EyeCare Professional Magazine January 2012 Issue

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FABULOUS SUNWEAR / PAGE 6 DIGITAL OR FREE FORM LENSES? / PAGE 20 January 2012 • Volume 6, Issue 49 • www.ECPmag.com

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JANUARY 2012

EYECAREPROFESSIONAL

Vol. 6 Issue 49

Features 6

Courtesy of X-IDE Eyewear

Contents

Magazine

FABULOUS SUNWEAR Impress your patients in the new year with all the latest styles in sunwear.

by ECP Staff

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STRATEGY FOR INDEPENDENTS A proactive strategy for independents is crucial in this increasingly competitive environment.

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by Warren G. McDonald, PhD

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NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS Get your practice off to a good start in 2012 by fulfilling all your optical resolutions.

by Anthony Record, RDO

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DIGITAL OR FREE FORM? It is important that ECPs understand the differences between digital and free form lenses.

by Judy Canty, LDO

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DIGITAL MEDIA IMPORTANCE Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter are all free and increasingly essential in promoting optical dispensaries.

by Lindsey Getz

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GREAT ARTIST’S VISION PROBLEMS The avant-garde work of some of our greatest artists may have been a result of visual ailments.

by Elmer Friedman, OD

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On The Cover: EYEVERTISE www.eyevertise.com

Departments EDITOR/VIEW .....................................................................................................4 MOBILE OPTICIAN .........................................................................................18 INDUSTRY PROFILE........................................................................................26 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT.............................................................................30 OD PERSPECTIVE ............................................................................................38 ADVERTISER INDEX .......................................................................................42 INDUSTRY QUICK ACCESS............................................................................43 LAST LOOK .......................................................................................................46

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EYECAREPROFESSIONAL

Editor / view

Magazine

by Jeff Smith

When Plano is not Enough here are many people who slowly advance into full-time eyeglass wear (myself included this past year). It’s just a part of life when your vision deteriorates and you don’t want to wear contacts or go through Lasik surgery. But an odd fashion trend in Asia is proving the old adage that the grass is always greener on the other side.

T

The latest fad in Hong Kong and some other Asian countries is to wear lens-less plastic frames. The colors are mainly black, but can also be bright flowery colors or tortoiseshell. But the one constant is no lens. We aren’t talking plano, there is quite simply nothing there.

The following is taken from a Nov. 18, 2011 article in the Wall Street Journal: Chu Fun, a popular 32-year-old morning-radio host, wears contact lenses for nearsightedness, but she wears glasses, too, choosing from among four pairs of lensless spectacles. She bought her favorite ones, black with purple stems, in Japan a couple of years ago for about $13. She also has a pink pair, a black cartoonish pair and a bright red pair she picked up just the other day. Her husband has three pairs, all black but in different shapes.

Besides matching her outfits, or her hair, which until recently also was purple, the glasses are practical. She doesn’t have time to put on makeup early in the morning before facing her colleagues. “Those black circles are so seriously bad, I try to find some way to cover it,” she says.

The no-glass frames also don’t blind the wearer when walking out of the arctic air conditioning that blasts through most buildings into the tropical heat. “If you wear this, no fog,” she says.

And one more practicality: fake eyelashes. “If I have lenses here,” she says, sticking her finger through the frames, lashes “may clash with the glasses.” This way the lashes can stick through unimpeded.

It’s ironic that this trend has taken hold in an area of the world where so many people are in need of corrected vision. A recent survey made by the Chinese University of Hong Kong found out that myopia cases have tripled in the city in the past decade. Latest figures showed that more than 6 percent of kindergarten pupils suffered from myopia, compared to just 2.3 per cent 10 years earlier.

It seems the fad started for a number of reasons. A number of local TV personalities and actors have been wearing them. And the frames retail from $4 to $12 and are found in makeshift vendors on the street. Like any trend, it’s dubious how long it will last. But I think I speak for most ECPs in this country when I say that I hope it doesn’t catch on here.

4 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2012

Publisher/Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff Smith Production/Graphics Manager. . . . . . . . . . . Bruce S. Drob Director, Advertising Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . Lynnette Grande Contributing Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Judy Canty, Paul DiGiovanni, Gary Fore, Elmer Friedman, Lindsey Getz, Ginny Johnson, Jim Magay, Warren McDonald, Laura Miller, Anthony Record, Jason Smith, Carrie Wilson Technical Editor . . . . . . . . Brian A. Thomas, P.h.D, ABOM 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 6 Number 49 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.

For Back Issues and Reprints contact Jeff Smith, Publisher at 800-914-4322 or by Email: jeff@ECPmag.com Copyright © 2012 by OptiCourier Ltd. All Rights Reserved For Subscription Changes, email: admin@ecpmag.com Scan this barcode with your smartphone to go to our website.

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ACCESSORY OF CHOICE Sunglasses are the most popular accessory and should be a perennial favorite for everyone from children to adults.

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1. Allison America Moschino finds the perfect equilibrium of elegance.

The lightness and refinement of Japanese culture is the muse of this surprising style where the hinge becomes a Japanese fan. A metal core locks the three rings with shiny coating in different graduated opening. This style (MO671), in acetate, comes in institutional black, white, red & tortoise. www.allisonamerica.com

Fabulous SUNWEAR

2. Eastern States Eyewear Randees Kandees is an all new sunglass collection created for ESE’s Exces Eyewear collection by NYC artist, Randee. A wide array of bright, cleverly meshed colors combines with sexy, youthful designs that are perfect for women seeking a fun pair of summer sunglasses. Coming this February. www.eseyewear.com 2

3. Zero G Eyewear

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Designed in California and handcrafted in Japan from flat sheet titanium – the lightest, strongest material in the world, Zero G Eyewear has become known in the industry for quality, durability, and style.

NOLITA’s bold, distinguished look takes inspiration from a timeless, plastic sunglass, while its titanium design provides ultimate lightweight comfort. www.zerogeyewear.com

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4. X-IDE Eyewear The new collection is inspired by the most important neighborhoods of New York. Streets in the Big Apple have been constantly changing their faces from the seventies on, renewing and refreshing themselves, but never losing their own soul. Broadway style shown here, comes in three colors, Black/Purple; Brown/Caramel: Black/White. www.x-ide.it

5. Guess by Marciano GM632 is a handmade acetate frame in a retro cat eye shape. The ivory color on the front of the frames is complimented by a gold glitter laminated interior, providing a personal and individual touch for the wearer. Metal temples coated in satin gold have a small “M” Logo. Available in size: 58-16-135. www.guessbymarciano.guess.com

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6. Reptile Sun The polarized Boomslang is a sleek square-retro style with a gorgeous modern design. It’s “vintage versatile” for an urban casual or a funky street-smart look.

Available in two-toned tortoise fade and two-toned gray fade and is made with cotton fiber acetate. www.reptilesun.com

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

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Sunwear has come a long way in shapes and sizes, embellishments, and vast selections of colors from muted tones to vibrant brights.

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Tifosi Optics

Hilco

Tifosi Optics introduces the Altar - premium quality optics that blend fashion with high tech performance. The Altar sports an edgy frame design and a generous fit range for small to large face sizes. It also features an interchangeable lens system and includes a set of three lenses, for variable weather & light conditions. www.tifosioptics.com

Hilco’s Leader® Rx Sunglasses collection is one of the fastest growing lines in the business, for good reasons. All styles feature sporty 8-base wraparound styling with the processing ease and optics of standard Rx lens mounting. Now featuring a chic, classic white frame option in the popular Circuit and Elite styles. The Element Junior, the popular Element frame style, is now sized to fit narrow adult or youth faces comfortably. www.hilco.com

Zyloware Modo

The Randy Jackson Sunglass Collection is comprised of 5 styles upholding the retro/modern sensibility of his brand.

RU S902P is a full rim metal frame with a stylish double-bar bridge. The modified oval shape suits a variety of face shapes– making it the perfect wear-anywhere frame. Handcrafted zyl temples sport a two-toned coloration as well as a brushed metal striped insert as a subtle design embellishment. www.zyloware.com

MYKITA The first MYKITA MYLON collection marks the foundation of a new product segment in the eyewear sector: luxury sports fashion. These are glasses that redefine the border between the worlds of fashion and sports. All models boast extreme stability, low weight and outstanding durability. A tableau of colors ranging from Sunshine (shown) to Storm, Pitch, Peat and Cinnabar is available throughout the collection. www.mykita.com

The trend for retro-inspired design adapted to a more modern shape remains dominant in Derek Lam sun styles: Hayden is a bohemian style – small round retro-inspired frame. The materials are utterly new – intricate textures and rich bi-levels bring a new depth. www.modobiz.com

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Essilor’s FGX Unit Acquires Stylemark FGX International, an Essilor U.S. subsidiary, has completed the acquisition of all outstanding shares in Stylemark, one of North America’s leading designers and distributors of non-prescription reading glasses and sunglasses.

Based in Ormond Beach, Fla., Stylemark employs approximately 340 people and generates around $140 million in annual revenue in North America.

Each year, it sells more than 30 million readers and sunglasses in nearly 30,000 retail outlets, mainly in the food, mass retail, drugstore and department store segments. It boasts a large portfolio of licensed brands, including Nine West, Dockers, Reebok, Hello Kitty and various Disney properties.

Essilor said in a statement that the acquisition will enable FGXI to add new customers, consolidate the two companies’ businesses and enter the fastgrowing department store segment. The expanded

business will also enhance the efficiency of its supply chain, the company noted.

The Stylemark acquisition is fully aligned with the strategy Essilor launched two years ago, with the purchase of FGX International, to extend its offering of eye health solutions, particularly in the presbyopia segment. “There are 2.4 billion people in the world who need corrective eyewear but don't wear any,� said Hubert Sagnieres, chief executive officer of Essilor. “By strengthening our positions in the non-prescription reading glass market, we are speeding our expansion in a fast-growing segment and giving ourselves additional means to develop a high-quality offering of affordable eyesight correction solutions for a wide range of people around the world. In addition, Stylemark’s expertise in sunglass frame distribution will enable Essilor to effectively meet growing demand for eye protection solutions.�

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Kaenon

Morel Eyewear

Burnet’s throw-back styling and temple design highlights discrete branding and logo detailing in a pure metal inlay. With a durable, 8-base TR-90 frame, Burnet houses Kaenon’s patented SR-91 polarized lenses for 100% UV protection, razor sharp optical clarity and unsurpassed glare reduction. www.kaenon.com

In 1846, Carl ZEISS created his precision optics workshop in Jena, Germany. A few years later, in 1880, Marius Morel created his very first collection of spectacles in Jura, the birthplace of French eyewear. The MARIUS MOREL 1880 sunglasses range marries these two outstanding types of expertise to bring you exceptional sunglasses combining eyewear tradition and pure sun protection. www.morel-france.com

Polaroid Eyewear Evatik Sunwear

Polaroid Eyewear’s 2012 Collection includes a new category of sports frames for the upcoming year. These frames cater to those who enjoy a more active lifestyle and do not want their glasses-wearing to get in the way. A rare treat, instead of settling for heavier, clunky Rx-able frames, these lightweight and comfortable Polaroid Rx-able sport frames allow sports enthusiasts to enjoy their activities to the fullest extent. www.polaroid-eyewearstore.com

RUDY PROJECT – Technically Cool Eyewear Combining the best in technology for sport with a fierce, determined look, the new Hypermask is suitable for all types of activity, whether it be racing or just relaxing. Weighing less than an ounce, it’s so light it can be worn for hours in total comfort. Its adjustable nosepiece and soft rubber temple tips guarantee stability, perfect face fit and excellent air circulation to prevent fogging. www.rudyprojectusa.com

Evatik Sunwear introduces 18 new models in stainless steel and acetate. All models are available with CR-39 and polarized lenses, are hydraphobic, and have a built in scratch resistant coating, 100% UVA and UVB protection and a backside 7 layer anti-reflective coating. E-1004 (shown) is a fashionable stainless steel sunglass with triple bridge in size 61-16-140 available in Charcoal grey and Black silver. www.evatik.com

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

Let’s Get Competitive in the New Year!

I often hear complaints from independent opticians and some ODs who complain loudly that they just can’t make it in today’s optical environment. With the proliferation of mega-store corporate eye care organizations, how can the independent practitioner be expected to compete?

IN THIS ARTICLE we will examine some methods independents can use to help them become more successful despite the growth and continuing development of corporate entities.

What we will focus on is competitive advantage.

Competitive Advantage Competitive advantage is the basis on which a practice can compete with anyone and maintain an advantage. Levoy (2002) provides some specific suggestions to developing a competitive advantage for eye care practices. He indicates that providing specialty service sets one office apart from another. For the OD, he describes Advanced Orthokeratology, Low Vision and others as examples of specialty services that can provide a competitive advantage. Opticians can also provide some specialty service, like Low Vision, Sports Vision and other well-known strategies.

Do you offer things others don’t? If you want to compete, find a niche and fill it.

Competitive advantage is generally accomplished through a thorough review of the marketplace and yourself and your 12 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2012

organization. Important to the process is a SWOT analysis; a review of strengths and weaknesses (internal analysis), and opportunities and threats (external analysis). Through this process, you should be able to effectively develop strategies to make your organization more competitive by developing your strengths, and correcting or minimizing your weaknesses. Those independents that are successful in today’s eye care industry have a well-defined strategic plan for continuous improvement.

Office Appearance Have you seen some of the large, corporate operations? Most are nicely decorated with huge inventories to meet the needs of the general population. They set the bar high. I have been in several independent offices that are not up-to-date in appearance, and are even dirty, and they wonder why they are not successful. What does your office look like? Are you up-to-date, or should you possibly remodel? Is your office free of barriers to those with special needs? Take an objective look at your peers and see what you can do to update your office to make it more appealing and/or patient friendly. Things like seasonal office Continued on page 14

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Introducing in-house processing of KODAK Unique Lenses at FEA.

FREE TRANSITIONS® LENS UPGRADE. KODAK Unique Lenses give patients increased Rx accuracy with wide distance and excellent peripheral vision in a digitallycreated full-backside progressive. Computer selected corridor lengths based on each patient’s frame size ensure an optimal match while advanced decentration techniques also produce thinner lenses. Choose the spectacular combination of premium performance and value offered only by KODAK The full KODAK

Unique Lenses.

Unique Lens line is compatible with all major anti-reflective coatings and is available in a large selection of Transitions lenses.

Upgrade your KODAK Unique Lens purchase to a Transitions® lens for FREE during Jan. 1 - March 31, 2012.

Call FEA at 800.327.2002 1 North Morton Avenue, Morton, PA 19070

www.feaind.com

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decorations can provide a large boost. Levoy (2002) indicates that an office should be redecorated every seven years to maintain a fresh appearance in the eyes of patients.

a 5-mile radius from your office. Why spend thousands on the huge mega-channel that covers the surrounding three states if it is not necessary. Find a good local TV or radio station that reaches your patients far more economically and effectively.

Products and Services Product mix is important. Many of the large corporations have huge inventories. Review your product mix and compare. How do you stack up with the big operators? Is it appropriately displayed? Is there enough, or too much? You want to turn over your merchandise approximately 4-8 times a year (Appler, 1999; Moss, 2001) and the number of frames displayed need to meet the needs of your target market. Having 10 million frames will not make you sell more products, and may even be a source of confusion for patients. Make certain you have the products you carry displayed effectively and you will sell through at a much higher level.

Services are equally as important. What does your target market want in terms of products and services? Give your office the advantage by providing the services they demand. Should you provide laboratory services? Do you need to add more sunglasses?

Products and services offered must be selected carefully and allow you to position yourself in the market. Wal-Mart and others offers their products and services based on price. You may not be able to compete effectively in that market if they are next door. What you can do is to provide patients services they may not be able to provide. Special lens designs that they may not be able to supply will position you differently than the big-box supplier. If you fit contact lenses, doing specialty lenses will identify you as a specialist versus those who supply disposable only. Those who are most successful today select products and services that will differentiate themselves from others in the market.

Marketing What is marketing? Griffith (2006, p. 585) defines marketing as “the deliberate effort to establish fruitful relationships with exchange stakeholders and partners.” The American Marketing Association defines marketing as “the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational objectives.” (Zaher, 2002, p. 212) Advertising is a major part of marketing strategy. Finding the correct media is important. By targeting your advertising to selected target markets you will maximize your resources and minimize costs. I encourage you to know who your market really is, and how to best reach them. Demographics, including age, gender, race, etc., are important and allow you to maximize your marketing efforts. For example, most patients come from 14 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2012

Marketing is more than just advertising, however. It is how we present ourselves and our organization to the public. How we dress, how we answer the phone, and even our signage. It is imperative that all of these be selected to provide maximum results for the bottom line.

Information Technology I still go to some offices that are not using their resources appropriately. It takes far more to bring in a new patient than to keep an older one. Make sure to constantly review your files to keep patients within the practice. Computer technology allows us to do remarkable things and knowing our patient base is one of the most important functions. Send them updates and use the “gold” in your database. Successful offices develop communication devices, such as newsletters, that keep patients abreast of new services or products and just let them know we are thinking of them.

Summary Competition is getting tougher and to keep up to date, you must develop a proactive strategy that keeps you and your organization positioned appropriately in the marketplace. This article provides some information that may be helpful, but is not all that can be done. Most important to your success is to keep up with the market. Know yourself and know your competitors. Keep up-to-date with technology and make certain your office presents the image you want it to. You are in business, and despite the fact that you may be the very best, most knowledgeable provider in the world; you must manage the business side of the practice to find the success your professional training can provide you. ■ References: Appler, T; Dennis, R; Muth, E; White. D. (1999). Management for Opticians, Butterworth-Heinemann, Woburn, Massachusetts Barwise, P., (2006). Marketer’s Toolkit; The 10 Strategies You Need to Succeed.Harvard Business School Press, Boston, Massachusetts.

Class’e, J; Thal, L; Kamen; Rounds, R., 2004. Business Aspect of Optometry, Butterworth-Heinemann, Woburn, Massachusetts.

Levoy, R, (2002). 201 Secrets of a High-Performance Optometric Practice, Butterworth-Heinemann, Woburn, Massachusetts Moss, G, and P. Shaw-McMinn, (2001). Eyecare Business Marketing and Strategy.Butterworth-Heinemann, Woburn, Massachusetts.

Zaher, E., in Albert, D., (2002). A Physicianís Guide to Health Care Management.Blackwell Publishing, Williston, Vermont

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Managing Optician Anthony Record, ABO/NCLE, RDO

Fulfilling Your New Year’s Resolutions By this time next year, there will be no more free-form progressive lenses. Trivex will be a thing of the past. Nobody will have the ability to purchase his or her eyeglasses online. How can that all be? Well, if we are to believe the Mayan Calendar – it’s going to be the end of the world as we know it! Most of us believe that’s not going to happen. Come this time next year, free-forms will still be all the rage, Trivex will still be indestructibly lightweight, and unfortunately, our prospective patients will still have the ability to purchase eyeglasses online. The more realistic question is not whether or not we’ll all still be here, it’s whether or not we will have achieved our New Year’s resolution.

The ABC News website claims that about 48% of Americans make a New Year’s resolution. By far, the most common one is to lose weight. Others include eating more healthy food, start exercising, stop smoking, and spending more time with the family. About 23% of resolutions have to do with jobs, business, or getting our finances in better shape.

16 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2012

According to an article published a few years ago by Living on the Up Beat, only 8% of Americans will stick to and achieve their New Years’ resolution. Therefore, 92% will fail. Even more remarkably, 45% will have failed by the end of January. Why? There are many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that many New Year’s resolutions are not deliberate and thought out. Rather, they are hastily made with champagne glasses clinking, as the chimes of midnight are just beginning to fade. Studies show that if your resolution (which is just a festive euphemism for the word goal) is made in advance, well thought out, and if you approach it with seriousness of purpose (i.e. a real plan) chances are far better that as you’re singing Auld Lang Syne as December 2012 fades into obscurity, you will find yourself among the elite 8% – smugly bragging about your resolution success.

Let’s assume you are the Vision Center Department Manager at a large retail chain. There are 15 stores in your district, and for the last few years your department is always near the bottom when it comes to gross sales growth over previous year – a number that upper management really looks to in determining raises, performance evaluations, etc. You resolve to NOT be in the bottom next year. Instead, it is your resolution/goal to be in the top three! Here are four further suggestions to help you achieve that lofty goal.

First, realize you can’t achieve this particular goal on your own.

Involve as many people as you can to help you do it. Schedule a brief meeting for the sole purpose of discussing and establishing the goal. Invite your “independent” optometrist to the meeting. Why? Despite her titular independence, she is a crucial piece in this puzzle, and the first substantive professional contact your patient has. And trust me, much to the chagrin

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of your state Board of Optometry, from the patient’s point of view, you are all members of the same ECP team.

Additionally, studies show that the doctor recommending things in the exam room make it far more likely the patient will buy them. Remind everyone of your department’s standing over the last few years. Ask everyone to share why he or she thinks you’ve been at the bottom. Ask why they think the other stores are at the top. Share your views as well. After you’ve had a brief discussion on the past, focus on the future. Ask the group if they truly set out to make an improvement, what do they think they could achieve in terms of their standing when compared with the other staffs at the other Vision Centers in the district? If they’re like most people (and trust me they are) they’re likely to claim they could be #1 if they really wanted to.

That’s when I’d ask if they think landing somewhere in the top three would be an achievable goal. More than likely they will say yes. By approaching the initial resolution with this level of involvement you have given everyone a true sense of ownership and emotional attachment to the goal.

Second, studies show that if you will Socially Commit to your goal you are more likely to achieve it. Talk to as many people as will listen to your resolution. Tell your family about it around the dinner table. Inform your friends about what you are trying to accomplish. The next time you run in to the store manager, ask him for five minutes of his time, and enthusiastically tell him about the goal that you and your department are working on. Ask him if there is anything he can do to help. This kind of social commitment makes it far more likely that the goal will be achieved as opposed to you making a resolution to improve alone in the dark. Share your resolution with anyone who will listen.

The third thing you need to do is Make Sure Your Goal is a SMART One. People way smarter than me have discovered that if the goal is comprised of the five elements of the acronym SMART, chances are the goal will be achieved. The letters stand for Specific, Measureable, Action-oriented, Realistic, and Time-driven. To satisfy these criteria, I wouldn’t end the abovementioned meeting until an agreement had been reached that crystallizes the goal into a one-or-two-sentence description that includes SMART. For example: “To ensure our place in the

Top 3, we resolve to raise our sales by 21% over the last year and do it by December 1, 2012. That is definitely specific and measureable. We could argue whether or not it’s realistic, but we will assume it is. It certainly has the element of time. What’s missing? Actions. This is the most crucial piece of the puzzle.

Together with the team, you need to come up with specific actions to help achieve the goal. You have to do different things – things you’ve never done before. Why? If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got. And we don’t want that! Maybe you agree to distribute POP (point of purchase) brochures to all your patients. Maybe doc agrees to write suggestions for second pairs on her Rx forms. Whatever seems like it might work... try it.

The fourth and final step is to Keep Track of Your Progress. But here’s the thing: Do not keep track of the main goal (in this case the sales figures). That takes care of itself. After all, to check on sales all you have to do is probably push a couple of buttons on your computer. You want to really achieve your goal? Keep track of how well you do with regard to the ACTIONS. Create some kind of a scoreboard...a poster...anything...that on a daily basis shows how the team is doing when it comes to achieving and sticking to the agreed upon Actions. For example, if you decided to try the POP approach, keep track of what percentage of patients who came in for an exam received brochures. If you do that for a month, and your scoreboard shows that 91% of patients (Great job by the way) were given some POP, but your monthly sales have not improved over the same month last year, you have discovered that the POP plan is not working.

What’s that tell you? Your group needs a new and different action. Measure the new action for a few weeks. Eventually, by keeping track of things in this manner you will discover that some action works better than all others. Redouble your efforts with that particular action and you are well on your way to achieving your New Year’s resolution/goal.

Resolutions are easy and sometimes fun to create, but it takes real planning and effort to achieve them. If you’re willing to try this new approach, perhaps when you hear the tinkling of champagne glasses to welcome in 2013, it will be in celebration of more than just the passing of another year. ■

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The Mobile Optician Ginny Johnson, LDO, ABOC

What Part of Know Don’t You Understand?

Whether your patient’s purchasing decisions are based on price, selection, emotions or what fits inside their insurance bubble, ECPs are required to think quick on their feet while following their gut.

Mr. Noears chose a metal frame with clip-ons (size 58-18-150) during a handoff with minimal communication. The shape and color looked nice on him, the size looked ridiculous. I discussed his lens options and he definitely liked the idea of having a polarized clip-on. I reminded him that he wears his glasses all of the time and the larger the frames the thicker and heavier his lenses would be. I was matter of fact about the frame being too large on him and not a wise decision at all for his RX. He had no problems with his current pair and he would keep those for back up.

To buy or not to buy-that is the question. The answer lies somewhere between what the doctor prescribes, how the ECP conveys that and what the patient expects.

I was presented with a patient last week that after further review, I know I should have never allowed the situation to get so out of hand. I messed up when I ignored my ECP gut full of moral obligations to the patient and the practice. I’ve only been in the optical industry for 20 years so I’m still learning.

Here are the cliff notes from my ongoing patient encounter with Mr. Noears and his wife that may end up being a bad novel.

Mr. Noear’s old Rx OD -8.50 -0.25 x 090 OS -10.25-0.25 x 120 +2.00 add OU PD=60 Progressive lens wearer

Mr. Noear’s new Rx OD -8.50 -0.75 x 090 OS -10.25-0.75 x 115 +2.25 add OU

18 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2012

I checked to see if we could get that exact frame (51-18-140) and they were discontinued (imagine that) with no warehouse leftovers. I strongly recommended that we order a few smaller frames for him to come back and try on. I would make sure the ones I ordered were comparable to his current pair.

After several minutes of working with him his wife spoke up. I should have followed my gut feeling that this was not going to be good. She told me not to worry about ordering any frames because she liked the larger frames on him and she didn’t think the lenses would be that thick. I could immediately tell she was the one that wore the glasses in that family. With his nose pressed up against the mirror (as our office eagerly awaits a mack daddy fitting system) he agreed with her that the frame size looked good.

At this point it didn’t matter what I recommended since their minds were made up. Mrs. Noears said her husband has to wear the glashez (glasses) and these are the ones we want. Alrighty then. If I owned the practice I would have politely refused to make the eyeglasses on the spot. In this case I was with another patient when the (fill in) doctor walked the Noears into the dispensary and happened to choose this particular frame to demonstrate the clip-ons.

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I explained to Mr. Noears as privately as possible in the midst of a crowded dispensary that the doctor was not showing him the frame in regards to it being the best size for him. He said he realized that and proceeded nudge his wife to get the checkbook out.

I took the measurements I needed and put his tray aside. I had to call him later that day with some information regarding his vision insurance and asked him about canceling the order telling him it was not too late. No thanks.

Guess what? He hated the finished product when I presented it to him. He wanted to know why the darn lenses were so thick?

I calmly explained (thanks to Bikram Yoga) the reasons for the thickness and revisited our conversation and the notes from the day he placed the order. I asked him if he wanted me to help him now. I told him that I too was disappointed and I’m willing to make it right as long as he agrees to completely trust me this time.

I said I would order the smaller frames for him to try on and call him when they came in. I explained in detail that it would take 7-10 business days to make the new lenses after we decide on a frame. Without hesitation he agreed. Mrs. Noears called back five minutes after he left and wanted to know what happened. She asked if they would be getting any money back.

I bet you can guess the answer to that one.

The smaller frames arrived and I called to let Mr. Noears know.

Mrs. Noears answered and said that no one told Mr. Noears that he would have to come back to just try on frames.

They told him he would be picking up his new prescription eyeglasses. I told her that the triangle communication between the three of us was not working out real well. I said that he was well aware of what he and I discussed and asked her to please have him call me. It will be next week before he can come in to try the frames on. I hate to leave you hanging however the final results are still up in the air.

Morals of the story: • The patient is the patient is the patient • Always follow your gut • Never lose control of the agenda • Think quick on your feet • Actions speak louder than words • Politely refuse If you know your morals as an ECP and ever find yourself in a situation that compromises them; remember that even though the patient may not understand you don’t need to prove it to them. ■

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Through the Lens Judy Canty, LDO

Digital?

Free Form?

I RECENTLY ASKED a room full of well-educated, licensed ECPs who was recommending and dispensing digital lenses, and about half the room raised their hands.

I asked the same group who was recommending and dispensing free form lenses and about half the room raised their hands.

Then I asked the real question. “Who thinks digital and free form lenses are the same thing?” Not everyone raised a hand, but a significant number did and provided the beginning of a 2 hour discussion on the differences between the two technologies.

It’s understandable, really. The marketing we read every day is often misleading and until we have a basic understanding of the lens production process, we don’t know what questions we need to be asking.

What does DIGITAL mean?

To answer that question, we need to understand how a conventional lens blank is made. Traditionally, lens designers created software to design and produce the ceramic molds that contained the lens design. These ceramic molds, sometimes called analog molds, were used to create the glass molds used to manufacture lens blanks. Then the lens material (crown glass, CR-39, 1.60 et. al) is poured or injected into the glass molds, cured, cooled and removed from the molds for inspection. Like using a fancy cake pan over and over again, the molds would begin to lose some of their accuracy and need to be replaced.

These conventionally manufactured lenses have their designs, both PAL and lined multi-focal, on the front surface of the lens blank. The actual Rx power is traditionally surfaced on the back side of the lens, followed by fining and polishing the lens to the exact Rx specifications and full clarity.

20 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2012

We knew what a generator was. It was big, loud and messy.

It cut curves in two directions (up-and-down, side-to-side).

We understood fining and polishing. We understood base curves and ANSI standards. We knew to fit a PAL by dotting pupil center and taking monocular PD’s with a PD stick or a Pupilometer.

This is the “off the rack” approach to lens design, production, fitting and dispensing.

The new digital manufacturing processes and equipment allow those same lens designers to skip the ceramic mold process and create the glass mold directly. By removing that extra molding process, the design begins to increase in accuracy. The lens designs are still on the front surface of the lens blank, but the design is created more accurately.

Still “off the rack” but better than the old analog process.

This is the point in time where we began hearing about digital and free form lenses. We heard of the mystical “Schneider” machines in Europe that were capable of creating the most highly developed lens designs ever available. These magical machines were CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) milling machines whose accuracy was almost unimaginable even just a few years before.

The digital lens age dawned. Lens designs were being introduced at an amazing rate; and some of our heads exploded.

At this point, because most ECP’s didn’t understand the digital process and had begun hearing about “free form” lenses, we began to use digital and free form interchangeably and very few marketers were going to clarify that confusion.

To simplify the explanation, digital is a production process.

It’s used to produce the most accurate glass molds for conventional front-surface lens designs, including spherical and aspheric (multi-curve) single vision, conventional lined

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multi-focals and conventional front surface design PALs which are always aspheric. The digital production process cannot make an old design better; it can simply reproduce it accurately from one batch to the next.

What does FREE FORM mean?

Now that we have a better understanding of digital processing, we can begin to understand free form design.

Remember the old style generator?

Producing a free form design requires a digital (CNC) generator that can create curves in 3 directions; up and down, side-to-side and in-and-out. It does this by using a stylus rather than a diamond-toothed grinding wheel.

What is being created is not just the Rx power but the lens design as well, with pin-point accuracy, all on the back surface of the lens blank. Not only is this system able to produce powers within .006D of the required Rx, the lens only needs to be polished to remove any excess material prior to coating. It’s called Direct-To-Polish. This technology allows the lab to create a custom designed PAL from a single vision lens blank. It is important to remember that, even with this amazingly accurate combination of technologies, lens design is still the key to providing the best interpretation of the patients’ visual requirements.

These are not the old “off the rack” designs we are accustomed to using. These digitally-produced, free form designs are akin to “bespoke” or custom made clothing. Now, simply measuring a PD with a PD ruler and dotting the pupil center is no longer sufficient. Even the verification process has changed, requiring a separate “compensated Rx” form for easier check in.

various lens design programs will revert to default values and the patient will not experience the added benefit of a customized fit.

In addition, ECPs now have the choice of fixed or variable corridor lengths. The advantage here is that the lens can be further customized, taking into consideration the shape of the frame and the distance from pupil center to the frame edge (Frametized).

There are several options for taking these measurements, from simple tools available from your lab at little to no cost, to hightech electronic equipment costing hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Your lens and lab reps can help you sort through the options and choose the right tool for your practice.

In a nutshell, Digital is a production process.

Free Form is a design process.

All free form lenses are digitally produced, but not all digitally produced lenses are free form designs.

When evaluating the potential performance of a lens ask yourself or your rep these questions: • If this is a PAL, is the design and add power on the front or back surface of the lens?

• Are there specific measurements required for optimal performance?

• What are the Rx limitations of the design?

• What materials are available?

• What lens treatments (A/R, etc.) are compatible?

These individually made, customized lenses require POW (Position of Wear) measurements, including monocular PDs, seg heights, vertex distance, pantoscopic angle and panoramic (face-form) curve.

The basic fitting requirements remain the same. The patient and ECP should be seated at equal eye level with the frame pre-adjusted. However, without the POW measurements the

When should POW measurements be taken and recorded?

My personal opinion is that ECPs should be taking these measurements for every patient fitted with eyewear of any kind.

What better way to impress upon your patients the level of personalization that is required for all prescription eyewear. ■

JANUARY 2012 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | 21

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Dispensing Optician Lindsey Getz

3

Online Opportunities You May Be Missing

IN THIS DIGITAL AGE, if you’re not taking advantage of a variety of online opportunities, then you’re really missing out. It’s no longer good enough just to have a website— though forgoing a website is also a mistake.

Patients want to be able to have questions answered via Facebook or watch videos about your practice on YouTube. And they want you to be easily findable on the web. We spoke to marketing expert Jody Raines, president of WebMarCom.net, an internet strategy and marketing firm, to find out the top three mistakes you may be making online.

Thinking Facebook is for fun. We’ve covered the importance of social media heavily, but we also know that many of you still aren’t taking advantage of the opportunity. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter aren’t just for socializing—they’re prime opportunities to interact with patients and to grow your practice. “We’re getting to the point where if you don’t have a Facebook page, consumers may actually think you don’t exist,” says Raines. “Social media is also another way to be found on the web. If someone is Googling you, one of your social media pages will likely pop up in the search.”

But it’s not just Facebook. There’s also LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and now Google + Pages. Why not take advantage of all of them? They play off one another and are all great opportunities to reach patients in different ways. Make a point to link all of these outlets together. Perhaps a potential patient found your website and then did a search for you on Facebook.

Now he wants to watch a video on YouTube to get an idea of what the practice looks like before he ever steps foot inside. All of these opportunities can be linked together—and all of them help create patient trust and appreciation before they ever even visit you.

Also think of the cost—or lack thereof. It used to be quite expensive to put together a marketing campaign but these types of

services are free. “With the advent of social media—outlets like Twitter or Facebook—the playing field has now been leveled,” says Raines. “Small businesses now have the opportunity to compete with big ones. It’s no longer so much about what kind of budget you have but about how you engage with your customers.”

Failing to put the time in. While these types of online opportunities can be extremely beneficial, they can also be time consuming so it’s important to put together a social media plan.

Companies that effectively use social media tools aren’t just making random posts. They have a goal and a plan in mind, says Raines. Many also have a person that’s dedicated to doing that work. Decide who is going to handle your practice’s social media outlets and make sure the “voice” is consistent. If different people are making posts, make sure that it still sounds like it’s coming from one company voice. Often just having a single person handle it for consistency sake is easier.

You also have to realize it’s not enough just to have the pages.

Once you create social media accounts you must actively maintain them. It’s worse to have an existing but inactive Facebook page than to not have one at all. It creates a sense of poor customer service—perhaps before they’ve ever even walked through your doors. “If you’ve created a Facebook page or twitter account but aren’t responding to your customers’ Continued on page 24

22 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2012

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posts or questions, they’re going to get frustrated,” warns Raines.

In making sure that your practice is getting plenty of time in the social media spotlight—and getting the right kind of attention—you might also want to consider a social media policy.

This is a hot topic right now as many companies are pondering exactly how they want social media to be handled at work.

“Some companies are coming up with policies that are very restrictive and say their employees should not be using social media while at work or mentioning anything about work in their posts,” says Raines. “Other companies are viewing it as an opportunity and saying that everyone that works there is an ambassador for the company and is encouraged to post about work—and even make posts while at work. They believe the more people participating in the ‘conversation,’ the better.

In the end it really depends on the company and their comfort level with social media as well as their employees that are using it.”

Forgetting your website. While we’ve certainly pushed social media hard, it would be a huge mistake to forget about your website. Social media is a wonderful complement to your website, but it’s not a replacement. After all, most patients will likely find your website first—and then look for you on Facebook (though there is evidence that more and more consumers are using Facebook as another search engine tool!).

Raines says that building all of your marketing efforts on someone else’s platform is a definite error. A Facebook page alone is simply not good enough. “Having a social media account is definitely important but one day you may need to start all over, even after investing lots of time and energy into

your Facebook page,” she says. “Mark Zuckerberg could wake up tomorrow and change the rules. Having all your information on someone else’s platform always puts you at risk. That’s why you should also have your own site that you have total control over.”

Of course you also need to consider how patients will find your website. Search engine optimization means ensuring your site is getting picked up by search engines. “For example, you may have some beautiful photos on your site, but those are not read by search engines so you need to think about also having the right text on your site,” says Raines. “You need to think about the kinds of words your customers might be using to search for you.”

That also means making sure your website isn’t too bogged down with jargon that your patients wouldn’t use. “Your potential customers might be searching for your product or service but not using the technical lingo for it,” explains Raines.

“Make sure you have some keywords on your site that will make you ‘findable’ to them.”

While all of this can seem daunting or overwhelming, taking it one step at a time is the smartest approach. If you’re missing out on some of these online opportunities don’t jump in head first and start up all your accounts at once. Instead start with one and work on maintaining it regularly. If you’re struggling, you may want to consider an online marketing consultant or social media expert. Or simply do some online research about developing a social media campaign and maintaining your website. There’s plenty of good information out there.

Fortunately, as these types of opportunities continue to grow, so do the resources available to support you in using them. ■

Younger Optics now offers Transitions® XTRActive™ Finished Lenses Younger Optics is the first to release Transitions® XTRActive™ finished single vision (FSV) lenses. Hard Resin lenses are available immediately; polycarbonate lenses will be arriving soon. These lenses are available in an Rx range of -4.00 to +4.00, cylinder out to -2.00.

This means that labs have the ability to fill a greater number of prescriptions with finished lenses, rather than processing semi-finished XTRActive lenses.

“Younger Optics is committed to supporting the entire line of Transitions Optical lenses,” said David Rips, president and CEO of Younger Optics. “Now Younger is the world leader in Transitions XTRActive lenses.”

This is the latest addition to Younger Optics’ extensive line of Transitions FSV lenses, which includes several materials and coating options. ECPs can order any of these Transitions FSV lenses from their favorite fullservice laboratory.

Younger Optics has won 24 OLA awards, and for more than 50 years, has been bringing innovative products to the optical industry. For more information about Younger Optics, NuPolar® lenses and other products, visit the company’s web site at youngeroptics.com, or call (800) 877-5367.

24 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2012

In addition to finished Transitions XTRActive, Younger Optics also offers XTRActive lenses in semi-finished hard resin, polycarbonate, Trilogy® and high-index 1.67.

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Does Your Website Have That Wow Factor?

By Dick Barnett

With another leap year upon us, the need for an expert, up-tothe-minute website that’ll be working for you 24 x 7 x 366 is all-important in this fast-moving business to capture new patients and keep existing clients. The first impression and user-friendliness of your website have to be on display for your clientele 24 hours a day. Chances are, your patients are visiting your website and making decisions long after you’re closed for the day.

Four out of five Americans are searching the Internet each and every day, and 75% of them are looking for health and/or medical information. That requires a powerhouse of a website, as traditional modes of marketing like newspapers, TV, radio, and the Yellow Pages have been relegated to the back burner. Google is the new Yellow Pages, and revenues for radio, TV and print have dramatically fallen off. Internet marketing dollars are expected to be greater than TV spending by 2016.

questionnaire; request an eye examination with the onsite optometrist or ophthalmologist; see if their insurance will cover the purchase; watch product-targeted videos on eyecare and read about all the frames and lenses that vendors have available for purchase, and on and on. “We even urge our customers to go on the site when they return home after a visit to one of our shops in order to evaluate their experience,” notes Domiano. “We’re always interested in whether we’ve succeeded in satisfying our clients’ needs.

“The skilled staff from our website developer consulted with us at the outset and asked us what we wanted on the site in terms of emphasis, colors, and branding requirements,” recalls Domiano.

“We told them our ideas, and they offered their suggestions based on their own expertise. They also indicated that by specializing in development exclusively in optical they would optimize the website during the build-out phase.

But we’re not talking about any website in these days of heavy competition.

“I was relying on a website that one of my patients put together for me,” says Ben Domiano, a certified optician and owner of two shops in Pennsylvania. Domiano got wind of custom websites such as those created by web developers EyeVertise, “and my business is now through the roof,” he said. And that’s with a custom website— www.bendomianooptical.com—that’s been online since early summer 2011.

“The final website far exceeded my expectations,” he says happily, “and it perfectly represents our two shops, one of which caters mostly to the elderly customer in Old Forge, while the other one in Clarks Summit attracts a younger clientele.”

Another graduate from the “cookie-cutter”-type template website, which usually offers a limited number of pages and only designated areas to “cut and paste” material, is optometrist Jerri L. Birsinger, whose practice is in Arnold, Missouri.

Without waiting for Domiano’s opticianries’ doors to open, his clients can access his website to schedule a consult with Domiano himself, fill out medical-history forms; take a dry-eye

“We wanted to update our online presence and bring our website up to a whole new level,” she said, “and the custom website was the way to go—and grow (www.arnoldeye.com)! The new website was up-and-running in January 2011, and we’re more than pleased

Content provided by EyeVertise Inc.

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with the results in reaching out to new patients, its appearance, visibility, and functioning ability.

“Through search engine optimization or SEO offered by the website developer we used,” she notes, “we have direct links for the patient to Facebook, nutritional-supplement ordering, and much more. And we’ve become far more efficient during the patient registration process as patients have already submitted their paperwork through our customized website. It saves us time and it saves patients time—a win-win situation, to be sure.”

Birsinger ran occasional ads in programs put out by local organizations and schools. Both agreed that in today’s world, the website— if well-done—can significantly impact a doctor’s practice or optical boutique and is the optimal way of getting your clientele to walk through the front door. In a word, they wanted their websites to have a wow factor, and that was the word they wanted their clients to utter when they were viewing their custom websites.

“Your website reflects you and your practice. We have the tools to help patients find you on Google, Yahoo and Bing and make a lasting impression,” observes Steve Freed, Executive Vice President of Marketing for EyeVertise, a custom-website developer that exclusively develops websites for optometrists, ophthalmologists, and opticians.

“We encourage opticians, optometrists, and ophthalmologists who want to update their websites—or even to set up their very first site—to visit their competitors’ websites to see what they’re up against,” says Freed. “Knowing is knowledge.”

“Include your website address on invoices, receipts, mailers, business cards...anything you use on a daily basis in merchandising and marketing,” Freed adds. “The end-result is new-patient retention and continued interaction with your current and potential patients.

Both Mr. Domiano and Dr. Birsinger said that word-of-mouth has worked well for them for years, but it was time to update and expand their Internet presence in this ever-changing time to attract new patients. Domiano had focused on digital billboards while Dr.

In conclusion, the EyeVertise executive says, “You have enough to do providing your patients with better vision and healthier eyes.

Leave your website development to those who understand your business and have expertise in your field. After all, your patients come to you for eye care advice, the same holds true when hiring a website developer that knows the optical, optometric, and ophthalmological fields.” ■

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Movers

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AND

Shakers

Marcolin Group Marcolin Group Marcolin S.p.A. has appointed Giovanni Zoppas as the company’s new CEO and general manager, effective Feb. 1, 2012.

Zoppas, 53, began his career with Andersen Consulting and then joined the Benetton Giovanni Zoppas Group, where he remained for many years serving as financial coordinator and international business controller. He was general manager of Nordica from 2003 to 2006, and subsequently held the positions of CFO and CEO of the Coin Group, a major European retailer, playing a major role in the achievements of that business.

Pearle Vision Srinivas (Srini) Kumar has been named senior vice president and general manager of Pearle Vision, a division of Luxottica Retail. He will use his previous experience as president and COO of Baskin-Robbins International, a diviSrinivas Kumar sion of Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc., to “rapidly grow and expand the number of franchise locations,” according to the company. At Baskin Robbins, Kumar “led a team that enjoyed significant growth and built strong relationships with the company’s 4,100 franchised restaurants,” according to Pearle Vision.

Vision Source Vision Source, has named Walter D. West, OD, FAAO as vice president of practice development, according to Glenn D. Ellisor, OD, president and CEO. In his new role, West will spearhead Vision Source practice management eduWalter D. West cation for member doctors and staff. That will include content development and management of the Vision Source Experience program as well as providing content for the network’s online educational programs, the company said.

ICU Eyewear ICU Eyewear, a division of Zoom Eyeworks, has announced that Eartha McClelland will rejoin the company as a part of its sales team after a five year hiatus. Ms. McClelland will consult for ICU Eyewear’s gift division where Eartha McClelland she will act as brand ambassador and assist with sales efforts. She has over thirty years of professional experience across a variety of industries in a range of highlevel positions, including sales management, marketing, training and product education.

JANUARY 2012 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL| 29

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Practice Management Gary Fore, ABOC

“They Cost What?” – Projecting Value YOU’VE HEARD THE CUSTOMER, haven’t you? They’ve been through their eye exam and have now come to you to get their eyewear ordered...

YOU ASK THEM THE QUESTIONS about how they use their eyes most and have recommended the lenses that the doctor has talked with them about. You have listened carefully to their needs and have now come to the price. That’s when you see that look in their eyes. It’s a cross between abject fear and misunderstanding. “They cost what?” “No way!” “Oh, my gosh! That’s way too much!”

What do you do next?

1. Start to apologize for the cost?

2. Start to give them a discount?

3. Stare at them?

4. Punch them out?

Actually, I don’t recommend any of the above. When you or your patients go to the grocery store and see that a certain meat costs $17.00 per pound, we either put it in the basket or leave it in the meat cooler. It’s a choice. Your patients have a choice, too.

Having heard the cost of what they need and what they have told us they want, they can choose to continue and hand over their credit card or make changes. How can we help them make the best choice for their best vision?

Knowing what factors contribute to the costs of lenses today can help understand why they have sticker shock. I recently saw a poster one ECP has in his practice that tracked the variety of processes and costs associated with the production of lenses and delivery to the consumer.

Behind the lenses, are such things as multimillion dollar lens generators, billion dollar development and advertising, research and development costs, sales, warranty costs and so on. To bring a new lens to market so that patients can see better than ever costs staggering amounts.

Of course, to stay in business, the ECP must take the cost to obtain those lenses and add his overhead and profit or there would be no ECP there to service the patients. Yes, the consumer can go online and get frame and lenses in a single vision prescription for under $10. Those lenses are also of inferior quality and any frame that can sell for $2-3 cannot be expected to last very long or take any of the treatment most patients hand out. Having a store where the patient can conveniently come to get a repair or adjustment is much better for them than to have to send those online glasses through the mail to who-knows-where.

So, what can we do to ease the pain or help them understand the value of what they are getting? That word value is probably the key. Most people want to know they are getting their money’s worth for any major purchase. The economy being what it is today, many households are getting by on less than what they had the previous year. Also, if they are earning the same, they are finding that price increases are diminishing their buying power.

How about breaking down the cost of their eyewear into smaller bites? Your patients come to Continued on page 32

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see you every one to two years for the most part, so take that number and divide it into their prospective purchase. If they’ve selected lenses and frames totaling $480, for example, then doing that every two years breaks down the cost into about $0.67 per day. That’s not bad for excellent vision every day, particularly if they need to wear those glasses all during their waking hours. At seventeen hours per day of wake time, that breaks down to about four cents per hour.

Stress the value of their purchase by emphasizing their improved vision, ease of computer viewing and good looks with their new frames. You might also want to place some print pieces which illustrate the cost of a variety of items your patients buy. Remember, as you listen and respond to your patient, you are building a relationship with them that may well last your entire career and go on to cover the eyewear needs of their children and grandchildren. Take the time to build here and it will pay many types of dividends in the long run.

At $5.00 per day, five days per week for specialty coffee, they could cover the cost of their new eyewear in only a little over four months but their vision would be great every day, not just the weekdays. By the way, their coffee doesn’t make near the fashion statement that their eyewear does.

Another cost factor that must be factored in is the protection their eyewear offers. Polycarbonate, Trivex and other higher index materials offer shatter resistance that helps protect their beautiful blues (or greens or whatever). These qualities make these lenses have more value for the customer. Yet another value addition is the protection from ultra violet rays. It has been projected that, if young children would wear ultra violet filtering lenses, the incidence of UV damage could be cut to almost nothing, preventing UV burns to their eyes. That is added value.

Educate the patient about how good vision enhances their quality of life. Since we know that eighty percent of what a child learns by age twelve comes by vision, good vision is essential for a high quality of life for children. By the time children reach the teen years, they may develop reading difficulties if they have undetected vision problems. When parents understand that the money they spend for good vision for their children is an investment in their future, spending just a little more for high quality is a good investment.

As patients reach the time of their life when they begin to need assistance in reading the fine print, good visual acuity become one of those things they truly need. Presbyopes get frustrated with poor vision so educate them about the value in a more natural vision lens, usually called a no-line bifocal or a progressive lens. I prefer to call them natural vision lenses because they allow the wearer use their eyes more naturally than with lined bifocals or trifocals.

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At this point, the lens choices become very numerous. There are standard plastic lenses that are surfaced in traditional ways (analog) all the way to free form, digitally designed and driven, back-side surfaced lenses. That’s a mouthful that you probably don’t want to dump onto the patient. You can, however, educate them step-by-step about the lens choices that will improve their vision to unheard of quality in past years. Patients who come to your practice with the notion that progressive lenses are junk, should be educated gently about the improvements in the design and manufacture of the current stock of progressive lenses.

When a patient wants the best vision they can afford and after you have clearly understood what their vision needs are, that’s when you can lead them to choose a better lens than “just what the insurance covers.”

Insurance coverage to many patients means “I get my glasses without having to pay anything.” In most cases, that is a misunderstanding of their insurance plan. To help them get over that, come to the final cost of their eyewear and present it in such a way that they can see the value, both of their eyewear and of their insurance. It is particularly helpful to present their total cost and then add something like, “Your total cost would normally be $648 but, with your insurance, you pay only $178.”

In this way, they see value in both areas.

Another factor in causing sticker shock is the way we come to the total cost, before insurance coverage. Most people hear the cash register sound when they see or hear you figuring ‘addons.’ Taking the cost of the lenses and adding non-glare, edge roll and polish and others will probably make your patient start to get very nervous. See if your practice can develop some reasonable packages which represent value at different levels.

Automobile dealers discovered this long ago. They now show all the things that are included in the basic price and then show the ‘options’ chosen to come to a total cost. Hearing one price, even if it is higher than they expected, is much better than hearing one cost plus this add-on and that add-on until, finally, you come to the total.

Again, value is the key to their purchase decision. If you take the time to educate them about the lenses and frames that match their stated lifestyle, there should be less “push-back” than if you just barge in and start telling them what to buy and then continue with add-ons.

Buying frames and lenses can be costly. Some of your patients don’t care because they have enough income that it isn’t an issue for them. That isn’t the case for many, though and, for those, we need to do a lot of listening, some relationship building to build trust and some education about their choices. Those things can help them and you come to a value-packed decision. ■

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Robertson Optical and Signet Armorlite host Tailgate Party Hosted by Robertson Optical Laboratories of Columbia, SC and sponsored by Signet Armorlite, distributor of KODAK Lenses, hundreds of eye care professionals attended a Customer Appreciation Football Tailgate Party in October at the lab. The festive event featured outdoor games, competitive sports, barbequed food, spirit awards, exciting door prizes, lab tours, optical education, music, dancing and more.

From left, Robertson Optical customer Karen Longshore of the practice of Kenneth Nash, OD, Greenwood, SC; Debbie McElveen of Robertson Optical; and Robertson customer Gina Armstrong of Dr. Nashâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practice.

From Left: Robertson Optical customers Dixie Yarborough of Poole Family Eye Care, Greenwood, SC, the winner of a HDTV for wearing the Best Spirit Attire; Courtney Jo Smith; and Christy Smith of Poole Family Eye Care.

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Second Glance Elmer Friedman, OD

Artist’s Eyes

and

Cockeyed Art

NOT ONLY DO ARTISTS live and die by the eye, they teach the rest of us to see. “Monet is only an eye, but what an eye.” said Cezanne.

He added, “The sky is blue, no? It is Monet who discovered that.”

These statements inspired ophthalmologists James Ravin and Michael Marmor into an investigation that resulted in an excellent book, “The Artist’s Eyes.” The text offers information on how the artist’s eye sees the world around us.

They presented a number of examples, such as, “It would be incorrect to assume that non representational painting, such as abstract or cubism, implies poor visual acuity or that painting with strong colors (or lack of color) implies the presence of a cataract or color vision abnormalities.” Most artists have a keen sense of color, balance and form but use non conventional methods to tell their stories. Some writers have concluded that all this was due to the formation of cataracts or other ocular anomalies.

Monet had bilateral cataracts and they were of the dense yellow-brown nuclear variety. This condition resulted in blurred vision and a severe loss of color perception since the wavelengths of color could not penetrate his cataract like they did when he was healthier. He relied on the physical placement of his pigments to help maintain his technique.

The authors explain that Picasso’s work was innovative during his rose and blue periods and with his explorations of Cubism and abstraction. But his later style, which utilizes simpler colors and forms, has received mixed reviews. Some critics have admired his work during that period. While others felt that it was crude or repetitive. In 1918, at the age of 78, Monet described his visual troubles of the preceding few years.

“I no longer perceive colors with the same intensity,” said Monet.

“I no longer painted light with the same accuracy. Reds appeared muddy to me, pinks insipid, and the intermediate or lower tones escaped me. As for forms, they always appeared clear and I rendered them with the same decision. At first I tried to be stubborn. How many times have I stayed for hours under the harshest sun sitting on my campstool, in the shade of my parasol, forcing myself to resume my interrupted task ands recapture the freshness that had disappeared from my palette. When the attempt was over, I compared it to former works and I would be seized by a frantic rage and slash all my canvases with my penknife.”

Vincent Van Gogh’s “Crows over the Cornfield.”

Degas had a chronic and progressive retinal disease. To close friends he confessed what a torment it was to draw when he could only see around the very spot which he held in regard. He finally resorted to sculpting to be able to utilize his sense of touch and feeling in order to continue to create art. Marmor and Ravin also reveal that Impressionist Camille Pissaro suffered from recurrent inflammation and infection of the lacrimal system. One of the most intriguing cases involves Cezanne who was diagnosed with diabetes around the age of 50, with doctors reporting “retinal maladies.”

Continued on page 36

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Many of us have left an art exhibit of modern George Seurat brought pointillism to a highly paintings with the feeling that the artist has regarded art style. He placed dabs or spots of lost touch with normalcy to produce such color next to one another without emphasis of unusual looking pictures. We may deduce form or line in and of themselves. The viewer from what we know that the strange colors, used a psychological exercise to stand back distorted figures and queer impressionistic and blend the spots into a recognizable scene. effects of modern paintings are due, in some Another example can be noted in Holbein’s cases, to defects in the eyesight of the artists. painting of King Henry VIII of England Dr. Lloyd A. Mills, a Los Angeles eye physician, wherein the subject’s girth was excessively does not think the artists are cockeyed but wide and out of proportion to the remainder claims some visual defects account for what of the figure. Experts judge that this was the average man considers strange in modern caused by the artist’s uncorrected astigmaRembrandt’s self-portrait art. He agrees with other experts that visual tism. When viewed with a corrective lens in defects may also have been responsible for place, the subject looks much thinner. much that is great in modern art and was perhaps a factor in On the other hand, his “Christ in the Tomb” depicts the subject the founding of the modern school of impressionism. tall, but when examined through an astigmatic lens at axis 90 The uncorrected nearsighted artist will portray nearer objects degrees he becomes wider with a more normal appearance. It is with much more clarity than distant objects. Dr. Mills argues also proposed by Dr. Roper that Gainsborough’s subjects often that great art depends on the proper use of both central and had elongated bodies and necks, possibly due to uncorrected peripheral vision working in concert with one another. The astigmatism. We cannot omit the works of Modigliani from the main theme of a work of art is usually rendered in a clear artists with uncorrected astigmatism category, as exampled by manner, but the surrounding scenery is not as distinct, yet you how he depicts his long necks and bodies as well. have an impression of it.

Dr. Tannebaum cleverly points out that the famous Rembrandt, Artists who lived a few generations ago would would have in his youth, mastered details, yet in his advanced age his work painted every detail clearly in the scene whether far or near, contained less detail. Was presbyopia rearing its ugly head at the central or peripheral. This is called a photographic style. While time? Norwegian artist, Edvard Munch, often used birdlike it has its place for decoration or historical precision purposes, images in his paintings. It is believed that these images were it is never really optically correct. Impressionism reaches its visualized from the vitreous opacities that were encamped extreme when it sends a message that its world is different and within his eyes. is perceived all wrong to most of us.

The same conclusion was reached upon noting the appearance Dr. Mills cites his own refractive error and how it influences his of crows in Van Gogh’s work, “Crows over the Cornfield.” visual perception. “Because of my uncorrected astigmatism Goya’s color sensitivity started to deteriorate at the same time I see an oblique distortion at far distances, which differs he became deaf. For example, his piece “The Witches Sabbath.” between the two eyes,” he said. “Often only the essential lines of was “decolorized” in comparison to his earlier works. forms provide the clues needed to identify the object under The painter, Louis Wain, specialized in painting cats. His later consideration.” work depicts his cats with odd, tense, terror stricken patterns.

Unfortunately, he ultimately lapsed into the realm of In the April, 1997 issue of the Journal of the AOA, Dr. Sol schizophrenia.

Tannebaum wrote an article about artist’s vision that, in my opinion, has never been bettered. He utilizes the research and The painter, Max Ernst, comments that the aberrations of study of the famous Dr Trevor Roper. Dr. Roper’s remarks can vision may actually add an interesting element that will help be found in his excellent book, “The World through Blunted the viewer to better understand the surrounding environment Sight.” In that book he noted that in myopia the entire as the artist struggles to interpret it through his own limited spectrum would focus in front of the retina, with the red rays senses. It may be a world through blunted sight, but it is ever in better focus than the other colors. Renoir was famous for more intriguing due to the efforts of these talented artists. ■ using red and the warmer colors in his work. Thus, we may deduce that Renoir might have been an uncorrected myope.

36 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL |JANUARY 2012

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OD Perspective Jason Smith, OD, MS

A Patient with a Nuisance Problem or Something More Serious?

This experience and its resultant professional rewards is why I still offer these services today. I am the staff optometrist at many nursing homes and provide homebound eye care.

Vision testing equipment has become more portable and computerized compared to 20 years ago. A small Pentax hand-held lensometer fits into a briefcase. A hand-held Tono-Pen provides intraocular pressure measurements. Ophthalmoscopes and binocular indirect ophthalmoscopes with condensing lenses provide a medical evaluation of all structures of the eyes. Using trial lenses and a trial frame provides refraction information for a patient whether they are in their bed, sitting in a chair, or in a wheelchair.

I recently received a phone call from a nurse who works at a nursing home. She stated that a 56-year-old female Caucasian resident had a picking sensation in her left eye that had started the night before. I asked the nurse to describe what she saw and she stated that, “it looked like a raised area on the temporal side of conjunctiva of the left eye.” I asked her if it looked red and bloodshot like conjunctivitis or did it look “bloody” like a sub-conjunctival hemorrhage? She said that it was neither. I had a few thoughts as to what it could be and asked about the resident’s other medical conditions. I saw her later that day.

This relatively young woman had been a diabetic for 30 years.

She already had both lower limbs amputated below the kneecap. She also suffered from high blood pressure. The patient had cataract surgery on the left eye 3 years ago and had a cataract developing in the right eye. When I asked about bifocal glasses after cataract surgery, she said, “they never worked and that there had been some problems after the cataract surgery.”

WHEN I WAS A 3RD YEAR OPTOMETRY STUDENT at the New England College of Optometry, one of my clinical rotations allowed me to go to nursing homes and senior citizen communities throughout Boston to provide eye care to patients and residents. The “Mobile Eye Unit” required the students to carry heavy equipment in foot lockers. Biomicroscopes, trial lenses, frames, sphygmomanometers for blood pressure measurements, lensometers, and non-contact tonometers were brought to each site.

The intraocular lens in the left eye appeared to be “wrinkled” through a non-dilated pupil. She had multiple laser treatments on each retina. There was a pinguecula that was raised and vascularized on the left temporal conjunctiva. Her last dilated retinal examination was 3 years ago. There were retinal changes including micro-aneurysms and exudates consistent with her diabetes and hypertension. Her visual acuities with eccentric viewing and without correction were OD: Finger counting @ 5’ and OS: Light Perception.

A pinguecula is a common, non-cancerous growth of the clear conjunctiva that lays over the sclera of the eye. The appearance Continued on page 40

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resembles a small, yellow nodule on the conjunctiva which can appear on the nasal or temporal side. Feeder blood vessels can create a vascularization of the pinguecula causing an inflammation which is referred to as pingueculitis. If a pinguecula grows onto the cornea, this is now called a pterygium and can affect one’s vision. Depending on the size and the location of a pterygium, a surgical removal or “peeling off ” of the pterygium can restore normalcy. Pterygiums can create refractive changes especially astigmatic changes. The causes of pingueculas include long-term sunlight exposure, UV exposure, wind exposure, and consistent eye irritation.

People in the sun-belt states, people living in higher elevations, and those people who do not wear protective eyewear are at higher risk for developing this condition. UV protective sunglasses, polycarbonate lenses or UV treated CR-39 lenses should be used by those at higher risk. It is always a good idea to recommend these lenses to the general public as well. People who water-ski in the bright sunshine with reflections off of the water, snow skiers who ski at higher elevations and in the sunlight, and sun worshippers in general may benefit by wearing sunglasses or goggles with the highest UV protection available.

UV radiation can also create other problems in the structures of the eye including photokeratitis, photoconjunctivitis, cataracts, and melanoma of the eyelids. This is a very dangerous location for this skin cancer. Since the skin is so thin on the eyelids the cancer can spread rather quickly.

A pinguecula may increase in size over many years. Usually no treatment is needed. Lubrication with artificial tears, liquigels, or ointments can be helpful to reduce irritation. Sometimes the temporary use of mild non-steroidal anti-inflammatory eye drops can be helpful. Rarely, the growth may need to be removed if there is discomfort or for cosmetic reasons.

My patient had a few more serious problems than her pinguecula. The pinguecula was a nuisance problem. I prescribed artificial tears to be used 3X per day and celluvisc at night. If this does not resolve her problem, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drop will be considered. I also scheduled an appointment for her to see an ophthalmologist that she had not seen in the past.

Her significant decreased vision due to her diabetes and hypertension was a concern. She will need some laser treatments and her visual prognosis is probably “guarded” at best. The wrinkling of her intraocular lens implant was also a concern.

According to the website: www.ophthalmologyweb.com/TechSpotlights/26429-Advances-in-Intraocular-Lens-Design-toFurther-Reduce-Capsular-Opacification/, “in some patients undergoing cataract surgery, opacification results from proliferation of lens epithelial cells into the posterior capsule. This is

40 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2012

likely due to the anterior or equatorial epithelial cells that remain following removal of the cataract, some of which may become activated. These lenticular epithelial cells proliferate posteriorly and form an opaque membrane of the posterior capsule over time. In the process, these cells acquire fibroblasttype properties with contractile capacity, thereby leading to contraction and wrinkling of the posterior capsule in some cases.”

I also have scheduled her to see a low vision specialist/optometrist who may help her with quality of life issues. Her diabetes is a life threatening illness. Her battle with this dreaded problem had already created a loss in her mobility due to her amputations. Some may consider the quality of both her life and her vision as limited with serious concerns for her health in the future. Sometimes diabetic patients forget that their eyes need to be checked and dilated every year. Treatment and management done earlier can prevent complications later.

This patient was unhappy with not only her current circumstances but for her future outlook as well. Her visual problems after cataract surgery did not help her have an opinion that anything or anyone could help her. Sometimes a new approach and a new perspective medically can reassure the patient that everything that can be done will be done, even under such dire circumstances.

This case is important from a perspective that all aspects of the eye care profession will try to come together to help this patient.

I was called to address the patients’ chief complaint. This primary care problem was treated but there were other problems that had to be managed on a secondary care level. The retinal specialist/ophthalmologist will address the more serious problems of her diabetes and hypertension with the hope of managing and saving her retina and her remaining vision.

I advised the ophthalmologist about the “wrinkled” appearance of the IOL that I saw. He will also have her see another ophthalmologist who is a cataract surgeon when this problem needs to be addressed.

Once her medical-eye problems have been stabilized, another eye care professional/optometrist who specializes in low vision will try to improve her vision through optical aids and magnification devices. Yet another optical professional, an optician, will then take the optical results to design and create glasses, optical magnifiers, or low vision devices so that this patient can have some improved vision and perhaps regain some independence. This is a classic example of tri-ophthalmic care – the ophthalmologist, optometrist and optician working together to benefit the patient – a wonderful concept. ■

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PRESS RELEASE For Release: Immediately Contact: Bill Heffner, bill@feaind.com

FEA Industries Adds Second Shift, Saves Jobs, and Expands Capacity Morton, PA – FEA Industries grew in 2011 by adding a second shift, as well as adding new state-of-the-art equipment. FEA President Bill Heffner estimates that this combination of new equipment and personnel will allow FEA to process up to 3,000 jobs per day.

in-house AR coating, called Independence, “has the highest performance and lowest price out of all the currently available premium anti-reflective coatings in the optical industry,” according to Mr. Heffner.

To keep up with the demand of premium products, FEA has The addition of a second shift “We were pleased to expanded its product line to comes in the wake of a nearby move forward with a include in-house production of optical laboratory closing its second shift, as well as Shamir AutographII Freeform, doors. FEA was able to step in preserve a number of Seiko Succeed and and offer jobs to a sizable local jobs” Supercede and an in -house portion of the displaced design, called the Eagle, which workforce. This timely move features lenticularization. Recently, FEA became preserved the jobs of a number of skilled people the first independent laboratory in the country to and ensured that they would be able to continue be certified to produce the Kodak Unique working side-by-side with each other. in-house.

“Expansion has been our goal for some time, as FEA's expansion has increased not only the customer volume has been on a steady increase. number of jobs it can produce, but also the quality We were pleased to move forward with a second of these jobs. With the recent installation of three shift, as well as preserve a number of local jobs,” Automation and Robotics (A&R) inspection Mr. Heffner said. systems, FEA Industries has made a huge Earlier this year, FEA brought online one of the investment in both people and cutting-edge largest anti-reflective coating machines available, technology in 2011. This will allow them to ensure the Syrus 1350 from Leybold Optics. This addition that jobs are completed with the quickest turn of a third anti-reflective coating machine, paired around possible, while achieving the highest with the recent addition of a second thermal dip quality and at the most affordable pricing in coating machine, gives FEA Industries the ability the industry. to process over a thousand jobs a day requiring premium anti-reflective coating. FEA's own

FEA INDUSTRIES, INC.

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Advertiser Index ADVERTISER

PAGE #

PHONE #

WEB SITE

C&E Vision Buying Group

35

800-346-2626

www.playatcev.com

CNS Frame Displays

11

877-274-9300

www.framesdisplays.com

Coburn Technologies

ADVERTISER Opticom Optogenics

PAGE #

PHONE #

WEB SITE

29

800-678-4266

www.opticom-inc.com

11, 42

800-678-4225

www.optogenics.com

19

800-262-8761

www.coburntechnologies.com

Robertson Optical

FRONT COVER, 27

847-202-1411

www.EyeVertise.com

Rudy Project USA

BACK COVER

888-860-7597

www.rudyprojectusa.com

FEA Industries

13, 37

800-327-2002

www.feaind.com

Signet Armorlite

23

800-759-4630

www.signetarmorlite.com

Grimes Optical

44

800-749-8427

www.grimesoptical.com

Solution Reach

15

866-605-6867

www.solutionreach.com

Hilco

5

800-955-6544

www.hilco.com

Tech-Optics

43

800-678-4277 www.techopticsinternational.com

17, 28

800-257-7724

www.iseelabs.com

US Optical

33

800-445-2773

www.usoptical.com

Vision Expo East

39

800-811-7151

www.visionexpoeast.com

Eyevertise

i-see optical

Marcolin

INSIDE FRONT COVER 888-MARCOLIN

My Vision Express National Lens Nellerk Contact Lens Cases

www.marcolinusa.com

INSIDE BACK COVER 800-929-2765

www.robertsonoptical.com

43

877-882-7456

www.myvisionexpress.com

Vision Systems

43

866-934-1030

www.Patternless.com

21, 25

866-923-5600

www.national-lens.com

Vision West

5

800-640-9485

www.vweye.com

45

607-748-2166

—

Zig Eyewear

9

877-907-9076

www.zig-eyewear.com

Don’t Forget to Tell Our Advertisers You Saw it in

42 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2012

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

Soothe with Balester Optical is a full service independent family-owned wholesale optical laboratory. We maintain an in-house Digital Processing center and 3 anti-reflective coating systems.

WEBSITE www.feaind.com • Videos

the bio-lens that brings WHDUV WR SDWLHQWV· H\HV

Balester Optical provides expert objective advice & consultation regarding the best lens for each Rx.

request info & sample www.safigel.com promo code EFIA

We pride ourselves on using the most up-to-date technologies in the industry!

ECP Guarantee: sold through your office, NOT online.

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

• 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

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.

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

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.

National Lens America’s Leading Discount Contact Lens Distributor Phone 1-866-923-5600 Fax 1-866-923-5601 www.national-lens.com

HELP WANTED FRAME SALES Independent sales representatives needed for a High Fashion Italian Frame Line — TreviColiseum distributed by National Lens offers three distinct collections at moderate prices. If you’re highly motivated, experienced and have a following we would like to talk to you.

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

Increase your sales to athletes!

Preview our Collections at national-lens.com

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

Please email your letter of interest to db@avglens.com or Call 954.730.9244 x221

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

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

Fax: 607-748-2273

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

RECONDITIONED SPECIALS!!

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12/20/11

10:53 AM

Page 44

Last Look Jim Magay, RDO

Renewed Hope for the New Year Christmas is over, winter is setting in with a vengeance, already in the Northeast we’re thinking Caribbean thoughts, or at the least – hot tub thoughts.

2012 IS HERE – 12 years ago at this time, we were feeling relieved that the Millennium Bug didn’t wipe out all our computers and make the world stand still. I remember that particular New Years very well – we stocked up on fine dining provisions, invited 30 or 40 of our best friends over, had a midnight burial of a time capsule stuffed with all sorts of artifacts of our times (I wonder how the Hostess Twinkies will taste in about 50 years – probably just as fresh as when they were baked!).

We were; collectively, a little miffed that nothing happened. The computers continued to chug along, clocks didn’t shut down, planes didn’t fall out of the air, traffic lights still functioned, and the talking heads on the tube continued to chatter.

And of course they still chatter, is it just me or has television become more trivial than ever? Even formerly respectable news outlets now offer up to date info on the ...Kardashians!!!

So Rome is burning, but everything is OK because we can keep up with Kim and Khloe, ...talk about bread and circuses.

Naturally, with the TV world so firmly upside down – we get our real news from Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert.

Well, not to be negative – I’m sure things will be much better after the election. After November. No more gridlock. The two sides will start cooperating for the good of the American People. Rush will embrace (figuratively) Rachel and all will be well in the world...riiiight!

46 | EYECAREPROFESSIONAL | JANUARY 2012

Of course the optical world is the one we are interested in. I read recently about the “hollowed out” middle class. You know; maxed out credit cards, kids in school, mortgage payments on an underwater house, and the threat of your job heading to New Delhi or Guangzhou. (Makes it tough to sell luxury items to aspiring middle classers – but not for lack of trying!)

Strategies abound for increasing sales in this trying market. Groupon (or one of its more local competitors) might help get more shoes through the door – but don’t look for loyalty from these bargain shoppers. Social media has been mentioned as a way of cementing loyalty from existing “Friends,” and we are seeing ads for online retailing that you own and operate.

Consider what lines are you putting in for 2012, high-end or more middle of the road, or basic low-ball stuff? Will you be economizing with your lens selection as the market for $700 to $800 - all the bells and whistles progressives – continues to be soft? I’ve heard from ECPs who are looking closely at their buying and considering changing labs for better buying “deals.”

(In truth, the best deal seems to be working with a quality lab you trust and making sure their prices are competitive – they certainly don’t want to lose your business.)

Lots of paths to choose from – wish there was a road map!

Well, at least I can wish you all a happy and prosperous 2012 – let’s hope the economy cooperates! ■

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Transitions is a registered trademark of Transitions Optical, Inc. Kodak and the Kodak trade dress are trademarks of Kodak, used under license by Signet Armorlite, Inc. ©2011 Signet Armorlite, Inc.

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rudyprojectusa.com | info@rudyprojectusa.com | 888.860.7597 - hit 2