Optician news in brief

Essilor has been listed in Forbes magazine’s most innovative companies in the world for the third year in a row. The manufacturer climbed five places to 23rd and said the ranking meant it was the fifth most innovative company in Europe and the second most innovative in France. Essilor said it currently invested €150m per year in research and innovation at three innovation centres with 500 research staff.

Nine dispensing opticians graduated from the University of Bradford’s accelerated conversion course in optometry, with seven obtaining a first class BSc (Hons). Admissions tutor Professor David Whitaker said: ‘From the very first year of the course, it became clear to us that there are many dispensing opticians out in practice who have the academic ability to become excellent optometrists.’