What Do We Actually 'See'?

Medical News Today asks: "Glance out the window and then close your eyes. What did you see? Maybe you noticed it's raining and there was a man carrying an umbrella. What color was it? What shape was its handle? Did you catch those details? Probably not. Some neuroscientists would say that, even though you perceived very few specifics from the window scene, your eyes still captured everything in front of you. But there are flaws to this logic, MIT researchers argue in an Opinion published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences. It may be that our vision only reflects the gist of what we see." Read more.

Banana a Day Keeps the Eye Doctor Away?

"Carotenoids, which are found at various levels in different banana cultivars, are important vitamin precursors for eye health. In a new study, researchers report a new understanding of how the fruit makes and stores the compound. Their findings could someday help in the development of banana varieties with enhanced health benefits." That's the word from Science Daily. Read more.

New Insights into the Causes of Myopia

"Myopia, also known as short-sightedness or near-sightedness, is the most common disorder affecting the eyesight and it is on the increase," reports Science Digest. "The causes are both genetic and environmental. The Consortium for Refractive Error and Myopia (CREAM) has now made important progress towards understanding the mechanisms behind the development of the condition. This international group of researchers includes scientists involved in the Gutenberg Health Study of the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). The team has uncovered nine new genetic risk factors which work together with education-related behavior as the most important environmental factor causing myopia to generate the disorder." Read more.

Rigid Contact Lens Lodged in Eye for Two Years

"Doctors treating the bizarre case of an 11-year-old crying blood were astonished to find a rigid contact lens that had been lodged in her eye for two years," writes the Daily Mail. "The girl, from Hong Kong, went to her GP when her upper eyelid began to swell. There, she and her mother were told she had a chalazion – a common problem in which a lump forms in the lid due to a blocked oil gland. She was given antibiotics and sent home – but in the morning was horrified when she began crying blood-stained tears." Read more.

Sony Applies for Contact Lens Patent

"Tech giant Sony has joined the race to develop digital contact lens technology," according to the Huffington Post. "Sony has plans for a wearable lens that can take photos and video, according to an application filed with the U.S. patent office, Tech Story reported. Sony filed a patent in the U.S. in May of 2013 for a smart contact lens — a fact only picked up by the media this week. The device would not only take photos and video, but store data, with no need for a tether to a smartphone. The lens would feature an organic electroluminescence display screen, according to the patent." Read more.

Major Retailers Launch a Contact Lens Campaign

Several leading national retailers today announced the launch of a new coalition and advocacy campaign reportedly to serve as a voice for American contact lens consumers. The new group, the Coalition for Contact Lens Consumer Choice, will oppose legislation recently introduced in the U.S. Senate that would severely restrict where consumers can purchase their contact lenses. The group's initial members include 1-800 Contacts, Costco Wholesale, and Lens.com. Contact lens wearers, optometrists and other eye care professionals, consumer groups, good government advocacy organizations and other retailers and industry stakeholders with diverse perspectives are being invited to join the coalition. Read more.

This follows action on Capitol Hill. "Costco Wholesale Corp., 1-800 Contacts and other retailers attacked newly proposed legislation they say would water down a federal law that opened eye doctors to competition from online sellers and discounters," says Market Watch. "The U.S. Senate bill concerning contact lens was introduced this week by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R., La.), a physician, and Sen. John Boozman (R., Ark.), a former optometrist, and is backed by the American Optometric Association as well as Johnson & Johnson and Alcon, the eye-care unit of Novartis AG." Read more. (J&J, however, has withdrawn its UPP.)


Health Care Dive reports that "the seemingly simple process of ordering contact lenses has become a tangled debate between retailers, optometric groups, and lawmakers. At the core of the debate is the contact lens prescription, a ticket to 20/20 vision for an estimated 40 million American consumers. Although the FTC enforces the requirement eye care professionals provide patients a copy of their contact lens prescriptions, as required by the Contact Lens Rule (CLR), it seems many may not be complying. 1-800-Contacts, the largest U.S. contact lens retailer, announced it filed 27,725 potential violations earlier this month with the agency related to optometrists not releasing patient prescriptions.
Cindy Williams, general counsel at 1-800-Contacts, told Healthcare Dive those violations were compiled over from December 2015 to March 2016 showing 'how extensive and widespread this problem is.'" Read more.

Contact Lens Market to Reach $13.5 Billion by 2020

Contact lenses market is expected to grow over the forecast period owing to the increasing prevalence of eye related diseases such as astigmatism, hypermetropia and myopia. The other drivers of this market are increasing population, fashion statement and technological advancement. By the end of the forecast period, the market value will reach up to US $13.5 billion by 2020, according to a Hexa Research press release.

Visionworks Goes Virtual

"Visionworks is bringing its vast assortment of eyewear and expertise in eyecare to its customers who will now be able to shop directly from Visionworks’ website," reports Eyewire. "The national eyewear retailer on Monday launched an e-commerce site at www.visionworks.com. The new site will allow shoppers to purchase Visionworks’ collection of eyewear including prescription glasses, fashion frames and sunglasses and have them delivered directly to their doors." Read more. Visionworks, Online Retailing,

B+L Defends Unilateral Pricing Policy (UPP) and Launches New Consumer Campaign/J&J Drops UPP

"Bausch + Lomb has distributed a letter to eye care providers concerning the company's Unilateral Pricing Policy (UPP)," notes Eyewire. Here's the letter: "April 20, 2016 Dear Eye Care Practitioner, Bausch + Lomb has been, and will continue to be, a driving force in advocating for your patients, and for the safe wear and care of contact lenses. We stand committed to providing our unwavering support for you and your practice and for the development of new technology." Read more.

This comes a day after the company launched its new consumer advertising/marketing campaign. "Bausch + Lomb has launched a 360-degree national consumer advertisement campaign, including television, digital, social media and in-office material challenging contact lens-wearers with the question, “Are your contacts still comfortable?” to demonstrate how many digital screen-reliant contact lens wearers can often find their contact lenses uncomfortable. The campaign, starring the “Man of Comfort”, follows a patient throughout her busy day, inquiring at key moments" if he is comfortable. Read more.

Meanwhile "Johnson & Johnson (ticker: JNJ ) had announced that it will discontinue UPP (unilateral pricing policy, which sets a minimum floor price for retail sale) across its contact lenses. While it’s unclear whether competitors will follow suit, feedback from our consultants suggests that Johnson & Johnson’s action is unlikely to materially affect pricing or market share in the contact-lens market," notes Barron's. "It remains to be seen if there will be disruptions associated with Johnson & Johnson’s UPP move that could hurt the company’s performance or help its competitors in the near term. At Vision Expo, we also confirmed that Johnson & Johnson will launch its new contact lens in July, which will be its new silicone hydrogel (SiHy) monthly. We continue to see this launch as potentially disruptive to Cooper’s ( COO ) growth acceleration effort in the second half of fiscal 2016." Read more.

How Much Do Physicians Earn?

That's the question behind the Medscape report called Physicians Debt and Net Worth Report 2016. See the slide presentation on Eyewire. Based on a read, the report should be called: Physicians Net Worth and Debt Report. Frequently doctors complain about their school debt, which the Associatio of American Medical Colleges estimates to average $183,000. It's large, but this is for a group whose individual net work runs more than $2 million by the time they are 60.

Safilo and Marc Jacobs Launch New Eyewear Line

"It might have been a Tuesday night, but that didn’t stop the 500 attendees who RSVP’ed for Marc Jacobs’ dance party from showing up and partying hard at the Old School Gym in Soho. The shindig, which celebrated the designer’s Spring 2016 eyewear collection, was inspired by the Ziegfeld Theater, where Jacobs presented his Spring/Summer 2016 runway collection." That's the word from Fashion Week Daily. Read more.

Vincent Cassel New Image for Vuarnet

"Vincent Cassel models a pair of sunglasses in this new campaign image for eyewear brand Vuarnet," writes Just Jared. "The 49-year-old actor, best known for his work in Black Swan and the Ocean's movies, is seen in a new photo shoot and video feature." Read more.

The 49-year-old French actor, best known for his work in Black Swan and the Ocean’s movies, is seen in a new photo shoot and video feature.

Source: Vincent Cassel Is Eyewear Brand Vuarnet’s New Face | Fashion, Vincent Cassel : Just Jared | http://www.justjared.com/2016/04/20/vincent-cassel-is-eyewear-brand-vuarnets-new-face/?trackback=tsmclip

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OpticalCEUs Spring Continuing Education Continues the Success

Some 150 opticians came to Foxwoods Hotel and Casino to sharpen their skills, dusted off their imaginations, and picked up the latest optical ideas—from sun lens technology to specialty contact lenses. It all happened at OpticalCEUs Spring Seminar on April 10 in the Celebrity Ballroom of Foxwood's Fox Tower (formerly MGM Grand).

In the second level ballroom, they earned up to 7 ABO/NCLE credits.OpticalCEU's speakers covered the following topics:

• 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) 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) 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 – NEW

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.

Hoya Introducing New Products to Help Opticans and Their Patients

"Belgian 3D printing company Materialise has recently announced an exciting new partnership with HOYA Vision Care to develop an innovative visualization and eye testing technology that could potentially change the nature of eye exams and customer experience in optical shops," according to 3ders. "The first two products to be announced by the companies, and which will be the first products we can expect to use in eye care facilities, are the HOYA Vision Simulator and the HOYA EyeGenius.
The ...simulator will be used in optical stores to allow customers to experience what their vision will be like wearing their new lenses before they actually buy them. The headset uses virtual reality technology to immerse its users into a 3D world through the prescription lens. The...EyeGenius...is a new type of vision examination system capable of calculating the ideal prismatic prescription for the correction of fixation disparity. The system, which will be used by opticians, can also be used for 60 additional vision tests including refraction, binocular vision screening, and visual function screening, to name but a few." Read more. Hoya Vision Care, Materialise, Hoya Vision Simulator, Hoya EyeGenius,

Nike Introduces New Line of Running Eyewear

Nike Vision's Spring 2016 Running Collection has five new styles. Designed specifically for runners, the Spring 2016 assortment is a collaboration among Nike Vision,  Zeiss, and VSP Global's lab The Shop. The new construction method is said to seamlessly fuse the lens material with the frame to increase coverage and offer eyewear that is lighter than the average performance product on the market today. To bring this revolutionary collection to life, Nike Vision partnered with industry leader ZEISS to work outside the constraints of traditional eyewear manufacturing. The Nike + ZEISS partnership started from scratch to manufacture a new lens from a custom mold. Once developed, the mold was refined using ultra-precise machinery with diamond-polishing technology to polish the complex lens shape down to the nanometer, according to the company website. The end result is a lightweight, state-of-the-art lens that maximizes coverage and provides optimum clarity to allow athletes to perform at the highest level. Read more.

Autofocusing Contact Lenses? Maybe a Decade Away

"'Nearly everybody who wears contact lenses stops wearing them when they start to need reading glasses,' said Chris Van Hoof, Imec's program director of wearable health care," reports CNET.
"Imec hopes to adapt contact lenses so they can give your eyes a focusing boost when you're trying to see something close. The lenses themselves have regions suited for close focus and farther focus, but detect where you're trying to focus and let light through only the appropriate part of the lens." Read more.

FTC Warns Prescribers and Sellers about Violation of Contact Lens Rule

"The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it has warned 45 contact lens prescribers and 10 contact lens sellers that they may be violating the agency’s Contact Lens Rule, which helps consumers comparison shop for contact lenses and ensures sales occur only to those with valid prescriptions," writes Legal Newsline. "The rule mandates that prescribers that fit patients for contact lenses give the patients the prescription at the end of the fitting. These prescribers cannot charge additional fees for handing over the prescription, nor can they force a patient to buy contacts directly from them." Read more.

Samsung Patents Smart Contact Lenses with Cameras

"If you have seen the movie Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, then you may remember the scene where IMF agent William Brandt (played by Jeremy Renner) used a smart contact lens to take photos of nuclear codes. After watching that scene, I wondered why smart contact lenses did not exist yet. It turns out Samsung may be pursuing the idea of a smart contact lens, according to a patent that recently surfaced," notes Forbes. "The patent – which was filed in South Korea — describes a contact lens where a small display unit is placed in the center. SamMobile reported that Samsung’s smart contact lens also has a camera, an antenna and sensors that detects movements. The camera built into the Samsung smart contact lens would be controlled by blinking. And the Wi-Fi antenna in the smart contact lens enables the wearable device to communicate with an external device to process data such as a smartphone or tablet. The blinking feature would work in a way that is similar to how Google GOOGL +0.52% Glass took photos when the user winked." Read more.

1-800 Contacts Blasts AOA Attempt to Reform Federal Contact Lens Laws

"Legislation being pushed by the American Optometric Association (AOA) and introduced today in the U.S. Senate would rewrite current law to undermine competition in the contact lens marketplace to increase profits for optometrists at the expense of consumers. The legislation would reduce choice, increase costs and jeopardize eye health," according to a press release from 1-800 Contacts. "The misleadingly-named Contact Lens Consumer Health Protection Act (CLCHPA), introduced by Senator Bill Cassidy, R-La., would gut the existing Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act (FCLCA), which eliminated barriers to retail competition making contact lenses easier to replace and less expensive to purchase. Since the Act became law in 2003, competition among contact lens retailers has provided consumers with more choice, greater convenience and lower prices." Read more.

Tom Ford Releases New Eyewear

"World renowned American fashion designer Tom Ford has released a special collection of sunglasses and optical frames," writes Super Yachts. "The collection comprises 11 pieces – five sunglasses and six frames – to mark the fact that it is 11 years since Tom Ford entered into the eyewear industry. The eyewear features a variety of exotic materials including real buffalo horn, high-grade Japanese titanium and photochromic lenses that darken and lighten automatically, depending on the light conditions." Read more. Tom Ford, Sunglasses, Eyewear,

Sky Walking While Wearing Hugo Boss Eyewear

"German fashion label Hugo Boss is promoting its eyewear to a new batch of clients with a daring #SkyWalk," according to a post on Luxury Daily. "For the stunt, solo-round-the-world sailor Alex Thomson, clad in the brand’s products, is combining sailing and kiting to overcome both his fear of heights and the elements. The broad appeal of extreme stunts will help Hugo Boss convey its confidence and ambition to new audiences." Read more.