Mezzi to Acquire Capital Eyewear

Mezzi Holdings Inc. intends to acquire Capital Eyewear. Since 2009, the San Francisco eyewear designer has developed a line of wood and acetate eyewear, sold online and in more than 65 stores in the US and Japan. That's a portion of a report on a TDWaterhouse webpage. Read more.

Register for OpticalCEUs Fall Continuing Education Seminar

Need to renew your state license and ABO/NCLE certification? Want the best value in continuing education? Need a full-day, 7-credit program? F.E. Enterprises’ OpticalCEUs has what you want and need!

Pick up the latest ideas in the field - from digital lens technology to specialty contact lenses. Register now and earn your ABO/NCLE credits with 7 courses at the CELEBRITY BALLROOM, FOX TOWER (formerly MGM Grand), 2nd Level, Foxwoods Resort and Casino on Sunday, October 25.

They’ll help you:

• Advise your patients about digital lenses for sportswear and more
• Provide top-notch patient care with new technology and fitting specialty contact lenses
• Expand your knowledge of light, the cornea and the optician’s scope of practic.

Register now! Earn accreditation! Have some Foxwoods fun!

P.S. As always, conference attendees can enjoy a delicious hot buffet lunch compliments of OpticalCEUs.

Our Lecturers

Linda Conlin

Accredited lecturers Linda Conlin, Deborah Kotob of Vision-Ease and Joe Forte will present seven courses enabling you to earn ABO/NCLE credits.

For over 15 years Linda, an NAO Fellow Ambassador, has provided continuing education and training for opticians at the state and national levels. She is ABO and NCLE certified, licensed in CT, MA and RI, and has written for 20/20 and EyeWitness magazines. She founded OpticalCEUs and launched OpticalCEU.com and Optical News from OpticalCEUs news blog for opticians.

Deborah Kotob

Deborah, the ECP Education Facilitator for Vision-Ease, creates and presents ABO, NCLE and JCAHPO seminars related to optics and best practices. A Massachusetts-licensed optician, she has owned two optical businesses and was a sales representative for MODO and Luxottica. Deborah has achieved ABOM and NCLE certifications.

Joe Forte

Joe, the director of contact lens services for Greenwich Ophthalmology Associates, lectured at CUNY Tech, Vision Expo and Optifair. He is certified as an advanced level speaker, and was program director of the Interboro Institute College of Opticianry where he taught courses in various areas of contact lenses and optics.



Directions
FOX TOWER, Foxwoods is located at 39 Norwich-Westerly Rd., Ledyard. CT 06339, on Route 2 between I-395 and I-95. Go to http://www.opticalceu.com/DirectionsToCelebrityBallroom.pdf for map and directions. Valet parking is free. For accommodations, call Foxwoods at 1-800 PLAY BIG. Overnight reservations are not associated with the seminar.

Working to Reduce Visual Impairment in Children Under Five

NICHQ and the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness (NCCVEH) are working on a project to increase the diagnosis of visual impairment in children ages 0-5. The three-year Maternal and Child Health Bureau-funded project, called “Breakthrough Series Improvement Program on Early Detection of Vision Problems in Young Children,” will support the development of comprehensive and coordinated approaches to children’s vision and eye health in five states. The project will employ quality improvement (QI) principles and practices to implement systems-level changes. The program plans to accomplish the following: 

• Strengthen statewide partnerships and coordination among key stakeholders in children’s vision and eye health
• Increase access to and utilization of vision health services in hard to reach communities
• Increase early detection and treatment of vision problems
• Establish state-level surveillance approaches
• Implement vision health system measures of accountability.

Read more.

Garrett Leight: Coming Out from Under the Shadow of Oliver Peoples

"Garrett Leight is the first to admit that being the son of Larry Leight, founder of iconic, 30-year-old eyewear brand Oliver Peoples, has benefited his own pursuits in the eyewear business. He learned the ropes working for his father's company after attending college in Los Angeles, and while he initially wanted to break into journalism, he came to realize that eyewear was in his blood: In 2009, he opened up an optical store (A. Kinney Court) in Venice Beach, then launched his own namesake brand in 2011," reports Fashionista. "Garrett Leight California Optical (GLCO) has grown rapidly ever since; it's sold in over 600 retailers around the world including Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys, Colette, Dover Street Market and Mr Porter, as well as in a flagship Garrett Leight store on La Brea in Los Angeles, with another set to open in San Francisco this year." Read more.

Battle about Unilateral Pricing of Contact Lenses Now in Federal Appeals Court

"A legal battle over a hotly contested Utah law banning minimum prices for contact lenses is set to come before a federal appeals court on Thursday," reports U.S. News & World Report in an Associated Press post. "The nation's largest contact lens companies are asking the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver to strike down the measure that could have wide-ranging effects on the $4 billion industry. Alcon Laboratories, Johnson & Johnson and Bausch & Lomb call the law a brazen overreach written specifically to help Utah-based discount seller 1-800 Contacts. Lawmakers deny that. The state's attorney general contends the contacts manufacturers are wrongly driving up prices." Read more.

Meanwhile, "as part of the Federal Trade Commission's systematic review of all current FTC rules and guides, the FTC is seeking public comment on the efficiency, costs, benefits, and impact of the Contact Lens Rule," notes the Yuma News Now. "The Rule, effective since August 2004, helps to promote competition in the contact lens market by requiring eye care prescribers to provide a copy of a consumer’s prescription to the consumer after a contact lens fitting is completed and verify with, or provide prescriptions to, authorized contact lens sellers. It also mandates that a contact lens seller may sell contact lenses only in accordance with a prescription the seller has received from the patient or prescriber, or has verified via direct communication with the prescriber. The Commission vote approving the Federal Register Notice was 5-0. It is available on the FTC's website and as a link to this press release and will be published in the Federal Register soon." Read more.

New Vera Bradley Eyewear from McGee

"The McGee Group’s annual Vera Bradley Breast Cancer Awareness collection makes a splash with six ophthalmic and three sun styles," writes Midwest Lens. "Katalina Pink is the newest color to raise awareness for the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer. Katalina Pink features stylized florals in sweet pinks and rich cream that are reminiscent of lace over a subtle camouflage pattern in tonal blues that create an optimistic energy, symbolizing the fight that is so close to the hearts of the McGee Group family. The 2015 Breast Cancer Awareness collection features five ladies optical frames perfect for any style." Read more.

80K NY Drivers Use the State's DMV "Vision Registry" to Find Eye Care Providers

"The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) today announced that more than 80,000 New Yorkers have saved time renewing their driver licenses using the Vision Registry.," reports Empire State News. "Motorists can now use the DMV website to find locations of registered vision care providers where they can have their vision tested and have the results electronically transmitted to DMV. Motorists can then renew their license by mail or online on the DMV website, avoiding a trip to a DMV office. The Vision Registry program is a part of DMV’s Customer Service Initiative, launched in 2012 by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to increase efficiency, streamline services, and improve customer service." Read more.

Omega-3 Supplements Don't Help with Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Says NIH Study

While some research suggests that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids can protect brain health, a large clinical trial by researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that omega-3 supplements did not slow cognitive decline in older persons. With 4,000 patients followed over a five-year period, the study is one of the largest and longest of its kind. It was published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association. “Contrary to popular belief, we didn’t see any benefit of omega-3 supplements for stopping cognitive decline,” said Emily Chew, M.D., deputy director of the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications and deputy clinical director at the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of NIH. Dr. Chew leads the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), which was designed to investigate a combination of nutritional supplements for slowing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a major cause of vision loss among older Americans. That study established that daily high doses of certain antioxidants and minerals—called the AREDS formulation—can help slow the progression to advanced AMD. A later study, called AREDS2, tested the addition of omega-3 fatty acids to the AREDS formula. But the omega-3’s made no difference. That's from an NIH press release. Read more.

How the Blind "See" Race

"'The visual process of assigning race is instantaneous, and it's an example of automatic thinking -- it happens below the level of awareness,' [Asia] Friedman [,assistant professor at the University of Delaware,] said. 'With blind people, the process is much slower as they piece together information about a person over time. Their thinking is deliberative rather than automatic, and even after they've categorized someone by race, they're often not certain that they're correct.'" That's from a post on Medical News Today. Read more.

Amblyopia "Drives" Information from the "Good" Eye

"Most often in amblyopia patients, one eye is better at focusing," says Bas Rokers, a University of Wisconsin-Madison psychology professor. "The brain prefers the information from that eye, and pushes down the signal coming from the other, 'lazy' eye. In a way, it's better to think of the better eye as a bully, rather than the poorer eye as lazy." That's the story from a University of Wisconsin press release. As the brain develops its preference for the dominant eye's input, it alters its connections to the weaker eye, according to a study Rokers and colleagues published this week in a special edition of the journal Vision Research. "If you continually have that bullying happening, that changes the signals coming from the lazy eye," Rokers says. "We wondered, if you don't have as many signals traveling back and forth, does that come with a physical change in those passageways?" Using a brain scanning method called diffusion-weighted imaging, the researchers mapped three sets of pathways known to carry visual information from the eyes to the brain. In people with amblyopia, the researchers saw water diffusing more easily down the brain's visual pathways. Read more.

9Five Goes from Low-End to Higher-End Eyewear

"Within a year of launching their company, the founders of 9Five Eyewear, based in Chula Vista, Calif., realized they weren’t crazy about their product – cheap sunglasses that were selling fast at about $37 a pair," reports the Globe and Mail. "So the four business partners, who had started out as good friends with a shared passion for skateboarding, decided to rethink their business. The results took them from one end of the eyewear spectrum to the other. 'We were initially getting our glasses mass-manufactured in mainland China,' recalls Mike Metcalf, one of 9Five’s four founders and owners. 'Now we have them handmade in Hong Kong, where the glass frame is cut, moulded and assembled by hand, and every single item is hand-inspected and rebalanced so you get a guaranteed flawless product.' 9Five’s strategic pivot has turned out to be a winning gambit. Today, the six-year-old company enjoys seven-figure revenue from its three bricks-and-mortar stores, all in California, and from its website, and through partner retailers. The company ships internationally and is seeing rapid growth in Australia, Japan and Russia. (The glasses are available in Canada online.)" Read more.

New Eyewear from Yohji Yamamoto

"'Dramatic, Avant Garde and/or Intelligent" was Yohji Yamamoto's classic, three-word inspiration brief for his eponymous eyewear line. The designer's debut line of eyewear boasts a wide assortment of sunglasses and spectacles for Autumn 2015 that are all undoubtedly Yohji. " That's the word from  Fashion Times. "Reigning designer of all things avant-garde, Yamamoto champions a wide selection of frames that maintain the same dark and enigmatic quality as his clothing designs. Developed with leading eyewear producer, Christian Dalloz, monochrome and tinted gradient lenses complement the sculptural acetate frames, ensuring complete originality. After signing a licensing agreement in 2014 with eyewear company, Mondottica Eyewear Brand Partners, the Yohji Yamamoto eyewear line continues to release a premiere selection of frames that maintain a year-round, timeless appeal." Read more.

Davis Vision Being Challenged on Two Fronts, Says PBJ

"Davis Vision’s strategy of creating a 'vertically integrated vision company' — one that manages vision benefits, makes eye glasses and has an affiliate that operates a network of eyeglass stores — is being challenged on two fronts," reports the Philadelphia Business Journal (PBJ). "Earlier this month, U.S. Rep. Earl L. 'Buddy' Carter, R-Georgia, introduced the 'Dental and Optometric Care Access Act' to 'provide fairness in contracts between doctors and insurers to increase the quality of care for patients and eliminate anti-competitive practices.' The DOC Access Act would allow dentists and optometrists to charge a fair and customary amount for the services that are not covered under an insurance plan rather than the insurer’s mandated fee schedule, and prohibit restricting a doctor’s choice of a lab.

Also this month, Illinois-based ophthalmic lens manufacturer Acuity Optical filed amendments to its antitrust lawsuit, originally filed in September 2014, that alleges Davis Vision is violating federal and state laws through actions that include requiring optometrists and opticians to exclusively use Davis Vision’s ophthalmic lens manufacturing laboratories for all Davis Vision’s members’ prescription eyeglass lens manufacturing orders." Read more.

Most Patients Use Contact Lenses Improperly, Reports CDC

"Most people who wear contact lenses have not cared for them properly, risking infection in one or both eyes at some point, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control," according to a UPI report. "Researchers found that most of the 40.9 million people in the United States who wear contact lenses disregard recommendations of how to care for them, as well as how to protect their eyes. This includes basic guidelines about cleaning lenses with water and when to take them out." Read more.

Patient Suffers Corneal Infection Sleeping in Extended Wear Contact Lenses, Reports CNN

"Chad Groeschen was working on an outdoor deck for a client a few weeks ago when his left eye started itching. He chalked it up to allergies at first, and then to a sinus infection after his eye got goopy and he could not see out of it. He had no idea his contact lenses were the problem," reports CNN. "Doctors at Cincinnati Eye Institute diagnosed Groeschen with a bacterial infection that was quickly destroying his cornea, the eye's protective outer layer. "It was basically that if I hadn't had contacts [the bacteria] might not have incubated," said Groeschen, a 39-year-old builder and sculptor in Cincinnati. Groeschen had been using extended wear contact lenses, and only taking them out every week to clean. Even though these lenses are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for overnight wear, the American Academy of Ophthalmology warns that this type of use increases the risk of infection." Read more.

New Eyewear from Tura

"Tura Inc., the inventor of fashion eyewear in 1938, will debut three edgy yet wearable optical models from its German line Brendel in September," says Midwest Lens. "These stylish frames include custom jungle prints that are pressed and pierced for a multi-dimensional outcome, feminine shapes with modern geometric angles, and artistic elements incorporating contemporary brush strokes and sculpted lines. Additionally, the models are progressive-friendly and include spring hinges for increased comfort." Read more.

New Kids Eyewear from Vera Bradley

"The Vera Bradley Kids collection returns with the latest styles and colors to make every young girl feel extraordinary. Lana, Joni, May and Ada offer classic eyeshapes and colors for styles beyond compare, with spring hinges in every frame for a comfortable fit and prominently featuring the latest Vera Bradley colors, these frames are sure to make her feel unique and special." That's the word from Midwest Lens. Read more.

New Roberto Cavalli Eyewear from Marcolin

"The Roberto Cavalli Fall/Winter 2015-2016 eyewear collection is an expression of true originality, one that strikes the perfect balance between the Florentine stylist’s exclusive flair and the expert craftsmanship of the Marcolin Group," according to Midwest Lens. "With its unmistakable style and synergy with current trends, the new collection combines elegant, distinctive forms with jeweled detailing in some models, conferring a unique charm to the frames. A mix of romanticism and rule-breaking, perfect for any woman with an individualistic streak." Read more.

Basketball the Leading Cause of Sports-Related Eye Injury

More than 6,000 Americans suffered an eye injury related to playing basketball in one year, according to estimates by Prevent Blindness. In fact, the top five sports with the most eye injuries were basketball, water and pool activities, use of guns (air, gas, spring, and BB), baseball/softball and football. Every 13 minutes, an emergency room in the United States treats a sports-related eye injury, according to the National Eye Institute. These injuries include infection, corneal abrasions, blunt trauma, inflamed iris, fracture of the eye socket, swollen or detached retinas, or a traumatic cataract. Prevent Blindness has declared September as Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month to encourage wearing proper eye protection while playing sports. Read about what you can do to reduce sports-related eye injuries.

"Best" Eyewear for Men, according to Huffington Post

"Actually, let me rephrase that title, 'Best Eyewear Brands for Men, with personality'," according to the British edition of Huffington Post. "I started wearing glasses about fifteen years ago and now there is no getting away from the fact they are well and truly part of my identity. Now, I want Brits to be braver with their choice of eyewear instead of stumbling instead of just stumbling into Vision Express for the best 2-1 deal. It doesn't happen that way with our European friends in Germany, France & Holland, where eye-wear is seen as an extension of an individual's identity and thus frames, quite frankly, have more flair and personality. So, to encourage chaps to start getting a bit more creative, I've profiled seven brands that hopefully can inspire you to get a little bolder with your choice of specs." Read more.

Sight Regions of Brain Learn to Respond to Sound, Says Study

"By early childhood, the sight regions of a blind person's brain respond to sound, especially spoken language, a Johns Hopkins University neuroscientist has found," according to Science Digest. "The results, published this week in The Journal of Neuroscience, suggest that a young, developing brain has a striking capacity for functional adaptation." Read more.

Field Hockey Injuries Tumble, Says New Study

"A study conducted by researchers at Hasbro Children's Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital, Fairfax (VA) County Public Schools and the University of Colorado School of Medicine has found that nationally mandated protective eyewear results in a greater than three-fold reduced risk of eye and orbital injuries in high school (HS) girls' field hockey players without increasing rates of concussion." That's the word from Science Digest. Read more.

Scientists Do a Gut-Check to Find a Cure for Blindness

"One major cause of human blindness is autoimmune uveitis, which is triggered by the activation of T cells, but exactly how and where the T cells become activated in the first place has been a long-standing mystery," according to Medical News Today. "A study published August 18 in the journal Immunity reveals that gut microbes produce a molecule that mimics a retinal protein, which most likely activates the T cells responsible for the disease. By shedding light on the cause of autoimmune uveitis in mice, the study could contribute to a better understanding of a broad range of autoimmune disorders and pave the way for novel prevention strategies in the future." Read more.

The study was conducted by researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health. The NIH writes, "Evidence increasingly suggests that there is an association between the microbiota in the gut – bacteria, fungi and viruses – and the development of autoimmune disorders. Findings from this study suggest how that association may be made and therefore have implications about the origins of autoimmune diseases not only in the eye, but also elsewhere in the body, said Rachel R. Caspi, Ph.D., a senior investigator at NEI whose lab led the study." Read more of the NIH description.

Waveborn Sunglasses Signs Aikman as Spokesperson

"Waveborn Sunglasses announced the addition of Hall of Fame QB, Troy Aikman, as the company’s official spokesperson. Waveborn changes how people see the world by selling high-quality Italian sunglasses and funding life changing cataract surgeries around the globe," notes Midwest Lens. "As part of the 4-year partnership, Aikman will serve as a brand ambassador. He will continue to wear Waveborn Sunglasses and earn a small percentage of vesting equity in the company. Aikman will be featured in sales and marketing campaigns to assist the brand in increasing distribution through new channels." Read more. You can read the company's announcement at http://www.waveborn.com/troy/.

Move Over Wild Thing. Here Comes Clippard

"Wild Thing" wearing glasses
in the movie Major League.

In the movie, Major League, pitcher Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) has a major league fastball but Little League control. The team buys him glasses. Boom! Major League Superstar. It's not far from the truth.

"Tyler Clippard cannot remember the exact moment when he decided to see the eye doctor. He might have been standing on a mound in Columbus, Ohio, squinting at the sign in the shadows between the catcher’s legs. That happened often during the summer of 2008. Clippard also squinted when he was in the clubhouse, or looking at the television. His teammates teased him endlessly," reports the New York Times. "Clippard was 23 years

Mets' Clippard wearing his glasses.

old and in his sixth year in the minors. He did not have overly powerful stuff or great statistics. He did have some brief experience in the majors, but it was still unclear what would become of him. He thought he could get by squinting. He went to the eye doctor, in part, because he had nothing to lose. But once he did, and was given prescription glasses, his career — coincidentally or not — began to take off." Read more.

Lenses--Discovered Accidentally--May Help People Who Are Colorblind

"The eyeglass lenses that Don McPherson invented were meant for surgeons. But through serendipity he found an entirely different use for them: as a possible treatment for colorblindness," according to the New York Times. "Mr. McPherson is a glass scientist and an avid Ultimate Frisbee player. He discovered that the lenses he had invented, which protect surgeons’ eyes from lasers and help them differentiate human tissue, caused the world at large to look candy-colored — including the Frisbee field.At a tournament in Santa Cruz, Calif., in 2002, while standing on a grassy field dotted with orange goal-line cones, he lent a pair of glasses with the lenses to a friend who happened to be colorblind...." Read more.

Davis Vision to Handle Boeing's Vision Needs

Davis Vision will provide vision insurance benefits for The Boeing Company employees, retirees, and their dependents starting Jan. 1, 2016. The benefits include eye exams and eyewear. According to the company press release, Davis created a unique digital experience for all Boeing members featuring a virtual frame try-on, educational wellness videos, social media connectivity, and trends in fashion eyewear and eye care. Boeing members have 24/7 access by visiting www.davisvision.com/boeing. To read the press release, click here.

Glaucoma Vision Loss Not as Random as Once Thought

With glaucoma, "patients lose seemingly random patches of vision in each eye. This random pattern of vision loss is in stark contrast to loss from a brain tumor or stroke, which causes both eyes to develop blind spots in the same location. Scientists have long thought that glaucoma's progression is independent of - or uncontrolled by - the brain. Last year, researchers found evidence that the progression of glaucoma is not random and that the brain may be involved after all," according to Science Digest. Read more.

Sweet Potatoes Combat Vitamin A Deficiency, Leading Cause of Blindness

"Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children. It also increases the risk of disease and death from severe infections, according to the World Health Organization. About 250 million preschool children across the world are vitamin A deficient. Many of these live in Africa and South-Eastern Asia," notes Medical News Today. "Fortunately, vitamin deficiency is preventable....Bio-fortification of sweet potatoes is a promising method to combat vitamin A deficiency in South Africa. The orange-fleshed vegetable already contains high levels of beta-carotene, which our bodies convert to vitamin A. Sweet potatoes are also a staple in the South African diet." Read more.

Infection from Avastin Injection Overstated, Says Study

"Eye injections of the drug Avastin, used to treat retinal diseases, bring no greater risk of endophthalmitis, a potentially blinding eye infection, than injections with the much more expensive drug Lucentis made by the same company, according to new research." That's the word from a Science Digest post. Read more.

New Todd Snyder Sunglasses from Silhouette

"It’s time for something special: Silhouette and eponymous menswear brand Todd Snyder reinvent the iconic Titan Minimal Art style," according to Midwest Lens. "Based on Silhouette’s iconic rimless and lightweight Titan Minimal Art glasses, and specially developed to reflect Todd Snyder’s exceptional workmanship, military tailoring and New York edge. This Limited Edition is an inspired interpretation of the classic aviator, a favorite of Snyder’s, made modern. It features Silhouette’s signature innovative rimless design, with lightweight frame and lenses that are sandblasted and then hand-tinted to achieve a full frame effect. Each pair is then finished off with a sleek top bar for an effortlessly stylish, understated look." Read more.

New Eddie Bauer Sunglasses from Performance

"Sikk Shades, a new line of performance eyewear for the action sports market, officially launches. Developed by Eddie Bauer Jr, along with some of the industry’s top eyewear designers, Sikk Shades’ flagship frames, the Huckleberry and Qualifier are now available online and in select retailers nationwide. Created specifically for athletes and designed to withstand harsh weather and extreme conditions, Sikk Shades offers clearer vision and better depth perception than traditional polarized glasses as well as a better fit and non-slip, embedded nose grip for all day wear and comfort," reports Midwest Lens. "Sikk Shades’ lenses utilize Flash Electric technology, which blocks short-wave light, the harmful light that leads to eye damage, and allows ample amounts of long-wave light in. This allows the wearer to avoid the distortion and depth perception issues common in most polarized lenses, while providing clear and unobstructed vision, a huge advantage if you’re grinding the parks and streets, hitting the beach to catch a wave, or shredding the slopes." Read more.

Brain Has an On/Off Vision Switch

"A molecular on-off switch that controls how a mouse brain responds to vision loss has been discovered by biologists," reports Science Digest. "When the switch is on, the loss of sight in one eye will be compensated by the other eye, but also by tactile input from the whiskers. When the switch is off, only the other eye will take over. These findings may help improve patient susceptibility to sensory prosthetics such as cochlear implants or bionic eyes." Read more.

New Eyewear from Eastern States

"Eastern States Eyewear has announced the release of seven optical styles within its Exces Eyewear collection. Four young, boutique inspired creations grace the brand’s core collection. A vast array of color finishes and techniques are obtained through a mix of materials and head turning acetates. Its contrasts can be seen through color fades, two toned metal colors, and wild patterns such as florals and checkered patterns. Combinations such as Chocolate-Metallic Blue, Black-Purple, Brown-Blue, Violet-Forest Green, and Grey-Pink are just some examples of the diversity that Exces offers within its coloration," according to Midwest Lens. "Additionally, Exces has added three styles to its classic Princess division. Three monel styles feature feminine shapes deep enough to handle a variety of progressive and high index lenses. Each model is graced with elegant metal details and are often enhanced with rhinestones. Gold and silver bases are coated with a mix of brown, blue, black, and violet shades." Read more.

Save the Date!!! OpticalCEUs Offering Continuing Education on Oct. 25th at Foxwoods

Need to renew your state license or ABO/NCLE certification? Need more continuing education credits for your state license?

OpticalCEUs can help! Join us on October 25th at our new location in the Celebrity Ballroom, Fox Tower, Foxwoods, to get the best value in continuing education.

So march your calendars. Set those reminders. And check www.OpticalCEU.com in the coming weeks for more information and registration.

Neural Receptor Controls Retinal Destructive Stress

"A receptor that is already a target for treating neurodegenerative disease also appears to play a key role in supporting the retina, scientists report." That's the word from a Medical News Today post. "Without sigma 1 receptor, the Müller cells that support the retina can't seem to control their own levels of destructive oxidative stress, and consequently can't properly support the millions of specialized neurons that enable us to transform light into images, scientists report in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine. Without support, well-organized layers of retinal cells begin to disintegrate and vision is lost to diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, said Dr. Sylvia Smith, retinal cell biologist and Chairwoman of the Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University." Read more.

Warby Parker and Nordstrom Form Partnership

"Warby Parker has partnered with department store chain Nordstrom to feature its eyeglasses as part of the department store’s monthly pop-up shops, marking the first such deal the hipster eyeglass retailer has done with a national retailer," reports New York Business Journal. "The program ...[began Friday] and runs through Sept. 6 at six Nordstrom locations, including stores in: downtown Seattle and Bellevue, WA; Tysons Corner in McLean, VA; the Northpark Center in Dallas; the Grove in Los Angeles; and San Francisco Centre in San Francisco, as well as an online. In addition to selling a number of existing Warby Parker frames, the brand designed four exclusive new sunglass styles and other merchandise as part of Pop-In: A rotating pop-up shop curated by Olivia Kim, Nordstrom's director of creative products." Read more.

We See Colors Differently in Winter and Summer

"Scientists at the University of York have shed new light on how humans process colour - revealing that we see things differently in winter compared with summer," writes Medical News Today. "The researchers examined how our colour perception changes between seasons and in particular how we process the colour known as unique yellow. Humans identify four unique hues - blue, green, yellow and red - that do not appear to contain mixtures of other colours. Unique yellow is particularly interesting to scientists as it is stable across large populations - everyone agrees what unique yellow looks like despite the fact that people's eyes are often very different. The researchers in the Department of Psychology wanted to discover why this colour is so stable and what factors might make it change. They thought that unique yellow might depend not on the biology of the eye but on the colour of the natural world." Read more.

New John Varvatos Eyewear from REM

"With a vise-like grip on the men’s fashion scene, John Varvatos and his trademark detailing have become synonymous with cool. The latest eyewear collection from REM follows suit by echoing the same tough, yet tailored touches, making it a force to be reckoned with," notes Midwest Lens. "The three optical and four sun style additions include an assortment of high quality materials and iconic elements that are unique to the four John Varvatos Eyewear collections – Soho, Artisan, Classic and Bowery. For new Soho designs, you’ll discover the inspiration of luxury with rich, ultra-polished styles. Artisan models showcase elegant fleur de-lis detailing and filigree work, while Classic styles show off clean lines and hints of leather seamlessly inlaid. Lastly, inspired by the essence of rock ‘n’ roll, Bowery frames are easily recognizable by the guitar-stock inspired hinge décor on every temple." Read more.

New Kids Eyewear from Lucky Brand

"America’s fastest selling kids eyewear brand, Lucky Brand Kids, is unveiling its long-anticipated new fashions for this coming back-to-school season, elevating the collection’s excitement with bold new designs, coloring techniques, and features that are both functional and consistent with Lucky Brand’s reputation for outstanding quality," according to Midwest Lens. "From bold colors to classic neutrals, the new Lucky Brand Kids collection lets kids explore the possibilities of expression and develop their own unique style. With ahead-of-the-curve design elements like cutaway two-layer laminated acetate with vibrant colors, silkscreen printed patterns, and flattering silhouettes, the collection is cool, clever and full of fun." Read more.

New Eyewear from Silhouette

"What defines the glasses that take on every challenge? They must be sturdy yet light, minimalist yet comfortable. They must be able to withstand changing daily pressures – from meetings to workouts. Silhouette’s new rimless collection – SPX Match – does just this. It radiates a casual chic look and all 12 models in 12 colors will be available from September 2015 worldwide," says Midwest Lens. "Incredibly light and crafted from the versatile synthetic material SPX+, the SPX Match hits the mark with its bi-color design. The casual color combinations, matt surface finish and strikingly athletic lines convey the innate dynamism of these glasses. And the exciting 3D sculpting of Silhouette’s own synthetic material SPX+ brings the stunning design of the SPX Match to life in look and feel." Read more.

New Sunglasses from Costa

"No two faces are built exactly the same. With this in mind, Costa recently introduced its new Global Fit line of premium sport performance sunglasses designed to fit faces of every ethnicity," writes Midwest Lens. "The brand customized seven of its most popular styles to feature a modified Distance Between Lenses (DBL), flatter head curve and deeper adjustable nose pads. The Global Fit collection adapts to fit faces with higher cheekbones, longer eyelashes and flatter nose and cheek facial structures, providing a more comfortable and secure fit." Read more.

How Would the World Look with a Bionic Eye?

"Various sight recovery therapies are being developed by companies around the world, offering new hope for people who are blind. But little is known about what the world will look like to patients who undergo those procedures," reports Science Digest. "A new University of Washington study seeks to answer that question and offers visual simulations of what someone with restored vision might see. The study concludes that while important advancements have been made in the field, the vision provided by sight recovery technologies may be very different from what scientists and patients had previously assumed." Read more.

Understanding How We See and Don't See Movement

"Our brains are constantly barraged with sensory information, but have an amazing ability to filter out just what they need to understand what's going on around us," notes Medical News Today. "Stand still in a room and turn your eyes, and the same visual input feels perfectly normal. That's thanks to a complex process in our brain that tell us when and how to pay attention to sensory input. Specifically, we ignore visual input caused by our own eye movements. Now, researchers at The Rockefeller University have identified a similar process in flies, whose brains ignore visual input caused by their own flight turns. This advance will allow researchers to better understand how ongoing behavior influences visual perception."Read more.

Case Developed for Smart Contact Lenses

EPGL announced that it has invented "The Smart Case." It turns the average contact lens case into a computerized data transfer medium, charging medium and analytical medium, according to the company. "This will be your contact lens' 'Mothership'," said David Markus Ph.D. "Future contact lenses will require much more than just a simple case with solution in it. It's not easy to do all this in a fluid environment where contact lenses must live," said Markus. EPGL reportedly has shown the technology to be effective in experimentation at top manufacturing facilities. The company says that for three years, it has been involved in some key pioneering technology for integration of electronics into soft contact lenses and now has several patents pending. Read more.

Health Canada Classifies Cosmetic Contact Lenses as Medical Devices

"Health Canada says it will regulate cosmetic or decorative contact lenses in the way it oversees the sale of corrective lenses," reports the Toronto Sun. "In a statement, Health Minister Rona Ambrose says the risks cosmetic lenses pose to the eyes of people who wear them are the same as those associated with corrective lens wear. Cosmetic lenses change the appearance of the eye but do not correct the vision of people who wear them; they are worn strictly for the appearance they create. Currently these lenses are licensed as consumer products and are generally sold by retailers who sell costumes and cosmetics. But under the regulatory changes Ambrose is announcing, these lenses will be treated as medical devices -- a move which brings them under greater control." Read more.

VSP Discontinues Integrated Primary EyeCare Program

"Concerted third party and state advocacy efforts ensure Kentucky's optometrists have direct access to health plan members needing medical eye care via a business model that could be a bellwether for other states,"
 goes an American Optometric Assn. press release. "At the behest of a new state law—backed by the Kentucky Optometric Association (KOA) and AOA—VSP Vision Care announced on July 15 that their business model in Kentucky would change to allow doctors the opportunity to participate directly with the Cigna medical network sans participation with a vision care plan, and the state's VSP Integrated Primary EyeCare Program (IPEC) would be discontinued, effective Sept. 15, 2015. This change in posture comes after months of third party advocacy and legislative efforts by the KOA and AOA to roll back these tying arrangements between health and vision care plans for credentialing and contracting optometrists." Read more.

A New Means of Restoring Central Vision Loss?

"Eyes with central vision loss adapt by developing a new fixation point in a different part of the retina, called the preferred retinal location (PRL). Now for the first time, a new method makes it possible to identify PRLs in both eyes simultaneously, reports a study in the August issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer," reports Medical News Today. "The new eye-tracker technique may help in developing visual rehabilitation approaches to improve binocular vision for the many older adults with central vision loss affecting both eyes, according to the new research led by Esther G. González, PhD, of the Vision Science Research Program at Toronto Western Research Institute." Read more.

Essilor to Acquire Vision Source

North America's largest, independent optometric service alliance Vision Source, a portfolio company of Brazos Private Equity Partners of Dallas, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Essilor. Both companies share in their longstanding commitment to continuously elevate independent optometry through innovation, partnership and choice. Vision Source will continue to be led and managed as an independent company by the current leadership team, which includes the company's Founder & Executive Chairman, Glenn Ellisor, O.D. The acquisition remains subject to standard regulatory approvals.That's the summary of the deal from a press release appearing on Yahoo! News. Read more.

New Kids Eyewear from Match

"With summer in full swing, Back-to-School planning can’t be far behind. Just in time to send them back in style, Match Eyewear introduces a new ophthalmic collection from Float Kids, including 2 styles for girls and 2 for boys," reports Midwest Lens. "As a fashion rule, the hottest trends for adults quickly translate into the coolest looks for kids, and eyewear is no exception. Float Kids combines grown-up designs with fresh and fun styling to create distinctive looks for kids to call their own." Read more.

Luottica and Burberry Renew Licensing Agreement

"Luxottica Group (MTA: LUX; NYSE: LUX), a leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of fashion, luxury and sports eyewear, and Burberry Group (LSE: BRBY), the global British luxury brand, today announced the renewal of an exclusive license agreement for the development, production and worldwide distribution of sunglasses and prescription frames under the Burberry name. The 10-year agreement will extend to December 31, 2025." That announcement appeared in the Wall Street Transcript. Read more.

New Eyewear from Arnette

"Arnette Eyewear, leading eyewear brand known for their classically infused and unconventional designs, continues to offer unique and stylish eyewear with the release of their new Fall 2015 Collection," according to Midwest Lens. "A wide selection of versatile silhouettes instilled with modern design dominate the five newly launched styles in their sunglasses range, while the three new releases in the optical line exude attention to design and detail in a classic mix of colors and clean shapes." Read more.

Google Glass for Business Attaches to Eyewear

"The next edition of Google Glass will target enterprises and feature an attachable design, a news report suggests, shedding new light on rumors that have been circulating over the past several months," reports PCWorld. "The device will feature a curved, rectangular form factor much the way the first, consumer-focused Glass edition did, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal. It will differ from that version, however, in that it will reportedly feature a button-and-hinge system rather than a fixed frame, making it attachable to different kinds of eyewear." Read more.


Google has not given up on Glass. "Sounding a bit like his perfectionist late boss and iPod-designing collaborator Steve Jobs, the head of Google’s Nest division suggested to the BBC that he was handed control over design of a new Google Glass because he volunteered to fix it," reports Silicon Beat. "Tony Fadell, co-founder of connected thermostat maker Nest, joined Google when the tech giant bought his company for $3.2 billion last year. Along with designing Internet-connected thermostats, smoke detectors and home security cameras, he also began working on Glass, the high-tech eyewear, when Google canceled its failed public experiment in January and moved it into the Nest division for more internal research and design. Fadell told the BBC in a wide-ranging video interview posted Friday that the emerging wearable market is as exciting as the PC innovation of the 1980s." Read more.

Vogue and Beyonce Give Ahem Eyewear Jump Start

"Ahlem Manai-Platt doesn't know how cool, talented, and beautiful she is, and that's what makes her special. She doesn't understand how, in just one year and three months, Ahlem Eyewear has earned a half-page spread in Vogue and support from superstars like Beyoncé, who recently purchased two pairs of Ahlem sunglasses while shopping in Paris," according to racked. "French born, LA based Manai-Platt—one of this year's Racked Young Guns—is just trying to make it like the rest of us, but the difference is that she has singlehandedly created a brand that is changing the fashion game right before our eyes." Read more.