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| Natalia Trela-McDonald. | |
DALLAS—SightGlass Vision has announced the appointment of Natalia Trela-McDonald as senior director of research and development and technology, bringing a wealth of experience in optical device design and commercialization to its leadership team. In her new role, Trela-McDonald is advancing the company’s work in contrast management and leading the development of next-generation lens designs and materials to further enhance the proven efficacy and performance of its diffusion optics technology (DOT) myopia control spectacle lenses, the announcement said.
Trela-McDonald spent nearly 14 years at PowerPhotonic, spearheading product development and overseeing the company’s U.K. business in advanced optical components for laser systems in medical devices, defense technologies, and industrial applications. She earned her master’s degree in electronics and telecommunication from Wrocław University of Science and Technology and her doctorate in physics from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland.
“Having experienced myopia myself, I understand the importance of early intervention,” said Trela-McDonald. “As both a scientist and a parent of young children, I’m inspired by SightGlass Vision’s mission to give every child access to this technology that can truly change the course of their eye health for the future. My goal is to build on the company’s already strong foundation to make DOT lenses even more effective and accessible, so that as many children as possible can benefit from them.”
DOT spectacle lenses are the first device designed to both correct vision and slow myopia progression by mimicking more natural contrast, the company said. The DOT lenses include thousands of elements that softly scatter light before it hits the retina, and offer unsurpassed visual acuity in the treatment zone and sharp all-around vision. After 12 months of wear, DOT lenses have been shown to slow myopia progression by up to 75 percent across diverse populations, the announcement said.
“Natalia’s passion for safeguarding children’s vision and her expert knowledge in optical technologies equip her wonderfully to head R&D at SightGlass Vision,” said Andrew Sedgwick, CEO of SightGlass Vision. “Alongside our team of ocular scientists, her leadership will be instrumental in our mission to bring effective myopia control to children around the world.”
SightGlass Vision’s patent-protected DOT lenses have made their commercial debut in several markets, including China, Israel, Canada, Spain, and the U.K., with over one million children having already worn the lenses. Founded in 2016, the company now operates as a joint venture of CooperVision, Inc. and Essilor International.