CHARENTON-LE-PONT, France—To strengthen research on myopia, Essilor International and the Wenzhou Medical University in China, have launched a research platform, the Wenzhou Medical University-Essilor International Research Center (WEIRC).

This long term partnership aims to create a research platform in the field of vision science. It will focus as a first step on myopia in children: its etiology, its epidemiology and the means, mostly based on ophthalmic lenses, to control its progression. Research activities will be conducted in a dedicated premise in the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, one of the leading Chinese research institutes for vision science and ophthalmology, located in the Zhejiang province.

“Partnering with leading research organizations throughout the world is a key lever of Essilor’s research and innovation strategy” explained Eric Perrier, vice president worldwide R&D at Essilor. “Considering the impact of myopia on people’s lives, it is our responsibility, as the worldwide leader in ophthalmic optics, to contribute actively to investigating myopia’s causes and ways to fight this disorder, together with leading scientists.”

Essilor has been cooperating with the Wenzhou Medical University for more than 10 years on numerous research projects. In the recent years, Essilor has also been cooperating with several Chinese universities and eye hospitals for research projects, such as myopia control or new lens material and coating technology. One such project is through the Joint Research Center created with the Shanghai University (SEJRDC). The group is also involved in the “REAP-Rural Education Action Project” study launched in May 2012, with Stanford University, to study the link between visual correction and school success in China.