Three Cheers for the HCPs at Cal Expo Health Fair!!!

For anyone who thinks that the nation does not need a solution to its health care crisis, attend just one Cal Expo: "They had cracked teeth, blurry vision, sore backs, suspicious growths and hips that hurt so much that some could barely walk," reports the Boston Herald. "But they did not have health insurance. The sick came by the hundreds – officials estimated 1,000 by noon – to Cal Expo on Friday. They waited in long lines, and at 3:30 am. they were given tickets to wait in even longer lines. Eventually they were treated by volunteer doctors, dentists, acupuncturists and optometrists who provided free medical care and a healthy dose of reassurance. " Read more.

College SDSU Grads Offer Tom's Some Competition

"What started as a San Diego State University assignment to formulate a business plan with a social impact has turned into a full-time limited liability company that is providing free prescription glasses to people in need around the world," according to San Diego Reader. (Optical News from OpticalCEUs gave you a glimpse of SOLO on March 21.)"Operating under the slogan 'Vision to Give,' SOLO Eyewear was founded last year by recent graduates Jenny Amaraneni and Craig Stern. The company, which includes creative director Dana Holliday, works on a similar model to the popular Santa Monica for-profit TOMS Shoes and Eyewear – for every pair of sunglasses purchased, SOLO donates a pair of prescription glasses." Read more.

Ted Kennedy Jr. Speaks of Health Care As the Supreme Court Considers the ACA

"Many insurance law changes enacted by the 2010 Affordable Care Act, known as the ACA, were long championed by my father, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy. His vision to provide affordable health care coverage for all Americans was a personal crusade that he called "the great unfinished business of our society," according to a post by Ted Kennedy Jr. in the Hartford Courant. "What many people may not realize is that my father's passion for universal health care coverage was shaped while caring for me, then a 12-year-old child diagnosed with an extremely deadly form of bone cancer of my leg. His interactions with doctors and nurses, and his waiting room conversations with other parents of children with life-threatening illnesses and disabilities, greatly informed his thinking....What many do not understand is that the ACA has already brought about many life-altering changes to all cancer survivors, both children and adults, as well as people with chronic illnesses and disabilities.

• "First, the ACA outlawed rescission — the practice of dropping people's coverage once they get sick — by the insurance industry.
• "Second, the ACA made it illegal for insurance companies to place caps on the amount spent on lifetime coverage costs. This means that children with ongoing medical conditions, such as cancer, chronic diseases and disabilities, will be much better protected.
• "Third, thanks to the ACA, beginning in 2014, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny people coverage because of pre-existing conditions. Read more.

In the New York Times: "Although it would be folly to predict what the court will conclude, policy experts, insurers, doctors and legislators are now seriously contemplating the repercussions of a complete change in course two years after the nation began to put the law into place. Their concerns were heightened after three days of court arguments in which some justices expressed skepticism about whether the full law could stand without the individual mandate requiring almost everyone to have insurance. 'Many of us did not get the bill we wanted, but I think having to start over is worse than having to fix this,' said Robert Laszewski, a health care industry consultant and former insurance executive who opposed the bill." Read more.

Zyloware Has New Styles for May

Next month Zyloware Eyewear will come out with new styles for the following lines: Sophia Loren, Stetson, Randy Jackson, and Gloria by Gloria Vanderbilt. Read more on EyeSurf.

New Lline from Rampage Eyewear

"The spring 2012 Rampage Eyewear collection from Viva International Group features four new ophthalmic styles, which offer sexy, hip and on trend design elements for today’s young woman," says EyeSurf. "An array of inventive temple treatments, including hardware elements, rivets and metal buckle detailing are offered in a variety of fashion-forward silhouettes." Read more.

Spy Introduces New Ophthalmic Line

"Spy Inc. recently debuted its new ophthalmic collection. "The Southern California–based eyewear brand added 14 new styles to its Rx line for Spring 2012, inspired by the brand’s active lifestyle heritage, penchant for timeless style and modern materials and construction, and its disregard for the usual," according to the EyeSurf post. Read more.

Not for the Weak of Heart: Eye Care Photos from the 19th Century

CBS News ran a series of photographs showing eye conditions left untreated during the 19th Century. Warning they are gruesome.  See photos.

Viva Presents News Skechers

"Viva International Group presents 10 new releases from the Skechers Eyewear Spring/Summer 2012 collection consisting of four men’s, four women’s and two boy’s ophthalmic styles," so goes the post on EyeSurf. The new styles capture the sporty and vibrant look of the Skechers brand, while incorporating many design elements from Skechers' new footwear styles." Read more.

Shamir Releases Use of New Material for Its DLC Trivex

"Shamir announces the release of the newest material available for its Single Vision product line: DLC Trivex (HC/UC) clear," according to a post on News from the AOA. "Shamir demonstrated its ongoing commitment to offer the most comprehensive material availability selection with the release of this new material, according to the company." Read more.

New Collection from ProDesign Denmark

"The art of making an acetate frame, can seem to easy at times. Behind this special collection lies hours of perfecting the pressing and cutting process," reports Midwest Lens about a line from ProDesign Denmark. "To obtain the 3D effect of the transition between the temple and the front, the acetate material must be cut very precisely so when you bend it, the upperside will still look smooth. The temple itself is a study in cutting and assembling the acetate layers correctly – best seen in the transparent acetate layer which is added last, but is still a seamless part of the entire temple. The color combinations range from exclusive and classic to vibrant and dramatic! Some of these frames are not for the faint hearted! Three shapes, one of them in two sizes, in six colors each." Read more.

Ophthalmologist Gets 7 Years for Fraud

"A former top doctor at Temple University's School of Medicine knew he couldn't get away with a fraudulent-billing scheme unless he could show that he was actually seeing patients himself," reports the Philadelphia Daily News. "So, Dr. Joseph J. Kubacki took charts of patients who had been seen only by resident doctors and crafted detailed descriptions of diagnoses and treatment plans for the patients to hide the fraud, federal prosecutors said. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno sentenced Kubacki, formerly chairman of the ophthalmology department and an assistant dean, to more than seven years in federal prison for the $1.8-million scheme." Read more.

Kim Tweats about CLs and Other Big Things

"She's constantly changing up her look by experimenting with different fashion choices, accessories and hairstyles," according to Britain's Daily Mail. "And earlier this week Kim Kardashian decided to go for a new appearance by trying out green contact lenses - brightening her usually dark brown irises. However, there was one big reason Kim's fans were slightly distracted when she posted the shot on her Twitter page - namely the very low-cut top she was wearing which highlighted her ample cleavage." Read more.

Some Stupid Ideas Die Hard

In a story about China's economy, CNN Money had the following lead: " Contact lenses, diamonds and boiled eggs are things that are better hard than soft. But economic landings in China? That's a different story." Can't argue with the diamond metaphor--but eggs and contact lenses? Tens of millions of people around the world not only prefer soft-boiled eyes but the buy soft contact lenses precisely because they are the better lifestyle and clinical fit.

Costa Styles Up Aviators

"Costa puts a new twist on a classic aviator style with its new Cocos sunglasses," according to a post on EyeSurf. "Available in palladium and gold frame colors, the new Cocos features adjustable silicone nose pads for a customized, “forget-they’re-on” fit, and is built from quality Monel metal. The sunglasses feature Costa’s signature durable co-injected temples, sturdy integral hinges and heavy duty eye wire, making them nearly indestructible. Combined with Costa’s lightweight, impact resistant 580P® lenses, Cocos provides incredible performance technology in an on trend metal-framed sunglasses." Read more.

Optician Wins Writing Award

"Optician Lori Braverman of Family Eye Health & Contact Lens Center received recognition recently for writing the winning entry in a national essay contest sponsored in part by Optical Vision Resources," reports the Sun Journal. "The recognition occurred at the [last week's] International Vision Expo East...The contest asked participants to write about a past Vision Expo experience. The essay by Braverman, who has attended the annual event 13 years, chronicled her work helping a local client who was recovering from an accident that drastically impaired her vision and facial features." Read more.

Karen Walker Makes Slace in Hollywood with Sunwear

Karen Walker's "bright hued, funky-shaped, plastic-edged frames are often made in extreme cat eye shapes or thick rectangulars. They are known for being loved and adored by Rihanna, but also by Florence Welch, Katy Perry, Alex Chung, Rose Byrne, and Dianna Agron," according to The Hollywood Reporter. "In her native New Zealand, Walker has a number of shops and also produces clothing, but it's her eyewear she's best known for. In fact, W.E. costume designer Arianne Phillips wore her big café au lait-colored frames to the Oscars with her J.C. Obando dress, making her the only person we've seen don eyewear on the Oscars' red carpet. Walker's summer collection is dubbed 'Karen's Little Aliens,' and she's bringing them here to the City of Angels on April 11." Read more.

New Line of Readers from Sight Station

Sight Station has launched its 2012 Spring/Summer collection of reading glasses for women and men. Animal prints and nautical colors, such as navy and red, are to the fore in this latest collection. Ditsy florals and geek chic are also prominent. Read more.

Pediatric Ophthalmology Struggles with EHR

"In adopting electronic health records, there are challenges for pediatric ophthalmology that other subspecialties do not face, a speaker said ...at the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus meeting," according to an OSNSuperSite post. "For pediatric ophthalmologists, one of the challenges is that the workflow is complex and there is no standardized electronic pediatric ophthalmology exam form. Without such a standardized form, it is difficult to exchange data. Furthermore, ophthalmology in general relies heavily on photography, and pediatric ophthalmology in particular relies further on drawings and annotations." Read more.

Switch Vision Adds Three Frames

"Switch Vision is excited to launch three more full frames," according to Midwest Lens. "They have achieved overwhelming sales from The BOREAL the world’s first and only full frame sunglass featuring Switch Vision’s patented Magnetic Interchange Lens System that was launched last year. Taking this into account they are pleased to introduce three new designs for 2012." Read more.

Tommy Hilfiger Adds Children's Line

The Tommy Hilfiger Group is adding a line of children’s sunglasses and optical frames. The junior frames are inspired by the brand’s classic American cool heritage. Targeted to 8- to 12-year-olds, the Tommy Hilfiger children’s eyewear collection meets the needs of young customers, ensuring functionality, comfort and protection for the eyes. Read more.

Protective Eyewear Could Stop 40,000 Eye Injuries Annually

Each year, more than 40,000 Americans injure their eyes during sports and recreational activities such as baseball, basketball and tennis. Unfortunately, approximately one-third of those eye-injury victims are school-aged children.

April is Sports Eye Safety Month, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, through its EyeSmart program, is reminding individuals that the only way to prevent a sports-related eye injury is for athletes to wear appropriate, sport-specific protective eyewear properly fitted by an eye care professional. You  might want to jump on the bandwagon, reminding your patients that sports-related eye injuries range from abrasions of the cornea and bruises of the lids to internal eye injuries, such as retinal detachments and internal bleeding. The good news is, almost all sports-related eye injuries can be prevented using appropriate protective eye wear. Read more.

National Champ Swims Thanks to Ortho K

"A Cilcain teenager has become one of the top swimmers in the country thanks to specialised contact lenses," according to the Flintshire Chronicle. "Sam Wild, 14, swims at Welsh national level and is one of the top five 14-year-olds in Wales in the butterfly and freestyle. The short-sighted athlete, a pupil of King’s School, Chester, credits much of his success to a treatment called Orthokeratology (Ortho K), provided by independent optician Jane Smellie, who has practices in Chester, Wrexham and Whitchurch." Read more.

Oakley--Detroit Tiger MVP?

"Miguel Cabrera no longer has the sunglasses that averted potential disaster last week. He gave them to a representative of Oakley, the company that designed the eyewear," so starts the Detroit Free Press post. "'They should send them to a museum,' somebody quipped. Oakley is already the team's early MVP." Read more.

Afflication Comes Out with Another Line

"Affliction, the brand, has been recognized around the world for its unique design aesthetic," goes the Midwest Lens post. "Affliction has become a household name with some of the worlds biggest celebrities, band members, and athletes wearing their many different products now available under the Affliction name. Affliction Eyewear gains its attitude through the cutting edge styling incorporated in each frame they offer." Read more.

Legislation Could Raise Vision Costs in Kentucky

"During the chaotic final days of this year’s legislative session, lawmakers have advanced a measure that some argue will cause the cost of dental and vision care to rise in Kentucky," according to a post on the Courier-Journal. Read more.

High Schoo Studentl Wins Award for Work with CLs

"A Parkland High School student is doing his part to make contact lenses safer to wear through the night," reports the Parkland News. "For his research, Parkland student Jack Huang was honored as a semifinalist in the 2012 Intel Science Talent Search, one of the nation's most prestigious science research competitions for high school seniors. He was among 300 seniors selected from across the nation for the honor. His research project, titled 'From Dusk to Dawn: Contact Lenses in the Night Tear Proteome,' is aimed at finding ways to make contacts safer to wear overnight." Read more.

The Power Shifts to Consumers--Away from Retailers

"If retailers balk, some shoppers walk; there is always Amazon and eBay," notes a New York Times post. "The shifting balance of power has many stores scrambling for pricing strategies that get beyond the time-worn cycle of markups and discounts — and still make them money." Read more.

Bausch and Lomb and ISTA Hook Up

Bausch + Lomb reportedly will acquire ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc., for approximately $500 million, a transaction approved by the boards of both companies. The deal should close by summer. The purchase adds ISTA's portfolio of non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory, allergy, glaucoma and spreading agents to Bausch + Lomb's portfolio of Rx ophthalmology and OTC eye health products. In the development pipeline, ISTA has candidates for the treatment of various ocular conditions including inflammation and pain, while Bausch + Lomb's pipeline includes a new class of ocular anti-inflammatory agents and an approach to reducing intra-ocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.Read more.

Modo Releases New In-Store and Window POP Program

Midwest Lens reports that "Modo [has launched] a radically new in-store and window point-of-purchase program. The comprehensive package features a broad and creative set of materials, from classic in-store staples, such as logo plaques and counter cards, to more innovative options, like image cubes and non-traditionally conceived displays. The imagery is taken from the latest Modo image campaign, illustrating the root of inspiration behind Modo design and our philosophy of 'Eyewear for the Individual.'" Read more.

Saint Laurent Introduces New Collection

Yves Saint Laurent introduces its new "capsule" collection, composed of original and modern sunglasses and optical frames. Those multi-layered acetate models feature animal prints and unique combination of colors, which have been exclusively developed for this edition. Read more.

Duke Sets Up National Vision Center for Athletes

"An eye care visionary has set his sights on establishing the first national center for sports vision," according to The Chronicle. "Although sports-related eye injuries can have a significant impact on an athlete’s career, the Duke Sports Vision Center for Excellence is the only organization in the country equipped to care for athletes from diagnosis to rehabilitation, said Dr. Terry Kim, director of ophthalmology fellowship programs and associate director of cornea and refractive surgery services. The center is currently housed throughout the Duke Eye Center, but Kim said he hopes to unite these services in one building and to expand vision care to military service members with acute eye damage." Read more.

Looming Worldwide Shortage of Optical MDs

"Despite more than 200 000 eye doctors in practice around the globe, capacity is not keeping pace with the growing demands of ageing populations and the current needs of developing countries, finds research published online in the British Journal of Ophthalmology," reports Eureka. "The responses (192 countries) showed that there were 205,000 ophthalmologists in 2010, half of whom were in China, USA, Russia, Japan, Brazil, and India. The number of ophthalmologists by country ranged from zero to more than 28,000 in China. Some 131 countries had less than 5% of the total number between them. The average number of ophthalmologists per million of the population varied according to the level of economic development, ranging from 9 per million in low income countries to 79 per million in high income countries―an eightfold difference. Read more.

What's Behind Warby Parker? Find Out

"Warby Parker, a New York-based eyewear start-up that is getting a lot of attention, is often painted as an eyeglass shop for hipsters," reports Gigaom. "But that quick summation does a disservice to what the company has done and how it hass built one of the hottest start-ups around. I sat down with Neil Blumenthal, one of Warby Parker’s co-founders, to talk about what’s driving the company’s success and he said it comes down to the way it has created and maintained its brand." Read more.

What's Behind ClearlyContacts Success? Find Out

"Homegrown [Canadian grown] success ClearlyContacts.ca has been on a tear. The Vancouver-based online eyewear retailer Clearl," starts the story in the Financial Post. "The plan is to expand into the United States. 'As you grow, you need talent, but when we started looking we quickly realized there was no one here in Canada with the kind of experience we needed to disrupt the market in the U.S. in the way we have here,' Mr. Hardy says." Read more.

Prell Provides Lenses with Frames

Recognizing the quickly growing need for optical wear at affordable prices, Prell Eyewear is now offering to supply lenses to go along with the frames they sell. This unique deal made available to eyewear sellers is a first from any manufacturer and wholesaler — while usually sold separately, frames and lenses made available in packages makes it much easier for eyewear retailers to acquire a wonderfully wide range products to suit their services. This, in turn, makes top quality online retail eyewear more readily accessible at reasonable prices. This offer allows quicker turnarounds for orders, saving retailers a whole lot of time, and achieving great customer satisfaction. Read more.

Two New Offerings from Vera Bradley

"Vera Bradley Kaya in Floral Nightingale Kaya is a full rim double laminate acetate frame with a modified rectangular eyeshape and laminate endpiece to highlight the contrasting crystal coloring," notes Midwest Lens. "Vera Bradley colors are prominently displayed on the interior temples, and these beloved colors inspired the enamel filled flowers on the exterior temples. Available in two eyesizes, Kaya provides a pop of color to any teen’s wardrobe." Read more.

The “Let’s Get Away” collection of Vera Bradley sunglasses offers metal casting and "embellishments inspired by Vera Bradley colors," according to Midwest Lens. "These sunglasses will bring a fashionable look to any woman’s wardrobe. The McGee Group has also partnered with Carl Zeiss, Inc. to offer a wide range of lenses, from solid to fashion gradient colors." Read more.

Groups, Including Health Care Groups, Swarm the Supreme Court

"Justice Clarence Thomas likens all the outside political pressure that the Supreme Court is facing over its review of the Obama administration’s sweeping health care law to the distraction faced by a free-throw shooter confronted with fans waving wildly behind the basket. Neither, in his view, has much impact in the end," starts the New York Times post. "The groups filing amicus briefs include not only the usual heavy hitters like the chamber, AARP and virtually every major health care association, but also obscure groups that have rarely, if ever, been involved in a Supreme Court case...Dozens of other constituencies filing briefs put in similar efforts....Economists are wading into the debate with briefs that offer clashing views of the benefits and harms that they believe the health care law brings....And the State of Massachusetts, which approved a similar insurance model under Gov. Mitt Romney in 2006, argues in its amicus brief that its experience 'confirms that Congress had a rational basis' to impose minimum insurance requirements." Read more.  .

Mosaic Introduces Two Oliver Collections

Mosaic Eyewear, Omaha, NB, has introduced two collections, s.Oliver and s.Oliver Selection. They were soft launched in VEW Las Vegas and made their official American debut at Vision Expo East. s.Olivercollection is characterized by a contemporary style and good quality. s.Oliver is fashionable chic and stylish. It combines high quality with perfect fashion appeal for men and women. s.Oliver Selection combines stylish business looks with elegant fashion.This eyewear collection convinces with clean styles from conventional elegant up to fashionable sporty. s.Oliver Selection focuses on young modern men and women with a feel for quality and elegance.

Bongo Releases New Line and Ad Campaign

Viva International Group's two new ophthalmic releases to the Bongo Eyewear 2012 collection are infused with lace-inspired patterns in fun color combinations. Model B Lila and B Lacy feature handcrafted acetate temples embellished with an intricate lace pattern and engraved Bongo logo. 

Bongo also unveiled its new spring marketing campaign featuring ABC Family's Pretty Little Liars lead actresses, Lucy Hale and Ashley Benson. The creative for the campaign features Hale and Benson playfully posing together and lightheartedly showing the sweet but edgy side of BONGO. 

Along with print advertising featuring Hale and Benson, merchandising materials will consist of a three-piece display and countercard. The new styles will be available at a dispensary price of $42.95. For more information please call 800-345-VIVA or visit vivagroup.com

Bespectacled EyeRock Headliner, Lisa Loeb, Tweets from Javis

EyeRock headliner Lisa Loeb was tweeting from both 1383 yesterday afternoon, hours before she was to perform at the NYC Hard Rock Cafe. What did the Grammary-nominee tweet: "at javits center in nyc 3-4pm! Come visit. New frame styles! Last night she put down her smartphone for a microphone and performed at the cafe with musicians from the EyeRock band to raise money for OneSight Foundation.

Marilyn K. Glick, Eye-Care Philanthropist, Dies at 90

"Marilyn K. Glick, who with her husband Gene B. Glick donated millions of dollars in recent years to civic projects such as the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, died of cancer Friday at the age of 90," reports the Indiana  Business Journal. She "founded People of Vision in 1981 to support Prevent Blindness Indiana. This dedication to eye health culminated in the Glicks’ largest philanthropic grant to date, a $30 million gift to the Indiana University School of Medicine for the construction of its new Glick Eye Institute in Indianapolis. They donated $15 million to the cultural trail, the bike and pedestrian trail named for them that runs through downtown." Read more.

VSP Optics Expanding Unity Line

At the 2012 International Vision Expo East, VSP Optics Group announced that it will expand the portfolio of its Unity Performance Optics products with the introduction of Unity PLxtra and PLxtreme digital progressive lenses, Unity SVxtra and SVxtreme digital single vision lenses, and Unity CVx computer vision lenses. The new products will be available April 10, 2012. Read more.

A Look at the Possible Effects of the Supreme Courts Ruling on the ACA

The Atlantic Montly reports that "welcome to America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, on the eve of the big Supreme Court arguments over the Affordable Care Act, where you cannot swing a reply brief without hitting a lawyer or a lobbyist or a medical "expert" willing (for some free publicity) to share with you his or her ponderous view of how it's all going to come out. I have received hundreds upon hundreds of emails pitching such knowledge and prescience-- and one of the best parts about the looming end of this case will be the end of these emails." Read more about the possibilities of the ACA and how it may affect you.

Read more from the Huffington Post.

Two British Opticianry Chains Get Compared Head to Head

"Each week we are looking at two shops competing in the same sector and reviewing what they are offering customers: from how helpful the staff are, to the best bargains currently on offer," so goes the start of a Guardian post. "This week, we put eye specialists Specsavers and Boots opticians to the test. Please continue to tell us which stores you would like us to go to." Read more for the results.

How the Eye and Brain Detect Movement

"When observing a fly buzzing around the room, we should have the impression that it is not the fly, but rather the space that lies behind it that is moving," starts the Medical News Today post. "After all, the fly is always fixed in our central point of view. But how does the brain convey the impression of a fly in motion in a motionless field? With the help of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scientists from the Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen have identified two areas of the brain that compare the movements of the eye with the visual movements cast onto the retina so as to correctly perceive objects in motion." Read more.

AOA and OAA Form the Sun Alliance to Protect Patients Eyes

The American Optometric Association (AOA) and the Opticians Association of America (OAA), with sponsorship from Luxottica and The Vision Council, have formed a Sun alliance that reportedly will provide training and information needed to educate and prescribe appropriate sun protection for patients.

Beginning in April, the following COPE- and ABO-approved educational series, "Protect, Prescribe and Present," will be delivered digitally on the AOA website (AOA.org) and the OAA website (OAA.org):

• Part 1 • Protect describes the health issues resulting from UV and High Energy Visible (HEV) radiation exposure.
• Part 2 • Prescribe develops an action plan for the optometrist and the optician. For the doctor, this course delivers examples of how to discuss the reasons for sun protection. For the optician, this segment clearly defines how to set goals and identify the best protective products.
• Part 3 • Present teaches the language and methods to visually merchandise outdoor eyewear to every consumer/patient. 

Read more.

Wiley X to Raise Thousands for Breast Cancer Research

For the third consecutive year, Wiley X, Inc., will raise thousands of dollars for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), through an ongoing fundraising program linked to sales of its Lacey sunglasses.  Throughout 2012, Wiley X will donate $3 from the sale of each Lacey model to BCRF. Designed specifically for women, the Lacey is one of Wiley X's best-selling models.  Everyone who purchases a pair of stylish Lacey sunglasses receives more than just the most advanced vision protection on the market.  They also receive the positive feeling that comes from supporting research directed toward finding a cure for the leading cause of cancer deaths among women. Read more.

Gargoyles Signs Driver Brad Keselowski

Gargoyles Performance Eyewear is happy to announce that Penske Racing driver and BKR team owner, Brad Keselowski is joining its growing team of professional athletes and brand ambassadors. Keselowski, a contender for the 2012 Sprint Cup championship, will appear in Gargoyles advertising campaigns, in addition to working closely with the brand to advance its array of high-performance sunglasses.Read more.

New Line of Catherine Deneuve Lunettes

"Catherine Deneuve Lunettes from Viva International Group announces the debut of its premier sunglass collection for Spring/Summer 2012," goes the Midwest Lens post. "The new product line includes six prescription-ready sunglass styles, which are inspired by the collection’s timeless beauty and Ms. Deneuve’s own sense of style. The new sunglasses are perfect for the 55 and older woman who is trend aware, yet not trend-driven, and is seeking classic elegance." Read more.

Eyewear Designers Turns to Aerospace Plastics Supplier

"Intermestic Inc....has chosen SABIC IP’s tough, lightweight Ultem polyetherimide (PEI) resin for the frames of its new line of Zoff Smart eyeglasses," according to PlasteMart. "The tailored, aerospace-grade Ultem resin material solution helps meet Japanese consumer demands for fresh, new eyewear styles with exceptional long-term performance and feather-light comfort...The Ultem resin also provides exceptional flexibility, flame retardance, and resistance to chemicals, heat and ultraviolet (UV) light, as well as greatly expanded design freedom, which enabled Intermestic to create stylish, eye-catching frames for sophisticated consumer appeal. The success of the new Zoff SMART eyeglass line showcases how SABIC is continuously improving technology, applications and solutions to help its customers succeed." Read more.

CooperVision Sets Up a Helpline for Parents

The CooperVision Contact Lenses Child  Helpline assists  parents of children who have eye injuries due to the recall of CooperVision's Avaira toric and Avaira sphere contact lenses. The helpline for people with eye injuries from the contact lenses is here to assist parents of children and teens who have questions and would like to consult with a lawyer.This is another helpline which is part of the Injury lawyer Network new concept in assisting people injured by dangerous drugs and medical devices.

CooperVision research shows that  the FDA issued the recall this past October after hearing that CL wearers were experiencing hazy vision and discomfort. The CLs have also caused severe eye pain and eye injuries requiring medical treatment. The recall affects more than 600,000 lenses made between November 1 and August 3, 2011 which represents about 10 percent of all contact lenses sold throughout the United States.

According to FDA reports, child wearers of the recalled toric CLs have experienced cornea injuries and other eye problems. According to the FDA, children have suffered corneal edema, corneal abrasion and torn corneas.  Children have also complained about having the sensation of foreign-body, blurred vision, decrease in vision, eye pain or stinging/burning, light sensitivity, redness of the eye, swollen eyelids, and increased tearing.

Read more.

Sunglasses Save Detroit Tigers OF's Eyes

"Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera has a non-displaced fracture under his right eye, the club said today," reports the Detroit Free Press. "Cabrera then said he was “very lucky” to have just recently started wearing the sunglasses that apparently prevented a far more serious injury when he was hit in the face by a sharp ground ball Monday. He said he can see fine out of the eye." Read more.