Essilor is launching a radio and digital media campaign in Australia and New Zealand on 27 March specifically targeting parents as part of its plan to increase myopia awareness.
The leading ophthalmic lens company said the multi-pronged media campaign will highlight its recently launched lens solution, Essilor Stellest.
“Essilor is committed to drive understanding of a new myopia solution with patients and parents, as well as educating and supporting optometrists as they continue to proactively manage childhood or children’s myopia,” the company said.
Myopia has been increasing around the world, including in Australia and New Zealand, for more than 20 years. According to the latest research, it is estimated that nearly five billion people, or half of the world’s population, will be myopic by 2050, including one billion who will be highly myopic.
Research shows the rise in the incidence of myopia in children is in part due to the growth of children’s near vision work, such as screen use, and reduced time outdoors.
Drawing on more than 30 years of research and development in myopia, Essilor’s Stellest lenses are said to offer children the dual benefit of myopia correction and control, slowing myopia progression by 67% on average when compared to single vision lenses, when worn 12 hours a day, without any aesthetic compromise.*
Marco Caccini, general manager wholesale ANZ at EssilorLuxottica, said Essilor is committed to tackling myopia to help make a much-needed impact on children’s lives everywhere.
“We are making this investment to support the industry and in particular the independent optometrists, by creating awareness with consumers about the newest solution option, bringing patients to their practices and supporting them to build loyalty with families,” he said.
“This initiative perfectly aligns with our ongoing mission to help people see more and be more, while continuing our role to develop the industry by strongly supporting independent practices to thrive in the market across Australia and New Zealand.”
Ultimately aimed at driving patients to Essilor partners, this campaign acknowledges how the rising global prevalence of myopia and its related social, economic and health complications make simply correcting myopia no longer a viable solution, the company said.
“It is possible to envision a way forward where myopia control is based on a multi-disciplinary approach with closer collaboration between optometrists and ophthalmologists,” Essilor said.
The campaign also includes in-practice elevations and training programs specifically tailored for the local, personalised and clinically focused services offered by Essilor partners.
* Spectacle Lenses: A Randomized Clinical T*Compared to single vision lenses, when worn by children at least 12 hours per day every day. Bao, J., Huang, Y., Li, X., Yang, A., Zhou, F., Wu, J., Wang, C., Li, Y., Lim, E.W., Spiegel, D.P., Drobe, B., Chen, H., 2022. Spectacle Lenses With Aspherical Lenslets for Myopia Control vs Single-Vision rial. JAMA Ophthalmol. 140(5), 472–478. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2022.0401
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