Optician articles from January 2003

Optician archives from January 2003

Interstitial keratitis (IK).(causes, signs and symptoms, management)
January 10, 2003... Description Interstitial keratitis (IK) refers to an active inflammatory process within the corneal stroma. The key to the definition is that the inflammation is primarily stromal, not arising from an epithelial or endothelial lesion. ...

A clinical evaluation: Focus Dailies Toric CLs.(Ciba Vision Corp., new daily disposable toric contact lenses )
January 10, 2003... Joachim Nick, Bill Long and Alice MacKenzie present a comparative clinical evaluation of Focus Dailies Toric and monthly replacement soft toric contact lenses Previous studies1-4 have shown that daily disposable contact lenses increased...

The brand master.(Johnson and Johnson)
January 10, 2003... Johnson & Johnson's country manager for the UK and Ireland talks to Chris Bennett about market segmentation, long-term goals and premium products Optical professionals could be forgiven for not noticing the arrival of Rob Hollin as the new...

What's in a name?(mark'ennovy)
January 10, 2003... Think of a contact lens company and the name mark'ennovy is unlikely to be the first to spring to mind. But think of a growing contact lens business that specialises in toric and multifocal lenses and is based in Madrid and there's only one...

Sims clocks up 100 years in Teddington.
January 10, 2003... u December marked the centenary of Sims Opticians, the largest independent opticians in Teddington, Middlesex. Family, colleagues past and present and many others from Sims' world of optics attended a celebration dinner for over 100 guests...

How to manage your contact lens team.
January 10, 2003... In Part 9 of our series aimed at encouraging practitioners to develop their contact lens business, Martin Russ considers some practice management strategies to help get the best from your team The manager or owner of a practice that fits...

Why Australian optometrists have a clearer view.
January 10, 2003... Nick Rumney provides a preview of Optometric Educators' latest educational series, 'A Down Under view of optometric diagnosis' Next month's OEL roadshow features two of Australia's top optometric educators. But why bring them all the way...

PVH buys Calvin Klein.(Phillips-Van Heusen )(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... The Calvin Klein brand, name to the fashion eyewear collection, has been sold to US clothing and footwear company Phillips-Van Heusen in an estimated $750m deal. Design and marketing operations will continue as a separate entity and Calvin...

Scotland prepares for major CET event.(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... One of Britain's largest annual CET gatherings will take place in Scotland later this month. Eyecare 3000, organised by Scottish Continuing Optometric Training, expects 350 delegates when the two-day course takes place at the Glasgow...

nemowrites.
January 10, 2003... Taking stock It has been said that the past is a foreign country in which they did things differently. Nonetheless, we ignore it at our peril if we fail to learn from its lessons. That thought seems particularly relevant at the beginning...

Leading laser players form new association.
January 10, 2003... The biggest players in UK laser surgery provision have established a new trade association to forward the interests of the sector. The six founder members of the Eye Laser Association (ELA) - Boots Opticians, the Eye Clinic (Health Clinic),...

Opti Munich opens the show for 2003.(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... The first major event on the international optics exhibition calendar for 2003 starts today (January 10) in Munich. After the demise of Cologne's Optica show, Opti Munich is Germany's premier optical show. This year for the first time it...

DoH and optics define areas for improvement.(Department of Health)(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Cataract, glaucoma, low vision services and age-related macular degeneration - these are the four key areas earmarked for change after the latest meeting of the profession with the Department of Health. Four 'working groups', made up of...

Cebe offers rose-tinted view with metal and plastic range.
January 10, 2003... u Cebe has launched a range of sunglasses with rose lenses to 'brighten up the world outside'. Suitable for both men and women, the collection comprises five metal frames and two plastic models. The metal frame colour is matt silver...

Interesting times.(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... 2003 looks set to be an interesting year for optometry and not simply in the business sense. The interest in the coming months will not be created by a new contact lens modality, the rise of a corporate giant, designer specs or a new lens...

OFT ensures fair deal for Ultralase patients.(Office of Fair Trading)
January 10, 2003... The Office of Fair Trading has stepped in to make contracts for patients of major laser eye provider Ultralase 'clearer' and 'fairer'. In an announcement this week the OFT said consumers would benefit from the action, which would introduce...

Economic forecast gloomy for 2003.(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Concern that some companies in the profession could feel the effects of the economic slowdown has emerged following a raft of gloomy forecasts and statistics. Perhaps the most discouraging is a new report on UK optics which claims that the...

Is this a record for CL wear?(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Optometrist Andrew Gasson will present the history of a patient who may be the longest standing contact lens wearer in Britain later this month. The patient, who is in her 80s, has worn contact lenses since the 1930s and currently wears...

Croydon OO applies for restoration.(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Neil McCrea, an optometrist jailed for fraudulent claims - including some for patients who were deceased - will apply for restoration to the Opticians Register this month. The Croydon practitioner was given 15 months in prison at Harrow...

Vision Express seeks appeal over dismissal.(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Vision Express is to appeal against the verdict of an employment tribunal that found a former assistant store manager had been constructively unfairly dismissed. As reported in optician (December 20) Ali Khan, 34, was awarded pound...

Fight for Sight sets challenge.(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... Fight for Sight is targeting optometrists and dispensing opticians with a major fundraising campaign during 2003. The Pinbadge a Day Challenge aims to get practices to raise pound sterling250 each this year for the sight saving charity. ...

Charity issues action plan to prevent falls.(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... A new campaign to highlight the role of practitioners in helping the health service prevent falls in elderly people was launched this week. Charity Help the Aged, which is behind the campaign, said there was a huge disparity between the...

SMC offers course on focimetry.(Brief Article)
January 10, 2003... The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers is urging practitioners to invest in support staff to ensure they are able to provide a well-informed first point of contact with patients. Next month the SMC is to hold a day-long event designed...

Intraocular lenses (IOLs).
January 17, 2003... Description Sir Harold Ridley was the first to insert intraocular lenses in the late 1940s. This followed his observation of the inert nature of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) windscreen fragments in the eyes of fighter pilots shot down...

Glaucoma.(Book Review)
January 17, 2003... Doina Gherghel reviews Professor Josef Flammer's Glaucoma, a paperback designed as a guide for patients, and an introduction for care providers Glaucoma is a common cause of blindness worldwide and we are confronted every day with the...

Another day in practice.(how to approach the eye examination)
January 17, 2003... Optometrist Anthony Clarke discusses how to approach the eye examination when a patient complains of a headache and the consequent eye-related conditions that could be diagnosed A 28-year-old accountant attended for an eye examination...

moneowrites.
January 17, 2003... Thinking in the light Yesterday I spent a whole day tramping through snow across open fields in beautiful sunshine. It felt very good to be alive and I appreciated what a lucky person I am to have the lifestyle I have. While I may spend a...

Atkins promotes links with refractive surgery.(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... A scheme aimed at helping optometrists benefit from the opportunities created by refractive surgery has been launched to coincide with the opening of a new London clinic. The Advance VisionCare clinic, which will open in Harley Street...

School's eye scan question.(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... The health implications of a school's plans to introduce retinal eye scan technology to improve security have been questioned by the teachers' union the NUT. The retinal scanners are to be installed at the pound sterling14.5m Venerable...

Digital photography in practice.
January 17, 2003... optician asked practitioners who regularly use digital imaging in their routine examination of patients to submit images representative of the sorts of appearances that present regularly. In the first few articles, images taken by Brian...

Diabetes a case of carbo-lipo terrorism?
January 17, 2003... The global increase in the incidence of diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions and government intervention is now a reality. Bill Harvey reports on a meeting held alongside the American Academy of Optometry conference in San Diego where the...

Myopia drug to be offered by Novartis.(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Novartis is to market a myopia eye medication claimed to reduce the progression of the condition by 50 per cent in the first 12 months of therapy in myopic children. The Swiss pharmaceutical giant has entered a licensing agreement with...

Diabetes scheme to fund digital imaging.
January 17, 2003... Optometrists will be encouraged to play a major role in the Government's new national service framework (NSF) for diabetes. In addition, a Department of Health document states that capital funds to 'support the purchase of digital cameras...

Norville adds Versace to high fashion club.(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Norville Eyewear has made another flurry into distributing fashion eye wear with the addition of Versace Eyewear from this month. Versace stockists from the independent retail sector and 'selected multiples' will be catered for by the...

Marginal rise in sales at 'optical lab' stores.(Vision Express)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Vision Express, the French-owned multiple, grew sales by 1 per cent last year. Financial results for the 105 store chain - excluding franchises - for 2002 revealed sales of E221m, and fourth quarter sales of E49m, down 3 per cent on last...

Optical charity seeks marathon runners.(Specific Eye Conditions)
January 17, 2003... u Specific Eye Conditions (Specs) - a new charity which aims to provide a 'one-stop-shop' for the visually impaired - has a number of Gold Bond places for this year's London Marathon and urgently needs people to fill them. The charity...

Crowded Opti Munich show breaks records.(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Organisers of Opti Munich's first show following the demise of its Cologne rival Optica have deemed the event a success, with record numbers of visitors attending from both Germany and overseas. Last weekend's three-day exhibition (January...

Asda looks to optical growth via Safeway.(Wal-Mart/Asda aim to buy Safeway)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... The prospect of more opticians outlets in the supermarket sector increased this week with Wal-Mart/Asda's interest in Safeway. Asda spent much of last year recruiting for its 58 'vision centres', most of which are in its larger outlets....

Ciba offers astigmats daily disposable option.(Ciba Vision introduces Focus Dailies Toric, Vitabiotics relaunching Visionace, Norville Group introduces lens products)
January 17, 2003... u Ciba Vision has launched the world's first daily disposable contact lens for astigmats, the Focus Dailies Toric. The new lens is the latest addition to the Focus family and received the Silmo Gold award for innovation at October's show in...

Referral guidelines sent out.(by Croydon Local Optometric Committee)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Croydon Local Optometric Committee has finalised a document aimed to improve referrals in the area. It follows the LOC's involvement in a successful fast access service for cataract surgery. Its referral guidelines, produced in conjunction...

Tough times ahead.(eyewear industry forecasts, trends)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Barely two weeks in and 2003 is shaping up to be a tough year. Vision Express was refreshingly candid in its comments on the market following its parent company's financial statement for 2001/2. The market as a whole is pretty flat, said...

Gans Cole resigns from optics.(Ruth Grans Cole leaves Federation of Manufacturing Opticians, Eyecare Trust)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Ruth Gans Cole has resigned from her roles as chairman of the Federation of Manufacturing Opticians and the Eyecare Trust. The FMO resignation was a technicality after it was announced that W T Rees, the Wembley-based supplier of which she...

Ciba aims to make a splash with daily toric.(Ciba Vision to introduce Focus Dailies Toric lenses)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Ciba Vision is hoping to create a major impact when its daily disposable Focus Dailies Toric lens arrives in practices on Monday (January 20). Two thousand lens banks containing a range of Focus Dailies Toric will be delivered on the...

Accessories supplier WT Rees collapses.(WT Rees in liquidation, Ruth Gans Cole resigns)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... Accessories wholesaler and distributor W T Rees has ceased trading and been put into voluntary liquidation. The Federation of Manufacturing Opticians issued a statement last week after customers said they had not been able to contact the...

Ultralase brochure was 'misleading' says ASA.(Birmingham Optical complaint to Advertising Standards Authority)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... An optical equipment distributor has questioned the legitimacy of claims made by Lasik provider Ultralase in a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority. Ultralase stated in a brochure that a US Government survey had shown Bausch &...

Study shows when to test diabetics.(Liverpool Diabetic Eye Study)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... New research to be published tomorrow (January 18) sheds light on how often to screen patients for diabetes-related eye disease. A UK study, to be featured in The Lancet, involved over 7,500 patients and its publication is timely following...

Researchers link gene with light detection.(research of eye)(Brief Article)
January 17, 2003... A new optical discovery could lead to new treatments for SAD (Seasonally Affective Disorder) and jet lag. Researchers from Imperial College London and two US universities have found that melanopsin, a newly identified protein, plays a key...

Iridocorneal dysgenesis; (Anterior segment cleavage syndromes, Anterior segment dysgenesis).(main syndromes are Axenfeld-Reiger syndrome, Peter's anomaly)
January 24, 2003... Description The iridocorneal dysgenesis syndromes are a group of very rare, congenital, usually bilateral conditions resulting from abnormal embryological development of the anterior segment. The main syndromes in this group of disorders...

High-tech intentions.(Hoya Lens UK Ltd., Steve Ellis, managing director )
January 24, 2003... Rory Brogan meets up with Hoya Lens UKmanaging director Steve Ellis and finds out his plans to introduce higher-performing products in 2003 When Hoya Lens UK decided to sponsor rugby internationals at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff to...

Mr Morris' makeover.(William Morris Eyewear, Face Stockholm Ltd. )
January 24, 2003... Rory Brogan reports on the new makeup of William Morris as it takes on the Face Stockholm frame brand William Morris Eyewear has been given a makeover with the UK launch of the Face Stockholm line, named after the Swedish cosmetics range....

Liquidation will not cover Rees' debts.(WT Rees Ltd.)
January 24, 2003... The liquidation of accessories distributor and wholesaler WT Rees will not cover the company's debts, the liquidator told optician this week. The directors - former FMO chairman Ruth Gans Cole and her husband Roger Cole - have personally...

Continuing Education and Training Award.(Dollond and Aitchison Group PLC to sponsor optician Awards 2003)
January 24, 2003... This award is designed to reward the author of the CET article found to be of most use to the readers of optician. Entry to this category is through a continuous selection process using comments and preferences made throughout the year by...

Paediatric optometry; Part 11: Paediatric eye disorders.(childhood eye disorders)
January 24, 2003... In the second of two articles on paediatric eye disorders (Part 10, optician, December 20) Christopher Lloyd and Susmito Biswas discuss abnormal visual development/amblyopia, childhood and congenital cataract, non-organic visual loss,...

Website of the Year.(Rodenstock (UK) Ltd. sponsoring optician Awards Website of the Year )
January 24, 2003... This category is open to all optical practices with a web presence. Entrants need only provide the address of their website. The ease of use, the information provided, the look and general helpfulness of the website will then be judged by a...

Eyecare Practice of the Year Award.(CIBA Vision (UK) Ltd. judging process)
January 24, 2003... Understanding how your practice is perceived by your patients and customers is crucial for the delivery of the right levels of care and service to your clients Contact lens company Ciba Vision has done a massive amount of research into the...

The 'Funny looking disc'.(The optic disc)(Brief Article)
January 24, 2003... In the final preview of the OEL lecture series, David Rushton introduces the presentation 'Funny looking disc' The optic disc is the easiest piece of neurological tissue in the body to visualise. Optometrists will have examined thousands of...

FMO refers 'Optrafair Roadshow' to solicitors.(Brief Article)
January 24, 2003... Optrafair show organiser the FMO has objected to an event billed as an 'Optrafair Preview Roadshow', and referred the matter to its solicitors. The event has been launched for independents, some of whom may not be able to attend the...

Sunny side up.(Sunglasses )
January 24, 2003... While sunglasses for many people are an all-year-round fashion accessory, now is the best time to make space in the practice for some new up-to-date styles. optician showcases some of the latest trends Sunglasses offer eyewear designers an...

Technology Practice of the Year.
January 24, 2003... This award will seek to reward the practice that can demonstrate an ability to use technology effectively. Particular emphasis on the detection of ocular conditions and provision of strong eye care should form a major theme in any entry ...

Practice Marketing Initiative of the Year.(Brief Article)
January 24, 2003... This award will be made to the practice which can demonstrate results as a direct consequence of a marketing strategy or initiative. Entrants should show that measures are in place to quantify and enhance communication between patients and...

Optical business strong over Xmas claims Tesco.(Brief Article)
January 24, 2003... Following the release of its latest results, supermarket chain Tesco said this week that its optical business remained a major contributor to its success. Tesco Group sales for the seven weeks ending January 4 increased 11 per cent. The...

Haag-Streit's Glaucoma offer.(free copy of Glaucoma book by Professor Josef Flammer with purchase of Octopus perimetry equipment)(Brief Article)
January 24, 2003... u Haag-Streit is offering free copies of Professor Josef Flammer's Glaucoma, with any purchase from its range of Octopus perimetry equipment, which is manufactured by Interzeag, a Swiss subsidiary of the Haag-Streit group. Designed as a...

Optrafair promises to raise the roof at NEC.(National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, United Kingdom)(Brief Article)
January 24, 2003... Optrafair show organisers, who report bookings 10 per cent ahead of last time, are preparing a variety of new ideas for the April event. Almost 90 per cent of the allotted space is full according to exhibition organiser Centrex. Show...

VAT officers accused of taxing by 'stealth'.(Association of Optometrists accuses U.K. Value Added Tax Tribunal )(Brief Article)
January 24, 2003... Customs & Excise has rejected AOP suggestions that local VAT officers are challenging agreements from the 2001 VAT tribunal. The Association's members have contacted its offices regarding the full cost apportionment method of calculating...

Your reward for teamwork.(Brief Article)
January 24, 2003... Entries are open for the optician Awards 2003 which this year include some exciting new categories with an emphasis on teamwork and innovation. There are 10 categories open for entry and in addition to the familiar categories optician has...

RNIB and Nice carry on their PDT dispute.(disagreement over efficacy of photodynamic therapy for treating macular degeneration)
January 24, 2003... Thousands of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration could benefit after the NHS clinical treatment appraisal body signalled that photodynamic therapy (PDT) will be the treatment of choice. However, the disagreement between the...

Blow and dispel.(Awards 2003 launched by magazine)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
January 24, 2003... TODAY sees the launch of the optician Awards 2003 and right from the outset optician wishes to dispel a few myths. Blowing one's own trumpet is something that does not come naturally to the profession so it is always a pleasure when we...

'Remorseful' McCrea back in practice.(Neil McCrea returns to unrestricted practice)(Brief Article)
January 24, 2003... Neil McCrea, the optometrist who notoriously claimed for eye examinations and spectacles for deceased patients, was allowed to return to unrestricted practice this week. The Croydon-based practitioner, struck off after making false claims...

B&L switches PureVision to Waterford.(Bausch & Lomb)(Brief Article)
January 24, 2003... Bausch & Lomb will now be making and shipping its PureVision continuous wear contact lenses to markets outside of the US from the company's manufacturing facility in Waterford. The transfer from the Rochester plant to the Irish site is the...

'Sale' of Boots is wild speculation says boss.(Boots Opticians)
January 24, 2003... The future of Boots Opticians will remain in doubt until its parent group unveils its strategic review following reports that management consultants have urged the company to sell its optical interests. Boots officially offered no comment...

IVF link to eye cancer reports The Lancet.(in-vitro fertilization)
January 24, 2003... Children conceived by in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) could be at increased risk of retinoblastoma, a malignant tumour of the retina, new research has claimed. An observational study by Dutch authors in this week's The Lancet (January 24) has...

Iridocorneal endotheliopathy (ICE); (Iridocorneal endothelial syndrome).
January 31, 2003... Description The iridocorneal endotheliopathies (ICE syndromes) are a rare group of acquired, non-inherited, progressive anterior segment diseases. They primarily affect the iris and cornea but progress to involve the trabecular meshwork...

Don't ask me I only work here!(communications)
January 31, 2003... Getting internal communications right can be a delicate affair. Christine Arthur discusses the best methods for getting staff to feel a part of the business Imagine the scene, the founding partner of a small, growing group of opticians...

Managing the problem of non-tolerance.
January 31, 2003... In the previous two articles (optician, June 21, 2002 and September 20, 2002) we have looked at ways to avoid potential non-tolerance problems with new spectacles and also how to identify and correct the cause if one does occur. In this...

AREDS: the conclusions.(Eye diseases)
January 31, 2003... Hannah Bartlett and Dr Frank Eperjesi review the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) and discuss the implication of its conclusions In September 2001 the outcomes of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) were published. However,...

Independents invited to Sight Care seminar.(Sight Care Group)(Brief Article)
January 31, 2003... Business support company for independent practitioners the Sight Care Group has announced plans for its annual one-day business conference. 'Raising the stakes' will be held on March 3 at the Renaissance Hotel in Solihull. Complimentary...

Censured supervisor escapes suspension.
January 31, 2003... An optometrist found guilty of serious professional misconduct escaped being struck off last week due to her 22-year career of otherwise unblemished work. Instead Nirmala Vinod Pankhania was fined pound sterling1,000 for failing to give...

Seasonal low note.(contact lenses and solutions)
January 31, 2003... The only product categories to benefit from the Christmas period were contact lenses and solutions, with general dispensing declining Optician Index reports a typical December, with most benchmarks falling dramatically from the November...

Practitioners offer aid to Ethiopia.
January 31, 2003... u Optometrist Nina Carlisle recently led a team of optical practitioners on a trip to Ethiopia. According to World Health Organisation studies, Ethiopia is one of the world's poorest nations, and has only one qualified optometrist for a...

Make way for Munich.(opti munich show)
January 31, 2003... Rob Moss reports on some of the highlights of a cold but busy weekend at the opti munich show earlier this month Having said goodbye to Optica, the long-running annual German exhibition in Cologne which closed its doors for the final time...

Luxottica signs global licence for Versace.(worldwide licence agreement)
January 31, 2003... Italian frame giant Luxottica and the Versace Group have signed a worldwide licence agreement for the design, production and distribution of Versace, Versus and Versace Sport sunglasses and prescription frames. The news comes only a week...

Child's fear of dark linked to nyctalopia.(night blindness)(Brief Article)
January 31, 2003... Children who cannot sleep and appear afraid of the dark may be suffering from nyctalopia (night blindness), a report in the British Medical Journal (January 25) has stated. Although the behaviour is generally associated with...

OO buys datum rule division of WT Rees.
January 31, 2003... An independent optometrist has bought the ruler and measuring devices division of bankrupt accessories distributor and wholesaler W T Rees for an undisclosed sum. Melvyn Kaufman, whose company London-based Endcross Ventures was especially...

Sola aims to win new wearers.(Sola Optical)
January 31, 2003... u Sola Optical is aiming to 'dramatically' increase its share of the progressives market by launching its new SolaMax CR39 range of lenses. Aimed at first-time wearers, the CR39 lenses have been designed to give the largest near zone of...