May 12, 2021 — CooperVision is currently accepting submissions for its 2021 Science and Technology Awards, a longstanding program designed to foster relationships between recipients and CooperVision scientists in order to explore innovations in vision care and translate these ideas into practical solutions. The deadline for applicants to submit a letter of intent is June 25, 2021. Accepted applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal. 

“As a leading global manufacturer of contact lenses, CooperVision has brought to market many breakthrough products, but we never stop raising the bar and working for what comes next,” says Francis Erard, CooperVision’s vice president of research and development. “Over the years, our partnerships through the Science and Technology Awards Program have resulted in notable advancements in product design and development. We look forward to seeing what this year’s applicants have in store.”

The program, which launched in 2014, has developed grants totaling more than $2 million to explore topics such as ocular surface health, contact lens discomfort, contact lens functionality, and retinal response to optical defocus.

CooperVision has shared that this year’s submissions will be considered for the following subjects:

• New technologies for the prediction, prevention, and treatment of myopia, including understanding the impact of environmental factors and the Covid-19 pandemic on myopia progression, and novel monitoring and tracking methods
• Sustainable materials and technologies for storage and transport of contact lenses and contact lens care solutions
• Contact lens technologies aimed at protecting the eye from common ocular conditions, including age-related changes, dry eye, digital eye strain, and environmental insults, with emphasis on: beneficial ocular health compounds for delivery to the ocular surface; controlled release technologies to improve ocular moisture retention/eye health; wavelength-blocking/color additive technologies; understanding scleral lens benefits for dry eye and allergies; and other medical applications of contact lenses
• Technologies to elevate visual performance with contact lenses, with emphasis on: enhanced night vision; technologies to improve the optical quality of the tear film; and technologies to increase contrast and/or reduce light scatter

The company has announced that proposals may span proof-of-concept through translational stages and are eligible for two types of awards: the CooperVision Seedling Award, which in intended for investigation of early-stage concepts for a one-year period, with a maximum grant of $100,000; and the CooperVision Translational Research Award, a two-year grant for substantive projects with funding up to $400,000. 

The awards are open to any researcher with principal investigator status holding an O.D., M.D., Ph.D, or equivalent degree. 

To apply and/or learn more: coopervision.com/about-us/science-and-technology-awards.