ECPs Have Seen Pay Decline

"Optometrists have experienced a massive pay fall over the last few years, new figures have revealed," according to a post on Optometry.co.uk. "A survey by trade union GMB looking at salaries between 2007 and 2011 found that ophthalmic opticians and 10 other occupations suffered more than a 25% fall in pay over the period. The eye care professionals experienced, on average, a 27.8% fall, from £44,568 in 2007 to £38,982 last year, a fall of some £5,586, and are the eighth highest losers in the survey of 322 UK occupational groups." Read more.

Jobson Releases Compensation Study

VisionMonday reports that "are you earning what you should be? In this gyrating economy, who knows what appropriate compensation is? The answers to these questions and many other eye opening compensation details are the focus of an innovative new research report titled 'The 2011 ECP Compensation Study,' from Jobson Optical Research." Read more.

Eyebuzz Updates Job Sites for ECPs

"Eyebuzz.net has launched an updated version of its eye-care job matching service," says a post on ModernMedicine. "The Web site is aimed at providing a one-stop recruitment resource for ophthalmic positions such as ophthalmologists, nurses, technicians, photographers, administrators, and scribes, as well as optometrists and opticians. Job seekers can register themselves at the site to post their resumes and receive job alerts via e-mail. Ophthalmologists and ophthalmic administrators can register to post jobs, receive resumes by e-mail, and search resumes. Employers can post a position for 60 days for $249. According to eyebuzz.net, the site’s intelligent search and matching saves jobs seekers from searching through hundreds of jobs, and brings candidates and recruiters together in one platform." Read more.

If Health Care Reform Repealed, Vision Care Compromised

In a post on HuffingtonPost, it was reported that "in light of this call to action it is disappointing that repealing health reform is at the top of Speaker Boehner's agenda for the new Congress. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, health reform will not only reduce the budget deficit in the next ten years by more than $100 billion, it also will ensure that an estimated 32 million Americans who are uninsured or underinsured can get high quality, affordable health coverage they can rely on." 

But what is the consequence to opticians, ECPs, and their patients? The answer: "Insurers would not have to cover vision care services or eyeglasses for children even if it is impossible for a child to be successful in school if they can't see."

A CEU Program Opticians Can Chew On

OpticalCEUs, a division of F.E. Enterprises, will run its 2011 Spring Continuing Education Conference for opticians and ECPs needing ABO and NCLE credits on May 1, 2011, at the luxurious Foxwoods Resorts and Casinos, in Mashantucket, Connecticut, according to Linda Conlin, founder of OpticalCEUs.

The semi-annual event, which has been running for more than a decade, will have its usual line-up of speakers and their excellent multimedia presentations. They will cover a variety of topics regarding vision care, eyewear, and contact lenses, providing opticians and ECPs with as many as seven ABO/NCLE continuing education credits, notes Linda Conlin.

As usual, the economical fee will include free coffee or tea for attendees arriving for the morning sessions. In addition, opticians and ECPs attending a full day of sessions (seven credits), sessions only in the morning (three credits), or sessions only in the afternoon (four credits) can enjoy a complimentary lunch. Here's the menu for OpticalCEUs 2011 Spring Conference for opticians and ECPs:

• Soup and Salads: hearty minestrone soup; crisp iceberg lettuce with pepperoncini peppers, garbanzo beans, chopped tomatoes, and crumbled feta cheese served with either a house vinaigrette or buttermilk ranch dressing; tortellini pasta salad.
• Make Your Own Hot Sandwich: Philly cheese steaks with shaved rib-eye beef, melted cheese, grilled mushrooms and onions; honey BBQ pulled pork; eggplant Florentine; all served with fresh Hoagie rolls and seasoned curly fries.
• Desserts: chocolate fudge cake, blueberry lemon meringue cake, mandarin Earl Grey cake, along with coffee and assorted teas.

Course information and registration will be available online by the middle of March 2011. For directions to the resort, follow this link: Directions by car to Foxwoods. For information about the conference, email Linda Conlin at F.E.Enterprises@opticalceu.com.

Partial Solar Eclipse Has European ECPs Concerned

European eye care professionals (ECPs) are concerned about people looking at the partial solar eclipse, which will be easily seen in Europe tomorrow (January 4). "When the partial solar eclipse occurs tomorrow morning, Tuesday 4 January, do not look directly at the sun or you risk permanently damaging your eyesight and even blindness, warns the UK government's Interim Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies," according to a MedicalNewsToday post.

MyOnlineOptical Attracting ECPs

"Essilor of America reported that it has built more than 600 online optical stores for independent eyecare professionals to date through its e-commerce initiative, MyOnlineOptical," according to a recent VisionMonday posting. "The company said the service has experienced a steady increase since its launch last spring, growing at a rate of approximately 100 ECPs per month."

What Were Ophthalmologists Reading in 2010?

Medscape analyzed its website to find out what ophthalmologists were reading (and therefore thinking about) during the past year. It's always good to know what all ECPs are thinking. Here's its list of the top 10 articles:

1. Retinal Vein Occlusions: Could Recent Developments Be Practice-Changing?
A commentary on retinal vein occlusion treatment includes recent clinical trial data and newly approved drug devices.

2. Antiviral Treatment Thwarts Recurring Eye Problems From Herpes Simplex
Oral antiviral prophylaxis appeared to protect against recurrence of ocular herpes simplex virus.

3. FDA Clears Laser System for Use in Cataract Surgery
The FDA approved a laser system for anterior capsulotomy during cataract surgery.

A related article on this subject is also of interest: Femtosecond Laser Technology Applied to Lens-Based Surgery.

4. FDA Panel Recommends Premarket Approval for Ocular Stent
A stent for reduction in intraocular pressure was reviewed for use in mild-to-moderate open-angle glaucoma.

5. Does Anti-VEGF Therapy Cause Glaucoma?
Reports suggest that patients may experience increased IOP following anti-VEGF therapy.

6. Perforating Eyelid Injury Extending to the Brain Stem in a 17-Year-Old Woman: A Case Report
An apparently superficial eye injury turns out to be far more severe than initial presentation would indicate.

7. A 61-Year-Old Woman With Swelling of the Lower Eyelid
A 61-year-old woman presents with painful swelling of the left lower eyelid. What is your diagnosis?

8. The Next Wave in Cataract Surgery: Intraoperative Measurement of Sphere, Cylinder, and Aberrations
We are beginning to envision a future where refractive cataract surgery can achieve LASIK-like outcomes.

9. Incidence and Management of Acute Endophthalmitis After Intravitreal Bevacizumab (Avastin) Injection
What's the risk of acute endophthalmitis after intravitreal bevacizumab injection, and what can be done to lower the risk?

10. Healthcare Reform Resource Center
The evolving debate was chronicled by Medscape throughout 2010. Bookmark this page so that you'll have access to the latest information as it becomes available.