Optician articles from July 2004

Optician archives from July 2004

What'sin a frame?(spectacle frames)
July 2, 2004... All those involved in optical practice or workshops must be able to identify the materials from which spectacle frames are made. This is not an esoteric academic exercise, but is necessary for sound clinical, and commercial reasons. ...

Ortho K in the UK.(Contact lenses)
July 2, 2004... Following the launch of Ortho K, a new lens for accelerated orthokeratology, at May's BCLA conference, Nick Atkins reviewsnew market research, describes the lens design and fitting philosophy, and discusses the opportunity for this modality in...

Contamac helps fund education event.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2004... u Contact lens and IOL material manufacturer Contamac joined Essilor as a sponsor for this year's conference of the Association of European Universities, Schools and Colleges of Optometry (AEUSCO). The conference was held last month at the...

A next-generation silicone hydrogel lens for daily wear; Part 2 - Clinical performance.
July 2, 2004... In the second of two articles on the new Acuvue Advance with Hydraclear lens from Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Cristina Schnider and Robert Steffen describe the development of the lens, its clinical benefits and positioning in your practice...

The care franchise.(Vision Call)(domiciliary eye care service)
July 2, 2004... Graeme Brown argues the case for the franchising of a domiciliary eye care service in Scotland Historically, domiciliary eye care has had a poor reputation in optometry. The cause has not been helped by poor quality equipment, mass testing...

Achieving the Optimum.
July 2, 2004... Following on from our series on the properties of contact lens materials, Dr Richard Young discusses the development of a new range of RGP lens materials The introduction by Contamac of the Optimum range of RGP materials came about as the...

Wales target of new probe into NHS fraud.(National Healthcare Services)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2004... The profession in Wales is about to be targeted by NHS fraud-busters. 'A greater focus' will be placed on the sector, announced Ann Lloyd, director of the NHS in Wales, at the end of last month. This month the Audit Commission in Wales...

Sunny days for Faberge.(product introduction by various eyewear companies)
July 2, 2004... u Norville Eyewear has launched the extension to the Faberge collection and the first sunwear range from that brand. The sunglasses are acetates in sky blue, black, tortoiseshell and port. They are available in a choice of eye shapes with...

Replay offers [pounds sterling]100 discount.(Replay Learning)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2004... Replay Learning has announced its remaining events for the year, with money-off places for the first 100 attendees at each event. The company, which started as the virtual lectures programme NetLectures, is to run two clinical conferences...

Introduction to optics at seven venues.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2004... Sight Care, the supporter of independents' business needs, is to host seven one-day courses across the UK in September and the start of October. The Basingstoke-based group, which aims to promote excellence within independent practices, is...

Vision Call expands with dental and hearing care.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2004... Scottish domiciliary and corporate eye care provider Vision Call continues its expansion drive. Last month it opened its fifth branch in just over a year, and says it will add two branches early next year, and diversify into domiciliary...

Ray-Ban on pole position with BAR.
July 2, 2004... u Ray-Ban has entered Formula One thanks to a new marketing partnership with the BAR Honda team. The sunglass and frame brand's Team Partner status with BAR will be one of the key elements in a global communications campaign and, explained...

New code of conduct sets scene for reform.
July 2, 2004... The GOC aimed to approve several items of importance to the profession at its summer meeting yesterday (July 1). Its long-awaited legislative programme, therapeutic prescribing consultation and a code of conduct for registrants were...

Asda offers assistants step up career ladder.
July 2, 2004... Supermarket giant Asda has launched a dispensing optician scheme in a bid to help its optical assistants progress their careers. Nine employees will start an ABDO three-year distance learning course in September. They were chosen from 14...

Independents miss out on growth opportunity.
July 2, 2004... Are you an independent practitioner who feels it is too pushy or commercial to ask patients to recommend your practice to others? If so you could be losing out on a third of new business. This is the message of a new survey of nearly 6,500...

Mandatory CET course fees revealed.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2004... Providers of optical continuing education will be charged an annual fee of either [pounds sterling]100 or [pounds sterling]35 when CET becomes mandatory next year. The announcement follows the appointment of Vantage Technologies to manage...

ASA backs complaint against clinic's claims.
July 2, 2004... Complaints against a Harley Street eye clinic's claims regarding conductive keratoplasty (CK) treatment for presbyopia have been upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority. The ASA also ruled against the company - Horizon Eye Centres -...

Asda up to 77 optical outlets by end of year.(ASDA Group PLC)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2004... Wal-Mart-owned Asda has announced a [pounds sterling]1.3m expansion to its optical presence by the end of the year and will create 77 new jobs in the profession. The company, which announced it would start a dispensing optician career...

Mido back to four-day format.(Optical industry)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2004... Milan optical exhibition Mido will return to its four-day format from 2005. Organisers polled exhibitors at this year's three-day show and found that the majority preferred the exhibition to be spread over four days. Next year's fair...

FMO to widen scope of its membership.(Federation of Manufacturing Opticians)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2004... The Federation of Manufacturing Opticians has launched a new membership category for smaller optical companies. These new members will receive a reduced annual subscription and will be known as affiliate members. They will be eligible for...

The influence of back vertex distance in ocular refraction.(back vertex distance )
July 9, 2004... Isabel Arranz, Beatriz Matesanz, Vanesa Frutos, Laura Herrero, Ana Vallelado and Juan Aparicio consider the significance of back vertex distance in the accuracy of refraction and describe a study suggesting that the value may vary considerably...

Driving with low vision.
July 9, 2004... Dr Chris Dickinson reports on the recent International BiOptic Driving Conference in London where methods of helping the visually impaired to drive were discussed It is perhaps surprising, and a great testament to the enthusiasm and...

The Diploma in Orthoptics; Part 6 - Certificate B, Modules 2 and 3.
July 9, 2004... Professor Bruce Evans discusses the content of Modules 2 and 3 of Certificate B of the Diploma in Orthoptics syllabus Part 1 of this series explained how the new version of the College of Optometrists Diploma in Orthoptics (DipOrth)...

Acetate; cellulose acetate.
July 9, 2004... Dr Glyn Walsh discusses the common beliefs about frame materials In the US cellulose acetate is called Zylonite or zyl. Acetate takes a very nice polish which is well retained in use A few minutes with a bottle of acetone is enough...

In the eyes of the consumer.
July 9, 2004... From 1998 to 2000 Sola International saw its share price dive from around $40 to a low of $3.75. Since then two Britons have set about turning round the US company's fortunes. Rob Moss talks to one of them, European executive vice-president...

moneowrites.
July 9, 2004... From the outset I would say that it has about as much vision as some football referees I could mention! With all the comments recently from the DoH about how vital optometrists were to the NHS and how central our role was in modernisation, I...

Marchon signs up heavyweight brands Fendi and Michael Kors.(Brief Article)
July 9, 2004... Marchon Eyewear will become the distributor for the Fendi and Michael Kors brands in the New Year. The news follows the decision to end its agreement with Donna Karan (Industry News, June 25), which has since been picked up by Luxottica...

Lindberg capitalises on Spirit's success.
July 9, 2004... u Lindberg, the Danish eyewear company that describes itself as the 'high-comfort brand', has introduced 13 new models in its rimless Spirit eyewear collection. Spirit now offers the choice of 60 designs in three sizes. Lindberg put the...

Dutton heads off in search of funds to support Tibetan eye care project.
July 9, 2004... u Optometrist Christian Dutton is asking the profession to help fund a one-month trip to provide eye care to the people of Tibet. Dutton was asked to travel to the country in September to perform sight tests, provide used spectacles,...

GOC members reject big business advisers.(General Optical Council)
July 9, 2004... A proposal to adopt more big business representation within the General Optical Council's policy-making groups led to intense debate at last week's GOC summer assembly. One member said the idea, which would allow for more influence from...

B&L and Ciba agree to bury the hatchet.(Brief Article)
July 9, 2004... The long-running patent litigation saga of Bausch & Lomb versus Ciba Vision has been settled. The resolution ends years of disputes between the two businesses in patient infringement lawsuits and associated patent proceedings related to...

Assembly to highlight children's eye care.(Brief Article)
July 9, 2004... Optometry Wales has scored a victory in its efforts to make visiting the optometrist part of the healthcare agenda in the principality. The group has persuaded the Welsh Assembly to set aside some of its health budget to produce a leaflet...

Beware of the season of the rogue invoice.(Brief Article)
July 9, 2004... The Advertising Standards Authority has warned managers of small and medium-sized businesses to beware of fake invoices during the summer. Rogue traders, particularly those based in Switzerland, Austria and the Czech Republic take...

GMChears of case between two surgeons.(Brief Article)
July 9, 2004... Ophthalmologist Dr John Andrew Bell was found guilty of serious professional misconduct for questioning a colleague's surgical skills to the parents of a two-year-old girl. The General Medical Council's disciplinary committee heard this...

Laser inquiry causes shock and dismay.
July 9, 2004... MPs studying UK standards of laser eye surgery are 'shocked and dismayed' at what they have found, and aim to take their concerns to the Department of Health shortly. The panel, which includes high profile Labour stalwart Gwyneth Dunwoody...

Optical Express buys Pagan Eyecare group.
July 9, 2004... North-East based group Pagan Eyecare has become the latest acquisition for Optical Express. Originally part of the Pagan & McQuade group, Pagan Eyecare optometrist owner Mark Pagan and Optical Express chief executive David Moulsdale agreed...

Specsavers snaps up [pounds sterling]9m optical business.
July 9, 2004... Specsavers Opticians has added to its Scandinavian presence less than three months after entering the region. The Guernsey-based business has bought a second Swedish optical group, this time Tv Bl, which runs 19 optician franchises, and has...

OOs at the forefront with clinical diploma.
July 9, 2004... Four optometrists last week were among the first to complete a new training programme aimed at providing primary care trusts with more professionals with wider knowledge of specialised eye care services. The Postgraduate Diploma in...

Independent chosen as 'Champion'.(Brief Article)
July 9, 2004... Oakwood Eyecare in Derby has become one of 16 businesses selected as 'Champions' in an Investors in People programme. Secretary of state for education and skills Charles Clarke announced the news at a ceremony on July 7. The scheme...

New CEO for Luxottica.(Brief Article)
July 9, 2004... Luxottica Group has confirmed Italian press reports that 38-year-old Andrea Guerra has been 'proposed for appointment' as its new chief executive officer. Guerra was most recently a CEO at a leading European white goods manufacturer, and...

Fleye off the wall.
July 16, 2004... UK practices looking for something a little different might want to cast an eye over Fleye, the latest craft to make it to these shores from Denmark, writes Rory Brogan They may not promise to turn you into the Goddess of Love or the God...

England expects.
July 16, 2004... After years of successful sales overseas, Booth & Bruce England is planning to take a share of the home market. Continuing our series on British frame design, Rory Brogan discovers that the warehouse is stocked and the styles are ready to roll...

BBGR to extend Rxservice nationwide.(Brief Article)
July 16, 2004... French lens giant BBGR will start offering a complete lens and prescription service to the whole of the UK market from this autumn. The move follows a multi-million pound investment in its manufacturing facilities. BBGR entered the UK lens...

ABDO states the case for recognition again.(Association of British Dispensing Opticians)(Brief Article)
July 16, 2004... The Association of British Dispensing Opticians met with the Department of Health last week to discuss the on-going issue of DO representation within the health profession. President James Russell and general secretary Tony Garrett met with...

Acetate; cellulose acetate.
July 16, 2004... Acetate frames have pads which are stuck on after the rest of the front is made This is almost diagnostic of cellulose acetate - although nitrate and some PMMA frames were also made this way. However, it is a very unusual manufacturing...

Optrafair newcomers book for Birmingham.(Brief Article)
July 16, 2004... European lens firms, equipment suppliers and sunglass companies are leading the new exhibitors who are booking their stands at next year's Optrafair. Three months after launching the Birmingham show, which will be held from April 16-18,...

The Mallett Unit revisited.
July 16, 2004... In the first part of a three part series discussing a familiar instrument in practice, Dr Frank Eperjesi revises our knowledge of the Mallett Unit and the approach to measuring and managing fixation disparity People often present to...

CLpatent deal boosts global vision research.(Brief Article)
July 16, 2004... Blind and visually impaired people worldwide are the unlikely beneficiaries of the patent settlement last week (News, July 2) between Ciba Vision and Bausch & Lomb over silicone hydrogel contact lens technology. Part of the settlement...

10-piece order merits a free watch.(PW Armstrong Opticians)
July 16, 2004... u Norville is giving away Seiko watches in its latest promotion. The offer, which runs this month and next, involves the company giving practitioners a high quality men's or ladies' precision timepiece with each 10-piece order of Bebe...

AMA peaks with St Moritz offerings.
July 16, 2004... u The new St Moritz brand frame collection, out now, forms part of AMA Optic's 180-plus new release programme so far this year to independent practices and private groups. This follows AMA Optik Group's agreement of a new five-year licence...

Myopia link to computer use.(Brief Article)
July 16, 2004... Television and computers are behind the rise in myopia, a new report claims. An Australian team say the epidemics of myopia in countries such as Singapore and Japan are due to changes in lifestyle, and similar levels could soon be seen in...

Lutein on trial.
July 16, 2004... Recent publicity on lutein and age-related macular degeneration has highlighted the LAST study. But research presented at the ARVO conference suggests there is some way to go before conclusive advice may be offered to patients The lutein...

Commercial boost for new treatment.(Cass Business School)(Brief Article)
July 16, 2004... A team of students has won a prestigious prize for a presentation of the commercial potential of an anti-scarring treatment developed by a leading ophthalmologist. The winning team from the Cass Business School at City University, picked...

Obituary - Jane Pullum.(Obituary)
July 16, 2004... Optometrist Jane Karen Pullum died suddenly at the end of May at the age of 47. Hundreds of friends, colleagues and patients have expressed their shock and sorrow for her passing, from a heart attack on May 28. Jane, who was managing...

A good Thump.(Brief Article)
July 16, 2004... Oakley will launch the world's first sunglasses with an integrated MP3 music player it announced this week. Its Thump sunglasses, available in the US from December and globally next year, incorporate electronic circuitry within the frame,...

DX delivers 5% price increase.(Brief Article)
July 16, 2004... DX, the courier business in the process of being de-merged from Hays, has announced that its prices are increasing by 5 per cent from July 26. In a letter last week to customers about the increase, sales and commercial director Richard...

Optometric imaging systemsPart 3: Retinal imaging systems.
July 23, 2004... Dr James S Wolffsohn, Rachael C Peterson and Hannah Bartlett conclude our series on imaging with a review of imaging systems designed for the posterior segment This is the final part of a series on optometric imaging systems. Part 1...

David Clulow opts for joint venture business.
July 23, 2004... David Clulow Opticians is opening its first joint venture practice in north London's Crouch End later in the month. This comes four weeks after the opening of a company-owned store in the City's Cornhill area, the first optical practice...

A handheld non-mydriatic fundus camera - the NM-200D.
July 23, 2004... A portable fundus camera system was put through it paces at the City University student clinic during the spring term. Bill Harvey reports As has been reported many times in these pages, the use of digital imaging technology in optometry...

EOP versus IOP - The Reichert Ocular Response Analyzer.(intraocular pressure)
July 23, 2004... The need to know corneal thickness when deciding on the significance of a tonometry reading is increasingly important. Bill Harvey reports on a new instrument offering a new approach to tonometry There have been many studies published over...

OO called to account for NHS fraud.(General Optical Council)(Brief Article)
July 23, 2004... An optometrist who was ordered to hand over [pounds sterling]30,000 for stealing from the NHS - and additionally told to pay [pounds sterling]123,000 in court costs - is to appear before a GOC disciplinary panel. John Walsby-Tickle, who is...

Capturing video images with EyeCap SL.
July 23, 2004... The use of video capture has many benefits in practice. New software developments make this more accessible. optician reports The increasing use of digital camcorders in everyday life has meant that more people are becoming familiar with...

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).
July 23, 2004... Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene is a thermoplastic with many of the properties we would wish for a spectacle frame (including the ability to be metal plated). It is not well enough known for beliefs about its properties to have become...

Compulsory CET on agenda at optometrists' conference.(National Optometric Conference)(Brief Article)
July 23, 2004... This year's National Optometric Conference will focus on matters currently affecting the profession, such as compulsory CET and relationships with PCTs. The Association of Optometrists has published a draft programme for its annual day of...

New colours from Nicole Farhi.
July 23, 2004... Nicole Farhi's new ophthalmic summer collection has been released. The distributor says the new range of six frames are made with a unique alloy mix to create a completely nickel-free material. This season's colours include moss green,...

Luxottica increases Cole National offer.(Brief Article)
July 23, 2004... Luxottica has increased its bid for the US optical retailer Cole National after renewed pressure from its rival Moulin International of Hong Kong. It has received backing from Cleveland-based Cole, whose chief executive officer Larry...

Rodenstock highlights 'acute skills shortage'.(Brief Article)
July 23, 2004... The managing director of Rodenstock UK has highlighted the need for a review of technical training in the profession. Chris Hunt made the call during a visit by key representatives of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers to the...

Hunt for hard worker judged discriminatory.(Millican Opticians)(Department of Work & Pensions)
July 23, 2004... An optometrist's efforts to find a 'hard-working' receptionist through her Jobcentre hit the national headlines earlier this week after the term was deemed to be politically incorrect. Pauline Millican, who works for her family business...

Around the world with Mini.
July 23, 2004... u The sunglass collection from Mini has been launched by distributor De Rigo. The six new models are unisex designs, and represent 'a journey around the world'. Each is named after a world city - Lisbon, Moscow, Antwerp, Quebec, Osaka and...

Moorfields loses star in NHS ratings league.(Brief Article)
July 23, 2004... The downgrading of Moorfields Eye Hospital in the latest NHS performance ratings has come just four months after it was one of the first to be granted NHS Foundation Trust status. Independent healthcare inspectorate the Healthcare...

Patients put off by high costs.(Brief Article)
July 23, 2004... An independent survey has revealed that around 20 per cent of Britons postpone having their eyes tested on average for more than one year, with lack of time and high cost being the main reasons for the delay. Healthcare insurance provider...

Ocular therapeutics - Part 8; Ocular immunology.
July 30, 2004... In this module (C4823h), Dr Tom Missotten and Professor Sue Lightman outline the immune defence mechanisms of the eye and discuss the role played by the immune system in the pathogenesis of specific ocular disorders As illustrated in Part...

Beryllium.(eyeglass frame materials)
July 30, 2004... Dr Glyn Walsh discusses common beliefs about frame materials Berylliym is strong; Beryllium is brittle As with every other metal, this depends very much on treatment in manufacture. Beryllium frames are the latest high tech...

He's phoned in sick again.
July 30, 2004... Kate Hodgkiss reports on the growing trend of staff absenteeism and the methods businesses use to manage the problem. Additional reporting by Clara Browning An ongoing concern for all organisations is the cost to the business of staff...

Arnette lifestyle proves appealing.(Brief Article)
July 30, 2004... u Sunglass brand Arnette is finding favour with its latest acetate models in muted colours of shiny black and tortoiseshell. According to Luxottica, Arnette sales across the globe are growing rapidly and in countries like Spain, Portugal...

Summer blues.
July 30, 2004... Perhaps it was the knock-on effect of Euro 2004, or the poor weather, but there's no doubting that business dropped off last month with eye examinations down 10 per cent on May and 13 per cent on June 2003. optician reports June's...

Gazelle benefits from Climacool.(Adidas)(Brief Article)
July 30, 2004... u Adidas has added its Climacool technology to its Gazelle running glasses to produce a product that provides steam-free vision in the hottest situations. The Climacool system works by drawing air in through the front of the frame and...

Buying time.
July 30, 2004... Always planned to retire early, but slowly realising that may well be impossible? Or perhaps you're fresh out of university and a pension is the last thing on your mind? Stephanie Hawthorne explains how to prepare for what should be the...

Show of strength at Sight Village.
July 30, 2004... This month's Sight Village show - the event for innovative devices for visually impaired people - was the largest in the show's 10-year history. The Birmingham event, which now attracts around 3,000 people over its three days, included 90...

Sales of Essilor lenses up 10%.(Brief Article)
July 30, 2004... Essilor has reported that demand for high-tech lenses pushed sales up 10 per cent in the first half of this year. New products such as the Crizal Alize anti-reflection treatment, the Varilux Ellipse small-frame progressive lenses and the...

LOC keen to expandretinal screening role.
July 30, 2004... Following the start of its pilot direct cataract scheme in January, Brent & Harrow LOC is now preparing to tender for a retinal screening service. Optometrist and LOC chairman Bharat Rughani met with Dr Ken Walton, chairman of the PEC...

National Eye Week focuses on schools.(The Eyecare Trust)
July 30, 2004... Surprising new data on attitudes to children's eye care has led to this year's National Eye Week being brought forward a fortnight. The dates of the annual event to highlight the importance of eye care to the public have been altered to...

Actman celebrates skills of dispensing.(Andrew Actman Ltd)
July 30, 2004... A holiday in Italy - the home of European frame manufacturing - awaits the winner of the first Andrew Actman Frame Dispenser of the Year Award. The award, which is detailed in an entry form with this issue of optician, aims to reward those...

White Cube day is sweet for Sinclair.(gallery publicity by Sinclair Optical Services)(Brief Article)
July 30, 2004... u Sinclair Optical Services used its new AR coating Ultimar Easiclean to sponsor White Cube Day in London earlier this month. White Cube Day on July 18 aimed to create publicity for the White Cube gallery, the Hoxton Square exhibition...