Monday, October 22, 2012
Yankee CF Goes to Eye Specialist
Sunday, October 21, 2012
New Online Eyewear Company Using Buy-One-Give-One Formula
Friday, October 19, 2012
Carrera's New Styles
Emma Roberts Slips into a Pair of Vogue's
Eye Care Pharma Market to $23.8 Billion in 2016
"Total worldwide revenues from drugs to treat eye disorders will reach $23.8 billion in 2016, according to a new report from business information provider Visiongain," reports the Pharma Letter. "Leading companies will achieve high sales growth from 2012 to 2022." Read more.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Argo Takes Eyewear Back Almost 40 Years
 |
| John Goodman from Argo |
FDA Approves Drug for VMA
"A new medication, Jetrea (ocriplasmin), has been approved by the FDA for VMA (symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion), an eye condition related to aging that can lead to complications and vision loss. When the vitreous gel adheres too strongly to the retina, it can lead to VMT (vitreomacular traction), which may in the long-run affect vision significantly." That's a new post on Medical News Today. Read more.
New from Candie's Eyewear
How the Eye Works in Low-Light
"New research reveals the key chemical process that corrects for potential visual errors in low-light conditions. Understanding this fundamental step could lead to new treatments for visual deficits, or might one day boost normal night vision to new levels," reports Science Daily. "Scientists had thought that the strength of rhodopsin's signal determines how well we see in dim light. But UC Davis scientists have found instead that a second step acts as a gatekeeper to correct for rhodopsin errors. The result is a more accurate reading of light under dim conditions.
A report on their research appears in the October issue of the journal Neuron." Read more.
Selling Decorative CLs
New York based Eye Care Associates is giving away daily a free box of color contact lenses to help Facebook "friends" complete their Halloween costume look. Individuals must be a Fan/Follower of CLE Contact Lenses on Twitter, and they must pin the pair of color contact lenses from Freshlook Color Blends Color Contact Lenses or Acuvue 2 Enhancer Color Contact Lenses to their Pinterest account. Finally they must leave a Facebook comment daily describing why they should win. CLE will select a winner daily. The company adds that if an individual has a zero power, he/she must provide a prescription.
Meanwhile reports already are coming in from emergency rooms around the country of individuals, usually young women, who have damaged their eyes wearing decorative contact lenses sold illegally at dollar-discount shops, beauty parlors, and gasoline stations. Maybe it is time for ECPs to take a page from companies such as Eye Care Associates. Start selling these novelties--insisting on prescriptions and regular fittings.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
New Insights into Lazy Eye
"Little is known about oculomotor
function in amblyopia, or 'lazy eye,' despite the special role of eye
movements in vision," notes Science Daily. "A group of scientists has discovered that abnormal
visual processing and circuitry in the brain have an impact on
fixational saccades (FSs), involuntary eye movements that occur during
fixation and are important for the maintenance of vision. The results,
which raise the question of whether the alterations in FS are the cause
or the effect of amblyopia and have implications for amblyopia
treatment, are available online in advance of publication in the
November issue of Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience." Read more.
More Injuries, More Warnings
"They may be "eye-catching", but Illinois officials are warning consumers to stay away from colored contact lenses," says NBC News Illinois affiliate CI News Now. "According to a press release from the Illinois Department of
Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), a central Illinois
convenience store surrendered 41 boxes and 54 single-lens
non-prescription colored contact lenses on Tuesday. This occurred after
a school nurse reported to investigators that a student received minor
eye injuries from wearing the contacts purchased at the store." Read more'.
Gotti Switzerland Fall/Winter
ClearVision Expands Global Fit Collection
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
FDA Warns of Potential Eye Infections from NECC Compound
"Health officials are warning that more people may be at risk from contaminated drugs made by a Massachusetts company linked to a growing meningitis outbreak," reports the New York Times. "The Food and Drug Administration reported on Monday that the company’s products may have also caused other types of infections in patients who have had eye operations or open-heart surgery." Read more.
Food and Drug Administration Statement
[10-15-2012] As a result of FDA, CDC, and state health departments’ ongoing investigation of contamination at the New England Compounding Center’s (NECC) Framingham, Massachusetts facility, on October 4, the FDA advised providers to not use any NECC products. On October 6, NECC announced a recall of all its products. A complete list of all products subject to this recall can be accessed here [HTML | PDF]. The FDA had previously issued guidance for medical professionals that all products distributed by NECC should be retained, secured, and withheld from use. (Statements relating to eye health issues appear underlined and in italics.)
Also as a result of the ongoing investigation of NECC, a patient with possible meningitis potentially associated with epidural injection of an additional NECC product, triamcinolone acetonide, has been identified through active surveillance and reported to FDA. Triamcinolone acetonide is a type of steroid injectable product made by NECC. The cases of meningitis identified to date have been associated with methylprednisolone acetate, another similar steroid injectable product.
In addition, two transplant patients with Aspergillus fumigatus infection who were administered NECC cardioplegic solution during surgery have been reported. Investigation of these patients is ongoing; and there may be other explanations for their Aspergillus infection. Cardioplegic solution is used to induce cardiac muscle paralysis during open heart surgery to prevent injury to the heart.
FDA continues to evaluate these reports, and when the agency obtains additional information, it will be promptly relayed to the public. FDA has not confirmed that these three infections were, in fact, caused by an NECC product
At this point in FDA’s investigation, the sterility of any injectable drugs, including ophthalmic drugs that are injectable or used in conjunction with eye surgery, and cardioplegic solutions produced by NECC are of significant concern, and out of an abundance of caution, patients who received these products should be alerted to the potential risk of infection. At this time, no cases of infection have been reported in connection with any NECC-produced ophthalmic drug that is injectable or used in conjunction with eye surgery, but FDA believes this class of products could present potentially similar risks of infection. Products from NECC can be identified by markings that indicate New England Compounding Center by name or by its acronym (NECC), and/or the company logo that can be accessed here.
FDA Advice to Healthcare Practitioners
The FDA had previously issued guidance for medical professionals that all products distributed by NECC should be retained, secured, and withheld from use. Based on the new information described above, out of an abundance of caution, FDA advises you to follow-up with patients for whom you administered an injectable product, including an ophthalmic drug that is injectable or used in conjunction with eye surgery, or a cardioplegic solution purchased from or produced by NECC after May 21, 2012. FDA does not urge patient follow-up at this time for NECC products of lower risk such as topicals (for example, lotions, creams, eyedrops not used in conjunction with surgery) and suppositories.
You should inform patients who received the NECC products noted above of the symptoms of possible infection and instruct them to contact you or another healthcare provider immediately if they experience any of these symptoms.
The signs and symptoms of meningitis include fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea and vomiting, photophobia (sensitivity to light) and altered mental status. Symptoms for other possible infections may include fever; swelling, increasing pain, redness, warmth at injection site; visual changes, pain, redness or discharge from the eye; chest pain, or drainage from the surgical site (infection within the chest).
The FDA recognizes that some health care professionals may receive a high volume of calls from patients or be concerned about having to notify many patients as a result of today's announcement. We ask you to use your clinical judgment in deciding which patients are at risk and contact those patients in whatever communications mode you prefer, whether it is email, phone or letter. Face-to-face communication with patients is not necessary.
Clinicians are also requested to report any suspected adverse events following use of these products to FDA's MedWatch program at 1-800-332-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Health care professionals may dial FDA’s Drug Information Line at 855-543-DRUG (3784) and press * to get the most recent information regarding the meningitis recall and speak directly to a pharmacist.
Food and Drug Administration Statement
[10-15-2012] As a result of FDA, CDC, and state health departments’ ongoing investigation of contamination at the New England Compounding Center’s (NECC) Framingham, Massachusetts facility, on October 4, the FDA advised providers to not use any NECC products. On October 6, NECC announced a recall of all its products. A complete list of all products subject to this recall can be accessed here [HTML | PDF]. The FDA had previously issued guidance for medical professionals that all products distributed by NECC should be retained, secured, and withheld from use. (Statements relating to eye health issues appear underlined and in italics.)
Also as a result of the ongoing investigation of NECC, a patient with possible meningitis potentially associated with epidural injection of an additional NECC product, triamcinolone acetonide, has been identified through active surveillance and reported to FDA. Triamcinolone acetonide is a type of steroid injectable product made by NECC. The cases of meningitis identified to date have been associated with methylprednisolone acetate, another similar steroid injectable product.
In addition, two transplant patients with Aspergillus fumigatus infection who were administered NECC cardioplegic solution during surgery have been reported. Investigation of these patients is ongoing; and there may be other explanations for their Aspergillus infection. Cardioplegic solution is used to induce cardiac muscle paralysis during open heart surgery to prevent injury to the heart.
FDA continues to evaluate these reports, and when the agency obtains additional information, it will be promptly relayed to the public. FDA has not confirmed that these three infections were, in fact, caused by an NECC product
At this point in FDA’s investigation, the sterility of any injectable drugs, including ophthalmic drugs that are injectable or used in conjunction with eye surgery, and cardioplegic solutions produced by NECC are of significant concern, and out of an abundance of caution, patients who received these products should be alerted to the potential risk of infection. At this time, no cases of infection have been reported in connection with any NECC-produced ophthalmic drug that is injectable or used in conjunction with eye surgery, but FDA believes this class of products could present potentially similar risks of infection. Products from NECC can be identified by markings that indicate New England Compounding Center by name or by its acronym (NECC), and/or the company logo that can be accessed here.
FDA Advice to Healthcare Practitioners
The FDA had previously issued guidance for medical professionals that all products distributed by NECC should be retained, secured, and withheld from use. Based on the new information described above, out of an abundance of caution, FDA advises you to follow-up with patients for whom you administered an injectable product, including an ophthalmic drug that is injectable or used in conjunction with eye surgery, or a cardioplegic solution purchased from or produced by NECC after May 21, 2012. FDA does not urge patient follow-up at this time for NECC products of lower risk such as topicals (for example, lotions, creams, eyedrops not used in conjunction with surgery) and suppositories.
You should inform patients who received the NECC products noted above of the symptoms of possible infection and instruct them to contact you or another healthcare provider immediately if they experience any of these symptoms.
The signs and symptoms of meningitis include fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea and vomiting, photophobia (sensitivity to light) and altered mental status. Symptoms for other possible infections may include fever; swelling, increasing pain, redness, warmth at injection site; visual changes, pain, redness or discharge from the eye; chest pain, or drainage from the surgical site (infection within the chest).
The FDA recognizes that some health care professionals may receive a high volume of calls from patients or be concerned about having to notify many patients as a result of today's announcement. We ask you to use your clinical judgment in deciding which patients are at risk and contact those patients in whatever communications mode you prefer, whether it is email, phone or letter. Face-to-face communication with patients is not necessary.
Clinicians are also requested to report any suspected adverse events following use of these products to FDA's MedWatch program at 1-800-332-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Health care professionals may dial FDA’s Drug Information Line at 855-543-DRUG (3784) and press * to get the most recent information regarding the meningitis recall and speak directly to a pharmacist.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Marcolin Sold to Private Equity Firm
"Private equity fund PAI Partners has agreed to buy 78.4 percent of Marcolin (MCL.MI) for 207 million euros ($268.42 million) and will launch a bid for remaining shares aimed at delisting Italy's No.3 eyewear manufacturer," according to a Reuters post. Read more.
Talking with a Designer of Decorative CLs
Scientists Says Tinted CLs Don't Help Athletes
"Bryce Harper, the Washington Nationals outfielder, created a minor stir last week when he showed up in the dugout wearing reddish tinted contact lenses," reports a New York Times health blog. "Other players have experimented with the amber-colored lenses...To some scientists, that may not be a surprise. Research on tinted lenses has not backed the claim that they improve visual or athletic performance. In a 2007 study in the journal Optometry, 35 college and professional football players were given the task of identifying a series of curved lines that blended into a blurry background. The players tried the experiment with clear lenses, and then repeated it with amber-colored lenses." Read more.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Smoking Linked to Age-Related Cataracts
"Cigarette smoking is a well-known risk factor for a wide-range of diseases. Now, scientists have evidence that smoking may also increase the risk of age-related cataract, the leading cause of blindness and vision loss in the world," according to Science Daily. "Reported in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, the new findings are the result of a meta-analysis conducted by a team of researchers from China." Read more.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Jordan Brand and 9Five Come Out with a Collection
Iggy Azalea Models for House of Holland Eyewear
Friday, October 12, 2012
Magic Touch Japan Fall 2012
Older Europeans Worried about Going Blind
"E-FAB (European Forum Against Blindness) marks World Sight Day with a call to prevent avoidable blindness which remains a significant problem in Europe," notes Medical News Today. "A new survey of over 5,000 people across five EU countries reveals a level of concern and perceived need for better vision care services. As part of World Sight Day 2012, a survey across five EU countries reveals that over twice as many people are most concerned about developing sight loss compared to developing other conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory disease. In the survey, loss of vision was revealed as the primary health concern of ageing after memory loss. E-FAB (European Forum Against Blindness) has published the survey results to highlight that many Europeans are still needlessly losing their sight, and more needs to be done to diagnose vision problems earlier." Read more.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Prosthesis Helps Blind See Motion
A study recently published online, and set to be issued in the February print edition of the peer-reviewed journal, Archives of Ophthalmology, demonstrated that the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System enabled a majority of blind participants, implanted with the device, to identify the direction of moving objects better with the Argus II on than off. This journal article is the latest in a series of publications that shows that the Argus II restores some visual function to patients blinded by retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and that this function translates into real benefits in everyday life. Last month, an FDA Ophthalmic Devices Advisory Panel voted unanimously that the probable benefit of the Argus II outweighs the risks to health, clearing the way for regulatory approval in the US. The Argus II system has been approved for use in the European Economic Area and is on the market in several European countries since last year and remains the only approved retinal implant anywhere in the world. Read more.
World's Largest Mosaic for World Sight Day
Transitions and VSP Running Clinic in Houston
Transitions Optical, in partnership with VSP Vision Care, will visit the Houston area this week with 40-foot, state-of-the-art mobile vision clinic, nicknamed "Eyenstein," to help hundreds of children start the school year with free eye exams and if needed, prescription eyeglasses – to reinforce the connection between healthy vision and the ability to read and learn. Read more.
Student Optician Receives Grant
"Shansel Cheghe of Hillsborough, a student in Raritan Valley Community College’s Ophthalmic Science program, has received a $500 grant as part of the 2012 Hoya Vision Care Grant and Scholarship Program for Opticianry Schools," reports the Star-Ledger. "Cheghe received the scholarship for her ePoster project on polarized lenses. The presentation focused on the importance of wearing polarized lenses or sunglasses, including their uses and functions, as well as the benefits and effects on one’s vision—both positive and negative." Read more.
Trussardi Fall 2012
Pupil Response May not Measure Alertness
" The speed and degree to which the pupil of the eye responds is a standard test for alertness," notes Science Daily. "It has also been used to assess how sleepy or exhausted a person is. Now, research to be published in the International Journal of Bioinformatics Research and Applications suggests that measuring pupil response alone is not enough and that a person's rate of blinking should also be incorporated to obtain a more precise measure of alertness." Read more
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Testing of Older Drivers' Vision Inadequate
"Responsibility for assessing ability and advising older patients about driving often falls to vision care specialists, but many providers lack the training and resources to do it right, according to a survey of ophthalmologists and optometrists," according to MedPage Today. "Many of the respondents [[including eye care professionals] used tests that are inadequate for a thorough vision assessment, did not address some common tasks related to crash risk, and expressed a lack of confidence in the reporting system. Only about a third of the eye-care providers said they reported concerns about patients' driving ability to primary care physicians, the investigators reported online in Archives of Ophthalmology." Read more.
Red Contact Lenses in MLB Playoffs
World Sight Day: Helping the World to See
Thursday, October 11th is World Sight Day, and two milestones have been reached.
The nonprofit health organization Seva Foundation is shining the spotlight has restored eyesight for more than 3 million people and created sustainable eye care programs. It notes that every five seconds someone around the world goes blind and 80% of blindness is preventable or curable.
Meanwhile more than 16 million children in Asia have received free vision screening through Sight for Kids, a partnership program with the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) now marking its 10th anniversary, according to Johnson & Johnson Vision Care. Sight for Kids has arranged to screen hundreds of students on World Sight Day, October 11 at a school in Bangkok. This event is part of an effort to screen another 1 million kids in six Asia Pacific countries during 2012 alone.
At the same time, Essilor Group and Lions Club International will finance free eye exams in three of Istanbul's hospitals. Essilor’s six partners in Turkey will also take action by launching a public awareness campaign on the importance of good vision, which will be kicked off on World Sight Day. In Asia, free eye exams will be organized, for example in Thailand, where employees from Essilor sites will provide vision screenings and free corrective lenses for orphanages and underprivileged families. In China, employees will be involved in an awareness raising action at Essilor’s showroom dedicated to ophthalmic education, installed in the “Dragonland” mall, between Beijing and the Great Wall. In Latin America, Essilor teams in Brazil and Argentina will launch public awareness campaigns on the need for good vision, carried out by opticians and ophthalmological associations, and via social networks. In France, as part of its special partnership with Lions Club, volunteer teams from Essilor will accompany Lions Club teams in their information campaigns and free eye exam events in more than 20 cities. This year’s World Sight Day will be given a special boost by an artistic happening created for the general public: in Charenton-le-Pont, the Parisian suburb where Essilor’s headquarters are based, urban artist Manfred Stader will create an ephemeral, interactive 3D work on the theme of sight and better vision. In Germany, in association with frames manufacturer Silhouette, Essilor teams will offer 3,000 corrective lenses and distribute eyeglasses to underprivileged populations in Berlin.
The nonprofit health organization Seva Foundation is shining the spotlight has restored eyesight for more than 3 million people and created sustainable eye care programs. It notes that every five seconds someone around the world goes blind and 80% of blindness is preventable or curable.
Meanwhile more than 16 million children in Asia have received free vision screening through Sight for Kids, a partnership program with the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) now marking its 10th anniversary, according to Johnson & Johnson Vision Care. Sight for Kids has arranged to screen hundreds of students on World Sight Day, October 11 at a school in Bangkok. This event is part of an effort to screen another 1 million kids in six Asia Pacific countries during 2012 alone.
At the same time, Essilor Group and Lions Club International will finance free eye exams in three of Istanbul's hospitals. Essilor’s six partners in Turkey will also take action by launching a public awareness campaign on the importance of good vision, which will be kicked off on World Sight Day. In Asia, free eye exams will be organized, for example in Thailand, where employees from Essilor sites will provide vision screenings and free corrective lenses for orphanages and underprivileged families. In China, employees will be involved in an awareness raising action at Essilor’s showroom dedicated to ophthalmic education, installed in the “Dragonland” mall, between Beijing and the Great Wall. In Latin America, Essilor teams in Brazil and Argentina will launch public awareness campaigns on the need for good vision, carried out by opticians and ophthalmological associations, and via social networks. In France, as part of its special partnership with Lions Club, volunteer teams from Essilor will accompany Lions Club teams in their information campaigns and free eye exam events in more than 20 cities. This year’s World Sight Day will be given a special boost by an artistic happening created for the general public: in Charenton-le-Pont, the Parisian suburb where Essilor’s headquarters are based, urban artist Manfred Stader will create an ephemeral, interactive 3D work on the theme of sight and better vision. In Germany, in association with frames manufacturer Silhouette, Essilor teams will offer 3,000 corrective lenses and distribute eyeglasses to underprivileged populations in Berlin.
Online Vision Screening
"Titan Eye Plus, the eyewear division of Titan Industries Limited, on Thursday launched Vision Check – a self-administered online vision test facility," reports the Business Standard. "Vision Check is a convenient tool for millions of people who can avail themselves of vision-screening test absolutely free of cost while they are at home or in office. With a user-friendly interface, Vision Check includes a general screening test and accurately establishes the need for vision correction for the participant if required, Bhaskar Bhat, Managing Director, Titan Industries Ltd said after the launch, here." Read more.
Totally Rimless Fall 2012
Legacie Fall 2012
Nine West Fall 2012
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Aflac Starts Vision Insurance Plan
New Capsule Collection for Fysh UK
Luxottica Gets Bashed after 60 Minutes Segment
Luxottica has been slammed since the 60 Minutes report appeared. Here's an example from the Daily Mail. The story ran under the headline: "Why DO designer glasses cost more than an iPad? The eyewear company with 'total domination' setting astronomical prices."
It's not uncommon to fork out $400 for a pair of luxury sunglasses, and now, it has been revealed why. Luxottica, a 'little-known but very big Italian company' appears to have gained total domination over the world's eyewear production; making prescription frames and sunglasses for nearly every designer brand, from Prada and Chanel, to Ralph Lauren and Versace. Read and see more.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Seraphin Executive Collection Fall 2012
An Antioxidant for Cataracts and Macular Degeneration? Maybe
One Protein Blocks Clearance of Protein-Causing Glaucoma
"The chaperone protein Grp94 can interfere with the clearance of another protein known to cause the glaucoma when mutated, a new study led by researchers at the University of South Florida has found," reports Science Daily. "Using a cell model, the researchers also demonstrated that a new specific inhibitor of Grp94 facilitates clearance of the genetically-defective protein, called myocilin, from cells." Read more.
sass and bide Sunglasses 2012
Automatic Flip-Down Clip-Ons
Bally Fall 2012
Vera Bradley Fall 2012
Monday, October 8, 2012
Sunday, October 7, 2012
"60 Minutes" Takes a Look at Luxottica
Ride for Sight Raises Almost $35,000 for OneSight
Two hundred forty-seven riders in 22 cities across the U.S. collectively rode thousands of miles and raised a record $34,270 for OneSight. “What began as a friendly competition between my Regional Manager and I, has quickly turned into an awesome event which brings out our associates and friends from across Luxottica Retail brands and U.S. cities, all to champion a great cause – OneSight,” said Sunglass Hut associate and Ride Founder, Laura Tarket-Johnson (Regional Manager, Region 108). Rides took place in Albuquerque, NM; Austin, TX; Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Denver, CO; El Paso/Brownsville, TX; Houston, TX; Ft. Worth, TX; Marina Del Rey/Santa Monica, CA; Portsmouth, NH; , New York City, NY; Orange County, CA; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Portland, OR; Providence, RI; Rochester, NY; San Antonio, TX; St. Louis, MO; Southern California, Tulsa, OK.Interested in organizing a ride in your city? Contact Laura Tarket-Johnson.
The World Needs 65,000 More ECPs
"Governments could add thousands of millions of dollars to the global economy simply by investing in eye examinations and the provision of glasses for some 703 million people who need them, according to a study published this month in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization," according to a News Medical post. "The study estimates that 65 000 more optometrists, ophthalmologists, optical dispensers and other eye-care professionals would be needed to provide these services and that it would cost between US$ 20 000 million and US$ 28 000 million to train them and set up and run the eye-care facilities needed," Read more. This is a variation of the write- that this study received from our Oct. 2 post.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
OpticalCEUs Fall Seminar Opticians Still on Oct. 28th at Foxwoods
Linda Conlin noted that contrary to the rumor, OpticalCEUs has not changed the date for its annual fall continuing education seminar for opticians. The seminar, as Conlin announced several weeks ago, begins at nine in the morning on October 28th at the Grand Pequot Towers at Foxwoods. She believes the rumor started after the Connecticut Opticians Association changed the date for its fall seminar."We respect our attendees' professions, their education, and their licenses," says Conlin who is also a licensed optician in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. "We understand how important these education programs are to our attendees."
Opticians wishing to earn seven NCLE/ABO credits ($135) can register online on the registration page (click this link), learn more about the conference at the bottom of this page, or they can call 203-366-5991 to reserve a seat.
Essilor Wins a Silmo d'Or
French Eyewear Chain Magnate Comes Out against Government Subsidies for Eyewear
"Eyecare tycoon Alain Afflelou has said glasses should no longer be reimbursed by social security," according to The Connextion. "Afflelou, who founded the chain of 700 shops bearing his name in France, says glasses are a consumer product and that 'not seeing well is not an illness.' In France they are state-reimbursed at a low-level, with many people having some or all of the rest topped up by their private mutuelleinsurances. If glasses were not state-reimbursed, said Affelou there would be 'an electric shock for a few months and then people would start consuming again' because glasses are 'useful and necessary,' unlike the many 'useless things' people spend money on." Read more.
Broncos Von Miller Dances for Eye Care
"Denver Broncos All-Pro linebacker Von Miller has teamed with Ubisoft’s "Hip Hop Dance Experience" to help his charity, Von's Vision, a foundation dedicated to providing eye care to underprivileged youth," according to ESPN. "Miller, the 2011 NFL defensive rookie of the year, worked with famed choreographers Laurieann Gibson (Nicki Minaj’s creative director) and Dave Scott ("So You Think You Can Dance") to develop his signature sack celebration. Each time Miller performs his sack dance on the field, Ubisoft will make a donation to Miller's charity. Miller also is looking a name for his dance. " Read more.
Study Says Narafilcon A CLs Do Not Perform as Well as Etafilcon A and Senofilcon A
"Narafilcon A contact lenses worn daily do not perform clinically as well as etafilcon A and senofilcon A lenses worn on the same schedule, show study results involving 120 contact lens wearers," says News Medical. "Narafilcon A wearers reported more moderate-to-severe dryness symptoms and symptoms of blurred vision, and more often discontinued use of their lenses compared with their etafilcon A- and senofilcon A-wearing counterparts, the researchers say." Read more.
TOMS Activating for World Sight Day
Preparing for World Sight Day (Oct. 11), TOMS will align with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) to generate global awareness about blindness, visual impairment and rehabilitation of the visually impaired. The charitable organization is trying to spread the word both online and offline through the creation of a dedicated microsite, and will be harnessing the power of social media and numerous events. Online, TOMS supporters can go to www.TOMS.com/world-sight-day to learn more about this important issue and find out how they can personally participate. Visitors can also download World Sight Day toolkits that include uniquely inspiring eye charts, and are invited to utilize a new hashtag, #GIVEsight, through social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You too can generate awareness about the need to improve world vision. It could be a way of generating local publicity. Read more.
Moscot Originals 2012
New Star Wars Line in Japan
"Star Wars seems to be ultra hot again in Japan. The other day we reported about new limited edition Star Wars watches and now Aigan launches a whole line of Star Wars Eyewear. These eye glasses are not your cheap plastic crap," so eloquently notes i4u. "These are really stylish designer frames that just carry a hint of Star Wars, which makes them really wearable. There are five different designs matching main characters of the Star Wars universe including Darth Vader, R2-D2 and Strom Troopers." Read more.
Canadian Optician Allegedly Fleeces Benefits Plan
"A defunct Ontario eyewear store linked to a businessman who was jailed for a year and fined millions of dollars for contempt is facing allegations it fleeced the aboriginal health-benefits plan, a newly released document shows." That's the lede of a Yahoo! News Canada post. Read more.
US Optical Now Offering Hoya's iD and iQ Series Lenses
Eye Surf reports that "US Optical now has Hoya iD Lifestyle & iQ Free-Form production in their facility. US Optical has been digitally processing lenses in-house since 2008. Now with Hoya’s iD Lifestyle & iQ Free-Form technology, US Optical can offer its customers even more options for their patients. Hoya’s iD Lifestyle & iQ series of lenses incorporate advanced mathematical algorithms during the fabrication process of the lenses, which offers enhanced visual acuity, reduced distortion, and wider fields of vision." Read more.
New Addition to the Morel 1880 Line
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Vision Map of Brian Completed
ESA and Vision Council Merge
The European Sunglass Association (ESA) and The Vision Council announced
their intent to merge. Both parties signed a comprehensive Joint
Operating Agreement – effective immediately – with the goal of fully
merging the ESA into The Vision Council within 12 months. Read more.
More Warnings about Decorative CLs
Scientists Find Cause of River Blindness
Take an OAA Survey about the Future of Opticianry
Easier Eval of Dry Eye
" A simple test of eyelid sensitivity may help vision professionals in evaluating one of the most common eye-related symptoms: dry eyes," according to Science Daily. "A new study linking increased eyelid sensitivity to decreased function of the eyelid margins is presented in the October issue of Optometry and Vision Science." Read more.
Marchon Acquires Scandinavian Eyewear
Marchon Eyewear, Inc., has acquired Scandinavian Eyewear. Established in 1948, Scandinavian Eyewear has been designing optical frames for almost 65 years and has been a leader in the Nordic region. Scandinavian Eyewear’s proprietary brand, SKAGA, has made a distinctive mark in the eyewear industry. The acquisition will allow Marchon to penetrate the prominent share the company has in the Scandinavian market and broaden the distribution of proprietary and licensed brands worldwide. Read more.
World Sight Day--Oct. 11
October 11th is World Sight Day, an observance of the global effort to fight eye disorders and improve the lives of those suffering with these disorders. Ninety percent of the world’s blind live in developing nations, where multiple factors contribute to higher prevalence of blindness and visual impairment, such as Vitamin A Deficiency, River blindness and infections such as trachoma, the leading causes of preventable childhood blindness.
Americans can help by supporting international nonprofit groups based in the US, with financial donations and volunteer community projects. The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness also provides a list of worthwhile organizations for people interested in providing support. Why not attempt a promotion that gets your customers involved?
A Cup of Joe Could Lead to Glaucoma
"A new study. published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, suggests coffee drinkers may need to reconsider their coffee intake to decrease their probability of developing vision loss or blindness," according to Medical News Today. "Author of this study, the first of its kind done within a U.S. population, Jae Hee Kang, ScD, of Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass., explains: 'Scandinavian populations have the highest frequencies of exfoliation syndrome and glaucoma. Because Scandinavian populations also have the highest consumption of caffeinated coffee in the world, and our research group has previously found that greater caffeinated coffee intake was associated with increased risk of primary open-angle glaucoma, we conducted this study to evaluate whether the risk of exfoliation glaucoma or glaucoma suspect may be different by coffee consumption.'" Read more.
Blinded by Memory
"Trying to keep an image we've just seen in memory can leave us blind to things we are 'looking' at, according to the results of a new study supported by the Wellcome Trust," reports Medical News Today. "It's been known for some time that when our brains are focused on a task, we can fail to see other things that are in plain sight. This phenomenon, known as 'inattentional blindness', is exemplified by the famous 'invisible gorilla' experiment in which people watching a video of players passing around a basketball and counting the number of passes fail to observe a man in a gorilla suit walking across the centre of the screen. The new results reveal that our visual field does not need to be cluttered with other objects to cause this 'blindness' and that focusing on remembering something we have just seen is enough to make us unaware of things that happen around us. " Read more.
Midwest ODs Getting Paid Again by Medicare
A Medicare administrative contractor (MAC) reversed course on Monday and announced that it would withdraw a restrictive, anti-optometry coverage directive that wrongly sought to limit the scope of practice of optometrists in nine states, according to the American Optometric Association (AOA). Wisconsin Physician Services (WPS) — the MAC servicing Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin — had issued an “optometry services” coverage determination whereby the contractor created a list of services it determined optometrists are allowed to provide based on its own interpretation of state law. With backing from a Medicare regional office, WPS then utilized the directive to deny payment for services provided to Medicare beneficiaries. Read more.
White House Honors OD
Sports vision optometrist Paul Berman, O.D., was honored at the White House Oct. 2 for his work as the founder and global clinical adviser of the Special Olympics Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes program, which provides vision testing and eyewear for intellectually challenged individuals. Read more.
Digital Lens for Spy Eyewear
PFO Global is teaming up with SPY to create a digital lens for SPY eyewear, according to an Eye Surf post. The blog notes, "SPY’s ARC lens (accurater radius curvature) provides optically correct, distortion-free viewing at all angles...[the] digital Rx program will begin with an ophthalmic line of SPY complete eyewear" order at spydigitalrx.com Read more.
Skechers Fall/Winter 2012
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Hope for Patients with Wet Macular Degeneration
"The advanced neovascular, or 'wet,' form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), left untreated, is the most common cause of vision loss among the elderly and a leading reason for their loss of driving privileges," notes Science Digest. "But results of a new study, published in the online version of the journal Ophthalmology, suggest that monthly injections of ranibizumab improve eye chart test results required for a driver's license, build driver confidence and keep those with AMD driving longer." Read more.
Charmant Adds 2 Styles
Wiley X Raising Money for Breast Cancer Research
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
SoloHealth Putting 500 Health Kiosks in Sam's Clubs
SoloHealth and Sam's Club announced last week that they will being installing SoloHealth
Station bi-lingual, self-service kiosks in 500 Sam's Club during the next several weeks. SoloHealth predicts that more than 2,500 retail locations
by mid-2013.The
device provides health screenings for vision, blood
pressure, weight, and body mass index, a symptom checker as well as an
overall health assessment free of charge.The kiosk will reportedly help connect
consumers to local professionals through its databases. Read more.
The interesting question is: Will these kiosks refer individuals with vision problems to optical shops in Wal-Mart stores? It would create a neat little feeding system. So opticians might want to take one of these units for a test ride and find out what the competition is offering.
The interesting question is: Will these kiosks refer individuals with vision problems to optical shops in Wal-Mart stores? It would create a neat little feeding system. So opticians might want to take one of these units for a test ride and find out what the competition is offering.
Reducing Myopia in Children with Specialty CLs
Myopia affects more than 40 percent of people in
the U.S. and up to 90 percent of children in some parts of Asia. The
problem begins in childhood and often progresses with age. Standard
prescription lenses can correct the defocus but do not cure myopia and do not slow progression rates as children age. But
recent experimental work by biomedical scientist David Troilo and
colleagues at the State University of New York (SUNY) College of
Optometry in New York City supports the development of a potential cure
for myopia by using specialty contact lenses that coax the eye to grow
in a way that can correct nearsighted vision while reducing myopia
progression. Troilo will describe his findings at the Optical Society’s (OSA)
Annual Meeting, Frontiers in Optics (FiO)
2012, taking place Oct. 14–18 in Rochester, N.Y. Read more.
Saving $202 Billion Annually with Eyewear
"Restoring sight would save global economy US$202 billion each year," according to Science Codex. "Governments could add billions of dollars to their economies annually
by funding the provision of an eye examination and a pair of glasses to
the estimated 703 million people globally that needed them in 2010
according to a new study to be released soon. The health economics study calculated that there would be a saving of
US$202 billion annually to the global economy through a one-off
investment of US$28 billion in human resource development and
establishing and providing vision care for 5 years. The investment
would establish the eye care services to provide good vision to people
with uncorrected refractive error, enabling greater workplace output and
increasing gross domestic product." Read more.
Online Retailer Helps Patients Give to Those in Need
Competition from online eyewear retailers is taking on a new tactic that could influence patients of traditional opticians. For example, Eyewear Pros has formed a partnership with New Eyes For The Needy – glasses for those in need. This arrangement will allow consumers to help out those in need of better sight when they purchase eyewear from the online retailer. Here is how it works: Eyewear Pros will donate $5 to New Eyes for each pair of designer eyeglasses or sunglasses purchased. In addition, New Eyes will also gladly accept any used prescription or designer glasses or sunglasses. Read more.
It might be time to consider new promotions that keep you competitive, such as donations to the Lions Club.
It might be time to consider new promotions that keep you competitive, such as donations to the Lions Club.
Statins May Reduce a Common Form of Glaucoma
"People who take statins to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease are less likely to be diagnosed with the most common form of glaucoma, according to a nationwide study of more than 300,000 patients," reports Science Daily. "A University of Michigan School of Medicine research team, directed by Joshua Stein, MD, MS, found that the risk for glaucoma was reduced by eight percent in patients who took statins continuously for two years, compared with patients who did not take statins. The study, the largest to date on the topic, is published in the October issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology." Read more.
Reading Ophthalmoscopes with an iPhone 4
Monday, October 1, 2012
Shwood's Caby Two Toned Fall 2012
Luxottica to Spend Hundreds of Millions to Sped Up Production
Halloween and Decorative CLs Out in Force Again
"If contacts are not obtained with a prescription from a properly trained and licensed health care professional, they can be dangerous due to improper fit," said Department of Health Secretary Dr. Eli N. Avila. "Lenses that are improperly fitted or used can cause the loss of an eye, blindness, impaired vision, corneal damage, infection or allergic reactions."
Federal and state law requires prescriptions for contact lenses.
"Decorative or cosmetic lenses are considered medical devices under federal law, and are legally marketed as prescription devices," said Secretary of the Commonwealth Carol Aichele, whose department licenses both physicians and optometrists in Pennsylvania. "In addition, Pennsylvania law requires a prescription by a licensed physician or optometrist for the fitting of a contact lens." Read more.
Seraphin's Japanese Vintage Collection
A Conservative Case for ObamaCare
"The core drivers of the health care act are market principles formulated by conservative economists, designed to correct structural flaws in our health insurance system...The president’s program extends the current health care system...by removing the biggest obstacles to that system’s functioning like a competitive marketplace," according to a opinion piece by J.D. Kleinke,a resident fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, a former health care executive, and the author of the novel Catching Babies, which appear in the New York Times.
"Chief among these obstacles are market limitations imposed by ...health insurance, which requires that younger, healthier people subsidize older, sicker ones. Because such participation is often expensive and always voluntary, millions have simply opted out...The health care law forcibly repatriates these gamblers, along with those who cannot afford to participate in a market that ultimately cross-subsidizes their medical misfortunes anyway, when they get sick and show up in that E.R. And it outlaws discrimination against those who want to participate but cannot because of their medical histories....This explains why the health insurance industry has been quietly supporting the plan all along. It levels the playing field and expands the potential market by tens of millions of new customers." Read more.
"Chief among these obstacles are market limitations imposed by ...health insurance, which requires that younger, healthier people subsidize older, sicker ones. Because such participation is often expensive and always voluntary, millions have simply opted out...The health care law forcibly repatriates these gamblers, along with those who cannot afford to participate in a market that ultimately cross-subsidizes their medical misfortunes anyway, when they get sick and show up in that E.R. And it outlaws discrimination against those who want to participate but cannot because of their medical histories....This explains why the health insurance industry has been quietly supporting the plan all along. It levels the playing field and expands the potential market by tens of millions of new customers." Read more.
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