Ophthalmic lens manufacturer Hoya Vision Care Australia & New Zealand and ophthalmic equipment maker Haag-Streit have announced a strategic partnership focused on tackling the global rise of myopia in children.
The global sales and marketing agreement creates a preferred partnership between Hoya and Haag-Streit – and its local distributor Device Technologies Australia – to provide eyecare professionals with LENSTAR Myopia by Hoya, for the diagnosis and treatment of myopia.
In a statement, Hoya stated the alliance would allow eyecare professionals to establish their myopia management capabilities using LENSTAR Myopia by Hoya, which is based on the technology featured in the Lenstar 900 optical biometer and the corresponding EyeSuite myopia management software platform.
The technology provides information and education to patients and parents about myopia and its progression. This, combined with Hoya’s MiyoSmart spectacle lens, launched in 2018, creates a strong one-two approach to diagnose and manage myopia, the companies announced.
Hoya’s MiyoSmart lens adopts Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (D.I.M.S.) technology, which the company said it clinically proven to slow down myopia progression on average by 60% in children ages eight to 13.
“The strategic partnership with Haag-Streit aligns with one of Hoya Vision Care’s core missions to provide information and innovative solutions to our valued eyecare professionals who are on the frontlines as we globally address the rapidly growing problem of myopia in children,” Hoya Vision Care CEO Mr Alexandre Montague said.
“By bringing together our organisations’ technologies and solutions we are creating a seamless approach for our eyecare professional business partners to expand their myopia management capabilities and tackle this growing problem.”
Mr Thomas Bernhard, CEO of Haag-Streit Group, added: “Haag-Streit is pleased to enter into this strategic partnership with Hoya Vision Care, which provides eyecare professionals with an end-to-end and comprehensive package that optimally equips them to combat myopia.
“We are convinced that with this seamless intersection of the LENSTAR Myopia by Hoya and the MiyoSmart spectacle lens treatment protocol, we can together make a valuable contribution to combating the worldwide progression of myopia.”
Mr Craig Chick, managing director of Hoya Vision Care Australia & New Zealand, said the agreement creates preferred partner status between Device Technologies & Hoya Vision Care ANZ to provide diagnostics and treatment for myopia to as many eyecare professionals as possible in Australia and New Zealand.
“With around one in four Australians and New Zealanders being myopic, and with this continuing to increase, we look forward to distributing LENSTAR Myopia by Hoya, beginning in November 2021,” he said.
M Angus Hatfield-Smith, ophthalmic diagnostics product manager at Device Technologies, said as Haag Streit’s Partner in Australia, the company looked forward to working closely with Hoya ANZ in a combined effort to support practitioners in Australia.
“Partnerships such as this, where diagnostics and treatment are combined, enable improved access to technology which will contribute greatly towards improving the quality of life for sufferers of this vision disorder,” he said.
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