March 17/Tokyo/Health & Beauty Close-Up -- ScienceBased Health, a provider of evidence-based nutraceuticals for eye health, and Hoya Surgical Optics Inc, a manufacturer of precision optics, announced a partnership to increase awareness of nutrition's role in eye health in the ophthalmic market.

SBH develops nutraceuticals to promote visual health. It noted its products are recommended and distributed by thousands of ophthalmologists and optometrists throughout the United States. SBH's quality formulations are based on the latest scientific research and created with the support of ophthalmologists, optometrists, nutritional scientists and researchers in the field of nutrition and eye health.

Under the terms of the partnership, HSO will be a sales agent for the SBH line of nutraceuticals in the ophthalmic market. HSO's sales force will help expand awareness of nutrition's role in eye care and provide guidance on how nutrition can best fit within the offerings of an eyecare practice.

"Hoya is an innovator in its field and we share a complementary mission," said Alain Magro, president and CEO of SBH. "Our partnership will advance our companies' common goals of improving ocular health, enhancing patients' quality of life, and increasing the efficiency and profitability of eyecare practices. We are thrilled to be working with Hoya and look forward to expanding the reach of our educational offerings and quality products."

"The interest in nutrition's role in eye health has exploded in recent years with the advancement of research in this field," said Jake Vander Zanden, president of Americas for HSO. "SBH was a pioneer in this market and continues to be an innovator. We chose to partner with SBH because of their leading-edge approach, high quality standards, and long, successful track record delivering value to eyecare practitioners and their patients. Their unique expertise working with eyecare practices to enhance patient care is unmatched and complements HSO's goal of providing a more holistic approach to patient care."

From the March 21, 2011, Prepared Foods E-dition