Optician articles from January 2007

Optician archives from January 2007

Diabetes.(News)(Disease/Disorder overview)
January 5, 2007... Papillopathy DESCRIPTION Diabetic papillopathy is a form of optic neuropathy occasionally described in patients with diabetes mellitus. The typical presentation involves slowly progressive, unilateral or bilateral, blurring of vision...

Other.
January 5, 2007... Surely if after three years of study and payment of all fees due, the profession's official body fails to produce some certificates and an accurate listing of graduates at the graduation ceremony, one is entitled to complain loudly! I do agree...

Dream come true.(Features)(Ortho K of No 7 Contact Lens Laboratory)
January 5, 2007... It was a new and exciting product that caught the attention of the judges in the category for Optical Product of the Year, writes Chris Bennett The Optical Product of the Year Award category made its second appearance in this year's...

United in Manchester.(Features)
January 5, 2007... This year's BCLA Conference promises an extended programme packed full of clinical lectures, workshops and symposia Manchester may be famous for Coronation Street and its vibrant nightlife, but for many people around the world the city...

Features.
January 5, 2007... In an increasingly challenging contact lens market, distinguishing yourself from your competitors is becoming ever more difficult. Whether you are competing with online and mail order suppliers, with other optical practices in your area, or...

A voice to be heard.(Features)
January 5, 2007... The British Contact Lens Association has taken an increasingly public role in issues such as regulating contact lens supply and public safety. President Christopher Kerr argues that this is a legitimate role for an organisation that represents...

Contact lens management R/L Subhead 20pt Cosmos light R/L.(Features)(Disease/Disorder overview)
January 5, 2007... intro Advances in refractive surgery and dry eye treatment were the theme for the third BCLA Pioneers' Conference, as this popular event turned its attention from contact lenses to anterior eye management. The half-day conference, open...

News.
January 5, 2007... Optical practices have been accused of deliberately withholding prescription details from patients to stop them from shopping around. A survey, commissioned by the internet spectacle supplier BuySpecs4Less, claims high street opticians are...

It's behind you!(Features)(influence of cynicism)(Brief article)(Column)
January 5, 2007... Pantomimes are a great allegory for the struggles of life but for some reason this year it struck me more so than ever. While watching Dick Whittington at the Barbican, along with Mrs Optician Editor and the kids, I was struck by the common...

Continental honours Carter.(News)(John Carter resigns from Continental Eyewear)(Brief article)
January 5, 2007... i[micro] John Carter of Continental Eyewear has retired after 44 years in optics, the last 17 of these as area sales manager for Continental in the south east of England. At a retirement party held in his honour near the company...

Clinical skills recorded on DVD.(News)
January 5, 2007... DOCET plans to commission DVDs on dry eye and binocular vision, following on from its interactive DVD on developing clinical skills. The dry eye programme is expected first and, as well as diagnosis of the condition, will cover the use of...

GOC hearings.(News)
January 5, 2007... The GOC is holding fitness to practise hearings for optometrists Edward John Elgar Hopkins on January 23 and Simon Anthony Rose on January 26. The Council alleges that Hopkins sent abusive letters to a third party pretending that they had...

Practitioners hit target.(News)
January 5, 2007... Over 90 per cent of opticians met the requirement for CET by the deadline of December 31, according to final figures released by the General Optical Council this week. Ninety-five per cent of optometrists, 89 per cent of dispensing...

Grafton grows in Watford.(News)(Brief article)
January 5, 2007... Grafton Optical Company recently celebrated the opening of its new premises in Watford. The new premises are almost double the size of the company's former site, with 8,000 square feet available for a vastly expanded warehouse, display...

Realistic fees.(Other)(Brief article)
January 5, 2007... - A lot of recent letters comment about the lack of remuneration for optometrists within GOS. We are expected to provide a first-class service for no remuneration and to put our hands in our pockets to make up the shortfall in overheads....

Hoya to buy Pentax.(News)(Brief article)
January 5, 2007... Hoya plans to buy Pentax for some [pounds sterling]390m in shares, giving the Japanese giant entry into digital imaging technology, with Hoya chief executive Hiroshi Suzuki leading the combined company. The deal, announced late in December,...

Visioncare branch wins people award.(P pages)
January 5, 2007... i[micro] Independent practice Visioncare Optometrists of Wealdstone, Harrow has achieved the Investor in People award. The standard was achieved within a year and involved all the staff, with a review of the practice's training framework....

News.(sight test fee increased 2.5 percent)
January 5, 2007... Taking a stand So the Department of Health has announced a 2.5 per cent increase in the sight test fee, the domiciliary fee, CET allowance and pre-reg training grant. Of course, if the backdated cash amounting to the rise had been...

News.
January 5, 2007... Cantor in livery David Cantor was admitted to the livery of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers at its December 12 meeting. Cantor, chairman of Cantor & Nissel, founded the original company in 1964 and took over G Nissel & Co in...

News.(contracts)(briefs)(Brief article)
January 5, 2007... Multicoloured deal Benetton Group and Allison have signed an agreement for the design, production and distributon of United Colors of Benetton and Sisley eyewear until 2013. Revenues of [euro]35m a year are expected and major marketing...

Locum optometrist faces police inquiry.(News)
January 5, 2007... An optometrist is facing investigation by police in Northern Ireland, having allegedly cheated the health service out of [pounds sterling]110,000. The locum optometrist who has a practice in Scotland was fined [pounds sterling]1,000,...

News.(exhibitors training)(Brief article)
January 5, 2007... Optrafair organisers have put together a team of experts to advise exhibitors on gaining the most from the April show. An interactive masterclass will be held by The Exhibiting Agency on January 31 at the NEC, to help exhibitors create an...

News.(opinions of John Maloney)(Brief article)
January 5, 2007... Manchester optometrist John Maloney is alerting other practitioners to be on the look out for two shoplifters who were captured on CCTV taking 12 frames from his practice in Sale in late November. 'They seemed to know what they were doing,...

OO cleared of deception.(News)
January 5, 2007... A Manchester optometrist who admitted writing his own reference in an application to join the police was cleared in December of attempting to obtain pecuniary advantage by deception. Harrow Crown Court heard that Julian Cohen, who worked at...

Pre-reg on trial.(News)(cases against Harbhajan Singh)(Brief article)
January 5, 2007... A pre-reg optometrist accused of inappropriately 'touching' a 14-year-old girl during an eye examination at Boots Opticians in Harlow faces a Crown Court trial, charged with sexually touching her. Harbhajan Singh of Southall, Middlesex,...

News.
January 5, 2007... i[micro] Rodenstock UK has appointed a marketing assistant to promote the benefits of its practice-building marketing activities. Joanne Lacey joins as part of the marketing department's expansion and will be helping practices to promote...

Rodenstock welcomes backing of new parent.(News)
January 5, 2007... Rodenstock has been acquired by European private equity firm Bridgepoint from Permira for an undisclosed sum, reported by the Financial Times, December 27, as more than [euro]600m ([pounds sterling]402m). Bridgepoint described Rodenstock,...

Slit-lamp practical guide Part 3.(Features)
January 5, 2007... In the third and final part of this series, Charlotte McAllister looks at the use of the slit lamp for examining structures behind the iris and reviews some adaptations to the basic slit lamp. C5568, one standard CET point Examination of...

News.
January 5, 2007... A Specsavers optometrist director with a team of 44 has been shortlisted in the Manager of the Year category of the prestigious Retail Week Awards. Nigel Davidson (below left with head of professional recruitment Chris Howarth), of the...

Star performers.(P pages)
January 5, 2007... i[micro] Over 300 Rodenstock Club members and guests attended the Rodenstock Star Club Awards at London's Savoy Hotel on December 15 hosted by television personality Dr Phil Hammond. Marketing director of the All England Lawn Tennis and...

News.(expansion plans)(Brief article)
January 5, 2007... Vision correction company Ultralase has announced expansion plans at the same time as launching a Lifetime Care Guarantee which enables a second treatment or enhancement free of charge. The firm opened a vision correction clinic in Glasgow...

Model of investment.(News)
January 5, 2007... UltraVision has opened a research and development facility in Cambridge to bolster its work into the latest contact lens manufacturing techniques. Computer-aided design specialist Klas Lindgren has joined UltraVision and will work from the...

Antti Vannas.(Other)(Obituary)(Brief article)
January 5, 2007... - We would like to express our deep sadness at the passing of Professor Antti Vannas. Antti's expertise and knowledge contributed greatly to our work, and we all loved his zest for life and tremendous spirit. His research included myopia,...

Pioneers of a new frontier.(Features)
January 5, 2007... Advances in refractive surgery and dry eye treatment were the theme for the third BCLA Pioneers' Conference, as attention was turned from contact lenses to anterior eye management The half-day conference, open only to BCLA members and free...

Honours for optics.(Features)(Rosie Varley of General Optical Council gets Order of the British Empire)(Brief article)
January 5, 2007... Rosie Varley, chairman of the General Optical Council, was among a clutch of optical folk who received recognition in The New Year Honours list. Varley was awarded the Order of the British Empire for her services to the NHS and healthcare...

Features.
January 5, 2007... MCQs (C5568) 1 Which of the following statements is INCORRECT when examining the lens? a. A lens section is created along the principle of an optic section b. The lens is a relatively thick structure meaning that not all of it...

Diabetes.(Features)
January 12, 2007... Proliferative retinopathy assessment DESCRIPTION The hallmark of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is neovascularisation. Retinal ischaemia is thought to play a major role in this process. New vessels originate as endothelial...

Other.
January 12, 2007... Advanced Medical Optics is buying vision correction laser maker Intralase for $808m and has lowered its earnings guidance for 2007. AMO expects the transaction to be completed early in the second quarter of 2007, and is subject to IntraLase...

20pt cosmos light head.(Other)(cases of Accessoreyes against Monsoon)(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... Redditch-based company Accessoreyes which supplies accessories for sunglasses and frames to opticians has had its bid to register the name 'Accessoreyes' as an official trade mark blocked by a judge after opposition from high street firm...

Actman takes over lead role at the FMO.(News)(Andrew Actman at Federation of Manufacturing Opticians)(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... The new chairman of the Federation of Manufacturing Opticians, Andrew Actman, has announced his commitment to the organisation becoming 'the voice of the optical industry'. Speaking at the FMO annual lunch where he took over the...

Albinism: a personal case study.(Features)
January 12, 2007... Dr Brian Evans provides an interesting case study on vision correction and albinism and proposes that our understanding of presbyopia in this condition may need revision I am a blond Caucasian male aged 62 with a visual acuity in both eyes...

Optician Awards 2007 - licensed to thrill.(News)
January 12, 2007... Optician is seeking practices with a licence to thrill this year with a James Bond theme for the 2007 Optician Awards. Ten trophies in total are up for grabs and entry forms can be found in this week's issue of Optician. There are four...

Panel tackles loyalty.(News)
January 12, 2007... Four contact lens practitioners from different practice settings will share their ideas on maintaining customer loyalty at a BCLA evening meeting on January 23. Peter Frampton, Prakash Rughani, Nigel Burnett Hodd and Frank Moloney will...

ABDO ceremony.(News)(Letter to the editor)
January 12, 2007... - Surely, if after three years of study and payment of all fees due, the profession's official body fails to produce some certificates and an accurate listing of graduates at the graduation ceremony, one is entitled to complain loudly. I do...

Features.
January 12, 2007... Back to basics in dispensing Pupillary distance measurement In the first of a major series covering all aspects of the dispensing of optical appliances, Shaunagh Aitken explains how to avoid problems arising from that most essential...

Two for one offer.(P pages)(Letter to the editor)
January 12, 2007... - After a recent visit to one of the local high street optical companies for his first pair of reading glasses, a friend of mine, knowing I was an optometrist, asked me what we as a profession meant by 'two for the price of one'. Having...

Practices rewarded for excellence.(News)
January 12, 2007... i[micro] GP broadcaster and humorist Dr Phil Hammond presented the 'Centre of Excellence' overall award to Kelly Wright and Chris Jenkins of Burnett, Hodd and Jenkins at the Rodenstock Club annual event last month. The practice came top in two...

Features.
January 12, 2007... Contribution to CET Award sponsored by Dollond & Aitchison 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...

Other.(crystalline lens and cataracts)
January 12, 2007... The ageing lens and classification of cataracts In the first of a four part series looking at cataract and their management, Kenneth Fong describes the various presentations of lens opacities and how they are graded and classified. !...

CET articles coming soon.(News)
January 12, 2007... As the new three-year CET cycle begins, Optician has announced another set of CET themes and strands, with accredited articles appearing in every issue over the coming months. We aim to include series concerning the GOC core competency...

News.
January 12, 2007... Carrera Ski Racing Team members are having a successful season. Pictured is Swede Therese Borssen, winner of the Semmering Special Slalom. Carrera is the official goggle supplier to the Austrian, Italian, Swedish, Finnish, Swiss and USA ski...

Coloured filters and the eye.(Features)
January 12, 2007... Jennifer Birch reports on the latest theories on light damage to the eye which were discussed at a recent international symposium hosted by City University Late last year, City University hosted an international symposium to discuss the...

News.
January 12, 2007... Internet supply of Contact Lenses. On December 18 2006 Simon Rodwell, secretary general of the Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers (ACLM) wrote to Peter Coe, Chief Executive of the General Optical Council (GOC). Given that the email...

Features.(2006 conference of the American Academy of Optometry)(Conference notes)
January 12, 2007... Bill Harvey, in the first of two reports, looks at some highlights of the 2006 conference of the American Academy of Optometry Five days in Denver More than 4,000 delegates gathered last month in Denver, Colorado for the American...

News.(Calendar)
January 12, 2007... January 2007 15 Lancashire Optical Society, Salmesbury, Retinal surgery (RuthCuth@aol.com) 16 Norfolk & Norwich Optical Association, Norwich, Computerised test charts by David Thomson (Horn1Shelley@hotmail.com) 17 TMR, Belfast,...

Clarifying visit rules.(News)(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... - Further to Raymond White's letter of response (December 15) to the article 'Caring for individuals', we felt it would be useful to clarify one aspect, which he terms as an 'important point'. Statutory Instrument 480 2005, Amendment to...

GOC answers points queries.(News)(General Optical Council)(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... The GOC is urging practitioners with queries about their CET points total to get in contact ahead of the January 31 deadline for disputes. The Council has received a number of calls from professionals concerned about securing registration,...

Grampian glaucoma service set for March.(P pages)
January 12, 2007... Grampian AOC has agreed a protocol for ocular hypertensive patients currently seen under primary care clinics to be assessed from March by community optometrists. The move follows a proposal from the HES glaucoma service which felt that to...

News.
January 12, 2007... Advanced Medical Optics is buying vision correction laser maker Intralase for $808m and has lowered its earnings guidance for 2007. AMO expects the transaction to be completed early in the second quarter of 2007. Chairman, president and CEO of...

Calling all practices.(Features)
January 12, 2007... Healthy Sight Practice of the Year sponsored by Transitions Optical Visiting an optical practice is about so much more than visual acuity. Patients are increasingly aware of the dangers of UV light, glare and nutrition and...

jghghghgh.(News)
January 12, 2007... jkasshkjhk We've got over 500 years of optical experience among our staff,' explains Horizon Optical chairman Len Doherty, when talking about one of the strengths of his Dunstable-based prescription house. Doherty, who has been in the...

consultant optometrists join J&J.(News)
January 12, 2007... Johnson & Johnson Vision Care has appointed three independent optometrists as part-time consultants to offer practice support and education programmes for eye care professionals. Dave Spicer, Karen Walsh and David Shannon have more than 50...

Jaeger maintains high status.(News)
January 12, 2007... i[micro] The Jaeger brand has achieved recognition as a 'Superbrand' for the second year running, joining such iconic names as Sony, Shell and Nokia as one of the more recognised brands in the UK. Continental Eyewear is the sole UK...

Who stole my CET points?(Other)(Letter to the editor)
January 12, 2007... - A month or so ago I got a letter congratulating me on achieving 37 CET points. Since then I have attended many CET events, but as I didn't need the points I didn't bother to register my attendance, convinced that if we all get more than 36...

J&J eases SiH wearers' problems.(P pages)
January 12, 2007... i[micro] According to a new study, fitting patients with Johnson & Johnson Vision Care's new-generation silicone hydrogel contact lenses can alleviate some of the common problems experienced by patients wearing standard hydrogel lenses, for...

Lacoste highlights winter designs.(P pages)
January 12, 2007... i[micro] Lacoste Eyewear's L8039 is one of four new styles launched this winter by the sporty brand. The latest model has a clever eye rim and a metal front that turns a two-tone effect on its end and splits the colour horizontally through...

P pages.(distribution agreements of Mid-Optic and Moorfields)(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... Mid-Optic wins eye drops deal i[micro] Mid-Optic has recently been appointed as distributor of the new Moorfields preservative free Hypromellose eye drops. The Moorfields Hypromellose 0.3 per cent eye drops are described as an...

Other.(optical industry forecasts)
January 12, 2007... The year of the outcome This year, as with recent ones, looks packed full of exciting opportunities for optometrists and dispensing opticians alike. Like many previous years Mrs Moneo nagged me mercilessly until I came up with some...

Seven nights' free accommodation.(P pages)(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... i[micro] The National Eyecare Group, the UK's largest purchasing group, is offering everyone who joins it in January 2007 seven nights' free hotel accommodation for two people, subject to terms and conditions. With over 170 hotels to...

News.
January 12, 2007... AMO buys Intralase Advanced Medical Optics is buying vision correction laser maker Intralase for $808m. AMO expects the transaction to be completed early in the second quarter of 2007. The company's chairman, president and CEO Jim Mazzo...

Nikon Optical extends options on Enhanced Reading line.(P pages)
January 12, 2007... i[micro] Nikon Optical UK has extended the options of its Nikon Online Enhanced Reading lens. It now comes with degression values of 2.00D in both 1.67 (FP-III) and 1.60 (EP-III) materials. This is in addition to the 1.00D and 1.50D options...

Lab escapes fire damage.(News)
January 12, 2007... Norville Bolton staff were ordered from their laboratory premises by police on January 4 following a fire which destroyed a family engineering business just 500 yards away. Fifty fire fighters tackled the blaze, which forced the closure of...

News.(death of Graham John Davies)(Obituary)(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... Graham John Davies, a well-respected territory manager for Cornwall-based frame company Optical Service, passed away last month, aged 52. Davies was diagnosed with cancer last September and fought his illness with 'humour and tenacity', but...

Christmas Quiz winners.(News)(award for Lynne McAteer of County Antrim)(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... This year's Optician Christmas Quiz, sponsored EYCO, has been won by Lynne McAteer of County Antrim who will be receiving a video MP3 player. Close runners-up were James Campbell of Forres, who receives a digital camera, and Jennie Smith...

News.
January 12, 2007... A top trade mark judge has ruled that there is too much similarity between a trademark proposed for use with optical items and another already registered by a company in the Pearle Europe Group for the same sort of lines. Brilmij Group...

Safilo aims to set hearts on fire with 1960s style.(P pages)
January 12, 2007... i[micro] Safilo has come up with the ideal Valentine's day present with a pair of X-Round sunglasses from the Oxydo collection. The round design is a 1960s style, with emphatically oversized dimensions and 'passionate red to set hearts on...

Adventure gear.(Other)
January 12, 2007... i[micro] Smith Optics's 'V Ti' sunglasses from Safilo have been named by National Geographic Adventure as the only sunglass in its 'Best of Adventure Gear' list. The sunglasses, with titanium/beta titanium temples and a grilamid TR90...

Specsavers targets Australian market.(News)
January 12, 2007... Specsavers is understood to be entering the Australian retail optical market through the acquisitions of a buying group for independents. News that Specsavers had plans to buy the Melbourne-based buying group Optovision was splashed across...

A model patient.(Features)
January 12, 2007... Andy Franklin describes a novel yet effective way of teaching an increasingly important skill One of the more difficult clinical skills to master for students is the fundus viewing lens, yet this is nothing when compared to the...

Confusion over protocol.(Other)(Letter to the editor)
January 12, 2007... - I entirely agree with the thrust of Peter Harrop's comments (Letters, January 5). There is a hidden eye health tax which the government forces us to apply to the supply of spectacles through optical practices which goes to subsidise the...

Judge rejects trademark.(News)
January 12, 2007... Redditch-based Accessoreyes which supplies accessories for sunglasses and frames to opticians has had its bid to register the name 'Accessoreyes' as an official trademark blocked by a judge after opposition from high-street firm Monsoon. A...

What is the index of an unknown lens?(News)
January 12, 2007... In our regular series on dispensing calculations, Janet Carlton explains how to calculate the refractive index of a lens What is the index of an unknown lens, and why do we need to know? Many of your myopic patients will be wearing a higher...

Be in it to win it!(Features)
January 12, 2007... Everyone likes recognition but in retail optics formal approval of excellence is not easy to come by. The one benchmark against which best practice can be measured is victory in the Optician Awards and entry forms for this year's Awards...

Graham Davies.(News)(death of Graham John Davies)(Obituary)(Brief article)
January 12, 2007... Graham John Davies, a well-respected territory manager for Cornwall-based frame company Optical Service, passed away last month, aged 52. Davies was diagnosed with cancer last September and fought his illness with 'humour and tenacity',...