Link between ADHD and Vision Impairment

"A new study sheds light on a link between noncorrectable vision problems and ADHD in children," reports Science Daily. "Results from a large survey of 75,000 children suggest an increased risk of ADHD among children with vision problems that are not correctable with glasses or contacts, such as color blindness or lazy eye, relative to other children. This finding suggests that children with vision impairment should be monitored for signs and symptoms of ADHD so that this dual impairment of vision and attention can best be addressed." Read more.

The New $395 Nikes for Runners

“Nike Vision has a new line of sunglasses out for runners this spring, and the top-end Vaporwing Elite and Vaporwing will run you $395 (about £275 or AU$560). That's the kind of price we're used to seeing for so-called smart glasses, but these sunglasses don't recharge or have any electronics in them. Yet Nike says a considerable amount of technology went into designing and building them,” according to a recent post on CNET. “The new sunglasses, for which Nike Vision developed "new materials and vision technology," are designed to conform to the shape of a runner's face but also offer good ventilation to prevent fogging. On top of that lensmaker Zeiss created 'state-of-the-art optics that deliver advanced acuity, so the athlete can lock on a moving target, accurately identify objects and assess distance.'” Read more.

Luxottica and Valentino Team Up

“Leading luxury eyewear maker Luxottica Group and the Valentino fashion house, have announced they signed a new and exclusive eyewear license agreement for the design, manufacture and worldwide distribution of Valentino eyewear,” notes the Hong Kong Standard. “The 10-year agreement will be effective from January 2017. The first collection presented under the agreement will be on the market from the beginning of the same year. Valentino eyewear will embody timeless elegance of the fashion house, taking inspiration from ready-to-wear collections and accessories, in a perfect balance between tradition and innovation in full respect of the DNA and the iconic values of the brand.” Read more.

Italian Frame Makers Reportedly Doing Well

“2015 was an excellent one in the post-economic crisis era for Italy's eyewear sector, industry experts said here on Friday,” reports the Shanghai Daily. “At the opening conference of MIDO, the Milan eyewear show which runs from Saturday to Monday, it was announced that in 2015, Italian eyewear production totaled 3.6 billion euros (3.9 billion U.S. dollars), up by 12.5 percent over 2014. In 2015, there were 870 companies in the country, 0.2 percent more compared to 2014. Exports of frames, sunglasses and lenses, which account for almost 90 percent of production by the sector, rose by 12.3 percent over 2014 to 3.4 billion euros. The main export market for sunglasses and frames in 2015 remained Europe, with 49 percent share of exports, followed by United States with 30.5 percent and Asia which absorbed 18.2 percent, posting a growth of 14 percent, with China at 42 percent. In terms of suppliers, imports from Asia continued to take the lion's share at 73 percent, figures showed. The Made in Italy was a driving factor for exports, MIDO president Cirillo Marcolin said. Sophisticated consumers are willing to spend more, so that higher costs for companies are more than offset by the benefits of product image and quality, he noted.” Read more.

Safilio Scouts New Talent in the Eyewear Field

“Italian eyewear manufacturer Safilo is scouting out new design talent through a mentorship program in partnership with Vogue Italia and L’Uomo Vogue,” goes the pot on Luxury Daily. “'A Forward Vision for Eyewear Heritage' claims to be the first tutoring project of its kind dedicated to the tradition and craftsmanship of eyewear. The three winners will have the chance to experience the inner workings of Safilo, which produces the eyewear for licensees including Dior, Jimmy Choo and Givenchy.” Read more.

Alcon Offers Kits for New Dailies Users

If you have patients using Alcon's Dailies AquaComfort Plus contact lenses for the first time, Alcon has a limited supply of kits just for them, according to an item on Eyewire. It contains the following: insertion and removal instructions, rebates and coupons for Alcon OTC products, consumer brochure, carrying case, a kit to carry the material home from your office, and trial lenses. Quantities are reported to be limited, so contact your Alcon rep soon. Read more.

B+L Introduces Ultra Contact Lenses for Presbyopia

Bausch + Lomb recently introduced Ultra contact lenses for presbyopia. The silicone hydrogel lens reportedly has B+L's MoistureSeal with the progressive design in its Biotrue ONEday. The new product is a monthly. Read more.

Essilor Buys Vision Direct

Essilor International strengthened its online presence with the purchase of Vision Direct Group Ltd, a £33-million European contact lens retailer, according to a press release published by PEHub. “Vision Direct does a majority of its business in the UK and Ireland, but is also active in several other European countries and enjoys a reputation for excellent customer service. This move further strengthens Essilor International’s current positions in online optical retail in Europe, by complementing existing activities in the Nordic countries.” Read more.

FDA Updates Warning about Peroxide as a Contact Lens Cleaning Solution

Under new regulations, there will be a red warning label and red tip remind your patients that contact lens solutions with hydrogen peroxide require special handling. (This is a sample bottle. Actual products may have a different design, depending on the brand.)

Sharpen Your Optical Skills at OpticalCEUs Spring Continuing Education Seminar

Sharpen your skills. Dust off your imagination. And pick up the latest optical ideas—from sun lens technology to specialty contact lenses. It's yours at OpticalCEUs Spring Seminar on April 10 in the Celebrity Ballroom of Foxwood's Fox Tower (formerly MGM Grand). In the second level ballroom, you can earn up to 7 ABO/NCLE credits. Oh yeah, almost forgot. There's a free banquet lunch for all attendees.

So register now!!!

Here's what our speakers will offer you: Our speakers will help you:

• The Nature of Light and Its Practical Applications Speaker: Joe Forte (1 ABO) 9am-10am
• Explore the Cornea Speaker: Linda Conlin (1 NCLE) 10am-11am
• Managing Ocular Allergies & Ocular Surface Disorders with Single Use Lenses Speaker: Joe Forte (1 NCLE Pending) 11am-Noon – NEW!
• Specialty Contact Lenses are Not That Special Speaker: Joe Forte (1 NCLE) 1pm-2pm
• Shades of Green Speaker: Deborah Kotob (1 ABO Pending) 2pm-3pm – NEW!
• Lens Enhancements Speaker: Deborah Kotob (1 ABO) 3pm-4pm – NEW!
• Rigid Gas Permeable Contact Lenses Speaker: Joe Forte (1 NCLE) 4pm-5pm

Register now! Earn accreditation! Have some Foxwoods fun!

Our Lecturers
Linda Conlin: For over 15 years Linda, an Adjunct Instructor with the Goodwin College Ophthalmic Sciences program, 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. Joe has been a Fellow of the CLSA since 1992.

Give Me My Contacts Or Give Me…Just Give Me My Contacts

It’s a matter of personal freedom so don’t tell me what to do. That’s the argument of Arizona’s House Health Committee which is considering a bill that would allow contact lens prescriptions to be valid for two years, notes the Verde Independent. Rep. Heather Carter says there’s no medical reason for the restriction—although she’s not a health-care professional. The Independent noted that she “sniffed” at the health-care reasons for the one-year prescription when Annette Hanian, OD, testified. Read more.

Nano-Scale Device Manipulates Light for Contact Lenses

“Researchers at RMIT University and the University of Adelaide have joined forces to create a stretchable nano-scale device to manipulate light.” Reports Phys.org. “The device manipulates light to such an extent that it can filter specific colors while still being transparent and could be used in the future to make smart contact lenses. Using the technology, high-tech lenses could one day filter harmful optical radiation without interfering with vision - or in a more advanced version, transmit data and gather live vital information or even show information like a head-up display. The light manipulation relies on creating tiny artificial crystals termed ‘dielectric resonators,’ which are a fraction of the wavelength of light - 100-200 nanometers, or over 500 times thinner than a human hair.” Read more.

Porn Actors Happy without Eyewear

For nearly six hours, members of California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board listened too nearly 100 porn actors complain how proposed protective eyewear regulations for the porn film industry would ruin the “aesthetics” and “fantasy” of the porno film, said the LA Daily News. After all, who wants to see “Long Dong” Whoever or the Busty Babes of Brooklyn wearing protective eyewear? Read more.

Cara Delevingne Stars in Chanel Film

Karl Lagerfeld filmed actress Cara Delevingne modeling Chanel's new line of sunglasses in the above film, reports the Prusuitist. Read more.

Olsen Twins Launch Sunglass Line at Oliver Peoples

"Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen rolled into the Oliver Peoples Madison Avenue boutique on Tuesday night for a party celebrating their first eyewear collaboration. Perhaps not surprisingly, given the reluctance of The Row designers to engage much with the public or the press, they have cheekily named a pair of $340 oversize tortoise sunglasses 'Don’t Bother Me,'" writes the New York Times. "'Whatever you write tonight, however the story comes together, it’ll feel like you’re writing about someone else,' Mary-Kate said to a reporter invited to cover the party. Ashley, standing nearby, nodded. The chunky glasses befit the Olsen twins for reasons other than the not-so-welcoming name, of course. They have a kind of past-meets-future look, as if they drew their inspiration from little old ladies from the 1950s but would now likely be seen on someone like Kate Moss or Jessa from 'Girls.'" Read more.

Porn Stars Protest Eyewear Regulations

"More than 100 adult film performers plan to gather in Sacramento Thursday to protest an expected ruling by California regulators that mandates condoms and eyewear for actors on all porn sets statewide." That's the word from the LA Daily News. Read more.

Jeb Bush Gets Hair Cut and Contact Lenses,. Trump Tweets In.

There wasn't much news from the Bush campaign, so a New York Times reporter filed the following story:

And now, a joke from Jeb Bush. "Ashley, how are you doing?" he said at the start of his news conference on Tuesday, turning to an ABC reporter, Candace Smith.

There were bemused smiles, but mostly silent stares.

“I’m not wearing my contacts, so-—,“ he said, as another reporter, Ashley Killough of CNN, looked on. “I’m joking.” 

At least one person chuckled.

Ms. Smith is petite and black; Ms. Killough is tall and white.

Mr. Bush, the former Florida governor, typically wears glasses, but his campaign said he had gotten contact lenses Monday morning. It seems he was, in fact, wearing them.

“Yeah, I’m wearing them,” he said when pressed. “I got home yesterday for the first time in three weeks, I think — two and a half weeks. And I went to the eye doctor and got a haircut. Big news in the Bush campaign.”

Read more.

Donald Trump apparently could not bear Jeb Bush getting any kind of decent publicity, so the Mouth tweeted: "'Jeb Bush just got contact lenses and got rid of the glasses. He wants to look cool, but it's far too late. 1% in Nevada!," according to the Daily Mail. Read more.

Brad Pitt Wears Silhouette's at Premiere for "The Big Short"

Oscar nominated Brad Pitt reportedly wore a pair of Silhouette's Titan Minimal Art glasses to the New York premiere of The Big Short, two months ago. This sleek rimless style embodies Silhouette's minimalist aesthetic and use of innovative materials for an airy, ultra lightweight look. Read more.

Feds Arrest Man Selling Counterfeit and Contaminated Contact Lenses

"Federal authorities are accusing a Las Vegas man of selling counterfeit contact lenses, some found contaminated with bacteria," reports MyNews4 of Las Vegas. "The Justice Department said Wednesday that 29-year-old Dmitriy Melnik was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of trafficking counterfeit goods, introducing misbranded devices and conspiracy. Authorities said he illegally and knowingly imported from China and South Korea thousands of colored contact lenses packaged with counterfeit trademarks and brand names on them, including Ciba Vision FreshLook Colorblends." Read more.

Eyes Damaged by Zika Virus

"Infants infected with the Zika virus may be born not only with unusually small heads, but also with eye abnormalities that threaten vision, researchers reported on Tuesday in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology," reports the New York Times. "The study described damage to the retina or optic nerve in 10 of 29 newborns examined at Roberto Santos General Hospital in Salvador, Brazil. All the infants were presumed to have been infected with the Zika virus and had small heads, a condition called microcephaly. Other causes of the defect, like infection with rubella or toxoplasmosis, were ruled out." Read more.

Rate of Glaucoma Determined by Smart Contact Lenses

"Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center have found that smart contact lenses that emit patterns of electrical signals can be used to detect the rate of glaucoma. The smart contact lens system, known as Triggerfish, is from Swiss startup Sensimed and is designed as a diagnostic. It offers an automated, continuous recording of ocular dimensional changes when worn over a 24-hour period," reports Fierce Medical Devices. "In addition to the lens itself, Triggerfish includes an adhesive antenna, which is worn around the eye during that period and transmits the data through a cable from the antenna to a portable recorder that's worn around the patient's neck. Data is transferred via Bluetooth from the recorder to software installed on a health care provider's computer. This latest data on this lens system was published online today in the journal Ophthalmology." Read more.

Turning Contact Lenses into Computer Screens

"Researchers from the University of South Australia plan on taking wearable visual aids to a new level by turning contact lenses into computer screens, according to Phys.org," reports HNGN.com. "Using an polymer film coating with the ability to conduct electricity, the research team has developed a proof of concept for their new invention- contact lenses that can receive electronic prompts, just like a computer screen." Read more.

NBA Star Westbrook Gives Colbert Eyewear Makeover

"Sure, he's a massively successful NBA star, but Russell Westbrook is also famous for his adventurous fashion sense. And considering the fact that the All Star MVP's signature style move is wearing bold glasses, it's only reasonable that he decided to launch his own eyewear brand, Westbrook Frames, in 2014," reported Esquire magazine. "He recently talked to us about what inspires the line's designs, and last night he appeared on The Late Show to help Stephen Colbert inject a little more personality into his glasses game. Some of the models look downright absurd on a guy like Colbert, who jokes that he "doesn't have enough skull" for one style, and compares himself to mid-'80s Sally Jesse Raphael in another. But the first ones—classically styled acetate frames with a keyhole bridge, selected by Westbrook—actually look pretty great." Read more.

Adrian Marwitz Launches New Marketing Campaign

"In close conceptual cooperation with the award-winning German eyewear manufacturer Adrian Marwitz, fashion photographer Sacha Tassilo Höchstetter was in charge of creative direction for the new eyeglass campaign. Styling of model Jelena Nebendal was done by Alex Huber, and Ben AYER c/o BALLSAAL took care of the hair & beauty look," wrote GoSee. "Since 1918, the name Marwitz has been synonym with high-quality eyeglass frames. The business started by his grandfather is continued by Adrian Marwitz in the new millennium. He has a passion for eyeglasses as a fashion accessory: extraordinary design, the material titanium and first-class manual production in Germany." Read more.

New Crocs Eyewear from A&A Optical

"A&A Optical announces the release of four styles (12 skus total) from Crocs Eyewear Junior Collection: JR031, JR036, JR6005, JR6006," according to Midwest Lens. "The Crocs Eyewear Junior Collection features the Crocs™ brand’s signature spirit, with the vibrant colors and comfort kids love. The collection uses an assortment of high quality materials such as ultra-lightweight stainless steel, hypo-allergenic silicone rubber and flexible polymer. Ideal for an active child’s lifestyle, all styles are lightweight for minimal pressure, flexible for easy adjustments, and durable with minimal wear and tear." Read more.

Maverick Eyewear from Carrera

"Carrera introduces The Maverick Collection of eyewear this spring," according to Midwest Lens. "The collection, comprised of three optical frames and six sunglasses, was devised For Out There Characters. These Mavericks are known for their unconventional minds. They are independent, unique and untamed. Fearless enough to go their own way. Brave enough to make it happen." Read more.

New BCBGMAXAZRIA Eyewear from ClearVision Optical

"Eyewear industry leader ClearVision Optical introduces the newest release from BCBGMAXAZRIA, featuring 8 new fashionable styles," writes Midwest Lens. "Featuring youthfully charged, on trend shapes like deep cat eyes, rounds, and wayfarers, the latest release offers brand inspired accents, colors and design techniques. Sculpted temples featuring patterns drawn from nature are prominent, as are rich, Italian and laminate materials in a boldly colorful palette. The BCBGMAXAZRIA iconic stud bar hardware and butterfly logo further align the eyewear with the retail brand." Read more.

New Line of Eyewear, Called Neubau

"Neubau eyewear, which was presented for the first time at the OPTI trade fair in Munich, is an homage to creativity, innovation and the zeitgeist of the Millennial Generation. The worldwide launch of its optical eyewear collection will be in June 2016, with 12 models in six colors each. The first neubau sunglasses collection will follow in October 2016," notes Midwest Lens. "Backed by Austrian manufacturer Silhouette International Schmied AG, neubau eyewear joins a portfolio of brands that includes Silhouette Eyewear and adidas Sport Eyewear, contributing a new, distinctive blend of innovative urban design, youthful appeal and highly sophisticated technology and materials. To support the launch of neubau as well as its other brands and products, Silhouette has recently increased its number of employees by 20% and anticipates solid growth across the United States." Read more.