March 27, 2024 — The World Council of Optometry (WCO) has partnered with EssilorLuxottica to raise awareness and understanding of presbyopia and the aging eye with the goal of establishing standards of care for managing the condition. The initiative aims to provide eyecare professionals with the latest evidence-based scientific approaches, tools, and resources focused on three pillars: mitigation, measurement, and management of presbyopia.

WCO and EssilorLuxottica share that by 2050, it is estimated that more than 4 billion people worldwide—approximately 40% of the world’s population—will have presbyopia, and with the extension of life expectancy, most individuals will experience presbyopia-related vision changes for about half of their lives. New vision care solutions allow engagement in more visually demanding near activities at older ages compared to previous generations, and visual demand has significantly increased over the past three decades due to the widespread use of digital devices. WCO and EssilorLuxottica share that these factors highlight the importance of effectively evaluating, measuring, and managing presbyopia.

The program also aims to amplify insights from international experts in the field to construct the standard of care resolution with the latest research and evidence, which will be accessible through a WCO microsite and EssilorLuxottica’s learning platform, Leonardo. Updates on available content and resources will be announced later in the year.

“There are many new options to address presbyopia, and…it is important to bring the information to the eyecare practitioner so they can provide the best care for the patients,” says WCO president Sandra Block, O.D., M.Ed., MPH, FAAO, FCOVD. “Along with helping to ensure evidence-based techniques are used, the partnership will highlight the eye health changes that are ongoing as the patients grow older.”