Optician articles from May 2004

Optician archives from May 2004

Thygeson's superficial punctate keratopathy.
May 7, 2004... Description Thygeson's superficial punctate keratopathy (Thygeson's SPK) is a superficial corneal inflammatory condition. It is both rare and of unknown (although presumed viral) aetiology. It characteristically affects young adults and...

Birmingham bound.( British Contact Lens Association Clinical Conference and Exhibition)
May 7, 2004... Symposia on presbyopia and practice managementand a special session on optometric prescribing are among the highlights of this year's British Contact Lens Association Clinical Conference and Exhibition International experts in presbyopia...

Managing the contact lenswearing allergy sufferer.
May 7, 2004... As the peak hay fever season approaches, Jane Veys reviews the range of allergic conditions that can affect the eye and describes strategies for managing contact lens wearers who suffer from seasonal and perennial allergies Allergy is a...

Trends in UK contact lens prescribing 2004.
May 7, 2004... In their report of the ninth annual Eurolens Research survey into prescribing habits, Dr Philip Morgan and Professor Nathan Efron reveal that a number of key thresholds have been reached in UK contact lens prescribing The ninth annual...

Restraints removed on pre-reg salaries.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2004... The Department of Health has now formally notified PCTs of the abolition of the abatement rule (News, March 12). Last month optician reported that employers were now free to set their own salary levels for pre-reg trainees without being...

EU openings.
May 7, 2004... As 10 new countries joined the European Union last week (Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia), optician asks what impact this will have on the optical profession Will it be...

Loyal England star shines for Specsavers.
May 7, 2004... u England rugby star Julian White is helping raise money for charity by visiting his opticians, Bristol-based Specsavers at the Clifton Down Shopping Centre. The World Cup 2003 winner and ex-Bristol rugby player has donated a signed...

Stiffness and elasticity of contact lens materials.
May 7, 2004... In the third and final part of our short series looking at the influence of physical material properties on contact lens performance, Andy Franklin discusses the effect that stiffness has on the behaviour of a contact lens. CET Module C4836f...

German giant succeeds in difficult market.(Fielmann)(Brief Article)
May 7, 2004... The business which claims to be Europe's largest optical retailer is weathering a huge downturn in its domestic market. Fielmann, the German company which has over 500 stores on the Continent, reported that its pre-tax profit increased by...

Public shun shopping centres over fear of terrorist attack.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2004... Fear of a terrorist attack has led to a collapse in the number of people using shopping centres, a leading retail analysis group has claimed. SPSL, the customer tracking business which has worked with Boots, Vodafone and B&Q, highlighted...

Hunter to leave as AOP seeks to forge closer links with FODO.(Association of optometrists)(Federation of opthalmic and dispensing opticians)
May 7, 2004... Ian Hunter, chief executive of the AOP, is leaving the association next March after 21 years at the helm. A spokesman for the AOP admitted he would leave 'a huge gap', adding 'he's been central to everything we have done for a long time'. ...

Hint of extra funds at Eyecare Plan launch.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2004... Ask for extra ophthalmic project funding and it may be granted was the message from the launch of the National Eyecare Plan. The launch, which took place in Leicester last week, was the first of four events outlining the patient pathways...

Opticians Act reform put before profession.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2004... Plano contact lenses will be regulated and liability insurance will become compulsory as part of the sweeping changes about to affect the profession. The Department of Health and the General Optical Council have issued a consultation...

Higher fees can enhance quality image.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2004... Independent practitioners should not be afraid to charge private eye examination fees, because it will not deter patients. This was the message from practice consultancy Myers La Roche at the AOP Profit from Practice seminar last week. ...

Safilo's great frame robbery.(Brief Article)
May 7, 2004... Safilo has become the victim of one of the largest ever thefts of eyewear, after product with a retail value of [pounds sterling]750,000 was stolen from its UK warehouse in Harrogate on April 29. Around 13,000 units from nearly all of the...

Trachoma; Sandy blight.
May 14, 2004... Description Active trachoma is a chronic inflammatory, follicular conjunctivitis caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Chronic active trachoma as a child can lead to adult scarring (cicatricial) trachoma with...

Definity and beyond.(Vision Expo East Show )
May 14, 2004... John Ross reports from the recent Vision Expo East Show in New York which saw the launch of among other things two new progressive ophthalmic lenses - one from Essilor, and one from Johnson & Johnson's spectacle lens group Since their...

Four OOs to appear before GOC in May.(optometrists)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Four optometrists are to appear before General Optical Council disciplinary committees in separate cases later this month. Hartlepool optometrist Stuart Maxwell is accused of serious professional misconduct and will face five charges. ...

Pupils in practice.
May 14, 2004... In the first of two articles, Dr Huw Pinney examines the basic anatomy, physiology and pharmacology of the pupil reflex pathway A complete understanding of pupil responsivity can only be fully realised with knowledge of the anatomy and...

Care pathways.( National Primary and Care Trust Development Programme)
May 14, 2004... optician attended the first of four roadshows concerned with the proposed eye care pathways which, if adopted by local primary care trusts, may impact upon the role of community optometrists The National Primary and Care Trust Development...

The road to reform.
May 14, 2004... David Cartwright reports on the recent College of Optometrists Conference, where patient choice was a central strand in the process of NHS reform The College of Optometrists welcomed 120 practitioners to its 2004 conference, Optometry...

Progress in primary care.
May 14, 2004... Marek Karas attends a day event where a PCT aimed to establish dialogue with local optometrists and to smooth the introduction of a new referral pathway The RNIB Low Vision Centre recently hosted a CET training day focusing on AMD referral...

moneowrites.(National Health Service )
May 14, 2004... Optometry excluded Last week saw the closing date for comments on the Department of Health discussion paper Standards for Better Health, Health Care Standards for Services under the NHS. I have tried to ascertain whether any of our...

New staff join the Sight Care Group.(Norville Opticians )
May 14, 2004... u The Sight Care Group has announced the appointment of two new members of staff. Kate Burge has joined the business support organisation for independent practices as marketing and meetings coordinator. Her previous role was as European...

Mido returns to form after crisis year in Italy.
May 14, 2004... Mido was back to its bustling best last week after two years of disruption caused by the SARS virus and floods. Attendance figures for the first day - 11,334 visitors - revealed the extent of the pent up interest for the Milan show, which...

Momo Design reveals formula for winning sunglasses.
May 14, 2004... u The latest sunglass collection from Italian brand Momo has now been produced through its design project division Momo Design. Momo, a leader in the manufacture of luxury car accessories and components, describes itself as having an...

GOC expels 482 practitioners.(General Optical Council)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Nearly 500 optometrists and dispensing opticians were erased from the Opticians Register last month in the GOC yearly cull of those who have failed to pay their retention fees. In all, 223 optometrists, 259 dispensing opticians and 45...

A night to celebrate excellence in optics.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Celebration and recognition were the keywords at this year's optician Awards, which were presented to 10 practices at a black tie event in the City of London on Tuesday. A great night was had by 300 guests including leading figures from...

Push for involvement, says PEC optometrist.(Professional Executive Committee )(Bedford Primary Care Trust)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Optometrist Simon Browning has been elected co-chairman of the Professional Executive Committee of the Bedford Primary Care Trust. The appointment is a significant one, as there are few optometrists at present directly involved with their...

CL material provider acquires Dutch firm.(Opteq)(contact lenses)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Contamac, the Saffron Waldenbased provider of contact and intraocular lens materials, has purchased Dutch precision machinery group Opteq. Opteq produces lens production equipment for contact and intraocular lens manufacturers worldwide....

AOP report.(Association of Optometrists)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... Publication scheme deadline for Scots Scottish practitioners have just over two weeks to complete their publication scheme to comply with the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act, Optometry Scotland has announced. In a similar move to...

Winterton announces pilot scheme winners.
May 14, 2004... The winning tenders for the eyecare pathways pilot scheme were announced this week by health minister Rosie Winterton. The [pounds sterling]4m programme - eight projects covering glaucoma, AMD and low vision - was announced as part of the...

Merger talks.(De Rigo and Viva International )(Brief Article)
May 14, 2004... De Rigo and US-based Viva International have signed a letter of intent to explore a worldwide strategic alliance. The 'non-binding' deal could involve merging the two companies' distribution and manufacturing operations. De Rigo, which...

Trichasis, pseudotrichiasis, distachiasis, metaplastic lashes and trichotillomania; Eyelash misdirection.
May 21, 2004... DESCRIPTION If eyelashes are misdirected in a posterior direction, then they may rub against the globe, particularly the cornea, causing ocular surface damage. There are several possible causes: Trichiasis is the common acquired form...

Symposium on glaucoma.(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Stephen Vernon, champion of the new glaucoma patient pathway, will speak at the International Glaucoma Association's first professional meeting next month. The day-long symposium, 'Glaucoma in 2004 and beyond', will concentrate on the...

owp and.
May 21, 2004... OWPhas joined forces with William Morris Eyewear in the UK and you might not recognise the product offering. optician reports If you haven't seen OWP frames in some time, you could be in for a surprise as the German manufacturer is coming...

Demand met by workshops.(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... More than 100 optometrists recently attended a series of three workshops focusing on clinical skills. The workshops on indirect ophthalmoscopy, tonometry and corneal investigation were held in Bristol, Leicester and Newcastle. They were...

Myopia.
May 21, 2004... In the first of two articles looking at influences on the progression of myopia, Rabiyyah Giga discusses the research that has attempted to establish the exact inheritance of myopia. This is an edited extract from her optician/City University...

Aggressive policy pays off for D&A.(Dollond & Aitchison)(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Aggressive marketing continues to pay off for multiple retailer Dollond & Aitchison, which began 2004 with a 4 per cent growth in sales. Parent company De Rigo reported a sales figure for its UK retail subsidiary of E63.5m ([pounds...

Pro-Optic signs up deal to carry Robert La Roche.(Uniopt)
May 21, 2004... u Eyewear firm Pro-Optic of Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, has signed an agreement to handle the brands of Austrian company Uniopt in the UK. As a result, Pro-Optic, set up by Philip and Kay Richardson (pictured) in March 1998, will now...

Italian renaissance.(Mido )
May 21, 2004... Italy's giant exhibition saw its fortunes revive earlier this month, and helped pull its domestic market out of the doldrums Italy's premier optical event was beset by problems in 2003, not least a domestic market in freefall and an...

Sunclip comes in time for summer.
May 21, 2004... u Franklin Frames has released the Attirance collection with magnetic sunclip. Following the good reception from optical practices in London of the Titanium Collection earlier this year, the company is looking to supply its products to other...

Pick up your points on compact disc.
May 21, 2004... This week's issue contains a compact disc that offers readers the opportunity to earn up to 16 continuing education and training credits. The optician/Specsavers Professional Advancement Committee (PAC) CD-Rom offers eight credits from the...

Records offence leads to fine and suspension.
May 21, 2004... An optometrist has been suspended for three months and fined [pounds sterling]1,600 for inadequate record keeping after a patient who wanted his spectacles repaired ended up with a [pounds sterling]240 bill. London-based Mohsin Hassanali...

Mido confirms visitor boost.
May 21, 2004... The final attendance figures for Milan's optical fair, Mido, showed that the event has recovered from last year's SARS-affected exhibition. Attendance for the three-day show was 37,134, 60 per cent from overseas, an improvement of 46 per...

Consultancy sale may delay mandatory CET.(Common Entrance Test)(General Optical Council of United Kingdom)(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... The GOC's preferred provider for the management of its CET scheme, Sheffield-based Act Consulting, has been sold to another information services firm also situated in Yorkshire. This latest twist in the mandatory CET saga could mean a delay...

HRH joins SMC's celebrations.
May 21, 2004... HRH The Countess of Wessex joined heads of the UK professional bodies, the World Council of Optometry and ECOO at the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers' 375th anniversary celebrations in London this week. As patron of Vision 2020: The...

VE spends [pounds sterling]1m on TV loyalty campaign.(Vision Express)(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Vision Express is spending [pounds sterling]1m on a TV advertising campaign to widen the awareness of its 'Grand Advantage' card. The card, which was introduced last year after its success in Vision Express' sister stores in France, allows...

Specsavers reaches 600.(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Specsavers Opticians passed the 600-practice mark this month - and announced it had opened in 100 towns in less than 12 months. The 600th practice, in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, is run by optometrist director Philip Talbot and retail...

ECOO awards diplomas in Westminster.(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Three graduates - from Germany, Austria and France - were awarded their ECOO European Diplomas in Optometry last weekend in Westminster, adding to the two who graduated in 2002. Wolfgang Cagnolati, chair of the European (Continental)...

Leadership in practice.(British Contact Lens Association)(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... This weekend's BCLA Clinical Conference and Exhibition in Birmingham will host a symposium on practice management. To be held on the Saturday of the three-day show, it will highlight 'proactive approaches to contact lenses and team...

Agency boosts appointments.(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Neil MacArthur Eyecare has seen a 25 per cent increase in appointments over the last three months with the help of a direct marketing group. The Leeds-based opticians, which has seven branches and has an annual turnover of [pounds...

Optometrist admits child porn charges.(Brief Article)
May 21, 2004... Norfolk optometrist Gordon McCaghrey was placed on the sex offender register last week (May 13) after admitting 16 counts of making indecent pictures of children between January 1998 and January 2003, according to the Eastern Daily Press. ...

Uveitis: anterior - classification; Iritis, iridocyclitis.
May 28, 2004... DESCRIPTION Inflammation of the uveal tract. Anterior uveitis may be subdivided into: Iritis, inflammation affecting the iris. This is the most common type Iridocyclitis, in which the ciliary body is also affected. Causes of...

Best practice in contact lens business; Part 2 - Benchmarking study of optical practices.
May 28, 2004... In the second of three articles on managing and marketing your CL business, Mark Draper describes a study to benchmark best practice in category management of contact lenses and explains how successful practices set their contact lens pricing...

Ocular therapeutics - Part 6; The structure and function of the iris.
May 28, 2004... In the latest in this series, Professor John Lawrenson describes the structure of the iris and discusses the mechanism by which it regulates light entry into the eye (CETModule C4823f) The iris forms the anterior part of the uveal tract,...

Helping the visually impaired to drive.(BiOptic spectacle telescope)
May 28, 2004... Cornelis Verezen and Randall Jose discuss the use of the BiOptic spectacle telescope in the USand argue that people in Europe with impaired vision should also not be denied the freedom to drive a car The BiOptic telescope is a small...

omenwrites.(optometry and dispensing optics )
May 28, 2004... Pie in the sky? This month has seen the publication of two major documents affecting optometry and dispensing optics by the Department of Health. The first was the consultation document on the proposed changes to The Opticians Act 1989 and...

Doubts over pricing raised by DTI report.(Department of Trade and Industry)
May 28, 2004... Fears that deregulation would compromise optical standards were unfounded, but there was little evidence that competition had helped to lower retail prices. These are the conclusions of a new report by the Department of Trade and Industry...

Practitioner unaware of reminders.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... An optometrist charged with serious professional misconduct when he carried out eye examinations without being registered was found not guilty at a disciplinary hearing of the General Optical Council. The hearing was told of how...

Sisley styles for the younger wearer.
May 28, 2004... u The fashion house Sisley has launched a new eyewear collection aimed at the younger wearer. The collection consists of 25 models and features smaller eye sizes in a range of metal and acetate designs. Inspired by the philosophy of the...

OO cleared of charge.
May 28, 2004... Optometrist Stuart Maxwell was found not guilty of serious professional misconduct at a GOC disciplinary meeting last week. Hartlepool-based Maxwell, who has been practising for 13 years, denied the charge, which comprised practising while...

Misconduct is proven.
May 28, 2004... An optometrist who told a patient who later had surgery for a retinal detachment there was nothing to worry about was fined [pounds sterling]500 by a GOC disciplinary panel. A 34-year-old 'patient A' asked for an emergency appointment to...

Specsavers reaches accord with former Visionplus directors.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... Specsavers Opticians has reached an agreement with two former directors ahead of a planned industrial tribunal hearing (News, November 28 2003). A statement has been issued by the two former directors of Stratford Visionplus Ltd, Richard...

Slater vs Specsavers: new evidence heard.
May 28, 2004... The case of the locum optometrist who successfully sued multiple retailer Specsavers Opticians for unfair dismissal has taken another step towards resolution. As previously reported (News, December 19, 2003) Marvyn Slater took action after...

Loyal Partners share celebration.
May 28, 2004... u Norville's Laura Ashley Eyewear brand is celebrating 10 years of its Loyal Partners scheme, which gives practices advantageous terms, new point-of-sale material and the ability to exchange frames. The latest frame to be released is the...

United we stand, says FODO chief.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The executive director of FODO predicted the end of 'tribal warfare' among optics' professional bodies, and expected a united approach for the forthcoming major changes to optometry's regulatory framework. Speaking at the AOP's annual...

Industry seeks NVQ assessors.(National Vocational Qualification)
May 28, 2004... Assessors are being sought for a pilot of the newly developed National Vocational Qualification in optical manufacturing. A pilot scheme for the NVQ has been developed by the optical industry, the Science Engineering, Manufacturing...

'Urgent need' for primary care involvement.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... A south west primary care trust report published last week said there was an 'urgent need' to involve optometrists in the PCT's work. Exeter PCT was studied by the Healthcare Commission, and optical services was singled out as an area in...

Irish CET system is updated.
May 28, 2004... The Association of Optometrists Ireland has announced several changes to the Republic's CET system. In its latest newsletter for May 2004, the AOI stated that the system was 'under continuous review', and that the next CET year would start...

J&J launches 'lubricious' lens.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The long-awaited launch of the Acuvue Advance with Hydraclear heralded the start of the BCLA Conference in Birmingham last weekend. The lens is billed by its maker, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care as the next generation of contact lens due to...

Eyecare 3000 agrees CET deal with Boots.(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... Scottish conference Eyecare 3000 and Boots Opticians have entered into an agreement to provide CET to Boots' optometry staff in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It follows the announcement that the Eyecare 3000 conference will expand into...

BLCA success as over 1,000 attend event.(British Contact Lens Association )(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... With over 1,000 participants, 750 registered delegates and 800 in attendance at the Gala Dinner, organisers deemed last weekend's BCLA conference an outstanding success. A significant boost to numbers was through overseas registration,...

BSRS debates new guidelines.(British Society for Refractive Surgery)(Brief Article)
May 28, 2004... The 11th annual conference of the British Society for Refractive Surgery took place in Birmingham this week. The annual general meeting discussed the Royal College of Ophthalmologists' proposed guidelines for standards in refractive...

Turnover rises.
May 28, 2004... Dispensing and eye examinations may be up on March's figures but are lower than results for the same period last year. However, contact lens fits and total turnover are both looking healthy Figures for April appeared more mixed with...