EyeCare Professional Magazine January 2010 Issue

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LIGHTWEIGHT EYEWEAR / PAGE 6 DISPENSARY JOB EXPECTATIONS / PAGE 16 January 2010 • Volume 4, Issue 25 • www.ECPmag.com

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JANUARY 2010

EYECAREPROFESSIONAL

Vol. 4 Issue 25

Features 6

Photo: Courtesy of LINDBERG

Contents

Magazine

LIGHTWEIGHT EYEWEAR Help keep your patients “light-headed” by offering the latest in Extremely Light Eyewear.

by Amy Endo, ABOM, CPOT

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STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT 6

In today’s optical environment, in-depth strategic management is more important than ever.

by Warren McDonald, PhD

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ECP JOB EXPECTATIONS Unclear job expectations are costly and can hurt the practice’s bottom line.

by Ginny Johnson, LDO, ABOC

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PROGRESSIVE LENSES Keep up with the latest in Progressives and help your presbyopic patients see their best.

by Carrie Wilson, BS, LDO, ABOAC, NCLEC

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THE ART OF MANAGEMENT There is a certain set of skills that every effective leader should have.

by Judy Canty, ABO/NCLE

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OPTICAL MYTHS Debunking eleven optical myths that have endured over the years.

by Elmer Friedman, OD

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On The Cover: Silhouette® 800-223-0180 www.silhouette.com

Departments EDITOR/VIEW .....................................................................................................4 MOVERS AND SHAKERS.................................................................................24 OPTICAL DISORDERS.....................................................................................30 DISPENSING OPTICIAN .................................................................................34 ADVERTISER INDEX .......................................................................................46 INDUSTRY QUICK ACCESS............................................................................47 LAST LOOK .......................................................................................................50

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EYECAREPROFESSIONAL

Editor / view

Magazine

by Jeff Smith

Publisher/Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff Smith Production/Graphics Manager. . . . . . . . . . . Bruce S. Drob Director, Advertising Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . Lynnette Grande Contributing Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Judy Canty, Dee Carew, Harry Chilinguerian, Timothy Coronis, Amy Endo, Bob Fesmire, Elmer Friedman, Lindsey Getz, Ginny Johnson, Jim Magay, Warren McDonald, Anthony Record, Carrie Wilson Internet Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Adler Opinions expressed in editorial submissions contributed to EyeCare Professional Magazine, ECP™ are those of the individual writers exclusively and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of EyeCare Professional Magazine, ECP™ its staff, its advertisers, or its readership. EyeCare Professional Magazine, ECP™ assume no responsibility toward independently contributed editorial submissions or any typographical errors, mistakes, misprints, or missing information within advertising copy.

ADVERTISING & SALES (215) 355-6444 • (800) 914-4322 lgrande@ECPmag.com

EDITORIAL OFFICES 111 E. Pennsylvania Blvd.

Feasterville, PA 19053 (215) 355-6444 • Fax (215) 355-7618 www.ECPmag.com editor@ECPmag.com EyeCare Professional Magazine, ECP™ is published monthly

by OptiCourier, Ltd. Delivered by Third Class Mail Volume 4 Number 25 TrademarkSM 1994 by OptiCourier, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written permission of the publisher.

OptiCourier, Ltd. makes no warranty of any kind, either expressed, or implied, with regard to the material contained herein.

OptiCourier, Ltd. is not responsible for any errors and omissions, typographical, clerical and otherwise. The possibility of errors does exist with respect to anything printed herein.

It shall not be construed that OptiCourier, Ltd. endorses, promotes, subsidizes, advocates or is an agent or representative for any of the products, services or individuals in this publication.

Purpose: EyeCare Professional Magazine, ECP™ is a publication dedicated to providing information and resources affecting the financial well-being of the Optical Professional both professionally and personally. It is committed to introducing a wide array of product and service vendors, national and regional, and the myriad cost savings and benefits they offer.

For Back Issues and Reprints contact Jeff Smith, Publisher at 800-914-4322 or by Email: jeff@ECPmag.com Copyright © 2010 by OptiCourier Ltd. All Rights Reserved

Myopia on the Rise came across a story last month that you may find of interest. It seems that occurrences of myopia have dramatically increased in the United States over the last 30 years.

I

Between 1999 and 2004, the prevalence of myopia was two-thirds (66%) higher than it was between 1971 and 1972, according to Susan Vitale, PhD and colleagues, of the National Eye Institute in Bethesda, Md., as reported in the December Issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.

Reuters Health reports that from 1971 to 1972, it was found that about 25 percent of Americans had myopia. Between the period of 1999 to 2004, it increased to 42 percent, making the occurrence of myopia 66 percent higher than in the early ‘70s.

Dr. Vitale told ABC News, “While myopia is pretty easily treated, when a lot of people – 40 or 50 million people – it ends up costing the U.S. about $2 to $3 billion annually. So it’s an important problem if it’s on the increase.”

The study did not examine the causes of this drastic increase. Aside from the genetic component, I would think an obvious reason would be the increased use of digital devices in everyday life. I’m no Ophthalmologist, but as every aspect of our lives becomes more dependent on reading pixels on a screen (and eventually in 3D), I would think the prevalance of nearsightedness will only increase.

Leaving aside ocular dystopian predictions of the future, this month’s issue includes the usual mix of editorial, education, and entertainment: Amy Endo introduces the latest in ultra-lightweight eyewear for the New Year.

Dr Warren McDonald stresses the importance of detailed, future focused strategic management in today’s optical world.

Ginny Johnson uses her experience as a Mobile Optician to illustrate the need for clearly defined job expectations in order to facilitate a productive work environment. Another essential component to a productive practice is an effective manager, as noted by Judy Canty.

It is vital that ECPs stay on top of all the Progressive lenses in the marketplace today - says Carrie Wilson - in order to offer the best vision care possible. Elmer Friedman debunks many popular optical myths that have endured over the years.

Timothy Coronis emphasizes the importance of listening to your patients in order to expand your “lens toolbox”.

This is only part of what this month’s issue has to offer, and please remember that all of our articles are also available online at: www.ecpmag.com.

4 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2010

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EXTREMELY LIGHT EYEWEAR 1

WHAT IS EXTREMELY LIGHTWEIGHT EYEWEAR? It could fall into several categories: beta titanium, pure titanium, stainless steel, 3 piece rimless, and lightweight plastic or nylon, to name just a few. What they have in common is their simplicity of design and the fact that they are extremely comfortable to wear and hypoallergenic, while offering endless scope for color combinations and individual solutions.

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1. Tifosi Optics The Tifosi Optics Envy™ is a sunglass you’ll quickly forget you have on at all. Because the open-framed Envy is made of ultra-tough and durable Grilamid TR-90 and shatterproof polycarbonate lenses, it is light at just 21 grams. This sunglass also has hydrophilic rubber adjustable temples and nose piece and ventilated lenses for increased airflow and anti-fog. www.tifosioptics.com 2. LINDBERG The Spirit collection has now been expanded to include new temple designs in titanium plate and acetate combined with beautiful new lens shapes. The new temples illustrate LINDBERG’s perfect mastery of the latest and most advanced technologies in which thin elegant titanium and acetate parts are fused together to form unique eyewear temples. www.lindberg.com 3. MOREL Lightec combines brushed stainless steel fronts with airy temples in a sanded double-coated acetate finish, giving the product a fluid and modern appearance. For women: the curvy and gentler shapes of the frame retrace a look with moderate lines and a light contemporary feel. The result is perfect harmony of lines and materials, providing men and women with a light, robust and comfortable product with character. www.morel-france.com

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4. ProDesign ESSENTIAL 1213-1219: Primarily created to complement small to medium sizes, ProDesign now introduces its new junior/petite adult range. Fashion meets timeless design in perfect balance, stressing that style has no age. www.prodesigndenmark.com 5. Jee Vice Sweety: The vintage shape and lively hues add flavor to elegance. The frame has metal accents but is very light and thin to allow for a large field of vision. The shades are available in colors White, Black, Purple Fade, and Gold.

The dark lenses can also be swapped out with prescription lenses at any point. Sweety’s are made with TR90 frame material, which makes the glasses lighter and more comfortable. www.jeevice.com

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6. BBH Eyewear Style #820542: Available in Plastic and TitanFlex combination, 9g only. It comes in three colors: 30 Gun/Black, 60 Matte Brown, and 70 Matte Blue, in size: 53-19-140. www.bbheyewear.com

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Eastern States Eyewear

Revolution Eyewear

The Exces 3064 is one of the signature pieces of the “Don’t Be Invisible” collection, and features TR-90 temples, and a new, highly flexible, easily adjustable material. It is available in black, green, brown, and burgundy and each temple has a specific design to match its coloration. www.eseyewear.com

Silhouette Ed Hardy Lites are a rimless collection from Revolution Eyewear. Ed Hardy Lites are a 3 piece drill mount that uses Grilamid TR90, an extremely lightweight material. The temples have a unique 3 dimensional look. Also, the temple artwork resists staining that might be caused by make-up. www.revolutioneyewear.com

Modo

The new Titan Minimal Art Special Edition line boasts unique, retro-futuristic lens shapes to frame their wearer’s face. With two lens styles designed especially for women and two others for men, the collection allows each individual to express their unique personality. With a deliberately generous size, the lenses were made with a special coating to create a soft gold or silver sheen, emphasizing the exclusive appeal. www.silhouette.com

Cinzia Designs With the success of the current Pocket Eye collection, comes a second generation filled with new shapes and colors along with the addition of a brand new sun reader style. Its telescopic temples and foldable frame come packaged in a compact aluminum case with mirror, making it easy to keep your readers by your side. www.cinziadesigns.com

Linea is Modo’s inspiration for design and color. This innovative sub-collection comprises Modo’s most expressive designs and color palettes. Style 4012’s block titanium fronts are matched with beta-titanium temples for extraordinary lightness, matched with flexibility and strength. www.modobiz.com

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Silver Dollar Optical

Introducing the cld938 from the Club Level Designs collection, this combination rectangle shape frame features memory zyl temples that have the added benefit of spring action temples without the spring. This extremely lightweight frame focuses on comfort, fit and style for the guy on the go.

Available in size 50-20-135 and in colors: khaki, chrome and tuxedo. www.silverdollaroptical.com

Ray-Ban

RB 8303: These rimless sunglasses boast a front with a highly original metal bridge: the perfect choice for those who love a sleek and simple look. Extremely lightweight and functional, with face-hugging contours, this model guarantees top comfort in any situation. www.ray-ban.com

adidas

Tura

The T076 features a stainless steel rectangular shape front with linear temple design for a cutting edge look. It’s available in sizes: 52-18-135 & 54-18-140. www.tura.com

Mykita Two feminine berry shades, purple red and violet, color up MYKITA’s metal collection. Applied in many coats by hand, the new lacquer colors will be available in female models Abby, Alma Jodie and Olivia. Alma violet has already proven itself to be a best-seller. 80’s oversize trend setter Roxanne also convinces the younger girls in trendy violet. www.mykita.com

Ambition is adidas’ new, sport-inspired ophthalmic collection. Speaking to the active-lifestyle consumer, and incorporating high-end materials and innovative technologies, Ambition delivers the style, durability and comfort that consumers have come to appreciate from adidas Eyewear’s sports performance sun products. All models feature the new Hybrid Memory Hinge™. www.adidas.com/eyewear Combining the best in design, ground-breaking techniques, and high-tech materials, lightweight eyewear have super strength and flexibility. There are so many possibilities in selecting these frames for your customers. Lightweight eyewear is offered in a variety of colors that can emphasize a cool, trendy statement.

Amy Endo, ABOM, CPOT amy@ecpmag.com

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The 21st Century Optician Warren G. McDonald, PhD Professor of Health Administration Reeves School of Business / Methodist University

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

For The Eye Care Professional, Part I THIS MONTH we will begin to evaluate a management process that is future focused— strategic management.

Many of you have played some level of sports, and will remember your coach developing a strategy that would allow your team to be successful. That is our topic for the next few months, developing techniques to assist the Eye Care Professional in the development of similar strategies.

Most ECPs receive little to no education in management, but are expected to run million dollar organizations by the seat of their pants. It takes more than luck to succeed in today’s competitive environment, and I hope we can provide a better understanding of the processes involved in the strategic management process in the next few months. And always remember, it is a process, and not a one time activity.

One of my favorite authors, Steven Covey, wrote a book most of you have read called The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (1989). His book has been utilized by organizations and individuals countless times to improve efficiency and effectiveness, and this series of articles will attempt to use the concepts Covey described to provide the contemporary ECP with tools to help them better understand the need for not just effective operational management (day-to-day activities), but strategic management as well. Strategy is what we use to help us to be successful into the future, and we all want our organizations to succeed beyond today. To get there requires the use of effective strategy to accomplish the goals we develop for ourselves, and it takes the entire organization to accomplish the task.

The 7 Habits Covey studied highly successful people for many years prior to writing the 7 Habits, and found some similarities of those highly successful people that are just as important today as they were in 1989. A summary of each of the habits are: Be Proactive – Organizations and individuals that wait for something to happen will never be successful. Covey found that 12 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2010

the thousands of people he studied were all people who made things happen. They did not wonder what happened, or just took what came down the pike...they were proactive, and made their own luck!

Begin with an end in mind – All of these folks had a thing we call “VISION”. They were able to see down the road to what could be, not what used to be! They developed an idea of where they wanted to go and went there.

Put first things first – These highly successful people prioritized, and accomplished the major goals, rather than become bogged down in little details that actually caused them to detour from the path they wanted to walk down.

Think Win-Win – Covey noted that all of the subjects he studied attempted to be fair in all their business and professional relationships. They did not take undue advantage of those they did business with, but were ethical in their dealings. Important for any organization is that long-term customers remain with the organization for a long time. This win-win concept allows us to better maintain our current patient/customer base and their referrals.

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Seek first to understand and then to be understood – We must listen to those we serve. We can learn exactly what the customer wants if we just listen. If not in their best interest, then we can persuade them to go in another direction with the right explanation, but often we spend a lot of time telling patients what they need without a clear understanding of their wants. In many cases, we lose them to our competitors who may take the time to more effectively hear them.

Synergize – In organizations, there must be synergy. All the parts must work together to provide maximum efficiency.

Individuals who can provide that synergy are the most valuable people in the organization.

Sharpen the saw – Covey found that all those he studied took time to renew. They spent time with family and friends, and renewed their personal life through activities outside of work, such as church. He found that the most successful continually renewed their knowledge, and maintained the competitive advantage that up-to-date training provides.

Notice that the first three of Covey’s habits are individual in nature. The second three have to do with our interactions with others. And the final...requires the wisdom to know when to renew, either as an organization or an individual. Yes, organizations should renew themselves as well. Organizations may be unable to take a vacation, but they can do many things to put a fresh face on the day-to-day operations. Good leaders take the time to celebrate victories and recognize individuals, helping to renew their organizations.

Many of us never take time to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Covey’s 7 Habits provide a framework for success and I will base this series of articles on his writings, and try to provide the ECP with methods to help guide their future development.

Aristotle wrote many years ago that, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit�. If we can follow Covey’s 7 Habits - we are not guaranteed success - but we can put ourselves in a much better position to succeed.

The Nature of Strategic Management - What is It? The health care marketplace is in flux now more than at any other point in my 56 years, and I suspect more than at any point in the history of the United States. The Health Care Reform debate rages on, and many think we will see some kind of reform this coming year. Most agree it is necessary, but the debate on the methods used is significant. That leads us to the tremendous need to a greater strategic focus for all ECPs...large and small. If we are to even survive, much less thrive, we must strategically view the landscape. We must prepare for changes even before they arrive, and strategy is how we accomplish that task. It is our “crystal ball�.

Strategic Management: The Beginning Early on, the term long-range planning was used to describe this process. For many years, health care was a stable environment. Things did not change much. Hospitals did 10-year plans and often they saw little change, if any. After WWII, the economy became more volatile, and we looked more towards strategic planning. The difference is simply this; long-range implies more of a time period approach, while strategic planning implies more of a “readiness for change� kind of view with periodic evaluation of the services and products we provide.

Then we began to view the process more as an organizationwide function, and the term strategic management took hold.

All facets of the organization, from accounting to engineering became a part of the strategic focus of the organization, versus just the planning department of old. Now this is not a new term. In fact, it has been used in health care for over 20 years, but in today’s environment, we must remember that strategies are now ultra-important to our staying power. Through this series, we will investigate the process of strategic management in-depth and hope that it provides some assistance to you in better managing your organization. â–

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JANUARY 2010 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | 13

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Arch Crown Op-Tags™ & Labels plus Bar Code Technology 2010 Catalog New catalog features a quality line of stock, pre-printed and custom printed Op-Tags™ and labels. Arch Crown makes your marketing efforts more attractive before, during and after the sale with Op-Tags™ and labels. It’s easy to choose the right Op-Tag™ or label to fit your store’s image.

Turn browsers into buyers with Arch Crown promotional Op-Tags™ and static cling vinyl labels. Pre-printed promotional Op-Tags™ and labels are designed to bring special attention to sale and new merchandise. Promotional Op-Tags™ and labels are a cost-effective method of stimulating sales... it’s the professional way to price and promote eyewear. Arch Crown has over three decades of experience in computer pricing and bar code technology. Bar code systems are designed in conjunction with software developers in the eyewear and frame industry to provide efficient, usable price tagging and labeling.

Arch Crown has the Op-Tags™ and labels to fit your store’s image. For free samples and new catalog, call toll free 1-800-526-8353 or visit us at Vision Expo East Booth 3307.

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Essilor to Acquire FGX for $565 Million

Essilor International signed an agreement last month to acquire FGX International Holdings Limited, the leading designer and marketer of non-prescription reading glasses in the U.S. in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $565 million. The all-cash transaction includes the repayment of FGX’s net debt of approximately $100 million. The proposed transaction price represents $19.75 per FGX International share.

Headquartered in Smithfield, Rhode Island, FGX International reported 2008 revenue of $256 million, generated mainly in the U.S. and Canada, and has approximately 375 full-time employees. Its products, which also include sunglasses, are sold in over 68,000 retail locations, including mass merchandisers, drugstores, ophthalmic retailers and department stores. FGX International’s portfolio of eyewear brands include Foster Grant, Magnivision, Angel, Gargoyles, Anarchy, SolarShield, PolarEyes and Corinne McCormack, and also holds licenses for brands such as Ironman, Levi Strauss Signature, Body Glove and C9 by Champion.

“This acquisition is in line with Essilor’s strategy of procuring the resources needed to provide a quality offering that covers different eyewear market segments around the world in order to meet a wide range of needs. It also strengthens the company’s business base and enhances its growth prospects,” said Hubert Sagnieres, Essilor’s COO and CEO designate. “Demand for non-prescription reading glasses is growing. In addition, the market fits well with our prescription lens business and is supported by favorable demographic trends.

FGX will benefit from our international distribution network while we will leverage FGX’s brands and expertise to deploy this new offering around the world.”

Alec Taylor, CEO of FGX International commented.

“This proposed merger is of major significance to FGX International. Essilor’s global reach will be of considerable strategic value to market our products on a worldwide basis and will greatly enhance our competitive position. Essilor’s global footprint will allow us to expand our presence in Europe, Asia and other parts of the world, while continuing to focus on growing our North American sales in over-the-counter reading glasses and popular-priced sunglasses.”

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Managing Optician Ginny Johnson, LDO, ABOC

“Take This Job and Shove It, I Ain’t Working Unclear No More...”

THE MORE PRACTICES I frequent as a Mobile Optician, the more I recognize the vast need of clarity on a touchy subject.

Some job expectations of ECPs are no-brainers. Everyone agrees that our patients are top priority. Right?

We always strive to provide them with the best possible vision care. Don’t we? We like to believe that we go above and beyond our call of duty. Therefore, it’s clear to us why we do what we do. Isn’t it?

Then why in the optical world are there so many ECPs working day in and day out “unclear” about their job expectations?

A group of adults floundering around in attempt to provide exceptional patient care and retention. That works, right?

Let’s not forget about the “co-worker blame game”. The game that can go on and on with no winners. It is often played in front of patients. There’s no limit to the number of players.

I have seen these games end with an exit interview, job abandonment, or even text message job resignation.

I ask ECPs, only to receive vague replies:

“Take this job and shove it, I ain’t working unclear no more!”

“It’s not my job, or at least I don’t think it is, but it might as well be.”

Unclear job expectations are costly and can destroy the practice’s bottom line. The results: mistakes, loss of patients, staff turnover, and jeopardized reputations. To try and put dollar amounts on these results would be mind boggling.

“The person responsible for that job is no longer here, so whoever has time usually tries to take care of it.”

“Nobody cares as long as we get the work done.”

“I figured out a different way to make this work, I just need to run it by the doctor.”

“I think we need to have a meeting soon, we should have already had one.”

“I’m not sure and I don’t have time to answer your consulting questions.”

Calculators aside, no one in the practice should be exempt from having a copy of their job expectations with purpose on paper.

Mental notes work great for some aspects of this industry, so just have your brain transfer those to paper. That way there’s little chance for confusion or fuzzy visions.

Your practice’s mission statement should be framed and displayed. When what matters to the practice is clear and agreed upon, everyone seems to feel more confident in their ability to meet and exceed expectations. Open lines of communication in appropriate areas of the practice are essential.

Continued on page 18

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Having frequent mini meetings to discuss the schedule, expectations, patient flow, personal computer/cell/text usage will reveal valuable information. Some offices have daily meetings, I must say I greatly admire those that do. Mini meetings are great as long as they aren’t spent beating the same dead horse.

If a dead horse isn’t removed from the practice, the whole place stinks. Even the patients can smell it. Remember, the patient is top priority. Bury the horse.

cents in about working in the practice. Make sure to schedule a mini meeting to introduce and welcome them. Inform all staff of new hire’s position and answer any questions. Work with the new hire on reaching a mutual comfort level of their job expectations. The new hire may have optical experience “out of the whazoo” but each place of employment is unique in its own way.

Job expectations should represent the way you want your patients handled. Avoid ridiculous, humanly impossible workloads. They do not need to include a long “laundry list” with every single little task. Don’t hire someone “on a whim” and constantly change their job expectations.

“Unclear job expectations are costly and can destroy the practice’s bottom line.”

Use this checklist, and tweak it. Stop “on a whim” behavior.

ECP Job Expectations Checklist • Make sure to cover the legal bases (HIPAA, FLSA...etc) • Job Title, Hours, Location, Benefits, Pay Rate • Mission Statement • Proper chain of command • List of Primary Job “Fun”ctions

Cross training aka job swaping can be an interesting challenge.

Training your staff to be proficient at different job “fun”ctions may keep the practice running smoothly in the event of a vacant position. Notice I said “may”. No one wants to work in a co-worker’s position and be “thrown under the bus” for trying to help out. Cross training needs to a positive experience for staff members to thrive. Try it to cure staff boredom or down time (it works fast). It can also reveal hidden talents, increase practice knowledge, help the bottom line and save someone’s sanity.

• Training • List the machines, tools, and equipment that will be used on the job • Explain how the ECP will interact with patients, co-workers and vendors

The art of good communication is vital to those in charge of reprimanding staff members. Have a copy of the ECP’s signed documents on hand. Reprimanding should be calm, in private, constructive; not destructive. Unfair or unpredictable treatment usually ends up affecting the entire staff.

• Leave room for practice growth and job flexibility • Review and update • Sign and date document • Distribute copy to ECP Be prepared. Before bringing someone new into the practice, ask the current staff for their input on hiring. Be sure to define the new hire position to match your practice’s needs. Have the applicants interview with managers, doctors, and someone they will be working closely with, if possible.

Make sure your interview questions are legal to ask. Ask open, closed, hypothetical, behavioral and logical questions. Answer all questions that the applicant may have. Check references, check references, and check references. If the applicant makes the cut, invite them back for shadowing with the practice in action. If all goes well, sign them up!

Training a new hire properly is essential and not for everyone.

Timing is everything. Always be up-front with new hires and lead by example. Current staff likes a chance to put their two 18 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2010

The way the staff is treated reflects the way the patients are treated. All disciplinary action should be documented and signed. Address all performance problems as quickly as possible. When the boss is aware of the situation and fails to properly address it, everyone is taking mental notes and comparing them. Not good.

Keeping our language and behavior “office appropriate” is mandatory. That means the entire time you are on the premises and “on the clock”. As ECPs we need to remember that patients trust us with their vision needs. That’s a huge responsibility. They select our practice over many others.

The average patient visits their eyecare provider every 2 + years.

During that short visit to our practice they are more than likely watching every move we make. Don’t blow your chance at providing exceptional patient care. At the next mini meeting you should define “office appropriate”. I know, I know, I am going to hear it from some of my colleagues for pushing the mini meetings. Would you rather play the guessing game?

Everyone in the practice deserves to be “in the know”. ■

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Luxottica and drugstore.com Form Alliance to Expand Contact Lens Services in North America Luxottica Group and drugstore.com, inc. (a leading online retailer of health, beauty, vision, and pharmacy products), last month announced a strategic, multi-year ecommerce alliance to expand online access to contact lenses in the North American market.

Valerio Giacobbi, executive vice president, business development, Luxottica Group, commented, “This agreement is a key step in Luxottica’s goal to increase consumers’ awareness of contact lenses as an important vision care option. Together with annual eye exams and highquality eyewear and sunglasses, contact lenses are an excellent alternative for total eye health in a way that suits consumers’ differing lifestyles and needs.”

Under this exclusive agreement, Vision Direct, Inc., a leading online contact lens retailer and a wholly-owned subsidiary of drugstore.com, will collaborate with Luxottica Group to develop branded, contact lens ecommerce sites for the company’s North American business, and provide customer care and fulfillment services. The alliance will enable Luxottica, starting with its retail brands, to offer a

comprehensive solution for consumers to conveniently purchase contact lenses in-person, by telephone or online.

In addition, the two companies will pursue synergies such as purchasing contact lenses on behalf of the alliance.

Dawn Lepore, CEO and chairman, drugstore.com, inc., commented, “Luxottica is a market leader and their retail brands are among the best known in the industry—we are very pleased to be able to utilize drugstore.com’s ecommerce platform and our strengths in online technology, marketing, customer care and fulfillment on Luxottica’s behalf. This alliance represents an unparalleled opportunity to extend our partnership strategy, a key growth driver for the future, to our vision business. Together we will develop a great customer experience that we believe will grow the overall market for vision products.”

As of Sept. 30, 2009, Luxottica operated 2,939 optical stores across North America, including LensCrafters and Pearle Vision. The new contact lens ecommerce services are expected to launch in mid-2010.

JANUARY 2010 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | 19

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Through the Lens Carrie Wilson, BS, LDO, ABOAC, NCLEC

Thinking Progressively: Using PALs to Satisfy Your Patients PROGRESSIVE LENSES are the lens of choice for presbyopic patients.

Cosmetically, progressives provide the patient with visual fields for distance, intermediate and near, without the age revealing lines of a flat top bifocal or trifocal.

VISUALLY, PROGRESSIVE LENSES provide the best vision for all lifestyles; since a progressive has a prescription for all the field of vision in front of the patient, it meets all of their visual needs.

experience that cannot be matched by conventional front-surface or split surface designs. Seiko PALs also provide intermediate and near zones that are up to 35% wider than conventional progressive lenses.” (www.seikoeyewear.com)

These are the same reasons that educated presbyopes are selecting progressive lenses more and more often. Because of this, ECPs have to be educate themselves on which progressives are out in the marketplace and how they relate to each other in terms of design, form and function.

Hoya

Know the Lens Believe it or not, there are over 200 progressive lenses on the market, and a differentiating factor between ECPs is the amount of knowledge they possess that lets them dispense the lens most suitable for the patient’s lifestyle. Although it is impossible to commit to memory all the advantages and features of every progressive, it is important to recognize and know lenses manufactured by the larger companies. A few of these companies include Seiko, Hoya, Essilor, Signet Armorlite and Shamir.

Hoya has progressives in numerous price points. These progressives include the Hoyalux™ ID, Hoyalux™ ID Lifestyle, Summit and GP Wide. All allow for greater peripheral vision and less distortion, but the most advanced progressive is the ID. The ID is a completely customized lens that follows the natural patterns and movement of the eye. The manufacturer states that: “Our patented Integrated Double Surface Design (IDSD) process shapes the vertical component (which affects magnification and distance) into the front of the lens, and the horizontal component (which affects the power changes from side to side) into the back. The two surfaces are then integrated using Balanced View Control, our computer vision evaluation that analyzes and corrects any Skew Deformation, ensuring the clearest vision in all directions.”

Seiko Seiko Optical Products, though it is not well known by consumers, is a world leader in the manufacture of progressive lenses and is responsible for many advances in progressive lens design. Seiko holds the patent on 100% back surface design, which it utilizes in its Succeed & Supercede free-form lens products. According to the manufacturer, these lenses: “Utilize a perfect sphere on the front surface of the lens, which eliminates the front curve distortion that is responsible for the swim and sway effect many people experience when wearing PAL lenses. Seiko’s back surface design three-dimensionally fuses the patient’s entire Rx (sphere, cylinder, axis, add power and prism) onto the back surface of the lens, creating a visual 20 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2010

In other words, vision is more stable. Previous non-adapts due to distortion or the “swimmy feeling” that sometimes occurs with a progressive should be able to wear the ID without feeling discomfort. (www.hoyavision.com) Essilor Essilor is one of the most well known lens manufacturers today.

Essilor has a wide range or progressives within its family and can fill up an article just on its own, but it’s important to know that they manufacture the Varilux® and DEFINITY® lines, as well as Natural®, Adaptar®, Accolade™, and Ovation®. Each lens has its own set of fitting rules and advantages. (www.essilorusa.com) Continued on page 22

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WHEN A S N E L R O D I R R O C T R O H S IT F T S E B E IS TH

Choose the award-winning design of KODAK PreciseÂŽ Lenses adapted for small frames. The design is digitally added to the lens mold for accuracy. It provides ample distance and reading areas with smooth power progression for a more natural wearing experience.

$YDLODEOH LQ ÂżWWLQJ KHLJKWV DV ORZ DV PP DQG QRZ LQ ,QVWD6KDGHV

CONTACT US TODAY! FEA Industries, Inc. (800) 327-2002 www.feaind.com

Kodak and the Kodak trade dress are trademarks of Kodak, used under license by Signet Armorlite, Inc. Precise Short is a trademark and Precise is a registered trademark of Signet Armorlite, Inc. Š2009 Signet Armorlite, Inc.

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Signet Armorlite Signet Armorlite’s KODAK Unique Lenses are digitally-created backside progressives designed with Vision First Technology™.

This technology provides a broad view in a clear distance area, smooth graduation of power for easy adaptation, gentle binocular balance for quick, clear object recognition and visual quality often compared to single vision lens. State-ofthe-art technology is applied at each step. Corridor length is selected for each patient’s Rx based on the frame size and shape, monocular PD and fitting height. This ensures the best overall visual performance for nearly any B measurement, large or very small. This lens is available in 50 materials. (www.signetarmorlite.com) Shamir Shamir uses a patented manufacturing process called EyePoint Technology®. A type of computerized lens surfacing, it calculates lens performance on multiple surfaces of the lens using index, prescription, center thickness, vertex distance as well as other factors. By utilizing this technology, the manufacturer promises greater peripheral vision and clearer vision. (www.shamirlens.com) Finding the Answers With all the different lenses on the market, the ECP is bound to come up with something new and unusual. When this occurs, there are several resources available to help him or her find the information needed.

Online There are several online communities where eye care professionals can ask and answer questions on progressive lenses, as well as other topics. The largest of these is Optiboard.

22 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2010

Optiboard.com is an online optical community strictly for the ECP. Although there are several forums available, there is one strictly for progressive lens discussion. Laramy-K Optical (www.laramyk.com) is another valuable resource available to the ECP. An independent optical laboratory, they have a website that has useful tools for identifying progressives. The main tool they offer is the Interactive Progressive Lens Chart application.

It is an interactive lens database that has the progressive laser markings along power and adds ranges, as well as material availability. ECPs can also find an excellent resource at www.opticianworks.com.

Publications The Optical Laboratories Association publishes the Progressive Lens Identifier Book. This book helps dispensers identify a lens either by symbol, company, add range, minimum fitting height or lens name. It also includes a list of Trademarks and recentlydiscontinued lens designs.

Providing for the Patient Now that the ECP has the information, it is now up to him or her to pass the information on to the patient in an easy to understand format. The most effective way to do this is to use Good, Better, Best, in which the Best is always explained first.

When using this format, it is important to take the patient’s prescription, lifestyle, frame selection, and material choice into consideration. See below for an example using the manufacturers listed above.

Knowledge of the different progressive lines and how they fit and work is essential to the eye care professional. By knowing what progressives a patient is currently wearing and how the progressives in the dispensary compare, the ECP can exceed the patient’s expectations by providing the best vision possible. ■

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ONE SUNLENS FOR THE WAY WE DRIVE AND LIVE ™ So advanced they even activate behind the windshield, Drivewear® Transitions® SOLFX™ lenses provide drivers with the best visual acuity for the driving task. Drivewear cuts glare and bright sunlight in both driving and outdoor conditions.

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For more information for your patients, look for the Drivewear Owner’s Manual with each prescription. Today’s best driving lens is Drivewear.

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Drivewear, NuPolar and Image are registered trademarks of Younger Optics, Torrance, CA. Transitions and the swirl are registered trademarks and SOLFX is a trademark of Transitions Optical, Inc.

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Movers

AND

Shakers

HVHC

Jim Eisen

Jeff Smith, OD

EyeVertise Jim Eisen, chief operating officer of Eye Care Centers of America (ECCA) since October 2008, moved up to become the 438-store chain’s president last month. In addition, ECCA’s parent company, HVHC, named Jeff Smith, OD, to the new position of executive vice president and chief medical officer, effective Jan. 1. Smith was most recently executive VP of the For Eyes Optical chain. He also previously worked with Luxottica Retail, Pearle Vision and Cole Managed Vision.

Eisen joined ECCA in June 2008 as executive VP of stores; he was previously with Jo-Ann Stores, and had prior experience as VP of store operations for Luxottica Retail’s licensed brands operations, formerly Cole Licensed Brands. David Holmberg held the title of ECCA president until Eisen took over that role.

Optical website developer EyeVertise has appointed Steven Freed from Eyewear Technology Group as its Sales Representative for the United States and Canada. EyeVertise creates websites for OD’s and MD’s to help Steven Freed them provide their patients with educational information and streamline appointment scheduling, along with HIPPA approved medical forms to be completed online.

Kenmark Group Kenmark Group’s Sales Award winners for 2009 include: Territory Manager of the Year – Pat Gantt. The Rookie of the Year – Danielle Lundquist. The Consistent Exceptional Performance – John Mancine. The Pioneer Pat Gantt Award – Loreen Armaolea. Rising Star Award – Brenda McMinn. Legend Award – Howard Galkin.

UAB School of Optometry Tifosi Optics Tom Cox has joined Tifosi Optics as Director of Sales & Operations. Cox is a veteran sales executive in the golf, footwear, and sporting goods industries, having held senior sales and marketing positions at Bite footwear, Aetrex Tom Cox Worldwide Mizuno Golf, Rawlings Sporting Goods, and Ektelon Racquetball.

John Amos, OD, dean of the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s School of Optometry since 2000, announced last month he will step down as dean and return to the school’s faculty on Dec. 31, with plans to retire John Amos, OD several months later. Amos first joined the UAB School of Optometry faculty in 1972.

VisionWeb Robertson Optical Laboratories David Provow has joined Robertson Optical Laboratories of Columbia, SC as lab manager.

He is the former director of Lab Harmonization of Carl Zeiss Vision, where he was in charge of standardizing the processes for David Provow 17 North American and 10 South American labs. Prior to Zeiss, he was chief operating officer of Rodenstock, North America.

Lou Robinson has started as a new sales representative, serving central and northern Florida for Robertson Optical Laboratories of Atlanta (Loganville), GA. He brings 40 years of experience in the optical industry. Robinson was recently employed with Apex Optical Lou Robinson Laboratories of Orlando. Prior to Apex, he was an independent sales representative with May Optical and Rally Optical.

24 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL |JANUARY 2010

Chris Rice

Chris Rice has joined VisionWeb in the newly created position of director of sales, reporting to Ken Engelhart, VisionWeb president and CEO. Prior to joining VisionWeb, Rice held various sales and marketing positions during 11 years with Jobson Medical Information.

Carl Zeiss Meditec Dr. Christian Müller is to be appointed as a new member of the management board and chief financial officer of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, effective Dec. 15. Müller will succeed Bernd Hirsch, who left the company at his own request on Nov. 30.

Müller, who has a PhD in business administration, began his career with the Carl Zeiss Group in 2002 in the area of auditing and risk management.

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Protect Patients and Diversify Revenue with Vision Protection Eye injuries are the leading cause of vision loss in one eye are the second leading cause of vision loss in two eyes. Most eye injuries can be prevented and eye care professionals have the opportunity to help protect their patients.

your patients about vision protection. The Vision Council’s Vision Protection Committee is pleased to offer continuing education on this important strategy through its course “Priceless Vision: It’s a Trust Thing” on Friday, March 19 from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm.

Adding vision protection to your practice can protect your patients’ vision while also expanding your patient base and diversifying your revenue.

Did you know:

This course will review the prevalence of eye injuries that occur from sports, around the home and in the workplace. Home and workplace issues associated with computer usage will also be discussed. In addition, ways to educate your staff to make sure your patients are protected from the needless loss of sight that occurs from eye injury will also be outlined.

•

Approximately 75 percent of computer users experience some form of computer eye strain.

•

Each day 2,000 workers receive medical treatment for work related eye injuries.

•

Forty-five percent of all disabling eye injuries occur at home.

•

Every 13 minutes, someone visits an emergency room with a sports related eye injury.

Be sure to sign up for this exciting new seminar and provide an important service to your patients.

Priceless Vision: It’s a Trust Thing Friday, March 19, 2010 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Course #2403

By using the “Inquire. Inform. Introduce.” strategy for each vision protection category you can educate

otection, UV, Sports Safety, Industrial Safety, Protective Eyewear, Home afety, Vision Protection, UV, Sports Safety, Industrial Safety, Protective yewear, Home Safety, Vision Protection, UV, Sports Safety, Industrial afety, Protective Eyewear, Home Safety, Vision Protection, UV, Sports afety, Industrial Safety, Protective Eyewear, Home Safety, Vision Protection, V, Sports Safety, Industrial Safety, Protective Eyewear, Home Safety, Vision otection, UV, Sports Safety, Industrial Safety, Protective Eyewear, Home afety, Vision Protection, UV, Sports Safety, Industrial Safety, Protective yewear, Home Safety, Vision Protection, UV, Sports Safety, Industrial afety, Protective Eyewear, Home Safety, Vision Protection, UV, Sports Friday, March 19 afety, Industrial Safety, Protective Eyewear, Home Safety, Vision Protection, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm V, Sports Safety, Industrial Safety, Protective Eyewear, Home Safety, Vision >> Vision: It’s a Trust Thing otection, UV, Sports Safety, Industrial Safety, Protective Eyewear, Home Priceless Course 2403 afety, Vision Protection,

Learn About

Vision Protection

To register, visit www.visionexpoeast.com

The Vision Council’s programs help you enhance your career, your practice and your community’s vision health. For more information, visit www.thevisioncouncil.org.

NEW

YORK

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Patented Back-Surface Free-Form Technology Available from these Independent Labs* Central Optical

MH Optical Supplies

Rite-Style Optical

Youngstown, OH 800-322-6678

S. Hackensack, NJ 800-445-3090

Omaha, NE 800-373-3200

Digital Eye Lab

MJ Optical

Robertson Optical

Hawthorne, NY 888-305-3300

Omaha, NE 800-634-9461

Loganville, GA 770-554-3000 Columbia, SC 803-254-9381 Greenville, SC 864-370-2015

Integrity Optics Midland, TX 432-438-0438

New Hampshire Optical Concord, NH 800-852-3717 Lewiston, ME 800-288-7997

Rochester Optical Rochester, NY 585-254-0022

Italee Optical

Nexus Vision Group

Los Angeles, CA 213-385-8805

Central Carolina Optical 800-324-4233 National Optical 800-489-5367 New South Labs 800-849-0075 Optical Supply 877-950-2037 Western Carolina Optical 828-258-1706 Wholesale Optical Supply 800-585-2352

Laramy-K Indianola, IA 800-525-1274

Luzerne Optical Wilkes-barre, PA 800-233-9637

Pelican Optical Sarasota, FL 800-862-0966

The Lens Work Sun Valley, CA 818-771-0055

US Optical East Syracuse, NY 800-445-2773

Winchester Optical Elmira, NY 800-847-9357 Macedon, NY 800-426-9114

*Manufacturing partners listed above. View our complete list of manufacturing & distributing partner labs on our website at www.seikoeyewear.com

Seiko Epson Corporation owns the intellectual property rights (patent #6,019,470) in the United States, to produce/distribute/sell/market lenses that combine the toric and lens. • Transitions and the swirl are registered trademarks of Transitions Optical Optical, Inc Inc., Pinellas Park Park, FL 33782 progressive powers onto the back surface (eye side) of the lens

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Win a Dream Vacation Plus Cash & Prizes with Seiko’s Independent Lab Free-Form Stimulus Package February, March & April 2010 • Receive a prize card with every pair of Seiko Internal Free-Form PAL or 1.67 Super MV Lenses

Receive a scratch-off card with every pair of Seiko Internal Free-Form or double-aspheric 1.67 Super MV single vision lenses that you purchase from a participating independent lab during the months of February, March & April, 2010. Scratch-off prize: $1 to $100 cash, or chances to win Seiko watches and clocks. Each card returned will be entered into a drawing for a Hawaii Dream Vacation worth up to $5,000 (grand prize), a flat screen TV (second prize), or $500 American Express Gift Card (third prize). We recommend you save and submit all entries at the end of the promotion, but no later than May 31, 2010. Cash will be paid by check on or about June 30, 2010. Grand prize drawing held June 15, 2010. Fraudulent, mutilated, incomplete, or illegible cards will not be honored. We are not responsible for lost, late or misdirected mail. For complete details, visit www.seikoeyewear.com.

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Optical Management Judy Canty, ABO/NCLE

The Art of Management Few of us are “born managers” or “born leaders”. Most of us are promoted into management positions through hard work and the determination to succeed.

SOME OF US WANT TO BE MANAGERS; some of us don’t.

Some of us will be comfortable with the responsibility; some of us would rather be somewhere else...anywhere else.

Our feelings about management and being in a management position are inextricably bound by our experiences with being managed...as an employee, a volunteer, a student or in any number of positions where we reported to a higher authority.

We share tales of the best and worst of managers, but we focus on the real horror stories. No wonder that when offered a management position, many of us accept with some very real concerns about our ability to do the job.

There are many types of managers and management styles and different situations and organizations need different management styles and skills for their success.

Tough economic times may require a more authoritarian style, while an organization that thrives on creativity may require this authoritarian style to be more flexible than usual. A good manager has a solid sense of self and self-confidence and is capable of running an office, department or organization. There are certain skills that are necessary for every manager: • The ability to identify problems with employees • Communication and listening skills • The ability to compromise • Intelligence • Creativity • The discipline to stick to a plan Yet the most important facet of effective management is the ability to lead, to motivate and to bring out the best in every employee. An effective leader is fully vested in his or her success, the success of the team and of the organization.

To further define leadership is to break it down into leadership styles. Transactional leaders focus on the exchange of resources for work performed. Rewarding good performance and dealing 28 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2010

quickly with poor performance, interpersonal issues and attitudes. Transformational leaders are able to instill a sense of higher purpose rather than just reaching short-term goals.

Developing that inner drive allows employees to excel in the face of obstacles. Transactional leaders will do well enough, however transformational leaders will soar.

When Managers go BAD We know who they are. We’ve worked for at least one in our careers. But do we really know what turns a manager into a micro-manager?

Small Business Resource (www.smbresource.com) defines micro-management as exercising excessive control of a project or group of people. Unfortunately the point at which control becomes excessive is a bit fuzzy. Manager and employee often have different ranges for what they consider to be excessive.

There are many reasons why a manager becomes a micro-manager. They can be personality driven or skill driven. Personality driven micro-managers may believe that no one can do something as well as he/she can. He or she may be reluctant to provide adequate training, fearing that they may be overshadowed by another employee. While this ego-driven attitude may make the micro-manager feel indispensable, it often prevents them from being promoted. He or she is indispensable only in that specific department.

A manager may hire competent people to bring in new ideas or processes and then begin to feel threatened by those ideas that are outside of his or her experience. The competencies that made the employee an attractive and potentially valuable asset now becomes the reason for micro-managing.

“When you’re not a manager, what you produce is your value to the company,” says Paul Glen, a Los Angeles-based consultant.

“When you move into management, you’re rewarded for making other people more productive rather than producing yourself. You need to redefine that measure of success so you don’t get involved in production anymore.”

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According to Identity Marketing, “The micro-manager lacks either the awareness or the ability to ‘let go’ of this need to control the process, outcome, or people involved.”

The costs of micro-management are high. It can erode an employee’s sense of self-worth, creating anger and frustration.

These feelings of powerlessness will lead to losses in productivity, excessive absenteeism, internal theft and high turnover.

It squashes individual accountability and ownership of tasks and creates a bottleneck that ends at the micro-managers desk. It stifles creativity and the ability to develop innovative solutions to problem-solving.

As a middle manager at a large corporate optical retailer, I estimated the cost of recruiting and training a new employee at about $9,000. That was in the early 1990’s. Imagine what the costs of high turnover are now.

OPTOGENICS overnight service on surfaced AR jobs digital AR jobs: AVANCE or Zeiss SET

Thanks to our loyal customers for a banner 2009 year

The Way Back The key to backing away from micro-management is self-awareness and a commitment to changing behaviors. Take time for some serious introspection to determine how and why these self-limiting habits have taken root.

Ask for feedback from peers and staff members, keeping in mind that you may not get the answers you need until you’ve asked multiple times. And for heaven’s sake don’t kill the messenger!

Ask for time with your boss to redefine your role as a manager and what benchmarks you can set to measure your success.

Remember that your boss wants you to succeed at least as much as you do.

Define and understand the differences between being helpful and meddling by learning to delegate. There is a huge difference between being “kept in the loop” and hourly reports. Trust your staff to do their jobs.

Being a Great Manager Create a team. Just like T-ball and Little League, everyone gets to participate. Emphasize honesty, trust and respect so that everyone is on the same page with the same goals to reach.

Define the mission. It’s not always about the money. It’s also about being part of something greater than yourself, of knowing the importance of your job to the success of the mission.

Dispel fear. Encourage creative thinking, by acknowledging that sometimes things just go wrong. The important thing is to continue to think. Sometimes you need to allow the team to “fall forward” until the goal is reached.

Be a coach. Teach, encourage and correct, but most importantly lead by example. Offer the skills you have when they’re needed.

Understand that your skills are just another set of tools.

Allow employees to “out-grow” their jobs. Encourage education and self-improvement. Cross-train at every opportunity. ■

Diane Hart General Manager

Eric Brion President

Ted Weinreich Regional Sales Manager

OPTOGENICS = DIGITAL Precise to 0.001 mm Daily Recalibration for Accuracy

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Optical Disorders Sharon Shepherd, ABOC, NCLE

Aniridia Aniridia is a rare congenital condition where a mutation of the PAX 6 gene on the 11th chromosome causes the under development of the eye and other body systems.

The most common form is the partial or complete absence of the iris which usually affects both eyes. The iris is the colored area of the eye surrounding the pupil and regulates the amount of light entering the eye. The word aniridia is derived from Greek meaning an– “without” and -iridia “iris”.

Unlike some other congenital defects, aniridia only requires the mutated gene be carried by just one parent for the condition to develop in the fetus. The gene remains dominant at that point with a 50% chance of being given to each child born to that parent carrying the mutation. Found in about 1 out of every 60,000 to 90,000 live births, parents often become concerned when the pupils of the child are very large, and do not constrict with changes in light intensity. Aniridia can be diagnosed with a simple eye examination by an ophthalmologist. A thorough dilated examination to include refraction, intraocular pressure, and a detailed look at the retina are all necessary to establish the presence of aniridia and to observe any other structures of the eye that are affected.

With the under development of the eye, patients are left prone to numerous ocular anomalies, which can have a profound effect on daily life and even cause permanent loss of visual capacity if not diagnosed, treated, and continuously monitored.

Nystagmus: an involuntary movement of the eyes. The intensity and direction of the movement can vary greatly in each individual who suffers from it.

Cataracts: a clouding of the lens of the eye. This condition can be treated with surgery, replacing the clouded lens with a new man made lens.

Glaucoma: an increase in the pressure of the eye, glaucoma can cause permanent vision loss if not treated due to damage to the optic nerve from the excessive pressure. Once glaucoma develops, the increase in pressure causes damage to an already undeveloped optic nerve. Treatments include drops, oral medication, and in some cases surgery where a drain is made or inserted to allow proper circulation and drainage of fluid in the eye.

Amblyopia: a loss of vision in the weaker of the two eyes.

Ocular hypoplasia: an under development of structures of the eye including, the fovea, retina, and optic nerve. The patient’s ability to process images correctly through the entire neurologic route is affected. For example, foveal hypoplasia will give the patient little or no ability to see details such as someone’s facial features.

Corneal opacifications: a clouding of the cornea, this can happen over time and requires surgical intervention in the way of a corneal transplant. Like other organ transplants, corneal transplants can fail due to rejection by the body.

Microcornea: is an unusual thin and flat cornea, which makes fitting and wearing of contact lenses very difficult.

As aniridic children age into adulthood, they will be faced with slowly declining vision as the condition progresses, along with the natural aging of the eye. This occurs not from the aniridia Continued on page 32

30 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2010

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WE

ARE

DIGITAL

40th ANNIVERSARY

What does that mean for you? It means our in-house, state-of-the-art digital surfacing equipment allows us to create everything from one-of-a-kind bifocal designs to backside progressives from SOLA, Carl Zeiss Optical and Shamir Insight.

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itself, but from the ocular complications that usually occur like the ones listed above. Although it varies with individuals, the visual acuity of an aniridic is commonly 20/200, monocular (in each eye) and considered legally blind. Use of low vision aids allows the patient to retain personal independence and selfsufficiency in the world. Numerous options are available with items such as Close Circuit Television (CCTV), large print books, and magnifiers, to name a few. Some feel that even learning to read Braille will maintain and encourage adaptation to everyday life activities. These services are available through several organizations on the local, state, and national levels.

Many of these services are covered by government and some private insurance companies.

The condition of aniridia can also effect adequate development of other body systems, causing further medical complications.

Many suffer from intellectual impairments like mental retardation and physical impairments such as glucose intolerance, leading to a predisposition for diabetes and the complications associated with diabetes.

It is extremely important that any problems stemming from systemic complications are treated promptly to prevent further decline of an already difficult medical status. Below average verbal and olfactory processing is a common finding in those with aniridia. With dysnomia, the patient is unable to recall common words from memory even though they thoroughly understand the meaning of the word.

In patients with dysosmia, they are unable to distinguish between different scents and in many instances the detected scent is conveyed incorrectly to the brain. It is crucial that patients be closely monitored for malignant tumors of the adrenal gland in the kidney, known as Wilm’s tumor. Generally these tumors often happen in children before the age of 5 years and are rare in adults. Careful monitoring is absolutely essential during childhood for this type of tumor. They are frequently tested, approximately every six months, by ultrasound to determine if tumors are present.

In some instances, the cornea has enough stability that a contact lens can be used. The lens can decrease the oxygen transfer and therefore should only be used if the health of the cornea can be maintained at a safe level. There is risk of abrasion of the cornea or conjunctiva with the use of contact lenses.

This should also be carefully evaluated by the doctor to see if contact lenses are a possibility for the patient. If contact lenses are an option for the patient, many ophthalmologists opt for a tinted lens that will “black out” the pupil further.

The contact lens acts in the same capacity as a sunglass lens, controlling the amount of light entering the eye and giving much needed relief to chronic photophobia. These lenses are 32 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2010

usually a special order from certain contact lens manufacturers and can be costly and are not always covered by insurance.

Another type of contact lens can be used as a bandage.

This means that the contact lens provides a protective layer on the cornea, allowing some relief for the patient. Bandage contact lenses are usually fit very flat to form a tight seal.

Careful monitoring of the cornea with a bandage contact lens must be done to ensure that there is an adequate exchange of oxygen and tears.

A cure is not yet available for aniridia, but treatment options are numerous and range from glasses and contact lenses (for some) to medication and surgical intervention. Those with aniridia should have genetic testing soon after diagnosis; this will affect the opportunity of that child having their own children in later years. Artificial lens implants are being used to control the size of the pupil to alleviate photophobia, along with providing a more cosmetically appealing presence of the eyes. This biosynthetic implant is inserted into the stump of the iris and attached, thus producing a black iris and building a pupil that is more normal in appearance. The amount of light entering the eye is more controlled, allowing the patient some relief from photophobia.

There are ongoing studies in the UK where stem cells from patients, relatives, and even cadavers are harvested and grown into sheets within the laboratory. These cells are then implanted onto the cornea with the expectation of giving a resurgence of cell growth to thin corneas, allowing stabilization. Scientists are not completely sure how, but the results so far from this study are very promising.

The study has shown that the implanted cells motivated the growth of stem cells found in the patient’s own bone marrow.

Through the bloodstream, the new cells are transferred to the limbic stem cells of the eye, located underneath the lids, where new growth was initiated. Limbic cells keep the cornea healthy and clear, thus allowing new development of cells take place.

This development can give relief to the pain of an aniridic cornea due to thinning, erosion, and clouding. This possibly could be another alternative to the painful and sometimes unsuccessful corneal transplant that some aniridic patients are forced to endure.

The eye care professional should have a basic understanding of a patient’s condition to better assist the patient in making a sound choice in eye wear or in the fitting of contact lenses. It is important to know how the patient views the world around them and to have appropriate expectations. Most aniridic patients can wear glasses to assist with some retrieval of visual acuity. Glasses with a dark tint will also help the patient when venturing outside in sunlight and can also offer an added UV protection. ■

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Dispensing Optician Timothy Coronis, ABOC-NCLE

Listen to your Neighbor Spend a little time keeping current with eyecare professional literature, and you’ll likely come across the useful metaphor of a “lens toolbox.” This toolbox is what allows you to identify the needs of your customer and match them to the most appropriate lens.

When giving recommendations, using a “one size fits all” approach would be the verbal equivalent of using the same pliers for every adjustment. This may work for a while, but eventually is bound to leave some people under served.

conversation a little unique: I was getting the story from the customer’s side, and the customer kept coming back to me over the fence, over coffee, and with fresh examples over the summer.

I’d like to share with you some feedback I received in a roundabout way from a somewhat unusual source. The following story can serve as an opportunity to re-examine a few strategies, and help paint a few things in a different light.

Investigating Needs

My Neighbor My neighbor and I get together a few mornings each week to walk our dogs. We go down to a local café and, weather permitting, we sit at the outdoor tables. It’s a quiet time of day, and we usually share our current goings-on. As I’m sure you know, word gets out quickly that you are an eyecare professional, and before you know it you find yourself listening to your neighbors’ concerns about vision and their eyewear.

Sometimes, friends and acquaintances provide us with half the story, so we recognize the value of remaining neutral to their retellings of events.

Over the course of several walks, my neighbor mentioned his eyewear buying experiences to me, gauging my reaction, I’m sure. I did my best to play devil’s advocate, diplomatically avoiding judgments, for as long as I could – but more and more examples kept being brought to me via my neighbor’s voice.

It began with wrap eyewear. I often see my neighbor on his bicycle, where a pair of prescription wrap eyewear or sunwear is essential equipment, just like his helmet, or his cycling shoes with spaces where his pedal attachments fit into the soles of the shoes.

As ECPs, we often struggle to gently yet firmly impress on patients that eyewear is important equipment for a specialty sport application. This time, that wasn’t a challenge. He was already on board. There were other things that made this

My neighbor asked me if he was unique because he had done some investigating online, he related some difficulty finding a sturdy pair of sunglasses frames that could provide wrap benefits and also double as an everyday pair, and he wanted something that would make sense both on and off his bicycle.

I told him this was a bit of a specific request, and suggested that he’d find the best match to his needs by speaking face to face with an Optician.

This is where our conversations began to get more interesting.

My neighbor’s rebuttal was that he felt he had done his share of the work, researching online. He felt “under-investigated in his needs,” when visiting Optical shops. It is hard to argue with a guy who does homework before shopping, and here he was telling me he felt that eyecare professionals hadn’t explored his needs.

Oftentimes, dispensers are required to walk a fine line between patients wanting information and patients wanting less talk. It may be helpful to keep in mind that people often do some of their own research; much of that research is from websites with user generated content (such as customer reviews), and as a result of this, our role is that of the consultant. We have a depth of knowledge in a field seen by the public as very specialized – eyecare.

He explained that the small amount of investigating done by the Opticians he worked with felt inconsistent with the large amount of research he had done himself. This was my cue to do less talking and more of the listening. He told me that he’d asked about eyeglasses for biking, and that several options were pitched to him before the individual realized he had asked for Continued on page 36

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bicycling glasses, and not motorcycling glasses. It is easier than you might think to continue a conversation without first making sure you and the patient are talking about the same thing.

At this point, patient confidence can become lost.

me to mentally review my last telephone calls to patients. Had I made them feel cared for? Could I have altered my message to make them feel the service they were receiving was superior?

Upside Down Transaction

Remember the lesson we learn from progressives. It’s unwise to give each patient the same spiel, or else our explanation becomes a monologue. Each of us has had the experience of losing the patient without realizing it. Hopefully, a co-worker stepped in and helped us. Here is an example you may find use-

“It is hard to argue with a guy who does homework before shopping, and here he was telling me he felt that eyecare professionals hadn’t explored his needs.” ful: dispensers typically develop a “speech” about progressive lenses early in their career. As the dispenser develops their knowledge base, their ability to communicate develops as well.

As dispensers become able to recommend the right options to patients based on that patient’s needs, the explanation they provide about progressives becomes tailored to that particular audience as well.

Twenty-Five Feet from a Bicycle We continued our walks with our dogs. My neighbor was excited one morning; he’d placed an order for a pair of wrap sunglasses. It was a specialty lens, sturdy like he wanted, but sleek enough to be worn “more than twenty-five feet from his bicycle, without anyone laughing at me,” as he said. (I’d never heard that one before.)

This caused me to rethink a few things as a dispenser. Maybe some patients didn’t want their sport-specific eyewear to have an overly sporty look. He asked me if there were lots of requests for frames that could perform like athletic frames, while still being suitable for everyday wear. This gave me something to think about. Safety frames often resemble dress eyewear, why not sport frames?

Don’t Play the Blame Game A few days later, he told me his order had been cancelled. The cancellation didn’t bother him, but he felt unhappy with the explanation. He’d been called and told that the line of frames would no longer be available to the dispensary. My neighbor felt that the Optician leaving this message spent a long time making the supplier the bad guy, and not the office. This forced 36 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2010

My neighbor told me too much information was revealed, enough to make the whole transaction feel upside down to him. When I asked for an explanation, he said too much was made about the dispensary’s situation, and not enough information collected about his situation, and needs. I quietly took a sip of coffee and thought.

Summer continued, and vacation time rolled around. When my neighbor told me he’d gone away to the lake and his friend had decided to buy new eyeglasses while on vacation, I couldn’t help thinking I’d heard this one before.

He told me he asked about a dispenser’s education and found out they were a Certified Optician. When he asked about a cosmetic recommendation, the dispenser allegedly said to him, “I’ve been doing this long enough to know not to answer that.”

I asked my neighbor if this was the kind of advice his friend had been looking for, and he said yes. I told my neighbor that the dispensing Optician might have felt that the two people asking his opinion wanted to hear different things.

Making Cosmetic Recommendations While we each have our own individual idea of style, it’s important to remember that cosmetic recommendations are not merely a matter of opinion. Although we have different opinions about what looks good, there are a few guiding points that go a long way to making a qualified, confident recommendation.

Generally, we interpret our customer’s preference from the things they tell as well as their present appearance. They may indicate a desire for a frame to be seen or for eyeglasses that recede. Here’s a useful trick for choosing a frame that fades away: look closely at the person’s hair color and see if you notice any highlights or light shades and pick a frame the same as or lighter than this color. Alternatively, the frames can become more noticeable, through color or angles or design.

Some of the scenarios my neighbor brought to me were a little uncomfortable to hear, but ultimately, they were useful comments for refining one’s approach to patient interaction regarding eyeglasses.

My neighbor and I agreed to meet for another walk with the dogs a few days later, and the conversation drifted away from eyeglasses and onto other topics. I value his input, and I hope you do, too. ■

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TLCVision Files Chapter 11 Reorganization; Operations Continue Uninterrupted Says Company

TLC Vision Corporation announced last month that it has reached an agreement with the holders of a majority of the company’s senior secured debt to restructure its balance sheet.

To expedite its financial restructuring, which includes a pre-arranged plan of reorganization, the company and two of its wholly owned subsidiaries, TLC Vision (USA) Corporation and TLC Management Services Inc., have filed voluntary petitions under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Additionally, the company is seeking a recognition of its Chapter 11 filing in a case that it is commencing in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice under the Canadian Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act. No other company operations, affiliates or subsidiaries—including its TLC Laser Eye Centers—are involved in the filing.

TLCVision said clinical care for patients continues without change or interruption and they will continue to honor the TLC Lifetime Commitment. The company also said the filing will not affect its on-going commitments to current employees.

“This proceeding will enable us to continue providing our surgeons and eyecare professionals with the tools, technologies and services they need to deliver high-quality patient care,” said Jim Tiffany, TLCVision president and COO. “After evaluating a number of strategic alternatives with our board of directors and advisors, we decided that restructuring our debt through court protection was the best way to preserve the value of our business. We expect to emerge swiftly from Chapter 11 with a stronger balance sheet and able to better capitalize on our industry leadership position.”

The company reached an agreement with a group of its senior secured lenders on a Chapter 11 plan of reorganization that provides for the following: a conversion of certain of the funded indebtedness to 100 percent of the new equity of TLC Vision (USA) Corporation, which will emerge as a privately held company; reinstatement of the balance of the funded indebtedness on restructured terms and conditions; payments to employees and critical vendors in the ordinary course of business; and distributions to certain secured and unsecured creditors.

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Second Glance Elmer Friedman, OD

The belief of an “evil eye” by many people in many parts of the world is a myth that just won’t die. We know that an intense gaze can cause the innocent recipient to feel uncomfortable and strangely affected.

FILM GOERS were recently treated to a movie whose theme centered around men in the military who could stare at a goat and kill it. During the Medieval ages a particularly damaging result could come from an individual who exhibited a muscle imbalance, corneal leucoma or any other striking, abnormal appearance of the eye.

An applicable curse could be expected when exposed to such a person with an unlucky ocular appearance. One may be afflicted with bad luck, disease, and even death. Some believe that a person, not vicious in any way, can harm adults, children, livestock or a possession merely by looking at them with envy.

Experts say that the term, “evil eye” is misleading since no one intentionally “cursed” the victim.

It only implied that his/her gaze remained focused on the subject, person, animal or possession too darned long. At last, the evil eye story has proved to be more myth than fact. Yet, in these modern times there exists many false ideas concerning the eyes, vision and eye glasses. This is as good a time as any to expunge the myths and present the facts.

40 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL |JANUARY 2010

For example: #1- SQUINTING will not make your vision worsen; however it is a symptom of the possible need for eye glasses. By narrowing the lids it allows a concentration of the central rays that enter the narrowed pupil. Side effects, such as headaches, may result from the muscle stress around the eyes and face. #2 - POOR LIGHTING while reading will not harm the vision.

However, better vision occurs when adequate light enhances the focus and allows the retina to do its job. Also, straining to see small print is uncomfortable but will not cause lasting damage.

The proper spectacle prescription often alleviates the problem. #3 - SITTING TOO CLOSE to the TV or computer monitor for a prolonged period of time causes only temporary after effects.

Often, the TV or computer screen is inaccurate and operators tend not to blink, adding a dry eye symptom to the problem. It is recommended that frequent breaks be taken so that excessive near point concentration can be relaxed. Children tend to sit close to the TV without damaging the eyes, since their range of accommodation is great enough to handle the situation.

There is a theory that children tend to want the TV and reading

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material closer because of the psychological effect of learning more by inserting one’s whole self into the act. That being said, we must never overlook the possibility of a refractive error playing its part in the problem. #4 - WE INHERIT the same eye problems as our parents?

Genetic eye problems may occur from time to time but it’s not an absolute rule. There may be more of a risk but not a guarantee. Glaucoma has a high rate of risk through inheritance. High refractive errors in parents may also be handed down to the children as dominant genes. On the other hand, cataracts have no basis related to inheritance and its occurrence can be considered random. #5 - AGING PROBLEMS do not necessarily mean that worsening vision cannot be helped. Some changes are inevitable, such as cases of cataracts in our elderly population. It is merely a normal aging change similar to graying hair and stiff joints. Today, cataract surgery is considered commonplace and almost foolproof. In addition to research concerning cataract prevention, there are other helpful hints for better vision. Good dietary habits, no smoking, control of sugar and cholesterol levels are those items that are high on the prevention list. LASIK surgery and eye wear help to round out the means toward better vision. #6 - EATING CARROTS is part of a good dietary habit but ingesting a barrel full per day will not give you the eagle eye vision a person hopes for. Vitamin A deficiency may trouble the vision but an excess of that vitamin will not enhance the vision further and may cause some systemic distress. Foods that help the eyes include: Dark green veggies like, spinach and broccoli which contains lutein, a substance which has been found to inhibit the development of macular degeneration. It is also found in egg yolks. #7- EYE EXERCISES may or might not improve vision. Certain professionally designed exercises are often used in cases of youngsters who have exhibited symptoms of convergence or accommodative insufficiency. Adults do not seem to respond too readily to this course of action. The exercise regimen demands a commitment of a good deal of time and effort. This is another aspect of visual correction wherein success cannot be guaranteed. There are patented, commercially driven eye exercise systems that exist. They insist that their exercises will help people get rid of their glasses. The system has been criticized and shown to merit no scientific support whatsoever. There are programs to teach patients with certain defects to utilize the vision which remains. The central axis of vision may be moved by the patient to allow a more receptive part of the retina to function. #8 - PROLONGED USE OF EYEGLASSES does not make vision worse. A patient doesn’t become dependent on spectacles since Continued on page 42

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the physiology of the eye does not change. However, expected aging will play a role in natural changes. Progressive myopia, presbyopia and induced changes from cataract or diabetes produce changes not due to wearing of spectacles. These are changes that would have occurred notwithstanding the wearing of eye glasses beforehand. #9 - NOT WEARING GLASSES will not cause the eyesight to deteriorate quicker. The world will remain out of focus without glasses. The patient will squint and strain but no lasting damage results. The eye itself is unaffected. That being the case, there is no valid reason for a patient to believe that spectacle correction will reduce the vision itself. By not wearing glasses a disservice is caused to the person requiring the correction. #10 - CHILDREN WITH CROSSED OR LAZY EYE require special attention and therapy. Those who believe that intervention is unnecessary and that the children will outgrow these defects are wrong. Permanent damage could result by belief in this fiction. These problems should be addressed quickly.

Crossed eyes prevent single, binocular, simultaneous vision and the loss of depth perception. The earlier these matters are recognized, the better are our chances for restoring normal vision. A favorite method for early treatment of a “lazy” eye is the use of a patch over the better eye to force increased visual skill in the affected eye. #11- NO PROBLEMS, NO EXAM is not the recommended avenue to pursue. It is not acceptable to skip a child’s first exam because no abnormality is observed. Some feel that by the age of three years it is a good idea to start a regimen of regular eye exams. In this manner, early diagnosis and treatment of vision problems saves immeasurable grief later in life. Many nursery schools conduct screenings of children. Some of these are accurate and some fall short of what is needed. Some school nurses are not aware of what constitutes a good screening program.

The children wish to perform well and will often cheat by peering past the occluder allowing them to see the chart unencumbered. Eye care professionals feel that parental and teacher observation has more validity than simple screenings. A professional eye exam also brings out the possibility of a medical family history of eye problems. ■ “Even when the facts are available, most people seem to prefer the legend and refuse to believe the truth when it in any way dislodges the myth.”

John Mason Brown: SATURDAY REVIEW

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email: info@opticom-inc.com www.opticom-inc.com

42 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL |JANUARY 2010

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800-323-2487

—

EyeBase–Mountain Computer

38

800-364-3930

www.eyebase.net

Robertson Optical

17

800-929-2765

www.robertsonoptical.com

SEIKO Eyewear

26, 27

800-235-LENS

www.seikoeyewear.com

FRONT COVER

800-223-0180

www.silhouette.com

Eyeego

49

518-487-1550

www.eyeego.com

Eyevertise

46

847-202-1411

www.EyeVertise.com

Silhouette Tech-Optics

47

800-678-4277 www.techopticsinternational.com

Three Rivers Optical

31

800-756-2020

www.3riversoptical.com

US Optical

13

800-445-2773

www.usoptical.com

Vision Council

25

866-826-0290

www.thevisioncouncil.org

Vision Expo East

44

800-811-7151

www.visionexpoeast.com

FreeForm Optical Lab

41

212-431-2919

www.freeformopticallab.com

FEA Industries

21, 43

800-327-2002

www.feaind.com

Grimes Optical

47

800-749-8427

www.grimesoptical.com

LBI

39

800-423-5175

www.lbieyewear.com

Luzerne Optical

35

800-233-9637

www.luzerneoptical.com

My Vision Express

47

877-882-7456

www.myvisionexpress.com

Nassau Vision Group

39

800-668-2411

www.nassau247.com

46 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL |JANUARY 2010

Vision Systems Inc. Vogue Eyewear

48

866-934-1030

www.Patternless.com

BACK COVER

800-500-LENS

www.vogue-eyewear.com

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INDUSTRY QUICK ACCESS

EYECAREPROFESSIONAL

ACCESSORIES • CASES • CONTACT LENSES • DISPLAYS • DISTRIBUTORS • EDGING SERVICES • FRAMES / CLIP-ON SETS EQUIPMENT (NEW / USED) • HELP WANTED / BUSINESS SALES • INSTRUMENTS • PACKAGING • MANUFACTURERS

The powerful, fast-reactive photochromic lens. • Photochromic Coating Technology • High Index 1.67 • Exceptional fading speed • Available in Single Vision and KODAK Unique Progressive Lens TEL. 1-800-386-9196 / +45 7021 5530

/7 IND1UICK!D PDF !-

(GXFDWLRQ )XQ +ROH LQ 2QH

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JANUARY 2010 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | 47

To advertise please call 800.914.4322, or visit www.ecpmag.com

www.corning.com/ophthalmic

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INDUSTRY QUICK ACCESS

EYECAREPROFESSIONAL

ACCESSORIES • CASES • CONTACT LENSES • DISPLAYS • DISTRIBUTORS • EDGING SERVICES • FRAMES / CLIP-ON SETS EQUIPMENT (NEW / USED) • HELP WANTED / BUSINESS SALES • INSTRUMENTS • PACKAGING • MANUFACTURERS

OPTOGENICS we make eyeglasses

➧ $2 Credit for ALL e-orders placed on Optogenics.com ➧ $3 Credit for ALL AR e-orders placed on Optogenics.com ➧ 24/7 extra e-order $$

Go to Optogenics.com for more special offers!

OPTOGENICS = In House ARs

The Premier Laboratory

To advertise please call 800.914.4322, or visit www.ecpmag.com

Tel: 800-678-4225 Fax: 800-343-3925 VSP, VCP, VBA approved Free UPS pick-up (min. 3 Rx’s)

for

In House Digital FreeForm Lenses

Step into Three Rivers Optical’s “O” Zone.

Our “Free” Lens Series offers one-of-a-kind bifocal designs that fill a void in the optical industry. With our unique, patented “Round Seg” technology, your patients will experience the best in bifocal lenses.

WHEN SKILLED HANDS using state of the art technology come together the result is precision bench work. We pride ourselves in producing edge work that is light years ahead of our competition.

Get in the “O” Zone Today

(800) 221-4170

Toll Free: 1-800-233-8373 Fax: 1-800-548-3487 www.balester.com

www.drivewearlens.com

Drivewear lenses uniquely combine two of the most advanced technologies found in the industry today: Transitions™ Photochromic Technology and NuPolar® polarization. Drivewear is the first polarized photochromic lens to darken behind the windshield of a car.

800.756.2020 www.threeriversoptical.com

www.21stcenturyoptics.com

Click, click, click, your lens order is done.

Use one website to order all of your stock lenses electronically. With no usage or ordering fees!

Green Bay, WI 54308 800-678-4266/Fax 920-965-3203

Balester Optical is a full-service, independent wholesale optical laboratory. We are committed to providing you with quality products and excellent customer service.

We maintain a state-of-the-art laboratory, including two in-house anti-reflective coating systems.

email: info@opticom-inc.com www.opticom-inc.com

48 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2010

WANTED

SALES REPS WANTED NATIONWIDE (Except for Southern California)

K-Mars Optical is seeking regional sales representatives for a rapidly growing product line – Our Frame and Lenses Packages.

Contact: Dan, 1-800-296-1551 x121

Old Plastic (Zyl) Frames Dear old timers, clean out your old frame cabinets. Give us your old, your dusty, your frames that don’t sell and we will pay for it. Call us and tell us what you have and we will pay in advance, including pick up.

Cedarhurst Fashion Opticians, Cedarhurst, NY Email: lbgoptix@netscape.net Phone: (516) 569-2888

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INDUSTRY QUICK ACCESS

EYECAREPROFESSIONAL

ACCESSORIES • CASES • CONTACT LENSES • DISPLAYS • DISTRIBUTORS • EDGING SERVICES • FRAMES / CLIP-ON SETS EQUIPMENT (NEW / USED) • HELP WANTED / BUSINESS SALES • INSTRUMENTS • PACKAGING • MANUFACTURERS

RECONDITIONED SPECIALS!!

TM

INC.

LOW PRICE LEADER SINCE 1949 Factory Direct Savings on Fully Stitched Slip-in Cases Clamshell Cases Lowest Prices in the Industry Molded Plastic & Children’s Cases Huge Saving on Microfiber Cleaning Cloths and Spray Cleaner

Call: 800 249-1058

Your most cost effective merchandising tools!

Arch Crown, Inc. 460 Hillside Avenue Hillside, NJ 07205 Toll Free: 1-800-526-8353 Fax: 973-731-2228 e-mail: orders@ArchCrown.com www.ArchCrown.com

Safety bevels and Grooves!

Instruments Reichert Keratometer . . . . . . . . $595 Chart Projectors starting at . . . . . $395 Marco Radiuscope . . . . . . . . . . $695 Optical Finish Equipment and Supplies

Grimes Optical Equipment Co. 800-749-8427 www.grimesoptical.com

National Lens America’s Leading Discount Contact Lens Distributor

Framedisplays.com is the leading provider of optical frame displays for ophthalmic dispensing professionals. Products include optical eyewear and sunglass displays in addition to lockable, rotating, standing, wall mount and slatwall frame displays.

Call 877.274.9300 for info and catalog.

CE

Rudy is Sport RX. Rudy Project is Italian for cutting edge technology and innovations in plano & RX eyewear/sunwear.

Increase your sales to athletes!

Phone 1-866-923-5600 Fax 1-866-923-5601 www.national-lens.com

Contact us. www.rudyprojectusa.com or 888-860-7597

WEBSITE www.feaind.com • Videos • Invoice Lookup • On-line Ordering • Real time job tracking • Account Statements and balances • Technical & Processing Information And more.......

Print too small?

We sell PALs.

F E A Industries, Inc. FULL SERVICE LABORATORY A/R AND MIRROR COATINGS

Tel: 800-327-2002 Fax: 800-955-7770

SALES HELP WANTED Experienced Sales Reps Top commissions • Many Territories Available • •

If you are tired of working for a company who doesn’t appreciate what you do then give us a shot.

Fax a Resume to 800-756-0034 Attn. Steve Seibert

ABO/NCLE APPROVED CONTINUING EDUCATION Dry Eyes and Its Effects on Contact Lens Wear $ 12.99 for 1 NCLE Credit Hour

Available at: www.ecpmag.com/CE Take the course online and receive your certificate within 5 days!

A case with a double lock & your name imprinted on it!

ONLY

9¢

EACH

12¢ per unit Printed!

NELLERK CONTACT CONTACT LENS LENS CASES CASES 607-748-2166

Fax: 607-748-2273 JANUARY 2010 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | 49

To advertise please call 800.914.4322, or visit www.ecpmag.com

See our complete case catalog at: http://www.LBI.biz

Op-Tags™, Labels & Bar Code Systems...

Edgers Briot Accura CX RC . . . . . . . $13,950 Essilor Gamma RC . . . . . . . $12,950 Essilor Kappa RC . . . . . . . . . $17,950

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Last Look Jim Magay, RDO

Luxury vs. Quality What’s the difference? To some luxury can be a symbol of conspicuous consumption – think diamond studded doggy collars or a gold plated Lamborghini.

To others it can be 5 or 6 houses (think John McCain).

LUXURY AND QUALITY are not always synonymous, I’m reminded of the early days of designer frames when American Optical had Oscar De La Renta under contract and produced a line of frames under that famous nameplate. I asked an AO frame guy, “Did Oscar actually design these?” and the answer was, “He might have walked through the parking lot in Southbridge once.” The frames, though nice – were no different in construction or material than the regular AO line of frames albeit with a fancy logo on the temple.

My point is quality – and AO frames were of the highest quality – is not always the same as luxury.

One interesting trend concerning designer label products is that although in the past they have been regarded as elitist and generally the province of the rich and wealthy, the deep recession that started to bite in the United States in 2008 saw thousands of women’s designer label fashion items making their way into recycle stores online. Labels like Ralph Lauren, Zac Posen and Chanel were now affordable to the general population.

Some labels that have sold in leading retail stores for thousands of dollars could now be bought for hundreds of dollars.

An additional business trend within the ‘designer label’ industry has seen the general accessibility of the brands increase through increased affordability. This creates a paradox for the labels in question: By reducing their prices and increasing their market size, they increase their profit and customer base.

However, in doing so, they alienate their extremely affluent customers who appreciate the social status accorded to them by the designer brands. This causes many of the more affluent customers to continually seek out new brands and rely less on those that are excessively commercialized – thus eventually leading to new designer brands. The rise of the internet has provided customers access to designers and brands that they 50 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2010

would have otherwise not known about through online commerce, for example through sites such as Boticca.com or Amazon.com.

We have seen this in our store where discriminating clients forego the more common designer names and are eager to hear of new finds unearthed on our buying trips.

These may be the people that the French semiotician Baudrillard was especially interested in. He stated that, “the cultural mystique added to objects by advertising, which encourages consumers to purchase them as aids to the construction of their personal identity.”

We sell Quality and Luxury. Our luxe products are of first line quality and all of our offerings meet stringent quality standards whether luxurious or not.

An example is a comparison between Tifosi and Mont Blanc sunglasses. The Tifosi is 1/5th of the price of the MB, however they both have great quality. The product features of the MB make it worth the extra money – (Heavy duty gold plated frame, carbon fiber temples – incredible optics) things that can’t be duplicated at a lower price. When you look closely at both the differences are apparent.

An Amadeus frame compared to a Morel product from France shows the effect of clever design combined with great materials and yet the Amadeus remains a great value though 1/3rd the cost.

To paraphrase the words of British Conservative Party Leader David Cameron: “It’s not just about the quantity of money, but the quality of life.” ■

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Has just added a

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28.98

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includes

Two Year Warranty ™

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21st Century Optics 47-00 33rd St., Long Island City, NY 11101 (800) 221-4170 53 Brown Ave., Springfield, NJ (800) 672-1096 www.21stcenturyoptics.com / www.quickcareframerepair.com Xtreme AR™ is a registered trademark of 21st Century Optics. Crizal, Crizal Alizé, Crizal Avancé are registered trademarks of Essilor International.

PRODUCED AND DISTRIBUTED BY LUXOTTICA GROUP

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