EssilorLuxottica’s optometrists have experienced hands-on demonstrations of Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses, Nuance Audio eyewear, and advanced dry eye technologies at an ambitious ‘Shaping the future’ immersion roadshow.
Part of a multi-city tour spanning Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Auckland, Adelaide, Perth and regional sites, optometrists from across New South Wales gathered in Darling Harbour, Sydney, for an evening focussed on clinical excellence and technological innovation.
The centrepiece of the immersion experience was the opportunity for attendees to trial three groundbreaking technologies: Ray-Ban Meta Generation 2 AI glasses, Nuance Audio glasses for hearing enhancement, and Espansione Group’s combined intense pulsed light (IPL) and low level laser therapy (LLLT) platform for dry eye treatment.
The centrepiece of the immersion experience was the opportunity for attendees to trial three groundbreaking technologies: Ray-Ban Meta Generation 2 AI glasses, Nuance Audio glasses… and Espansione Group’s combined IPL and LLLT platform
Smart Eyewear Takes Centre Stage
Ray-Ban Meta Generation 2 glasses demonstrated advances over the first generation, which sold two million pairs in just nine months following its 2023 launch in Australia.* The updated version features enhanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities powered by Meta’s LLAMA 4 model, offering voice-activated assistance, live translation in multiple languages, and improved camera quality with 12-megapixel ultra-wide lenses capable of recording 3K video.
During the presentation, attendees learned how the technology supports accessibility, particularly for vision-impaired patients. For Australians, the integration with the Be My Eyes app enables low-vision users to connect with over nine million volunteers worldwide for assistance with daily tasks. In a video presentation, one user described using the glasses to explore art galleries, asking Meta AI to describe artwork, and capturing images to view later, on a larger screen at home.
The glasses offer up to eight hours of battery life, while temple-tip speakers with improved bass and directional audio offer practical functionality for everyday use, all while maintaining Ray-Ban’s signature design aesthetic across over 150 lens and frame combinations.
Hearing Meets Vision
The introduction of Nuance Audio glasses represents EssilorLuxottica’s expansion into integrated sensory care. Following the company’s 2023 acquisition of Nuance Hearing, these innovative eyewear solutions combine vision correction with hearing enhancement for patients experiencing mild to moderate hearing loss.
Naomi Nicolinas, Director of Audiology Services for the company, outlined plans to expand audiology services across the network, with nine stores in Australia and New Zealand offering full audiology services by year’s end. Currently live in Highpoint and Dandenong, Victoria, and Castle Towers and Rouse Hill in Sydney, these locations provide free hearing screenings and comprehensive assessments performed by audiologists.
The Nuance audio glasses incorporate AI-based noise reduction and voice enhancement technology from recently acquired Pulse Audition. Directional microphones amplify sound from wherever the wearer is looking, and open-ear speakers are positioned above the ear. The device has received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance in the United States, CE Mark approval in Europe, and registration with the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration in Australia.
Advancing Dry Eye Management
The event highlighted EssilorLuxottica’s significant investment in dry eye technology, with 30 Expansione IPL and LLLT devices recently distributed across the network, and an ambition to expand to many more locations in 2026. The eye-light platform, which combines both technologies, received notable recognition in the recently published TFOS DEWS III report – the gold standard consensus document for dry eye management.
Astha Rai, Eyecare Innovations Manager, explained how the TFOS DEWS III report represents a shift from linear treatment protocols to driver-based approaches, which requires optometrists to identify the underlying cause of dry eye before selecting the most efficacious treatment. The report specifically acknowledges LLLT photobiomodulation for its ability to treat all skin types safely, and its application directly to the eyelids, with clinical trials demonstrating significant improvements in tear film stability and meibomian gland function.1,2,3
Excellence as a Mindset
Throughout the evening, speakers emphasised that clinical excellence can be improved by focussing on factors within optometrists’ direct control: appointment book management, clinical expertise, prescribing confidence, patient communication, and continuous education, and most importantly, embracing innovation to deliver patient-centred care based on lifestyle needs.
*Ray-Ban Meta Gen 1 and Gen 2 are not available for sale in New Zealand.
References
- D’Souza S, Padmanabhan Nair A, Shetty R, et al. Clinical and molecular outcomes after combined intense pulsed light therapy with low-level light therapy in recalcitrant evaporative dry eye disease with meibomian gland dysfunction. Cornea. 2022 Sep 1;41(9):1080-1087. doi: 10.1097/ICO.0000000000002954.
- Stonecipher K, Abell TG, Potvin R, et al. Combined low level light therapy and intense pulsed light therapy for the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction. Clin Ophthalmol. 2019 Jun 11;13:993-999. doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S213664.
- D’Souza S, James E, Shetty R, et al. A randomized controlled study evaluating outcomes of intense pulsed light and low-level light therapy for treating meibomian gland dysfunction and evaporative dry eye. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2023 Apr;71(4):1608-1612. doi: 10.4103/IJO.IJO_2834_22.
