News
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EDITION OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2010
Virtual Vision
Presentation The Web as a learning tool The Visual Care InstituteTM launches an excellent tool to update, interact and establish links with other members of the group.
The Vision Care InstituteTM
In Paipa, Boyacá Some professors at The Vision Care Institute,TM as well as the company representatives from Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Colombia got together to evaluate the first two years of operations of the institute and check its impact in the Latin American region.
Social and Union Responsibility of Visual Health Professor Jorge Nicolás Ayala, O.D., from Argentina shares with us his point of view related to the social and union responsibility of the health professional in an interesting face to face interview, which describes his vision and work experiences.
Benefits Inbox
Dr. Nelson Merchán Professional Issues Manager Johnson & Johnson Vision Care South America
The Vision Care Institute’sTM goal is to always be at the cutting edge. For this reason, it is important for us to assure you that you have the best tools to stay informed. Due to our anniversary we have decided to renew the image of our News with a more audacious, modern, and generous design, with a more visual emphasis. There will also be a publishing restructuring which will allow us to present information to our readers more clearly and legibly. Our task is to continue informing our readers of events, important guests, and new techniques, as well as to continue being the main contact and expression for ideas to you, our prestigious group of professionals. Another novelty for our readers is that now besides the printed version, you will be able to access the News digitally, so you can see the information faster and have it at hand. In the near future, we can ensure you that this important form of media communication will promote the exchange of ideas, experiences, knowledge and opinions within our membership. Join us and be part of the evolution of The Vision Care Institute™ First Class.
Editorial
Virtual Vision The Web as a learning tool Dr. Nelson Merchรกn Professional Issues Manager Johnson & Johnson Vision Care South America
Focused on our Mission of being the leaders in ongoing learning and vision care information, we have created an interactive web page designed to promote professional development at The Visual Care InstituteTM. On our web page, www.tvcibogota.com, you will find diverse tools, such as forums, blogs, news, galleries, professional profiles and videos. Very soon you will also find virtual courses and online video conferences. I am convinced of the educational potential of this tool, its scope, and the opportunity to count on the experience of its members at hand. You just have to ask a question, make a comment or start a conversation and our colleagues will give us their point of view to answer our questions and clarify our doubts. Based on these concepts, I invite you to join us in this new way of updating, planning, and creating links. Joining this project is easy: 1. Go to www.tvcibogota.com 2. Register. 3. And become part of our group on the web.
The Vision Care InstituteTM In Paipa, Boyacá
During October 1st, 2nd and 3rd, at a hotel 184 km from Bogotá, professors from The Vision Care InstituteTM and representatives of the company Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Colombia got together to evaluate the first two years of operations of the institute, check its impact in the Latin American region, discuss its strategies and plan the new directions for the year 2011. Coincidentally, two panels of very important experts worked to discuss two current topics which deserve to be published for eye care doctors of the Latin America region to clarify their doubts and pose interesting questions about their occupation. These topics were “The importance of the generations of disposable soft contact lenses on the true clinic and scientific comfortable adaptation of the user” and “ The use and frequency of replacement of disposable lenses nowadays.”
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AÑOS
During this meeting, two basic documents addressed to the contemporary adapter emerged. They will serve to increase confidence and proactivity in disposable soft contact lenses safe adaptations. Nine experts got together. Among them, many held Master’s degree in Contact Lenses, and others had broad experience in the contact lenses field. They belong to the International Association of Contact Lenses Professors in Colombia. On October 2nd, we celebrated the second anniversary of The Vision Care InstituteTM, with excellent reports of employment, visits and trainings of the contact lenses professionals in more than thirty countries in their facilities. During the meeting there was a special dinner offered in Sochagota Lake, in Paipa, Boyacá (Colombia).
Face to face
It is necessary to make professionals and patients conscious of the concept of eye health care; that is why I think that Johnson & Johnson from The Vision Care InstituteTM is a pioneer in adjusting those concepts to the professionals who adapt contact lenses. It is important to bring up the concept of the optometrist’s behavior. He or she should understand the patient as a holistic being during the appointment and after it, because if something happens to a person’s eyes it will also have psychological and physiological consequences. ¿What elements should a person have to be a real clinical, academic professional who trains faithful and responsible patients?
He or she should know the patient clinically and humanly. When doing the follow-up of a case it is important to not only do the checkups, but also add a higher value to our service so that they will perceive us in a different way. When doing this, we are educating our clients on how to take care of their eyes. By being updated in different areas we create more attention from our patients, and make them more faithful. ¿Does optics damage the professional?
It depends on the situations the professionals in each country face and the curriculum they handle. I don’t think optics have damaged the professional, or visa-versa. Maybe it is a problem of roles, and how we perceive ourselves, how we value ourselves, and whether we underestimate ourselves. ¿How does a visual and eye professional build culture and society?
By knowing the social group where he or she renders his or her professional services. Updating through ongoing education does not only imply obtaining a qualification degree, but also promoting selfknowledge and getting cultural, human and professional enrichment. It is important to remember that 80% of information and academic knowledge enters through the eyes, and we are visual beings because “the way they perceive us, they treat us.”
¿Are the contact lenses adopters in Latin America a union?
According to our definition they are not because the sociocultural conditions to work together do not exist. We aren’t Europe, where there is history about unions which goes back to the Middle Ages. In general, each country has its own unions that gather opticians and optometrists in union guidelines. Therefore, contact lens adapters in Latin America aren’t a union because they don’t get together to defend their political, educational rights, among other professions. ¿What tools are necessary for the contact lenses adapter to be seen as a trainer of people who are responsible, ethical, and faithful to their doctor, their adaptation, brand, health and evolution?
The fundamental tool is to add consciousness and social responsibility as educators to our profession. An educator is a person who transforms his surroundings; that modifies behavior, rehabilitates, and integrates the patient with visual deficiencies to the society no matter what the refractive defect is, or the associated pathologies. When the visual capacity is renewed, the patient is given the opportunity to live a better life. ¿Regarding social responsibility, Is it easy to adapt contact lenses? Can all visual health professional do it? If not, what are the requirements to do it?
Adapting and putting contact lenses in are two different situations. Actually, in some places they put the contact lenses in, but when we talk about adaptation it is necessary to have practical as well as academic knowledge to adapt to them. We have to know how to teach the patients to use and take care of their contact lenses. Not all visual health professionals can do this because each one has his specialization, or deals with more than one. If a person wants to learn how to adapt contact lenses, it is necessary to take an associate program or a qualification program that corresponds to be capable In both visual and vision health.
Responsibility of Visual Health
¿Why isn’t the integral appointment to give the user glasses or contact lenses a reality? Who needs to be made conscious of the process?
Union is understood as any association of traders, craftsmen, and workers of the same profession, subject to the same guidelines to obtain common benefits. Trade- union is understood as an organization with a political agenda which characterizes the local, national and international reality to get a position in history and promote a plural and permanent debate of ideas in assemblies. Unionized people are the people who join a union pursuing a common goal.
Professor Jorge Nicolás Ayala.OD. from Argentina
The contact lenses adapter is not conscious of the role he plays in eye health. The relationship between the patient and the professional does not end when the lenses are given, or after the check-ups are over. It is there where the action of health educators actually gains importance. The professional must be conscious of his or her role as an educator and as a professional, and get support from the high clinic background he or she has.
¿What can be understood by the terms union, trade-union and unionized people?
Social and Union
¿Does the contact lenses adapter in Latin America value or underestimate his role as an educator and model of professionalism?
Our International
Visitors
Benefits for Members de
at The Vision Care 1 Course Institute in Latin America TM
The Vision Care InstituteTM First Class member will attend a course to experience the facilities at The Vision Care InstituteTM in BogotĂĄ and Puerto Rico. The studiylan is a perfect balance between continuous knowledge in contact lenses and company abilities topics.
Group 1 Argentina 2010
and Local 2 National Meetings The Vision Care InstituteTM First Class member has the opportunity to go again to the local Meetings at The Vision Care InstituteTM. The answer to new contacts and businesses among members are these local meetings at The Vision Care InstituteTM First Class in each country, at no cost, as well as the rest of the activities of this program.
Group MĂŠxico 2010
3 Three- Monthly News
The Vision Care InstituteTM First Class member will receive an exclusive News Bulletin with all the most important events and news about Contact Lenses and short and interesting comments about the latest news in the field. There will also appear Interviews with the most experienced visual health professionals on important topics.
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Group 2 Argentina 2010
Exclusive Educational Materials
The Vision Care InstituteTM First Class member will periodically receive the most relevant printed material for his or her practice. Scales useful for diagnostic and treatment, new tools, useful advice, anamnesis special forms, patient orientation, trading tools and more.
Revista Panamericana 5 Magazine de Lentes de Contacto The Vision Care InstituteTM First Class member will receive periodically the Magazine Revista Panamericana de Lentes de Contacto, which contains important scientific advances , exclusive information on the visual health union and specialized articles on a great variety of topics related to Contact Lenses.
Group Colombia 2010
Magazine Revista
de Lentes de Contacto
We invite you to constantly send articles on the topics to the Magazine Revista Panamericana de Lentes de Contacto (RPALC). We are constantly seeking health professionals to generate and promote important contents in digital or printed formats. The Publishing House ALAMTEC, with headquarters in Brazil, appreciates your sending information about: • Original articles. • Updates. • Compilations. • Reports on clinical cases or researches. We have found that some of the topics the visual professionals prefer to read are: • Contact lenses materials. • UV filters. • Visual and vision comfort with contact lenses. • Environment and contact lenses (air conditioning, ventilation, work places, pollution and contamination.) • Allergies and daily use of contact lenses. • Adaptation of soft contact lenses by children and adolescents, and the impact lenses have In their development. Go to www.rpalc.com, participate, update in new technologies and take advantage of the possibility of discussing frequent cases. Send your comments or articles to submision@rpalc.com
In Box Susana Brunet Mendoza, Argentina
Sergio Hernández
Coming back to my homeland, I want to thank my professors for the availability and care they have had with us.
Hello, best regards. I am thankful for the opportunity given me to attend a course at First Class in Bogotá, Colombia. The topics studied were very professional and have been very useful for me. Now I can give my patients better advice in the adaptation of their contact lenses. The information received has helped me improve many aspects at my work and has allowed me to develop as a professional of visual health. Therefore, now I feel more secure of what I transmit to my patients.
To Elena, to change the topic for her disposition to answer our questions regarding customs and food. In general thanks for everything. At my age, we see all the details that for young people go unnoticed, and something common. It is very important keep learning. May the Lord bless all of you so you can continue giving yourselves as you have been so far.
Suburbia, Toreo, México D.F.
I hope we will have the opportunity to continue with this type of event and updates because they have a high importance.