VCPN AUGUST 2019

3D-Printed Eyewear PROCESS + PRODUCTS

vision care

product news AUG 2019

P24

Where DO NEW LENS MATERIALS COME FROM? P42

Redesigning

the OPTICAL

OFFICE P14

Light + Screwless

3D-PRINTED MONOQOOL P31 P RODU CT

I NFORMATION

FOR

O P TIC A L

P E O P L E

•

V ISIO NCA RE P RO D U C T S . C O M

David Rips Just now ·

For an independent voice in the optical industry, follow my page! Facebook.com/DavidRipsCEO

Contents.

VC P N AU G U S T 2 019

ON THE COVER Using 3D-printing technology has resulted in a patented screwless hinge design from Monoqool.

Lighter than acetate, the frames weigh only 4g and are made without any screws, bending or soldering.

15 UPFRONT FROM THE PUBLISHER 6 VIEWS 8 THINK ABOUT YOUR EYES 9 Guest Editorial by Tracy Sepich, OD

VCPN INSIDER 10

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34 BUSINESS SOLUTIONS DOGGONEST OPTICAL + GIFT STORE 14

By Barbara L. Wright, CID

BACKYARD SPECTACLES 15 TRUNK SHOWS: PLANNING THROUGH THE BIG DAY 16

By Zvi Pardes

42 BRINGING VISION CARE TO THE AMAZON RIVER BASIN 18

By Dennis Norris

WHAT DO PATIENTS REALLY WANT? 22

By Lori Boyer

NEW 23 Continued on page 4

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Style Featured: F-2030

Contents.

VC P N AU G U S T 2 019

AUGUST 2019 VOL 19, ISSUE 7

EDITORIAL STAFF VICE PRESIDENT, EDITORIAL John Sailer JSailer@FVMG.com

EDITOR Cara Aidone Huzinec CHuzinec@FVMG.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

p g. 18

Check out OneSight’s Trip Down the Amazon

Kat McBride KMcBride@FVMG.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lori Boyer Perry Brill Dennis Norris Zvi Pardes

Continued from page 1

Lance Sinclair

EYEWEAR + FASHION

VISION CARE TECHNOLOGY

3D-PRINTED EYEWEAR 24

WHERE DO NEW LENS MATERIALS COME FROM? 42

By Perry Brill

ROUNDUP OF 3D-PRINTED FRAMES 26 TRENDS 34 High Brow

NEW 36

Barbara L. Wright, CID

EDITOR EMERITUS

PRODUCT FOCUS 44

PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

NEW 45

Terry Tanker TTanker@FVMG.com

20 QUESTIONS 46 With Harvey Moscot of MOSCOT Eyewear

VCPN_MAGAZINE

EDeGennaro@FVMG.com

BUSINESS STAFF

Virtual Eyewear Assistant Makes Its U.S. Debut

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER Eric Hagerman

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING FOR THE OPTICAL INDUSTRY 47

VISIONCAREPRODUCTNEWS

Ed De Gennaro, MEd, ABOM

EHagerman@FVMG.com

VISIONCAREPRODUCTNEWS

SHOWCASE/VCPN

For subscription information email Sub@VisionCareProducts.com VCPN (ISSN 1549-6716) Copyright © 2019 is published monthly except January, by JFT Properties LLC, 31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104, North Ridgeville, OH 44039, Phone: 440-731-8600. Periodicals postage is paid at North Ridgeville, OH and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to VCPN, 31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104, North Ridgeville, OH 44039.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: 31674 Center Ridge Rd., Suite 104, North Ridgeville, OH 44039 or online at visioncareproducts.com. Distributed to qualified optical dispensing locations, chain store headquarters, and optical laboratories. Other U.S. subscriptions are available for $85 for one year; $160 for two years. Contact publisher for overseas rates. Copyright © 2019 by JFT Properties LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

The publisher’s acceptance and publication of any advertising or editorial materials does not constitute endorsement of any product, service, or company by JFT Properties LLC. Throughout this publication, trademark names are used.

Instead of placing a trademark or registration symbol at every occurrence, we are using the names editorially only, with no intention of infringement of the trademark.

4 | VC P N AU G U S T 2 019

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ADVERTORIAL

ADVICE FROM A MEMBER OF

ESSILOR’S MYOPIA TASK FORCE

D

uring back-to-school season, Dave Anderson, OD, a member of Essilor’s Myopia Task Force, sees an increase in families coming to him for help on myopia care. Parents are either unaware of what myopia is, or they are searching for a cure. Eyecare professionals who simply give children with myopia a prescription lens are doing these patients a disservice that can affect their overall eye health for the rest of their life.

“When I graduated 15 years ago, my view on myopia management was simple, a stronger prescription,” Dr. Anderson said. “That all changed when a patient was so worried that her vision had changed and wanted to stop it. She viewed this as a disease and wanted to be preventive and proactive and not just expect it to get worse. At 13, she was much smarter than me in myopia management. I quickly became Ortho-K certified and began the process with this patient.”

“The real key here is that we are the frontline in care, and it is our duty to inform our patients about all things related to their eyes, especially things that will help them in the future,” Dr.

“I am fully convinced we can make a difference, and we have an obligation to do so.”

Dave Anderson, OD

Anderson said. “If early intervention means we could reduce the risk of long-term eye conditions, then we are doing a disservice to these patients if we aren’t addressing myopia early.”

be forgotten for parents is that genetics also plays a significant role in development of myopia, so these parents need to know how important it is to ensure their children are seen for examinations.”

DISCUSS MYOPIA WITH PARENTS

OPTOMETRY SHOULD LEAD

About 42% of Americans ages 12 to 54 are nearsighted, up from 25% just 40 years ago.

This statistic clearly shows that myopia is a real and growing problem. The sooner eyecare professionals can diagnose and treat it, the better it is for patients. It’s especially important for children, as uncorrected myopia over time can put the eyes at risk for serious vision-threatening conditions now and when they’re adults.

When relaying the seriousness of myopia to parents, Dr. Anderson starts with sharing the challenges patients have when they become more and more myopic. He explains that with myopia progression, glasses become thick and heavy, peripheral vision is reduced when wearing glasses, contacts may not come in the powers needed and LASIK or other surgical options may not be available if progression goes too fast or too far.

“I currently speak with all parents who have myopia about the importance of early exams to look for early signs of change and progression, making sure their kids spend more time outside and less time on electronic devices. What cannot

“I compare myopia progression to the need for braces – 50 years ago they were not normal but are now commonplace. Myopia management is similar in that several years ago nobody did it, and the research was not there to provide the basis for treatment plans like we have today.”

“The key for optometrists is to look at the new science for myopia much like they would for glaucoma or retinal disease,” Dr. Anderson said. “Our options, our understanding and our patients are ever changing in the world of myopia. We need to be fully versed in the options to help our patients, even if we do not want to include these in our practice. Much like vision therapy or specialty contacts, practitioners need to know what the options are and when to refer to a colleague who does manage myopia.

Optometry is best suited to manage myopia because optometrists are the most versed in the process as well as the products available to help patients see their best.” n

1 Vitale S, Sperduto RD. (2009, Dec). Increased prevalence of myopia in the United States between 1971-1972 and 1999-2004. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20008719 Unless indicated otherwise, all registered trademarks and trademarks are the property of Essilor International and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries. These products may be protected by one or more patents listed at www.essilorusa.com/patents.

V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

ESSILOR OF AMERICA | essilorusa.com

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From the Publisher.

Next Generation

of DECISION MAKERS

R TERRY TANKER PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER

ecently, I read an interesting research document from IBM’s Institute for Business Value entitled “How Millennials are Reshaping B2B Marketing.”

The multigenerational study explores the preferences and practices of those who influence business-to-business purchase decisions. IBM’s findings show B2B marketers how to connect with this new generation of decision makers.

Increasingly, Millennials are assuming positions at work where they influence purchasing decisions. How do their consumer shopping habits impact their attitudes and approach for researching business products and services and engaging with vendors? As a business owner, it’s important to understand what impacts the Millennials working for you and the vendors they deal with on your behalf.

If you’re not familiar with what a Millennial is, it’s anyone born between 1981-1996 — current age 23-38. Also part of the study were the two generations of consumers prior to Millennials — Gen Xers (born 1965-1979) and Baby Boomers (born 1954-1964).

The report explores how Millennials approach general de-

cision making at work, compared to Gen Xers and Baby Boomers.

(They want data, speed and trusted advisors who are eager to collaborate).

According to the research, Millennials show many of the same career aspirations and attitudes about leadership and recognition as the other two groups, however, they have a distinct decision-making process.

Millennials are most interested in convenience, collaboration and expertise, Gen X wants assurance their satisfaction will be met, and Baby Boomers want speed.

For example, Millennial employees feel they make better decisions at work when a variety of people provide input — they believe it’s important to gain team consensus — Gen Xers too. Boomers, on the other hand, are far less likely to consult colleagues to get buyin. Millennials also depend on analytic technologies to help make better business decisions.

Those accustomed to getting data with a tap on a device have

little patience with organizations that can’t immediately provide the information they seek. Accordingly, the research suggests vendors consider whether the current scope of their client audience is broad enough and if the information they provide clients is relevant and easy to access quickly.

One aspect of the research was very interesting to me. It looked at Millennials’ expectations for consumer brands and questioned whether this was influencing how they researched and engaged B2B vendors.

The short answer is yes.

Preferences were organized into four core activities: researching, engaging during the sales cycle, deciding to buy and sharing the experience. With regard to consumer products and services, they trust their peers’ opinions and, while they do place stock in what their colleagues think on the B2B side, they also want to interact directly with the vendor.

This may seem odd, given their online research habits, but what really matters is understanding what it’s like to work with a particular vendor, having personalized interaction to explore possibilities and to have questions answered, in turn they will share their excitement with co-workers.

Email me at TTanker@FVMG.com 6 | VC P N AU G U S T 2 019

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From the Publisher.

MILLENNIALS ARE USHERING IN A NEW ERA FOR CLIENT/VENDOR RELATIONSHIPS

69% PREFER

to engage vendors during the sales cycle using email.

36% WEIGH

the opinions of friends and family before deciding to buy B2B products/services.

69% POST

a positive comment on social media if they’re happy clients.

The report includes a few charts, and the one that outlines the importance of each communication tool and its relative importance to each of the three groups is priceless for marketers. So, what are the preferred attributes of B2B vendors? That really depends which group you’re speaking to.

Millennials are most interested in convenience, collaboration and expertise, Gen X wants assurance their satisfaction will be met, and Baby Boomers want speed. B2B vendors who are used to working with Boomers and Gen X clients need to be mindful that the new generation of decision makers places a higher priority on a hassle-free client experience than their older colleagues do.

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All three groups cite face-to-face meetings as the predominant way they engage with vendors during the sales cycle. When researching, Millennials seek vendor contact at their own convenience and, after they have the information they need, they prefer to keep vendor interactions quick, easy and virtual while the decision is being made.

When it comes time to make a decision, Millennials’ top two influencers are their organization’s data and recommendations from friends and family. Neither Gen Xers nor Boomers place much weight on advice of personal confidants — their own experience is what’s most important.

Millennials also weigh their personal experiences but appear

less confident of their own assessments. They want purchasing decisions to be informed by data, but they also want the peace of mind that they’ve made the right decision by reassurance from those who know them best.

Obviously, this is an interesting challenge for B2B marketers.

Even if Millennials have the data they need, someone outside the vendor’s market could sway the final decision.

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS B2B marketers need a full mix to connect with Millennials.

They need seamless and engaging touch points with regard to data, information and sales. Assessing the client

experience from your client’s point of view (always a good idea) is a must. And, consider your brand reputation, because key influencers may come from outside the business.

Millennials want trusted advisors — experts who enjoy rolling up their sleeves and working together to find the best solution. They want processes, tools and policies designed for convenience.

Deliver these client experiences, and you’ll delight decision makers of all generations, not just Millennials. To view the complete IBM research document, head over to VisionCareProducts.com/ Next-Generation-of-DecisionMakers. n

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Views.

FROM ECPS for ECPS

S JOHN SAILER VP, EDITORIAL

ome of the best insights that eyecare professionals share regularly in our monthly “20 Questions with . . .” interview is to be individual, to provide your patients with a unique experience when they visit your practice, and to offer them frame styles that are not available from all your competitors . . . whether they are brick-and-mortar or online.

“Stay true and genuine to who you are,” prominent New York City optometrist Harvey Moscot told VCPN magazine in this month’s interview (p46). One way he does this himself is by hosting MOSCOT Music events, which started spontaneously one slow rainy day when he simply brought out his guitar and started jamming. “Since then we have hosted formal music events in our shop for the past ten years,” he said.

In last month’s “20 Questions with . . .” interview, Pierce Voorthuis of Georgetown Optician also shared his own experience: “If you can differentiate yourself on service, on the brands you carry, and in time (we produce all our in-house jobs very quickly), that really helps us stay relevant.”

In response to this advice from your peers, VCPN offers many

ways to “stay true and genuine” and “differentiate yourself.” This issue alone is full of examples.

Our office redesign spread (p14) in the Business Solutions section shows a group of examples of practices that have renovated their offices to represent the character that defines them. Certified

You can’t get any more personal with your patients than with 3D-printed eyewear, which can be customized precisely to an individual’s unique facial dimensions to create one-of-a-kind eyewear. interior designer Barbara Wright shares a pet store she renovated into a combined gift store/optical shop that remains dog friendly.

In the same section, three other practices show how the installation of handcrafted art-inspired furnishings and wall hangings present their personality.

Then, you can’t get any more personal with your patients than with 3D-printed eyewear (p24), which can be customized precisely to an individual’s unique facial dimensions to create oneof-a-kind eyewear.

While it was one year ago this month that VCPN magazine first dove deep into the subject of 3D-printed eyewear, this issue revisits the topic with some new companies appearing along with updates to what the companies included last year have been developing.

One new company that does use 3D-scanning technology but still belongs in a category all its own is Thema Optical (p44) with its Virtual Eyewear Assistant (VEA). Already in operation in Miami, VEA uses a 3D camera to scan and measure more than 500,000 biometric points on a customer’s face, and then the computer uses that information to first recommend the best shapes for the face measured and then to custom cut the frame for a precise fit. That’s one way to differentiate yourself. More than 200 stores in Italy have already done so, and more than 1,000 eyewear retailers across the U.S. are also expected to do so this year.

Set yourself apart and share your practice’s personal character while staying true and genuine. That’s the advice the ECPs with long-term success share regularly in the pages of VCPN, and the products we cover in this publication enable you to do just that. n

Email me at JSailer@FVMG.com 8 | VC P N AU G U S T 2 019

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Think About Your Eyes.

A remodel brings

THE WOW FACTOR If you can create a space where your patients and staff feel comfortable, it makes it much easier to fill their visual needs and have patients for life.

By Tracy Sepich, OD

I

started Restore Eye Care, now Restore Eye Care & Eye Gym, cold in 2005. Since then, we added a second optometrist and two therapists.

We needed more space to allow the quality of specialty care we provide. In addition to typical eye examinations, we allowed space for prescreening, specialty diagnostic testing as well as back office space.

However, our most unique elements revolve around the needs of our vision therapy and low vision rehabilitation patients, so we created a low vision area to include all the devices and props needed for our occupational therapist to provide rehabilitation to our visually impaired patients. We added an Eye Gym, where our vision therapist works with patients (of all ages) to develop or restore their binocular, accommodative and peripheral visual skills.

From the moment you enter our parking lot, you can see we cater to convenience. Our able-bodied patients may not see the details, but we are fully accessible to physical as well

V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

as visual disabilities. The signage is attractive but high contrast. We have double doors externally and to the suite that include push-button accessibility. Our main welcome and optical areas have a wide-open design, with slightly larger exam rooms and hallways. This allows comfortable space for wheelchairs and visitors.

The color scheme is both beautiful and functional, with lighter colors on most of the walls but with contrasting door frames and floor covering. Lighting in all areas can be modified to suit the needs of our patients (partially sighted patients may need more light, but concussion patients may be photosensitive.) We have accessible unisex restrooms and a baby changing table for our guests.

When patients first enter, they express the wow factor. Patients comment on the unique carpeting and calming color scheme (grays, natural greens, wood and berry colors) the roominess and the easy flow of their examination.

I love that we see a wide range of patients, and I enjoy seeing the senior patients interacting with the children in our welcome area. Our patients become like family. If you can create a space where your patients and staff feel comfortable, it makes it much easier to fill their visual needs and have patients for life.

However, the first step in filling their vision needs is getting a patient in the office in the first place. I’m proud to support Think About Your Eyes, which is raising public awareness about the importance of annual eye exams and changing the behavior of patients to emphasize vision health and the importance of visiting an optometrist each year. n Tracy Sepich, OD, is a member of the Pennsylvania Optometric Association and serves on the POA Board of Directors. She is one of the more than 22,000 eye doctors on the Think About Your Eyes doctor locator. First Vision Media Group is a media partner of Think About Your Eyes.

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Insider.

LAUNCHES, PROMOTIONS, MERCHANDISING, EVENTS AND OTHER THINGS TO KEEP YOU IN THE KNOW. LIVING A FULL - AND SUNNY - LIFE Persol’s latest campaign, “For the sun. Not only,” captures the simple pleasures of life . . . with style, of course. Referencing the meaning of “Persol,” which translates to “for the sun,” the campaign highlights the very function for which they were invented while celebrating the beauty of life. Models featured include the line’s classic 649 models as well as the iconic PO3225S model, worn by Tom Cruise in the 1988 film Cocktail.

800.422.2020 Luxottica.com

A NEW WAY TO LUNCH AND LEARN

THE RESULTS ARE IN The Vision Council’s initial results to its National Sunglasses Day campaign were positive, with the #NationalSunglassesDay hashtag even trending on Twitter throughout the day. Social media placements garnered impressions via Instagram and Twitter pages of celebrities such as Kathie Lee Gifford, Salma Hayek, Bethenny Frankel and even the U.S. Secret Service. A media tour secured 111 placements resulting in more than 1.2 billion broadcast and online impressions, with coverage also via optical industry placements.

703.548.4560 TheVisionCouncil.org

Transitions Optical is hosting the Lunch.Learn.Explore Education Tour for ECPs to coincide with the 29Rooms city tours in Dallas, Chicago, Washington, DC, and Atlanta. The educational event includes an ABO technical credit and admission to the 29Rooms event. Lunch and parking are also provided, and attendees will learn more about Transitions Signature Gen 8 lenses within the 29Rooms Expand Your Reality Tour. Registration information along with locations and dates are available at Transitions.com/RSVP. 800.848.1506 Transitions.com

VSP GLOBAL INKS DEAL TO ACQUIRE VISIONWORKS

ONE MILLION PAIRS...

AND NOW COUNTING

VSP Global entered into an agreement to acquire San Antonio, Texas-based Visionworks.

The deal includes Visionworks’ more than 700 stores in 40 states, making it the largest VSP network investment in the company’s history, according to VSP Global. VSP Global will also open three Eyeconic locations and launched VSP Ventures.

Essilor Vision Foundation dispensed its one millionth pair of eyeglasses last month to Khloe, a first grader who began struggling in school because of poor vision. To celebrate this milestone, Essilor Vision Foundation launched “One Million Magic Moments,” a year-long campaign to celebrate the life-changing moments children experience when they see clearly for the first time.

888.867.8867 VSPGlobal.com

EVFUSA.org

To stay informed subscribe to the VCPN INSIDER e-newsletter here: VisionCareProducts.com/VCPN-INSIDER 10 | VC P N AU G U S T 2 019

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vision care

product news

Insider.

HIRES + PROMOTIONS Madison, WI-based Rev360 hired John Fowle as chief financial officer; Pramaor, which manufactures Blackfin eyewear, named Filippo Pustetto global sales director.

‘GREEN’ DRAGON Dragon Eyewear is going green by launching plant-based resin eyewear. Beginning this fall, all new and key carryover injected ophthalmic and sun frames will be produced using this bio-based material, furthering the brand’s commitment to applying more sustainable practices and social responsibility. Made from castor bean oil, plantbased resin is a resilient and renewable alternative to petroleum-based plastics and provides the same lightweight durability, according to the company.

THROWING DOWN THE FLAG

888.DRAGON.8 DragonAlliance.org

800.423.3023 DeRigo.US

Police Eyewear is now an official team supplier of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, home to Formula One world champ Lewis Hamilton, who is also collaborating with Police on an upcoming eyewear collection. The Police logo will be visible on helmets worn by both Hamilton and driver Valtteri Bottas and in the pit garage, as well as on team marketing materials and activities.

LICENSES + AGREEMENTS Marcolin Group inked a licensing deal with adidas to design, develop, manufacture, market and sell eyewear under the addias Badge of Sport and Originals labels through 2024. Products will be available starting next year. Safilo Group confirmed the expiration (December 31, 2020) of its licensing agreement for the Dior and Dior Homme ophthalmic and sun collections.

EYE ON THE PRIZE The Illinois College of Optometry was the big winner at the 28th annual AOSA optometry Student Bowl hosted by Essilor at the AOA meeting in St. Louis in June. Represented by Nora Kuby, Illinois College of Optometry received $1,000 and took possession of the Ventura Cup, which will be housed at the school until next year’s meeting in Washington, DC. The University of Waterloo College of Optometry came in second place, and two schools tied for third: the University of California Berkley College of Optometry and Ohio State University College of Optometry.

800.542.5668 ECPU.com/optometry

DISTRIBUTION CONSOLIDATION

INSIDE INFORMATION

Safilo announced in June plans to open a new North American distribution center in Denver that is expected to be operational within the third quarter of this year. Existing distribution centers in Clearfield, UT, and Montreal, Canada, along with another facility in Denver, will be integrated into the new facility. Safilo’s lab for Smith prescription lenses will also be relocated to the new Denver location.

IDOC now offers members with GPNcompatible practice management systems complimentary access to business analytics and reporting. Included is a customizable Report Card feature that provides data-driven performance feedback such as clinical and optical revenue, sales volume by product type and key performance indicators.

800.631.1188 Safilo.com

203.853.3333 IDOC.net

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HELPING THE NATIVE POPULATION More than 1,000 patients from the Blackfeet Reservation in Browning, MT, received comprehensive vision care thanks to OneSight, which hosted a charitable clinic there in June, the first to be held on a Native American reservation. OneSight dispensed 950 pairs in partnership with LensCrafters and Walking Shield, a Native American social services nonprofit organization.

OneSight.org

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Extreme Closeup.

SPONSORED CONTENT

TRANSITIONS SIGNATURE GEN 8 LENSES

DETAILS

BACK STORY

Transitions Signature GEN 8 lenses are the new generation of Transitions Optical’s best-selling product and replace Transitions Signature VII lenses.

Transitions Signature GEN 8 lenses are the best overall photochromic lenses1, delivering what patients want without compromise: • Long-lasting performance: Transitions Signature GEN 8 lenses maintain their high level of performance longer than Transitions Signature VII lenses2.

• Ultimate Protection: Block 100% of UVA and UVB rays and at least 20% of harmful blue light indoors and over 87% outdoors3.

• Activation Speed: The breakthrough technology of Transitions Signature GEN 8 lenses provides a 30% faster activation rate than Transitions Signature VII lenses4.

• Indoor Clarity: Transitions Signature GEN 8 lenses are fully clear indoors.

• Fade Back: Transitions Signature GEN 8 lenses fade back three minutes faster than Transitions Signature VII lenses5.

• Darkness: Transitions Signature GEN 8 lenses are even darker than Transitions Signature VII lenses6, giving your patients the ultimate eye protection in the brightest sun.

Transitions Signature GEN 8 lenses are the result of a five-year unprecedented effort by Transitions Optical to deliver the optimum light intelligent lenses for patients. After extensive research to understand what consumers want, Transitions Optical found patients desire the right balance of darkness, responsiveness, indoor clarity, long-lasting performance and ultimate eye protection. They don’t want a single dimension of performance—they want it all.

To achieve the new frontier of performance desired by patients, Transitions Optical fully reinvented its photochromic system by combining a disruptive nanocomposite matrix and new generation of ultra-agile dyes.

WOW FACTOR Transitions Signature GEN 8 lenses are proven to reduce how often wearers experience light sensitivity. In fact, after wearing Transitions Signature GEN 8 lenses, eight out of 10 wearers were less bothered by bright light and changing light7. n

TransitionsPRO.com/GEN8 1. Based on achieving the highest weighted composite score among main everyday photochromic lenses across measurements of key photochromic performance attributes weighted by their relative importance to consumers. 2. Lab measurement ISO standard @ 23°C / T=% Transmission. Based on lab accelerated aging test where one cycle approximates two years average usage. 3. Harmful blue light is calculated between 380nm and 460nm, across materials and colors. 4. CR607 products activate to a category 3 darkness 15% faster. Claim is based on tests across materials on gray lenses, being the most popular color, achieving 18% transmission @ 23°C. 5. CR607 products fade back to clear two minutes faster. Claim is based on tests across materials on gray lenses, being the most popular color, fading back to 70% transmission @ 23°C. 6. Lab measurement ISO standard @ 23°C / T=% Transmission. 7. Transitions Signature GEN 8 Wearers Test, Nationwide US, Kadence, Q1 2019.

Transitions and Transitions Signature are registered trademarks and the Transitions logo is a trademark of Transitions Optical, Inc., used under license by Transitions Optical Ltd. GEN 8 is a trademark of Transitions Optical Limited. ©2019 Transitions Optical Limited. Photochromic performance is influenced by temperature, UV exposure and lens material.

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Office Redesign.

Doggonest Optical + GIFT STORE CAN YOU SUCCEED

BY COMBINING AN OPTOMETRY PRACTICE WITH A DOG-FRIENDLY GIFT SHOP? THIS COUPLE SAYS YES!

By Barbara L. Wright, CID

A

fter years of working for an optical chain, Randy Burggraf, OD, decided the time had come to open his own private practice. His optician wife, Julie, also had the itch to open a business, but her desire was to have a gift shop on Third St. in Geneva, IL—a busy retail street that attracts largely female shoppers from far and wide. The couple found a great 2,065-squarefoot former pet store space for rent there that was too large for a start-up gift store or optometry practice alone, but it could possibly work if they combined the two into one.

ENVISIONING THE BUSINESS “Creating a great retail experience was critical for us, but we were very concerned about using the space wisely,” observed Burggraf.

Faced with a huge sunny yellow high-ceilinged retail area at the front but a cut-up and irregular space in back for the optometry clinic, they contacted me to help them realize their dream of having two businesses in one seamless space.

FLOOR PLAN FIRST The most difficult problem to solve was whether to have one reception and payment counter for both businesses or two different ones. After much discussion and deliberation over several plans, I helped them decide that two would work better. The optometry reception counter is near the back of the retail area, and a U-shaped cash/wrap station is set right in the middle of the retail area with a 360° view of the front door and all the merchandise.

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BIG LOOK ON A SMALL BUDGET To keep within budget we advised keeping the existing colors, lighting and restroom.

We designed new white cottage-style display cabinets with built-in lighting and a new cash/wrap station that displays product on all four sides.

Making best use of the existing nooks and crannies at the back of the space, we designed a full-service optometry clinic with its own reception counter, small business office with payment window, optometry waiting area, pre-test area, two exam rooms and the lab. A small galley-style optician’s workroom was added to the retail area with adjustment/repair counter on one side and beverage station on the other.

EYEWEAR AND GIFTWARE Burggraf boasted of his wife’s ability to decorate on a shoestring in addition to being an outstanding optician. Julie and I developed an enjoyable creative partnership during the project. She had plenty of ideas on what she wanted to do but just needed some advice on choosing the best furniture and display accessories so eyeglasses and gift items would complement, not compete, with each other.

To make a waiting area in the retail space, Julie brought in a beautiful antique dresser and filled it with sunglasses and gifts. A leather club chair and reading lamp provides a comfortable spot for a man while his lady shops. A knack for recycling prompted Julie to use things such as a tiered tin dessert stand for cases and vintage lime-green chairs from a used furniture store for the styling tables.

On a lark, the couple brought in a line of doggie sunglasses and displayed them in the front window. They were delighted at how quickly they sold. There’s always a bowl of fresh water outside and dog treats for their many canine visitors.

Third Street Eyecare has personality plus and a growing legion of loyal fans, many of whom initially come to shop for gifts and sunglasses . . . then come back for their eyecare and eyewear. n Barbara L. Wright, CID, prominent eyecare interior design specialist, heads one of North America’s most award-winning and successful optical design firms. A Certified Interior Designer, she has worked with over 1,000 top eyecare professionals since 1984.

BarbaraWrightDesign.com V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

Office Redesign.

EYEWEARINSPIRED

art

PRACTICES CREATE A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE WITH FURNISHINGS FROM BACKYARD SPECTACLES OF ALASKA, WHERE FRANCES SCHOLZ CREATES “EYEWEAR-INSPIRED ART AND TABLES.”

DHANI ANDREW NARINE | OPTIQUE VISION CARE GEORGETOWN, GUYANA “Frame Displays recommended Backyard Spectacles. When we decided to have this store at Movietowne Mall in Georgetown, Guyana, the team wanted to have something unique and outstanding. Our Movietowne store was designed with more of a luxury concept in mind. The goal was to have an area where we can offer VIP service that can appeal to a different level of clientele.

ERIKA MORROW FORSIGHT UNIQUE EYE CARE & EYE WEAR, LLC THE HISTORIC DISTRICT OF SAVANNAH, GA “I found out about Backyard Spectacles through Pinterest many years ago, and I started following her. I knew one day I would ultimately have my own private practice and I would have some of her artwork in my shop.

My project is still under construction.

I have cardholders, a table top mirror and a very large frame for wall decor. I have used the cardholders at networking events, and people have loved them. They comment about how unique and creative they are. I will have to add to this as I open and get more reactions from patients.

Fran made the cardholders look so similar to my logo design, and I loved that. My optical has a very boutique feel, and her artwork is going to look great in there.”

After reaching out to Frances Scholz and explaining the concept and what we wanted to achieve, she delivered a unique piece that was exceptional. The table is very inimitable, and the quality is outstanding. It is the first piece that everyone spots.

Optique is a French word for optical, and we wanted to retain that theme.

The intention was to leave lasting impressions on our customers, and this piece unquestionably works well with what we set out to achieve.”

KAY SCHEUERMAN-WRIGHT K’S OPTICAL EDMONDS, WA “I found out about Backyard Spectacles from my Eastern States rep. When I told her I wanted to be inspired by art and support small businesses, she said, ‘You need to contact my friend Frances in Alaska.’ I looked at her website and said, ‘I have to have that cat eye with pearls piece for my main entrance. I’m all about mid-century modern, so I like the color, gorgeous orange. I also had her make me a sunglass with mirrored lenses for above my sofa.

When I decided to convert an exam room and expand it into a sunglass room for high-end boutique sunglasses [Tom Ford, Entourage of 7, Bellinger, IVI, Kate Spade, Gwen Stefani], I told her I wanted a signature piece. I got a huge wayfarerstyle black frame with classic accents in the corners and gray-tinted glass lenses People say those are beautiful pieces of art; you can tell they’re handcrafted.”

Backyard Spectacles 907.947.8968 BackyardSpectacles.com Info@BackyardSpectacles.com

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AU G U S T 2 019 VC P N | 15

Trunk Shows.

Trunk Shows: PLANNING THROUGH THE BIG DAY AFTER ACHIEVING THE THREE ESSENTIALS OF A SUCCESSFUL TRUNK SHOW, YOU’RE READY TO MAKE IT SPECIAL AND PROMOTE IT TO MAKE THE DAY A MAJOR SUCCESS.

By Zvi Pardes

S

ome practices run trunk shows often, while others have them once in a while . . . or never. After working with practices on hundreds of these, we’ve learned one essential truth: planning is everything! So, step one of a successful trunk show is divided into the top three essentials.

ESSENTIAL #1: KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE This one is definitely the most important and will guide the rest of your decision making.

Carefully think about your main demographic.

How much do they earn? What are their spending habits? What fashion types do they prefer?

You should also decide whether your trunk show will be for existing patients or new audiences, invitation-only or open to the public.

For an event around high-end fashion choices, you could target your top spenders for an exclusive, invitation-only, wine-andcheese evening. Discounts may not be necessary as the pull is the chance to see the latest fashion.

Or, if you are going after a more budget-conscious group, a walk-in event with an attractive discount might get the numbers through the door to make some healthy profits, even at reduced margins.

ESSENTIAL #2: TIMING IS EVERYTHING You can’t expect a great trunk show if you only work on it three days before it’s scheduled. You need to be strategic, starting with 16 | VC P N AU G U S T 2 019

when you want to have it. Choose a time of year that suits the frame line. Avoid the general “sale” seasons — it’s just not easy to compete for people’s time when they are bombarded with messaging from large retailers.

If your goal is to highlight the newest lines and not a “sale,” then aim for the beginning of the selling season. Alternatively, you could use an event to pick things up for slow months.

Think about when your target audience has money to spend. Tax refunds are good for spending in May and June, while unused flex accounts and HSA benefits are great to capitalize on during November and early December.

Decide whether it’s public or exclusive. If public, plan for it to run for at least one day if not more, and hold it during regular business hours so you pick up sales from your scheduled patients. Also plan for walk-ins. An exclusive event, on the other hand, would be best after hours in a more invitation-only setting.

ESSENTIAL #3: CHOOSE VENDORS WISELY The question of which vendor, if any, to work with depends on your goals and audience. Choose a vendor whose price range and style suit your target audience. If you are targeting a younger audience, you might choose products that are trendier than what you typically carry. If you aren’t sure, work with a vendor who is willing to bring a range of styles and see what works best.

The vendor needs to be willing to

cooperate with you for the schedule and products you want but also needs to know their time won’t be wasted. Show initiative by asking ahead for the latest promotional material they have, and walk in with a plan.

MAKE IT SPECIAL A theme will help to both attract the target audience and keep them engaged, relaxed and impressed during and after the event.

It’s also a chance for guest hosts to have fun.

A black-tie, wine-and-cheese party can set a formal but fun tone for an exclusive event. Or a fun-in-the-sun event can show off the latest sunglasses. Have staff come to work in beach attire, and ask visitors to do the same. You can go as far as one of our practices that brought in artificial sand and set up a mini-volleyball court right outside the practice. Encourage your vendors to also play along to actively engage visitors.

Another phenomenal example of a wellplanned theme for a trunk show was a “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” event to promote Tiffany & Co. eyewear. It was an elegant-dress yet fun daytime event that involved music and dance. A video of the doctor and staff dancing went viral on Facebook and created thousands of likes and shares.

FOOD, DÉCOR + AMBIANCE Balloons, banners and themed decorations will put attendees in the “mood” of the event V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

Trunk Shows.

After working with practices on hundreds of these, we’ve learned one essential truth: planning is everything!

. . . and into the mood of buying as well. Live or recorded music and focused props for your theme can be a real plus, too. Covering up unrelated merchandise can also be appropriate when planning an event focused on a specific vendor.

Food and drink are also recommended.

You can match the choices to the time of year and day as well as to the theme. For example, a sandwich board can be a draw for a daytime event. Miniature hors d’oeuvres or petit fours accompanied by shot glasses of liquor might be right for an exclusive evening event aimed at big spenders.

Regardless what you serve, refreshments put people at ease and make it less “about the money.” A bit of wine or the like also helps liberalize people’s decision to purchase too.

PROMOTION IS EASY After figuring out your theme and decor, make sure not only your patients are in the know but also that you are attracting new audiences (unless you’re planning an exclusive event for your top-spenders).

Naturally, make sure to feature the event on your website and with in-store flyers, but don’t stop there.

Email is a great way to reach your patient base. Promote the event, the theme, the costume, the prices, whatever stands out and suits the target audience.

V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

SOCIAL MEDIA Social media is a fantastic way to attract interest.

Create posts and an event on Facebook, tag and share with friends and have staff do the same.

One way to think outside the box with Facebook is a raffle — a free pair of sunglasses or the like — once or twice before the event. To enter, a person would need to share the post. This way, you get (almost) free advertising to their friends and family, most of whom are probably in the community.

You might want to boost the event or posts as well. Make sure to constrain the radius to an area people would be willing to travel. Restrict the boost to an audience specific to your theme or goals.

OFFLINE PROMOTION The goal is exposure to create interest, but do make sure the costs are reasonable. Local radio blasts can be effective if you aren’t in a large urban area, but it’s difficult to gauge impact. Same for direct mail, which is costly and doesn’t provide much data on effectiveness. Advertising in local papers, magazines and circulars is always an option, but mileage may vary, so carefully weigh costs.

Having flyers is good. Signage visible from outside the practice is a fantastic way to grab attention. The same goes for signage around the display area for a featured product. If you are coordinating with a vendor, ask for marketing assets.

FOLLOW UP After the trunk show, it’s time to capitalize on your success in order to help the next event be equally amazing. This actually doesn’t start after the event; plan for the next event while the first one is still going on. The first step to following up is actually before the event finishes. Capture people’s names and email addresses with a signup sheet. Even if they didn’t buy anything, new attendees are prime targets for the next one.

Take lots of pictures and videos. Fun, themed and possibly costumed events make the perfect material for Facebook and Instagram.

Maybe some staff played instruments or you brought in a juggler? Whatever it was, everyone invited had fun, and it’s precisely that feeling which will entice visitors next time. Even those who didn’t attend will wish they had and will be prompted to attend next time when they see those photos and videos online. n Zvi Pardes is the head of content marketing at EyeCarePro, which provides ECPs with educational content that helps them advance their practices through technology, management strategies and digital marketing. EyeCarePro provides a dedicated marketing manager, who will provide monthly marketing strategy, including planning fantastic events and managing social media.

Contact him at Zvi@EyeCarePro.net.

AU G U S T 2 019 VC P N | 17

bringing

VISION CARE TO THE AMAZON RIVER BASIN

ONESIGHT BROUGHT 47 VOLUNTEERS, EIGHT OPHTHALMOLOGISTS AND A SUPPORT CREW TO PROVIDE FREE EYECARE AND EYEWEAR TO SOME OF THE MOST SECLUDED PATIENTS IN THE WORLD.

By Dennis Norris

I

magine it took you 24 hours of travel by boat to see an eye doctor. Would you do it? Probably not. So, how can we bring the doctor to you? This question drove OneSight to explore new possibilities and solutions to reach communities along the Amazon River who were in desperate need of access to vision care. And they solved it.

FIVE-DAY BOAT EXPEDITION In June of 2018, OneSight set sail on a fiveday boat expedition to bring quality vision care and glasses to remote and vulnerable communities along the Amazon River. The team included 47 volunteers, eight Brazilian ophthalmologists, a team doctor, six translators, a pastor and his wife, a captain and boat crew, and cooks who kept the team fed with local Brazilian food while preparing it in tiny hot conditions on the two boats.

Prior to the OneSight clinic, communities along the Amazon River would need to travel up to 24 hours to receive vision care, making it

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impossible for most. To reach these communities, OneSight needed to be more mobile, more portable and smaller. Enter the nimble clinic approach which used digital and portable technologies. The nimble clinic kit is composed of newly developed mobile technology, including a binocular autorefractor, a mobile battery-operated biomicroscope, a tablet-operated phoropter and a portable battery-operated slit lamp.

Together, the instruments enable professionals to improve prescription accuracy and increase their efficiency with each patient and vulnerable communities without brick-and-mortar labs.

OneSight started the expedition with an 18-hour boat trip from Manaus to the community of Muritinga. When the team arrived, they were greeted by hundreds of individuals, many whom had journeyed three or more hours for the opportunity to see clearly.

7-YEAR-OLD RONIMA One patient that left a lasting impression was Ronima. 7-year-old Ronima and her

4-year-old sister Fernanda are two young girls with all the irrepressible energy in the world. Yet both of them struggled with poor eyesight. Naires, their mother, shared their challenges with the OneSight team on the wooden floor of their bright green house.

Every day her girls came home from school with tired and irritated eyes. Their mom suspected it was due to poor eyesight, but there wasn’t much she could do about it. To get glasses she’d have to travel more than 12 hours on a slow boat to reach the nearest city with vision care, and their family couldn’t afford them anyway as the girls’ father doesn’t make much money as a manual laborer.

When the girls received their free glasses from the OneSight clinic in June 2018, they skipped through the village on their way home and said, “Everything just looks so beautiful now.”

They were delighted about the present; we were thinking about their futures.

Ronima told us she wants to be a doctor one day, and we can’t help but wonder how her V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

PhilanthrOptic.

They were delighted about the present; we were thinking about their futures.

pair of glasses will affect that dream. Not being able to see in school is frustrating, exhausting and can hurt your grades. Without good vision, Ronima might have given up on school or struggled to stay afloat, but now she can see her future more clearly too.

101-YEAR-OLD MARIA On the other end of the spectrum was Maria Ferreira da Costa—one of the oldest patients seen at 101 years old. Maria had never had glasses. She is a seamstress and had been struggling to see. With her new glasses, Maria will be able to continue sewing and providing for herself and family. She was so grateful that she invited the team over for tea, and we are honored to give her the chance to see clearly and enjoy sewing and her family.

Ronima and Maria were two of the more than 2,000 patients who received quality vision care and glasses as a part of the OneSight Amazon clinic. Patients who came to the clinic received their glasses that day.

V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

To do so, OneSight brought an entire manufacturing lab on the boat that included two tracers, four lens edgers, thousands of stock lenses and a variety of quality frames from which to choose. Patients waited about an hour to receive their glasses and went home seeing clearly, for many the first time they’ve seen clearly in years.

OneSight will again set sail in 2019 along with nearly 50 volunteers to provide vision care to more than 2,000 residents of the Parintins regions in Brazil. They will travel 30 hours along the Amazon, where there are four people per kilometer, to reach some of the most remote populations to provide vision care and conduct surgical procedures, a service offered for the first time ever to these individuals.

The expeditions are made possible through a coalition of local Amazon partners, including The Secretary of Health of the Parintins Region, The Penido Burnier Foundation and The Missão Amazônia-Methodist Church of Brazil.

Lack of access to vision care is a massive issue with one in seven people on our planet who need glasses but have no way to get them. People who could become community leaders, doctors or teachers are being held back from living their potential. But while the world faces many endemic challenges that lack a clear path to a solution, closing the vision care gap isn’t one of them. We have the tools to close it and improve the lives of more than a billion people. Working together across public and private channels, we can literally change the world one pair of glasses at a time.

If you are an OD and are interested in volunteering with OneSight at one of our clinics in the U.S. and around the globe, contact Tami Wittenauer at TWittena@OneSight.org. Learn more about how you can make access to vision care a reality for all at OneSight.org. n Dennis Norris is senior director of global programming for OneSight.

AU G U S T 2 019 VC P N | 19

PhilanthrOptic.

DANIELE CANGEMI, ONESIGHT LATIN AMERICA PROGRAMMING MANAGER “Vision care access remains a massive yet overlooked issue around the world, and some of the most vulnerable communities are along the Amazon River. With more than two million people and only four ophthalmologists to serve them, communities in the Amazon River Basin have no way to get quality vision care and glasses. OneSight was determined to develop a new model to reach the most remote and isolated areas like those in Amazonas, so we identified a new generation of eyecare technologies that were light, portable and highly accurate. Then we set sail on our first fully digital clinic on a boat along the Amazon River to prove out the new model and help those in need see clearly.

Our local partners went above and beyond to make this unique clinic a success by coordinating the boat and crew rental, translators and the necessary ophthalmologists. And the clinic was a success. The Amazon clinic showed OneSight’s commitment and capability to respond to vision need in one of the most remote communities of the world. The clinic validated that mobile technology will not only enable us to see more patients, but it will also empower a more agile response to vision need around the globe.”

MAX MAIA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, METHODIST HOSPITAL BOAT, AMAZON MISSION “The Amazon is completely different from other states in Brazil, and as a matter of fact, the world.

In other states the main means of transportation

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is through roads by car, but in the Amazon it is through rivers by boat. The Amazon has the lowest demographic density in Brazil, about four people per kilometer, and the great majority of the population is poor and fully dependent on free-ofcharge service. There are many elderly people who have never had an eye exam, and in our primary care clinics, people are always asking, ‘When are we going to have vision care?’

We also face wet and dry seasons. During the dry season people have to walk miles and miles until they can get to the boats, thus making access very hard for the community to get to the healthcare professionals and for the healthcare professionals to get to the communities.

Partnerships are necessary for success, we would not be able to access these people without partnerships, because they are not going to be able to reach us, we are going to have to be able to reach them. ”

STEPHANIE SINCLAIR, PULITZER PRIZE WINNER AND NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHER “My world was opened up to the issue of vision care just a couple years ago. I adopted two children from China who are legally blind and have albinism. As a photographer for National Geographic for over 15 years, I’ve relied on my sight. It’s been my career and how I’ve best communicated. So, I’ve approached this issue with humility, and I am so grateful for this partnership as I have learned so much.

I’ve photographed a lot of NGOs doing work in communities around the world, and I have to say I was truly impressed with OneSight’s efficiency and

organization in managing that many people. It was a tight operation, and I think from a medical point of view in wanting to reach the highest number of people it was very successful. It seemed like a lot to manage in such a remote area. There was even one volunteer who had been recently diagnosed with cancer and had decided to postpone her treatment to do this, in part to feel like she had a greater purpose.”

RHONDA MILLER, ONESIGHT VOLUNTEER AND OAKLEY STORE MANAGER “Prior to the clinic I was diagnosed with cancer. I made a deliberate decision to forego a procedure to take the journey as it was important to me to give back and do something powerful in the world. Being on the boat was one of the most unique experiences of my life. You find that in these conditions you bond immediately with those around you. I’ve never felt more empowered or encouraged by a group of people in my life.

Being in the communities along the Amazon River and interacting with the people we were helping was incredibly impactful. During our last stop in Cuia there was a young girl who came to the lab on the boat, and we showed her how to make her own glasses. It was very moving and humbling. Some of us take for granted that we have access to vision care and prescription eyewear, but when you go to other parts of the world you realize that we are privileged in what we have.

We have a duty to share what we can with those in need as we have the ability to not just change lives but to improve them.”

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Patient Engagement.

What Do Patients Really Want?

PATIENTS PREFER COMMUNICATION, RESPECT AND TO BE INVOLVED IN THEIR CARE DECISIONS.

by Lori Boyer

U

nderstanding patient engagement can be complicated. It’s tempting to think that patients want to be impressed. To that end, many eyecare providers make sure their diplomas are mounted on the wall, that their waiting area shows the touches of an interior designer and that the exam rooms feature the latest furnishings and equipment. While some of this matters, the truth is that real patient engagement is what’s important.

WHAT IS REAL ENGAGEMENT? A few years ago, the Schwartz Center held a series of focus groups to gain a better understanding of patient expectations. These groups were composed of a wide range of people who came from a variety of economic and racial backgrounds. When asked about engagement (they used the term “compassionate care”), patients indicated these five things were most important to them: 1. conveying information in a way the patient can understand 2. always involving the patient in decisions about their care 3. listening attentively to the patient 4. treating the patient as a person, not as a disease 5. showing respect for the patient and their family WHAT DO PATIENTS WANT? What patients truly desire is open communication with their healthcare provider. Having a provider who actively listens and ensures the patient genuinely understands their health issues, treatments and possible outcomes, was the most important criteria.

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Interestingly, providers often see things through a very different lens. Those who are still operating under the fee-for-service model have failed to recognize the importance of patient engagement to the success of their practice. Fee-for-service philosophies have contributed to the downfall of primary care and the mistrust of healthcare in general by patients of all kinds. The need for good communication and engagement has become paramount in the era of value-based care.

Patients want time with their care providers to ensure their questions are answered in a way they can understand. They want to know they’ve been heard, that their concerns are taken seriously and to feel there is mutual respect between the patient, their provider and the staff.

WHEN COMMUNICATION IS LACKING A lack of communication is one of the top concerns cited by patients when they leave one practice for another. An honest and open communication process between patients and their healthcare providers is paramount at all times but especially in the event of an adverse situation. Patients and their families need to be able to openly address their fears

and concerns and believe that their provider has their best interests at heart.

Improving communication with patients and improving patient engagement is not difficult. A few additional moments of your time to address concerns, answer questions and ensure that patients truly understand the information you’ve given them is all it takes. Communication is a leading factor in many healthcare legal cases, so ensuring that you are communicating with patients effectively is an investment in your practice and your future as well as in better care for your patient.

The heart of patient engagement is the relationship between provider and patient. Like any relationship, it requires effort. The process starts before a patient ever enters your door and is ongoing throughout the lifetime of your relationship. n Lori Boyer has spent over a decade developing content and customer strategy for a wide variety of companies and is currently a content writer/coordinator for patient-provider relationship management company Solutionreach, Inc. Reprinted with permission of Solutionreach. Find out more at Solutionreach.com or call 800.955.8444.

V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

New.

REDESIGNED WEBSITE AND GEN8 LAUNCH KIT FROM TRANSITIONS Transitions Optical has launched a refreshed TransitionsPRO.com website through which ECPs can access and download resources to educate their team, market their practice and discuss Transitions lenses with patients. ECPs can also request a launch kit on Transitions Signature Gen 8 lenses that includes an ECP guide, consumer brochures and a dispensing mat insert at TransitionsPRO.com/GEN8.

800.848.1506, TransitionsPRO.com

COMPULINK DEBUTS NEW USER INTERFACE Compulink’s user interface for its Eyecare Advantage software includes an updated look with new fonts, buttons and colors, plus pop-up hover menus to streamline screens that make navigation easier and more efficient. Eyecare Advantage streamlines efficiencies across a practice by using real-time data, automating administrative tasks and incorporating a smart billing system.

800.456.4522, CompulinkAdvantage.com

COBURN LAUNCHES E-COMMERCE WEBSITE

INSIGHT VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE FROM EYE DESIGN GROUP

Coburn’s new website for consumables and spare parts includes items for digital and traditional surfacing, coatings and chemicals, finishing, diagnostics and parts. ShopCoburn.com is easy to navigate and offers a clean design, search functionality, featured and recommended products, and a simple checkout process. The website also includes consumables for spare parts for the company’s legacy products as well as competitor’s coatings and digital lens processing equipment.

ECPs can create an in-store virtual experience with Insight, an interactive touch screen, digital touch screen and eyewear display all in one.

Insight’s touch screen interface comes with a custom experience built specifically for the store and features a video or digital billboard that is displayed when not active to attract customers’ attention. Insight is equipped with RFID technology that displays all product information when customers place a frame on the shelf under the monitor.

800.262.8761, CoburnTechnologies.com

800.346.8890, EyeDesigns.com

V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

AU G U S T 2 019 VC P N | 23

3D Eyewear.

3D-PRINTED

Eyewear COULD FREELANCE ONLINE OPTICAL BE THE NEXT BIG JOB?

NEUBAU

By Perry Brill

H

umans have been fascinated with printing for quite a long time. It can be traced all the way back to Persian and Mesopotamian civilizations using cylinder seals to certify documents written in clay. We have come a long way since then. Fast forward many years and we have typewriters, inkjet and toner printers, and now 3D printers.

Gone are the days of asking your patients, “Do you want metal or plastic?” Frames today are made from so many varied materials, including wood, shell, metal, horn, plastics, nylon, rubber, polyamide, carbon fiber and more.

DO WE REALLY NEED ANOTHER FRAME MATERIAL? Don’t we have enough selection for our patients already? Yes we do. The answer though

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is eyewear is moving away from cookie cutter to technical fashion. Remember just 15 years ago when workout apparel meant baggy sweatpants and oversized worn-out t-shirts you didn’t care about? The workout culture has changed a lot since then. It’s all about advanced sweat-wicking materials that fit tapered to the body. We have moved to a culture of wearing workout apparel for casual fashion.

Eyewear has undergone the same cultural transformation. People now wear plano glasses for fun! Eyewear is now a fashion, medical and comfort product all in one.

oil paints, pencil or oil pastels. Each of these traditional methods creates different textures, hues, vibrancy, tones and overall appearance.

3D printing starts off like making any frame. You draw out the design by hand, create a computer-aided design, then make the actual product. However, 3D printing allows for micro-accuracy in creating new shapes, tight corners and new colors. Since the product is being printed and solidified layer by layer by a laser, rather than being milled and pantographed, you can get down to a level of precision that beats other forms of eyeglasses manufacturing.

WHAT PURPOSE DOES 3D PRINTING PLAY IN EYEWEAR? Think of 3D printing like a method of creating art. There are many ways to draw a portrait of somebody. You could use watercolors,

WHAT COLORS DO 3D-PRINTED FRAMES COME IN? If you inspect a 3D-printed frame, you will notice the colors are a dull or matte finish coloration. Are you amazed how many colors and V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

3D Printed. combinations of acetate that can be created?

Just when you think you have seen everything, you come across something amazing and new.

3D frames are currently one solid color and do not resemble traditional acetate colors. They are very simple . . . but very different.

Since the frames are made mostly from polyamide material rather than cotton fibers, the colors tend to resemble a palette more closely related to modern flat paint.

3D-printed frames start off as a white powder, are printed, and then the material is dyed. The dye penetrates through the whole frame, so if you drop and scratch the frame it holds up well to wear and tear.

The colors produced through 3D printing are very unique, but they can be inconsistent between batches. Even with the recipe written down for producing the colors, there are lots of environmental variables that affect the way the dye penetrates and adheres to the frames. Each batch can be a little different, which is actually pretty fun.

ARE 3D-PRINTED FRAMES DURABLE? We all want some additional durability when it comes to glasses because life is tough on eyewear. Most 3D-printed frames are made from the material called polyamide.

3D-printed product can come in stiff formats or be more flexible. Overall, the product is very forgiving and flexible, but it should be treated with normal care just like all other frames. The material has almost a rubbery memory to it that allows it to spring back into position if you bend it. Too much force, though, can break it, resulting in a clean snap that cannot be repaired.

3D-PRINTED EYEWEAR IS MADE USING ROBOTS, WHICH SHOULD MAKE IT EASIER TO MANUFACTURE, RIGHT? We wish this were the case that we would finally find a way to make high quality eyewear at a reasonable price. However, consumer goods that are comfortable, fashionable and long-lasting are never cheap to produce no matter what the internet eyewear vendors say.

The design process is similar to that of any frame, and it takes creative thought and processes to produce. The actual manufacturing is fairly automated but still can result in spoilage and inconsistencies in shapes and colors and quality.

V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

Once a batch is produced, the frames must be sanded by hand to create smooth surfaces, and the frame front and temples still have to be manually assembled. Automation is fabulous with technology, but frame manufacturing will always have human intervention.

WHAT ABOUT THE TEMPLES? ARE THEY 3D PRINTED TOO? The temples can be 3D printed too. Some companies pair a 3D-printed frame front with metal temples for a neat combination look. The hinges of a full 3D-printed frame still use metal hinges.

3D printing allows for microaccuracy in creating new shapes, tight corners and new colors.

CAN CONSUMERS MAKE THEIR OWN 3D-PRINTED FRAMES? If you read any tech blogs, you will see 3D printer fanatics using the technology to create anything and everything. The answer is yes, consumers can print their own, but it will appear more like a toy and not fit well. It still takes a deep knowledge and appreciation for eyewear to produce a frame that fits the bridge well, has pantoscopic tilt, correct temple fit, face form, bevels for lenses, etc. If someone tooled around enough, I’m sure they could figure out these details, but the average garage craftsperson will find the process of printing professional-grade eyewear a challenge.

WHAT ABOUT CUSTOM MADE 3D SCANNING AND 3D PRINTING PRODUCTS? There’s a growing number of eyewear companies utilizing scanning apparatuses such as Bellus3D and Occipital to take a three-dimensional scan of the head and then print eyewear made to exact specifications of a human head. The scanners

make a digital mold of the head using an abundant amount of data points which are then translated to a printer to produce the glasses.

The products you can buy today using this technology include Specsy, Roger Bacon and others. The technology, though, is still in its infancy as the product typically takes more than one month to produce and is made mostly in Europe. The 3D-printed eyewear fits well, but the companies still have many learning curves to overcome to master production, fit, design and mass-customization in a timely manner.

The beauty of scanning, though, is with machine learning, computers and artificial intelligence become better with the more data the computers accrue over time. Eventually, we will all have near-perfect frame fits.

Even with scanning you are still limited to certain shapes and colors for printing since 3D printing is a complex process and the companies must still remain focused on quality control.

WHAT’S THE FUTURE OF CUSTOMIZED EYEWEAR FOR THE MASSES? Everything today is reaching a high level of automation. Tesla has self-driving vehicles, McDonald’s has adopted tablets in-store in lieu of order takers, and frame manufacturers are in a race to create software to customize frames.

For now, we will still see offices carrying shelves and frame boards stocked heavy with frames waiting for somebody to buy them. A few adventurous opticals will seek out innovative technology such as 3D scanning and 3D luxury frames to help differentiate themselves in the crowded eyewear market.

Eyewear has become a commodity. Perhaps when the technology of 3D scanning is more accessible on our smartphones, consumers can order glasses online safely and easily and feel confident they will look and feel great. Perhaps the next phase of opticians will not be twiddling their thumbs in-store waiting for the next patient to buy glasses on their insurance but will seek out highly skilled online opticians who have a sense of design, fit and superior customer service skills through voice and chat.

Uber for opticians is certainly the next phase of eyeglass buying. Would you sign up to be a freelance optician and work at any time you want for extra cash? n Optician Perry Brill is with Brill Eye Center in Mission, KS. AU G U S T 2 019 VC P N | 25

3D Printed.

NEUBAU Continuing to expand on its 3D-printed offerings, neubau just introduced the Bauhaus-inspired Walter & Wassily collection. The 3D-printing process not only allows for intricate detailing but also offers sustainability that is inspired by the Bauhaus focus on economy of design, efficiency and minimalism. The 3D printer only adds the polyamide powder where needed, while the residual material is fully recyclable and can be used for the next frame. The result is super light and flexible yet durable.

Walter & Wassily was also built to be easily recycled.

The 3D-printing surface treatment is sealed for sweat resistance and to prevent materials from seeping into the skin. The unisex eyewear also features adjustable temples and UV400 protection.

The high-end Walter & Wassily sunglasses are inspired by Bauhaus architect Walter Gropius and Wassily Kandinsky (a painter and teacher at the Bauhaus). Walter & Wassily’s titanium frames refer to the period’s signature bent steel tube furniture, while the round counterpart pays homage to the circle, a defining element of that time period. The roundness of the faded tinted mirror lenses, designed in reverence to the façade of the famous Bauhaus school building in Dessau, are disrupted by 3D-printed applications at the front of the frame to add an unexpected and exciting detail.

For the “Walter & Wassily” campaign, neubau reinterpreted the legendary Bauhaus “form follows function” credo and adopted the motto “human follows form,” showing how design and people can be staged as an innovative duo.

An offshoot of Austrian eyewear company Silhouette International, neubau was founded in 2016 and gets its name from international creative hubs such as Vienna’s Neubau district in the heart of the Austrian capital.

neubau eyewear 800.223.0180 neubau-eyewear.com ContactUs@neubau-eyewear.com 26 | VC P N AU G U S T 2 019

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3D Printed.

CLEAR3D Clear3D is the first collection of 3D-printed eyewear from ClearVision Optical, which utilizes the software developed in conjunction with Tech Print Industries (TPI), a global leader in scan-to-print software.

The biggest advancement in the past year has been the reimagination and creation of 3D-printed product, based on TPI’s advanced software and new printing and finishing process. Finished product is both stronger and lighter than conventional eyewear.

New for this year is the ability to scan based on the iOS platform and late model iPhone/iPad devices. This makes scanning completely portable and cost effective. The latest version of the software has been simplified, allowing for a more enhanced yet easier customer experience. This enhanced software package will allow for simple ‘customization’ of ready-to-wear eyewear, allowing the user to select custom colors as well as custom temples and finishes.

The advancements in the software platform, coupled with the new print and finishing process, has created new opportunity for eyewear design, as well as unlimited color options, including ambers, ombres, matte and patterned finishes.

Additionally, “textures” have been added to the print capabilities (waves, snake, stone), allowing for multi-dimensional product design. This texture process allows for new creativity in Clear3D’s product offering, which is now grouped in collections offered both in standard ready-to-wear and customized options.

Clients who purchase the ready-to-wear eyewear from Clear3D will be able to upgrade the experience by adding customized options, in both “design” and “professional” versions.

ClearVision Optical Co. 800.645.3733 CVOptical.com CService@CVOptical.com V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

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3D Printed.

GÖTTI In order to bring the manufacturing of its newest collections (Götti Dimension and Götti Perspective) to Switzerland, the company turned to 3D-printing technology. Everything is now under one roof—design, development, 3D printing, handwork, assembly, distribution. The 3D-printing technology in particular has evolved over the past year, allowing for the further reduction in the thickness of the material, making the frames much thinner and lighter.

The 3D-printing process in which the frame is created with polyamide powder built up layer by layer offers some distinct advantages—the material is resistant to acid and heat, flexible and allergen free. The finishing and coloring processes have been further optimized as well.

Also introduced over the past year is the Perspective BOLD collection with a very thin 3D-printed rim. A hybrid of rimless and 3D printing, Götti Perspective BOLD combines the lightness of its rimless collection with an accent around the circumference of the lens. A fine line of 3D-printed polyamide powder frames the contour of the glasses and gives it a distinctive characteristic.

The ultra-light frame is held together without screws or soldering points.

This fall, Götti will launch a new hinge and a new temple concept for 3D-printed frames and a lot of new shapes that are much thinner.

“You can no longer say that 3D printing as a manufacturing method is a niche in the eyewear industry,” according to the company. “Hardly any technology has changed the design approach as much as additive manufacturing. We can assume that this technology will not be going anywhere anytime soon but instead will gain a greater share of the market over the next 10 years.”

Götti Switzerland USA 914.274.8522 Gotti.ch/en Office.USA@Gotti.ch 28 | VC P N AU G U S T 2 019

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3D Printed.

ROGER BACON EYEWEAR The Roger Bacon Eyewear process begins with a 360° image of the patient’s head, through the use of a scanner attached to an iPad. The file is uploaded to Roger Bacon’s cloud-based software, providing the measurements necessary for customizing the frame. The Roger Bacon iPad app assists the ECP and patient in the selection of frame style and width.

Key developments underway for Roger Bacon Eyewear include incorporating additional materials into the frame designs, including titanium temples and acetate fronts with a customized bridge printed in titanium. The Roger Bacon software is evolving into a platform that can support a variety of frame designs and materials.

Roger Bacon now has more than 40 basic designs that can be customized in the app. This number will grow in 2019 through additional collaborations with frame designers. The first of these collaborations occurred in 2019 with Komorebi Eyewear.

There will also be additional collaborations within the software platform to help with Roger Bacon’s expansion in the eyewear industry.

As an additional incentive to current Roger Bacon customers, Eyenavision has recently completed and launched a new photo shoot around Roger Bacon Eyewear. Using these updated images that showcase the newest styles, the company has added an additional layer of customization: Customized Roger Bacon Marketing. Roger Bacon Eyewear now offers 100% made-to-specification marketing for the ECP. This new marketing opportunity seamlessly merges the Roger Bacon brand with the ECP’s optical shop, personal brand and customer needs.

Eyenavision, Inc. 888.321.3939 Eyenavision.com Info@Eyenavision.com V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

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3D Printed.

SPECSY After introducing the company at Vision Expo East less than two years ago, Specsy’s 3D-printed frames are now available in about 60 locations across North America with new ones being added on a weekly basis. Since then the material composing the company’s 3D-printed frames has been changed to nylon instead of the plastic used when they were first introduced. Temples are available in either nylon or metal.

“The nylon we’re using now is much lighter weight than acetate, plus it is more durable,” said Ashley Barby, Specy’s chief operating officer. She explained that this is due not just to the material but also to the SLS (selective laser sintering) 3D-printing process.

The process begins with a 3D scanner that captures the patient’s facial dimensions and contours, which are then used to design the frame. The system can customize the bridge, temple length, PD, pantoscopic tilt, temple angle, and other pertinent dimensions based on the 3D scan.

Also new since Specy’s introduction is the company’s focus on patients with larger heads. “Based on the orders coming in, we realized it was its own product category that we could tailor our product to,” Barby said. “It’s definitely a significant portion of what we are experiencing now.”

Later this year, Specsy will introduce a collection that’s “specifically geared toward patients with large heads who truly cannot shop off the shelf,” she explained. “Styles are designed for face shapes and proportions that are larger than average, and we’ll also be providing samples that are scaled larger, so patients with larger heads can shop for frames off the shelf or they can order custom frames.”

Specsy Specsy.com A@Specsy.com 30 | VC P N AU G U S T 2 019

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3D Printed.

MONOQOOL Known for its spiral hinge design, Monoqool has further added freedom of construction using 3D-printing technology, resulting in a patented screwless hinge.

“After experimenting with SLS [selective laser sintering] technology for a few years and using it for making prototypes, we thought that the time was ripe for using this technique for manufacturing,” said Jack Erker III, president of Studio Optyx, the St. Louisbased optical company that offers Monoqool in North America. “The technology allowed us to come up with a new hinge solution, which would have been impossible to achieve with traditional ways of manufacturing eyeglasses.

The SLS polyamide fronts and the surgical stainless steel temples are all made in Denmark. Although, the SLS technology has been used for years for making prototypes, it is still quite new in regards to manufacturing. Lighter than acetate, the frames weigh only 4g and are made without any screws or any bending or soldering.

“We are able to come out with designs that have never been able to work before, and with the constant innovation coming out of our Monoqool factory in Denmark, it has made our growth in the North American market substantial and our customers always wondering what we will come out with next,” said Erker.

“When we launched Monoqool more than 10 years ago, innovation was top of our agenda right from the beginning,” said Danish founders Bettina and Allan Petersen. “Faced with an industry full of similarlooking frames in the same limited materials, we knew we had to create something unique and special that stood out from the crowd.”

Monoqool/Studio Optyx.

800.997.5101 StudioOptyx.com Monoqool.com V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

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3D Printed.

MYKITA MYLON While the 3D-printing process is similar to other frames made using Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) of polyamide powder, the final look and feel of Mykita’s Mylon material is achieved using a proprietary finishing treatment. Despite its high-tech origins, the pigmented, matte surface has an organic quality, which can be accentuated when paired with sleek steel or mirrored lenses The Hybrid line combines stainless steel with the laser-sintered Mylon via click-in connections.

The 2019 campaign shows the Mykita Mylon collection in the digital world from where it came: the wireframe motif signifies the 3D production process used for both the Mylon material and the campaign imagery.

CGI technology allows the characteristic construction details and surface texture of Mykita Mylon to be illustrated in a hyper-realistic style.

The eyewear models of the collection fit right into this aura of retro-futurism—strong, voluminous silhouettes conjure a high-speed style, while the neon and metallic accents on the more slender Hybrid models made of stainless steel and Mylon coordinate with the colored grids of the campaign backdrops.

Headed by founder Moritz Krueger, Mykita is based in Berlin, where it was founded in 2003. In addition to its own shops in cities across the globe, including Los Angeles, New York, Paris and Tokyo, Mykita is available at selected optical and fashion stores in over 100 countries.

MYKITA 973.669.0063 Mykita.com NorthAmerica@Mykita.com 32 | VC P N AU G U S T 2 019

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3D Printed.

MOREL LIGHTEC 3D By combining a 3D-printed rim with beta titanium temples, Morel Lightec 3D weighs less than 10g to deliver lightness with flexibility. Comfort is key in this ultra-flexible, featherweight design. Morel’s 3D-printed frames are made through laser sintering, a process that takes a powder material and solidifies it with heat and compression without the material ever taking a liquid form. Powder is deposited and sintered one extremely thin layer after another in hundreds of thousands of layers until the frame’s front is formed.

This process makes the frame not only lightweight but also extremely malleable, allowing for even extreme adjustments to be made and enabling it to hold its shape longer than any acetate material. The flexible principles of beta titanium contribute to the adaptability of the frame, allowing both the temples and nosepads to be adjusted specifically to the wearer. The hinges are equipped with the Omicron system, a flexible, screwless hinge, exclusive to Morel, which is remarkably solid. The contrast of the naturally textured front is paired with the shine of the frame’s fine beta titanium temples. For women, red, purple, brown and black tones are available in four shapes ranging from medium to large—mod round, rectangular butterfly and two panto shapes.

For men, red, black, blue, gray and brown colors are available in four trendy shapes from medium to large—three rectangular shapes and a panto shape with a double bridge.

Morel.

800.526.8838 Morel-France.com Info@Morel-EyewearUSA.com V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

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HIGH

brow 1

THESE PRONOUNCED AND ENHANCED BROW DESIGNS RAISE THESE FRAMES TO A HIGHER LEVEL.

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1. Tura, Inc. LAMB 557 800.242.8872 Tura.com Orders@Tura.com 2. L’Amy America Ann Taylor 33501 800.243.6350 LAmyAmerica.com Support@LAmyAmerica.com 3. Lafont ENVIE380 800.832.8233 Lafont.com CS@LafontUSA.com 4. Kenmark Eyewear Jhane Barnes Transpose 800.627.2898 KenmarkEyewear.com Info@KenmarkEyewear.com 5. Kering Eyewear Pomellato PM0072S 844.790.9165 Kering.com KeringEyewear.US.cs@Kering.com 6. Kirk & Kirk Jasmine 011.44.1273.963.129 KirkAndKirk.com Info@KirkAndKirk.com 7. Maui Jim, Inc. 2516 888.666.5905 MauiJim.com MauiJim@HavasFormula.com 8. Dita INTERWEAVER DTS527 949.596.7697 Dita.com 9. Safilo USA rag & bone 34 | VC P N AU G U S T 2 019

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Trends.

Conventional wisdom for ‘fitting the brow’ says to parallel the wearer’s natural brow line, but that is too safe for today’s fashion. Know when to break the rules!

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— Barry Santini, Owner, Long Island Opticians and Retail Consultant, Seaford, NY

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1022S 800.631.1188 Safilo.com Info@Safilo.com 10. Marchon Eyewear MCM 2122 800.645.1300 Marchon.com CS@Marchon.com 11. Christian Roth NU-TYPE CRS009 949.596.7697 ChristianRoth.com 12. ESE International Cazal 2507 800.645.3710 ESEyewear.com CustomerService@ESEyewear.com 13. ic! berlin America Midtown 866.634.8990 ic-berlin.de America@ic-berlin.de 14. ClearVision Optical Co. Steve Madden KAARMA 800.645.3733 CVOptical.com CService@CVOptical.com 15. MYKITA NO1 SUN PAULIN 973.669.0063 Mykita.com NorthAmerica@Mykita.com 16. ImageWear Betsey Johnson Parlez Vous 800.414.7656 ImageWear.com V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

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New. Special Collections

MYKITA MYKITA X MAISON MARGIELA Four capsule collections in this collaboration — Essential, Raw, Echo and Craft — comprise geometricshaped models with sharp edges.

Ophthalmic styles from the Raw collection are constructed of a matte, untreated surface that features beveled edges.

973.669.0063 Mykita.com

LACOSTE JUNIOR COLLECTION T(W)EEN FLOATABLE This unisex sun style is constructed utilizing a special injection technique to allow them to float in water. Sunglasses incorporate an extended “Lacoste” logo along both temples and are available in three fun, bold colors: red, blue and aqua.

800.645.1300 Marchon.com

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New.

MONDOTTICA

ic! berlin

OGI EYEWEAR

L.G.R

MARCOLIN

SANDRO

CORE COLLECTION

STYLE: ALAGI

TOM FORD

STYLE: SD 3005

STYLE: JOSEPHINE

SCOJO NEW YORK BLULITE

STYLE: FT5533

Models feature OBE injection safety screws, adjustable nosepads and blue-light-filtering lenses in plano and powers ranging from +0.50D to +3.00D. Combination metal/acetate frames come in three shapes: P3, oval and full round.

Named after the Amba Alagi mountain in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia, Alagi features uniquely thin side flaps that feature a metal weave for a contemporary look. The frame incorporates a double bridge, rectangleshaped lenses and leather-covered temple tips.

888.560.1060 OgiEyewear.com

+39 06 43413879 LGRworld.com

800.345.8482 Marcolin.com

Two ophthalmic models (one for women; one for men) are both constructed of metal for a thin profile. Style SD 3005 for men also features a double bar bridge and a satin contrasting frame front and flat brow bar.

Models in this collection are constructed of German stainless steel in a feminine rose gold colorway and feature the company’s proprietary screwless hinge system and Ocean Fade lenses.

Frame shapes include round and butterfly.

866.666.3662 MondotticaUSA.com

866.634.8990 ic-berlin.de

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STYLE: PALATINO

Seven ophthalmic models come in shapes ranging from soft square, cat eye and round. Model FT5533 is made of acetate and includes Blue Block lenses and an additional clip with a gold metal top bar that connects to the frame using small magnets for a seamless transition.

AU G U S T 2 019 VC P N | 37

New. Special Collections

KOMONO KOMONO X TOMORROWLAND CAPSULE COLLECTION Celebrating anniversaries of both brands, Komono and Tomorrowland created a fourth capsule collection that reinterprets a Komono sun style with a bold, geometric shape.

Constructed in metal in blush tones, model features lenses in gold, dark gray or bright pink.

844.240.4120 Komono.com

FUSION EYEWAER LARA D’ DIAMOND The Diamond Line of three ophthalmic models for women is constructed of 24-carat, 2 micron-gold plating. Each frame is handcrafted in Italy and features a doubled-structured upper rim adorned with polycrystalline diamonds for shimmer. The subtle cat eye-shaped Luna model includes a bolder double bridge.

888.343.8746 Fusion-Eyewear.com LaraDEyewear.com

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New.

ZYLOWARE LEON MAX

GÖTTI SWITZERLAND

STYLE: LM4078

ACETATE COLLECTION

LIGHTEC DRILL MOUNT

STYLE: MAYA

STYLE: 30098L

STYLE: CHAKA

A subtle cat eye shape and transparent acetate characterize two models — Maya and Melia — along with matte gold stainless steel temples. Both models are available in three colors: olive transparent, brown transparent and violet transparent.

Six ophthalmics (three women’s; three men’s) come in bold rectangle and panto shapes. Women’s models feature feminine colorways of burgundy, black and gold, while men’s colors come in sophisticated blue, black and silver hues.

Four women’s ophthalmics (three cat eye and one butterfly shape) come in either full acetate or combination acetate/ metal constructions. The Chaka model includes cutaway acetate on the front to create an angular shape on the top brow.

From the debut collection of Nicola Glass, Kate Spade’s new creative director, the Makensie ophthalmic comes in shiny metal with adjustable nosepads and color coordinating temple tips. Four colors round out the options: rose gold, light gold, transparent almond and palladium.

914.274.8522 Gotti.ch

800.526.8838 Morel-France.com

800.627.2898 KenmarkEyewear.com

800.631.1188 Safilo.com

A teardrop-shaped, full metal frame has a clear epoxy, domed overlay on the temples. LM4078 comes in two colors: gold/linen features an ivory overlay on the front and tortoise temple tips, and blush, which also includes tortoise tips. Spring hinges and snap-in nosepads allow easy adjustments.

800.765.3700 Zyloware.com

V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

MOREL

KENMARK EYEWEAR ZAC POSEN

SAFILO KATE SPADE STYLE: MAKENSIE

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New.

ALTERNATIVE/ PLAN B EYEWEAR

WESTGROUPE EVATIK

A&A OPTICAL

LUXOTTICA

CROCS EYEWEAR

PRADA LINEA ROSSA

STYLE: E-9192

STYLE: JR091

STYLE: PS09US

Seven ophthalmics in metal come in three frame shapes: cat eye, aviator and round. Design details include playful twisting patterns, drop temples and combinations of shiny metals and matte colors. Model GL6918 incorporates cutouts.

This stainless steel unisex model that debuted National Sunglasses Day includes injected nylon rims, adjustable silicone nosepads, a pin hinge and a double bridge with a brow bar. Rxable lenses are made of SuperThin (ST) Glass material in MauiGradient or Blue Mirror.

Available in black silver, charcoal silver and brown silver, Model E-9192 features a round, titanium semi-rimless frame that incorporates contrasting color. Style E-9193 is embellished with chain link detailing in contrasting color on the temples and comes in black gray, khaki camel and slate red.

Ultra-lightweight stainless steel, hypo-allergenic silicone rubber and flexible polymer are used in two ophthalmic models. Model JR091 combines an acetate front with rubber temples lined with fun accent colors such as lime green, teal and light gray.

Six sporty models come in bold shapes with mirrored lenses for a modern feel. Model PS09US features a wraparound shield with bold temples and is constructed of rubbercoated nylon fiber in four shades: coral, yellow, black and pistachio.

888.399.7742 AlternativeEyes.com

888.666.5905 MauiJim.com

855.455.0042 WestGroupe.com

800.492.4465 AAOpticalCo.com

800.422.2020 Luxottica.com

GLACÉE STYLE: GL6918

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MAUI JIM STYLE: EVEN KEEL

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New.

L’AMY AMERICA ANN TAYLOR

KERING EYEWEAR

STYLE: ATP012

STELLA MCCARTNEY

Two ophthalmics include adjustable nosepads and spring hinges for a comfortable fit, and each comes in three colorways, such as teal marble/navy, matte navy/gunmetal and matte black/gold. Model ATP012 is a semi-rimless style with crystal-adorned temples that extend to the frame front.

800.243.6350 LAmyAmerica.com

CHARMANT

IMAGEWEAR

EDDIE BAUER

STEPPER

STYLE: EB32222

STYLE: SI-30141

Sun and ophthalmic models for girls and boys include fun frame shapes such as cat eye, oval and a straightbrowed “phantom” shape. Colors are bold and include options such as cherry red, orange, blue and green.

Two men’s and one women’s ophthalmic styles come in rich tones such as navy, wine and green. Model EB32222 for women is made of acetate and incorporates gradient color for a fun look and spring hinges for comfort.

Five models are sleek in design and are made of materials such as plastic TX5, titanium or beta titanium for a lightweight feel and comfort. Color choices in classic hues include brown, burgundy and gunmetal.

Model SI-30141 includes glitter on the TX5 frame and temples for shimmer.

844.790.9165 Kering.com

800.645.2121 Charmant.com

800.414.7656 ImageWear.com

STYLE: SK0053O

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DESIGN EYEWEAR GROUP FACE A FACE BOCCA COLLECTION STYLE: BOCCA 20s

This collection feature the BOCCA shoe. Model BOCCA Song, constructed of titanium, features the shoe in metal and a delicate double arcade at the frame front. BOCCA 1920s incorporates a thin line that contours the eye and bridge.

800.654.6099 DesignEyewearGroup.com

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Lens Materials.

Where DO NEW LENS MATERIALS COME FROM?

A TEAM APPROACH AND A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EVENTUALLY RESULT IN THE LAUNCH OF NEW MONOMERS AND HIGHER INDEX LENS MATERIALS

A

cross the optical industry, new products and technologies drive eyecare professionals’ efforts to enhance the patient experience and improve overall satisfaction. When it comes to lens materials, PPG has been at the forefront of developing some of the world’s most innovative and popular optical lens materials for over 70 years. A long-term commitment to research and development creates the foundation for that success. Matthew Luchansky, R&D senior group leader, PPG, shared some insight into the lens material and coating development process.

Luchansky, who began his current position in 2018 after six years in PPG’s automotive coatings business, leads the dynamic team of scientists and engineers in PPG’s optical monomers and coatings business tasked with continuing to push the delicate balance of science, technology and business feasibility to the limit. Collaboration, flexibility, creativity and a deep understanding of the market are the keys to success.

“We have to create a product that delivers on customer needs with the best performance attributes possible that is still a commercially viable product—meaning we can deliver it at a price point that customers will accept,” said Luchansky. This encompasses both inventing new materials as well as enhancing existing materials to create new uses and to drive new limits of performance.

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INVENTING A NEW LENS MATERIAL Development of a new lens material can take five to 10 years to reach the market, and a key responsibility for Luchansky’s team is the experimentation that will create the products of the future. “The most challenging part of developing a new lens material is striking the balance of meeting the needs that your customers have today with the long-term priorities that are still relatively unknown or poorly defined,” said Luchansky. This requires constant attention to market research, consumer trends and scientific literature to understand the state of the industry for today and tomorrow. “If you want to be transformational, you often have to develop something new before people even know they want it,” added Luchansky.

The typical process starts with a dialogue with PPG’s customers, as they can provide key perspectives on end-user needs, brainstorm technical requirements and define key manufacturing parameters that will inform the business feasibility and initial proof of concept. From there, PPG synthetic chemists and formulators get to work. The chemists perform test drills to synthesize the monomers on a small laboratory scale to discover if the chemistry produces a transparent, colorless polymer with an acceptable refractive index. A complete polymer analysis conducted on promising experiments confirms the desired balance of key

performance drivers: clear, lightweight, thin, strong, safe and UV-protective.

“Customers today want products that do all that they’ve come to expect and more, and this is a very big challenge to the industry and to chemistry in general,” said Luchansky.

“We have a limited number of building blocks to work with when designing a molecule. Our very creative chemists take these materials and combine them in a balanced formula that generates new attributes.”

But simply inventing a new material is not enough. PPG process engineers then create conditions to mimic the lens manufacturing process, essentially setting up a small-scale lens casting line to ensure the chemistry will perform as expected and that yield and other manufacturing targets can be achieved in the customer’s casting facility. “The lens casting process that we develop for or with our customers is just as important as the lens material chemistry that we create,” Luchansky said.

“The most challenging part of developing a new lens material is striking the balance of meeting the needs that your customers have today with the long-term priorities that are still relatively unknown or poorly defined.”

—Matthew Luchansky, Senior Group Leader, R&D, PPG

From there, PPG works with customers and partners to validate the material for processing by optical labs, including surfacing, coating, edging, tinting and more.

“This breadth of expertise—in monomer chemistry, lens casting process engineering and optical coatings—is a unique advantage for PPG and one that ultimately benefits our customers and the end user through efficiency and a strong understanding of the full chain,” added Luchansky.

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Lens Materials.

ENHANCING EXISTING MATERIALS In addition to inventing new lens materials, PPG scientists continually look for ways to enhance existing materials to produce new or added functionality such as increasing the scratch resistance of an existing hardcoat or improving the anti-reflective coating compatibility of an existing material. Changing global regulations and supply chain constraints add limiting factors to the mix. “Trying to get existing materials to do more through product formulation or process engineering is just as challenging as developing a brand new material,” said Luchansky.

This is where PPG’s breadth of experience in industries beyond optical provides another unique advantage. “Although we may be best known in the optical industry for our monomers, equally important is our ability to solve coatings-related problems such as durability, enhanced functionality and improved scratch resistance. For this, we can pull from our understanding gained across multiple business segments, including aerospace, automotive, industrial and performance coatings,” added Luchansky.

PPG leverages this expertise through R&D partnerships across different PPG business units, investing in and encouraging a culture of collaboration through shared technology platforms, internal conferences and technical reports. When he joined the optical business,

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he leveraged his experience from the automotive coatings business to transfer PPG’s patented Andaro Tint Dispersion Technology—used to create vibrant colors in some of the world’s most popular cars—into a unique optical lens material application. The optical R&D team discovered a way to mitigate unwanted color in blue-cut lenses (those that filter blue light) made with CR-39 monomer by integrating specialized Andaro nanopigments into the monomer formulation.

The sharing goes both ways. Several years ago, chemists in PPG’s optical monomers and coatings business experimented with easy-toclean (EC) coatings for eyeglass lenses. This family of technology was then first commercialized in PPG’s industrial coatings (electronic materials) segment, where it has been adapted as an effective EC coating for consumer electronic devices, such as tablets, smartphones and e-readers. “Often, different industries are seeking a similar mix of properties, whether it’s durability, visual clarity, blue cutting, protection, impact resistance or others,” said Luchansky (above with Brandy Slezak, technical service representative). “The PPG R&D network is structured to enable us to apply solutions across industries to benefit everyone.”

LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE Luchansky’s diverse challenges will continue to grow as consumers’ hunger for technically advanced products with top functionality increases. He anticipates a continued

He anticipates a continued focus on inventing higher refractive index materials that more effectively balance the tradeoff of optical quality and strength with the desire for the thinnest possible lens. focus on inventing higher refractive index materials that more effectively balance the tradeoff of optical quality and strength with the desire for the thinnest possible lens. In addition, he sees exciting opportunities for transformational technologies such as additive manufacturing or 3D printing of optical lenses, which promises a streamlined manufacturing process and waste reduction.

Ultimately, he is optimistic about the opportunities and the PPG team’s abilities to exceed expectations. “The optical industry has a lot of choices when it comes to materials. It is traditionally a conservative industry, so we have to make sure we’re developing products that have a customer pull,” said Luchansky. “No one person or company can innovate on their own in this chain. It takes a lot of people leveraging their experience and creativity to get to the desired result and one that we know the consumer will love.” n

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Product Focus.

VIRTUAL EYEWEAR ASSISTANT Makes Its U.S. Debut USING A TABLET AND A 3D CAMERA, THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY LETS CONSUMERS DESIGN THEIR OWN CUSTOMIZED EYEWEAR.

C

onsumers can now custom design eyewear to fit their unique facial measurements by using Thema Optical’s Virtual Eyewear Assistant (VEA). Making its debut in the U.S. at Edward Beiner Optical’s Mary Brickell Village Miami location, VEA uses a 3D camera to scan and measure more than 500,000 biometric points on a customer’s face in less than 20 seconds.

The computer then uses that information to first recommend the best shapes for the face measured and then to custom cut the frame for a precise fit.

“The computer automatically picks the best shapes and size for your face,” Beiner told VCPN. “Then you pick the color of your frame fronts. Next you can pick the color of your temples. The order is truly made to measure that day. In two days, I have the frame. Another day to put the

lenses in, and in three days the customer has their glasses.”

The frames are actually made at Thema Optical’s U.S. factory (also in Miami) using a five-axis milling machine that cuts the frame fronts and temples to the customer’s specific biometric measurements for a perfect fit. Eventually, the company plans for VEA stores in the U.S., which will be equipped with the necessary machinery to manufacture eyewear and a complete lab for the frame finish and lenses. “Modern consumers are looking for designs that speak to their lifestyle and culture,” said Giulia Valmassoi, chief executive officer of Thema Optical’s North American branch. “Eyeglasses are no longer just a medical device but rather a true fashion statement. Our Virtual Eyewear Assistant technology allows consumers to mix and match hundreds of elements to truly

express themselves as they desire with the added benefit of extreme comfort thanks to our proprietary biometric designs.”

“There’s a lot of gimmicky stuff out there just to create buzz and to say, ‘This is what the consumer wants.’ Enter VEA and Giulia.

This is definitely technology that is working, and we’re doing very well with it,” said Beiner. “This works. This is here to stay, and they should be very proud.”

In addition to appearing in more Edward Beiner Optical locations later this year, Thema Optical’s Virtual Eyewear Assistant technology will also debut in Chicago and Boston this summer and Washington, DC, in the fall, with an eventual roll out to more than 1,000 eyewear retailers across the country that carry Thema’s iGreen line. The technology is already available at more than 200 stores in Italy after debuting there earlier this year. n

THEMA OPTICAL VIRTUAL EYEWEAR ASSISTANT 786.803.8881 VirtualEyewearAssistant.com 44 | VC P N AU G U S T 2 019

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New. SILK AR COATING FROM SIGNET ARMORLITE This ultra-slick topcoat has a higher contact angle, making lenses slippery to repel more water, oil and particles.

According to Signet Armorlite, lenses treated with Silk AR coating will also have minimal deterioration after 20,000 cleaning cycles (simulating three years of wear and tear) and 50% more scratch resistance than the company’s other AR coatings. Silk is available from Signetek and authorized Kodak Clean&CleAR lens labs as an option and are included on Kodak Total Blue lenses.

800.759.0075 SignetArmorlite.com

IOT’s STEADY METHODOLOGY ISSUED U.S. PATENT IOT was issued a U.S. patent for Steady Methodology, a technology for creating progressive lenses with reduced peripheral sphere power. Available only on Camber Steady lenses, Steady Methodology addresses unwanted changes in sphere power in the lateral portions of the lens, in addition to unwanted cylinder error. “The Camber Steady lens combines a digital free-form backside design that includes Steady Methodology with a special Camber lens blank, created in conjunction with Younger Optics,” said Daniel Crespo, CEO and president of IOT. “The result is an incredibly advanced dual surface lens that is truly different than anything else on the market.”

877.414.7809 IOTAmerica.com

AQUA DISTILL RECYCLERS FROM DAC TECHNOLOGIES

COLORLITE COLORBLIND DIAGNOSTIC AND CORRECTION SYSTEM

Aqua Distill from DAC Technologies effectively distills alloy reclaim tank water and separates toxic residues into a waste bag. Available in 5, 15 and 20 gallon sizes, Aqua Distill uses computer-monitored technology that includes a self-diagnostic system to enable labs to save water and recycle toxic waste materials while complying with environmental regulations.

Used in Europe for more than 20 years and now registered with the Federal Drug Administration, Colorlite’s Colorblind Diagnostic and Correction System enables ECPs to dispense color-correcting lenses to colorblind patients. Based on exam results, ECPs can prescribe color vision correction lenses that come in both prescription and plano and can be cut to fit most frames.

800.800.1550 DACTechnologies.com

561.740.8300 ColorliteUSA.com

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AU G U S T 2 019 VC P N | 45

20 Questions

WITH

HARVEY MOSCOT

MOSCOT has sold eyewear in New York City for over 100 years and now throughout the world. Harvey Moscot is the fourth generation family owner, and his son Zack Moscot is the fifth generation in the business. VCPN interviewed Harvey to find out how the family that works together stays together (and relevant in a competitive environment) running a successful optical operation based in New York City for so long.

1. Can you briefly describe the history of MOSCOT and the current operation? My

4. How did the MOSCOT line of eyewear evolve? In the early 2000s we started au-

great grandfather Hyman Moscot, an optician from the “old country” (Minsk), came to America through Ellis Island in New York City in 1899. He settled on the Lower East Side and actually sold eyeglasses from his pushcart on Orchard Street, the very same street that still houses our flagship MOSCOT shop and headquarters to this day. We continue to offer full eyewear and comprehensive eyecare services with a focus on delivering family warmth and exemplary customer service, just like the generations that preceded us. Over the past ten years we have expanded our retail network globally and developed our global wholesale business.

thentically reproducing styles that we sold in our shop to our loyal customer base for decades. All frame manufacturing had left our shores in the U.S., and we were unable to secure these classic styles, so we sourced them ourselves for sale in our MOSCOT shops only. Over time, demand for our frames slowly developed around the world due to our international clientele and strong connection to the various creative industries, film, TV, etc.

2. Your company is now in its fifth generation of family ownership and management.

That’s a rare achievement. To what do you credit your success? We maintain the integ-

rity and values of our previous generations, always being fair and grateful with our loyal customers and never taking ourselves too seriously. Additionally, and very importantly, we have continued to evolve with the fifth generation, Zack Moscot (formally trained product designer) leading our creative team and digital initiatives.

3. How do you balance work life and family life given the fact that you work with your family? Work life and family life are

seamless these days. One is part of the other and vice versa. Meal conversations always revolve around MOSCOT. We are passionate and love what we do.

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As eyewear becomes more of a fashion accessory and less of a medical device in the U.S., we are noticing an increased playfulness in eyewear as a part of one’s wardrobe.

5. In your own stores, what percentage of eyeglasses sold are your own? We only

sell MOSCOT eyewear.

6. Over the decades you’ve seen frame styles come and go, but which styles have you seen stay popular year in and year out? Our MOSCOT collection represents

styles that are timeless. Like a great pair of jeans, wing tip shoes, a black cocktail dress, etc., the styles are classic and iconic, hence our term “classiconic” (a trademarked term).

They never go out of style.

7. What trends are you observing these days? As eyewear becomes more of a fash-

ion accessory and less of a medical device in the U.S., we are noticing an increased playfulness in eyewear as a part of one’s wardrobe. More people are experimenting with color in both the material and their lenses and truly accessorizing with their frames. Specifically, we are noticing the resurgence of tinted lenses, larger eye sizes and styles that were popular in the ‘70s and ‘80s making a comeback.

8. Your flagship store on Orchard and Delancey has been there for 100 years.

What specific demographics and characteristics of this neighborhood do you address so well that has kept you operational there for so long? This New York

City Lower East Side neighborhood was not always so desirable. During the 1960s and during my teens working in the shop as well as when I was a practicing OD in the late ‘80s and ‘90s, the Lower East Side was a relatively inexpensive place to live in New York City. As a result, it always attracted the creative types, musicians, filmmakers, poets, painters, sculptors, etc. (the “starving artists”).

These were our customers/patients, and many of them went on to become very successful in their respective careers as well as influential tastemakers. I believe our reputation for memorable customer service and optical expertise kept them coming back year after year. We never V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

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AU G U S T 2 019 VC P N | 47

20 Questions

WITH

HARVEY MOSCOT

take our customers’ business for granted, and we appreciate their loyalty. Our business was built on happy customers; we provided the proper eyewear at fair value for their visual needs.

9. If you were to give advice to other optical shops that want to emulate your success, what suggestions would you give them? Stay true and genuine to who

14. What are the greatest opportunities available to optical stores like yours today? Differentiating your services and de-

livery systems.

15. What techniques do you find most effective for bringing business into your shop? We are very connected to our cus-

you are.

tomers both off and on line. A happy customer is always the best source of new business.

10. From such a long perspective over multiple generations, what have you observed change over the years in eyecare and eyewear? Digitally, from

16. You’ve hosted in-store experiences such as live music. Can you describe these types of events, the impetus for having them and the results? I have been

a marketing perspective, you can communicate directly with your customers and fans of your brand. This interaction creates a community that is engaged and is very direct. You certainly can learn a lot. Also, lens technologies continue to evolve, which requires greater expertise and helps promote additional business.

Last, as an OD we can provide much more comprehensive eyecare to our patients and remediate nearly all of their ocular issues.

a musician (guitar player) since I was 11 years old, and so is my son, Zack, fifth generation. I’m passionate about songwriting and playing the guitar, but I could not sing at all. About 14 years ago it was pouring rain in New York City, and many of my patients cancelled their appointments, so I decided to take out my guitar since it was so quiet in the shop. My friend stopped by (who could sing really well), and we started jamming. People started to come in, probably from the rain [laughs]. They stayed and listened for a while and asked if we do this often.

MOSCOT Music was born!

Since then we have hosted formal music events in our shop for the past ten years. We now have a stage, real PA equipment and a network of artists/ music managers we work with. We have had some great talent that has gone onto great fame. Again, this was totally organic, authentic and a fun way to bring my passion for music to the workplace.

Now, as the co-guitar player for our house band “The Classiconics” I still get to jam to this day.

11. Where do you finish your patients’ eyeglasses? We do all of our own finish-

ing in house.

12. What strategic plans are in store for MOSCOT? Our desire to tell our nearly

105-year-old, five-generational, authentic optical story directly to our customers through retail expansion is paramount. We have a bunch of new shops coming on line both domestically and internationally over the next few months. Stay tuned.

13. What are the most difficult challenges optical stores like yours are facing today?

For us, it is securing new “family members” who have the passion and love for this amazing industry as all the Moscots have had for five generations!

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17. How much of your business is the eyecare side compared with the eyewear side, and can you describe the medical side of your business? Being a practicing

We have a bunch of new shops coming on line both domestically and internationally over the next few months.

OD for over 25 years and with our expanded scope of practice, I have always valued and advocated for comprehensive eyecare including medical eyecare in our shop’s eyecare departments. (I was the first private OD to purchase an OCT in New York City in 1998.) I no longer practice optometry but work closely with our eyecare department to ensure the quality of care that MOSCOT still provides. Our New York City shops provide full eyecare services, but our global shops do not as the laws and practice of optometry are very different around the world.

18. Are you facing competition from online eyewear sales? Every other eyewear

brand or shop is competition whether it’s in digital or brick-and-mortar form. It does not matter.

19. How do you address that competition?

You must stay creative and passionate to compete and appreciate the increased awareness for eyewear that all these companies create.

20. How do you plan to navigate the changes occurring in the eyewear business over the next few years? By speaking directly to

our customers from both digital and brickand-mortar optical stages. n V I S I O N C A R E P RO D U C T N E WS . C O M

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