EYE FOCUS | NEWS
Students
of Vision
scholarship
winners
announced
Transitions Optical and the Opticians Association
of Canada have announced the winners of the 2019
Students of Vision Scholarship program.
Naomi Kwong, a student optometrist at the Uni-
versity of Waterloo, will be awarded the grand prize
scholarship of $2,500, while Patricia Sanvictores, a
student optician at Douglas College, will be awarded
a scholarship of $1,500. Mona Samani, a student opti-
cian studying at Georgian College, will be awarded a
scholarship of $500.
Entrants were tasked with describing their plan to
recommend lens technology to patients/consumers by
crafting a video, presentation or essay entry. Submis-
sions were reviewed by a panel of judges and evaluated
based on their demonstration of creativity, strategic
thinking and ethics.
Kwong detailed her multi-faceted approach to rec-
ommending lens technology in a video submission,
backed with various sources of relevant research
and statistics. Sanvictores also created a video which
explained the multiple tools, resources and types of
patient lifestyles to consider when recommending
lens technology. Samani submitted an essay which
explained the various solutions lens technology could
provide for patients and consumers.
“With many innovative lens technologies launching
every year, it is more important than ever for eyecare
professionals to be aware of the various solutions they
can offer their patients,” said Patience Cook, director,
North America marketing, Transitions Optical. “The
winners of this year’s scholarship program went above
26 EYE FOCUS February Digital 2020
and beyond in developing a strategy to recommend
the best lens technology for various patient needs and
lifestyles.”
The need to help consumers better understand lens
technology options inspired this year’s scholarship
topic. New technology for lenses is being introduced
every year, and it’s needed now more than ever, yet
many patients are unaware of their options. For exam-
ple, nine out of 10 eyeglass wearers declare they are
light sensitive, but 61 per cent have never spoken to
their optician about it and one in three feel alone when
it comes to light sensitivity. In fact, 79 per cent would
like to learn more from their ECP about light sensitivity
and its consequences. In terms of harmful blue light,
the results are similar: 88 per cent of millennials, 77 per
cent of Gen X and 75 per cent of Boomers consider blue
light protection important. However, only 31 per cent of
respondents knew that the sun is a source of blue light.