EuromContact names new president

EuromContact, the association for the European contact lens and lens care industry, has elected a new president.

Richard Smith, head of professional affairs EMEA at Bausch + Lomb, will succeed Nicoletta Losi, professional education and development director EMEA at Johnson & Johnson Vision, who has chaired the association for eight years.

Smith, who has more than 25 years of experience in the optical industry, has been a board member of EuromContact for six years, and is chairman of the Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers.

Recognising the achievements made under Losi’s leadership, Smith highlighted his commitment to building on these developments.

He commented: “Now it is about leveraging the collective expertise of EuromContact members to drive positive changes in the sector for the benefit of both patients and healthcare professionals.

EuromContact will advance key initiatives in 2025 under its four main areas of activity: regulatory affairs, sustainability, market data, and communication.

A particular focus will be on enhancing the implementation of the medical device regulation (MDR) for contact lenses and lens care products.

This includes facilitating effective master unique device identifier implementation for contact lenses. Fostering collaboration between manufacturers, eye care professionals, notified bodies, and software providers, is also on the agenda, and this will include awareness campaigns, training sessions, workshops, and testing activities.

EuromContact will advocate for electronic instructions for use for contact lenses, building on the results of the European Commission survey which highlighted strong support from healthcare professionals.

The association will also promote short- and medium-term measures for a regulatory framework that considers the specificities of contact lenses and lens care products.

The year ahead will see the finalisation of a standardised framework for conducting life cycle assessments for soft and rigid contact lenses, as well as lens care products. EuromContact suggested this framework will ensure a level playing field for manufacturers and reinforce industry commitment to environmental responsibility.

For the first time, EuromContact will endorse an EU-wide campaign promoting the benefits of contact lens wear in celebration of World Contact Lens Day on 15 April.