to curate the special edition. His editorial is a comprehensive guide to getting started with ortho-K, covering basic theory, considerations about astigmatism, and how to select suitable patients for those first few fits.

The key takeaways from that editorial can be found in the free-to-download clinical insight practitioner factsheet. This has been designed as a handy, quick reference guide on how to take those first few steps in ortho-K fitting.

Paul’s feature article reviews the current evidence and ongoing work on the potential for delivering more effective myopia control through customized ortho-K lens design.

The conference highlight shares interim results from a current study examining the efficacy of combining ortho-K with pharmacological treatments.

“I am delighted to be given the opportunity to produce this special issue of Contact Lens Update,” said Gifford. “Practitioners are naturally interested in myopia control, and whilst many have heard of the results that can be achieved with ortho-K, they may not feel confident to start fitting the lenses themselves. My hope is the information we have produced will help them take those early, simple steps into the world of ortho-K”

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 complementary 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 CooperVision, Alcon and Johnson & Johnson Vision.

# # #

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

 

Reference
1. Contact Lens Update annual survey, 2019. n=96, top 2 box, strongly agree/somewhat agree

Review of Myopia Management to Share Content from Contact Lens Update, and CORE to Contribute Original Articles to Review of Myopia Management

WATERLOO, Ontario, October 30, 2019—The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) today announced a collaboration with Review of Myopia Management, published by Jobson Medical Information.

The collaboration has begun with Review of Myopia Management sharing content from CORE’s online clinical educational magazine, Contact Lens Update. Now available in the resources section of Review of Myopia Management are summaries of each of the International Myopia Institute (IMI) reports. Authored by members of CORE’s clinical science team, and originally appearing in issue 47 of Contact Lens Update, each provides a short summary key insights and recommendations from the reports. Links to the full IMI open-access papers are also available through both websites.

“The IMI reports were long-anticipated and much needed. In an evolving clinical field such as myopia management, it is of paramount importance that eye care professionals keep themselves informed to offer the best possible evidence-based therapies to their patients,” said Karen Walsh, Clinical Scientist and editor of Contact Lens Update. “The IMI reports contain a valuable summary of that evidence base as it currently stands. Content initiatives through Contact Lens Update and Review of Myopia Management help translate that information into practical advice for use in practice.”

Over the next 18 months, CORE scientists will also contribute original articles on key topics for Review of Myopia Management. Dr. Lyndon Jones, director of CORE, summarized the relevance of the initiative: “Recognising the worldwide epidemic of myopia, we value the opportunity to collaborate with partners such as Review of Myopia Management in order to increase opportunities for practitioners to access and evaluate new research, thinking and techniques.”

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 complementary 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 Contact Lens Update  receives support from the educational arms of Alcon and Johnson & Johnson Vision.

# # #

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

WATERLOO, Ontario, September 30, 2019—Evidence shows that there is a wide choice of preserved artificial tears which can be recommended within a larger treatment plan for mild to moderate dry eye disease.

According to researchers at the University of Waterloo, while preservative-free drops are best for severe dry eyes, they are not the only option to consider in the management of more mild stages of the disease.

“The preservative benzalkonium chloride (BAK) is known to irritate the surface of the eye and should be avoided in all dry eye patients, however, there is good evidence that alternatively preserved drops can be safely used in mild to moderate cases.” said Karen Walsh, a Clinical Scientist at Waterloo’s School of Optometry and Vision Science and the Centre for Ocular Research & Education. “Preservative-free drops can be more expensive, and many are packaged in single-dose containers that can be difficult for elderly patients to use.

“This study provides an important recommendation to eye care practitioners: they have more options for treating mild to moderate dry eye than they may think.”

As part of their research, Walsh and co-author Lyndon Jones, reviewed a range of studies including clinical trials and laboratory testing which showed that artificial tears containing alternative preservatives are significantly safer to the surface of the eye than BAK-preserved drops.

“It is important for patients with symptoms of dry eye to seek medical advice when choosing which drops are best. An examination with their eye care professional can diagnose the type and severity of dry eye, which will result in more effective treatment and ongoing management of the condition.” said Walsh.

This literature review, The use of preservatives in dry eye drops, authored by Walsh and Jones was recently published in the journal Clinical Ophthalmology.