eyecare professional magazine february 2013 issue

finest wooden eyewear . handcrafted in tirol . austriawww.rolf-spectacles.com

VEE | new york15.-17. march 2013

stand # G376

ECO-FRIENDLY EYEWEAR / PAGE 6 ABO LEVEL II – CE CREDIT / PAGE 30

February 2013 • Volume 7, Issue 62 • www.ECPmag.com

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E Y E C A R E P R O F E S S I O N A L 3

Courtesy ofPanda Sunglasses

ECO-FRIENDLY EYEWEARDo your part for the environment and present your patients the latest in Eco-Friendly Eyewear.

OFFERING “GREEN” FRAMESThe benefits in offering environmentally responsible eyewear make it more than just a fad.by Corrie Pelc

ONLINE DISASTER STORIESThere has been a disturbing lack of quality and workmanship with many online frame purchases.by Anthony Record, RDO

INDUSTRY OUTLOOKDiscover what some of the key issues facing the optical industry are in 2013.by Lindsey Getz

ABO LEVEL II – CE CREDITConstruct a Colored Lens Power Number Line for Office Use Only –also available at: www.ecpmag.com/ceby Renee Jacobs, OD, M.A.

VOLUNTEERINGThe well rounded ECP should make volunteering an importantpart of their optical arsenal.by Elmer Friedman, OD

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EEYECAREPROFESSIONALMagazine

Features

Departments

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EDITOR/VIEW ......................................................................................................6

MOVERS AND SHAKERS.............................................................................17, 29

MOBILE OPTICIAN ...........................................................................................24

OD PERSPECTIVE..............................................................................................42

INDUSTRY QUICK ACCESS..............................................................................46

ADVERTISER INDEX .........................................................................................48

LAST LOOK .........................................................................................................50

Cont

ents

On The Cover:Rolf Spectacleswww.rolf-spectacles.com

FEBRUARY2013

Vol. 7Issue 62

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4 E Y E C A R E P R O F E S S I O N A L

Publisher/Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff SmithProduction/Graphics Manager. . . . . . . . . . . Bruce S. DrobDirector, Advertising Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . Lynnette GrandeContributing Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Judy Canty, John Dick, Paul DiGiovanni, Gary Fore, Elmer Friedman, Lindsey Getz, Renee Jacobs, Ginny Johnson, Jim Magay, Warren McDonald, Corrie Pelc, Anthony Record, Jason Smith

Technical Editor . . . . . . . . Brian A. Thomas, P.h.D, ABOMInternet Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Adler

Opinions expressed in editorial submissions contributed to EyeCareProfessional Magazine, ECP™ are those of the individual writers exclusively and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of EyeCareProfessional Magazine, ECP™ its staff, its advertisers, or its reader-ship. EyeCare Professional Magazine, ECP™ assume no responsibilitytoward independently contributed editorial submissions or any typographical errors, mistakes, misprints, or missing informationwithin advertising copy.

ADVERTISING & SALES(215) 355-6444 • (800) [email protected]

EDITORIAL OFFICES111 E. Pennsylvania Blvd.Feasterville, PA 19053 (215) 355-6444 • Fax (215) [email protected]

EyeCare Professional Magazine, ECP™ is published monthly by OptiCourier, Ltd.Delivered by Third Class Mail Volume 7 Number 62TrademarkSM 1994 by OptiCourier, Ltd.All Rights Reserved.

No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced in anyform or by any means without prior written permission of thepublisher.

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

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

It shall not be construed that OptiCourier, Ltd. endorses, pro-motes, subsidizes, advocates or is an agent or representative forany of the products, services or individuals in this publication.

For Back Issues and Reprints contact Jeff Smith, Publisher at800-914-4322 or by Email: [email protected]

Copyright © 2013 by OptiCourier Ltd. All Rights Reserved

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Magazine

THERE IS NOTHING more devastating for an ECP than to have a patient

completely lose their vision. Though not as well known as some other ailments, around 100,000 Americans have retinitis pigmentosa (RP), an

inherited eye disease that causes retinal degeneration and eventual blindness.

But a group of researchers, who have been working for twodecades to create the world’s first “bionic eye,” are one step

closer to receiving U.S. approval to market their device,which could not only help those with RP, but alsosevere macular degeneration.

Last month, the FDA recommended approval ofSecond Sight’s Argus® II Retinal Prosthesis System foruse in the United States. The retinal prosthesis bypassesthe dead or damaged cells in the eye needed to detect

light. Instead, the Argus II reroutes visual data via an implantto the parts of the eye that still function.

It employs a video camera embedded in a pair of eyeglasses to collect visual input inthe form of light and transmit it to the implant as an electrical signal. These electri-cal pulses stimulate the retina’s cells to produce visual patterns of light in the brainthat allow blind patients with retinitis pigmentosa to regain some visual function.

The technology tested to date lets the wearer primarily see in black and white. It ismost useful for seeing sharp contrasts, such as the painted white line of a crosswalkon a dark road. But scientists hope that they can improve the detail to eventuallyenable color vision in its wearers.

The first patient to receive a Second Sight “bionic eye” — the Argus I — was about10 years ago and the California based company has been testing its newest device ina small number of patients in a clinical trial that began in 2007. If the approvalcomes, it will signal more than 20 years of work in the field, two clinical trials, morethan $100M in public investment by the National Eye Institute, the Department ofEnergy, and the National Science Foundation, and an additional $100M in privateinvestments. The Argus II was approved for use in Europe in 2011 and the RetinalProsthesis system is the first of its kind in the world.

Let’s hope that this exciting new advancement can give the gift of sight back tothose who have lost it. ■

EEYECAREPROFESSIONAL

Birth of the Bionic Eye

Scan this barcode with your smartphone to go to our website.

EDITOR VIEWJeff Smith

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Vision Expo East, Booth G510

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1. VinylizeVinylize have re-imagined a design classic by re-using vinylrecords. The warm texture and color of the vinyl makes theconcept practical, interesting and best of all, sustainable.Sunglasses made from vinyl records in a vintage retro-stylewith a futuristic twist. www.vinylize.com

2. AirbornAIRBORN sunglasses are manufactured by hand from historic airplane material that has flown for decades andseen many people and countries. The making is similar tothe production of airplanes with sheets and rivets. Everypiece comes with a certificate that tells its story and isdelivered in a wooden box that was made from the floor of an airport in Ukraine. www.eyebizz.de

3. iwoodAll iwood frames are hand made in America from thefinest exotic woods — Bubinga, Macassar Ebony andSapele Pommele — reclaimed from industrial veneer manufacturers. All are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)certified and harvested by sustainable methods. Modelsinclude metal temples imported from Italy and opticalquality lenses by Carl Zeiss. www.iwoodecodesign.com

Eco-FriendlyEyewear

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4. GROWN EyewearBecause GROWN eyewear is made from bamboo orwood, each pair has a completely unique grain pattern,and no two pairs are identical. For every purchase that is made, sight-restoring surgery for one individual ordiagnostic eye examinations for 12 children will be fully funded. www.growndesigns.com

5. Rolf SpectaclesPassionate about cars, as well as eyewear, classic automobiles are the foundation for everything the ROLFteam designs. The sculptured frame COMMANDER is as classical as the legendary car, very lightweight, and the

different types of wood are polishedto perfection. COMMANDER haswon the GOOD DESIGN™ award,which was founded in Chicago in1950 and remains the oldest and the world’s most recognized program for design excellence.www.rolfspectacles.com

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6. ic! berlinic! berlin’s acetate frames are

made with anti-allergic,eco-synthetic plastic consisting

of organic fibers and in the truespirit of quality assurance all

frames are handmade.Our rough/eco collections won

the Silmo Award in 2011,highlighting how perfection can

be born from imperfection.www.ic-berlin.de


Gold and Wood

Gold and Wood brings distinctive design and exclusive knowhow to this beautiful object that will embellish the eyes of trendyluxury lovers. Shown is B25.3, in Nutmeg wood and satin blackmetal. www.gold-and-wood.com

Wooden Specs

Wooden Specs are for those who can appreciate the art anddetail of these intensely handcrafted wood frames. And theymake people look great – naturally! www.woodenspecs.com

Kees WennekendonkDutch designer / artist KeesWennekendonk produces hand-made,one-off spectacles from sustainablematerials. He uses abstract descriptionsas well as the portrait of the individualcommissioner for his designs. The materials used are buffalo horn, woodand mammoth tusk, all waste-productsmeant to last for many years. Shown onvelvet is model “Robert” buffalo horn.www.keeswennekendonk.nl/occhiali

Rigards

Rigards frames are constructed of select African water buffalohorn, by the hands of a single artisan from start to finish, withan aluminum logo, and branded custom spring hinges that aremade in France. The textured Sanjuro surface treatment, namedas a reference to a samurai’s sword slashes, is carefully conductedby hand, this process is impossible to reproduce using machinery. www.rigards.com

Grein Optics

Seriously handcrafted bamboo frames with exotic wood inlays.Sealed with a bees wax based protectant that has superior finish.With Carl Zeiss TAC polarized lenses. Nature and technologybalanced perfectly so that they are also Rx compatible.www.greinoptics.com


7, place Vendôme - Pariswww.fred.com

VISIT US AT VISION EXPO EAST - THE UNDERGROUND/BOOTH # U418

LOGO OF THE AMERICAS 1840 N Commerce Pkwy # 2 Weston FL 33326 USA 800-345-3733

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Spectacle Eyeworks

The Canadian design house pays homage to natural materialand creates a wood and horn design. It contains metal inserts foreasy lens insertion and plastic temple tips for ease of adjustment.The result is a fusion of the raw and organic with the sculptedand polished. Each design is available in three natural woodshades, including chocolate and true maple.www.spec-eyeworks.com

DRIFT Eyewear

The concept for DRIFT has always been to create fresh, beautifulproducts with an emphasis on responsible sourcing. Handmadeusing Mazzucchelli M49, vegetable-based acetate: 100%biodegradable and 100% recyclable. The temples are available indifferent sustainable wood combinations, including our mostrecent Delta Blues (100 yr. old Sunken Cypress from theLouisiana Delta). www.drifteyewear.com

eyebobsReading glasses go green with eyebobs’ Oh Shoot/GoneFishing. Fashionably retro frames feature sustainable bamboo temples for the ultimate in eco-chic style.www.eyebobs.com

W-Eye

Wood and aluminum amalgamate to produce a truly unique,hand-made collection. Seven plys of wood together with twothin sheets of resistant aluminum are the core, providing flexi-bility, resistance and light weight. The absence of hinges, addedto flexible temples, is a technical device that spreads weight notonly on the nose but also the sides of the head, thus guarantee-ing almost a perfect fit and total comfort. www.w-eye.it

Trevi-Coliseum

Coliseum 120 Luxury Wood Frame is constructed of the finestquality materials including fully adjustable spring temples. This eco-friendly style is available in 3 semi rimlessWood Color combinations, C1 Silver/ Ebony Wood (Ebenaceaefamily very dense Black wood) C2 Bronze/ Mahogany Wood(Meliaceae family, Dark colored Hard Wood) C3 (Shown) Gun/Bubinga Wood (Leguminosae family, African Rose Wood)backed by a two year unconditional warranty.Sold exclusively in North America by National Lens.www.national-lens.com


A ccording to the report,“Sustainability Nears a TippingPoint,” released in January 2012

by the MIT Sloan Management Reviewand the Boston Consulting Group, 70 percent of companies have placed sustain-ability permanently on their managementagendas, and two-thirds of respondentssaid sustainability was necessary to beingcompetitive in today’s marketplace.

The eyeglass frame industry is noexception. The last few years have seen a number of companies launching eco-friendly frames, from those made of recy-cled plastics to frames completely made ofwood.

And eco-friendly frame manufacturersbelieve this segment will continue to grow.“There will no doubt be more framesavailable using eco-friendly materials inthe future,” says Chris Mantz,founder/designer of eco-friendly framemanufacturer DRIFT. “Advances in designand materials are allowing products to bebetter made and more environmentallyresponsible.”

Not to mention consumers are lookingfor green products. The 2009

GMA/Deloitte Green Shopper Studyfound that of the more than 6,000 shoppers surveyed, 95 percent would buygreen, and 63 percent are looking for“green” products, but were unable to find them.

Pierre Fay, CEO of North America forMODO Eyewear – which makes the Ecoeyewear line – believes one day all frameswill be made eco-friendly because that iswhat consumers want. “People are startingto realize the importance of global warm-ing, they are starting to really understandthat every single small step contributes tothe overall well-being of our plant, andconsumers are looking for it,” he explains.“So a retailer today that puts green prod-ucts on their board is responding to theneed of the consumer and is gaining compared to his competition.”

Make It Green

So what is it about eco-friendly framesthat makes them, well, “eco-friendly?”First off, it’s the materials – such as sustainable resources like wood and boneor recycled materials – and the processesused to make the frames.

ECOLOGICAL ECP

Corrie Pelc


Eco-Friendly: Eyeing the FutureEco-Friendly: Eyeing the FutureLately it seems that everybody is turning a shade of “green.” From cleaning productsto building supplies, manufacturers are putting a lot of effort into showing they areenvironmentally friendly by using sustainable materials or processes.

Tipton Eyework’s Vinylize

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For example, Sire’s Crown q.v.hand-makes its frames from about 100different types of wood, from bubinga to Italian ebony to walnut, that are sus-tainable, salvaged or reclaimed, says co-founder Chris Erven. “The cool thingabout it is all of them are unique consid-ering they’re coming from a live material– you never have two pieces alike,”says Erven. The process theyuse to create the frames tooksix years to develop, andallows them to use a thinnerwood veneer put togetherwith a cotton fiber and woodpulp substrate, making the

frame flexible for thin prescription lenses.

Another company usingwood is Panda Sunglasses,which is made from sustain-able bamboo, according tofounder Vincent Ko. “Bamboo is strong,flexible and lightweight, so it is the perfectmaterial for sunglass frames,” he explains.“Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on the planet and a great renewableresource.” Panda Sunglasses – which alsouse recycled polycarbonate lenses – aresourced and handmade in an ethical factory in China. “The handmade natureof the product makes each pair unique to its owner,” he adds.

At Wood Optic Diffusion, frames in theGold & Wood line are made from woodand horn, says CEO Maurice Leonard.He explains that the wood for their framescomes from an FSC (Forest StewardshipCouncil) certified supplier, guaranteeingthe right and proper monitoring of thewood’s traceability by an independent certification agency. “Its raw woods, froma controlled provenance, come exclusivelyfrom regions of the world where system-atic reforestation is in effect and moni-tored by local authorities,” Leonard adds.

At Tipton Eyeworks, the Vinylize frameline is made from recycled vinyl records.In fact, you can see and feel the grooves of

the records in the frames, says PaulMurphy, head of marketing. “The compa-ny was started by Zack Milaskey whowanted to make eyewear on a recyclablebasis and he experimented by making oldvinyl records into frames,” he explains.“The process has been refined over anumber of years into quite a sophisticatedproduct.”

The aforementioned DRIFT hand-makes frames using 100 percentbiodegradable and recyclableMazzucchelli M49 vegetable-basedacetate, explains Chris Mantz. And thetemples are available in five different sustainable wood combinations, includingtheir Delta Blues line, which used wood

from a 100 year-old sunken cypress fromthe Louisiana Delta.

And for its Eco line, MODO uses 95 percent recycled materials, says Fay,including pre-consumer recycled acetateleftover from the manufacturing ofplastic frames, and post-consumer recycled stainless steel from old appliances, cars and electronics.

Additionally, the frames aremanufactured in an eco-friendly factory that followsenergy-saving procedures,Fay adds.

For a Cause

The “green” aspect of aframe also extends to howthey are packaged, shippedand marketed. For instance,MODO Eyewear ships its Ecoframes in recycled paperpouches, not boxes, so each

frame takes up less volume in a shipment,helping to reduce transport. Additionally,the frame cases are all foldable, which alsocuts down on volume, and all the packag-ing is made of recycled materials.

Then when it comes to the POP (pointof purchase) materials, Fay says the entire

DRIFT EYEWEAR

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display – including counter card andname plaque – is shipped flat in pieces inan envelope made of recycled cotton.“The displays are in the shape of trees,made of recycled cardboard,” he explains.“You can assemble the tree by sliding twopieces together and it becomes a display.All the POP is actually shipping in a flatenvelope, again drastically reducing theshipping cost and the shipping footprint.”

Tipton Eyeworks uses stands made ofold records as their face displays for theVinylize line, and always reuses packagingand filler materials, Murphy says.

At Panda Sunglasses, all the sunglassescome in a sustainable bamboo case. Thecompany uses plantable businesses cardsand eco-friendly marketing materials.Additionally, Panda has tied itself to acharitable cause as part of its marketing.According to Ko, each pair sold “gives thegift of vision” – a pair of prescriptionlenses and an eye exam – to someone inneed through their partnership with theTOMA (Tribal Outreach MedicalAssistance) Foundation.

Sire’s Crown has also tied its eco-friend-ly frame line to a charitable cause. Ervensays for every frame they sell, they plan atree for the future. “This past year weplanted over 10,000 trees with this com-pany,” he adds.

MODO Eyewear also does somethingsimilar through the Tree for the FutureProgram, which has been focusing onplanting trees in Africa. “We have planted

about 750,000 trees so far and we arelooking to hit 1 million trees as soon aswe can,” Fay says.

And having a charitable cause tied to aframe line can also be a selling strategy.According to the 2010 Cone CauseEvolution Study by Cone Communi-cations, 85 percent have a more positiveimage of a product or company when itsupports a cause they care about, and 80percent of Americans say they are likely toswitch brands, similar in price and quali-ty, to one that supports a cause.

Sell it

So for ECPs looking to add eco-friendlyframes to their optical, how can they bestmarket these products to their patients?

First off, Erven — who has been anoptician for the past 15 years — advisestraining employees to know the differ-ences between eco-friendly and non eco-friendly products so they can communi-cate these facts to their customers. “Themain thing with getting people on board

with the eco movement is just educatingthem, educating all the people that areselling so they can convey the proper mes-sage to the customers,” he adds. “And 99percent of customers will appreciate it —they’ll feel like you’re not just a salesper-son.”

ECPs should also make sure their staffknows the story behind the frames, saysMantz. “Eco-friendly frames usually havegreat stories behind them – where the rawmaterials are sourced from or how it ismade are unique selling points,” heexplains. “Being able to speak knowledge-ably about the process and materials canadd more value to each frame sold.”

When marketing eco-friendly frames,Ko suggests ECPs focus on the sustain-ability aspect and how the patient’s pur-chase positively impacts the environment.“The world is evolving and individuals aremore aware of ethical consumerism,” headds. “The ideal Panda customer caresabout the environment, social causes,and ethically-sourced products — ourcustomer doesn’t compromise integrityfor style.”

And Fay even suggests ECPs take it onestep further and do what they can to turntheir practice into a “green” practice. Tohelp practices do this, Fay says MODO isplanning to offer a training process thatwill help ECPs position themselves as a“green” practice in their community,showing they are sensitive, caring andresponsible. “By doing that, they are certainly capturing the interest of theircommunity ... (and) I think there is anopportunity for the ECP to raise theirstanding in the community by being environmentally conscious.” ■

PANDA SUNGLASSES’ NELSON

MODO’S SAO PAULO

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Online Shopping Shockers

As optical online shoppingbegan to take hold a few yearsback, I immediately expressedmy concern about patient

safety, along with my wonder as towhether or not the whole idea of buyingeyeglasses sitting in front of a computermonitor – as opposed to an educated,experienced, living and breathing eye careprofessional (ECP) – would actually takehold. While the former has only grown,the latter is no longer in question.Online shopping for glasses has continuedto grow.

Now don’t get me wrong. I am a government-only-as-necessary kind ofguy. Having said that, unless specific regulations and restrictions are enacted,I believe the number of prescription eye-glasses purchased via computer will beginto grow exponentially. If you doubt thatstatement, consider the most recent statistics that I could find: According tothe Vision Council of America(www.visioncouncil.org), nearly 2 millionpairs of prescription eyeglasses werebought online in 2010. That representsjust under 3 percent of the nearly 70 million pairs that were bought in theUnited States that same year.

My concerns about patient safety were,at first, merely instinctual. My concernswere reinforced as I began to see firsthandthe lack of quality and workmanship with some of the products I saw that were

purchased on the Internet. This includedframes falling apart, incorrect prescrip-tions, and paid-for lens treatments thathad mysteriously disappeared from thetime they were shipped and the time theyarrived at the consumer’s doorstep.Perhaps my greatest concern was aboutlenses that failed to meet impact resistancestandards. This concern only heightenedwhen I was asked by a patient to replace alens that had shattered in a three-piecedrill mount he had purchased online.The lens was not polycarbonate or Trivex.I’m not even sure it was CR-39. What I doknow is that it was plus prescription witha nearly knife-edge thickness of less than0.5 mm. Luckily, the lens had shatteredwhen it was accidentally dropped on thefloor by my new-found patient. It couldjust as easily have shattered as result ofa foreign body striking it while he waswearing it. That, in turn, could have

resulted in the loss of hiseye. Only luck kept thattragedy from happening.

My concerns reachedtheir pinnacle after read-ing an article thatappeared in The ChicagoTribune on February 22,2012. The article’s author,Julie Deardorff, summa-rized the problem in heropening two sentences:“Armed with a prescrip-tion and some patience,consumers can save hun-

dreds of dollars – and maybe some time –by buying eyeglasses online,” she said. “Formost, the major concerns are cosmeticones. But an important risk is overlooked:the quality and safety of the lenses.” Shegoes on to explain that researchers hadpurchased 200 pairs of prescription eye-glasses from the 10 most popular onlineoptical retailers. The results were trulyshocking.

Deardorff goes on to report thatresearchers had found that nearly half(that’s right...half) of the prescriptionglasses they bought online either had been processed incorrectly or mostincredibly, “didn’t meet the standards forimpact testing, meaning the lenses couldcrack or [even] shatter, according to asmall study published last year in thejournal Optometry.”

MANAGING OPTICIAN

Anthony Record, ABO/NCLE, RDO

Continued on page 18

When it comes to writing and ranting about purchasing prescription eyewear online, frankly, I thought I was done.


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The Vision CouncilAt its annual Executive Summit, The VisionCouncil officially inducted its 2013 officers andboard of directors. Raanan Naftalovich ofShamir Insight has been named chairman. Hewill be joined by Martin Bassett of WalmanOptical as vice chairman, Dick Russo of Safilo as

secretary/treasurer and Jamie Shyer of Zyloware Eyewear asimmediate past chairman. Also elected were directors at largeDoug Hepper of Vision Ease, Claudio Gottardi of Marchon,John Corsini of Super Systems, and Andrea Dorigo ofLuxottica.

Transitions OpticalTransitions Optical, Inc. has promoted ReneeHimel to a newly created role of Director, BrandExperience for North America. She will beresponsible for overseeing long-term opportuni-ties focused on engaging both consumers andeyecare professionals to experience the

Transitions® brand and family of products. Himel has heldpositions of increasing leadership responsibility since joiningTransitions Optical in 2007, serving as Senior MarketingSpecialist, Retail and Business Manager Channel Marketingand, most recently, Associate Director, Channel &Communications Marketing.

QSpex TechnologiesQSpex Technologies has named Brian White,CPA, as chief financial officer. White has 20 yearsof experience, both domestic and international,throughout diverse industries including retail,manufacturing, logistics and banking. Mostrecently he was CFO of Books-A-Million,

Birmingham, Ala., a leading retailer with $500 million in salesand 250 locations.

SynergEyesSynergEyes, Inc. has announced that JamesKirchner, OD has been named to the position ofsenior vice president of clinical and professionalservices. In this role, Kirchner will provide professional leadership of productdevelopment and product management.

Prior to joining SynergEyes, Kirchner was chief professionalofficer for Eyefinity/OfficeMate, a VSP Global company.He has also been a chief executive of over a dozen start-upcompanies, many of them outside the ophthalmic industry.

Raanan Naftalovich

Renee Himel

Brian White

James Kirchner

MOVERS & SHAKERS

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Assuming that online purchasing haseven only slightly increased since 2010, ifyou do the math (and since the UnitedStates ranks 34th in the world in math I’lldo it for you), that means more than 1million Americans are put at risk, everyyear, by receiving unregulated, unrestrict-ed, and seemingly unchecked spectacles. Ifthat statistic doesn’t get your attention,consider Deardorff ’s final paragraph: “1 in4 pairs of children’s eyewear failed impactresistance testing...the study also showedthat almost half of the glasses surveyeddidn’t provide the stated prescription orhad issues with impact resistance testing.”

Which all begs the question: What canwe (ECPs) do about it? In my opinion, theanswer lies in the analysis of Deardorff ’sfirst couple of sentences, by taking toheart the grim findings regarding the lackof impact resistance as reported, and bynot standing idly by.

First, if consumers are flocking toonline sellers to “save hundreds of dol-lars...and maybe some time,” why notaddress those two issues as they relate toyour day-to-day practice of opticianry?Reexamine your price structure. Is it fair?How do you determine your margins ormarkups? Do you place a retail price of$195 on a frame that cost you $9.95? Doyou inflate your prices only to offer anunbelievable Buy One Get One Free ad inyour local newspaper? Do you lure yourpatients with an ad that says “$69 com-plete” only to offer half a dozen frames(none of which you’d be caught deadwearing) at that price? It is those kinds ofpractices, along with others, that some-times cause brick-and-mortar patients tomake their purchases elsewhere.

What about the issue of saving time?Rethink your hours of operation. Do youoffer hours that are most convenient for

working people? Maybe it wouldmake sense to be open on Sundayand close on Wednesday. Is yourstaff trained not only in optics,but in customer service, commu-nication, and time management?From a patient’s perspective isbuying glasses from your practicean obligatory ordeal she has cometo dread, or a pleasant experienceshe looks forward to? Do youschedule appointments so that apatient is seen on time, or in such

a way that the doctor can squeeze in asmany patients as he can (to extract asmany dollars as he can), the result being

that patients are rarely seen on time androutinely complain about their wait?

Second, regarding the impact resistanceissue: educate, educate, educate. Spreadthe word about the problem to anyone -not only the people you meet at work -who will listen. I actually went online(ironically), found the article I have refer-enced here, made five copies, had themlaminated, and have displayed themaround my office.

Finally, don’t stand idly by. It is possibleto make a difference. To that point, I giveyou the FCLCA (Fairness to Contact LensConsumers Act). While it was not the perfect solution to Internet contact lenspurchases, it certainly shows that whenpeople speak up, change can occur. Haveyou reported your experiences withInternet-bought eyeglasses to yourCongressman, the FDA, the FTC? Haveyou emailed your state or federal legislatorto voice your concern?

As I write this article I am watching theceremonies of President Obama’s secondinauguration. While he has many biggerfish to fry, I think I might write a letter tohim to convey my concerns. Maybe it willget someone in his Administration’s attention, maybe not. Mine will only beone letter after all. But I bet if over thenext few months he received thousands of letters on the issue, it would indeed, getsomeone’s attention. What do you have tolose? I’ll tell you: 15 minutes and the costof one postage stamp – 46 cents as ofJanuary 27. On the outside chance youhave 15 minutes and 46 cents to spare,President Obama’s address is: 1600Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC,20500. ■

“I began to see firsthandthe lack of quality andworkmanship with someof the products I saw thatwere purchased on theInternet. This includedframes falling apart,incorrect prescriptions...”

Progressivelenses.com

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Cash earned will be calculated at the end of the promotion period and a check will be issued to you.

Promotion open to Eye Care Professionals (ECPs) only. Must have permission from the practice owner to participate. Must be a current account of FEA Industries. Registration on www.feaind.com is required for rewards to be calculated. Checks will be distributed by March 15, 2013.

Skate Your Way to the Bank

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Industry Outlook

With the election over and afall over the Fiscal Cliff atleast temporarily averted,2013 is beginning with a bit

more “clarity” than last year. Still, some ofthat unwanted uncertainty remains—suchas what exactly will happen with thenation’s growing debt. Coupled with thefact that many companies took a beatingduring the recession, most optometricbusinesses seem to be focused on cautiousoptimism for 2013. Though business doesseem to be picking up, and there appearsto be some room for growth, many businesses are choosing to take it slow.

Slow to Grow

Ted Massaro, chartered financial consultant with M Financial PlanningServices in Marlton, N.J. says that the difficulties experienced by businesses during the recession and recovery havecaused lingering doubts about growing—despite the fact that 2013 is looking to bea brighter year. “Most business owners Italk to are anticipating higher sales andrevenue in the New Year—economic indi-cators and consumer confidence seem toindicate a ‘cautious confidence,’” he says.“However, the lessons of the last few yearswere hard-learned so I think that cuttingcorners is still going to be front-of-mindfor many decision-makers, as evidencedby business purchases not quite pickingup yet.”

Although optometry, asa field, wasn’t as hard-hitas some other indus-tries (patients stillneed their eyewearand many still attended totheir eye health), the truth isthat some patients were more likely to“skip” their annual eye exam when timesgot tough.

In 2009, while many were still strug-gling from the effects of the recession,a survey from the American OptometricAssociation (AOA) revealed that 36 per-cent of Americans said they were limitingtheir doctor visits because of the reces-sion. When asked which doctors they arevisiting less, the majority indicated thedentist (63 percent), followed by the primary care physician (59 percent), andthen the eye doctor (52 percent). Onlyeight percent said they would stick to theirregular health schedule. More womenthan men said they would limit doctorvisits. And in terms of specific doctors,women were more inclined to cut back onseeing the eye doctor than men.

Unfortunately, even as we’ve begun tosee an upturn from the recession, researchseems to indicate that some patients areforgoing their eye exams. In 2011 a surveyfrom the CDC showed that a large num-ber of people who have problems withtheir eyesight don’t visit the eye doctorbecause of cost or lack of vision coverage.

In a studyinvolving

11,503 adultsage 40 orolder, who

were consideredhaving moder-

ate-to-severe visual impairment; nearly 40 percent said they had skipped seekingeyecare in the past year because of costs or lack of insurance. That says that eventhough we seem to be turning a corner,cutting costs is still at the forefront ofmany minds.

Financial experts like Massaro say thatwhat “comes out of Washington” has a lotto do with what the general public doeswith their money. When people see therapidly growing national debt they beginto get anxious about spending their ownmoney. They start thinking about theirown debt. And even though a fall over theFiscal Cliff has been temporarily averted,many Americans are still thinking aboutrising taxes. All of this makes them morelikely to cut back and it seems that eyecaremay be one of those areas where cutbacksoccur.

Optometry Concerns for 2013

Of course optometry also has someindustry-specific issues to deal with that may make 2013 a challenging year.The continued growth of national chainsis still a concern for many eye care profes-

ECP ECONOMICS

Lindsey Getz


Now that we’re into 2013, let’s take a look at what some of the key issues may be for the eye care industry


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sionals and will remain an issue for 2013.Many small practices still feel the stress ofcompeting against large chains that moveinto their area. As patients become moreconcerned about the bill for their eyecare,some fear they may be more likely tomove their care to a discount chain.

As more patients become familiar withonline shopping, eye care professionals arealso increasingly concerned about losingcontact lens and eyewear business to theInternet. This concern remains at theforefront of 2013.

The best weapon that eye care profes-sionals may have against both of theseissues is ramping up their educational andmarketing tactics in order to ensure thatpatients recognize the benefits of receivingtheir eyecare—and their eyewear—through a highly reputable practice.Developing loyalty with patients also goesa long way. Build relationships with yourpatients and you will do a tremendousservice to your practice by encouragingthem to continue coming back.

Of course another concern in 2013remains proposed healthcare changes.In fact, changes to vision care plans asso-

ciated with President Obama’s AffordableCare Act are currently at the forefront ofindustry concerns. Currently there is a lotof uncertainty as to exactly how this issuemay affect the eye care industry but weknow that change is on the horizon.

Remaining Positive

While many would have liked to see abigger turnaround by now, many financialand business experts say there are still reasons to remain positive in 2013.Times have changed and that means thatbusinesses—including private practiceoptometry—need to adapt. But many are learning to do so and are finding ways tobe successful. While it’s easy to get caughtup in the doom and gloom that lies in“uncertainty” the truth is that things do appear to be turning around. Whileconsumers may not be spending as muchas they used to, economic reports seem toindicate they’re spending more than theywere in past years.

If eye care professionals can continue to find ways to adapt to the “new norm”then they should be able to continue to build strong practices. Ramping upmarketing efforts and taking more time to build patient relationships in order toretain the current base will all pay off bykeeping practices strong, despite a varietyof changes taking place in this New Year. ■

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Yummy, Yummy, Yummy

Don’t get me wrong, I want tomake sure our patients areaware of the finest ingredientswe use, I just prefer using the

brunch menu. It’s shorter and sweeter,offering the best first with basic on theback burner. Setting the dispensing tablewith good intentions and serving up yourbest can put a lot on your plate.

When patients are invited into the dispensary the last thing I want to do isoverfeed them.

For those who’ve had terrible experi-ences elsewhere, I like to stir up the potand get to the bottom of it. I won’t ask for the name of the establishment unlessour head chef requests it. It doesn’t matterwho burned them, what matters is howand if we can help them without gettingburned.

It’s obvious when patients arefeeding me a bunch of junk:

My glasses were on my nightstandand I woke up and they were broken.

I always clean my glasses like youtold me to and look how scratchedmy lenses are.

I never leave them in a hot car so I can’t imagine how my lenses gotso warped.

Even though sometimes I’d like to feed them a mouth

full right back, my bewildered look is usually enough.

Figuring out how to cater to every single patient is similar to standing onyour head while eating soup broth usingyour toes and a pair of chop sticks. It’simpossible to cater to everyone.

Design your space to be parallel withyour menu. Fast food and fine diningaren’t usually under the same roof. If youattempt to do both then you need to be atop chef and not a kitchen witch.

Fast food patients want to get in andout while spending as little time anddough as possible. These patients alreadyknow what type of frames and lenses theywant. They dictate how much their billneeds to be. Some are expecting fine dining menu items at fast food pricing.If they have a bad taste in their mouth

about a previous tab or menu item theymay become frozen in time and neverthaw out.

Here’s a fast food scenario:

Would you like to super size your eyewearorder today with our best apple pie AR?

Sir, I can barely hear you, please speak up.

Was that a “no”?

Are you still there?

Please drive around to the window.

How are you doing today?

Did I hear you say that you don’t need AR?

Let me just repeat your order.

You want the basic lenses without ARbecause the AR is a big waste of money inyour opinion.

OK, now I see why you are saying that.You have the fry grease AR on those lenses.

If you weren’t in such a hurry today, I couldprobably help you.

I’ll be right back with your order.

Have a great day. Come back and see uswhen you are ready to order the real deal.

Fine dining patients are hungry forexcellence and crave the best items on themenu. Some may be picky eaters and have questions about how the items areprepared. Others will order exactly whatyou recommend without hesitation.These patients don’t have food fights withyour pricing.

THE MOBILE OPTICIAN

Ginny Johnson, LDO, ABOC


I’ve always had reservations about using the good,better, best lens menu approach with patients.


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A la carte pricing may work well forrestaurants but it adds up quickly whendiscussing eyewear. Use package pricing toavoid giving them food poisoning. Quoteone price for the combination of menuitems needed to fill their eyewear order.You will find that package pricing is easier for patients to digest and less time consuming.

If patients are using vision insurancethen package pricing may be a little trickier. With all of the different plans and co-pays you have to cook by usingmany different recipes. Don’t be so quick to grab your calculator every time thesepatients have pricing questions. It’s badtable manners and not always medically necessary. Using a calculator and addingup co-pays for menu items and services

not yet rendered, is like a waiter bringingyour bill to the table before the meal iseven served.

A la carte pricing promotes the processof elimination in eyewear sales. If you addthe cost of each lens enhancement separately, expect to get choked up fromtime to time. The value of each menuitem can come across as worthless.Suddenly the cool pair of eyewear theyloved a moment ago, costs too much forthem to fall in love with. They decide theydon’t need any lens enhancements andwill settle for less or leave empty handed.

We all know there are many recipes tofollow for success. Asking your patientsquestions similar to the ones that FoodService Managers use can lead us in theright direction.

How is everything?

Are you enjoying your meal?

Is our staff taking good care of you?

Would you recommend us to your familyand friends?

Is there anything we can do to betterserve you?

Whether patients are stopping by tocheck out your menu or calling ahead tomake reservations, they should feel likethey are being treated special. Don’t letthose self serve, take-out places gobble up your patients. �

FEB2013_ginny_mobile.qxd 2/1/13 11:13 AM Page 4

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Viva International GroupViva International Group has promoted CelinaHuizar Fouts to the position of sales directorfor Viva’s eastern U.S. division. Based inAtlanta, Huizar Fouts will oversee the salesefforts in the east coast region of the country,and she will join Barry Jones and Kelly

O’Grady who lead Viva’s central and western divisions,respectively. Huizar Fouts joined Viva in 2006 as a Gant salesconsultant and she was promoted to regional sales managerfor the southeast in 2008.

Surgical Eye Expeditions InternationalSurgical Eye Expeditions (SEE) Internationalhas named Brian D. Stenfors vice president ofadvancement. With more than 25 years offundraising experience, Stenfors comes to SEEInternational after seven years as manager ofaffiliated campaigns for the Cottage Health

System. Associated with the Family Service Agency of SantaBarbara, SEE International and Fielding Graduate Institute,Stenfors was also president of the Santa Barbara/VenturaCounty Chapter of the Association of FundraisingProfessionals.

American Academy of OphthalmologyPaul Sternberg, Jr., MD has begun his term aspresident of the American Academy ofOphthalmology. Dr. Sternberg will hold officefor one year as the 116th president of the AAO,as elected by the Academy’s 32,000 members. Anationally recognized ophthalmic education

and research leader, Sternberg currently serves as the G.W.Hale professor of ophthalmology and chairman of theVanderbilt Eye Institute of the Vanderbilt University School ofMedicine in Nashville, Tenn.

Vision SourceVision Source has announced that JimGreenwood will assume the position ofpresident and chief operating officer. He joinsthe executive team after serving as CEO ofConcentra for more than five years. He willreport to Vision Source CEO and founder

Glenn Ellisor, OD. Greenwood serves on the board of directors for Epic Health Services, Inc. and the BaylorUniversity Healthcare Administration Program’s AdvisoryCouncil.

Celina Huizar Fouts

Brian D. Stenfors

Paul Sternberg

Jim Greenwood

MOVERS & SHAKERS

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By Renee Jacobs O.D., M.A.

Have you noticed that some of the most brilliant business ideas are amazingly simple!Superb ideas earn trust and loyalty frompatients who are already in your office, plusthey are easy to implement. Ultimately, earnedtrust is what secures present and future revenueper patient, plus word of mouth referrals.

One simple and deceptively powerful businessidea is to construct a Colored Lens PowerNumber Line for Office Use Only. This color-coded tool illustrates the preferred Index ofRefraction for any lens power (See Figure 7).Once you have defined your office standard,you can provide Index of Refraction advice witheach written prescription. This information willhelp your patients make purchasing decisionsbest for them. Furthermore, you can measureincreasing business revenue.

Empower your patients:

• Armed with Index of Refraction advice, smartconsumers will make fair comparisons. Theyare less likely to be enticed by price advertisingfor inferior lens materials.

• Informed consumers can take personalresponsibility for poor decisions. For example,a patient might accept responsibility for buying polycarbonate lenses from your competitor, though you recommended 1.70high index lenses. It is not your fault when the resulting lenses are thick, and heavy, with poor quality optics.

• Savvy consumers might do their own research,and then return to your office to make theireye wear purchases. These patients becomeadvocates for your business.

Inconsistent Product Messages CanDecrease Business Revenue

Inconsistent product recommendations canerode a patient’s trust. If ignored, the conse-quence is decreasing business revenue:

• A patient might experience different advicefrom professionals within your office. Imaginethat one optician makes an Index of Refractionrecommendation. Then the patient leaves andreturns a few days later with a frame, meets adifferent optician in your same office, andreceives different Index of Refraction advice.

From the patient’s perspective, are you credibleor even trustworthy when professionals withinyour office disagree? Patients can get theimpression that Index of Refraction is arbitraryor a way you inflate your prices. After all, theycan walk down the street and purchase “feather-weight lenses” for an advertised low price.

Business suffers when you create doubt and distrust.

• Junior staff, and those cross training into optical, often don’t know which Index ofRefraction to recommend. Patients buy lesswhen opticians fail to advise.

• Some doctors fail to recommend Index ofRefraction in the exam room. The reasons are numerous:

º Some don’t thoroughly understand newlens technologies. They can’t recommendwith authority, because they lack knowl-edge.

º Some believe the exam room is the safe

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Gain experience with one method tomanage sales of high index lens mate-rials. Understand benefits of an officestandard including:

• consistent lens material recommen-dations between professionals withinone office

• an easy method for educating thosewho cross train into optical

• a simple method to manage sales aslens material availability evolves andlens technology advances

Renee Jacobs O.D., M.A. is backedby exceptional academicsand life experience. Inaddition to her Doctor ofOptometry degree fromthe University of Californiaat Berkeley, Dr. Jacobs

also has a Master’s Degree inCurriculum and Instruction, a Bachelorof Science in Biochemistry, plus experience as the owner and adminis-trator of a Learning Center. Dr. Jacobsgrew a state of the art optometricpractice for 13 years. She writes forprofessional trade publications andpresents at International Vision Expo.She develops curriculum and provideslive interactive training as the Directorof Practice Management Depot.

CREDIT: This course is ABO approvedfor 1 CE Credit, General KnowledgeLevel II, $9.99, Also available online:www.ecpmag.com/ce

Construct a Colored Lens Power Number Line for Office Use OnlyOne Simple Strategy to Increase Business Revenue

CE CONTINUING EDUCATIONAlso available at www.ecpmag.com/ce


FEB2013_renee_CE.qxd 2/4/13 12:46 PM Page 2


place for confidential healthcareconversations, and “selling” dimin-ishes the integrity of the doctor-patient relationship.

º Some do as little as possible to earna paycheck. With no vested interestin the optical, they provide pre-scriptions without product recommendations.

Regardless of the reason, when a patientleaves your office with an Rx in hand andno written product advice, your businessis set up to lose revenue.

Don’t feel indignant or outraged whenyour patient purchases inferior productsfrom a competitor, then returns to you forhelp. You became obligated to provide freetroubleshooting when you released thatRx without an Index of Refraction recom-mendation. It is expensive to first lose thesale and then provide free care!

Each patient trusts the doctor to providean accurate prescription, and solve theproblem if vision is not clear through that Rx. If you violate trust, then you risklosing the patient, their referrals of friendsand family, plus revenue from current andfuture sales.

One Simple Solution

Empower your patients to make informedpurchasing decisions. Help them select theIndex of Refraction best for their prescrip-tion. Standardize your recommendations,and then provide consistent advice witheach written prescription.

Opticians and doctors can work togetherto create your office standard. Create a color-coded tool that illustrates the preferred Index of Refraction for any lenspower, a Colored Lens Power NumberLine, unique and true for your office (See Figure 7).

Begin with action steps.

Pre-Construction Action Steps

Knowing that eye-care providers holdstrong positions developed through yearsof education and experience, take stepstoward facilitating effective collaboration.Create a positive environment by estab-

lishing a shared group identity, plus clearobjectives including goals and guidelines.

Establish Shared IdentityUse the following statement as a draft forindividual and small group discussions.Modify it to suit your business environ-ment.

We are better than our competition. Wehelp our patients make the best possibledecisions because we understand optics and we are great educators.

After acknowledging a common identity,confirm common goals.

Establish GoalsUse the following statements as a draft forindividual and small group discussions.Modify them to suit your needs.

• Our ambition is to always recommendwhat is best for the patient.

• We desire to provide our patients withconsistent product recommendations,doctor to doctor, doctor to optician, andoptician to optician, from the sale all theway through a multiple pair dispense.

• We want the flexibility to exercise professional judgment:

º If a doctor has a patient who isweight sensitive, a doctor can rec-ommend the thinnest and lightestmaterials.

º If a patient selects a small frame,we know small lenses have less ophthalmic plastic, therefore lessweight and thickness. Therefore,an optician can use professionaljudgment, recommending a slightlythicker material.

After defining goals, review general guidelines.

Establish GuidelinesUse the following statements as a draft.Modify them as needed.

• We are building Index of Refractionrecommendations for plastic lenses,not glass.

• As we construct our Lens Power NumberLine, each number will represent the lenspower of a spherical lens blank.

• We are thinking of an average frame sizeand a patient with an average PD.

• Budget is not a consideration. This is notWHAT we would recommend, if weTHINK the patient can afford it. This isWHAT we believe is BEST, the mini-mum Index of Refraction appropriate for each prescription number.

• We are standardizing our baseline recommendation. Patients will alwayshave the option to purchase lighter andthinner materials.

• We are standardizing the general rule forthe average patient, so that all doctorsand opticians are in agreement.

• We realize there will be exceptions.

After establishing guidelines, and beforecustomizing your Index of Refractioncriteria, each can practice plotting pre-scriptions on a Lens Power Number Line.

Practice Using a Lens Power Number Line

Begin by thinking of each prescription asa lens cross.

For minus prescriptions, plot the thickestedge. For example: - 2.00 - 3.00 x 090OU,(See Figure 1):

Figure 1

This lens is the thickest along the horizon-tal meridian. Plot -5.00 on the Lens PowerNumber Line (See Figure 2).

For plus prescriptions, use two steps.For example +3.00 -6.00 x 090 OU,(See Figure 3):



Step 1: Plot the most plus major meridian,the meridian that will determine centerthickness. In this example, plot +3.00,on the Lens Power Number Line (See Figure 4).

Step 2: Notice if minus cylinder will addsignificant weight and thickness, and useprofessional judgment. In this example,notice that -6.00 cylinder power will sig-nificantly increase edge thickness alongthe horizontal meridian. For this reason,consider a material that is thinner thanyou would typically recommend for a+3.00 spherical lens.

If plotting prescription powers along aLens Power Number Line is confusing,review a lesson on lens crosses. Everyoptical professional should glance at aprescription and immediately identify themeridian that determines center thicknessand the meridian with the thickest edge.This ability differentiates us from ourcompetitors. Remember:

We are better than our competition. Wehelp our patients make the best possibledecisions because we understand optics and we are great educators.

After completing pre-construction actionsteps, build your office standard.

Construct a Colored Lens PowerNumber Line for Office Use Only

Provide Materials

Provide each participant with coloredpencils, a copy of the blank Lens PowerNumber Line (Figure 5), and the gridshown on the following page (Figure 6).

Together, look at the grid. Notice thateach color, positioned down the left side,represents an Index of Refraction for a lens package.

Provide Examples

See example #1 (Figure 7). Each color designates the material of choice for agiven lens power. Remember the guide-lines. As we construct the Colored LensPower Number Line, we are thinking ofspherical lens blanks, an average patient,an average frame, and an average PD. Pluswe are thinking of plastic, not glass.

This colored line illustrates that this officegenerally recommends Trivex (shown ingreen) as their material of choice for prescriptions from -4.00 to +3.00. Theyrecommend 1.67 (shown in orange) from-4.00 to -5.50 and from +3.00 to +5.00.

They recommend 1.70 or thinner forminus lenses higher than -5.50 and forplus lenses higher than +5.00.

The standard is for Office Use Only.Individual professionals can exercise flexibility appropriate for a patient.

In some cases, the accepted standardincludes qualifiers. See example #2 (Figure 8).

This office generally recommends CR39(shown in white) as their material ofchoice for prescriptions from -4.00 to+3.00. For that same power range, theyrecommend Trivex (shown in green) forchildren and for safety. They usePolycarbonate (shown in yellow) onlywhen price point becomes an issue for abudget conscious patient.

The qualifiers are documented in theEXPLANATION column (See Figure 9):

Each Participant Constructs Their Current Standard

Ask each participant to illustrate theircurrent practices, guided by individual lifeexperience, education, and beliefs. Colortheir own number line, showing the mini-mum Index of Refraction appropriate foreach prescription power, best for the average patient. Then document qualifiersin the EXPLANATION column of theirgrid. Write criteria that influences theirIndex of Refraction recommendations.

Collaborate to Create Your Office Standard

After everyone has completed their ownColored Lens Power Number Line, thegroup can collaborate to create the mostacceptable office standard.

Post-Construction Action Steps

DistributeOnce you have your office standard, putcolored copies in predictable places foreasy reference. Place them in each examroom and at each dispensing table.

Measure Sales IndicatorThe greatest benefit of setting the officestandard is providing consistent advicethat earns patient’s trust. The next, mostimportant benefit is the capability to

Exam can also be taken online at www.ecpmag.com/ce

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

FEB2013_renee_CE.qxd 1/30/13 11:25 AM Page 4


measure. You can measure if patients purchase what opticians recommend.

Each participant can measure by review-ing their patient orders. Evaluate each pre-scription and the Index of Refractionordered – compared to your Colored LensPower Number Line. Notice if patientsconsistently purchase the recommendedIndex of Refraction or thinner.

If invoice review is evidence that all opti-

cians are implementing the Colored LensPower Number Line to guide their recom-mendations, and patients are buyingproducts best for them, then Great forPatients! Great for Business!

If instead, invoice review proves thatpatients are NOT buying the recommend-ed Index of Refraction, or thinner, thentalk individually with optical profession-als. Certainly the office standard won’t

work unless theoffice uses it. Also product messagingmust be convincing, so that patientstrust professional advice and purchase accordingly.

Provide Consistent Product Advice

Build trust through consistent practices. Empower patients withproduct knowledge so they can makefair comparisons. Always include theIndex of Refraction recommendationalong with the spectacle Rx.

Grow loyalty. In the event a patientignores good advice, and buys thick,heavy, lenses with poor optics, then youcan re-educate regarding the importanceof purchasing an appropriate Index ofRefraction. Patients will appreciate you,instead of blaming you for their bad experience.

Finally, measure. You can use the methodof invoice review to determine if patients,who purchase lenses in your optical, arebuying according to your office standard.For each invoice, compare the patient’s Rxto your office Colored Lens PowerNumber Line. Count the number ofpatients who purchase the recommendedIndex of Refraction or thinner. Count thenumber of patients who purchase lensesthat are thicker than recommended.Use this method to determine if patienteducation effectively persuades patients topurchase products best for them. Improvesales by improving communication.Modify the message. Change what you sayto patients, the pictures to illustrate keymessages, and demonstrations. Modify the message until sales indicators provethat patients make appropriate purchasing decisions.

A Colored Lens Power Number Line isone amazingly simple business idea.The tool can help your business improveproduct messaging to increase sales andempower patients. Save yourself theexpense of losing a sale and then providing Free Care too!

CE1 ABO CE Credit, General Knowledge, Level II, $9.99

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9



Questions:

1. When you consider Index of Refractionguidelines, which statement is mostappropriate?

a. We are thinking of a large frame sizeand a patient with a wide PD.

b. We are constructing Index ofRefraction recommendations forplastic lenses.

c. Each number, on the number line,represents lens power in the meridian of the thinnest edge.

d. Our office standard is influenced bywhat patients can afford.

2. Which statement is true regardingIndex of Refraction standards?

a. We are standardizing the most profitable recommendation.

b. Standards are rigid and there will beno exceptions.

c. Standards help doctors and opticianscommunicate consistent recommen-dations.

d. Standards reduce the need for documentation in a patient’s file.

3. Consistent product recommendationsare important so that:

a. Patients know optical professionalsdisagree regarding the best materialfor an Rx.

b. Patients are more likely to be enticedby a competitor’s advertised lowprice.

c. Patients will blame the doctor if theydo not see well through glasses purchased online.

d. Each patient is empowered to purchase the Index of Refractionappropriate for their Rx.

4. Identify a statement toward facilitatingeffective collaboration:

a. Doctors should never provide gener-al product advice in the exam room.

b. Only senior opticians will knowwhat is best for each patient.

c. Together, we help our patients makethe best possible decisions becausewe understand optics and we aregreat educators.

d. We don’t expect junior opticians toprovide expert advice or achievehigh sales numbers.

5. Which statement describes an appropriate common goal?

a. We always sell the most expensivelens we can convince a patient topurchase.

b. We use the standard for most cases,yet can exercise professional judg-ment.

c. Any lens order that differs from theIndex of Refraction office standardmust be approved by management.

d. It is best if patients do not under-stand Index of Refraction.

6. For the prescription: - 1.00 - 3.00 x180 OU, what is the lens power alongmajor meridian A (See Figure 10):

a. -1.00

b. +2.00

a. -4.00

d. -3.00

7. For the prescription: - 1.00 - 3.00 x180 OU, what is the lens power alongthe major meridian B (See Figure 10):

a. -1.00

b. +2.00

a. -4.00

d. -3.00

8. For the prescription +5.00 -3.00 x 090OU, what is the lens power along themajor meridian A (See Figure 10):

a. +5.00

b. +2.00

c. +8.00

d. -3.00

9. For the prescription +5.00 -3.00 x 090OU, what is the lens power along themajor meridian B (See Figure 10):

a. +5.00

b. +2.00

c. +8.00

d. -3.00

10. For the prescription +5.00 -3.00 x090 OU, which meridian will determine the center thickness ofthe edged lens (See Figure 10):

a. 090 Vertical Meridian

b. 045 Oblique Meridian

c. 135 Oblique Meridian

d. 180 Horizontal Meridian

11. Effective collaboration requires allexcept:

a. Optical professional share a commonidentity.

b. They have well defined goals andguidelines.

c. All will listen to honest opinions.

d. Some are unwilling to voice honestopinions.

12. The Colored Lens Power NumberLine is for Office Use Only because:

a. Most patients already know how to use a lens cross to analyze a prescription.

b. Most patients can use the tool without an optician’s help.

Exam can also be taken online at www.ecpmag.com/ce

Figure 10



c. It helps staff members, but it is not agreat tool for patient education.

d. All office standards should be secret.

13. A Colored Lens Power Number Linecan be modified. Choose the worstreason to modify your office standard.

a. A new optician is consistently recommending Trivex material forpatients with prescriptions thatshould have 1.67 Index lensesaccording to your office ColoredLens Power Number Line.

b. Your lab has a production problemand one Index of Refraction is onindefinite back order.

c. Your office has decided that Trivexshould replace CR39 as the materialof choice for prescriptions between+3.00 and -4.00.

d. One of the lens materials is notcompatible with a new top tier ARtreatment.

14. Which of the following is caused by

having an office standard regardingmaterial recommendations?

a. A junior optician will not knowwhich Index of Refraction to recommend when a walk-in patientprovides an outside prescription.

b. Patients will notice that Index ofRefraction recommendations arearbitrary, a strategy to inflate fees.

c. Those who cross train into opticalwill not recommend the appropriateIndex of Refraction.

d. Doctors will feel comfortable recommending a baseline Index of Refraction in the exam room.

15. Which of the following IS NOT part of Invoice Review:

a. Evaluate each prescription and theIndex of Refraction ordered – compared to your Colored LensPower Number Line.

b. Notice if patients consistently purchase the recommended Index of Refraction or thinner.

c. Determine if yourwords, illustrations,and demonstrationsconvince patients to purchase theIndex of Refraction that is best fortheir prescription.

d. Use your Colored Lens PowerNumber Line to explain the officestandard to an optician who willprovide temporary coverage duringyour vacation.

CE1 ABO CE Credit, General Knowledge, Level II, $9.99

Please Fill Out Answers Below for Construct a Colored Power Number Line for Office Use Only1 Hour CE Credit, General Knowledge, Level II – American Board of Opticianry – Valid until February 28, 2018

Exam can also be taken online at www.ecpmag.com/ceSelect one answer for each question, a minimum score of 80% is necessary to obtain credit.

Mail completed form and payment details to: ECP Magazine, 111 E. Pennsylvania Blvd, Feasterville, PA 19053-7843

The Following is: ❑ Home ❑ Business

Name: ______________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________

City: __________________ State: __________ Zip: ___________

Phone: ______________________ Email: _________________________

Payment of $9.99 required with this exam❑ check enclosed (payable to Opti-Courier) ❑ pay by Credit Card

Credit Card #:___________________________________________

Expiration Date: _________________________________________

Signature: _____________________________________________

✃

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Springtime Brings Increased Risk for Eye Injuries Outdoorsby THE VISION PROTECTION COMMITTEE OF THE VISION COUNCIL

SPRING IS A GREAT TIME OF THE YEAR. It brings a season of beauty, a turn toward warmer weather and plenty to do outdoors. Unfortunately,

the spring season can also present a higher risk of eye injuries.

Lawn care and gardening are just two examples ofspringtime activities that can increase a patient’schance of an eye injury. According to the AmericanAcademy of Ophthalmology, nearly half of all eyeinjuries in the United States occur annually aroundthe home. Despite the fact that 90 percent of theseinjuries could be prevented by using protective eyewear, a recent survey by the American OptometricAssociation showed that only half of survey respon-dents reported wearing protective eyewear when performing home or yard maintenance tasks.

Another area of great concern is sports-related eye injuries, especially among young athletes.School-aged competitors are particularly prone to eye injuries since their athletic skills (hand-eye coordi-nation, balance, reaction time and speed) are stillbeing developed. Under most circumstances, 90 percent of sports-related eye injuries are preventablewith the proper use of protective sports eyewear.

With soccer and baseball season upon us, it’s moreimportant than ever to encourage patients to invest inand regularly wear protective eyewear.

Eyecare providers play an important role in educat-ing consumers about the need for and proper use ofeye protection. Regardless of the season, taking theresponsibility to inform your patients of the need forvision protection can be a practice enhancement. In your office, you can practice the “Inquire. Inform.Introduce.” strategy. Since eye injuries can occur in a

number of scenarios, including around thehome or while playing sports, start byconsidering all of your patient’s dailyactivities. Note the activities that present a potential for eye injury and follow-up byoffering your patient relevant, preventativesolutions. By providing recommendationsfor the best vision protection and perform-ance solutions, you can educate patientsin your office about proper vision protection. This strategy also presents anopportunity for second pair sales.

The Vision Protection Committee of The Vision Council is dedicated to creat-ing awareness for vision protection amongeyecare providers and their patients.During 2012, members of The VisionProtection Committee published articles

on specific aspects of vision protection, includingsports eyewear, the American Society for Testing andMaterials (ASTM) International standards and theimportance of fog-free lenses.

To learn more, visit www.thevisioncouncil.org/ecp.


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Volunteering: The Best That You Can Be

This will mark the community’srecognition of the many hoursof time and energy donated bythousands of volunteers in

various endeavors that enrich the lives oftheir fellow man. The responsibilities ofthe new graduate, in particular, as well asthe well established practitioner, can giverise to a myriad of involvements that willcontribute significantly to the promise ofsuccess for any practice. Activity need notnecessarily be related to the eye care professional’s occupation.

In addition to the accepted responsibili-ties of our chosen profession to provideoptimum professional eye care to the public, there are also areas of life that will become exposed to us as we mature.We will be concerned with the political,civic, social and community facets of ourlives. Specifically, we charge the neophytepractitioner as well as the establishedpractitioner to be a special kind ofprovider – a complete provider; one for allseasons. We envision this kind of provideras being professionally excellent, sociallyaware, active in the community and politi-cally informed. All of this must beengaged with an attitude of self sacrifice,enthusiasm and good judgment.

Computerization, automatic refractionand amazing changes in electronic anddigital advancements of instrumentationneed not intimidate us nor distance us

from our patients. There is a residualsense of controversy regarding the changein our lofty tradition of doctor-patientrelationship that requires buttressing.There is a hunger for identity esteem andhumanization that the public desires sodesperately. A socially conscious practi-tioner is one who utilizes educational benefits other than trained skills, toenhance the lives of the neighbors in thecommunity. The public looks to us withrespect and confidence for leadership and expect us to act with wisdom,compassion and humility.

Perhaps the most significant aspect ofour complete provider is the one whobecomes civically active as a volunteer.This refers to the one who not only con-tributes money to a cause but personallybecomes involved by joining and support-ing a local service club or a civic group

which is working on behalfof the welfare of the com-munity. Lip service alonedoesn’t cut the mustard!Drowning problems in anocean of information is notthe same as solving them.There are a large numberof volunteer organizationsthat exist and people volunteer for an endlessvariety of reasons. Manypeople wish to gain volun-teer experience, acquireextra skills, and meet new

people. They can expand their network ofcontacts as a way to attract new patients.The new practitioner, in particular, woulddo well to heed these matters. But remem-ber, it’s not about the money. We just wantto give back to the community, to help a neighbor or promote a worthwhileactivity. It’s plain and simple. We do thisbecause it makes us feel good. As a volunteer your value lies in creating avibrant civil society which is dynamic,engaged and self reliant.

Our eye care professionals do not take a back seat in these matters. Volunteeropportunities abound. Some examplesare: the International Agency for thePrevention of Blindness and OneSight,a Luxottica Foundation which is a family of vision care charities dedicated to providing healthy vision, eye wear and sun

SECOND GLANCE

Elmer Friedman, OD


Each year governors and mayors throughout the countryproclaim one week a “Volunteer Appreciation Week.”


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protection to those in need worldwide.The Lions Club, Kiwanis and Rotaryorganizations all have eyewear and visionprograms that have existed for many years with integrity and energy. VOSH Inter-national facilitates the provision and sustainability of vision care worldwide for people who cannot afford or obtainsuch care.

Students at optometry schools haveorganized trips to such places as Haiti toprovide services and eye wear for destitute people there. Every eye care professionalbelongs to a local society that has regular-ly attempted to respond to appeals forrelief of disaster victims. One cannot forget the ravages of “Sandy” and the tollit took on human life and the horriblecondition of so many communities in itswake. The Red Cross and The SalvationArmy are constantly in the forefront ofvolunteerism in the USA. We need notseek national or international connectionsto satisfy our desire to volunteer. Ourlocal professional organizations havemany helpful leads for us. The Eye CareVolunteer Registry connects eye care professionals with organizations and insti-tutions seeking ophthalmic volunteers.

Volunteering can be rich and diverse.Being an eye care provider need notexclude you from the ranks of thousandswho assist in minor league sports, sheltersfor the homeless, aid to seniors, cleaningup a local stream bed, or just holdingsomeone’s hands in a hospice. A volunteerperforms spontaneous acts of kindness,like helping a neighbor to shovel his orher walk, coming to the aid of a strandedmotorist or just helping an elderly personto cross the street. These large and smallacts, given freely, are what bind you to thecommunity. Volunteering is helping, nothiring; and giving, not taking. Currently,alienation in this era seems to be based ona belief that important things can beaccomplished only by big business, biggovernment and big labor. But volun-teerism says to the individual, “You can.”Not many others are making that statement.

If you see the value of volunteering asan antidote to the materialism that seemsto attempt to dominate our daily lives,you may want to check out a few toolsavailable online. There may be as many as70,000 opportunities on existing websitesthat users can follow by general interest or specifics like education, homelessness,

and hunger. Family subjects are covered inareas of interest such as animals, environ-ment, seniors and healing. Our respectivehouses of worship and religious organiza-tions are a primary source for finding theniche that suits each individual.

By this time the reader can understandthat in order to join the new breed of“ye complete eye care provider” one mustbe prepared to change some attitudes.Prejudices and preformed notions willhave to be placed aside. New ideas shouldrise like a Phoenix out of the ashes of pastmistakes with the purpose of aiming at abetter future for all. Particularly, therecent graduate, as well as the establishedpractitioner, will gain the most from newopportunities to be seized and relished asan appropriate challenge. It provides uswith the avenue to enable us to care forthe vision problems of our respectivecommunities and, at the same time, to beidentified as important cogs in society’swheels.

“Volunteers are the only human beings onthe face of the earth who reflect the nation’scompassion, unselfish caring, patience andjust plain love for one another.” —AUTHOR,

ERMA BOMBECK ■

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Cataracts: When is the Right Time for Surgery?

It seems that many patients havereceived information on this subjectthat has been misleading, inaccurate,or scary.

A cataract is a gradual, progressiveclouding that develops in the crystallinelens of the eye or in its lens capsule. Thiscloudiness can vary in degree from slightto a complete opacity. The resultingimpact on vision can also vary fromminor to complete obstruction of the pas-sage of light. Cataracts typically progressslowly to cause vision loss and are poten-tially blinding if untreated. The conditionusually affects both eyes, but almostalways one eye is affected earlier than the

other. Several factors can cause cataracts,including long-term exposure to ultravio-let light, steroid use, exposure to ionizingradiation, secondary effects of diseasessuch as diabetes, hypertension, andadvanced age, or trauma. They are usuallya result of interference with the normalmetabolic function of the lens.

Patients hear the word “cataracts” andmay think that it is “cancer.” Patients haveheard many unpleasant terms associatedwith cataracts. Words such as, “ripe, laser,pain, blindness, eye-drops, needles,hospital, retinal detachments, bleeding,Coke-bottle glasses, and hemorrhages” are commonly used when when discussingcataracts. Patients have heard thatcataracts can “grow back”. Some patientsthink that they will need to be hospital-ized for a short time while being immo-bile with sand bags on their eyes.

Cataract surgeries that were done manyyears ago required patients to be in thehospital and to remain stationary after thesurgery. There were no implants at thattime. So many of the stories that grand-parents told their children or grandchil-dren may still be fresh in their minds in2012 and they have no idea what to expectfrom modern medicine. Many of thesepatients may have had a bad surgical out-come or heard of others who suffered avisual disability after cataract surgery.Many patients are unaware that Medicarepays for cataract surgery as well as a pair

of eyeglasses after the surgery. It is our jobto educate and inform our patients and toreduce the level of misinformation andanxiety.

Naturally, any surgery will always bescary and create anxiety for the patientand their family. If someone has heardthat someone else has had a bad result ormisinterpreted the facts, it is our job togive that patient the facts and to reducethat level of anxiety. 1960’s medical technology is not what is being offered inthe year 2012. Eye surgery of any kind cancreate great fear for the patient and forthose that need to care for that patient,especially if they are elderly. Cataract surgery involves an initial appointmentwith an ophthalmologist and a date forthe surgery.

Follow-up appointments for post-operative care of 1 day, 1 week, and 1month must then be scheduled. Patientsmust receive medical clearance from theirfamily doctor which involves anotherappointment. Preventive drops are neededbefore and after surgery including antibi-otics, anti-inflammatories, and possiblyglaucoma drops if the eye pressure goesup during or after the surgery. Eye shieldsand eye patches must be worn for severalweeks when sleeping for safety aftercataract surgery. Return appointments will be necessary with a primary care eyedoctor if patients are being co-managedfor refraction, biomicroscopy, pressure

OD PERSPECTIVE

Jason Smith, OD, MS


One of the most common questions ECPs hear from patients is: “Do I have cataracts?”


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checks, dilation, and any other post-operative care that is needed.

Once one eye is done, the patient mustrepeat most of the same process as wasdone for the first eye at the time the second eye’s cataract is ready for surgery.Under most circumstances, cataract sur-gery is being performed with remarkableresults. The surgery as well as the recoverytime is quick. Patients can usually resumenormal activities in a short time.Hospitalization is usually not necessaryexcept for those higher risk patients.Sometimes glasses may not be necessarydepending upon the type of implants and the skill of the surgeon, but generallythere is a residual prescription.According to 2012 statistics at:www.statisticbrain.com/cataract-statistics,“the number of Americans age 40 andolder who are affected by cataracts is 20.5million people. The percentage ofAmericans age 80 and older who havecataracts is 50%. $3.4 billion is the annualamount of money spent by the federalgovernment to treat cataracts throughMedicare. The average cost of cataractsurgery per eye is $3,279. 3,000,000Americans have cataract surgery eachyear. The success rate of cataract surgery is98% and the percentage of patients whohave had no severe postoperative compli-cations is 99.5%.”

No surgical procedure is ever risk freeor is without potential problems or complications, but this procedure haswonderful outcomes for the vast majorityof patients.

It is rare or almost unheard of forsomeone to die from cataract surgery.According to: www.revophth.com/content/d/cataract/c/22936, “many medical proce-dures are considered to be low risk,particularly cataract surgery. Howevermany cataract surgery patients are elderly.They are fragile and they may have a number of concomitant health issues; car-diac, pulmonary, renal, or metabolic, thatput them in jeopardy of perioperativemedical complications independent of theeye surgery. These patients are not healthy20 year olds lying down on a table forLASIK surgery.”

Unfortunately, an Old Forge, PA gentleman died on May 25, 2011 as aresult of medical errors made by two eyephysicians during surgery to remove acataract on his left eye on March 31, 2011.According to the lawsuit filed against theDepartment of Veterans Affairs MedicalCenter in Plains Township near Wilkes-Barre, PA, the patient was a poor candi-date for general anesthesia due to heartdisease and other serious unnamed med-ical conditions. Continuing to administeradditional anesthesia caused the patient tosuffer cardiac arrest and to suffer braindamage that left him in a coma until hisdeath. The complications were reportedlycaused by an overdose of anesthesia.

More common side effects of cataractsurgery include retinal tears, retinaldetachments, vitreous detachments,glaucoma, posterior capsule opacification,dislocation of the intraocular lens, cornealedema and swelling, sub-conjunctivalhemorrhages, ptosis, eyelid ecchymosis,infections including endophthalmitis,cystoid macular edema, glare, blurriness,and astigmatism.

The latest advance in this procedure isthe use of femtosecond lasers to aid inperforming cataract surgery. Lasers arenow allowing surgeons to reduce the needfor surgical blades. Currently, four compa-nies are developing lasers for cataract sur-gery in the U.S. including Abbott MedicalOptics, LensSx Lasers, LensAR, andOptimedica. On March 9, 2012, LensSxLasers announced that Dr. Stephen Sladeof Houston, Texas performed the firstlaser cataract surgery in the U.S. using theFDA-approved LensSx femtosecond laser.The laser can create a corneal incision,which is the first step in cataract surgery.This allows the surgeon to gain access tothe cloudy lens in the eye.

The next step is to remove the anteriorcapsule of the lens. The surgeon creates anopening in the front of the capsule whichis called an anterior capsulotomy. The lens is broken into smaller sections orfragmented so that it can be removedthrough the very small corneal incision.This is usually performed with an ultrasonic probe which can break up thelens material and then vacuum those

pieces out of the eye. The placement of anintraocular lens within the eye to replacethe power of the cataract lens does notchange with the use of a laser.

In our role as primary eye careproviders, it is important to educate yourpatients and never over-promise with“rosy” outcomes. It will be necessary totake time with patients, their spouses, andtheir family members to explain the basicsof prospective cataract surgery. Handouts,videos, or on-line websites can aid in theeducational process to make the patientmore informed and more at ease withwhat to expect from the procedure.Medical clearance will be required toensure that the health of the patient is atthe forefront of any medical decision thatneeds to be made.

Medications must be fully evaluated inorder to determine what should be takenbefore surgery or after surgery. Sometimesgood medicine, good health care, andgood eye care may involve leaving wellenough alone. This idea of not doingcataract surgery should also be fully eval-uated for the pros, cons, and implicationsof any non-surgical decision.

Depending upon the winter weatherthat can sometimes be a problem, theability of family members to drive some-one to the many needed appointments,and other personal issues, waiting to doeye surgery should always be mentionedin every discussion. Patients who are driving at age 75 may have a much moreimportant safety reason to have cataractsurgery. The patient who is in a nursinghome that is in a wheelchair may have lessof a reason to rush for surgery. Anotherpatient in a nursing home may benefitfrom cataract surgery in order to improvetheir quality of life, their quality of care,the ability to help themselves during aperiod of rehabilitation or therapy, and tomaintain some form of independence.

Every patient is different and unique intheir personal and professional needs aswell as their medical problems. Hopefullyevery outcome will be to the patient’sutmost satisfaction and eye care profes-sionals laying the groundwork is animportant part of the entire process. ■

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Invites you to the 15th Anniversary Celebration

and Award Event

The OWA 14th Annual Pleiades Award Honoring Marge Axelrad

of Vision Monday and Jobson Optical Group

The OWA Lifetime Achievement AwardHonoring Grady Culbreth

of Grady & Associates, Inc.

The OWA Pyxis AwardHonoring Tiara Claxton

Marge Axelrad

Grady Culbreth Tiara Claxton

RSVP by March 7, 2013 @ www.opticalwomen.com

Transportation services from the Javits Center5:45, 6:00 and 6:15

Taking place during International Vision Expo East

For more information on the OWA and/or to become a member please visit our website at www.opticalwomen.com

Friday March 15, 20136:00 pm - 8:00 pm - Cocktails 6:45 pm - Award Presentation

Milk Gallery450 West 15th Street, New York City

FEB2013_OWA.qxd 1/30/13 11:41 AM Page 1


ADVERTISER PAGE # PHONE # WEB SITE

ABS Smart Mirror 11 888-989-4227 www.smart-mirror.com

Allergan INSIDE BACK COVER 800-433-8871 www.allerganoptometry.com

Briot 17 800-292-7468 www.briotusa.com

CNS Frame Displays 15 877-274-9300 www.framesdisplays.com

Coburn Technologies 21 800-262-8761 www.coburntechnologies.com

Eyevertise 40 847-202-1411 www.eyevertise.com

Fatheadz 41 800-561-6640 www.fatheadzeyewear.com

FEA Industries 19, 45 800-327-2002 www.feaind.com

FRED 9 800-345-3733 www.fred.com

Grimes Optical 48 800-749-8427 www.grimesoptical.com

i-see optical 18 800-257-7724 www.iseelabs.com

LINDBERG 5 +45 8744 4000 www.lindberg.com

Marco BACK COVER 800-874-5274 www.marco.com

Marcolin INSIDE FRONT COVER 888-MARCOLIN www.marcolinusa.com

My Vision Express 46 877-882-7456 www.myvisionexpress.com

Nassau Vision Group 22 800-526-0313 www.nassau247.com

ADVERTISER PAGE # PHONE # WEB SITE

National Lens 11, 28, 43, 48 866-923-5600 www.national-lens.com

Nellerk Contact Lens Cases 46 607-748-2166 —

Optical Women’s Association 47 972-233-9107 www.opticalwomen.com

Opticom 23 800-678-4266 www.opticom-inc.com

OptiSource 39 800-678-4768 www.1-800-optisource.com

Optogenics 29 800-678-4225 www.optogenics.com

PediaVision 21 888-514-7338 www.pediavision.com

PPG Industries 25 412-434-3131 www.ppgtrivex.com

Rolf Spectacles FRONT COVER +43 5678 20077 www.rolf-spectacles.com

SEIKO Eyewear 26, 27 800-235-LENS www.seikoeyewear.com

Tech-Optics 46 800-678-4277 www.techopticsinternational.com

US Optical 43 800-445-2773 www.usoptical.com

Vision Council 37 800-811-7151 www.thevisioncouncil.org

Vision Expo East 49 800-811-7151 www.visionexpoeast.com

Vision Systems 48 866-934-1030 www.Patternless.com

XX2i Optics 15 888-662-6291 www.xx2i.com

Advertiser Index

FEB2013.qxd 2/1/13 1:38 PM

EXPAND YOUR FIELD OF

THE COMPLETE EYECARE EVENT

EDUCATION: MARCH 14–17, 2013 | EXHIBITION: MARCH 15–17, 2013New York, NY | Javits Center | www.visionexpoeast.com

LENSES & PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

MEDICAL &SCIENTIFIC

EYEWEAR & ACCESSORIES

CONTINUINGEDUCATION

BUSINESSSOLUTIONS

JAN2013_VEE.qxd 12/12/12 3:35 PM Page 1

Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood

It’s a varied use area with residentialzones, a commercial strip, an urban village area, and an industrially zoned region. There are a few

historically significant structures like the D.A.R. building, some big companieslike Hanover Insurance and small companies like mine.

Our Lincoln Street Area BusinessAssociation’s slogan is “Shop, Eat, Play,Work, Live” and with 16 restaurants, ashopping mall with a brand new Kohl’s,beautiful Green Hill Park, an artist’s cooperative called the Sprinkler Factory,The Joy of Music School, and large housing areas you can do all of thosethings within our 2 miles.

Upscale? Not exactly. Beautifully manicured streetscapes? Well ... sure, nearthe Hanover Insurance campus and theWorcester Polytechnic Institute’s Biotechpark development.

There are times when I wish we couldtransport ourselves to the tonier west sideof town, but then I realize we draw wellfrom the eastern suburbs – and we havebeen an integral part of the fabric ofLincoln Street since the early 1950’s whenmy Dad opened the first mall optical inthe country at Lincoln Plaza.

In a recent issue of The New Yorker,Eric Klinenberg writes about how citiescan be “climate proofed.” In it he outlineshow cities and their “lifeline systems”

(power, transit, and communications) arebeing redesigned in order to protect themfrom weather related calamities.

What intrigued me about the articlewas the discussion about heat relatedproblems in Chicago during the deadly1995 heat wave. The author cites studiesshowing that certain neighborhoods faredbetter than similar ones (3 deaths, versus33 per 100,000 in population). In the faceof changing climate with its unpredictableextreme weather incidents – it is worthstudying the reasons some communitiesdo well while others suffer. The differenceseemed to be strong social networks inplace that encouraged support ... and sur-vival. In addition, active street life – localshops, bars, restaurants, diners, and otherplaces where folks can congregate andorganize to assist each other in an emer-gency are essential to community health.

A sociologist at Harvardhas been studying thesetwo Chicago communitiesfor nearly 20 years and hasfound that “the benefits ofliving in a neighborhoodwith a robust social infra-structure are significantduring ordinary times aswell as disasters.” In 1990life expectancy in one ofthe communities was 5years more than the other– the rough equivalent of having a working air

conditioner in each room (a definite help during heat waves).

The 1995 experience has led the city ofChicago to maintain a database of names,addresses, and phone numbers of old,chronically ill, and otherwise vulnerablepeople, letting city workers call or visit to make sure they are safe during stressfultimes.

This aspect of community life is one weoverlook at our peril, and shows the valueof joining and promoting “shop local”networks, neighborhood “crime watches,”and interacting with other like mindedshop owners to develop community ties.(It is one way we can out compete the bigbox and mall stores at their own game). ■

LAST LOOK

Jim Magay, RDO

What is your store’s neighborhood like? Mine is a 2-mile long thoroughfare connecting Worcester’s (MA) downtown with the suburb of Shrewsbury.


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How will your patients be impressed?Significantly shorter exam times Patient verification of old vs. new Rx – instantlyEducational tools that graphically display all diagnosesMore time with you in face-to-face consultsTime to spend in optical selection and fittingsFewer remakes in their lens RxSolutions to day/night vision frustrationsA new high-tech examination experienceA completely enhanced patient experience

What’s not to talk positively about with friends and family?

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A patient’s complete optical pathway and total visual system is assessed

it will.

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eyecare professional magazine february 2013 issue

Documents

e y e c

r e p r o f e s s i

g376ecofriendly eyewear

pm page

rounded ecp

ce credit page

responsible eyewear

eyecare professional