Optician articles from December 2004

Optician archives from December 2004

Deadline for GOS lists delayed into new year.
December 3, 2004... Readers in England still fearful that they won't meet deadlines for the changes to the ophthalmic lists will be delighted to hear the dates have been put back - but only briefly. This is the latest news to emerge from the optical bodies who...

DoH statistics reveal gaps in the market.(Department of Health)
December 3, 2004... Those looking to open a new practice away from the competition may do well to view the Government's latest ophthalmic information. And, in an overcrowded market, the current document shows where the most saturated regions are compared to the...

Dry eye in a tropical setting.
December 3, 2004... Michael Johnson finds a way of combining cutting edge science with an escape from the UK winter The Fourth International Tear Film and Ocular Surface (TFOS) conference was held between November 17-20 in Puerto Rico, a tropical island that...

Ex-Boots boss hopes to spark Revolution.
December 3, 2004... Optical Revolution, the high street opticians business, has announced it is planning a [pounds sterling]1m raid to buy an optical retail chain in London. And the ex-managing director of Boots retail operations has emerged as one of the figures...

Hallmark reflects family values.
December 3, 2004... Dunelm Optical has introduced 13 new Hallmark frames to reflect the brand's 'stable, warm family image' while being 'good quality and value for money'. The range, designed to cover a wide target market, includes seven all-metal shallow supras...

Jigsaw's pieces.
December 3, 2004... Jigsaw has launched a sunglass collection for 2005 to complement its range of fashion brands for women. The range comprises 28 styles from 'big, bold acetates' to 'contemporary and understated metals'. In keeping with the latest trends,...

Place Henry on your counter.
December 3, 2004... Nike is launching a limited edition promotional package featuring point of sale with the Premiership's leading goal-scorer Thierry Henry and the V.Cadence sunglass. The package includes an extra large counter-card and Nike football shirt and...

Sola wins OLA award for lens.(Optical Laboratories Association)(Sola International)
December 3, 2004... Sola International was presented with an Award of Excellence for Best Lens Design from the Optical Laboratories Association at its recent annual awards in the US. The prize went to the SolaOne progressive lens, a premium, all-purpose...

Threlfall wins appeal.(cases between Nicole Threlfall and General Optical Council)
December 3, 2004... A Lancashire optometrist won her battle against the GOC, after its finding of serious professional misconduct against her was quashed by a High Court judge. Nicole Threlfall had been found guilty of allegations against her and fined [pounds...

Vision Express diploma is reward for high achievers.
December 3, 2004... David Challinor reports from Paris on the latest multiple scheme to recognise staff for high achievement and customer care Employees from Vision Express travelled to Paris last week and became the first to receive a new 'diploma', which...

Home help for older eyes.
December 3, 2004... Emma White reports on the launch of the Older Eyes campaign and the code of practice for domiciliary eye care providers Domiciliary eye care is about to get a huge boost from a new NHS-backed campaign launched this week at FODO's London...

Partners to progress.
December 3, 2004... optician visited Birmingham Optical Group at its Moseley Road headquarters and found it excited about some new instrument developments The 1960s-style office block on the busy Moseley Road into central Birmingham houses some of the latest...

Dentists' chief says seize the initiative.
December 3, 2004... The head of the dentists' trade union will tell independent optical practitioners of the merits of going private at a major conference in the new year. Ian Wylie, chief executive of the British Dental Association, will discuss the opportunities...

Fresh claims for lutein.
December 3, 2004... New evidence has emerged from the US which substantiates the theory that spinach and other green vegetables help protect ageing eyes from cataracts. In an experiment, researchers from the Ohio State University found that human eye cells treated...

Frame academy.(optometrists-awards)
December 17, 2004... The inaugural Andrew Andrew Frame Dispensing Award ceremony took place last month at central London's trendy restaurant The Ivy. Here, optician presents the entries of the three finalists The first ever Frame Dispenser of the Year award...

Ocular therapeutics - Part 12 ; Clinical ocular pharmacology and therapeutics.
December 17, 2004... In this second part of two modules covering the major classes of therapeutic agents used in the management of eye disease, Lucy Titcomb and Professor Bernard Gilmartin discuss drugs used in the treatment of glaucoma, dry eye and the major...

On course for ; a bright future.(optical technicians-training)
December 17, 2004... optician speaks to Gordon Jones, chairman of awards for the SMC, about the rebranding and repositioning of the Company's training and qualifications programmme The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers (SMC) has a long history of...

Passport to education.(optometrists)
December 17, 2004... Professor Nizar Hirji, programme director of the AOP Continuing Education conference at Optrafair, looks forward to next April when delegates will be able to choose from more than 80 hours of workshops and presentations The ACE Campus will...

Primary care trusts aware of lists delay.
December 17, 2004... New details on the ophthalmic list saga have emerged prior to Christmas. The professional bodies have confirmed PCTs are now aware of the changes to the original deadlines, which were published in optician (December 3). ABDO, AOP and FODO...

Task-based learning.(optometrists)
December 17, 2004... As the College of Optometrists reviews the pilot pre-registration programme currently under way, Professor Barry Winn concludes his argument for an alternative scheme Movement away from an examination-based pre-registration period (PRP),...

The American way.(optometry in united states and united kingdom)
December 17, 2004... Imagine finishing your degree only to cross the Atlantic to start all over again. Hamish Patel did just that when his family moved to the US. Here he compares his experience of the two optometric education systems One week after graduating...

eBay advert led to fine.
December 17, 2004... Fashion eyewear house Silhouette has won more than $300,000 in its battle against counterfeit internet sales after a group falsely claimed it was selling Silhouette manufactured products on eBay. The preliminary injunction was brought before...

MPs urge clampdown on laser referral fees.
December 17, 2004... MPs have given a stinging criticism of the current state of the UK laser eye surgery sector, including a denouncement of optometrists receiving referral payments for refractive treatment. The all-party parliamentary report, which has taken a...

Weco recruits second practice.
December 17, 2004... A second independent has joined Weco's scheme to help smaller practices purchase their equipment. Ellis Bass, the Barkingside outlet, has joined Stepneyes Opticians in a programme which claims to give independents a 'fighting chance' to compete...