Microsoft and UofW Working on New CL

Microsoft and the University of Washington are developing a CL for diabetics, according to the blog TechnaBob. (While not news, there was some neat video released recently.) It adds: "While none of the current lens components have a built-in display, the team envisions a day where the lens itself would provide its wearer with heads-up information, without need for any additional components. Sure, it sounds a bit like science fiction, but with a real-world medical problem driving research, it’s possible the development of such wondrous things will receive investment and make it to market sooner than we think." Read more.

Will CLs Perform Magic for the Magic?

"Determined to improve his free-throw shooting, Magic C. Dwight Howard hired a shooting coach, practiced religiously this summer and started wearing disposable contact lenses during games." That's the post from the Orlando Sentinel. Read more.

Optician Alledgedly Rips Off Employer for 16 Years

"A 45-year-old optician allegedly cost Pennridge Opticians more than $95,000 after pocketing payments, giving unauthorized discounts and taking company gifts for himself, according to court records," according to a post on Philly Burbs. "And since Richard Elias Korn Jr. was fired in April, the money coming into the company has doubled without an increase in customers." Read more.

Groupon to the Rescue (of the Uninsured)

"This screen shot shows eyewear coupons for the New York City area offered by Groupon.com. Daily deal sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial, best known for discounts at local restaurants and spas, are helping some people fill holes in health insurance ..." That's the beginning of a CBS News report. Read more. Want more info? Try the Chicago Tribune or Salon.

Best Images Expands Dolabany Collection

Midwest Lens  reports that "Best Image Optical Inc. continues to grow their Dolabany Collection by adding a new crop of modern and retro frames. The winter collection includes oversized retro frames, sharper cat-eyes, use of stainless steel on modern frames." Read more.

OMG!!! That's an Eye Chart?????

"Norwegian state television displayed an unusual eye test chart during a serious news item about eye care for the elderly causing viewers to ROFL and LOL," according to a post on Digital Journal. "There were blushes all round on the evening of December 28, 2011 as Norwegian news readers Atle Bjurstrøm and Cecilie Roang Bostad presented a serious item on the country’s state-owned television channel, NRK, about eye treatment for the elderly. Behind them was displayed, right on cue, an eye test chart." Read more.

Talk about Flex Spending: What If Your Entire Inventory Needed to Move by Dec. 31?

"Times Square vendor Dave Schulter didn’t need to squint Thursday to see his window of opportunity closing," reports the Daily News. "The Brooklyn man was peddling an assortment of New Year’s Eve glasses for 2012 — eyewear with flashing lights, neon colors, sparkling glitter. Come Jan. 2, they’re all as worthless as last year’s calendar." Read more.

Snooki Poses with Her New NYS Eyewear

Jersey Shore iinterest, Snooki, posted pictures of herself wearing her new "nerdz" eyewear on Twitter.Why should any individual care? It's beyond us, but apparently they, including your patients, do. The news coverage amazed us. For example, the Daily Mail ran with this important tidbit about the Garden State native: "In recent days she has parade her slimmer frame on Twitter, posting a series of sexy snaps.In her latest round of snaps promoting her glasses, she is also posed up with her father Andy. Snooki already has a range of sunglasses that she created with NYS Collection Eyewear." Read more.

UK Contact Lens Sales Up

"Market research by GfK has revealed that contact lens sales [in the United Kingdom] nncreased by an average of 4.3% in the third quarter of 2011, compared to the same period in 2010, while frame sales continued to decline," reports Optometry.co.uk. "The report, commissioned by the website GetLenses.co.uk, showed a year-on-year decline in frame sales by 9.3% while sunglass sales also decreased by 6.5%. However, other products including eye drops and contact lens solutions increased by 4.4%." Read more.

MoralEyes Donates 15,000th Pair of Reading Glasses

New York-based MoralEyes donated more than 7,000 pairs of new reading glasses today to the non-profit organization New Eyes for the Needy, bringing MoralEyes' year-end total to more than 15,000 pairs of donated glasses. Read more.

Daniel Craig Wears MYKITA in Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Midwest Lens notes that "actor Daniel Craig is seen wearing MYKITA’s 'Helmut' glasses during his role as Mikael Blomkvist in the new David Fincher film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." Read more.

Vizio Optic Carrying Chanel and Ray Ban Sunwear

Vizio Optic is carrying two new lines of sunglasses, Chanel and Ray Ban Wayfarers.

Chanel: It carries the Fall/Winter 2011 Prestige Collection, featuring the La Chaîne styles with its detailing in silver and gold. The CC logo accents the temples near the hinge.

Ray Ban Wayfarer: The line has received a vintage-inspired update with the Ray Ban Rare Prints sunglasses collection, featuring the Ray Ban 2140 sunglasses model in several Mondrian-esque patterns. Color 1085 is a translucent color block design in red, blue and orange that provides an amazing pop of color in bright light.

FDA Warns about Medication Mix-Up

"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned healthcare workers on Wednesday to be careful when using two similarly named but very different drugs, saying a recent mix-up involving the two medications had injured a patient," says a Health News post "The agency said the incident occurred when a pharmacist confused Durasal, a wart remover not approved by the FDA, with Durezol, an FDA-approved steroidal eyedrop used to treat inflammation and pain following eye surgery." Read more.

IM Force Opts for Bionic CLs

"Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol, out Dec. 21, has all the intense action and high-tech gadgets you would expect from the franchise," notes Popular Mechanics. "Director Brad Bird tells PM his inspiration for the film's futuristic gadgets, and how to shoot a stunt that involves Tom Cruise actually climbing the outside of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai." One of the other gadgets: bionic contact lenses. Read more. You can get more on the story at ContactLenses.co.uk.

Inventive Eyewear Reportedly New Trend

"From glasses that resemble the most architecturally creative buildings to spectacles filled with water, it seems like the different types of frames to adorn your eyes with have become endless." That's the lead for a Trend Hunter post. "Don’t just settle for the ordinary glasses at your local Optometrist and opt for a more adventurous style with these inventive eyewear designs." Read more.

Eyewear for Your Pessimistic Patients

"The Optical Awesome ‘Look of Disapproval’ glasses may look like they’re fit for permanent pessimists, but the intention is more so to grant your forehead muscles a break from trying to twist your brows to aid spurning stares," according to Trend Hunter. "The quirky frames are based on the character sequence emoticon used to show off disbelief via electronic mediums and have such straight-edge lines it appears you actually have typeface balancing on the bridge of your nose." Read more.

Maddison Joins Arnette Eyewear Team

Chris Maddison

ESPN reports that "action sports Chris Tedesco Robbie Maddison joins Adam Jones on the Arnette eyewear team, just in time for his record breaking 'New Year. No Limits' jump on Dec 31. Just days before his record-breaking "Red Bull: New Year." Read more.

New Year Rings in Glaucoma Awareness Month, Warning of a Glaucoma Epidemic on Horizon

In case you missed it before Christmas,"January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month, an important time to spread the word about this sight-stealing disease," announced the Glaucoma Research Foundation. "Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness. Moreover, among African American and Latino populations, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness...Over 4 million Americans, and nearly 70 million people worldwide, have glaucoma. Experts estimate that half of them don’t know they have it. Combined with our aging population, we can see an epidemic of blindness looming if we don’t raise awareness." Read more.

Baby See Mom for the First Time at Christmas

"Eva Joyce, who was born blind, is able to see her mum and dad for the first time after becoming the youngest patient in the UK to have a corneal transplant," reports the Daily Mail. "Four-month-old Eva suffered from Peter's anomaly, a rare congenital condition which makes the cornea cloudy." Read more.

Prevent Bllindness Offers Education Modules to ECPs

"Prevent Blindness America (PBA) has launched a free program designed to help ophthalmologists and others eye care professionals build public awareness of eye and vision basics, common adult vision disorders, eye safety precautions, and proactive behaviors that give the best chance for a lifetime of healthy vision," according to Modern Medicine. "The “Healthy Eyes Educational Series” section of the organization’s Web site includes downloadable modules that can be used in formal presentations or informal one-on-one sessions. Each module includes a presentation guide and corresponding PowerPoint presentation. In addition, factsheets on a variety of eye health and safety topics can be downloaded free of charge from the PBA Web site for use as handouts to accompany the presentations." Read more.

Infectious Fungus Common in Household Drains

NPR's health blog Shot reports that "the fungus ... (genus Fusarium) can cause sinus infections and funky toenails. On rare occasions it kills people with weak immune systems. More recently, it has caused serious eye infections in people who wear contact lenses. The types of Fusarium that caused the outbreaks of eye infections in 2005 and 2006 are sometimes found in household plumbing, so researchers at Penn State University set out to see just how common they are. They swabbed 471 bathroom drains in the Eastern U.S. and California, and found that two-thirds of sink drains harbored at least one Fusarium strain." Read more.

New Treatment to Prevent Common Blindness Disease

"A UCSF study shows a popular treatment for a potentially blinding eye infection is just as effective if given every six months versus annually," reports Medical News Today. "This randomized study on trachoma, the leading cause of infection-caused blindness in the world, could potentially treat twice the number of patients using the same amount of medication..."  Read more.

Mikli and Gaultier Team Up for New Eyewear

Corduroy Magazine writes: "Mikli was in town to launch his latest collection – a line of limited edition eyewear with French clothing designer Jean Paul Gaultier. Friends for decades but never collaborators until now, Mikli and Gaultier have aligned their creative pursuits and flair for design into a collection of 20 frames (12 eyeglasses and 8 sunglasses) in a handful of bold and dramatic styles and colorways. Made from sturdy acetate and metal, and featuring unique “winged” arms on the side (meant to resemble corset ties), these are, as Mikli puts it, “frames to see as well as to be seen.” See the collection.

Alain Mikli

Meanwhile the Toronto Star reports that "although Alain Mikli has been called a guru and hailed as the godfather of modern eyewear, he’d happily settle for being known simply as 'artisan.' He has no use for weighty descriptors. He unburdened himself of the title 'boss' in 2009 when he completed a deal with an investment fund for a 47-per-cent stake in his business." Read more.

Katy Perry Sings with Carrera's

"Carrera sunglasses made their debut in the latest Katy Perry music video “The One That Got Away,” the sixth single from the singer’s record breaking album Teenage Dream." You can see the video on this Midwest Lens post.

Two Lines Appearing in February

Daisy Fuentes model

EyeSurf points out that the Daisy Fuentes Optical Sunglass Collection  will come out in February. The line "is comprised of 9 styles in the same tradition of the Daisy Fuentes brand. Daisy Fuentes Sun is designed for the woman who wants her sunwear to be fashionable and fun – and it is appealing to Latina wearers and those who love Latina-influenced style. Featuring bold colors, patterns and embellishments, Daisy Fuentes Sun has it all – versatility, style and high-quality craftsmanship – and all at a great value. All styles in the collection are of optical quality, fully RX-able and accommodate progressive lenses. Daisy Fuentes Sun features 100% UV protection." Read more.

Randy Jackson model

"The Randy Jackson Limited Edition Collection is the newest addition to the enormously successful Randy Jackson brand. The collection will feature exceptionally bold, fashion- forward styling for Randy Jackson and eyewear aficionados looking to wear what is next. Featuring high quality materials, sleek finishes and on-trend design embellishments, this collection upholds the retro/modern sensibility of the Randy Jackson brand and is sure to please the discerning consumer." Read more.

ECPs Learn at Eye Care Forum

"Doctors and staffers from Snoqualmie Valley were among the 226 people from 62 practices that participated in The Business of Eye Care Forum©," notes EyeSurf. "Developed and Produced by Cleinman Performance Partners and exclusively sponsored by The HOYA Free‐Form Company, the Forum is a practice leadership university comprised of five programs designed to help independent eye care practices improve their business and patient care. More than 3,000 people have attended a HOYA sponsored Forum in 2011." Read more.

Zyloware Launches New Collections in February

The Loren M230

"Zyloware Eyewear announces the February 2012 release of new styles from the Sophia Loren, Stetson, Stetson Off Road, Daisy Fuentes and Peace.Love.Daisy collections," according to EyeSurf. "Sophia Loren M230 is a full rim metal frame in a petite, modified rectangular shape. The metal endpiece and temple feature a delicate and feminine pressed floral design and crystals. Zyl temple tips, snap-in nosepads and spring hinges all allow extra comfort for the wearer. The SL M230 accommodates progressive lenses." Read more.

Shrewd Politics or Good Health Care--Vision Care?

"It’s shrewd politics, but is it good policy?" That's the question asked on the op-ed page of the Columbus Dispatch regarding Secretary of Health and Human Service Kathleen Sebelius's new policy. "Administration officials make three arguments. First, the president has emphasized that the act is a federal-state partnership; delegating these choices to states reflects that. Second, basing a state’s essential health benefits on its existing insurance plans would minimize disruption. And finally, priorities vary by states. 'Coverage that works in Florida may not work in Nebraska,' said Sebelius. To which, there are reasonable objections. Medicare is national. The uniformity allows economies of scale. If Medicare, hypothetically, varied by state, its already huge costs almost certainly would be higher. The advantages of using existing plans also may be exaggerated, because the act mandates that some benefits not routinely included in most plans — eye care and dentistry for children, and mental health and substance abuse — be covered." Read more.

Vision Plans Deserve Same Treatment as Dental Plans

"Ever since President Barack Obama scored his health care reform victory in 2010, the question of how vision care will be implemented has been one big blur. One of every three Californians has a stake in clearing it up," so starts an editorial in the Mercury News. "The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services soon will rule on whether vision care will be available only from comprehensive medical insurers, as it originally seemed. This would leave out stand-alone plans like VSP, which covers a third of all Californians. The new regulations governing health insurance exchanges taking shape in California and across the nation already allow stand-alone dental care. Vision plans deserve the same treatment." Read more.

New OD School Opens in Massachusetts

"The Doctor of Optometry program at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) has been granted 'Preliminary Approval' by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE)," so reports Midwest Lens. "Scheduled to begin in August 2012, with 64 students at each level, it will be the 21st school of optometry in the U.S." Read more.

US Customs Seizes Counterfeit Goods, Including CLs, Eyewear, Sunwear

"Law enforcement in the Rio Grande Valley city of Alton have arrested three people as part of an international sweep targeting counterfeit goods during the holidays," says the San Antonion Express News. "They are among 33 people charged in Operation Holiday Hoax II, a six-week roundup during which officials in Texas, Mexico and South Korea seized 327,000 counterfeit items [including contact lenses, eyewear, sunwear] worth an estimated $76.8 million, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement." Read more.

First LED Contact Lens for Humans Created--Though Not Perfect

"We actually talked about the idea of LED contact lenses back in November, when they were even tested on rabbits," notes Softpedia. "This, though, is a home-made contact lens that someone just decided to put together and even publish the instructions for. Sure the LED is mounted facing-forward (real VR/AR display needs the opposite) but the fact remains that it works. A laminated coil of wire and an 0402 surface-mount LED were placed between two ordinary, soft contact lenses." Read and see more.

Eyewear Line Inspired by Designs of Persia

"Drawing inspiration from Middle Eastern architecture, the Persia group is lavish and bold. With ornate decoration and sculpted temples, these frames represent the best of the distinguished Persian design aesthetic," writes Midwest Lens. For example, "JL 1630SG, a square sunglass, JL 1631, an oval optical style,JL 1632, a classic round optical style, and JL 1641, an international fit optical style, are crafted from handmade custom acetate laminates and boast gold and silver leafing, large navette- shaped genuine Austrian crystals and skived down temple décor that has been integrated into the hinge for a seamless look reminiscent of world renowned Persian-style domes." Read more.

Davies Bespoke Launches Custom-Fixed Frames Company

Davies Bespoke optician creating custom frame

"Optometry specialists, Eyecon Optometry Network (Eyecon), has launched TD Tom Davies Bespoke, the world’s first luxury made-to-measure eyewear service in Malaysia. Malaysia is also the first country in Asia to launch this exciting bespoke service following the appointment of Eyecon as the sole distributor by the award-winning British luxury eyewear brand," reported Midwest Lens. "TD Tom Davies, helmed by British spectacle designer Tom Davies, has revolutionised eyewear by introducing bespoke frames that are designed and hand-made to suit a person’s face, skin tone, physical characteristics and lifestyle." Read more.

CooperVision Rebrands Also Under Recall

"You may have heard about the recent recall of Avaira Toric and and Avaira Sphere contact lenses which are manufactured by CooperVision, but you may not know that the contact lenses affected by the recall are also marketed under numerous other rebranded names," reports the Injury Board. "Among many other rebranded names, Sofmed Breathables, Sofmed Breathables Toric, encore100 Toric, and encore100 Sphere contact lenses are subject to recall by CooperVision due to the level of a silicone oil residue left on the lenses during manufacturing." Read more.

Fruit Fly Reveals Clues to Blinding Diseases

"Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and collaborators have discovered a powerful new protein in the eye of the fruit fly that may shed light on blinding diseases and other sensory problems in humans," according to Midwest Lens. Reporting in the Nov. 16, 2011, issue of Neuron, the scientists note that similar but yet-to-be-identified proteins in the eye and brain could help explain age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa, as well as Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and prion diseases." Read more.

3D Printed Tapestry Eyewear

"Rapid prototyping is becoming more prevalent in the world of design and the fashion industry, and these 3D printed tapestry glasses by Chloë McCormick and Nicholas O’Donnell-Hoare are one of the most quirky and charming items you’ll ever come across," according to Trend Hunters. "Like most 3D printed things, these tapestry glasses are customizable. McCormick and O’Donnell-Hoare have designed these glasses so that you can weave your own selection and pattern of colored yarns into them. Each frame, which is laser-sintered using nylon power, is printed with tiny grid holes through which you can weave the yarn." Read more.

Enjoy the Holidays

MDs Saving Sight in Sudan

"One day after performing surgery in a rural South Sudan village, Dr. Geoffrey Tabin carefully removed bandages from the eyes of a woman who had lost her sight to cataracts. Her reaction was jubilant: “Oh, I can see!” Another man who had his vision restored started to sing and dance. That’s the report from John Dau, one of Sudan’s Lost Boys who settled in Syracuse in 2001 after living in a refugee camp for 10 years. Now 37 years old, he has spent the last five years raising money and trying to improve conditions in his native village of Duk Payuel." That's the beginning of a post on Syracuse.com. "A medical team including four eye doctors and support staff from Utah traveled to the eastern African nation this month to perform 300 surgeries to restore sight lost to cataracts and glaucoma." Read more.

College of ODs Expands into 3D

"Chris Hoekstra  watches the 3D movie How to Train Your Dragon as optometrist James Kundart  holds prisms up in front of the patient's 3D glasses. 'How's that?' asks Kundart. 'It does pop out a little better,' says Hoekstra, a 35-year-old physical therapist from Tigard. 'That eye is a little low and little out,' says the optometrist. 'The prism brings the light to where the eye wants to go,'" according to a post on OregonLive. "Hoekstra has come to a Beaverton eye clinic opened by Pacific University's College of Optometry in October that includes the nation's first 3D eye exam room to help people with depth perception problems." Read more.

Tablets & Smart Phones Good Low Vision Aids

"New technology such as smartphones and tablet computers can offer the estimated 21 million people in the United States who have low vision a chance at improved sight, vision experts say. People with low vision have extremely limited sight that interferes with daily activities. Those vision losses can’t be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, medication or surgery, according to www.visionaware.org." So goes the post on UticaOD. "But technological devices can improve the useful vision of low-vision patients by enlarging print and images, said Dr. Robert J. Blumthal, an optometrist working with low-vision patients at The Prairie Eye Center in Springfield, Ill." Read more.
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Thieft Redefines 'Smash and Grab'

" Someone used the tailgate of pickup truck to smash out the front window of Parrelli Optical at 35 Elm St. [in Danvers, MA] early yesterday morning," reports the Salem News. "A thief or thieves then ripped out a display cabinet full of designer Maui Jim sunglasses and made off with approximately 75 pairs valued at $5,000 to $7,000, police Sgt. Robert Bettencourt said." Read more.

Essilor Vision Helps 15,000

The day before Christmas we spotted the following on Eyesurf:

The Essilor Vision Foundation is pleased to announce it has screened more than 70,000 children and provided over 15,000 pairs of glasses as it nears its fourth anniversary in the spring of 2012. Now with two mobile exam buses, the Foundation has concentrated its efforts on U.S. elementary school children including establishing more than 100 Adopt-A-School programs, furthering its goal to provide “Better Sight for a Better Life.” Read more.

Providers Told to Hold Medicaid Claims to Avoid Payment Cut

"The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is directing providers and claims administration contractors to delay filing claims for services paid under the 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule," according to the OSNSuperSite. "Providers are advised to hold 2012 claims for the first 10 business days of January. The directive is intended to help providers avoid a 27.4% Medicare physician payment cut scheduled to take effect Jan. 1.The hold is expected to have a minimal impact on providers' cash flow because, under the current law, clean electronic claims are paid no sooner than 14 calendar days after the date of receipt and paper claims are paid no sooner than 29 days after the date of receipt." Read more.

World's Oldest Frame Manufacturer Launches New Line

C.W. Dixey & Son of London, the world’s oldest independent eyewear company, has a rich heritage of iconic clients. They include legendary explorers, artists and writers, such as James Bond creator Ian Fleming, as well as emperors, royalty and leaders. The Chartwell Collection pays homage to the legendary spectacles C.W. Dixey & Son designed for Britain's legendary former prime minister Winston Churchill. Featuring eight black or tortoise shell optical frames,  the collection has design elements conserved throughout. The frames are not branded with the Dixey name but have a simple two white spot motif on the temple tips as Churchill requested in 1944.

Test Your Eye Health Knowledge

Three new The 11-year-old AllAboutVision.com has three new quizzes on eye exams, computer vision syndrome and UV light. In the new eye exams quiz, a dozen multiple-choice questions discuss eye exam frequency and what to bring to an exam. The updated sunglasses and UV light quiz features 16 true/false questions about ultraviolet light exposure. And the computer vision syndrome (CVS) quiz includes symptoms and causes, ways to reduce the risk for CVS in the home and office. Read more.

FDA Clears Equipment for Cat Surgery

"The California-based ophthalmology company OptiMedica has received 510(k) market clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its 'Catalys' laser system to be used in two key stages of cataract surgery," reports Optics.org. "The system, which combines optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging with a femtosecond laser, is now cleared in the US for capsulotomy – where a circular incision is made in a patient’s lens capsule – and lens fragmentation, where a damaged lens is softened in advance of its removal. OptiMedica received CE mark approval for the same system earlier this year, meaning that it can now market Catalys across both the US and the European Union." Read more and see the video.

Flaum Eye Starts Vision Care Research Company to Cut Risk

"The Flaum Eye Institute at the University of Rochester Medical Center has launched a new initiative to accelerate the development and commercialization of new technologies," according to the Rochester Business Journal. "Called the Excubator, the initiative builds on the region’s history of innovation in eye care, optics, software, and engineering to launch a new generation of technologies to treat diseases of the eye, officials said. The Excubator will be a private company jointly owned by URMC and private investors, and it is designed to reduce the steep risk normally associated with high-tech startups by placing these ideas in the hands of businesses with a proven record of developing new technologies." Read more.

EyeMed Upgrades Website

EyeMed Vision Care, Luxottica's vision benefits company, gave its Website (www.eyemedvisioncare.com) a makeover. For example, a game in the open enrollment section tells individuals how eye exams can detect vision problems, eye diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, and high-risk health conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and even cancer.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Saving a Forest

Do you want to attract the attention of patients who considered themselves environmentalists? This tidbit could help. Marc by Marc Jacobs has jumped behind the Nature Conservancy"s (TNC) and its new "Plant a Seed, Grow Your Tree, and Save the Forest." The program will promote TNC's "Plant a Billion Trees" project that is designed to restore the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. Marc by Marc Jacobs will make a contribution to TNC and has created a website (www.plantaseedproject.com) to provide deatils about the campaign and allows visitors to plant virtual trees. There's also a Facebook site. Marc by Marc Jacobs makes its MMJ 261/s sunglasses from a material derived from castor-oil seeds. The chocolate coloured sunglasses, which feature leaf textured temples, are packaged in a case made from repurposed leather.

FDA Moves In to Minimize the Impact of TASS

"Toxic Anterior Segment Syndrome (TASS) is a rare condition that can occur after cataract surgery," reports Medical News Today. "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in collaboration with other Government agencies, unveiled a program today to monitor medical devices used in cataract surgery in an effort to stem outbreaks of the rare, inflammatory condition." Read more.

Internet Acts Like a Personal Optician, Says Study

Working longer and having access to the Internet, people in the United Kingdom reportedly are looking for answers to vision care online, according to a survey by Online Optician. Online Optician notes that Internet vision care cannot replace a visit to a qualified optician, but the Net can be  an education medium. Research in online searching behaviour shows that hundreds of thousands of people are using the internet for performing searches relating to contact lenses every month. One such example of this is the number of videos on YouTube relating to inserting and removing contact lenses. In addition to this, a large number of people are performing searches for contact lens reviews and information relating to wearing contact lenses for the first time. The benefit of this to consumers of medical devices such as glasses and contact lenses is that they are able to have a more informed consultation with the optician prescribing them with eye care products, and are in a better position to ask questions when they have taken the time to learn about available options.Read more.

Renewed Look at Runners and Eyewear

The Examiner makes an important point about protective eyewear that you may want to share with your patients:

Many runners don't consider the importance of protecting their eyes while they run, even though they often receive just as much as a workout as the rest of the body. Even when asked about protecting eyes, most runners retort that they wear a visor or hat. However, while visors and hats protect against some UV rays, there are also other things that runners must consider when choosing eyewear. For instance, road debris (especially if runners run besides cyclist or car traffic) can fly into the eyes and cause damage, along with insects and pollen in the air. Because of this, its important that runners consider protective eyewear that can double as sun protection in order to keep eyes healthy. Read more.

Stunner Showcasing Sunwear at SnowGlobe Music Festival

Taking part in what is sure to be a monumental New Year’s Eve celebration, Stunner of the Month will inject a dose of fashion into the first-ever @SnowGlobe Music Festival in Lake Tahoe, California. Featuring more than forty-five world-class artists, including Bassnectar, Theophilus London, Thievery Corporation and The Glitch Mob, the three day concert will combine music, mountains, and a setting to showcase dStunner shades. Stunner of the Month will be one of 25 vendors on hand, arming the over 15,000 festival-goers with protection from the snow’s harsh glare. The sunglasses subscription company will unveil their limited ski collection, a wintery mix of shades to help endure even the harshest elements, available exclusively at SnowGlobe. Co-Founder, Todd Smith will their unbranded shades. Read more.

Eyewear that Hears and Smells

"Meeting someone face to face isn’t as memorable as one might think, something these Sound Perfume glasses aim to change," according to Trend Hunters. "These innovative glasses—which kind of look like white 3D glasses—help you tap into your other senses when meeting someone by emitting sounds and smells associated with the other person. Created by Keio University researchers, the Sound Perfume glasses create a completely engaging experience for both parties by providing each wearer with information on the other person, including his or her contact number, unique sounds and odor. You get to choose what smell and sounds you want to emit using a special app, and built-in infrared sensors, speakers and scent emitters on the glasses make it happen." Read more.

When Are Eyewear Entrepreneurs Entrepreneurs?

Recently Forbes magazine released a list of the 30 socially responsible organizations in the world. The list included the decade-old VisionSpring. A minor controversy has emerged: "All the rest of the people on this list just don’t fit Forbes’ own description of social entrepreneurs. The majority of them are working in non-profit organizations – Jen Chen of Embrace, Darell Hammond of KaBoom, Sara Horowitz of Freenlancers Union, Jordan Kassalow of VisionSpring and so on. Again, they all do an important job, tackling critical social issues, from providing reasonably priced health insurance to the self-employed (Freelancers Union) to providing affordable reading glasses (VisionSpring), but none of these organizations are for-profit." That's the notion from Triplepundit, a media organization for companies who are concerned about the bottom line and social and environmental impact. Read more.

States to Determine Vision Care under Health Care Reform

"Since the passage of health reform (Affordable Care Act), many have wondered what would be covered in the benefits offered through the State Exchanges," reports the Huffington Post. "We have been reassured that the benefits that are "essential" would be comprehensive yet affordable. But essential to whom? What is an essential benefit and who gets to decide? Tough questions. No easy answers. Today HHS released a bulletin punting part of the issue to the States. States will have more "flexibility" to determine what is in the essential benefit package. Of course, not complete flexibility. These benefit plans MUST include, at least, the ten categories of benefits that are defined in the law." Vision care is included in those categories.

Ralph Lauren Launches New Lines Based on Its US Olympic Teamwear

"As official outfitter of the US Olympic and Paralympic teams for London 2012, Ralph Lauren introduces the athletes serving as the brand’s ambassadors," reports Sportwear International. "The Ralph Lauren 2012 Olympic Collection is inspired by the 1948 Olympic Games in London and presents a mix of reproductions, vintage motifs and modern sporting silhouettes in the iconic color palette of red, white and navy. It features reissued heritage pieces from the ‘30s and ‘40s, including, amongst others, fleece warm-ups, a cricket-collar shirt and sweatshirts, the Big Pony polo with the new Olympic team logo along with Olympic-branded accessories, from tote bags and hats to towels and eyewear." Read more.