Optician articles from December 2002

Optician archives from December 2002

Hyphaema - blunt trauma.(description of eye disorder)
December 6, 2002... Description Hyphaema refers to the presence of blood within the anterior chamber. This usually occurs secondary to trauma but may also occur spontaneously in patients with juvenile xanthogranuloma and rubeosis iridis. Traumatic hyphaemas...

Blair praises OOs' role in cataract scheme.(Brief Article)
December 6, 2002... The Prime Minister last month praised optometrists involved in a 'direct access' cataract scheme, which has cut waiting times from 12-18 months to 6-8 weeks. Mr Blair said that the scheme made good use of optometrists, and told his...

A spectrum of opportunities; Part 2 - A new range of coloured disposable lenses.(Industry Overview)
December 6, 2002... In the second of a two-part article, Anna Sulley, Karin McCarthy and Cristina Schnider describe the technical features and clinical performance of a new range of opaque and enhancer lenses from Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Acuvue 2 Colours,...

Why can't I see in my CLs? ; Part 2 - The eye and the lens combined.
December 6, 2002... Dr Michael Port completes his discussion of the reasons why a patient might not be seeing clearly with his or her contact lenses. This week he concentrates on the lens in situ (CET module C4203b) In part 1 of this series, the eye and the...

How to market your contact lens business.
December 6, 2002... In Part 8 of our series aimed at encouraging practitioners to develop their contact lens business, Graham Hutchison describes some useful strategies for marketing contact lenses Regardless of whether your practice already fits contact...

Optical salaries are rising, survey shows.
December 6, 2002... The belief that salaries within the profession are falling has been refuted by the findings of optician's salary survey. Published with this week's journal, the survey details the UK optical market according to 678 readers who responded....

No secret to frame popularity.(children's eyewear sales rise following success of Harry Potter movies)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2002... Following the release of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Potter-mania has returned to the UK optical industry. Supermarket chain Asda is reporting a doubling of sales of children's eyewear at its 57 vision centres since the film...

NI rise could lead to tough year in optics.(impact of National Insurance increase on optician market)
December 6, 2002... Optical bosses have warned of tough times ahead for small businesses in 2003, following last week's pre-Budget speech. Suggestions of further National Insurance reforms on top of impending increases and changes to employment law will see...

JPG adds style to window display.
December 6, 2002... Norville has released a new window display to complement Jean Paul Gaultier's new winter/ spring 2003 eyewear collection. Bright, colourful and adaptable, the display - which also promotes the 'funky' JPG collection of more affordable...

nemowrites.(opticians face new regulations)(Editorial)
December 6, 2002... Central control One of the many dicta attributed to the venerable George Bernard Shaw is that he who can, does: he who cannot, teaches. Though not literally applicable, the aphorism tends nonetheless to illustrate the changes now facing...

Silicone hydrogel risk analysed.(Brief Article)
December 6, 2002... Silicone hydrogel contact lenses attach more Acanthamoeba to their surfaces than conventional soft lenses but may not pose a greater risk of Acanthamoeba keratitis to wearers. This was the message from last week's annual George Nissel...

Shadow minister calls for guidelines on PDT.(MP John Baron speaks on photodynamic therapy)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2002... John Baron MP was the guest speaker at last week's FODO Council dinner, just a few days after his appointment as shadow health minister with responsibility for optics. Mr Baron, who was elected MP for Billericay in June 2001 has spoken in...

Bulls and bears.(optometrists' salaries)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2002... Keeping tabs on optical profession salaries has become as uncertain as predicting the level of the stock market. Changes in optometrists' salaries used to be a simple question of charting the percentage rise, a bull market by anyone's...

BCLA sets conference agenda.(British Contact Lens Association)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2002... Continuous wear contact lenses, corneal refractive therapy and practice management are on the programme for next year's British Contact Lens Association's clinical conference and exhibition. The 27th conference, to be held from June 6-8 in...

Specsavers wins appeal in battle with Fielmann.(Brief Article)
December 6, 2002... Multiple retailer Specsavers Opticians won its case against rival German discount chain Fielmann in a court in the Netherlands last week. The Court of Appeal in Arnhem ruled on November 25 that Fielmann may no longer use the advertising...

Hypopyon.(description, symptoms and treatment of hypopyon, collection of white blood cells related to anterior chamber inflammation)
December 13, 2002... Description A hypopyon is a collection of white blood cells (both lymphocytes and neutrophils) that has settled within the anterior chamber. It is part of an overall inflammatory reaction and associated with other signs of anterior chamber...

Directory of nutritional supplements.
December 13, 2002... Comprehensive lists of available nutritional supplements which claim to be beneficial to the eye and vision are not readily available. A formulary of existing products, along the lines of a BNF publication, would make life a little easier. ...

Optometry 03.(educational congress will occur alongside Optrafair in April 2003)(Calendar)
December 13, 2002... The Optometry 03 educational congress will run alongside Optrafair next April. optician asks the event's consultant project director Professor Nizar Hirji (pictured) what will be in store for delegates What are the main strands of education...

How micronutrients work.(relationship between antioxidants and free radicals explored)
December 13, 2002... Joy Thomas explains the relationship between antioxidants and free radicals and how this impacts on health It is well known fact that we are all living longer. It is estimated that by 2050, the number of people over 60 in Europe will have...

Legal aspects of food supplements and the optometrist.
December 13, 2002... Dr Steve Taylor provides a brief introduction to legislation that could affect an optometrist offering advice on food supplements It is becoming more common for patients to seek advice from their optometrist on the use of food supplements...

Holistic vision in Paris.
December 13, 2002... Natural vision and a gamut of alternative treatments came under the microscope at the 17th International Conference for Holistic Vision held in Paris in October. Anna Bambridge was in attendance At the present time, in issues relating to...

Practise what you preach.(advice for practictioners on efficient staff management)
December 13, 2002... Paul Spratt gives advice on how practitioners can manage staff more effectively Management has famously been defined as: 'The art of getting other people to do all the work.' Whether you agree with such a cynical outlook, the truth is that...

Role of lutein in preventing cardiovascular disease.
December 13, 2002... Dr Alexandra Alves-Rodrigues describes the various research studies attempting to define the underlying nutritional influences affecting the health of the cardiovascular system Eye care practitioners are aware of the benefits of lutein for...

Bausch & Lomb launches nationwide astigmatism awareness campaign.
December 13, 2002... u Bausch & Lomb has launched a nationwide astigmatism awareness campaign aimed at generating interest from patients and providing a profitable opportunity for eye care practitioners. B&L states that the 'Who says astigmatism and...

ARM, macular pigment and lutein.(age-related macular degeneration)
December 13, 2002... Dr Ian Murray describes the measurement of macular pigment levels and explains how this may be important in the assessment and prevention of age-related macular degeneration (CET code C4369) Macular Pigment (MP) is an orange-yellow oily...

ChromaGen sets up video link.
December 13, 2002... u A CD-Rom and video providing instructions on ChromaGen are now available to practitioners who subscribe to Cantor & Nissel's diagnostic system. The company says the CD has been well received, particularly in the US where ChromaGen is the...

Local thinking.(Marchon aims to give practitioners the support they need to sell higher-value products)
December 13, 2002... Marchon aims to give practitioners the support they need to sell higher-value products. Andy Cockayne and Paul Bowry talk to Samantha Dalton about the frame company's plans to get closer to its customers In the past 18 months Marchon has...

EVER reflects on AMD prevention and treatment.(European Vision and Eye Research conference discusses age-related macular degeneration )
December 13, 2002... Dr James Wolffsohn describes the latest research concerning intervention in macular degeneration presented at the recent European Vision and Eye Research conference New treatments and the prevention of age-related macular degeneration...

Scottish fraud squad gains first conviction.(Ross Billson, from Billson Optician in Ayr, pleaded guilty to charges brought about as a result of a nine-month investigation by the Fraud Investigation Unit )
December 13, 2002... A dispensing optician has become the first person to be prosecuted by the body responsible for rooting out professional dishonesty in Scotland. Ross Billson, from Billson Optician in Ayr, pleaded guilty to charges brought about as a result...

Food for thought.(link between nutrition and ocular health )
December 13, 2002... It is not many years since the link between nutrition and ocular health was considered a somewhat fringe subject. Advice, when offered, was based mostly on anecdotal or, occasionally, inaccurate reports. Practitioners were aware of patients,...

J&J agrees to supply mail-order CL giant.(Johnson & Johnson in a deal with 1-800 Contacts)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2002... Practitioners in the US will have eight hours to verify a patient's prescription for mail-order contact lenses under a new deal between Johnson & Johnson brand Vistakon and lenses-by-mail giant 1-800 Contacts. The agreement ends a period...

Dabbling in the dark: Some light is shed.(report on OEL workshop)
December 13, 2002... OEL ran another of its occasional one-day workshops recently and, in reviewing areas of recent technological advancement, touched upon the potential for expanding the role of the optometrist. Bill Harvey reports A single day put aside to...

AMA Optic's flight of fancy.(adds new Coconuts design )(Brief Article)
December 13, 2002... AMA Optic has released a new frame and sunglass collection under its 'Cool Young Fashion' label, designed primarily to appeal to people aged under 30. The company states that the new Coconuts design combines contemporary shallow-eye...

Report renews fears for school screening.(A report for government which will suggest optical screening in schools should be scaled down)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2002... A report for government which will suggest optical screening in schools should be scaled down has been criticised again by a professor of optometry and charity. New eye examination guidelines for school children allow for youngsters to be...

OO charged with failing child patients.(Optometrist Andrew Lynch)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2002... An optometrist who registered nearly 30 years ago faced a charge of serious professional misconduct this week at a GOC disciplinary hearing. Andrew Lynch, who practises at a West Sussex outlet under his own name, was scheduled to appear at...

LOC puts spotlight on screening of diabetics.(Brief Article)
December 13, 2002... Ulster's Northern Board LOC has been awarded funding to assess current provision for diabetic retinopathy screening. Questionnaires are now being sent for distribution via GP diabetic lists and to patients attending GP clinics for the...

Thomson takes the chair.(City University names David Thomson as chair of optometry, visual science)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2002... David Thomson has been awarded a chair in optometry and visual science at City University. Mr Thomson studied optometry at City then after two years in practice returned to carry out research towards a PhD in eye problems associated with...

Fussy customers can provide rich pickings.(Opticians should know their customers)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2002... Today's high-street opticians should be aware of four definable types of consumer who might enter their practice, a new report claims. A survey carried out among 2,046 people in August for marketing company Mintel has just been published...

OOs join in refractive focus.(two-day refractive surgery meeting in Dublin attracted over 40 professionals, around one fifth of whom were optometrists)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2002... Last week's two-day refractive surgery meeting in Dublin attracted over 40 professionals, around one fifth of whom were optometrists. The meeting took place at the city's Mater Misericoriae Hospital. Speakers included surgeon Ian...

Armed raiders attack Vision Express outlet.(Brief Article)
December 13, 2002... Croydon's Vision Express was targeted by armed robbers and members of staff attacked earlier this month. The two men entered the practice just after 5.30pm on December 1 and threatened the two victims with handguns. They handcuffed the...

Low vision care needs 'significant expansion'.(Brief Article)
December 13, 2002... The head of optometry at Oxford Eye Hospital has called for a significant expansion to the UK's low vision services to meet the needs of Britain's growing elderly population. Speaking at the Yorkshire Optical Society Owen Aves Memorial...

Cataract cases to get 'fast-track' treatment.(Brief Article)
December 13, 2002... Reports of government plans to establish new 'ophthalmic centres' have emerged in the run-up to next week's meeting between the profession and the Department of Health on the future of optics. The December 20 meeting follows an initial...

Challenge to Ireland's Act.(Dr Andrew Rynne is challenging Ireland's Opticians Act at the High Court in the Republic)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2002... A doctor based in County Kildare is challenging Ireland's Opticians Act at the High Court in the Republic. Dr Andrew Rynne, who hopes to sell non-prescription reading glasses to the public, claims that successive Dublin governments have...

Infectious crystalline keratopathy (ICK); (Arborescent bacterial keratopathy).
December 20, 2002... Description Infectious crystalline keratopathy (ICK) is a rare corneal stromal infection usually associated with chronic topical corticosteroid usage. It typically involves a corneal graft, focused at the graft host junction, although it...

Learning from Liverpool.(College of Optometrists' annual conference )
December 20, 2002... Lynne Weddell reports from the College of Optometrists' annual conference in Liverpool, held from November 17-18 The College conference began in the beautiful City of Liverpool, on a dark dreary overcast day in mid-November, in the Crowne...

Paediatric optometry; Part 10: Paediatric eye disorders.
December 20, 2002... In the first of two articles on paediatric eye disorders, Susmito Biswas and Christopher Lloyd discuss strabismus syndromes, normal and abnormal ocular development and albinism (CET module C5025j) This is the first of two articles providing...

Ten years down the line.(optician index)(Industry Overview)
December 20, 2002... This month sees the optician Index begin its 11th year as a measure of trends in the UK eye care market. Here the monthly data from November 1992 to October 2002 is analysed to give a picture of how things have changed over the decade We...

Striving for clinical freedom.(Association of Optometrists' chief executive Ian Hunter)(Interview)
December 20, 2002... Today sees another summit meeting between the profession and the Department of Health. The Association of Optometrists' chief executive Ian Hunter talks to David Challinor about the future of optometry in a transforming NHS, top-up fees and...

Acquisitions, expansions and peer review ; ewhat was new in 2002.
December 20, 2002... January The new year starts with the profession waiting to see whether Customs & Excise's will appeal against optics' VAT victory (six weeks later HM C&E reveals its answer: it will not)eThe Health Clinic begins this year basking in a...

Index progress report.(Industry Overview)
December 20, 2002... Most figures have improved from October, just slightly fewer eye examinations, down 0.8 per cent, and all figures are up on 2001 Total dispensing improved in November, but this was almost wholly due to an increase in progressive lenses. In...

Optometrist struck off for indefensible action.(Andrew Lynch )
December 20, 2002... An optometrist who prescribed prisms to children with learning difficulties, despite not having any formal evidence to justify it, was struck off last week. West Sussex-based practitioner Andrew Lynch pleaded guilty to the 49 points that...

Bi-aspheric brings optical advances.(Seiko )
December 20, 2002... u Available from Norville Lens Supplies from January is the SPG 1.74 bi-aspheric resin lens by Seiko. The lens is heralded as 50 per cent thinner and 40 per cent lighter than CR39, and 10 per cent thinner than 1.74 front-surface-only...