Goodwin College Welcomes First Optical Class

First class in Goodwin College's Ophthalmic Science Program.

Seven students at Goodwin College, East Hartford, started their second semester in the school's new Associate-degree Ophthalmic Science Program. The school is administered by Program Director Maryann Santos and Practicum Coordinator Rebecca Soto, both licensed opticians in Connecticut. They have set up an optical training store, fabrication lab and contact lens clinic. OPS’s first year students are studying anatomy,

Soto and Santos in Goodwin's optical training store.

physiology and pathology of the eye, introduction to ophthalmic science, and ophthalmic fabrication and dispensing 1.

Physicists Figure Out How the Retina Filters Color

Activated Muller Glia Cells

"Physicists have pinned down precisely how pipe-shaped cells in our retina filter the incoming colours. These cells, which sit in front of the ones that actually sense light, play a major role in our colour vision that was only recently confirmed. They funnel crucial red and green light into cone cells, leaving blue to spill over and be sensed by rod cells - which are responsible for our night vision. Key to this process, researchers now say, is the exact shape of the pipes." That's the word from the BBC. "The long, thin cells are known as 'Muller glia' and they were originally thought to play more of a supporting role in the retina. They clear debris, store energy and generally keep the conditions right for other cells - like the rods and cones behind them - to turn light into electrical signals for the brain. But a study published last year confirmed the idea, proposed in earlier simulations, that Muller cells also function rather like optical fibres." Read more.

New Eyewear from Covergirl

"Covergirl Eyewear launches four new styles to its Designed to Fit collection for Spring 2015," notes a Midwest Lens post. "The sub-collection is designed to provide a more comfortable fit for customers with unique facial features and size requirements. The new styles resonate with the brand’s innate philosophy to appeal to women of all ages and ethnicities by offering specialized size options, including larger eye sizes and increased temple lengths, while delivering trendy and colorful designs. The collection captures the fun and fresh spirit of the COVERGIRL lifestyle, enhanced by a rich color palette that compliments any skin tone. Feminine embellishments, including stones, enamel and laser patterns add excitement to each style." Read more.

Visionworks Promoted on ABC's "The Chew"

The 650-store Visionworks will provide eyewear from Carla Hall of ABC's The Chew, which is hosted by Mario Batali, Hall, Clinton Kelly, Daphne Oz, and Michael Symon. The show will highlight three frame stations featuring new eyewear from Visionworks. From every day to fun in the sun to a girls’ night out, Hall will sport Visionworks frames. That's the summary of a company press release appearing on Yahoo! Finance.

Bluetooth Beacons Assist Blind in London Subway

"A ground-breaking trial is underway at Pimlico Underground station to assist blind and partially sighted people to navigate independently, using Bluetooth beacons and a smartphone app," according to Medical News Today. "The Wayfindr system has been developed by ustwo, a studio which builds digital products and services, in response to the RLSB Youth Forum's desire to be able to navigate London Underground (LU) without assistance. The beacons transmit a signal that can be picked up by smartphones and mobile devices. Wayfindr uses these signals with ustwo's indoor positioning technology to locate itself and give audible directions to the user. The app is paired with commonly available 'bone conduction' earphones that do not prevent wearers from hearing the sounds around them." Read more.

You can get more information from Tech World.

CareCredit and VSPTeam Up to Connect CareCredit Card Holders with VSP Doctors

CareCredit and VSP Vision Care have entered an agreement to help nearly 70 million VSP members increase access to financing for quality eye care and optical products at thousands of participating VSP network providers. The companies will "educate VSP’s nearly 70 million members and CareCredit’s 9 million cardholders about options for managing eyecare expenses for a range of lifestyle choices, including glasses and contacts, sunglasses, specialty sport and other customizable eyewear. They will also work to connect members and cardholders with the providers who accept CareCredit in the VSP doctor network." Read more.

Sony's Smart Eyewear Geared for Any Type of Eyewear

"Google may be a bit ambiguous about Google Glass' future, but Sony seems unfazed. Either it has a very strong faith in the still non-existent smart eyewear market or it thinks it can take advantage of Google's failure there. Either way, it is pushing ahead with own attempt but also tries to approach the problem from a slightly different angle. SmartEyeglass Attach!, which is not to be confused with its other, odder attempt, may succeed in one area where Glass failed: flexibility," reports Slash Gear. "SmartEyeglass Attach! wasn't designed to be a complete eyewear solution, unlike Glass. Instead, it is simply a more marketable name for what Sony calls the "Attachable Single-Lens Display Module". In other words, it should be able to attach to any type of eyewear, and not just eyeglass. It can even attach to goggles. At least that's the theory and, as we've seen at CES 2015, implementation is still a wee bit limited." Read more.

New Kids Eyewear from Marchon

"The modern shapes and playful color combinations in the new MarchoNYC Eyewear Collection are highly appealing to kids who want a fun and trendy look. Not only fashionable and eye-catching, the collection is also durable, featuring premium construction and spring hinges to withstand kids’ daily mishaps." That's the start of a Midwest Lens post. Read more.

New Eyeweaer from Flexon

"Designed for the modern man, Flexon takes evolution to the next level with the Mechanical Synergy Series featuring bolder, sharper styles that embody industrial inspiration," notes Midwest Lens. "The modified, rectangle frames in this series all have a matte finish and contrasting temple color, providing an overall sophisticated look with minimal detailing. Certain frames feature a two-toned color blocking appearance that adds expression and character. Additionally, each style features a light weight design with a new evolution structured temple tip shape that gives a cohesive look.  The industrial inspired design concept of the Flexon Mechanical Synergy Series is derived from breaking down various functional machines and observing each feature individually. Drawing inspiration from this notion, the screw-like appearance of the open-slotted barrel hinge is simple, yet adds a mechanical aesthetic and a masculine detail to the outer temple." Read more.

Opticians Already Register for OpticalCEUs Spring Continuing Education Seminar

Opticians already are registering for OpticalCEUs 16th Annual Spring Continuing Education Seminar on April 26th, at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino.

So if you need to renew your state license and ABO/NCLE certification, want the best value in continuing education, or need a full-day, 7-credit program, then you should register now online. Don't like the speed and ease of online registration? See OpticalCEUs home page about registering  by mail or by phone.

You will hear about the latest ideas in the field - from light and vision to new contact lens technology. Earn your ABO/NCLE credits with 7 courses at the Grand Pequot Ballroom, Foxwoods Resort and Casino on Sunday, April 26.
They’ll help you:

• Advise your patients about blue light and night vision.
• Provide top-notch patient care with new technology and analysis of daily disposable contact lenses.
• Expand your knowledge of vision, spectacle lenses and the optician’s scope of practice.

Here they are the services and presentations at the seminar:

• Preconference coffee, tea, and other beverages
• Miru 1day – New Technology in Daily Disposable Lenses Speaker: Donna Schaub (1 NCLE) 9am-10am - NEW!
  Blue Perspective Speaker: Deborah Kotob (1 ABO) 10am-11am - NEW!
  Night Vision Speaker: Deborah Kotob (1 NCLE) 11am-Noon 
• Buffet Lunch compliments of OpticalCEUs
• Day By Day Speaker: Joe Forte (1 NCLE) 1pm-2pm
  Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Lenses, But Were Afraid to Ask Speaker: Joe Forte (1 ABO) 2pm-3pm 
• You Be the Judge: Opticians and Malpractice Speaker: Linda Conlin (1 NCLE) 3pm-4pm – NEW! 
• Reflecting on Refraction. Speaker: Joe Forte (1 ABO) 4pm-5pm.

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

• For more than 15 years Linda, an NAO Fellow Ambassador, has provided continuing education and training for opticians at the state and national levels. She is ABO and NCLE certified, licensed in CT, MA and RI, and has written for 20/20 and EyeWitness magazines. She founded OpticalCEUs and launched OpticalCEU.com and Optical News from OpticalCEUs news blog for opticians.
• Deborah, 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, the director of contact lens services for Greenwich Ophthalmology Associates, lectured at CUNY Tech, Vision Expo and Optifair. He was program director of the Interboro Institute College of Opticianry where he taught courses in various areas of contact lenses and optics.
• Donna, a strategic account executive for Menicon America, is an experienced contact lens fitter and management consultant, overseeing optical shops throughout New England. With over 25 years of optical, retail and management experience, Donna is ABO and NCLE certified and licensed in CT.

Directions
Foxwoods is located at 350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket, CT 06338, on Route 2 between I-395 and I-95. Valet parking is free. For accommodations, call Foxwoods at 1-800 PLAY BIG. Overnight reservations are not associated with the seminar.

Idaho and Utah Legislatures Consider Banning Current Contact Lens Pricing Policies; Law Suit Filed in California

"A company that sells contact lenses online has cleared its first hurdle in persuading the Idaho Legislature to ban manufacturers from cutting off retailers that don't sell their product at a set minimum price," reports the Idaho Statesman. "The Idaho House and Welfare Committee unanimously voted Thursday to send the bill to the House floor for a full vote.

"Online retailer 1-800 Contacts says consumers are paying more under a new pricing policy by the nation's top contact lens makers. Johnson & Johnson, the country's largest lens maker, countered that the pricing strategy has reduced contact lens prices and has made it more convenient to purchase their products. Three of the top four contact lens manufacturers — which make up 90 percent of the market — have implemented some sort of pricing floors, known as 'unilateral pricing policies.' This means retailers and optometry providers will be cut off unless they sell contact lenses at the price the manufacturer sets." Read more.

"Contact lens makers would not be allowed to set the sale price of lenses in Utah under a bill approved Monday by the Utah Senate," according to a Salt Lake Tribune post. "The bill comes in response to an announcement by Johnson & Johnson that the company planned to set a floor on the price that retailers can charge for lenses.

"'There should be some ability for consumers to have a choice,' said Sen. Diedre Henderson, R-Spanish Fork, who noted that China fined Johnson & Johnson over the policy. 'If it's too anti-competitive and too predatory for China, we certainly should not be doing it in the state of Utah.'" Read more.

Law 360 reports that "Johnson & Johnson, Alcon Laboratories Inc. and other contact lens manufacturers were hit with a proposed class action on Tuesday in a California court over industry policies that allegedly create illegal price floors on lenses sold at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and other major retailers. The complaint was brought by three customers who say the use of so-called unilateral pricing policies, or UPPs, by contact lens manufacturers have forced customers to pay artificially high prices for the product." Read more.You also can find more details about the law suit at Courthouse News Service.

Federal Appeals Court Rules in CIBA's Favor

"A federal appeals court has refused to revive a lawsuit over eye injuries allegedly linked to CIBA Vision's contact lenses, ruling that a recall of 11 million similar lenses in 2007 was not enough to prove the plaintiff's contacts were defective," notes a Reuters post. "On Tuesday, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously affirmed a lower court ruling in the 2009 lawsuit, granting summary judgment for CIBA ...To read the full story on WestlawNext Practitioner Insights, click here: bit.ly/1DZjn2a ." Read more.

Two RP Patients Receive Argus II Implants

Two newly approved centers, located in Camposampiero and Florence, have completed their first commercial implants of the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System (Argus II), says the system's manufacturer, Second Sight Medical Products, Inc. The patients are suffering from outer retinal degeneration.

Outer retinal degeneration is the deterioration of the outer layer of the retina caused by progressive death of the cells in this region of the retina. An important type of outer retinal degeneration is Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). To date, surgeons have implanted the specialty lens in more than 100 individuals worldwide. The system stimulates the remaining cells of the retina with electrical pulses. These firing cells create light patterns in the brain. The company says these images help with such daily activities as recognizing shapes and large objects, locating people, identifying the location of doorways, and following lines or edges.

The treatment is offered at approved centers in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States. Read more.

Teaching Skiing to the Blind and Visually Impaired

The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) and the Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center are teaching alpine skiing and Nordic skiing to blind and visually impaired teens and adults, including veterans and active duty service members. The annual USABA camp began yesterday at the resort and the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center, which will provide trained ski guides. The program has been supported by Anthem Life Insurance Company. United States Marine Corp veteran Richard Hunter, the conference's guest speaker, was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa. He has not let the complications from the disease define him. He is a four-time Boston Marathon Age Group Qualifier. He is ranked as the third fastest visually impaired person in North America to participate in the 70.3 Ironman distance. He is the second visually impaired person to complete the full Ironman in less than 12 hours. And, he completed the 2014 Sharkfest Alcatraz Swim and the 2013 American River 50 Mile Endurance Run. In addition, he was just selected as the 2014 Road Runners Club of America’s Outstanding Challenged Athlete Award recipient. Read more.

Why The Dress Was Black/Black and White/Gold at the Same Time

"The mother of the bride wore white and gold. Or was it blue and black?" asked the New York Times last week when the photograph of a dress worn by the bride's mother went viral. "From a photograph..., there was broad disagreement. A few days after the wedding...on the Scottish island of Colonsay, a member of the wedding band was so frustrated by the lack of consensus that she posted a picture of the dress on Tumblr, and asked her followers for feedback....Within a half-hour, her post attracted some 500 likes and shares. The photo soon migrated to Buzzfeed and Facebook and Twitter, setting off a social media conflagration that few were able to resist. As the debate caught fire across the Internet — even scientists could not agree on what was causing the discrepancy — media companies rushed to get articles online. Less than a half-hour after Ms. McNeil’s original Tumblr post, Buzzfeed posted a poll: 'What Colors Are This Dress?' As of Friday afternoon, it had been viewed more than 28 million times. (White and gold was winning handily.) At its peak, more than 670,000 people were simultaneously viewing Buzzfeed’s post. Between that and the rest of Buzzfeed’s blanket coverage of the dress Thursday night, the site easily smashed its previous records for traffic. So did Tumblr." Read more.

The Times came up with an easy to understand explanation. It's optically fun. See the explanation.

Make Your Look Younger? That's the Claim of a new Acuvue Lens

"Between correcting crow's feet, saggy necks, flabby arms and wrinkly hands, the beauty industry seems to have run out of aging body parts to fix. But now, they're invading our eyes. Limbal rings are the slightly darkened circles around our irises that become less defined as we age. So, why should we care? Psychologists say we unconsciously judge how attractive or young someone is based on the size and shade of their limbal rings," begins the Today's Show Health Report. "Contact lens brand Acuvue recently launched a new way to beautify with 'Define' lenses, which aim to enhance the limbal rings. The company has been selling similar cosmetic lenses — in both prescription and non-prescription forms — throughout Asia for about 10 years, but they first became available in North America this fall." Read more.

Pelosi Dons Sunglasses in Support of Reid

"Wearing sunglasses indoors may be the new craze on Capitol Hill," notes ABC News. "House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi walked into a news conference on DHS funding this morning and threw on some sunglasses in solidarity with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid. “I brought my glasses to be with Harry but he switched on me,” Pelosi said to laughs from reporters. “I tricked her,” Reid answered." Read more.

Prevent Blindness Teams Up with National Black Church Initiative

Prevent Blindness and the National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), composed of 34,000 churches across 15 denominations, are joining forces to improve the vision and eye health of the coalition’s 15.7 million African American churchgoers. African Americans have among the highest risks for developing eye health issues, suffering disproportionately from conditions such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy when compared to other ethnicities. According to a recent national public opinion poll, when asked which disease or ailment is the worst that could happen to them, blindness ranked first among African Americans.

The 2014 Prevent Blindness “Future of Vision: Forecasting the Prevalence and Costs of Vision Problems” report projected that by 2050 most glaucoma patients will be non-white. At that time, blacks and Hispanics will each constitute about 20 percent of all glaucoma patients. According to the National Eye Institute, blindness from glaucoma is six times as common in blacks as in whites. Further, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, African American adults are twice as likely as non-Hispanic white adults to be diagnosed with diabetes and its related complications including diabetic eye disease. Read more.

To address these skyrocketing numbers, the groups joined forces and created the “Community InSight” program, designed to educate and equip designated Health Navigators within each of the NBCI congregations to serve as peer-to-peer eye health educators in order to:

1) Increase awareness of eye health among NBCI member church congregations and parishioners, with an emphasis on diabetic eye disease and glaucoma, and

2) Increase the number of annual dilated eye exams for parishioners living with diabetes or who are at high risk for glaucoma

New Eyewear from Leon Max

"After the initial launch in 2014, Leon Max expands the successful collection in 2015 with three new styles. The fashion-forward, cutting edge, trendy eyewear continues to wow your customers," writes Midwest Lens. "The new Leon Max Collection continues setting trends and staying ahead of the fashion curve with unique designs including rich materials and constructions creating more limited and exclusive styles. This leading wave eyewear collection features impressive metals and full zyls in dramatic colors and bold, edgy shapes. Presented in a rich fashion, the signature globe logo treatment is displayed on every style of this collection in a memorable way." Read more.

New Eyewear from Calvin Klein

"The new Calvin Klein platinum men’s and women’s eyewear collection is sophisticated and modern featuring a wide assortment of iconic shapes in a rich color palette," reports Midwest Lens. "The optical line offers a minimalistic approach to styling with unique logo designs inspired by minerals and flat metals to provide a sleek, polished look. The brand’s sunglasses mix soft color with clean lines in an assortment of luxurious materials creating a timeless edge that personifies this season’s Calvin Klein platinum eyewear." Read more.

New Eyewear from Diane von Furstenberg

"Inspired by the DVF wrap dress, iconic design elements and the translations of signature prints, the new Diane von Furstenberg Eyewear Collection is beautifully crafted," according to Midwest Lens. "From the DVF chain link pattern to metal stud detailing to new logo treatments, the collection offers Diane’s signature touch." Read more.

Safilo Signs Licensing Agreemenwith Givenchy

Safilo Group has signed a licensing agreement for the Givenchy eyewear collections of sunglasses and optical frames. The licensing contract will run from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2021, renewable upon mutual agreement. “ Read more.

Elton John Made Rock 'n Roll History and Eyewear History

"Distinctive eyewear remains a [Elton] John trademark, though, even though he's dialed that down a bit too. Any concert reviewer worth his or her reporter's notebook mentions what sort of glasses the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer wears onstage," according to AL.com. "Click through the accompanying photo gallery to view images of John's specs throughout and years and to read brief analyses thereof." See and read more.

New Eyewear from Calvin Klein

"The new Calvin Klein Collection men’s and women’s eyewear is luxurious, modern and provocative, fusing minimalism and the latest trends," writes Midwest Lens. "Inspired by the architectural details and designs of the brands’ ready-to-wear runway collections, a new reverse hinge concept reveals the mechanics behind the frame, while rich leather inserts compliment classic styling. The brands’ pure sophistication and understated elegance remain as signature elements of this season’s Calvin Klein Collection Eyewear." Read more.

New Safety Eyewear from Gateway

Gateway Safety has introduced its Temple Technology safety eyewear, a collection of safety products engineered to fit users much more comfortably, according to the company's press release. The products feature temples that reportedly eliminate pinching while fitting securely. The new line includes three; types of safety eyewear: Luminary, Flight and Parallax. The temples for each is said to relieve pinching and pressure on the head and ears. The most recent product to hit the market, Parallax safety eyewear, features a patented, dual-component temple design that helps the temple softly flex against the ear and head. A one-piece polycarbonate lens and top brow guard help provide wraparound coverage, and a soft nosepiece helps keep the glasses from slipping.Read more.

Eyelashes Prevent Eyes from Drying Out, Study Finds

"Long and luxurious eyelashes have been in fashion at least since Cleopatra. But scientists now suggest that their real function is to help protect eyes from drying out," reports the New York Times. David Hu at the Georgia Institute of Technology  and his graduate students "measured the lashes of different mammals, most of which have them. They made an artificial eye with lashes, put it in a wind tunnel and blew air at it. And they created mathematical models of airflow over lashes. They found that

across a wide variety of mammals, eyelashes are always about one-third as long as the eye is wide, which, it turns out, is the ideal length for diverting airflow around the eye and reducing evaporation. Dr. Hu, Guillermo J. Amador and several other researchers, all from Georgia Tech, published their findings Tuesday in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface." Read more.

March Declared Workplace Eye Wellness Month

March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month, and Prevent Blindness will provide employers and employees with free information on topics ranging from eye strain to industrial eye safety. Prevent Blindness suggests the following to reduce eyestrain and fatigue:

• Have a dilated eye exam.
• Place screens 20 to 26 inches from eyes and a little bit below eye level.
• Use a document holder close enough so eye focus does not change.
• Adjust the screen's text size.
• Reduce glare reflections. Use a glare filter. Dusting screens reduces glare.
• Use an adjustable chair.
• Choose screens that can tilt and swivel. A keyboard that you can adjust is also helpful.
• Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break. Look 20 feet away.

Prevent Blindness also offers a Work Safety module as part of its free program, the Healthy Eyes Educational Series. Each module includes a presentation guide and corresponding PowerPoint presentation on a relevant eye health topics. Fact sheets can be downloaded at any time from the Prevent Blindness website for use as handouts. To find out more about the Healthy Eyes Educational Series or other workplace eye health topics, please call Prevent Blindness at (800) 331-2020 or find out more about taking care of your sight here.

New Eyewear from Nine West

"Satisfying a woman’s ceaseless desire for affordable, chic and sexy fashion, the new Nine West Collection captures the latest trends, translating them into eyewear that can complement any outfit. Appealing to a broad consumer base, the assortment offers something for everyone. Playful, contemporary, and classic designs are enriched by stylish details such as color transparencies, animal print and three-dimensional motifs." That's the report from Midwest Lens. Read more.

New Sunglasses from Costa

"Known as graceful, intelligent ocean gliders, manta rays move through the water in with fluid continuity, always searching, always determined. Similarly, Costa’s new sunglass style for active females, Manta, is built for adventure and movement, but full of unmistakable style," reports Midwest Lens. "Manta is one of Costa’s sunglass styles built specifically for active women. Performance features include great wrap-fitting coverage, and hypoallergenic no-slip nose pads and interior lining to keep the sunglasses comfortably in place all day for a 'forget-they’re-on' fit." Read more.

Marchon Signs Licensing Deal with MCM

Marchon Eyewear, Inc.,  and luxury goods producer MCM (Modern Creation München) have an exclusive global licensing agreement. It gives Marchon the rights to manufacture and distribute the sun and ophthalmic collections under the MCM brand, which Marchon plans for new month with a sunglasses capsule collection. In September, Marchon will launch the MCM eyewear collection in Asia, with a global roll-out planned for January 2016. Read more.

Newest Eyewear Standard for Women's Lacrosse Delayed

"US Lacrosse representatives have reached an agreement with the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) to delay implementation of the new standard for women's lacrosse eyewear until January 1, 2017," reports LaxPower. "Until that date, both the current standard for women's eyewear, ASTM F803, and the new standard passed in 2014, F3077, will be legal for all levels of play governed by US Lacrosse rules." Read more.

New Sunglasses from Smith

"It all began in 1965 when Dr. Bob Smith started selling the first thermal sealed snow goggle out of his truck in parking lots of local ski areas. The legendary powder junkie had a vision to develop products that could extend the thrill of human experience. Standing behind the belief that if it’s worth building then it’s worth lasting, Smith continues to celebrate the past while always looking towards the future with its new Archive Collections of sunglasses and goggles for 2015/16," says Midwest Lens. "Smith introduces three additional frame designs to the iconic Archive Collection, exact remakes of original Smith frames introduced over the last 36 years. Each re-issued piece is labeled with its debut year and offered in original colorways." Read more.

Registration Opening Soon for OpticalCEU's 16th Annual Spring Seminar for Opticians

Need to renew your state license and ABO/NCLE certification? Want the best
value in continuing education? Need a full-day, 7-credit program? F.E. Enterprises’ OpticalCEUs has what you want and need! And, soon, you will be able to register online, by mail, or by phone.



So keep you eyes open for your chance to hear about the latest ideas in the field - from light and vision to new contact lens technology. Earn your ABO/NCLE credits with 7 courses at the Grand Pequot Ballroom, Foxwoods Resort and Casino on Sunday, April 26.
They’ll help you:

• Advise your patients about blue light and night vision.
• Provide top-notch patient care with new technology and analysis of daily disposable contact lenses.
• Expand your knowledge of vision, spectacle lenses and the optician’s scope of practice.

The presentations that will help you? Here they are:

• Miru 1day – New Technology in Daily Disposable Lenses Speaker: Donna Schaub (1 NCLE) 9am-10am - NEW!
• Blue Perspective Speaker: Deborah Kotob (1 ABO) 10am-11am - NEW!
• Night Vision Speaker: Deborah Kotob (1 NCLE) 11am-Noon
• Day By Day Speaker: Joe Forte (1 NCLE) 1pm-2pm
• Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Lenses, But Were Afraid to Ask Speaker: Joe Forte (1 ABO) 2pm-3pm
• You Be the Judge: Opticians and Malpractice Speaker: Linda Conlin (1 NCLE) 3pm-4pm – NEW!
• Reflecting on Refraction. Speaker: Joe Forte (1 ABO) 4pm-5pm.

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

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

• For over 15 years Linda, an NAO Fellow Ambassador, has provided continuing education and training for opticians at the state and national levels. She is ABO and NCLE certified, licensed in CT, MA and RI, and has written for 20/20 and EyeWitness magazines. She founded OpticalCEUs and launched OpticalCEU.com and Optical News from OpticalCEUs news blog for opticians.
• Deborah, 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, the director of contact lens services for Greenwich Ophthalmology Associates, lectured at CUNY Tech, Vision Expo and Optifair. He was program director of the Interboro Institute College of Opticianry where he taught courses in various areas of contact lenses and optics.
• Donna, a strategic account executive for Menicon America, is an experienced contact lens fitter and management consultant, overseeing optical shops throughout New England. With over 25 years of optical, retail and management experience, Donna is ABO and NCLE certified and licensed in CT.

Directions
Foxwoods is located at 350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket, CT 06338, on Route 2 between I-395 and I-95. Valet parking is free. For accommodations, call Foxwoods at 1-800 PLAY BIG. Overnight reservations are not associated with the seminar.

Training the Brain to See Better

People are bad at staying focused. We’ve all had our minds wander when we try to concentrate on a task that requires paying close attention but isn’t all that engaging. But a new NIH-funded study suggests that one’s capacity to stay focused can improve with real-time feedback, according to a press release from the National Eye Institute.

“The reason we are bad at staying focused is because we are bad at monitoring our attentional state,” explained Nicholas Turk-Browne, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Princeton University. Dr. Turk-Browne’s lab led the study published in Nature Neuroscience.

“Normally, the only way we know that our attention is drifting is when we make a mistake. But by then it’s too late.” For example, the root cause of driving off a road – a lapse in attention – happens well before any ensuing accident.

So Dr. Turk-Browne and his team asked: What if people could be warned about their waning attention long before they made a mistake? And could they use this feedback to learn to stay more focused, even when no longer provided with feedback?

To answer this question, the researchers recruited several adults to participate in a three-day experiment. Each day, study participants were rapidly shown photographs of male or female faces superimposed on indoor or outdoor scenes. After viewing each image, the participants pushed a button if the image met preset criteria, for example if it showed a male face. In this case, they had to pay attention to the face and ignore the scene.

On the second day, participants were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which can measure patterns of activity in the brain. With fMRI, the investigators were able to monitor the attentional state of participants — that is, whether they were attending to faces or scenes — because these categories trigger different patterns of brain activity.

Read more.

Contact Lenses "Improve" Delivery of Medications

A small CL loaded with medication slowly
releases medication, then dissolves.

"If you've ever had an eye infection, you know how annoying it can be to get drops of medicine on the eyeball a few times a day. It's an even harder task with children or for older adults who don't always have the dexterity to squeeze they used to," reports NPR. "That's why researchers have developed an ultra-thin contact that can be placed on the eye to deliver drugs slowly — in a matter of hours or they hope even days — before dissolving away. Called nanowafers, these lenses are one-twentieth the thickness of a contact lens. Each wafer, made of a thin resin called polyvinyl alcohol, contains tiny reservoirs that can be filled with drugs that are released gradually." Read more.

Meanwhile, "a new study published in Nature Communications reveals how scientists have created an injectable hydrogel that can deliver drugs over specific time periods, eliminating the surgical implantation required with existing hydrogels. The researchers say the new hydrogel could help treat a number of diseases, including macular degeneration, heart disease and cancer." That's the report from Medical News Today. Read more. 

New Eyewear from Andy Wolf

"Since their beginning, Andy Wolf has always been about handcrafted frames. In a world of mass production they see this as a way to make a statement," writes Midwest Lens. "The attention to detail in every single frame, along with the human touch, results in very personal and distinct glasses. That is how they view life too. Humans enter this world as a blank slate and through choices, people, actions and dreams our character is shaped. Like their metal frames, lives are shaped by humanity." Read more.

Expensive Eylea Outperforms Avaastin and Lucentis, says NEI

In an NIH-supported clinical trial comparing three drugs for diabetic macular edema (DME), Eylea (aflibercept) provided greater visual improvement, on average, than did Avastin (bevacizumab) or Lucentis (ranibizumab) when vision was 20/50 or worse at the start of the trial. However, the three drugs resulted in similar average improvement when starting vision was 20/40 to 20/32. Investigators found no major differences in the safety of the three drugs. The trial was funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health. Read more on the NIH site.

New Columbia Eyewear from L'Amy America

"L’Amy America’s Columbia Eyewear, an industry leader in outdoor ophthalmic and sunwear design, announces the worldwide launch of 6 new ophthalmic models in its Columbia Sportswear collection and 9 models to its all-polarized Columbia Performance Sunglass collection," reports Midwest Lens. "Introducing Dusty and Ewan, a new Eco-Acetate duo in Extended Sizes for a larger-than-average-fit consumer. Columbia’s exclusive “Eco Acetate” (E3) is a “cellulose diacetate”: recyclable, and made of plant-based, compostable material (which releases less C02 emissions than a basic bio-degradable material). The duo also features, retro design, heavy-duty spring hinge systems, and 3 color options each."

Sony to Release Developer Edition of SmartEyeglass in March

"Sony Corporation ("Sony") has developed1 the "SmartEyeglass" transparent lens eyewear that connects with compatible smartphones2 to superimpose information such as text, symbols, and images onto the user's field of view, and it is moving forward with preparations towards the commercialization of the product," reports the Financial. "In order to explore the possibilities with and facilitate the development of apps for the device, Sony announces that it will offer the SED-E1 "SmartEyeglass Developer Edition" for sale in Japan, the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), and Germany from March 10th." Read more.

New Eyewear from Silhouette

"Carbon is the epitome of high-tech quality materials, extreme resilience, and masculine elegance. Its application has been used in everything from designer chairs to fast cars. It is dynamic, direct, and an essential component of Carbon Intarsia by Silhouette. The new rimless eyewear collection, boasts a sleek design with an exciting material mix of SPX, gold, and carbon," according to Midwest Lens. "Truly unique items are created from an equal combination of innovation, knowledge, and craftsmanship. A very fine carbon weave is skillfully inlaid by hand to the 23-carat gold-plated temple of the rimless eyewear. This innovative, resin-backed carbon weave is another material, like SPX, that was developed by Silhouette to enable extraordinary aesthetic details." Read more.

Seiko Epson See Market for Smart Glasses

"Seiko Epson Corp. projects sales of its smart glasses to climb fivefold to 10 billion yen ($84 million) in three years, President Minoru Usui said in a Feb. 17 interview with Bloomberg," goes the Bloomberg report on Yahoo! Finance. "Seiko Epson employs high-precision sensors already in use in its projectors for its Moverio smart glass, which is targeted at professionals such as engineers and doctors, Usui said. Google stopped selling Glass on Jan. 19, according to its website." Read more.

Davis Vision Goes Hollywood--Sort Of

Davis Vision has launched a new platform "to deliver a heightened interactive experience," goes the company's press release. It was a fancy way of saying that it has a web-based tv show.  The site, called Davis Vision Television (DVTV), "is an online gateway to enable transparency, accessibility, simplicity and what's trending in eyewear and eye care. The interactive, stand-alone site now offers both members and non-members access to a public portal for exploring the unique integrated business model and services offered by Davis Vision in a user-friendly, easy-to-understand format." It's ironic that simplicity can be expressed so obtusively. Finally the company offers a simple explanation of its benefits, including the following features:

• Virtual frame try-on with a selection of over 1,000 options.
• Educational eye health videos narrated by Dr. Florian M. Safner, OD, Vice President of Professional Services, HVHC, Inc.
• Social media connectivity.
• Visionworks retail location search by zip code.
• DV LookBook magazine showcasing Davis Vision's Exclusive Collection of private label and designer frames, style tips and fashion guide.

Read more.

New Developments in Telescopic Contact Lenses

"An estimated 285 million people are visually impaired worldwide and age-related macular degeneration alone is the leading cause of blindness among older adults. There may be some new hope, in the form of prototype telescopic contact lenses," writes Science20. "Eric Tremblay from EPFL in Switzerland says the first iteration of the telescopic contact lens--which magnifies 2.8 times--was announced in 2013. Since then the scientists behind the DARPA-funded project have been fine-tuning the lens membranes and developing accessories to make the eyewear smarter and more comfortable for longer periods of time, and thus more usable in every day life. The contacts work by incorporating a very thin reflective telescope inside a 1.55mm thick lens. Small mirrors within bounce light around, expanding the perceived size of objects and magnifying the view, so it's like looking through low magnification binoculars." Read more.

Sony Shows Off Its SmartEyeglass Attach!

"Sony continues to seed interest in its smart eyewear concept. Sony recently released a video showing the SmartEyeglass Attach! in action, sent to YouTube via the Sony's Xperia Development team," reports Phys.org. "The video is a follow-up to Sony's introduction at CES 2015 of its single-lens display module with OLED tech. The concept focuses on being able to turn existing eyeglasses or sunglasses into smart devices." Read more.

The video above is not the one that Phys.org referred to. To see that video, click here.

New Sunglasses from Wiley X

"Global eyewear leader Wiley X has introduced a wide variety of new frame and lens colors across its popular Climate Control, Active Series, Street Series and Changeable Series sunglass families," according to Midwest Lens. "With more than a dozen new versions across the 2015 line-up, Wiley X is bringing bold new looks and functionality to a wide range of wearers and activities." Read more.

New Sunglasses from XOXO

Midwest Lens writes, "XOXO February Sun Collection offers acetates and metals that range from fashion forward aviators to classic, glamorous round and trendy butterflies in bold patterns and colors. With so many options to choose from, this summer will be the most stylish yet!" Read more.

Workplace Lighting Major Problem for 60%

Vision problems have affected the performance of 90% of the audience surveyed for the 2015 Annual Employee Perceptions of Vision Benefits. What's worse? Half claims that this occurs regularly. The survey, supported by Transitions Optical, explored visual complaints about the workplace. Top of the list: Lighting--both indoor and outdoor--some 60% saying they were bothered by lighting at work. Read more.

President Obama Generates ACA Publicity with Sunglasses

"Obama 'selfie stick' video: End of Western civilization or hip marketing?" asks the Christian Science Monitor headline. "In a BuzzFeed video, President Obama uses a selfie stick, tries on sunglasses, makes 'you’re looking good' gestures, and so forth. Why is he doing this? He gets in a long plug for signing up for Obamacare coverage." See video. Buzz Feed reported that as of yesterday afternoon, people had downloaded the video 54 million times.

Adriana Lima Modeling Vogue Spring/Summer 2015 Eyewear

"Adriana Lima Even Makes Glasses Look Sexy" is the headline for a recent article in People magazine. The writer continues: "We’re used to seeing her model bikinis and lingerie, but Lima has just teamed up with Vogue Eyewear for the brand’s spring/summer 2015 campaign — and there’s nothing nerdy about the photos. The tropical ads were shot shot by Ellen von Unwerth in Buzio, Brazil, and Lima wears all the latest reading and sunglasses trends." Read more.

New Sean John Eyewear from Marchon

"With a modern approach to classic styling, the new Sean John Eyewear Collection [from Marchon] draws inspiration from vintage looks while adding a unique, urban chic touch. Sophisticated color palettes, fashionable styles, and edgy metal details create a sense of luxury." That's the start of the Midwest Lens write-up. Read more.

Role of Eye Movement and Navigation

"An area of the brain involved in eye movements also plays an important role in establishing our direction and navigating our environment, a Dartmouth College study finds. The study appears in The Journal of Neuroscience," reports Medical News Today. "The researchers studied a brain area called the nucleus prepositus that has long been thought to be involved in eye movements. They studied this area in terms of its importance for head direction cells. These brain cells are part of the neural mechanisms underlying our sense of location and directional heading, which forms the basis of our perceived spatial orientation in the environment. Knowing your spatial orientation is essential for being able to navigate to a goal. In the past few decades, researchers have discovered a number of cell types in the brain that respond in relation to where you are (place cells) and your perceived directional heading (head direction cells). More recently, a third cell type called grid cells was discovered that is activated at multiple places in the environment." Read more.

New Sunglasses from Karen Walker

"This season sees Karen Walker using a celebrity as the face of the brand for the first time," writes Midwest Lens. "This gorgeous redhead’s story is a true Cinderella one. She was discovered living in cruel circumstances, rescued, and quickly rocketed to fame thanks to her wonderful looks, charming personality and inimitable sense of humour. She’s been a big fan of Karen Walker Eyewear for many seasons and is often seen rocking her KWs on the streets of NYC." Read more.

eyeQuest Tops One Million Subscribers

DentaQuest's eyeQuest now reaches more than one million members, according to a company press release. First implemented in 2009, the eyeQuest program has delivered its growth using the same time-tested approach to plan administration and service that has made DentaQuest’s dental product so successful. Read more.

Rapper Sues Oakley over Name of Sunglasses

"Oakley is keeping Pitbull in the dark, and he ain't happy about it -- he says the sunglasses giant is slapping his name on a line of shades without his approval, so now he's suing," according to TMZ. "In the suit, the rapper says Oakley is hawking Pit Bull (note it's 2 words) branded eyewear -- which is a major problem for him ... since Pitbull sells his own line of shades, including his Pitbull Dale Sunglasses. Pitbull says Oakley sponsored one of his tours in 2009, and he wore their sunglasses at the time -- which he says proves the company knows there's good money in targeting his fans. So, he thinks it's no coincidence Oakley is continuing to use his name six years later." Read more.

Warby Parker Top Fast Company's 2015 Most Innovative Companies List

"Fast Company unveiled its Most Innovative Companies list for 2015 today and it’s filled with plenty of the names we would expect, including Apple, Google, Instagram, Virgin America, Tesla, and Kickstarter. The number one slot, however, went to a fashion brand—Warby Parker, “for building the first great made-on-the-Internet brand,'" reports Style.com. "Founded five years ago (we’ve been tracking the brand since it launched), Warby has avoided the fate of most e-comm startups that launched around the same time and have since crashed. The eyewear label now has 10 stores (with sales-per-square-foot figures rivaling Tiffany & Co.) and reportedly rakes in annual revenues well over $100 million." Read more.

Children from Lower-Class Families in China Have Less Myopia

In one of the largest population-based studies ever conducted on nearsightedness in children, researchers have discovered that lower-income students in China have better vision than their middle-class counterparts. Data show that nearsightedness, also called myopia, is twice as prevalent in the middle-income province of Shaanxi compared to the poorer neighboring province of Gansu. The study was published online today in Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

To read the study, click here: www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(14)01196-8/abstract.Read more.

New Polymers Provide a Rainbow of Colors to Sunglass Manufacturers

"Artists, print designers and interior decorators have long had access to a broad palette of paint and ink colors for their work. Now, researchers have created a broad color palette of electrochromic polymers, materials that can be used for sunglasses, window tinting and other applications that rely on electrical current to produce color changes," writes Science Digest. "By developing electrochromic polymer materials in a range of primary and secondary colors and combining them in specific blends, the researchers have covered the color spectrum -- even creating four shades of brown, a particularly difficult color combination. The materials could be used to make sunglasses that change from tinted to clear in a matter of seconds, at the press of a button. Other uses could include window tinting, signage and even greeting cards that change color through the application of low-voltage electrical current. Supported by BASF, the research is reported in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. The research was done in the laboratory of John Reynolds, a professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemisty and the School of Materials Science and Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology." Read more.

American Optical Services Auctions Off $1.6 Million Worth of Inventory

More than 3,000 pairs of one-of-a kind exotic sunglasses and other eyewear will go on auction starting at the end of the week. The former inventory American Optical Services LLC, which filed for bankruptcy last year, reportedly is valued in excess of $1.6 million. Eyewear by Sama, Cartier, and Luxottica -- previously showcased at AOS' luxury boutiques Bellissimo and MesmerEyes located at Bellagio casino-hotel -- will also be available for sale. Online bidding, which is being conducted by Tiger Group's Remarketing Services Division, opens February 12 at www.SoldTiger.com and will close in rapid succession, live-auction style, on February 19, beginning at 10:30 a.m. (PT). A catalog of the items offered and details on how to bid, is available at www.SoldTiger.com.

FDA Approves Lucentis for Diabetic Retinopathy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Lucentis (ranibizumab injection) for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in people with diabetic macular edema (DME), according to the drug's manufacturer Genentech. DME impacts nearly 750,000 Americans, about 10 percent of people with DR. The FDA granted Lucentis Breakthrough Therapy Designation and Priority Review for this indication based on results from the RISE and RIDE Phase III clinical trials. For a few years, physicians have used the drug "off label" to treat DR. Read more.

Gifts of Sunglasses Cause Row in MA Senate

"State senators north and west of Boston who received pricey sunglasses from Sen. Brian Joyce say they didn't think much of what the Milton Democrat gave them as a Christmas gift," starts the story in the Lowell Sun. "Joyce's gift of sunglasses reported to be worth more than $200 each -- but that he bought for one-third of that price -- was the subject of a complaint from the state GOP to the state Ethics Commission on Thursday. 'Senator Brian Joyce, who has been in office for 17 years, should know that state ethics prohibits him from receiving a special discount that is not available to the public,' the letter from Massachusetts Republican Party Chairwoman Kirsten Hughes said. All of the state's senators received the gift." Read more.

New Eyewear from Emporio Armani

"A perfect blend of masculine and feminine for contemporary urban-style eyewear," reports Midwest Lens. "The distinguishing features are carefully chosen contrasts of original materials, a touch of irony for shapes and colors, and details inspired by the new Emporio Armani collection. A modern and balanced vision of unisex, where the different versions (his and hers) are similar while preserving their individuality, characterizes this eyewear collection, for a perfect look characterized by new formal elegance." Read more.

Transitional Lenses Change Shades "On Command"

"The idea of transitional lenses - that can be clear or shaded depending on the intensity of surrounding light - is a useful one, but many users find they do not suit their needs," according to Medical News Today. "Now, scientists are working on a lens material that can change from clear to shaded and back again in seconds - when the user commands it. The new eyeglass material is being developed by a team led by John Reynolds, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, materials science and engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. The team is working on the new material in collaboration with the German technology company BASF." Read more.

New Eyewear from Aspire

"Incorporating the latest in technology, advanced materials, and fashion, Aspire Eyewear is a colorfully captivating, aspirational collection for today’s men and women," writes Midwest Lens. "Making its global debut at 100% Optical, London, and MIDO 2015, the Aspire brand is distributed exclusively through U.S. based optical industry leader ClearVision Optical." Read more.

Essilor Launches Program to Reduce URE

Essilor has committed 30 million Euros to a new initiative called Vision for Life. It is dedicated to eliminating Uncorrected Refractive Error (URE), reports a company press release. Some 2.5 billion people have URE, making it the world's most common disability. Economists estimate that URE results in an annual  $272 billion loss in productivity. Essilor says that the program could accelerate initiatives targeting poor vision through awareness-raising, capacity-building and the creation of basic vision care infrastructure. The sustainable development of local vision care will create jobs and improve socio-economic development. Read more.

Presidential Aspirant Rand Paul Led an Ophthalmologists' Rebellion in Kentucky

"The letters came from a young ophthalmologist in Kentucky. He was recruiting for an eye doctors’ rebellion," reports the Washington Post. "'We won’t be trod upon,' he wrote, using the language of 1776. 'You can’t promulgate injustice without consequences.' The injustice he was talking about was a new rule, from the powerful group that deems American ophthalmologists to be 'board-certified.' It required younger doctors to take a test that older doctors did not have to take. The Kentucky doctor was so outraged that he seceded — and started his own Board of Ophthalmology, so he could certify himself.

“'You can send a clear message to the establishment' by signing up to be certified by the new board, too, the letter said. 'Check the appropriate box and return the card with your $500. Sincerely, Rand Paul, M.D.' The letter, from about 2003, helps illuminate a little-understood (and mostly ridiculed) chapter of Paul’s life before politics: how he became a self-certified ophthalmologist." Read more.

The Post also noted in another article that this man of science and medicine "weighed in on the vaccination debate Monday by asserting that he believes most vaccines should be voluntary. "I'm not anti-vaccine at all but...most of them ought to be voluntary,' Paul told Laura Ingraham on her radio show Monday." His position is odd since individuals can opt not to have their children vaccinated as the current measles outbreak attests. Read more.

New Eyewear from Zyloware

"Exciting new Zyloware Eyewear releases for Sophia Loren, Stetson 180 Flex-Hinge, Stetson Off Road, Randy Jackson Limited Edition, Randy Jackson Sun, Gloria By Gloria Vanderbilt and MaxStudio.com Collections for February 2015," reports Midwest Lens. Read more.

New Safety Sunglasses from Wiley X

Wiley X, Inc. has created a full family of John Deere Safety Eyewear — designed with the quality, performance and durability John Deere fans require to get the job done, according to a press release on Yahoo! Finance. The eyewear is described as being perfect for work on the farm or around the backyard, home improvement projects or just hanging out, The sunglasses reportedly also deliver the good looks, comfort and advanced vision protection required to take on any challenge. Read more.