European Council of Optometry and Optics

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10/2020

ECOO Blue Book 2020

Blue Book

The new edition of the ECOO Blue Book is now available.

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05/2017

ECOO’s Blue Book 2017

ECOO blue book

ECOO is delighted to announce the publication of its third edition of the Blue Book, a valuable aggregation of data on the professions of optometry and optics in countries across Europe.

It is the only publicly available compilation of data that offers a comparative and comprehensive view on these two professional groups across 30 countries. Information is gathered through surveys filled in by ECOO members and partners.

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01/2017

Visual standards for driving in Europe

Vision and driving cover

A new report prepared by ECOO looks into visual standards for driving in Europe and highlights the implications for eye health and road safety.

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04/2015

ECOO publishes Blue Book 2015

PRESS RELEASE: ECOO publishes Blue Book 2015 (pdf) Download the Blue Book 2015 here ECOO is pleased to announce the publication of its Blue Book 2015. The Blue Book is a valuable aggregation of information relating to the professions of Optometry and Optics in countries across Europe. Information is gathered through surveys from optometric and optical associations in […]

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12/2014

ECV Press release in response to the ‘Health at a Glance Europe 2014’ Report

PRESS RELEASE: ECV Press release in response to the ‘Health at a Glance Europe 2014’ Report (PDF) European Coalition for Vision (ECV) regrets the lack of data on vision impairment in Europe and calls for more harmonized data collected at EU level to provide better policy advice to decision-makers. Vision is a vital part of the […]

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10/2014

ECV Press release on occasion of World Sight Day

PRESS RELEASE: ECV Press release on occasion of World Sight Day (PDF) On the occasion of World Sight Day, the European Coalition for Vision (ECV) set an ambitious objective to leverage vision and eye health at European level. World Sight Day is a global event that focuses on bringing attention on blindness and vision impairment. It […]

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10/2014

Over 123 million lost workdays per year caused by blindness or eye diseases according to new pan-European health economic study

PRESS RELEASE: Over 123 million lost workdays per year caused by blindness or eye diseases according to new pan-European health economic study  Eleven country EU study shows that proactive intervention to prevent and treat eye disease would lead to a healthier and more productive population An improved quality of life can be gained by investing […]

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04/2014

European Coalition for Vision (ECV): Time to put an end to the neglect experienced by eye health in Europe

PRESS RELEASE: European Coalition for Vision (ECV): Time to put an end to the neglect experienced by eye health in Europe (PDF) 1st April 2014, Luxembourg – The European Coalition for Vision (ECV) (1) met today with the European Union (EU)’s Directorate General for Health and Consumers (DG SANCO) and EUROSTAT, the statistical office of the […]

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03/2014

German DQS grants CE mark to FluoGP fluorescein strip

PRESS RELEASE: German DQS grants CE mark to FluoGP fluorescein strip (PDF) 28th March, Brussels – The German notified body DQS announced it will grant the CE mark to the FluoGP fluorescein ophthalmic strip. The German competent authority DQS decided it would grant the CE mark to the small molecular weight fluorescein strip FluoGP, to be […]

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02/2014

The European Coalition for Vision calls on MEPs to support better vision and eye health across Europe, and uphold the rights of visually impaired people

4th February, Strasburg – The European Coalition for Vision (ECV) (1) and the Coalition’s manifesto for the European Parliament elections (2) were launched today at the European Parliament seat in Strasbourg. The manifesto, presented in an event hosted by the Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Marian Harkin (ALDE, IE), calls on the European Parliament […]

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01/2014

ECOO Public Affairs and Economic Committee Secretary to move to Australia

PRESS RELEASE: ECOO Public Affairs and Economic Committee Secretary to move to Australia (PDF) After four years working at the top of UK, Irish and European eye health and optical policy, Mark Nevin is moving to Melbourne Australia in the spring to pursue new career ambitions. Mark has been involved on numerous ECOO projects over […]

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12/2013

European Coalition for Vision – Statement on Damaging Effects of Smoking on Eye Health

Statement on Damaging Effects of Smoking on Eye Health (pdf) European Coalition for Vision (ECV) Better Eye Health for Europe Statement on Damaging Effects of Smoking on Eye Health 11 December 2013 We have concerns about the possibility of a link between nicotine and blindness and urge caution in the regulation of electronic cigarettes. Cigarette smoking […]

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11/2013

Role for Primary Eye Care Emphasised at Europe-wide Forum on Men’s Health

PRESS RELEASE  – Role for Primary Eye Care Emphasised at Europe-wide Forum on Men’s Health (pdf) Download the European Men’s Health Forum report on men’s access to primary care services across Europe ECOO representative Mark Nevin features in a European Men’s Health Forum report on men’s access to primary care services across Europe. The report, published […]

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10/2013

New Pan-European health economic study shows that eye diseases alone lead to a total cost to society of 20 billion Euro

PRESS RELEASE –  New Pan-European health economic study shows that eye diseases alone lead to a total cost to society of 20 billion Euro (pdf) Blindness leads to a significant economic burden on society, estimated to result in economic costs of over 7 billion Euro Investing in screening programs, earlier diagnoses and adequate treatment of retinal […]

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07/2013

ECOO publishes professional Guidelines for optometric and optical services in Europe

PRESS RELEASE – ECOO publishes professional Guidelines for optometric and optical services in Europe (pdf) The European Council of Optometry and Optics (ECOO) has developed Guidelines for optometric and optical services in Europe to establish consistent guidance on the quality of service provision that the public should expect when accessing eye care services. European legislation increasingly […]

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04/2013

ECOO elects new Secretary General (Press Release)

PRESS RELEASE – ECOO elects new Secretary General (pdf) Following the departure of Dr Ulrich Adam, the former Secretary General of the European Council of Optometry and Optics (ECOO), Ms Fabienne Eckert has been elected as his successor during the General Assembly on 20 April 2013 in Malaga, Spain. Ms Fabienne Eckert has been serving […]

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02/2013

ECOO calls for applications to join Accreditation Panel of the European Diploma in Optometry (Press Release)

PRESS RELEASE –  ECOO calls for applications to join Accreditation Panel of the European Diploma in Optometry (Press Release) (pdf) Please note that the deadline for submitting applications has been extended to 29 March 2013. Full details on the position and the application form The European Council of Optometry and Optics (ECOO) is seeking applications for […]

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02/2013

Cadmium standards in spectacle frames remain unchanged (Press Release)

PRESS RELEASE – Cadmium standards in spectacle frames remain unchanged (pdf)  In 2012 the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) launched a consultation on the use of cadmium in metal spectacle frames that do not fall within the scope of the REACH provisions. ECOO was invited to submit a response to contribute to this investigation. In its response, […]

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12/2012

ECOO Secretary General announces resignation by 31 January 2013 (Press Release)

PRESS RELEASE – ECOO Secretary General announces resignation by 31 January 2013 (pdf) Current ECOO Secretariat will remain fully operational until the presentation of a successor ECOO Secretary General Dr. Ulrich Adam has announced his intention to resign from his current position by 31 January 2013. The resignation follows the decision of Dr. Adam to leave […]

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10/2012

Loss of sight is a primary concern for ageing Europeans as new expert forum states that a large proportion of blindness is preventable (Press Release)

E-FAB (European Forum Against Blindness) marks World Sight Day with a call to prevent avoidable blindness which remains a significant problem in Europe. A new survey of over 5,000 people across five EU countries reveals a level of concern and perceived need for better vision care services.

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09/2012

Vision exercises do not help presbyopic patients (Press Release)

Read Without Glasses (RWOG) is a training method developed at the Cambridge Institute for Better Vision (Essex, MA), that claims to reduce or eliminate the need for reading glasses. RWOG allegedly enables presbyopic patients to sharpen their near vision through 6 minutes of daily exercises. Patients can purchase the instructional DVD and two reading charts that make up the RWOG programme online.

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06/2012

ECOO urges EU Member States and the European Commission that Fluorescein is safe for use in community eye care and should be classified as a medical device (Press Release)

Fluorescein strips, used in contact lenses fitting and to assess ocular health, have been considered and used as medical devices since their invention. Recently, confusion about its classification has caused significant supply problems in Europe. Non-binding guidance from Meddev suggests fluorescein strips be classified as medicinal devices, which greatly affects their manufacture and use in community eye care.

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06/2012

How does visually demanding computer work increase eye-related pain? (Press Release)

Visually demanding computer work is often known to reinforce eye strain including glare and increased squinting. Given the limited number of studies on this topic, there is a need for further research to support this assessment. For this reason, an experiment has been undertaken in Norway by a team of researchers led by Hanne-Mari Schiotz Thorud to investigate the development of discomfort symptoms in relation to muscle activity and muscle blood flow in the orbicularis oculi muscle during computer work. The results have been published in the American Academy of Optometry journal “Optometry and Vision Science” in April 2012.

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10/2011

Do Swimming Goggles Limit Microbial Contamination of Contact Lenses? (Press Release)

Wearing goggles over contact lenses while swimming is often recommended by eye care professionals. However, limited data are available to assess this recommendation. For this reason a study has been carried out in Australia by the optometrists Yvonne T. Wu et al. to examine whether wearing goggles while swimming limits bacterial colonization on contact lenses and whether the type of lens worn affects contamination rates. The results have been published in the American Academy of Optometry journal “Optometry and Vision Science” in April 2011.

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06/2011

Report Calls for Better Assessment of Drivers’ Vision by EU Member States to help halve road death by 2020 (Press Release)

A report released today highlights substantial variation in the assessment of drivers’ vision across Europe, and recommends that the European Commission should act to harmonise assessment in EU Member States to the standards in the best performing countries.

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11/2010

ECOO Elects New President and Executive Committee (Press Release)

Mr. Duddek was elected by ECOO’s General Assembly on 24 October 2010 in Dresden together with a new Executive Committee. Both Mr. Duddek and the new Executive Committe have started their two-year term on 1 November.

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10/2010

Children can wear contact lenses (Press Release)

A new study by American optometrists has shown that short-sighted children as young as eight can benefit from wearing contact lenses as opposed to spectacles.

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06/2010

European Council of Optometry and Optics Appoints New Secretary General (Press Release)

The European Council of Optometry and Optics (ECOO) have appointed Dr Ulrich Adam as its new Secretary General. A German national, Dr Adam (34) works for the public affairs consultancy Hill & Knowlton International in Brussels.

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02/2010

Raising the Standard of Primary Eye Exams in Europe (Press Release)

The European body representing optometrists and opticians has today published the attached guide to eye exams by optometrists. It explains what the contents of a primary eye examination would normally be, depending on the patient’s clinical circumstances and the national regulatory framework within which the optometrist practises his or her profession.

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01/2010

New hope for new contact lens wearers (Press Release)

A new study suggests that prospective contact lens wearers will soon be offered more accurate predictions of the likelihood of success with their lenses.

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09/2009

UVR labelling of spectacles and contact lenses called for (Press Release)

Comprehensive protection of the eyes against ultra violet radiation (UVR) requires not only a block in front of the cornea but also the sides of the eye, in particular the adjacent limbal and conjunctival stem cells of the eye. Thus, according to a new position paper commissioned and published by the European Council of Optometry and Optics (ECOO), UVR-blocking contact lenses that extend over the limbus and palisades of Vogt provide more complete protection. Similarly, sunglasses of a tight fitting wrap-around design, as opposed to small flat lenses mounted off the eye, offer the best protection, providing that they adhere to the highest standard of inherent UVR-blocker in their lens material.

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08/2009

New understanding of Down’s syndrome eyesight (Press Release)

New research into the structure of the eye in people with Down’s syndrome has found significant differences from the norm. It is well known that people with Down’s syndrome are more likely to suffer from eye conditions such as amblyopia (lazy eye), near or long-sightedness, and an increased risk of cataracts. This research demonstrates that Down’s syndrome sufferers often have problems with both the lens of the eye and the cornea and, despite correction through the use of spectacles, often fail to achieve optimum visual acuity. The European Council of Optometry and Optics (ECOO) calls for patients with Down’s syndrome and their carers to ensure that vision needs are regularly monitored.

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06/2009

Lack of Spectacles Costs $427 Billion (Press Release)

Over 158 million people in the world are effectively blind because they do not have the spectacles they need to correct their vision. The cost of this disability is enormous. A recent study published in the Bull World Health Organ claims that uncorrected refractive error results in a loss of economic productivity globally worth $427 billion.

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03/2009

Call for Stricter Contact Lens Hygiene (PDF)

New research urges soft contact lens wearers to clean using a routine that involves rubbing

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01/2009

Poor Eyesight Causes Bad Driving (Press Release)

New research carried out by optometrists and psychologists in Australia shows that motorists suffering from cataracts are less able to spot potentially dangerous hazards on the roads.

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