Optician articles from August 2004

Optician archives from August 2004

Update on corneal topographers and their use in CL practice.(contact lens)
August 6, 2004... Dr Shehzad Naroo and Alejandro Cervino describe the potential for topography in general clinical practice and refer to a case where the data obtained was essential for accurate contact lens fitting Today, eye care clinicians know what a...

Speedo's lightweight contenders.(Robert La Roche)(Parasite)(Inspecs)
August 6, 2004... u Distributor Inspecs has released the second Speedo Eyewear collection for spring/summer. Thirteen models have been added to the range, which was launched last year. Sporty styles and coloured double-injection tips are seen in the new...

Sunny sales opportunity for practices.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Independent practitioners should take advantage of the slump in sunglass sales, a leading manufacturer has advised. Sales are reported to be fluctuating wildly across the market because of Britain's mixed summer weather. One company,...

Do we really have growth?(Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers)
August 6, 2004... The Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers (ACLM) recently released its latest figures on the size and make-up of the UK contact lens market. For those closely involved in the contact lens field, like myself, it made interesting reading. ...

Soft toric lenses - Part 1.
August 6, 2004... In the first of a two-part CET series, Dr Philip Morgan and Elizabeth Hill describe the various options for correcting astigmatism with contact lenses, with particular reference to the various ways soft lenses have been used (C5339a) ...

Wettability and hydrophilicity of contact lens surfaces.
August 6, 2004... Dr Mike Port describes a novel method of assessing wettability and compares the various other techniques which have been used The overall concepts of wettability of contact lens surfaces have been well documented (optician, March 5, 2004)....

Polaris plays a part in robot movie.
August 6, 2004... u The Polaris product SP has been placed in I, Robot the new blockbuster film starring Will Smith, which is released today (August 6). The company stated that I, Robot was the fastest grossing film in the US this year and the SP was...

Cooper buys Ocular Sciences.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... Cooper Companies, the US parent of CooperVision, is set to acquire rival contact lens firm Ocular Sciences for a total purchase price of $1.2bn. The combination of CooperVision and Ocular Sciences is expected to make CooperVision the...

Carrefour sells eastern bloc of practices.(Brief Article)
August 6, 2004... One of Hungary's largest retail groups, Fotex, is purchasing almost two dozen optician outlets in eastern Europe from French supermarket giant Carrefour. The F-O Optika-Foto group, which is owned by Fotex, has bought nine branches in the...

lumenwrites.(prejudice in selecting composition of committees, General Optical Council)(Column)
August 6, 2004... It was with some sadness and suspicion that one learns of the rejection by a group of GOC Council members of the suggestion of its own working group to formally include two optometrists or dispensing opticians working in the corporate sector to...

DOs' vote is 'crucial'.(Association of British Dispensing Opticians)
August 6, 2004... The Association of British Dispensing Opticians is attempting to more than halve its ruling council to address the 'challenges' of today's profession. Members are to vote on whether they approve of a slimmed down nationally elected board,...

Twins provide clue to myopia development.(Twin Research Unit)
August 6, 2004... UK research has found that the development of myopia is strongly linked to genetics and that its worldwide increase may not be closely associated to changes in lifestyle. The research, carried out at the Twin Research Unit at St Thomas'...

New grading system hits difficulties in HES.
August 6, 2004... Hospital optometrists and dispensing opticians are preparing anxiously for the new terms of the Government's Agenda for Change (A4C) programme. The project could put hospital pre-reg optometrists placements at risk, and this week a...

Charges proven but no action taken by GOC.(General Optical Council)
August 6, 2004... A General Optical Council disciplinary committee was not satisfied that an optometrist with over 50 years' experience was guilty of serious professional misconduct when he made an inadequate eye examination. The panel decided that the...

Ocular toxoplasmosis.
August 13, 2004... Robert Petrarca describes the current understanding regarding the prevalence of acquired and congenital causes of ocular toxoplasmosis, its clinical signs and available treatments The intracellular protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii...

Giving as good as you get.
August 13, 2004... Optometry Giving Sight's Gemma Genovese explains the organisation's charitable aims to Rory Brogan The fight against avoidable global blindness recently made the headlines with the announcement that royalties from Ciba Vision's silicone...

The independents'.
August 13, 2004... Multi-national buying power and multi-million dollar R&D programmes are taking over the world of Rx lens manufacturing. Or are they? Sinclair Optical Services is bucking the trend towards volume, standardisation and automation and making...

Composites.
August 13, 2004... Carbon fibre/fibreglass frames have closing blocks This is generally, but not always, true (Figure 1). As the fibres are inextensible, the lens is held in place by a screw closing the rim sections together, similar to a metal frame. If...

Summer reading.
August 13, 2004... Doina Ghergal, Professor Robert Fletcher and Bill Harvey review an eclectic mix of recently published texts comprising the Atlas of Laser Scanning Ophthalmoscopy by AF Scheuerle and E Schmidt, Reading Through Colour, by Arnold Wilkins, and the...

The Diploma in Orthoptics - Part 7.
August 13, 2004... Professor Bruce Evans describes the structure of the cortical and subcortical brain centres and vascular structures involved in binocular vision - some of the topics in the DipOrth syllabus In Part 5 of this series (optician, June 11, 2004)...

Court hears fraudulent OO had phone phobia.
August 13, 2004... An optometrist who falsified NHS documents to improve financial returns from his domiciliary work has been fined and sentenced to complete 100 hours of community service. Robert Thompson, who is registered in Nottingham, ran his own...

'Eureka moment' led to locum alert system.
August 13, 2004... In a move which claims it will 'change the face of medical recruitment' two former Vision Express franchisees have started their own locum service utilising mobile phone texts. It works like this: locums register their occupation, location,...

Trusts receive cornea funds.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Five NHS hospital trusts have received funding from UK Transplant to boost cornea transplant numbers. Norfolk and Norwich Healthcare, Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, Bolton Hospitals, Newcastle upon Tyne and United Bristol Healthcare...

'First implantable CL' claim by vision centre.(contact lens)(Vision Cooperative Research Centre )
August 13, 2004... Sydney's Vision Cooperative Research Centre (VCRC) has won a prestigious prize in Australia's top scientific awards for what it claims to be the world's first implantable contact lens. The Centre claimed the AUS$10,000 ([pounds...

Show opportunity to stay putt.
August 13, 2004... Visitors to Birmingham's Optrafair are again being given the opportunity to stay at the De Vere Belfry golf course during their visit to the show. The package includes being able to play the renowned PGA National course the day after...

Safilo sales up for sunglasses.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Italian eyewear maker Safilo has released its results for the first six months of 2004, with turnover increasing 7.6 per cent to E512m ([pounds sterling]342m). While it recorded a 14.1 per cent increase in sunglasses, sales of optical frames...

Cataract patients sue NHS over faulty IOLs.(intra- ocular lenses )
August 13, 2004... Government reveals new eye test figures The NHS is facing a lawsuit because a group of patients who were fitted with faulty intra- ocular lenses during cataract surgery are unable to sue the vendors. The 20 'mainly elderly' patients,...

PCTs get 16 optometric compencies.(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Efforts to help develop optometry within the 'modernised' NHS have taken a step forward with the publication of a revised PCT competency framework. The framework, aimed at helping PCTs work on a self-assessment basis and deliver services,...

Laser group reveals wavefront benefits.
August 13, 2004... Ultralase has claimed a high level of accuracy from its wavefront-guided laser eye procedures. Speaking at London's Royal College of Physicians, consultant ophthalmic surgeon Joseph Karthikappallil revealed that the Leeds-based business...

[pounds sterling]12m walk-in investment.(17 more National Health Service Walk-In Centres to be established)(Brief Article)
August 13, 2004... Health minister John Hutton has announced that 17 more NHS Walk-In Centres are to be established at a cost of [pounds sterling]12m bringing the total number of centres to 82. The centres, which provide patients with advice and treatment for...

Copper-nickel alloys.
August 20, 2004... Dr Glyn Walsh continues his series on commonly-held beliefs about frame materials These were the commonest metal frame materials, but are often hidden by alloy names such as nickel silver and monel. Their use appears to be declining in...

The Mallett Unit revisited - Part 2.
August 20, 2004... In the second part of this series, Dr Frank Eperjesi looks at the use of the near and distance Mallett Units in clinical practice including suggestions of how to get useful responses from patients Mallett1 put forward the following widely...

The Sweet lowdown.
August 20, 2004... Continuing our monthly series on British frame designers, Rob Moss talks to budding Dundee-based designer Andy Sweet Andy Sweet was one of the most recognisable frame designers at this year's Mido. Not, however, for his frames - although...

Pupillary dilation in primary; care optometry - Part 1.
August 20, 2004... In the first of two articles concerning pupil dilation, Dr John Siderov describes the pharmacological considerations and the clinical indications for dilating patients in optometric practice Pupillary dilation through the use of...

Guess? goes for overlays in acetate.(Optimum Coatings)
August 20, 2004... u The Guess? Eyewear collection from Viva International features modern, geometric shapes and translucent tones in handmade acetate designs. Models GU 1209 and GU 1210 are made with a translucent plastic sheet material, which is used as...

Thousands apply for career in optometry.
August 20, 2004... As the Government admits that university admissions departments need improved advice on the highest A-level achievers, optometry schools report that demand to enter the discipline remains very high. Within education there are calls for...

RGP roadshow hopes to make a difference.(Rigid Gas Permeable )(Brief Article)
August 20, 2004... Practitioners will be offered the chance to 'differentiate themselves from the crowd' during a November RGP roadshow. Edinburgh-based organiser OEL has told optician that the roadshow will include three courses at each venue. Two are aimed...

B&L helps practices target youth market.(Brief Article)
August 20, 2004... Bausch & Lomb claims its second campaign to help independent practitioners target the lucrative youth market is attracting strong interest. 'The Academy of Knowledge' programme is a follow-on from last year's Freedom marketing effort. This...

Moorhouse Opticians claims Sola prize.(Brief Article)
August 20, 2004... u Andrew Kaye, managing director of Moorhouse Opticians in Pontefract, Yorkshire, was the lucky winner of Sola's [pounds sterling]500 cash prize following its recent roadshow event. The meeting, which took place near Barnsley, introduced...

Eye tests could reveal risk of arterial disease.(Brief Article)
August 20, 2004... New research has led to national publicity claiming that an eye examination can predict heart attacks and strokes five years before they happen. The research from Australia's Blue Mountains Eye Study of 3,654 Sydney residents was reported...

SMC honours top scientists at lecture day.(Brief Article)
August 20, 2004... Professor Colin Blakemore, chief executive of The Medical Research Council, will be presented with the gold Crook Medal at The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers' lecture day at City University next month. SMC master Bob Chappell...

Online entrepreneur offers specs for [pounds sterling]15.(Glassesdirect.co.uk )
August 20, 2004... A new internet company offering fully glazed prescription spectacles at prices that undercut all opticians is in the spotlight after a profile of its 21-year-old founder appeared in The Daily Telegraph (August 18). Glassesdirect.co.uk...

The thyroid and eye disease.
August 27, 2004... What are the common signs and symptoms of thyroid abnormality? Robert Petrarca reviews the association between the thyroid and the eyes, describing management and treatments used to help patients TThe connection between the thyroid gland...

Standards for laser refractive surgery.
August 27, 2004... Dr Catharine Chisholm reports on the outcomes of the controversial debate at the British Society for Refractive Surgery conference on the standards for laser refractive surgery published by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCO) The...

Orbscan corneal mapping for refractive surgery diagnostics.
August 27, 2004... With refractive surgery under the recent scrutiny of our politicians, and controversial press coverage over the past year, never before has safety in patient selection been higher on an ethical clinic's agenda. Emma Firmager looks at the use of...

Jitters in July.
August 27, 2004... While new contact lens fits are seen to drop and reflection-free coatings are falling overall, average expenditure per eye examination has risen in the past two years There were 27 trading days in July, and hence the act of correcting...

'Improved' Lasik arrives in UK.(Brief Article)
August 27, 2004... A West Sussex-based laser clinic performed the UK's first all-laser Lasik vision correction procedure this week. Called IntraLasik, the procedure, which was carried out at the Centre for Sight in East Grinstead, is claimed to have greater...

Gold.
August 27, 2004... Dr Glyn Walsh continues his series on commonly held beliefs about frame materials Gold is expensive It is, but far less than some of the other metals used for plating frames. Gold is hallmarked In the UK, items made from gold...

The era of virtual dispensing?
August 27, 2004... Rob Moss discusses the availability of cut-price prescription spectacles on the internet and looks at the implications for the profession The only surprise that a new venture is 'dispensing' spectacles over the internet at a retail price...

German giant upbeat despite fall in profits.(German Health Care Reform Act)(Brief Article)
August 27, 2004... One of Europe's largest optician chains, Germany's 517-outlet Fielmann group, has been hit by the country's health system reforms. Pre-tax profits for the Hamburg-based optical giant fell 16.2 per cent for the first six months of 2004,...

GOC makes apology to optometrist.(General Optical Council )(Brief Article)
August 27, 2004... The General Optical Council has apologised to an optometrist who appeared before its disciplinary committee earlier this year. Alison Hargreaves was given a [pounds sterling]1,600 penalty order by the committee in February (News, February...

AR survey will reflect practitioners' views.(anti-reflection, Reflection Free Council )(Brief Article)
August 27, 2004... The Reflection Free Council (RFC) is conducting a major survey of optometrists and dispensing opticians on the dispensing of anti-reflection (AR) coated lenses in their practices. The RFC, which is part of the Federation of Manufacturing...

[pounds sterling]425k for artificial cornea project.(Brief Article)
August 27, 2004... Efforts to establish the world's first artificial cornea have been enhanced by a [pounds sterling]425,370 government grant to a twin-UK university research group. The team from Lancaster and Sheffield universities aims to develop the...

Biomedics Toric gets a cylinder boost.
August 27, 2004... u Ocular Sciences has extended the Biomedics Toric range with the addition of a fourth cylinder, -2.25. The lens has four design features that comprise: smooth surface; optimised edge design; wide ballast band and constant horizontal...

Flame gets behind marathon runners.(Flame Health Marathon)
August 27, 2004... u The Flame Health Marathon of Britain saw runners from around the world taking part in the UK's 'most gruelling and demanding marathon race'. The 36 runners kickstarted the six-day, 175-mile race from Malvern to Nottingham on August 1....

Weco plans to host open evening series.(Brief Article)
August 27, 2004... Weco UK will host two open evenings at its head office prior to a nationwide tour. The Rochester-based firm is inviting south east customers to visit its headquarters on the evenings of September 8 or 9 to meet sales staff and view product...

omenwrites.
August 27, 2004... The numbers game With a news item and editorial last week optician heralded the entry of the new undergraduate optometric intake with extravagant comments about the thousands applying for optometry courses and rather more sobering comments...

Exhibitors' appetite for show is growing.(Brief Article)
August 27, 2004... Early response to an optician show questionnaire reveals that a number of Optrafair exhibitors plan to extend their stand space for next year. Several have confirmed they will have a larger presence in 2005 because either they are giving...

Aston hopes to give insight into diabetes.(Brief Article)
August 27, 2004... UK researchers are to plot the effects of the daily cycle of blood sugar levels on the vision of diabetic patients via detailed eye examinations. The research, which is the first of its kind in the world, will take place at Aston University's...

Health Clinic director back in practice.(Brief Article)(Interview)
August 27, 2004... In his first substantive interview about his new venture, optical practitioner and former Health Clinic commercial director Keith Little has said he is enjoying the flexibility of being an independent optometrist. Little, who opened his...

FODO advises not to adjust internet specs.(Brief Article)
August 27, 2004... FODO has warned its members not to allow users of cut-price internet optical suppliers to be given free service when they receive their spectacles. Bob Hughes, executive director, responded to last week's publicity on Glassesdirect.co.uk...