The research and development team behind Coopervision’s MiSight 1 Day myopia-controlling contact lens have been honoured with a 2019 British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) Industry Award.

New Zealand’s Dr John Phillips, a principal investigator at Auckland University’s myopia laboratory, and Coopervision’s head of global commercial operations, specialty eyecare, Stuart Cockerill and director of research, Paul Chamberlain, were all recognised for their work on this pioneering lens at BCLA’s 2019 conference dinner.

The MiSight 1 Day contact lens is now worn by more than 10,000 children around the world, said Coopervision in a press release, but had its beginnings at the University of Auckland where Dr Phillips’ studies demonstrated myopic defocus could also slow the rate of myopia progression in children. He then translated these early experimental optical designs into a dual-focus contact lens with two simultaneous image planes: one focused on the retina to address visual acuity and the other deliberately creating simultaneous myopic defocus on the retina to slow myopia progression.

“John’s firm belief in his technology, just as the world was starting to awaken to the increasing prevalence of myopia, led to the adoption of dual-focus technology by Coopervision,” said the company.

Cockerill then led the first industry-supported, international study to assess the efficacy of the dual-focus design and to illustrate the benefits of myopia management to the ophthalmic profession. While Chamberlain was responsible for the analysis and presentation of the study results.

Now in its sixth year, the study is the longest, continuous monitoring of soft contact lens wearers undertaken in children.

“Myopia management has been described as the ‘next contact lens revolution’…. However, it takes inspiration, vision and dedication to integrate new technology into a commercially viable approach,” said James Gardner, Coopervision’s vice president, global myopia management. “The foresight and years of effort from John, Stuart and Paul are well deserving of recognition from their peers and the industry.”