More on the Versace Opening in Paris

"Donatella Versace's latest eyewear collection Etoile de la Mer was unveiled during Haute Couture Fashion Week last Monday in Paris," says Stuff. and as noted on this blog. "The dinner event, held at Restaurant Lasserre, was attended by celebrities and VIP fashion media including Salma Hayek, Arizona Muse and Anna Wintour." See a picture of the reception.

LBOs Come to Local Eyecare Businesses

According to the Wall Street Journal, leverage buyouts (LBOs) are hitting the local eyewear business: "Although we’ve seen a number of dental deals in the past 18 months, few GPs seem to be capitalizing on other facial real estate- except Candescent Partners. The firm recently struck a deal to acquire Rhode Island-based vision care provider Koch Eye Associates from its other private sponsors." Read more.

PBA Offers Info about Age-Related AMD

"February is age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Awareness Month, and Prevent Blindness America is offering a dedicated online resource for patients and caretakers to learn more about the retinal disease," says a Modern Medicine post. "The Web site, www.preventblindness.org/amd, offers a variety of tools and information about risk factors and treatment options as well as a downloadable Amsler grid that can help identify vision abnormalities linked to AMD." Read more.

Eco Comes Out with New Line

"Eco by Modo releases its SS12 collection along its tagline Look Good, Feel Good, Do Good  – cool eyewear (Look Good), made of at least 95% recycled materials (Feel Good) which plants a tree for every frame purchased (Do Good)," according to an Eyesurf post. "This season Eco adds 10 optical and 3 new sun styles which bring a confident design direction, are recognizable and predominantly retro-inspired." Read more.

New Lines from Safilo

Smith Optics: The authentic unmistakeable cool design of the new  eyewear will win over fans seeking the coolest style: the new sunglasses and optical frames strike with a dynamic, winning, and irresistible character. Read more.

Blue Bay: The new eyewear collection presents new models of sunglasses and optical frames. These feature lively graphic designs and appealing plays on lines and shapes: the new models bring to mind a world of youth and colour, inspired by holidays and free time. With the genuine enthusiasm of their forthright personality, they are the perfect glasses to complement a fresh young trendy look. Read more.

Browning Eyewear CEO Caughts a Large Mouth

"We got wind of a story about a big bass caught on Pickwick Lake. Turns out it was caught by our friend Lance Walker, CEO of Browning Eyewear. And it may have been the Tennessee state record largemouth to boot," reports Wired2Fish. "Walker has been travelling the country this winter attending various trade shows and boat shows for Browning Eyewear. He finally got a few days at home and called his friend Ray Rittenhour to go chase crappie with him on Pickwick Lake. " Read more.

Shaun White Five-Peats X Games

Oakley, Inc. recently congratulated Shaun White for his five-peat Gold in the X Games SuperPipe competition. After suffering a practice session ankle injury that forced him to sit out the Snowboard SlopeStyle competition, White went on to score a perfect 100 on his final “victory lap” in the SuperPipe to earn his place at the top of the winter 2012 podium. Read more.

Zyloware Updates Stetson Sunwear Line

"Zyloware Eyewear announces a new release in the Stetson Polarized Sunglass Collection, in addition to the re-release of four additional styles," according to Eyesurf. "The Stetson Polarized Sunglass Collection is an updated collection of classic best-selling styles from Stetson...All styles in the collection are of optical quality and fit progressive lenses." Read more.

The eyewear company also has announced that it will release new Sophia Loren and Randy  Jackson lines in March. Read more.

Nike Offers Transitions Sunwear --- Max

"Nike Vision and Transitions Optical, Inc. showcased new Nike MAX Transitions adaptive sunglasses at the PGA Merchandise Show," says Eyesurf. "Available in two colors, the lenses are responsive to changing light and specifically engineered for sport performance including golf, hiking and trail running." Read more.

Briet Eyes Contest Has a Winner

Airwear, an Essilor polycarbonate lenses, and artist "Mary Engelbreit presented Michele Zeblisky of Northwood, N.H., grand prize winner of the 'Breit Eyes' Facebook photo contest, with an original, autographed sketch in the likeness of her 11-year-old son, Jack, as well as a tour of Engelbreit’s St. Louis studio and a $200 general use gift card." Read more of the Eyesurf post.

New "Vintage" Stainless Collecion and New Photo Contest from Plume Paris

Eyesurf quotes the designer on the new Ring Collection by Plume Pairs Eyewear: "“Vintage inspired eyewear is such a hot look in the eyewear business. However, too many eyewear designers focus vintage/retro eyewear with acetate materials. So, for ‘Ring’ from Plume Paris Eyewear I wanted to create a unisex stainless steel metal frame without sacrificing the vintage look.” Read more.

 Eyesurf also notes that "to celebrate the 'love' eye care professionals and consumers have with the Plume Paris brand, all Plume Paris Lovers (those who wear Plume Paris frames) can participate in the campaign: “Let love take over." Plume Paris Lovers can share photos wearing Plume Paris Eyewear plus share their own love stories. Photos and stories will run exclusively at plumeparis.com"

Modo Presents New Eye/Sunwear Lines

Eyesurf reports that "Modo presents the Baby Phat SS2012 Collection, inspired by the brand’s new tagline “from the runway to the pavement”. Six new optical frames and five sunglass models export the glamour right from the catwalk models, making it attainable to a broad audience." Read more.

"Modo [also] and 7 For All Mankind present 6 new optical styles and 7 new sun styles for the upcoming season. In-line with the effortless, relaxed sophistication of 7 For All Mankind, the eyewear collection combines style drive with wear-ability. " Read more.

New Blue Book of ODs Available

"The 2012 Edition of the Blue Book of Optometrists, a comprehensive directory listing over 30,000 optometrists [available in print or on CD-ROM], is now available from Jobson Medical Information LLC.," reports Vision Monday. "The directory is indexed into four distinct categories including, name, state, specialty and educational institution." Read more.

Safilo Releases New Glamour and Design Collections

The new Safilo eyewear collections for next season are the perfect mix between design and technology, the distinguishing traits of a brand that has always been a byword for quality and excellence, such as the turquoise, lilac, beige, or light blue square-shaped, Safilo Glamour optical frames with a jewel-like decoration on the templates that is reportedly dedicated to elegant women with a timeless charm. Then there's the men's Safilo Design collection. A squared acetate optical frame with temples, characterized by the innovative “block-hinge.” Read more.

Hip New Eyewear from Seventh Street

New eyewear from Seventh Street offers younger wearers a standout choice of lively color combinations and pure shapes. Sparkling with personality: Must-have eyeglasses for a young and contemporary look, perfectly “urban Style.” Read more.

Novartis Settles Class Action

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation (NPC) and Sanford Wittels & Heisler, LLP, counsel to the plaintiffs and the Class, have agreed to resolve the nationwide wage and hour class action against NPC currently pending in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. NPC has agreed to end the ongoing proceedings and provide a payment of up to $99 million for eligible class members.  This settlement resolves the wage and hour claims brought in 2006, as well as additional wage and hour claims covering a more recent time period. For more details, read more.

OpticalCEUs Continues to Receive Outstanding Reviews

Linda Conlin, founder of the innovative, attendee-oriented continuing education program OpticalCEUs and the increasing popular optical news site, Optical News from OpticalCEUs, recently released the outstanding performance evaluations from opticians attending its Fall 2011 Continuing Education Seminar for Opticians at Foxwoods. As mandated by ABO/NCLE (American Board of Opticianry/National Contact Lens Examiners), OpticalCEUs surveys attendee reaction to each seminar using a standard ABO/NCLE questionnaire. “Clearly our attendees appreciate the time, energy, and professionalism that each speaker puts into her/his work,” said Linda Conlin.

To see more results, click this link.

SNL Eye Exam

The Recklessness of Health Care?

"An escape fire is a swath of grassland intentionally ignited to protect humans from an oncoming blaze. Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare, which premiered at Sundance this week, argues that we need to do something equally drastic if we are to save the economy from the health care system," starts the Slate post. "While everyone knows health care is broken, the filmmakers go further, portraying health care itself as an out of control system, one which, if left unfixed, will burn until it consumes everything in its path." Read more.

Apps for Smart Phones from AllaboutVision

AllAboutVision.com has added new smart-phone apps that range from fun visual illusions to useful medication reminders on its Eye-Related Downloads and Apps page.The page contains more than 30 eye-related resources that include apps for the Android, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, as well as printable handouts and guides for eye health and safety. Eye Color Booth, Optical Illusions and MedMinder are among the newest apps on the page. A photography app for the Android, Eye Color Booth changes the eye color in photos to create artistic effects. It also lets users try on a new eye color if they’re considering color contacts. Optical illusions is another Android app with 98 fun visual illusions that can be emailed or shared on Facebook with friends. iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad users can download a similar app called Eye Illusions and Mind Tricks for device wallpaper. You can get the apps here.

Carrera Launches New Sunwear

The new Carrera eyewear collection is designed for the “Carrera  generation," vintage inspired sunglasses with contemporary detailing.The  sunglasses reportedly make their mark with highly distinctive design features. Square, teardrop or wraparound shapes take their inspiration from the brand’s heritage: a leather insert on the front, held in place by a small metal button is the collection's iconic theme models 32, 33, and 37). The 32 and  33 models are made in multi-layer acetate and have handmade features like the hand-polished acetate and the photoengraved logo on the temples. There are many colors available: light Havana brown, black/crystal/grey, red/white, blue/white, black, black/crystal/white, Havana brown/grey, and white/black/gray for the models in acetate; palladium, light gold, and ruthenium for the metal wraparounds."Read more.

Saffilo Releases New OXYDO Collection

This is what Saffilo has to say about its new OXYDO eyewear collection. It's "for those who want to make a personal statement through the glasses they wear. An indispensable style accessory, which allows you to show your true self, letting out that inner world that is usually hidden. Whilst setting free a strong seductive personality that goes beyond fashion." Read more.

CooperVision Donates $30K to ABVI

CooperVision's 1200 Rochester-area employees and representatives from the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ABVI) recently gathered at the Rochester Convention Center. irIt was there that CooperVision's employees gave the charity $30,000. ABVI will use the donation to "'empower people with significant vision loss to see and do great things. We believe that people who are blind or visually impaired can contribute to their families and communities in meaningful ways,'" according to A. Gidget Hopf, the president and chief executive officer of ABVI.

Nicole Miller Hooks Up with L'Amy

"New York fashion house Nicole Miller and L’Amy America are pleased to announce the signing of a global agreement for the design and distribution of ophthalmic, sunwear and readers for Nicole Miller, Nicole by Nicole Miller and Nicole Miller New York brands," reports Eyesurf. "Nicole Miller is a fashion designer with a modern, ageless aesthetic. Her silhouettes are artfully draped to achieve a unique body consciousness. Her signature is feminine, sexy and refined. Miller draws inspiration from a wide range of influences including cinema, contemporary art, mid‐century architecture and exotic cultures. She is known for elements of whimsy and surprise, and is the preeminent new york‐based designer among global fashion’s print and colour elite." Read the Eyesurf post.

Alcon Shipment Stolen

"Alcon is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), industry cargo theft organizations, and law enforcement officials to recover CIBA VISION brand contact lenses that were stolen on or about January 2012 while being delivered to an Alcon distribution center in Georgia," says MDLinx. "The stolen products consist of FreshLook ColorBlends contact lenses, details for which are listed below and represent the only product from these lots that are in the marketplace. No product with the same lot number has been previously distributed." Read more on the MDLinx post.

Vuarnet Gives FramesDirect Exclusive Line

Online eyewear retailer FramesDirect.com will be the exclusive U.S. seller of a new line of sport and fashion sunglasses from Vuarnet. In 2009, a controlling 75% stake in the company was purchased by trendsetting eyewear designer Alain Mikli, who revitalized the brand by introducing bold new frames that embraced not only ski, nautical and outdoor sports enthusiasts, but fashion and urban lifestyle as well. Read more.

Salma Haek and Kiane Kruger Celebrate with Versace Eyewear

"Donatella Versace hosted at an exclusive dinner at Paris's Restaurant Lasserre on Monday to unveil the Versace Étoile De La Mer eyewear collection," writes Popsugar. "Diane Kruger was one of the lucky stars to score an invite, and wore a wild cheetah and floral minidress designed by her host, Donatella. Inside, fashionable ladies like Salma Hayek, Anna Wintour, and Abbie Cornish tried on pieces from the line, which will be available in stores as of March. Oscar nominee Bérénice Bejo, from The Artist, also joined the celebration." Read the Popsugar post.

Some Animals Depend on Blurry Vision

Discover Magazine notes, "We don’t like blurry vision, and we go out of our way to correct it with glasses and contact lenses. But some animals aren’t so fussy. The jumping spider not only tolerates blurry images, it deliberately produces them." Read the Discover post.

ClearVision Releases Global Fit Collection

Midwest Lens  reports that "ClearVision Optical announces the Global Fit collection, a line of adjustable fit frames debuting with styles from the popular BCBGMAXAZRIA brand. Global Fit was created to provide highly adjustable eyewear that addresses special fitting needs of a wide range of global ethnicities." Read the Midwest Lens post. 

Wiley X Expands Line of Sunwear

"Leading protective sunglass manufacturer Wiley X, Inc. has expanded its growing line of Active Series premium performance sunglasses with the new-for-2012 WX Rush and WX Zen," according to Eyesurf. "Like all members of Wiley X’s Active Series, these new glasses are Rx-ready and feature edgy styling that fits the active lifestyle, while providing the performance needed for those who play hard and work hard.  Active Series models are perfect for people who like to work up a sweat, with rubber nose pads and temple gloves that ensure a snug, comfortable fit, even when the action gets hot." Read the Eyesurf post.

See the World through Rose-Colored CLs

Photo by: Courtesy/MCT

"Contact lenses with red centers to cover the pupil and filter incoming light help Sophia Sevaks cope with a hereditary vision disorder," says the Jerusalem Post."For Sophia Sevaks, light hurts. When we meet on a Jerusalem winter day she’s wearing large dark glasses, black jeans and a tailored jacket. To avoid traffic, she’s hanging on to the arms of Ruthie Ezra, her house mother at the Meir Shfeya Youth Village near Zichron Ya’acov." Read more of the Jerusalem Post item.

"Face Off" Contestants Design Based on CLs

"We start with a foundation challenge. The contestants are randomly put into four teams of three. Each team has a model, hidden behind a divider, and wearing themed contact lenses," according to Fear. "The teams must create a makeup look to match the contact lenses, but they must do it in relay race-style: each contestant gets 15 minutes and they run through the order twice. Your team members do not get to watch, so you have to make your vision clear from the start. Among the four looks - an alien, a zombie, a demon, and a "star princess" - the alien won. Beki scored immunity by winning the overall." Read more on the Fear post.

Understanding Glaucoma Better

Bio-Medicine reports that "a University of Houston (UH) vision scientist has received a $1.85 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate whether his techniques are more effective than others in understanding the earliest changes of glaucoma, which could lead to developing a way to earlier diagnose this potentially blinding disease." Read more on the Bio-Medicine post.

Bally Leather and TWC-L'Amy Team Up

"Bally, the Swiss luxury leather goods house, has signed a licensing agreement with global eyewear group TWC-L'AMY for the development and distribution of an exclusive prescription and sunglass eyewear range," reports Trend. "Products are expected to be launched worldwide by the end of 2012. Created in partnership with Bally's Creative Directors Michael Herz and Graeme Fidler, the Bally merchandise team and L'Amy's Product Manager and Eyewear designer, the collections will 'embody Bally's ethos of craftsmanship excellence, innovative design and high quality materials.'" Read more on the Trend post.

Ultrarunner Michael Wolfe Sponsoring Julbo

" Julbo, a leader in high-end performance eyewear, is pleased to welcome Michael Wolfe to its roster of sponsored athletes," according to SNET. "Wolfe, a globally accomplished ultra runner and long time fan of Julbo sunglasses, will complement Julbo’s robust team of endurance athletes including fellow ultra runners Kami Semick, Ian Sharman and Aliza LaPierre." Report more on SNET.

Warby Parker Comes Out with "Fun" Annual Report

"Hey, want to read an eyewear store's annual report? Actually, yes, you do. Warby Parker, an e-commerce hub for hipster glasses and tortoise-shell monocles, has released its 2011 annual report as a light-hearted, interactive and addictive infographic, featuring everything from call volume and site traffic to Instagram mentions and employee commute times," according to an AdWeek post. Marketers will find it to be a treasure trove of data and clever ideas, while normal humans will just be fascinated by the random facts about our nation's eyesight. Did you know Maryland has the worst vision, and Vermont the best?" Read more in Ad Week.

Elephant Fitted with CLs

"A 45-year old Asian elephant at Amsterdam’s Artis Zoo has become the first elephant in Europe to be fitted with a contact lens, after her cornea was scratched during a scuffle with another member of the herd," according to the Irish Times. "Veterinarian Anne-Marie Verbruggen had fitted contact lenses to horses before, but never to an elephant. She had to use a ladder yesterday to reach her patient and perform the delicate operation – which lasted just under an hour." Read more.

Columbia Eyewear Expands Its Carbon Fiber Line

Eyesurf reports that "in response to the success of its 2011 Carbon Fiber Ophthalmic collection, Columbia Eyewear is pleased to announce the expansion of this high-performance category, by introducing two new models: Ochoco and Sawtooth." Read more.

Rudy Project Overhauls Its Sports, Rx Sunwear

"Rudy Project North America...has announced a complete overhaul of its Authentic Sun Rx program for 2012," according to Eyesurf. "The new program dubbed, 'Making Rx Sports Easy' features Rudy Project’s first ever product catalog for eye care professionals, dedicated solely to prescription sports eyewear, as well as a consumer Rx catalog that explains the features and benefits of Rudy Project’s Rx sports line." Read the Eyesurf post.

Dolabany Presents Romco

“The idea behind the ‘Romco’ frame [from Dolabany Eyewear] was to create a unisex bold frame that will enhance both casual and professional styles. Its shields and thick bridge were incorporated in its design to give it some vintage flare.” That's part of the post on Eyesurf.

Yahoo! News Giving Away Marchon Sunwear for Super Bowl

"Can't wait for the Super Bowl? Get in on some football action when we give you a chance to win the same NFL Pulse Awards gift bag that players including Saints' QB Drew Brees took home," according to a post on Yahoo! News. "Click here to enter  [really you can] the NFL Pulse Awards Gift Bag Sweepstakes. Other stars including True Blood hottie Joe Manganiello, Kevin Nealon, Jamie Pressley and retired football great Marshall Faulk were given the gift bag at the January 20 awards show in Los Angeles. Items inside the gift bag, which has an approximate retail value of $489, include ...eyewear by Marchon and more items." Go to the Yahoo post.

Essilor Expands in China and Switzerland

Essilor is expanding in China, having signed partnerships worth about €22 million in additional revenue. The company acquired a majority interest in Jiangsu Youli Optics Co. Ltd., the €15-million, Danyang manufacturer of ophthalmic lenses. Youli Optics formerly was named Governor Optical Co. Ltd. Essilor also picked up a majority stake in the €7-million lens manufacturer Jiangsu Seeworld Optical Co. Ltd. Meanwhile in Europe, Essilor  purchased a majority holding in €11-million Reize, a distributor of BBGR's in the Swiss market.

Optical Security?

"Iris scanners have quickly moved from the realm of science fiction into everyday public use by governments and private businesses. Iris recognition is rarely impeded by contact lenses or eyeglasses, and can work with blind individuals as well," goes the Huffington Post post. "The scanners, which have been used by some American police departments, can scan up to 50 people a minute without requiring the individuals to stop and stand in front of the scanners." Read more on the Huffington Post.

Marc Ecko Offers Five New Styles

"Eyewear industry leader, ClearVision Optical expands its Marc Ecko Cut & Sew eyewear brand with 5 new, trend-setting designs," according to a Midwest Lens post. "The new optical looks enhance the collection targeted to the 20-40 “ME guy” who is young in spirit, masculine, and pays meticulous attention to detail. Bold in shape and modern in design, the 2012 Cut & Sew Eyewear releases are stylish with an edge incorporating industrial and architectural references that continue to give the collection a sexy, stealth and authentic feel." Read more.

"Family Guys" Italian Eye Exam

Optician Donates Oakleys to Air Ambulance Crew

"Independent opticians Haine & Smith has donated Oakley sunglasses to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance paramedic crew, helping them be better equipped during emergency call outs." Read more at the Optometry.co.uk post.

Marc Jacobs Inspired by Skateboarders

"The Marc Jacobs Fall/Winter 2012 menswear collection features skateboarder-chic styles with retro fashion flair," reports Trend Hunter. "With bold suited styles and vibrant prints, styling for this shoot includes eclectic pairings such as tailored coats and funky, printed knits as well as suited styles with a rugged and relaxed edge." Read more on Trend Hunter.

Activist Presents Lookbook 2012

Activist Eyewear's 2012 Winter Lookbook is now available for viewing online at http://www.ActivistEyewear.com/lookbook.php. Activist Eyewear employed the services of Teddy Santos to model the photographs.  Santos wears Activist's  Walkabout and Summit as well as some of their earlier styles the 10.01 & 10.02.
Activist decided to deviate from their original Dewey Decimal - inspired naming schema and focused on names that allude to discovering inspiration for creative change through exploration.  Co-founder and Creative Director Mark Craig explains,"We really loved the old time industrial feel of our initial names.  Now the time is right for us to highlight what we feel is an innate human need - the desire to travel, to explore new places and new ideas.  This process of discovery goes right to the core of our brand." Read more.

Luxottica Positive about 2012

""Sales at Luxottica...rose 10 per cent last year at constant exchange rates, to €6.22bn," reports the Financial Times. "Luxottica said it expected 2012 to be 'positive' for its retail division, while it considered the outlook for its wholesale business was 'promising' on the basis of orders and consumer reception to its new eyewear licence with...Coach." Read more in the Financial Times.

Worldwide Dry Eye Crisis, Says MD

Sharon Kleyne, host of the Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water syndicated radio talk show, interviewed Philip Paden, MD, an ophthalmologist in Medford, Oregon. They discussed the global dry eye crisis, eye health and nutrition, pediatric vision care and macular degeneration. The interview may be heard on-demand on World Talk Radio, Voice America, Green Talk Network and Apple iTunes. Read more.

Persol Releases Fun Commercial

007 in his Persol's

"Persol sunglasses has released a fun and vibrant animated commercial called ‘A Year of Sun With Mr. Persol’ for its U.K audience," notes TrendHunter. "The upbeat and sunshiny commercial features ‘Mr. Persol,’ a man who leads a very leisurely life." See the video here.

Concept to Distribute Variation in CN

Concept Eyewear Inc.  has entered into an exclusive, Canada-wide distribution agreement with Variation Design for the import, marketing and distribution of ophthalmic eyewear frames under the V.Design and V.Design Kids brands. Concept Eyewear Inc. is now the exclusive distributor of the brands in all Canadian provinces except Quebec.

Stem Cells Used for MacD

"The first published results of trials using cells derived from human embryonic stem cells appear to show they have passed an initial safety hurdle," according to a Medical News Today post. "In The Lancet this week, researchers report that two nearly blind patients, one with Stargardt's macular dystrophy and the other with dry age-related macular degeneration (the leading cause of blindness in developed countries), showed measurable improvements in vision that lasted for more than four months after receiving injections of retinal pigment epithelium cells derived from human embryonic stem cells." Read more.

Here's what WebMD had to post: "In the study, the women received new RPE cells grown from human embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells have been tested in humans only once before -- in paralyzed patients with injured spinal cords. Results of those studies, now canceled, were never officially reported." Read more.

Here's the story in the New York Times: "They come from the second clinical trial involving the stem cells, using a therapy developed by Advanced Cell Technology to treat macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness." Read more.

Pro Spanish Cyclists Go with Addidas

"Biking without compromises! This is the motto of both Adidas eyewear, with its evil eye halfrim pro top cycling model, and the Spanish MOVISTAR Team with its 28 professional athletes. So it is entirely natural that the two are now hitting the road together." So goes the post. "Founded in 1980, the MOVISTAR Team has been taking part in the UCI Pro Tour and its successor the UCI World Tour. It celebrated 21 victories in 2011." Read more.

Blindness Reduced More Than 50%

"Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most frequent cause of blindness in the Western World. A report from the University of Copenhagen and Glostrup Hospital in Denmark shows the number of new cases of blindness and severe visual loss in Denmark has been halved during the last ten years," according to Medical News Today. "The study just published in American Journal of Ophthalmology examined the records of 11,848 new cases of legal blindness. The rate of blindness from AMD fell from 522 cases per million inhabitants aged 50 years or older in 2000, to 257 cases per million in 2010, a reduction by over 50 per cent." Read more.

CLs Made from Non-Edible Plants?

"A Colorado State University chemistry professor has developed several patent-pending chemical processes that would create sustainable bioplastics from renewable resources for use on everything from optical fibers and contact lenses to furniture and automobile parts." Read the report on OMNexus.

China Takes a Tougher Stance on Colored CLs

"CHINA'S drug watchdog is drawing up plans to restrict the production and import of colored contact lenses because the unregulated products may impair users' eyes," notes the Shanghai Daily. "The plan resulted in millions of online comments yesterday, with most people concerned about the safety of the products, which do not undergo the drug authority's supervision." Read more.

J&J Challenges CIBA's Ads

"The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus has determined that although CIBA Vision Corp can support certain advertising claims made as part of its 'Power of One' advertising campaign, it recommended that CIBA modify or discontinue certain other claims made for CIBA Dailies and CIBA Air Optix Aqua contact lenses, according to a National Advertising Division press release," reports PCONSuperSite. "The advertising at issue was challenged by Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc. (JJVC), who contended that the “Power of One” campaign relied on selective citation of data of reported differences in certain studies of patient compliance rates with the Manufacturer Recommended Replacement Frequency (MRRF) for daily, 2-week and monthly disposable contact lenses, the release said." Read more.

OpticalCEUs Will Hold Its Semiannual Semester at April's End

Linda Conlin, founder of OpticalCEUs, announced that OpticalCEUs' Semiannual Continuing Education Seminar for Eye Care Professionals will be held on Sunday, April 29, 2012, at the MGM Grand Conference Center at the Foxwoods Resorts. Opticians from Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire will be able to earn seven ABO/NCLE credits that they can apply toward their optician licenses. The lecturers for the Spring seminar include Linda Conlin, Jean Davidson, and Debra Kotob.

Details about registering will be available on this blog and the OpticalCEUs website in near future.

Sharon Stone, Patrick Dempsey, Pierce Brosnan, Other Celebs Participate in Eyewear Book

"Photographer Greg Gorman collaborated with the company to create a black-and-white photo book featuring celebs such as Laura Dern and Pierce Brosnan, alongside Andy Warhol, Iggy Pop and other legendary names."  So starts the Hollywood Reporter post. 

"The latest must-have for the style savvy is the hardcopy edition of Framed: Greg Gorman for L.A. Eyeworks. The book consists of a lavish history of famed photographer Greg Gorman’s work for the brand with an extensive list of the celebrities and lesser-known avant-garde subjects who have defined l.a.Eyeworks ad campaigns from 1982 to the present." Read more. 


See write up on Midwest Lens.