vision care
product news FEB 2019
A World of
WOMEN’S EYEWEAR P22 ECPS DISCUSS SELF-SUFFICIENT
surfacing
Elegant Femininity
P42
Renewed
CAROLINA HERRERA NEW YORK P32 P R ODUCT
INFORMATION
F O R
O P TIC A L
P E O P L E
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V ISIO NCA REPR O D U C T S . C O M
NUPOLAR®: STILL THE WORLD LEADER David Rips, CEO
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IN POLARIZED RX LENSES!
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ON THE COVER The launch of the Carolina Herrera New York sun collection for spring/summer 2019 represents the design debut for Wes Gordon, appointed creative director in 2018. With a nod to Herrera’s archives, an international symbol of femininity since 1981, Gordon pays tribute to the daring, strong and independent woman with these oversized retro styles.
14 UPFRONT FROM THE PUBLISHER 6 VIEWS 8 THINK ABOUT YOUR EYES 9 Guest Editorial by Jane Mell Balek
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34 BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
EYEWEAR + FASHION
CLICK INTO THE NOW 14
A WOMAN’S WORLD 22
by C. Edward Buffington and Evan Kestenbaum, MBA
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360 : ELEGANT FEMININITY RENEWED 32 O
EHR AS A PRACTICE BUILDER 16 by Maria Sampalis, OD
LOADING THE LATEST UPDATES 18 by John Sailer
NEW 21
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PRODUCT FOCUS: FEMININE/TOUGH-GIRL CHIC 34 Continued on page 4
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Contents.
VC P N F E B R UA RY 2 019
FEBRUARY 2019 VOL 19, ISSUE 1
EDITORIAL STAFF VICE PRESIDENT, EDITORIAL John Sailer JSailer@FVMG.com
EDITOR Cara Aidone Huzinec CHuzinec@FVMG.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kat McBride KMcBride@FVMG.com
PRODUCTION + WEB MANAGER
p g. 22
Chec k out o ur special sect ion on Women’s Eyewear
Anthony Floreno AFloreno@FVMG.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jane Mell Balek, C. Edward Buffington Evan Kestenbaum, MBA, Maria Sampalis, OD
EDITOR EMERITUS Ed De Gennaro, MEd, ABOM EDeGennaro@FVMG.com
BUSINESS STAFF PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER Terry Tanker TTanker@FVMG.com
Continued from page 1
TRENDS: TOUGH AS LEATHER 35
NEW 46
EXECUTIVE VP
20 QUESTIONS 47
Shawn Mery SMery@FVMG.com
NEW 36
With Edward Beiner, Chief Visionary Officer, Edward Beiner Group
VISION CARE TECHNOLOGY IN-OFFICE SURFACING 42
VISIONCAREPRODUCTNEWS
“You need to fix up your stores.” — Ed Beiner
VCPN_MAGAZINE
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING Debby Corriveau DCorriveau@FVMG.com
REGIONAL SALES MANAGER Eric Hagerman EHagerman@FVMG.com
VISIONCAREPRODUCTNEWS
SHOWCASE/VCPN
For subscription information email Sub@VisionCareProducts.com VCPN (ISSN-1549-6716) is published 11 times per year by JFT Properties LLC, 31674 Center Ridge Rd., Suite 104, North Ridgeville, OH 44039. phone (440) 731-8600. Periodical Postage paid at Cleveland, OH and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to VCPN, 31674 Center Ridge Rd., 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.
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VER A WANG ‘ V475’
SHOP THE COLLEC TION AT KENMARKE YEWE AR .COM
From the Publisher.
WILL A HANDSHAKE WORK? Probably Not.
A TERRY TANKER PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER
rnold Palmer’s handshake deal with Mark McCormack, the legendary founder of sports-marketing-and-management company IMG Worldwide, was one of the most successful business deals in history. Both men became wealthy, and neither ever felt the need to put their agreement in writing. Alas, that was in the 1950s. Today, contracts are necessary. Not using them is a clear and unmistakable recipe for disaster. Why? It’s pretty simple. Many people don’t keep their word, forget what they agreed to, are irresponsible, and the list goes on. How many times have you been “taught” a lesson by a vendor, customer, or an employee and thought to yourself, “Next time, I’ll have that in writing.” For business owners it’s a sad and difficult lesson, but it’s true. Recently, we moved our offices to a new location. Part of the moving process is to “clean house” and throw out everything that we’d been collecting or storing for years. I was surprised to find we had an entire five-drawer filing cabinet filled with nothing but contracts. All of you have the same
filing cabinet. When you open it up, you’ll find some of the mundane-but-annoying contracts for your phone system, internet service, office lease and dozens more. All specifically outlining the penalties you’ll incur should you cancel said contract.
Most contracts you enter into should be straightforward and easy for all parties to understand. If you have a bank loan, that agreement looks more like an old telephone book where you’ve pledged your house, cars, savings and children. The legalese in these documents has become so thorough that I believe there are no longer any “loopholes.” After all, over time, each paragraph has been designed with a specific “situation” the bank had to address from someone who thought
they had a good reason for not repaying them. The lesson: If you have to have a lengthy and potentially punitive contract in place, you might think twice about doing business with the intended party. Somewhere out there is probably a formula that equates the length and complexity of the contract to the value of service performed. Most contracts you enter into should be straightforward and easy for all parties to understand. Lesson two: It’s likely that before the end of the year you’ll be renewing or entering into new agreements with the aforementioned lengthy and complex contract. My advice is to read it thoroughly, highlight sections you don’t understand and, rather than calling your attorney, schedule a meeting with the other party and their attorney and fire away. It is much better to let them pay to explain what they want you to agree to. It’s a good idea to record this meeting. Once you’re satisfied it’s time to have your attorney review the contract, but by that time all the heavy lifting should be done and the cost should be minimal. n
Email me at TTanker@FVMG.com 6 | VC P N F E B R UA RY 2 019
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For work play and
everyday Patients want multiple pairs of eyewear to enhance the way they live. Help make them easier to purchase from your practice with promotional financing options* available through the CareCredit credit card. Call for more information and enroll at no cost today^.
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Views.
CAPITALIZING ON
W JOHN SAILER VP, EDITORIAL
hen eyecare practices finish their own lenses, they’ve taken a step toward vertically integrating their business, which results in more control over the finished product and the potential for a healthier bottom line. Now, with the availability of more compact surfacing and coating equipment, independent eyecare professionals are also in a position to go beyond just edging and completely manage most of their lens production needs. (To learn how some ECPs are successfully surfacing in-house, see “What’s Beneath the Surfacing,” page 42.) ECPs are catching on. According to a survey (the Third Quarter 2018 Vision Council LPT Market Tracker Study, available at TheVisionCouncil. org/Research), 24% of respondents bought some type of finishing equipment, surfacing equipment, diagnostic equipment or optical software during the third quarter of 2018. While this shows that ECPs who are processing their own lenses are expanding beyond just edging lenses in the back of the shop, The Vision Council survey does indicate that inhouse finishing does remain a popular option. Specifically,
Equipment approximately 5.1% of independent ECPs surveyed purchased an edger during the third quarter of last year. For those lenses being produced in-house, which types are on the increase? According to the study, the lenses that saw the largest increases in internal processing volume were anti-reflective lenses, single vision lenses, polycarbonate lenses and digitally surfaced free-form lenses. Overall, the volume of lenses being produced is on the increase, both internally and externally. While 33.4% of ECPs reported that the volume of lenses processed internally on in-house lab equipment increased over the past year, those that reported increases in unit volume processed internally were more likely to also have increases in external volume of lenses processed. Nearly half (48.1%) reported that the volume of lenses processed externally by optical labs increased over the past year. The good news is that along with this increase in lens processing come plans to buy more equipment, 598 potential equipment purchases within the next 90 days, according to The Vision Council survey. Of these potential purchases, the
majority (79.8%) were plans to “possibly add new equipment.” Interestingly, the highest plans for purchases were for practice management software systems (19.5%). (For the latest practice management software and electronic health record updates, see “Loading the Latest Updates,” page 18.) The breakdown of equipment purchasing plans among ECPs were as follows: edgers (14.2%), tracing equipment (12.3%), drilling equipment (8.6%), tinting (8.6%), digital free-form (5.6%), conventional fining/polishing (4.8%), hardcoating (3.5%), other coating (4.8%) and conventional generating (3.2%). The Vision Council’s Third Quarter 2018 LPT Market Tracker Study even recognized this magazine as well as our sister publication Optical Lab Products (OLP) in its findings. Vision Care Product News (VCPN) was chosen by 59.4% of respondents when asked to select the trade press sources they use for general optical research, and when respondents were asked about which trade press source they utilized for equipment purposes, about 9% stated they use OLP for finishing equipment while 6.2% used it for finishing equipment. n
Email me at JSailer@FVMG.com 8 | VC P N F E B R UA RY 2 019
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Think About Your Eyes.
Reaching
PATIENTS WHERE THEY ARE In addition to ensuring that patients are hearing the message about the importance of an annual eye exam, we’re promoting the profession of optometry.
By Jane Mell Balek
C
onsumers are inundated with messages everywhere they turn—gone are the days of advertising limited to billboards, TV commercials and between the pages of a favorite magazine. Different industries employ new tactics each year to get the public’s attention to change behavior. The vision industry is no different, and Think About Your Eyes is doing exactly that. Think About Your Eyes has “grown up” since its launch in 2008. What started as a nine-city pilot to test an advertising program has grown to a national public awareness campaign, incorporating traditional advertising with paid search, social media and media relations efforts. In 2018, Think About Your Eyes messaging was seen more than 1.5 billion times, leading to more than two million visits to ThinkAboutYourEyes.com, where patients searched for a doctor near them and learned more about vision health. Think About Your Eyes continues to evolve to ensure that patients are exposed to our message. Each year, the advertising mix is reevaluated to invest in the message 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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platform gaining the most traction. We strive to meet our audience where they are and where they are growing in numbers—this led to our newest social channel—Think About Your Eyes on Instagram (Instagram.com/ThinkAboutYourEyes), which launched in January. In addition to ensuring that patients are hearing the message about the importance of an annual eye exam, we’re promoting the profession of optometry. With the support of the AOA, 46 state associations, AFOS and independent ECPs, we’re reinforcing the vital role optometrists play as vision and overall health advocates. At the end of the day, this campaign isn’t possible without companies in the industry standing behind it. The support of The Vision Council, Alcon, Essilor, Luxottica, Johnson & Johnson Vision, Hilco, NVI, Transitions, Eschenbach, SpecialEyes, GUNNAR, Walman, WestGroupe, Compliancy Group, Vispero, Vision Expo, Jobson, First Vision Media Group and All About Vision is crucial to the campaign’s continued success, and we are greatly appreciative of their leadership and resources. Join us in reaching millions of patients
in 2019 by supporting Think About Your Eyes: upgrade your basic listing to premium to receive additional functionality on your listing, talk to your state association about supporting the campaign if you’re not in a leadership state, and ask sales reps in your office why their company doesn’t support the campaign that’s promoting the industry. TAYE’s success is a group effort, and we’re proud to have you on our team. n Jane Mell Balek is executive director of Think About Your Eyes. Think About Your Eyes is the vision industry’s public awareness campaign, promoting the importance of an annual eye exam. First Vision Media Group is a media partner of Think About Your Eyes. F E B R UA RY 2 019 VC P N | 9
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vision care
product news
Insider. LAUNCHES, PROMOTIONS, MERCHANDISING, EVENTS AND OTHER THINGS TO KEEP YOU IN THE KNOW KEVIN DURANT EYEWEAR IS A SLAM DUNK FOR NIKE VISION Nike Vision has teamed up with two-time NBA Finals MVP and back-to-back world champion Kevin Durant for the 2018 KD Eyewear Collection. The collection includes four ophthalmic styles and two signature sunglass models: the Nike KD Flicker and the Nike KD Trace. The Flicker features a unique design created from body-mapping Durant’s movement in a free-form, heat map pattern, while the Trace is designed to embody Durant’s agility and always-ready mentality. 800.645.1300 Marchon.com
Noteable.
ACUVUE OASYS MAKES ‘BEST INVENTIONS’ LIST Time Magazine has named Acuvue OASYS with Transitions Light Intelligent Technology as one of its “Best Inventions of 2018,” in its annual round-up of groundbreaking technology. Developed through a partnership between Johnson & Johnson Vision Care and Transitions Optical, Inc., this innovation is an entirely new category of contact lenses: ones that provide wearers with vision correction while reducing exposure to bright light both indoors and outside, including filtering blue light and blocking UV rays. The two-week reusable contact lens continuously adapts from clear to dark and back to adjust to changing light conditions and is the only contact lens that provides 100% protection against UVB rays, according to Transitions. Transitions.com JJVision.com
Kering Eye wear has launched K eringEyewea EYECESSORIZE r.com. The site will keep users PARTNERS WITH up-to-date on new rele ases, list op en positions INFLUENCERS with Kering and feature The Vision Council’s Eyecessorize campaign a store loca tor to find partnered with three well-known social authorized dealers. media influencers—Christine Marie, Melissa
Meyers and Ty Severe—for sponsored permanent Instagram posts, as well as multiple Instagram stories promoting readers for men and women. The influencers were chosen for their appreciation for overall eye health and the need for reading glasses. Collectively, the posts garnered 280,000 impressions and have received more than 140 comments. 866.826.0290 TheVisionCouncil.org
To stay informed subscribe to the VCPN INSIDER e-newsletter here: d3data.net/vision 10 | VC P N F E B R UA RY 2 019
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vision care
product news
Insider. BLACKFIN SAYS ‘SI’ TO GIVING For a 15th year, Blackfin continues its philanthropic work with the Andrea Bocelli Foundation, this time through Voices of Haiti, a choir of 60 children between the ages of 9 and 15 who come from some of the poorest areas of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Thanks to Blackfin, the children follow a structured course of study and discipline and will be featured on Bocelli’s latest album, Si. 877.889.0399 Blackfin.eu
HIRES + PROMOTIONS Safilo has appointed Andrea Bulgarelli as digital transformation director. In this role he will lead Safilo’s e-commerce program as part of the direct-to-consumer corporate strategy, and he will report to Angelo Trocchia, group CEO. John Lakey has joined Hilco Vision as head of the ophthalmic supplies division. He was previously COO of Eye Care and Cure. Michael Marcroft has joined Vision Source as vice president of marketing. He replaces Randy Sones, who is retiring after 27 years with the company. Marcroft will be responsible for the organization’s overall marketing strategies, initiatives and communications.
I-DEALOPTICS FOUNDER PASSES AWAY Morton Feldman, i-dealoptics founder and optical industry veteran, passed away on Nov. 29 at the age of 81. He began his optical career in the 1960s and by 1979 had created Classic Optical. Feldman, along with his son Michael Feldman, established i-deal optics in 1996, which built a reputation as a trusted vendor that delivers high-level products and service to customers.
Ocuco has appointed Ian Lane, OD, FAAO to US product director and chief medical officer, focusing on Ocuco’s flagship product, Acuitas.
i-dealoptics.com
HILCO VISION ACQUIRES EYE CARE AND CURE Hilco Vision has acquired the Tucson, AZbased ophthalmic supplies company, Eye Care and Cure (ECC). The companies will operate independently, although ECC will start to carry key items from Hilco Vision’s portfolio of professional optical tools and lens cleaners. Together, the company offers a national distribution network for eyecare professionals with more than 30,000 products in stock. 800.955.6544 HilcoVision.com
TIMBERLAND EYEWEAR NOW WITH RECYCLED CASES Timberland Eyewear is now available with a foldable case made from 70% recycled material, an alternative to typical cases made from less sustainable materials such as plastic and synthetic leather. Following the brand’s commitment to making products responsibly, the new cases join the brand’s assortment of products that have earned the Earthkeepers mark. The charcoal-colored cases, which are made from a combination of cardboard and paper, collapse into a flat footprint, further enhancing their portability and making them travel-friendly when in storage. 800.537.9265 Marcolin.com
OWA NAMES AWARD HONOREES The Optical Women’s Association (OWA) has announced its 2019 OWA Award Honorees. Holly Rush, CEO of Costa, will receive the Pleiades award, which is given to an individual who has shown exceptional support in advancing the leadership role of women in the optical industry. Laura Lewis, vice president of human resources at MyEyeDr, will receive the Pyxis award for her active participation and promotion of the OWA. Jessica Goebert, public relations and marketing manager at De Rigo REM, is this year’s recipient of the Emerging Leader award. The women will be honored March 21 at the OWA’s champagne breakfast at the Edison Ballroom in New York City during Vision Expo East. This event will also feature keynote speaker Kathleen (Katie) Taylor, former president and CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. The breakfast is sponsored by Luxottica and the OWA. OpticalWomen.com
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Frames by Caroline Abram
Download free resources at
TransitionsPRO.com/Freestyle Transitions is a registered trademark, and the Transitions logo is a trademark of Transitions Optical, Inc. used under license by Transitions Optical Limited. Light Under Control is a trademark of Transitions Optical Limited. Š2019 Transitions Optical Limited. Photochromic performance is influenced by temperature, UV exposure and lens material.
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Extreme Closeup.
SPONSORED CONTENT
BLUE LIGHT insights TRANSITIONS XTRACTIVE LENSES HELP PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE PROTECTION FROM HARMFUL BLUE LIGHT AND UV.
DETAILS Whether your patients are behind the screen, behind the wheel or enjoying the sun—Transitions XTRActive lenses will help keep their eyes safer by blocking 100% of UV radiation and filtering at least 34% of harmful blue light indoors and 88% to 95% of harmful blue light outdoors*.
BACK STORY Protection from harmful blue light doesn’t become less important when you put down your phone. The sun is the largest source of harmful blue light—scattering it through the atmosphere and emitting over 100 times the intensity of electronic devices and screens. While all Transitions lenses help filter harmful blue light, Transitions XTRActive lenses block the highest percentage of blue light indoors and outdoors among the Transitions family of products. The lenses also have a hint of tint indoors and turn the darkest outdoors—providing a comprehensive solution for patients suffering from light sensitivity.
WOW FACTOR Transitions XTRActive lenses, which offer extra protection from light outdoors, indoors and even in the car, are available in gray, brown and graphite green. Additionally, Transitions XTRActive lenses are now available with a style mirror coating in gold, silver shadow, red, pink,
blue and green. These mirror options offer a mirror finish outdoors and a light reflection with a hint of color indoors. For more information about Transitions XTRActive lenses and protection from harmful blue light, please visit TransitionsPRO.com/XTRActive. n
Transitions and Transitions XTRActive are registered trademarks and the Transitions logo is a trademark of Transitions Optical, Inc. used under license by Transitions Optical Limited. Light Under Control is a trademark of Transitions Optical Limited. ©2019 Transitions Optical Limited. Photochromic performance is influenced by temperature, UV exposure and lens material.
*Transitions® XTRActive® lenses block 34% to 36% of harmful blue light indoors excluding CR607 Transitions XTRActive products which block 27% to 31%.
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TRANSITIONS OPTICAL, INC. 800.848.1506 TransitionsPRO.com/XTRActive
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EHR.
CLICK
INTO THE
Now
ADOPT THE LATEST ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS SOFTWARE. and protocols set up for your practice overall, EHR vendors add an additional level of protection because they have their own security in place to prevent anything like that from happening to their software as well. Besides their ease of communication, better long-term record keeping, time and space saved, and security, EHRs encourage your patients to equate its new and improved technology with better medical care. Today’s patients want the latest and most advanced care they can receive, so what’s going to impress them more, watching you rifle through a dusty file for five minutes trying to find records from
By C. Edward Buffington and Evan Kestenbaum, MBA
I
t’s never too late to click into the now. You may think you’re up to date with the latest iPhone or after having switched from Microsoft Office to the cloud-based G-Suite in the last couple of years. Electronic health records (EHRs) have already revolutionized the healthcare industry, and while we’re not asking you to be part of the revolution, you can now reap its benefits. BENEFITS BEYOND MEASURE The impact EHRs have on both patients and providers is immeasurable. On the doctor’s side, EHRs help with keeping patient records up to date, appropriately documenting diagnoses and reducing the risk of medical errors. The software integrates with coding and billing, making insurance claims easier to submit, and, because the records exist and are updated in “real time,” communication with specialists becomes a breeze. With EHRs, keeping track of a patient’s long-term health, regardless of where they’ve gone for care in the past, is as simple as toggling a date range. There’s no need to endlessly search for a file that may have been misplaced . . . and your staff will thank you for that. You may be thinking: “It’s a big adjustment.” or “I’m too busy to learn a new system.” or “Why bother, I plan to retire in a few years.” While I admit switching over to a new system is
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a bit of an adjustment, once you learn the basics and customize your workflow to meet your personal needs, it will save you time and headaches. SAVE TIME AND SPACE Today’s EHRs are set up to be less about typing and more about clicking. With the click of a mouse, you can book appointments and auto-generate letters and patient reminders that would otherwise take hours. Another advantage is accuracy. No more transcribing doctors’ handwriting because all data is captured in the EHR. You may even better allocate your available space. Think about the amount of real estate you’ll free up when you wheel those dusty old file cabinets out to the curb. By switching to an EHR system, you’re making room for more frame boards or equipment that could better serve your practice. If you are set to retire in the next few years, I congratulate you but remind you that using an EHR system is not only better for your patients; it’s also better for your staff, the continued success of your practice and ultimately even your wallet, right now as well as when you determine your practice’s value when it’s time to sell it. BUILT-IN PROTECTION What about HIPAA compliance? You might be wondering what happens to you if your system gets hacked and your patient information gets leaked. If you have proper firewalls
Besides their ease of communication, better long-term record keeping, time and space saved, and security, EHRs encourage your patients to equate its new and improved technology with better medical care. last year’s eye exam or bringing up their complete health history with the click of a button? It’s a simple detail but one that will instill confidence in the way you run your practice. Electronic health records are the industry standard, and while others are clicking their way into the 21st century, you’re buried under piles of files that are holding you back. Yes, there is a certain charm to antiquated things, but leave that to the mom-and-pop shops. It’s time for you as a professional to click into the now. n C. Edward Buffington is president and CEO of GPN Technologies. Evan Kestenbaum, MBA, is co-founder and chief operating officer of GPN Technologies, providers of EDGEPro eyecare industry analysis software and co-owner and business manager of Optix Family Eyecare in Plainview, NY. 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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Please join us for the signature Optical Women’s Association event during Vision Expo East 2019 Pleiades Award honoree HOLLY RUSH, Costa Del Mar Pyxis Award honoree LAURA LEWIS, MyEyeDr and Emerging Leader Honoree JESSICA GOEBERT, De Rigo REM
HOLLY RUSH
Thursday, March 21st, 7:30 am - 9:00 am Edison Ballroom 240 W 74th Street, New York City All are welcome. Breakfast and champagne toast, $55/$65 per person or $550 per table seating 10 guests. This reservations-only event is presented by OWA Platinum Sponsor, Luxottica, and the OWA Reserve online by March 1, 2019 www.OpticalWomen.com/ChampagneBreakfast
LAURA LEWIS
A Celebration & Networking Event will be held Friday, March 22nd at the Javits Convention Center. Reserve online at www.OpticalWomen.com For more information on the OWA and/or to become a member please visit our website at www.opticalwomen.com
OWA thanks its 2019 Professional Development Sponsors for their generous support and belief in its mission to enhance and promote the leadership role of women in the optical industry through networking, education, and peer support. Our thanks to Vision Care Product News for providing this space for OWA’s message.
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JESSICA GOEBERT
PLATINUM
GOLD
SILVER
FRIENDS OF OWA
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EHR
EHR AS A
practice builder Properly using an EHR system can help improve not only your practice’s efficiency but also increase your net profit. By Maria Sampalis, OD
E
lectronic health records (EHRs) have great potential to grow your practice if utilized correctly. Many ODs think of an electronic health record simply as a patient record, yet properly using an EHR system can help improve not only your practice’s efficiency but also increase your net profit. Here are some ways to use your EHR system to its best potential. EFFICIENCY Your practice’s overall efficiency starts with the front desk staff. When the patient calls for an appointment, the front desk staff should be trained to be able to review the record and evaluate what time slots would best suit that patient. They need to know which time slots are more valuable and understand which
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BEYOND SIMPLY STORING A PATIENT’S MEDICAL DATA, ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS CAN MANIPULATE INFORMATION SO YOU CAN STREAMLINE PRACTICE EFFICIENCY AND IMPROVE MEDICAL CARE. exams take longer in order to avoid bottlenecks in the exam lane and in the optical department. Many EHR systems integrate directly with pre-test equipment and retinal photography, saving your staff time by automatically entering data and saving you time by enabling you to quickly review patient records. Another great feature of EHR systems is the ability to populate old exams into new records, thereby requiring fewer clicks and further improving efficiency during the exam. At the conclusion of the exam, your patient’s eyeglasses and/or contact lenses prescription can be printed directly from your EHR to the optical department, where the patient can easily be handed off to increase your conversion rate. EHR systems can also make recalls more efficient. Email recalls are the most cost-effective way to market your practice, and using your EHR to recall patients for routine eye exams as well as verify benefits will greatly improve staff efficiency. DATA MINING Electronic health records are a great way to aggregate data to measure multiple metrics, find the information you want for your practice and help you succeed. You can understand what
percentage of your patients purchase eyewear from you vs. other opticals vs. online. You can utilize your diagnosis codes to see if you would benefit from adding new technology in your office and the impact that cost would have on your return on investment. You can dig deep and figure out the percentage of patients with vision plans vs. patients with medical plans in your office. Using this information you can create a marketing strategy to attract the patients with certain plans who you feel would add value to your practice and increase your optical sales. One of your practice’s key performance indicators should be transactions per patient. Your EHR system can provide that information, which you can use to evaluate trends while factoring in seasonal influences and the impact of managed care. Follow your practice trends and determine your weak points using your EHR to create opportunities for success all year long! n Maria Sampalis, OD, of Sampalis Eyecare in Cranston, RI, is founder of Corporate Optometry on Facebook, CorporateOptometryCareers.com and the Corporate OD blog. She offers strategic planning services through Corporate Optometry Consulting. 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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SET YOUR EYES ON WHAT’S NEXT Look into the future of optometry at SECO 2019—and see all the vibrant innovations and exciting advancements that are transforming eye care today. As the leading source for world-class optometric education, SECO 2019 brings together all the experts, insights and eye-opening innovations for delivering topnotch care and running a more profitable practice. Join us in New Orleans, February 20–24, 2019— and set your sights on success.
SAVE THE DATE
FEB. 20-24 | NEW ORLEANS, LA ERNEST N. MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER
attendseco.com I #SECO2019
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EHR.
LOADING THE Latest Updates ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS EMBEDDED WITH PATIENTS’ OCULAR IMAGERY ARE AMONG THE MAJOR UPDATES NEWLY AVAILABLE IN TODAY’S EHR AND PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE.
By John Sailer
W
hile electronic health records (EHR) brought eyecare practices into the digital age, they challenged eyecare professionals (ECPs) to balance looking at a screen while maintaining eye contact with patients. Achieving this greatly improved when EHR systems became tablet based. “The whole concept of being able to do an eye exam with an iPad versus having to do your whole exam with a computer screen is a total change in my 30-plus years in practice,” said Duane Wires, OD, of the Eyes on Main group practice with locations in Findlay and Ada, OH. “Now I can practice to the patient instead of practicing to the computer,” he said about his use of the EyefinityEHR system. Now, the system has advanced even further with automated image integration. INTEGRATING IMAGES Considering the fact that the practice of optometry is a progressive disease discipline, it’s clear that tracking images of the backs of patients’ eyeballs as they change over time is integral to managing vision care. “People don’t come in saying, ‘My eye broke today’ to their primary care physician,” said Steve Baker, president of EHR software company Eyefinity. “We watch for changes over time, two, three, five, seven years, to see if strange aberrations start to appear. Whether we’re
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using retinal photography, OCT, or other photographic devices, a plethora of images throws a lot of data to the clinician, and the optometrist needs a way to sort through those images.” Up until now, electronically managing those images required multiple time-consuming steps that are no longer necessary with the integrated image management soon to be made available in EyefinityEHR. Now,
“Now I can practice to the patient instead of practicing to the computer.” —Duane Wires, OD, Eyes on Main, Findlay and Ada, OH
instead of using third-party image-management systems, optometrists can access all of those images taken over time directly from the patient’s electronic health record. Launching within the Eyefinity program in the first quarter of 2019, integrated image management enables the ECP to look at all stored images one at a time or as thumbnails in a carousel to view six to eight images simultaneously to monitor changes over time. Among the “coolest” features, according to Baker, is the ability for ECPs to access OCT imagery taken over time and “scroll
through all the layers of all the images at one time, looking at the OCT layer for the last six years,” for example. Because the imagery is embedded directly within the patient’s EHR and stored in the cloud, “securely sitting side by side with all the other patient information,” according to Baker, “all the doctor needs is an internet connection for anywhere anytime access, whether in the lane with the patient or at my kid’s dance recital.” MONITORING WORKFLOW Tracking patients through your practice is among the latest advances available from Compulink. Smart workflow manages where the patient goes next in your office based on what type of appointment they have. “We’ve always had tracking, but now it is much more automated based on our workflow engines,” said Heather Bush, COT, product director. “Workflow engines track both the patients and the practitioners,” she explained. “We can run time-management reports to increase efficiencies.” One view of the dashboard on a computer screen or tablet provides an overall look at the entire office and where patients and practitioners are at any given moment. Also recently introduced, Practice Watch automates reports, tasks and instant messages. Instead of manually running a report at the end of every day, the system can be set up to automatically generate a list of these tasks on a daily basis, for example. Another major upgrade allows for automated billing. “You can 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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“Automated recalls invite patients to click to schedule online, and that recall immediately turns into an appointment.” —Gabie Lambrechtse, Director of Business Development, LiquidEHR
set up claim scrubbing to run automatically at a certain time every day to be entered into reports,” explained Bush. “You’re not spending time to run reports; they’re automated.” Now in beta testing by Compulink is an engagement tool that texts information upon check-in based on a patient’s specific condition. “We can send information on refraction, addons, specialty IOLs, anything to educate the patient while they are sitting in the practice.” Finally, among the 60 pages worth of recent updates to the Compulink system, patients can now pay their bills through their own online portal. OPTIMIZING FOR MOBILE Rev360 is migrating RevolutionEHR to a new technology platform that supports mobile devices, such as iPads, and provides a more user-friendly experience. The new platform also provides support for more advanced workflows, such as the all-new Patient Dashboard and Optical Dashboard. In addition to offering its own suite of practice advancement solutions to RevolutionEHR users, including image management, patient engagement, product ordering, eyewear, and a quality reporting solution, Rev360 is committed to giving customers the choice to use an assortment of integrated partner solutions. This expanding list of partners includes equipment manufacturers; software partners such as business analytics, credit card processing, e-prescribing, compliance, 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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revenue cycle management; and most recently, product partners that allow customers to order eyewear products directly within RevolutionEHR via Smartflow for Sight. RevolutionEHR has been certified to the latest standards as defined by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT. Slated for release in the first quarter of 2019, RevolutionEHR version 7 enhances core capabilities in the areas of interoperability and health information exchange, which will allow ECPs to efficiently and safely share data with other doctors, their patients and families. This certification also enables doctors using RevolutionEHR to qualify for bonus payments under state-based Promoting Interoperability programs as well as federal reimbursement revision by Medicare under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). AUTOMATING SCHEDULING Improved patient engagement was also the goal of LiquidEHR’s most recent updates. After working with a third-party patient engagement platform for years, LiquidEHR has launched its own in-house system for fully integrated recall and online scheduling. “You can add the scheduling link to the doctor’s website or multiple websites, to Facebook, to insurance companies, to Google, wherever you’re trying to integrate patient scheduling,” explained Gabie Lambrechtse, director of business development of LiquidEHR. “The biggest scheduling benefit has been with the recall part of
the system. Automated recalls invite patients to click to schedule online, and that recall immediately turns into an appointment.” In addition, you can control what you do on the schedule and customize the questions you ask the patient—What are you coming in for? Which doctor? Which location? What time do you prefer? “This is the million dollar question because the system looks for what’s available, and the patient makes their selection,” explained Lambrechtse. Beyond scheduling, LiquidEHR also recently added encrypted email in order to send Rx’s to patients and the ability to accept electronic signatures. LiquidEHR received Drummond certification at the end of last year. SIMPLIFYING BILLING Practice Director 6.0, the latest version, focuses on practice management, specifically simplifying the entire billing process and giving staff access to the information they need to bill correctly and effectively. The invoicing area was redesigned to flow smoother and quicker and added abilities for quick pay, scheduling reappoints and assigning recalls from one screen. The insurance remittance area has simplified the posting of insurance payments while giving billers all the tools they need to account for every scenario such as negative checks and paying patients with overpays from previous checks. New advanced filters in reporting make it easier for doctors to keep tabs on the business aspects of their practice. “Our goal was to make invoicing and F E B R UA RY 2 019 VC P N | 19
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EHR. “Workflow engines track both the patients and the practitioners.” —Heather Bush, Product Director, Compulink
billing easy enough that offices wouldn’t have to look to outside billing services as well as efficient enough that staff could still focus on patient interaction,” said Brandon Doyle, Practice Director national sales manager and support team lead. Tighter security features allow doctors/ practice owners better control of who has access to different functions, and 6.0 will also feature built-in eligibility checks, ERA posting and more throughout 2019. “I am really pleased with how easily Practice Director helps us control and maintain a concise patient record,” said Patricia Dorsey, OD, Emporia, KS. “The software has improved my coding both diagnoses and procedures. My assistant, who handles insurance billing, recently told me that our turnaround on insurance was really speeding up, and we both think that is due to Practice Director. New employees coming in find it easy to understand the modules and how the system runs.” REPORTING INSURANCE Certified last year, Ocuco’s Acuitas activEHR features a long list of upgrades. Reporting enhancements include easy export of raw data to Excel for analysis, a new version of the inventory aging report and added new report filters, and a new sales analysis report, including insurance benefit adjustments and discounts. For insurance, a new revenue cycle report provides totals by insurance carrier and patients share, updated insurance flag notifications showing only unread notifications, an
insurance benefit rules engine that allows for changes and testing by carrier plan, an insurance benefits screen to reflect changes in plans, and to reduce rejected claims the patient mandatory fields configuration screen has been expanded to include new fields that may be required by a carrier. The scheduler now displays the number of changes made by a patient, and appointments can be organized by types and time of day to optimize business. The web scheduler allows for Facebook pixel and Google pay-per-click tracking, and progress on Facebook and Google is identified to successful booking or the specific stage where the patient dropped off. New buttons on the text messages in page include Action, Reply, Confirm Appointment, Cancel Appointment and Completed. On outgoing text messages, patients can now confirm or cancel appointments by replying to an appointment message. A long list of upgrades were also made on the clinical side of Acuitas activEHR as well, and they include listing medications, a new contact lens fitting search, and new grids for dry eye, implantable devices and macular degeneration. COMPLYING WITH MIPS Because CMS is continually changing MIPS reporting requirements, MaximEyes from First Insight releases updates periodically to ensure that the EHR complies with 2015 Edition certification and clinical standards that meet technology, capability, functionality, and security requirements. Built-in MIPS
calculators, measures indicators, and automated performance reports within MaximEyes EHR help to increase MIPS composite performance scores and determine what data eligible clinicians need to report for MIPS performance reporting periods. MaximEyes EHR is a 2015 Edition certified EHR technology (CEHRT) for quality reporting and promoting interoperability, which is a requirement for participating in MIPS 2019. First Insight’s certified MACRAMIPS healthcare professionals provide complimentary assistance to MaximEyes customers who participate in MIPS 2018 by assisting them with how to submit their data and finalizing their MIPS 2018 reporting. “The MIPS assistance First Insight provides to MaximEyes EHR customers is an invaluable service. It’s a huge time saver and stress reliever. First Insight knows exactly what needs to be done and how to do it efficiently,” according to MaximEyes user Holdrege Family Vision Clinic in Holdrege, NE. EPRESCRIBING SECURELY Uprise from VisionWeb announced new service tier additions to Uprise practice management and EHR software—Uprise Pro and Uprise Essentials. Uprise Pro boasts a complete suite of embedded tools including secure messaging, frame catalogs, ePrescribing, patient education, patient recall and reminders, and code verification. Uprise Essentials comes bundled with secure messaging and ePrescribing. Both Uprise Pro and Uprise Essentials are cloud-based solutions that can be used on tablets or desktops and allow ODs to stay connected with their business whether they are in the office, at home, or on vacation. “Uprise Pro has been the perfect technology addition to my modern eyecare practice. The time savings with Uprise has allowed me to open up three more exam slots a day and make an additional $20k each month,” said Matthew T. Stanley, OD, of Eye Care Associates of Manhattan, P.A., Manhattan, KS. “And, with VisionWeb’s Revenue Cycle Management Service taking over my claim management, I’ve seen an increase in my claim submission rate and no longer have to wrangle all of our medical and vision claims.” n
Compulink Healthcare Solutions 800.456.4522 CompulinkAdvantage.com Sales@CompulinkAdvantage.com Eyefinity 800.269.3666 Eyefinity.com CustomerCare@Eyefinity.com First Insight 800.920.1940 First-Insight.com Sales@First-Insight.com LiquidEHR 866.618.1531 LiquidEHR.com Sales@LiquidEHR.com Ocuco Inc. 800.708.1610 Ocuco.com Ocuco.US Sales@Ocuco.com Practice Director 844.574.2020 PracticeDirector.com Info@PracticeDirector.com Rev360 877.738.3471 Rev-360.com Sales@Rev-360.com VisionWeb 800.874.6601 VisionWeb.com Sales@VisionWeb.com 20 | VC P N F E B R UA RY 2 019
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New.
BLUELIGHT READERS FROM DYNAMIC LABS’ AUGMENTED REALITY APP FROM SHAMIR To help ECPs learn more about the company’s lenses, Shamir launched an Augmented Reality mobile app that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user’s view of the real world. The interactive app features Shamir’s newly released Autograph Intelligence lens design and in the future will offer various lens solutions for patients. The app can be downloaded from the Apple and Google Play stores. The tracker card needed to run the augmented reality experience is available to download at ShamirLens.com.
Reading glasses from Dynamic Labs protect wearers from high energy blue light in the 400 to 500 nm ranges while using devices such as computers, cell phones and tablets. Readers come in powers 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 and are available in red, teal, black, navy and clear frame colors. 888.339.6264 DynamicLabs.net
877.514.8330 ShamirLens.com
INTERACTIVE EYEWEAR DISPLAY FROM MONDOTTICA Mondottica now offers an interactive way to showcase its Spine collection with a threepiece countertop display that shows four short video clips about this active lifestyle brand of eyewear. The display measures 9 in. W x 5.25 in. D x 17 in. H to fit comfortably in-store.
THINOPTICS READERS FROM OPTISOURCE INTERNATIONAL
866.666.3662 MondotticaUSA.com
800.678.4768 1-800-OptiSource.com
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These ultra slim and flexible pince-nez-style readers conveniently emerge and retract from a keychain holder with a pinch of a finger. ThinOptics readers are also available in a Pod case and a full-framed style and come in a wide range of powers with a lifetime guarantee.
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ZYLOWARE VIA SPIGA GIADA
LUXOTTICA MIU MIU 04RV
A WOMAN’S
World W
hat’s trending in women’s eyewear? What shapes and sizes are female patients looking for to stylishly fit their faces? What colors have translated well from the runway to the frame board? What materials are women looking for these days to complete their eyewear wardrobe . . . and why? And, what are frame manufacturers offering in their latest collections that match these shapes, sizes, colors and materials?
THINNER AND LIGHTER, BOTH VISUALLY AND PHYSICALLY; COLORWAYS IN JEWEL TONES, PASTELS AND TRANSLUCENCE; AND SPARKLING EMBELLISHMENTS ARE AMONG WHAT WE’RE SEEING IN WOMEN’S EYEWEAR. To uncover the trends in women’s eyewear, VCPN reached out to the eyecare professionals on the front lines of fitting their female patients with today’s frame styles. Then, VCPN invited frame manufacturers to share their latest feminine designs to see which ones follow today’s fashions. The results are on the following pages—the frame styles that ECPs find among those most in demand by their female patients and the manufacturers’ latest offerings that address them.
COURTESY LOOK OCCHIALI
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Women’s Eyewear.
THINNER/LIGHTER EASTERN STATES COCO AND BREEZY GRATITUDE
AURORA SUSI Licensed Optician & Lead Frame Buyer, Metro Optics Eyewear, Bronx, NY BLUES ZYLOWARE VIA SPIGA MIMMA
BOLDER COLORS DESIGN EYEWEAR GROUP WOOW LASTCALL
“In our Bronx practices, more women are asking for metal frames again. (Plastic had been the dominant request for several years prior). Now, when they do seek plastic, it’s a very thin plastic. From Coach to Chanel, the new arrivals are thinner and lighter. Bolder colors continue to grow in popularity. While black and brown will probably always be our best sellers, now blues and burgundies (“safer” colors) are selling well as neutral alternatives. We’re also seeing an uptick in women asking for pinks, greens and violets, plus florals and other bold prints (“brave” choices). Additionally, we’re seeing that the old way of matching shoes to bag/ purse has mostly phased out along with wearing frames that “match” the primary wardrobe. Complementing the skin, hair and eye coloring continues to be an important consideration for most patients, however.”
BOLD PRINTS SAFILO CERCHIO 01
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Women’s Eyewear.
LIGHTER DESIGN EYEWEAR GROUP WOOW STAYTUNED
KATHERINE MILLER OD, Envision Eye Care, Rehoboth Beach, DE DOUBLE BAR AVIATORS “For years women’s eyewear has been heavy on acetates, the plastics, heavier bolder looking frames. Now, recently we’ve been seeing more frames that look lighter with a little less visual weight. If they’re acetate, they are transparent or translucent. In metals we’re seeing specifically larger frames. Over the past few months there has been a huge uptick in double bar aviators of all shapes. Women want things that are different. My practice is predominantly Baby Boomers, semi-retirees or retirees from the Washington, DC, area who were somewhat conservative, but now that they’re retiring they want to have some fun. They want to embrace the newer fun frames. They’ll come in with tortoise and leave with a large, octagonal, double bar frame. “If I have to wear glasses they might as well be fun.” As expected, in summertime a lot want really bright bold colors, while during the fall and winter it’s back to more subdued colors. We’re also seeing women who opt to take a sunglass and make it into a pair of clear ophthalmics. They want larger frames.”
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BLACKFIN SANDBRIDGE
LARGER DE RIGO REM POLICE SPL831
TRANSLUCENT ALTERNATIVE PLAN B DU305204
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Women’s Eyewear.
BUTTERFLY CALVIN KLEIN CK19701S
DEBBY BAUER-ROBERTSON Optician Colonial Eye Care Williamsburg, VA BUTTERFLY KENMARK LIVY
CRYSTALS SOSPIRI AE7A6179
GOLD-PLATED
“Here at Colonial Eye Care we have found women want the unusual styles so as not to look like everyone else. The colors and shapes of Face a Face are proving to be among our best sellers. Materials such as acetate, metal and titanium make the frames lighter and easier to adjust, the Alium collection (pure aluminium) are not only beautiful but stylish. Shapes like butterfly, oval and round are still top sellers. Sospiri are for those who love color and Swarovski crystals. The luxury styles are made in Italy. These frames have an elegance unlike others using the same idea with stones. Larger eye sizes and light metals with Italian acetates make these styles comfortable for most face shapes. For those who want elegance yet simplicity, we offer Silhouette in 23-carat, gold-plated, any shape you can imagine. These styles are handcrafted in Austria, some with Swarovski crystals..”
SILHOUETTE CRYSTAL DIVA 4376
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Women’s Eyewear.
BIG ROUND DE RIGO REM POLICE SPL831
FERNANDO DESANTIS Optician, The Vision Center, East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, Boston, MA HIPSTER “The latest trends we are seeing in women’s eyewear are big round and oversized hipster glasses. From a functional perspective, the bigger sizes give more comfort for PAL wearers. From a fashion standpoint, there are myriad different shapes, color and styles from conservative to whimsical to brash. In addition to women asking specifically for these styles and shapes, we have surprisingly seen more women shifting from black and brown colors to more crystal clear and pastel colors. Having all these options to work with in the latest women’s eyewear trends makes it easy to match every patient’s style and personality with a frame suitable to them.”
KERING GG0543S
CRYSTAL CLEAR WESTGROUPE FYSH 3620
PASTEL KASPEREK CRUSH BLUSH
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Women’s Eyewear.
TRANSLUCENT KASPEREK GLAM CRYSTAL
JENNIFER CARAWAY Licensed Optician/Optical Manager, Paris Optique Scottsdale, AZ JEWEL TONES MARCHON CHLOE CE150S
SOFTER COLORS DESIGN EYEWEAR GROUP KILSGAARD EYEWEAR
TRANSLUCENT WITH COLOR
“As we enter 2019, we are seeing a trend toward softer colors and shapes. With another year with the Pantone color in the jewel tones, 2019 Pantone is Living Coral, we see a trend toward eyewear that will complement these jewel tones versus compete with them. Translucent acetates (not limited to the crystal clear frame), while fun and pretty, is a tough color for most skin tones. The introduction of the translucent frame infused with color is a fun and flattering alternative to the traditional tortoise and black frames and more flattering than the crystal clear. From soft blush and beige crystals to pastels as well as brown and gray tones, there is a color for every skin tone and every personal style. Classic metals are continuing their return. Standard gold and silver frames in unique configurations, enamel color enhancements, and leather (see page 35), crystal and wood details offer style with softness. Often the result is a classic design with feminine jewelry enhancement. This is truly jewelry for the face.”
WESTGROUPE FYSH 2041
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Women’s Eyewear.
EMBELLISHMENTS A&A OPTICAL JIMMY CRYSTAL CORFU
DENNIS HEFFLEY Business Administrator/Optical Manager, McCauley Celin Eyecare Associates, Pittsburgh, PA EMBELLISHMENTS “Over-the-top eyewear is coming back with the return to high-end embellishments. For several years, we have seen a decline in frames that are adorned with stones and embellishments, but they are on the rise again with some new twists. This time around, instead of being mass produced, these frames are made in small batches with more exclusivity. We are seeing high-end lines taking their time to hand-carve and hand-place multicolored stones in a variety of acetate frame styles. A great example of this is Sospiri, handcrafted by Ottica Veneta in Italy. Sospiri meticulously makes every frame in fantastic shapes and sizes, from sweeping cat-inspired to modestly adorned petite styles. In most styles you can find stones that parallel the acetate color, which gives a subtle beauty and sparkle. In many other styles you will see contrasting colors that really make this attention to detail pop. Women love these frames that read as jewelry, and we love welcoming back the sparkles.”
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SOSPIRI ART AE7A7319
EMBELLISHMENTS WESTGROUPE FYSH 2040
EMBELLISHMENTS WESTGROUPE FYSH 3613
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Women’s Eyewear.
SMALL CAT LUXOTTICA MIU MIU 04US
EDWARD BEINER Chief Visionary Officer Edward Beiner Purveyor of Fine Eyewaer, Miami, FL SMALL CAT KERING CT0155S
OVERSIZED METAL
“I see mostly a lot of metals, and we’re seeing that in other collections, including our own. Wearing a pair of oversized metal frames is as cool as they get. I keep hearing about and I’ve seen eyeglasses that are really tiny. Some collections in sunglasses have strong cat eyes with very small eye sizes. In the sunglass world there’s a transition already taking place. It takes a little bit longer for it to come into the Rx world.”
BLACKFIN BRIDGEHAVEN
A&A Optical 800.492.4465 AAOpticalCo.com Alternative/Plan “B” Eyewear 888.399.7742 AlternativeEyes.com Bellinger House USA LLC 888.804.9627 Blac.dk US@BellingerHouse.com Blackfin Blackfin.EU Sales@Blackfin.EU De Rigo REM 800.423.3023 DeRigo.US CustomerService@DeRigo.US Design Eyewear Group 800.654.6099 DesignEyewearGroup.com Info.US@DesignEyewearGroup.com Eastern States Eyewear 800.645.3710 ESEyewear.com CustomerService@ESEyewear.com ic! berlin America 866.634.8990 ic-berlin.de America@ic-berlin.de Kasperek USA Optical 800.288.2700 KasperekUSAOptical.com Kenmark Eyewear 800.627.2898 KenmarkEyewear.com Info@KenmarkEyewear.com Kering Eyewear 844.790.9165 Kering.com KeringEyewear.US.cs@Kering.com Look Occhiali 855.302.1792 509.251.5192 LookOcchiali.it Doug.Hinton@LookOcchiali.it Luxottica 800.422.2020 Luxottica.com CustomerService@US.Luxottica.com Marchon Eyewear 800.645.1300 Marchon.com CS@Marchon.com Safilo USA 800.631.1188 Safilo.com Info@Safilo.com Silhouette International 800.223.0180 Silhouette.com Sospiri 800.486.2279 SospiriEyewear.com Info@SospiriEyewear.com WestGroupe 855.455.0042 WestGroupe.com Info@WestGroupe.com Zyloware Eyewear 800.765.3700 Zyloware.com Info@Zyloware.com
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THE NEW CAROLINA HERRERA NEW YORK SUNS EXUDE THE ICONIC STYLE OF THE HOUSE’S NAMESAKE WHILE INTRODUCING ITS NEW DESIGN DIRECTOR.
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360º.
Embracing modern femininity, the oversized retro styles play with shape and volume in bold round and square silhouettes.
SHN597W
SHN595
SHN596W
n international symbol of femininity since 1981, Carolina Herrera New York renews its timeless elegance with the introduction of the sunglass line’s five new spring/summer 2019 styles, the debut for Wes Gordon, appointed creative director in 2018. With a nod to Herrera’s archives, Gordon pays tribute to the daring, strong and independent woman with a ‘70s-inspired collection that has been updated with modern touches of color, unconventional prints and silhouettes to convey “happiness” for spring.
“With the overwhelming success of the CH Carolina Herrera eyewear launch in the U.S. in 2017, we are excited to introduce the house’s namesake label—Carolina Herrera New York—with the debut of the sun collection,” Alessandro Baronti, president of De Rigo REM, told VCPN. “The Carolina Herrera New York sun collection is an expression of Herrera’s timeless elegance, emphasizing the designer’s focus on sophistication and modern femininity to deliver a line of eye-catching styles imbued with the latest fashion movements and color combinations as well as embracing exclusive materials and original design
features. Each unique frame pays homage to the founder’s iconic style and is a testament to De Rigo’s commitment to superior product development and craftsmanship.” Embracing modern femininity, the oversized retro styles play with shape and volume in bold round and square silhouettes. Crafted in Italy exclusively at De Rigo REM’s headquarters in Longarone, each style employs unique laminate contrasts that reveal different pattern combinations on the frame front paired with eye-catching striped temples—a staple for CH—that have been finished with the iconic monogram logo. n
De Rigo REM 800.423.3023 DeRigo.US CustomerService@DeRigo.US 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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Product Focus.
FEMININE/ TOUGH-GIRL
chic
T
L’AMY AMERICA’S NICOLE MILLER RUNWAY COLLECTION TAKES ITS INSPIRATION FROM FRENCH HERITAGE AND VINTAGE RUNWAY ARCHIVES.
he four optical and four sunglass styles of the new, limited edition Nicole Miller Runway Collection are named after famed French regions. Taking their cue from Nicole’s vintage runway archives and inspired by Nicole’s French heritage, the collection is styled with the latest eyewear shapes incorporating Nicole’s iconic mix of feminine/tough-girl chic.
Nicole Miller Runway ophthalmic styles were reimagined by Nicole with a vintage mix of today’s hot cat eye updated with large glittering stones, mixed materials and narrow geometric shapes in combinations of acetate and metal. The four chic feminine Nicole Miller Runway sunglass styles bring back the glam sophistication coupled with a bit of Nicole’s edge. n
L’Amy America 800.243.6350 LAmyAmerica.com Support@LAmyAmerica.com 34 | VC P N F E B R UA RY 2 019
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Trends.
TOUGH
AS
leather
MORE THAN JUST TEXTURE AND VISUAL APPEAL, LEATHER ACCENTS ALSO ADD AN ATTITUDE ALL THEIR OWN TO THESE FRAME STYLES.
1 8
2
7
6
3
4 5
1. De Rigo REM Chopard SCHC69 800.423.3023 DeRigo.US CustomerService@DeRigo.US 2. Inspecs USA Savile Row PANTO 844.771.7710 InspecsUSA.com Sales@InspecsUSA.com 3. Safilo USA rag & bone RNB9002S 800.631.1188 Safilo.com Info@Safilo.com 4. Marcolin Tom Ford FT0671 800.345.8482 Marcolin.com InfoUSA@Marcolin.com 5. Thélios Loewe 40006 LOEWE.com 6. Zyloware Eyewear Via Spiga Elisa 500 800.765.3700 Zyloware.com Info@Zyloware.com 7. Mondottica USA Christian Lacroix CL3040 866.666.3662 MondotticaUSA.com CustomerService@Mondotticausa.com 8. WestGroupe F-2033 855.455.0042 WestGroupe.com Info@WestGroupe.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. Launch
TILDEN
TILDEN
GLORIA
SAFILO
REBECCA MINKOFF
Rebecca Minkoff, designer of handbags, accessories, footwear and apparel, launched the Rebecca Minkoff Spring/Summer 2019 eyewear collection with 18 sunglass styles. An ophthalmic collection composed of 14 models is set to debut this spring. The collection combines functionality and multidimensionality; the result is accessible ophthalmic frames and sunglasses that women can wear on any occasion. The Tilden ophthalmic features a cat-eye top brow in acetate complemented by acetate temples with roundshaped studded accents. Stevie is an oversized, metal aviator ophthalmic featuring the “Love Is Love” idiom lasered on the top left rim with studded endpiece details. Brooke is a 1950s-inspired cat-eye ophthalmic with star-shaped stud accents in unique custom acetate colors. Gloria is a rimless metal aviator highlighted by a painted metal back rim inspired by piping found on Rebecca Minkoff handbags. Top mounted lenses with custom-etched metal temples in a bohemian pattern are inspired by stitching also found on the brand’s handbags. Cyndi is a rounded square shape highlighted by round metallic studs set in a high and low relief frame front for a classic wayfayer style in a feminine cat-eye silhouette, while Patti is a round shape with an injected front highlighted by a faux leather inlay, keyhole bridge and acetate temples.
BROOKE
STEVIE
PATTI
800.631.1188 Safilo.com
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New.
GÖTTI SWITZERLAND
DESIGN EYEWEAR GROUP
INSPECS EYEWEAR
DIMENSION COLLECTION
KILSGAARD EYEWEAR
SAVILE ROW
STYLE: ROYAL OAK
STYLE: BAYSWATER
This round-shaped women’s ophthalmic features Sandvik stainless steel temples with a frame front made of 3Dprinted polyamide powder. Constructed without screws or glue, the frames come in ash, mocha, moss, denim, brick, stone, berry and sand.
This rounded unisex acetate frame features a solid double bridge with a keyhole as a clear reference to the 1970s. Color choices include gradient ocean green, tortoise, neon orange, slate gray, gray opaque and transparent bronze.
914.274.8522 Gotti.ch
800.654.6099 Kilsgaard-Eyewear.com
STYLE: KALLE
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LUXOTTICA
MODO
PERSOL
DEREK LAM
STYLE: PO2452V
STYLE: DL290
Constructed of 18-karat rolled gold—with a thickness of up to six times that of regular goldplated frames—this men’s retro round style has a statement highbrow bridge and acetate temple tips. Available color choices are shiny gold, matte gold, shiny rhodium and matte rhodium.
This oval-shaped ophthalmic in metal features acetate-covered rims and a slim temple with flex hinges for lightweight comfort. Color combinations are gunmetal with havana details, silver with gray tortoiseshell details and copper with green mottled tortoiseshell details.
The unisex, double-bridged model adds 18-karat goldplated luxury to the retro-pilot style. Its six shades are yellow gold with orange leather, silver and red, brushed gold with tan leather, brushed copper with burgundy leather, brushed light gun with navy and shiny gold with black leather detailing.
844.771.7710 InspecsUSA.com
800.422.2020 Luxottica.com
800.223.7610 Modo.com
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New. Special Collections A-2000
A-3001
MARCHON
AURA BY AIRLOCK This collection of full-rim ophthalmic frames for men and women are thin and light. Targeting a younger demographic, styles are designed to ensure a universally comfortable fit with adjustable titanium and silicone nosepad construction with air-pad technology. Frames are designed with a vented lens construction using lightweight plastic injection and premium titanium accents. The initial collection comprises two rectangular styles for men and three styles for women in round and rectangular shapes with a slight cat-eye effect. 800.645.1300 Marchon.com
HB7520
GA6060
SILHOUETTE MOMENTUM
Inspired by the world of luxurious timepieces, the Momentum collection features Silhouette’s hallmark minimalism, quality and attention to detail, all while being reminiscent of a piece of fine jewelry. All frames are crafted of titanium, and matte surfaces of temples segue into a glossy edge adorned with a decorative ring. Models feature the new Pin-cision hinge mechanism inspired by traditional watch-making. Lens shapes vary from classic and feminine to geometric and adapt individually to the wearer’s face. The collection features three women’s models of subdued color combinations from rose gold/highland gray and gold/siena red to rhodium/ heather violet. Five models for men come in colors such as ruthenium skyline, silver/pacific blue, ruthenium/cohiba brown, titanium/iceland black and golden dome. 800.223.0180 US.Silhouette.com
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New.
MAUI JIM
OGI EYEWEAR
MARCOLIN EYEWEAR
ZYLOWARE EYEWEAR
SHALLOWS
SCOJO
ROBERTO CAVALLI
STYLE: 543
STYLE: EBONY COURT
STYLE: RC1113
GLORIA BY GLORIA VANDERBILT
This aviator style features a flattened titanium frame front, a double-bridge with adjustable, nonslip silicone nosepads and a traditional hinge. Color choices are matte brushed burgundy, satin gold, satin brown red, dove gray and matte black.
This classic unisex roundshaped luxury reader is made from recycled premium acetate with a thick shape to give it a striking form. The model features a 7-barrel hinge, injection safety screws, optical quality lenses and a single stud at the temple. Available in onyx.
This geometric women’s model has various facets and an extra-thick frame and bridge that give it a post-modern aesthetic. The face is made of transparent acetate with detailed zebra stripes, while the flat metal temples are lasered with the iconic zebra pattern.
800.848.3644 MauiJim.com
888.560.1060 OgiEyewear.com
800.345.8482 Marcolin.com
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MONDOTTICA HACKETT BESPOKE STYLE: HEB 217
This stylish, upswept cateye shape features a bold color palette in two different options. Blush is a transparent pink tone with burgundy and tan marble temples, and Denim has a transparent blue front and an abstract aqua design on the temple.
The rectangular shape accentuates a tailored silhouette by pairing updated tortoise temple prints with solid fronts on two of the four color combinations. A topmounted temple metal plaque bearing the Hackett logo replaces the ordinary logo placement.
800.765.3700 Zyloware.com
866.666.3662 MondotticaUSA.com
STYLE: 4064
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New. Special Collections
NAO2040543 NAO2010244
NAO2030143
PLAN B EYEWEAR NANO COOL
This collection for girls and boys is built to meet the high-fashion children’s eyewear market. Each frame is constructed with spring hinges and is made from high density or natural acetate to create a thinner, lighter, more flexible frame. The frame features a brushed texture effect that creates a “wow” factor. All models are available in a selection of vibrant, trendsetting colors such as purple, green and pink. A temple tip strap adds security. 888.399.7742 AlternativeEyes.com
SERRA ANGELA
XAVIER GARCIA BARCELONA
ASTRID
ACETATE
Five ophthalmic models for men and women all constructed of acetate highlight this collection. Angela is an oversized square shape with a subtle feminine cat eye that features a laminate along the frame front and temples to highlight the brows in color combinations that match the hues of the acetate texture. The Serra model for men is a retro, oversized square that includes a combination of laminates across the top in a gentle line, providing contrast to the front laminate. 8Export@XavierGarcia.Design XavierGarcia.Design/EN
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New.
L’AMY AMERICA
MODERN OPTICAL
TLG
BMEC
ISAAC MIZRAHI NEW YORK
STYLE: NU029
STYLE: BIG FISH
STYLE: IM30036
STYLE: THASOS
This men’s ophthalmic has a rounded square front accentuated by a thicker brow line and slender, ridged temples. The titanium frame is durable and comfortable for extended wear and comes in matte gunmetal, matte brown and matte navy.
This men’s rectangular frame is made of stainless steel with handmade zyl temples that feature an interlocking inset where the metal spring hinge meets the zyl. Big Fish includes silicone nosepads for comfort and is available in matte black, matte brown and matte gunmetal.
Constructed of stainless steel, this model features a soft cat-eye shape with contrasting colors on the inside and outside of the frame. Adjustable nosepads and springhinged temples provide extra flexibility and comfort. IM3006 is available in black, blue and rose.
This women’s ophthalmic features a rounded shape with an emphasized browline and a gradient shimmering crystal pattern adorning the temples. The metal frame is available in black with sapphire crystals, and burgundy with burgundy, magenta and pink crystals.
This distinctly feminine style features layers of handmade crystal acetate laminated with a stylized metallic brow bar in contrasting color. Endpieces are carved to mirror the triple metal curves laminated into the acetate. Color choices are blush rose gold, gray gun, crystal gold and nude gold.
800.243.6350 LAmyAmerica.com
800.323.2409 ModernOptical.com
800.645.2121 Charmant.com
800.492.4465 AAOptical.com
855.455.0042 WestGroupe.com
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CHARMANT
A&A OPTICAL JIMMY CRYSTAL
WESTGROUPE FYSH STYLE: F-3623
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Lens Processing.
WHAT’S BENEATH THE
Surfacing?
THINKING OF SURFACING LENSES IN-HOUSE? HERE, THREE RETAILERS WHO SUCCESSFULLY DO THEIR OWN SURFACING DISCUSS ITS BENEFITS AND WHY THE INITIAL INVESTMENT CAN SAVE MONEY WHILE TURNING A PROFIT.
By Cara Huzinec
D
an Knauss, owner of GV Optical in Santa Barbara, CA, decided to surface lenses in his shop as a response to increased production costs from suppliers. "As we began to see the industry change from multiple suppliers of uncut Rx lenses to a few large suppliers, we anticipated the cost of production to rise significantly: fewer suppliers meant less competition for our account," he said. "The choice to fabricate our own lenses made sense. In addition, we wanted to provide quick production times without sacrificing quality." Knauss chose Optek International's Oasis (Optek Advanced System for Integrated Surfacing) MAX Surfacing System for the job, a complete, fully computerized surfacing lab system. "The space requirement for this lab is small, and we were able to install and operate the lab in our current office layout," he said. "Equipment can be noisy, but we found this to be surprisingly quiet." The result? "Within a short period of time we were recognized as a location with the unique ability to produce eyewear on site," Knauss said, adding that customers like the idea of their eyewear produced by staff they know. With Oasis MAX, GV Optical can produce 25 to 30 uncut lenses prepped for edging and now has two full-time technicians. 42 | VC P N F E B R UA RY 2 019
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The shop's goal, Knauss said, is to provide customers with eyewear within three business days and will even give same-day service to clients with an urgent need. DAWSON VISION On the other side of the country, Dawson Vision in Dawsonville, GA, uses Coburn's SPX Pro Generator for about one to seven surfacing jobs per day (finished jobs can be produced at a rate ranging from 20 to 30 per day). Lab Manager Tony Mergard said surfacing lenses there instead of outsourcing jobs is efficient and cost-effective. "You can get the job done quicker and it costs less," he said. "Eventually, the equipment pays for itself over time." Mergard also said an in-house lab automatically creates a high standard of customer service. "For one, you can do a lot more having a full service lab rather than just a small finishing lab," he said. "It provides on-site service with much quicker turnaround times. People who don't have a lab just don't have an upper hand." SPEEDY SPECS In Elko, NV, Sean Fericks, practice manager of Speedy Specs, started the business in 2004 as an optician-owned dispensary with a surfacing lab, carving out a niche as a first-class
AMOS GARCIA, GV OPTICAL
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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Untitled-4 1
1/25/19 2:46 PM
Lens Processing. EQUIPMENT OPTIONS FOR IN-HOUSE SURFACING COBURN TECHNOLOGIES: SGX PRO SURFACE LENS GENERATOR • Suited for small- to medium-sized labs • Processes CR-39, high index, polycarbonate and Trivex • Operates on a Windows 7 platform SEAN FERRIS, SPEEDY SPECS
opticianry with a full-service production lab in this small mining town. Since then, Speedy Specs has grown to include full optometric services and regional safety eyewear programs with accounts all over the state and one in Connecticut. With the addition of a Vision-Ease MyCoat machine in 2014, the lab can produce AR and mirror coatings, and in 2018, Speedy Specs purchased Schneider Optical Machines' Nano line. "These purchases have enabled us to produce the best customized products for our patients and our safety eyewear accounts," Fericks said, adding he chose Schneider based on quality, space concerns and affordability. "The Schneider Nano line is remarkably affordable. For a modest investment, our lab has the capability of our larger competitors. We can do anything they can do, from freeform and high prism to quality AR and mirror coatings to customized drill mounts and shelf bevels." For Fericks, the Nano line's fully customizable laser engraver and its ability to produce lenses up to +/-18.00D are two of its best features. "We are now able to offer next-day service on nearly every patient order," he said. "From wrap-compensated Wiley X progressive orders to custom mirrored sunglasses and drill mounts, we produce in-house the same quality as our larger competitors." In considering adding surfacing equipment, Fericks said retailers must consider staff. "Quality equipment is of no value unless you have quality staff," he said. "Do not attempt to start an in-house lab unless you have experience in the field. Lab technicians should not do optometry, and optometrists should not do lab work. Both are specialized fields and require extensive training." n
• Upgraded interface includes touch screen monitor • Ability to utilize USB loading and backups
OPTEK INTERNATIONAL: OASIS MAX SURFACING SYSTEM • Fully computerized surfacing lab with three-axis CNC technology • Onboard microprocessor control in each station • Each station is digitally interfaced with the host Rx computer • Available with alloy or wax blocking • Processes polycarbonate, high index, Trivex and plastic materials • Includes complete software, equipment, lap tools and initial supplies as well as lab layout consultation and factory warranty and support
SCHNEIDER OPTICAL MACHINES: HSC XP NANO GENERATOR • Designed specifically for small spaces • I ncludes a high speed laser engraving system, automated tool adjustment and full milling capabilities for fast polycarbonate machining • Schneider kinematics HSC + G combines fast rough cutting and cribbing with a precise fine tuning process • Includes CNC controller for free-form data handling, convenient lens change, extended working range for a high curve range and full remote capability • Easy-to-use touch panel and operation system
Coburn Technologies, Inc. 800.262.8761 CoburnTechnologies.com CustomerCareCenter@CoburnTechnologies.com Optek International 727.522.2301 OptekInternational.com Sales@OptekInternational.com Schneider Optical Machines 972.247.4000 Schneider-om.com Info-USA@Schneider-Om.com 44 | VC P N F E B R UA RY 2 019
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OPTOMETRIC OFFICE PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGY FOR YOUR PRACTICE
A MAGAZINE ABOUT PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGY FOR ODS | WRITTEN BY ODS
Connect
with Optometric Office for the latest news on product features, benefits and application for your practice.
Go to OptometricOffice.com for your FREE subscription and sign up for our monthly enewsletter.
FACEBOOK Facebook.com/OptometricOffice
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LINKEDIN Linkedin.com/showcase/ Optometric-Office-Magazine
1/25/19 4:57 PM
New.
ALL-IN-ONE DUO PAD FROM OPTISOURCE INTERNATIONAL Designed with a universal post to fit both screw-in and snap-in pad arms, the Duo Pad nosepad from OptiSource International reduces frame parts inventory and makes repairs easier. Made of silicone, Duo Pads are available in a variety of shapes and sizes to accommodate most frames.
TRANSITIONS SIGNATURE GEN 8 LENSES TO LAUNCH THIS SUMMER Transitions announced last month the upcoming launch of Signature Gen 8 lenses, which will be available this summer. According to the company, Transitions Signature Gen 8 lenses are the result of more than five years of product research and development. 800.848.1506 Transitions.com
800.678.4768 1-800-OptiSource.com
ADDVANTAGE HD PLUS WITH SHMC FROM SUPER OPTICAL BlueShield ADDvantage HD Plus SHMC (Super Hydrophobic Multi-Coat) progressive lenses are available in short and regular corridors with SuperOptical’s AR coating. Lenses come pre-blocked for FastGrind users and semi-finished for conventional surfacing. BlueShield lenses block more than 95% of blue light associated with digital eye strain and AMD, according to Super Optical. 800.543.7376, SuperOptical.com
HOYA ID LIFESTYLE 3 LENSES Three progressive designs comprise the iD Lifestyle 3 series of lenses from Hoya: iD Lifestyle Indoor for near vision focus; iD Lifestyle Urban for focus on all main vision areas; and iD Lifestyle Outdoor for distance. All lenses incorporate Hoya’s patented Integrated Dual Side Optics platform that separates the vertical and horizontal components of a prescription for customization, comfort and a wide field of vision. iD Lifestyle 3 lenses also feature Binocular Harmonization Technology (BHT), which treats the right and left prescription as individual components to define the required binocular lens design necessary to calculate the corridor length and progressive power distribution. 800.423.2361 HoyaVision.com
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20 Questions
WITH
EDWARD BEINER
Edward Beiner is chief visionary officer of the Edward Beiner Group, a Miamibased eyewear retailer, designer and manufacturer of prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses and its chain of Edward Beiner Purveyor of Fine Eyewear stores throughout Florida. VCPN’s John Sailer asked him to share his observations based on more than three decades in the eyewear business. might change in the next few years as these Millennials get older and find jobs that might require a different look.
Millennials are going with large frames, the late ‘70s early ‘80s look, big square frames, oversized, mostly metals. Baby Boomers wore that when they were teenagers, so they are a bit more conservative. 1. What frame styles have you seen maintain their popularity over the years? Your classic
shape is a P3. Some form of an oval has been around in all these years I’ve been in business, be it in acetates or be it in metals. That is the one consistent product throughout the ages. 2. In what colors? The colors keep chang-
ing. Sometimes the tortoiseshells are more prevalent, sometimes the different colors of tortoiseshells or even black. 3. What trends are you seeing these days? There is a demographic separation
of how styles are worn. Millennials are going with large frames, the late ‘70s early ‘80s look, big square frames, oversized, mostly metals. The other end of the spectrum, the Baby Boomers wore that when they were teenagers. They don’t look cool trying that look, so they are a bit more conservative. Those trends 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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4. Will anything on the horizon change things? I keep hearing about and I’ve seen
eyeglasses that are really tiny. Some collections in sunglasses have strong cat eyes with very small eye sizes. In the sunglass world there’s a transition already taking place. It takes a little bit longer for it to come into the Rx world. 5. Do you have any advice for independents that want to grow? The world is changing
8. Any other suggestions for updating your look and creating an in-store experience?
There is also technology now. We use the Smart Mirror for measurements, for explanations, and it shows what the anti-reflective lens is like and other products like that. So, some technology is important, but it can’t just be technology for the sake of technology. It has to be useful. 9.That’s after you have them inside. How do you get them into the store in the first place?
Branding your business is number one. Number two is PR, all sorts of PR, including all social media, your website, print.
fairly fast. I see demographics as the biggest issue. We’re split between Baby Boomers who have a lot of money still and those who don’t and are worried about how they’ll retire, and you have a group of young professionals starting to have the ability to spend. How do you take care of a younger market without scaring your older market and vice versa?
10. What’s the most effective way to use social media? Social media is important. You need to
6. How should eyewear retailers react?
think of them as 11 separate children. Their markets are different. We have stores here in Miami. We have stores a little bit north in Boca, Palm Beach and so on, and then we have Orlando and Naples. These children all behave slightly differently. There’s a 60% match in product, particularly sunglasses, but then the other 40%, the prescription glasses, becomes a bit different. Part of it could be, again, age. Part of it can be where people are from. Different ethnic groups like buying different colors, different materials, be it metal or plastic. In the south part of Florida we can have a lot of South American tourists, so we cater to them. From Boca north are northeasterners.
Stores need to be updated. That doesn’t mean they have to look wild, but they need to have a 21st century look. You need to adapt, to change, to create experiences, but more than anything it’s about service. 7. How do you create these in-store experiences? It’s about being able to communicate what
you are selling, and I don’t care if that’s a $100 pair of eyeglasses or a $1,000 pair of eyeglasses. What’s the story behind the frame? Bring in the individuals behind the design so there’s a direct connection to the product. We fail sometimes to explain the craftsmanship, the details that go into it, the people behind it.
be active, know who your client is, approach them and offer events, from trunk shows to beer tastings, wine tastings, things that are of interest to bring people into your shop. 11. How do you go about deciding which frames to carry? We have 11 stores. I like to
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1/25/19 10:37 AM
20 Questions
WITH
EDWARD BEINER
12. Where do you go to find the products to meet the needs of these varied groups?
Looking for products, you have to go to the shows, the national shows like Vision Expo East and West but also the European shows such as MIDO and Silmo. 13. What’s going on with your own collection of eyewear, the Edward Beiner Collection?
We’ve had the collection for a good 15 years at this point. We’re using new 3D-printing technology to make eyewear along with the acetates that we make. People are interested in new technologies and products that are made slightly differently. We’re partnering with a company that does 3D printing but not for eyewear. We’re the first eyewear company that they ever worked with. The ones we’re bringing out might be a little bit different than what you usually see in the market. The fronts are 3D printed. We left the temples titanium so they look clean and have a stylish look. 14. Over the next few years in optical where do you see the business headed? With all the
consolidation that’s taking place the buyers are changing their habits. They’re exposing the public to products that may be in certain markets they didn’t see before, which leads me to wonder what will happen with luxury products in the long term because a lot of these consolidators are not necessarily in the luxury industry. Is this an opportunity for luxury opticals to open up again, because many of them have been sold, or will we continue the trend toward selling eyeglasses for $100, lenses included? 15. Anyone particular you have in mind?
There are a lot of people successfully doing that. They’re selling to Millennials, and it’s not only Warby Parker. They might be the biggest, but there are other people doing this. There’s the online business, right? So, how does online develop? How do the small players develop their online business? And how will that affect the world of eyewear shopping? A lot of this has not been defined. The pendulum swings very quickly these days, so everybody runs in a certain direction to find out that, whoops, 48 | VC P N F E B R UA RY 2 019
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maybe we shouldn’t have gone that far. We need to go the other way. And I think everybody’s trying to find their compass and what direction to effectively move in this market. 16. How should they go about doing that?
You cannot just sit and wait. You need to fix up your stores. You need to bring in technology that is worthy for your business. You need to continue communicating and constantly having a pulse on the market and adjust. 17. Are you doing anything personally to address these factors out there? We’re launching a
new website not only to sell online but to bring the person into the store. Come in and try it. Come in and touch it. We are brick-and-mortar. Two years
long-term effects, but I don’t think we should immediately panic and jump. You do need to understand that you cannot stay where you are. You need to continuously educate yourself. Find out what other retailers are doing outside of your industry. No knee-jerk reactions, but you know online is here to stay. It’s not going to disappear, and competition will always be there. If I look back in history, I was supposed to be out of business when LensCrafters came out and when EyeLab
We’re launching a new website not only to sell online but to bring the person into the store. Come in and try it. Come in and touch it. Both Baby Boomers and Millennials are looking for new stores, new brands, new stories. ago, everybody thought that was the end of brickand-mortar. We were going to die. Well, in the meantime, Amazon opened retail shops. Warby Parker has more than 75 units and continues opening more. Now we’re going from click to brick. Both Baby Boomers and Millennials are looking for new stores, new brands, new stories. 18. Can you further describe your website?
They’ll be able to purchase eyewear at regular retail prices. There’s no discounting. It’s just an extension of our stores. They can buy online. We can ship. They can come into the store. We are even working on technology for people to be able to take an acuity test online. 19. Do you have optometrists? In 50% of
our stores we have optometrists. 20. Anything else you’d like to share based on your many years of experience in the optical field? I would say that we shouldn’t react so
quickly to these market shocks. They will have
did. They were doing your eyeglasses in one hour, while it was taking me 14 days to make a pair of eyeglasses. I put a sign in front of my store that said, “I’ll guarantee you I’ll take more than one hour to make your glasses.” That brought in an incredible amount of business. LASIK was supposed to knock us out of business. Oh total panic! Everybody will have this operation and nobody will need a pair of eyeglasses. We’re still in business. The business thrives, the industry is growing. I’m not speaking for myself. I’m speaking industry-wide. Online was going to kill brick-and-mortar. Well, they’re brick-and-mortar now. The clicks are going to the bricks. They’re refreshing the retail environment. I have two Warby Parkers near us here in the Miami area. You just need to be flexible. You need to flow like you are floating down the river. You can’t be that boat that’s knocking around hitting everything in the way. Be flexible and float down river. Go with the flow. Don’t fight it because it’s not going to help you. 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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Your donations will help support more programs like the first ever School of Optometry in Haiti. After almost 5 years in planning, the school has welcomed 17 new students to the Bachelor of Vision Science program. Pierre Christopher (pictured) was delighted to commence his 5-year degree in November 2017. The creation of locally trained optometrists will be a huge benefit for the 70% of the population who currently have little or no access to eye care services. Within 10 years, there will be at least 80 new locally educated eye care professionals who will be providing eye care to more than 360,000 Haitians per year. A regular donation to Optometry Giving Sight will help transform even more lives.
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