Page 10 - envision-11-2023

Cover Story
DI V ER SI T Y AND INCL U SION
10 / NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2023
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In 2022, Transitions Optical published patient base. As part of these efforts,
a White Paper entitled Fostering a the company commissioned research,
Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Optical exploring perceptions of eye heath,
Industry in Canada, a consensus report eyecare and eyewear needs among
from a panel of ECPs highlighting the all populations in Canada. They
need for tailored care and continued also hosted a roundtable discussion,
education. The paper highlights that, bringing together optical industry
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“Black, Indigenous, and people of experts to discuss diversity, equity and
colour (BIPOC) minorities in Canada are inclusion issues.
quickly becoming the majority—and, as
a result, more eyecare professionals are The research and roundtable revealed
experiencing a culturally diverse that Asian Canadians were more likely
patient base with unique vision to develop cataracts at an earlier age
care and communication than the general population. It is
needs.” believed that cumulative exposure to
UV radiation is a risk factor in their
Statistics Canada says that, development, making UV-blocking
according to demographic eyewear an important consideration
projections, the ethnocultural for this group. The prevalence of AMD
diversity of Canada’s population among Chinese Canadians is double
will increase greatly by 2031. The that of the overall population and
vast majority of Canadians (96 per Asian Canadians are more likely to
cent) belonging to a visible minority develop closed-angle glaucoma, which
group will likely live in one of the 33 is the second-leading cause of blindness
census metropolitan areas, and visible among Canadians. As many as 90 per
minority groups could comprise 63 per cent of Asian Canadians are affected by
cent of the population of Toronto, 59 myopia. 3
per cent of Vancouver’s and 31 per cent
of Montréal’s. Black Canadians represent the
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third-largest demographic group in
Building on its history of supporting Canada. While there is little data to
diversity and inclusion efforts within indicate that cataract affects the Black
the industry, Transitions Optical Canadian population at a higher rate, it
reinvigorated its multicultural program remains a concern — especially among
in 2022: the company launched the older population. Studies in the U.S.
several initiatives aimed at further and Barbados have shown that Black
strengthening resources to help ECPs populations are 1.5 times more likely
provide culturally and linguistically to develop cataract and five times more
appropriate vision care to a diverse likely to go blind as a result.
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