(PRESS RELEASE) WATERLOO, ONTARIO — The Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) 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.