IVI’s 4th International Optometry Conference opened at the IIT Madras Research Park, in Chennai on Monday.
The conference, with Hoya Vision Care as the Platinum Sponsor, was inaugurated by the Japanese Consul General in Chennai, HE Taga Masayuki, and Alexandre Montague, CEO, Hoya Vision Care, in the presence of IVI’s CEO Vinod Daniel, Serge Zins, Vice President, Hoya Vision Care, Prof Kovin Naidoo, Global Head Advocacy and Partnerships, OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, Ramachandran Parthasarathy, Chair, IVI Advisory Committee, Dr Rajeev Prasad, President, Asia Pacific Council of Optometry (APCO), and other senior representatives from the eye health sector.
With 60 speakers from across India and the world, the conference includes a range of themes through keynote talks, discussions in panel and parallel sessions.
Welcoming delegates, Mr Daniel said “we are delighted that uncorrected refractive error is being recognised as a major issue by leading health organisations, including the World Health Organisation, and measures would be taken over the next six years to make a positive difference.”
“Technology presents opportunities. Advancements in tele-optometry and AI for eye diagnostics and treatment offer promise for a brighter future. Prevention is key, and lifestyle changes and regular eye check-ups can go a long way in maintaining good eye health in our changing world. Advocacy plays a pivotal role in raising awareness about these issues, driving policy changes, and ensuring resource allocation,” he added.
Hoya Vision Care CEO Alexandre Montague said, “we are delighted to partner with India Vision Institute for the 4th IVI International Optometry Conference Eye Health in a Changing World. It brings global leaders in primary eye care together to look for practical solutions to deal with uncorrected refractive error. India is a key market for us and we look forward to addressing the country’s vision care needs by working with partners such as IVI among others.”
Focusing on Child Eye Health, Myopia and new technology to tackle it, Education and Vision Science, the conference has keynote talks, discussions, as also exciting contests and activities.
Over two days, the conference will present 14 keynote talks and a range of experts in panel and parallel sessions. Keynote speakers at the conference include Dr Stuart Keel, Dr Priya Morjaria, Prof Kovin Naidoo, Dr N. Anuradha, Dr Shrikant Bharadwaj and Dr Helen Crompton among others. Hoya’s Joanne Ling will hold a session on ‘Exploring Breakthrough in Spectacle Lens Technology’.
Panel Discussions will cover topics such as Clear Vision 2030, Industry Response to Myopia, Navigating the Future of Optometry Education and Awareness and Advocacy in Eye Health.
EssilorLuxottica is a Session Sponsor at the conference, with Child Eye Health as the theme, and will include a session on ‘Enabling Every Child to Have Access to Primary Eye Care’.
Earlier, on September 24, there were workshops on themes such as teaching optometry, low vision management, ocular prosthesis, contact lenses, and a Platinum sponsor talk by Dr May Zhang, Global Head of Professional Affairs, Hoya Vision Care.
