By Denis Langlois

There’s a new person at the helm of Carl Zeiss Canada’s Vision Care division.

Bryan Rossi, who had been with Carl Zeiss Vision US for more than 15 years, has taken over as general manager from the company’s long-time Canadian president John Dillon, who has retired.

Mr. Rossi began his career with Carl Zeiss Vision US as the company’s regional manager in the ECP channel and then became director of managed care business. He later led the Western ECP sales division and, most recently, had been a part of the company’s Strategic Business group.

A graduate of The Ohio State University with a BSBA in finance, Mr. Rossi served in a senior management position for a large national retailer and worked in the financial services industry consulting with small business owners on employee cost management before joining Carl Zeiss Vision.

Bryan Rossi said it is a “pleasure and honour” to take over for John Dillon, who joined Carl Zeiss Optical Canada Ltd. in 1988 as general manager. Mr. Dillon was instrumental in building the ZEISS lens business and also served as vice-president of Carl Zeiss Optical and president of Carl Zeiss Canada Ltd.

Recently, Optical Prism magazine had an opportunity to discuss with Bryan Rossi his new role with Carl Zeiss Canada’s Vision Care division, a leading manufacturer of eyeglass lenses and ophthalmic instruments, and what the future has in store.

Q. Please tell me about some of your priorities as the new general manager of Carl Zeiss Canada, Vision Care division.

A. We have great ECP partners who deliver the ZEISS brand everyday to 1000s of patients. Our focus is on our brand, our people and our combined success. In the short term, we will continue down our current path and expand our sales reach and operational presence. We are growing and will continue to enhance our customers’ brand with the ZEISS Brand.

Q. As you know, Canadians are spending more and more time in front of digital screens. What solutions does ZEISS Canada currently offer to protect consumers from the potentially negative effects of blue light and how important is offering this type of protection to ZEISS Canada?

A. The world has changed indeed: we spend increasingly more time using digital devices such as tablets, smartphones or laptops. For many people, working at the computer screen has become an everyday activity, which often causes computer vision syndrome, resulting in dry or watery eyes.

ZEISS offers a complete portfolio for optimum vision in today’s digital world. Several lens designs are available for both single vision and progressive wearers, which take into consideration that the distance for viewing digital devices is much closer than with printed materials. And our eyes need to adjust quickly, such as when you shift your focus from your screen to “the rest of the world”.

Prescribing these lenses in combination with a blue blocker coating gives patients the most comfortable vision solution.

Q. ZEISS is certainly known as an innovative company. Can you give us some hints of some of the new technologies that ZEISS is currently working on/developing to better address the vision needs of today’s consumer?

A. Yes, in 2018 ZEISS will be launching its latest innovation, which addresses an increasing health concern in Canada: UV protection.

The relationship between the sun and mankind is as old as humanity itself. Sunlight enables our plants to grow, and we need the sun to thrive. But we must also be careful and protect ourselves from it. Sunlight can injure our eyes and destroy our vision if they are left unprotected

Thus, ZEISS has once again taken on the role of the eye health expert and is setting a new gold standard when it comes to UV protection.

From 2018 onward, all ZEISS prescription eyeglass lenses, clear or tinted, will provide 100 per cent UV protection up to 400 nm, the highest standard available. We will communicate more about this in the coming months.

Q. You have now been with ZEISS for more than 15 years. Why is ZEISS a company you believe in so much?

A. When I joined ZEISS, my outlook was five to seven years. I soon realized a few things that continue to keep me here. First of all ZEISS is a great brand and company to work for. When travelling, I’m stopped on many occasions by people seeing the ZEISS shield. The first thing out of their mouth is wow, “Do you work for ZEISS?” Then it’s always followed by them telling me all about ZEISS, the products they have and family members, who use ZEISS. It’s a very proud feeling when people you don’t know tell you that you work for a great company.