Optician articles from November 2006

Optician archives from November 2006

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis.
November 10, 2006... DESCRIPTION Cytomegalovirus is a double-stranded DNA herpes virus to which most individuals are exposed by early adulthood. It seldom produces clinical illness in healthy individuals. Patients with poor immune function, however, are liable to...

Features.
November 10, 2006... No 7 Contact Lens Laboratory Product of the Year Award winner put in Nov 10 CMSOptical Products have only had their own trophy in the Optician Awards for two years but have quickly become one of most hotly contested categories. This year the...

Home of holistic eye care.
November 10, 2006... Holistic eye care is often discussed but rarely practised, so when judging this award the panel looked for practices that demonstrated a commitment to eye care in its widest sense. This was assessed by examining how far candidates went beyond...

Bausch & Lomb failed to report fungal cases.
November 10, 2006... Bausch & Lomb failed to report 35 cases of Fusarium keratitis linked to its ReNu with MoistureLoc solution, according to an 11-page warning letter from the Food & Drug Administration in the US.The contact lens company was required by law to...

Technology partners.(Nidek Company Ltd., Birmingham Optical Group PLC)(Company overview)
November 10, 2006... Chris Tyler liked the Nidek product range so much that when a change of distribution came about back in the early 1990s he moved companies to carry on representing the instruments. His long-term passion for the business has eventually resulted...

Optics before fashion.
November 10, 2006... The sleepy Suffolk town of Haverhill is a long way from Ensenada in Mexico, but if Bob Forgan has anything to do with it, the two will become inextricably linked. Most opticians view Anglo Italian as a commodity supplier of basic lenses but,...

Keratoconus - Part 3e_SFlbContact lens fitting.(Clinical report)
November 10, 2006... Keratoconus is a primary corneal ectasia, meaning the cornea is thin and distended. It is usually bilateral but may be asymmetric and, in some cases, it is virtually undetectable in one eye. Further investigation may show forme fruste...

Mystery shop reveals online supply failings.
November 10, 2006... Optician's latest mystery shopping exercise has found that one in five websites selling contact lenses are supplying patients without a specification.Six months after Optician performed a similar exercise (News, April 28) among contact lens...

Will different sized segments work for anisometropia?
November 10, 2006... Ask any student what they would do for a patient with anisometropia - a difference of greater than 2 dioptres of vertical power between the two eyes - and they will almost certainly offer different sized segments. Unfortunately this solution...

Figures bear no relation to reality.(Brief article)
November 10, 2006... - These figures stating the average optometrist does 35.5 tests per week (News, November 3) are quite frankly laughable, and bear no relation to the real world! All the optometrists I know do at least 70 per week.I have recalculated the figures...

head.
November 10, 2006... The 6th annual British Association of Retinal Screeners (BARS) conference was recently held in Blackpool. BARS is an organisation for anyone primarily involved in providing retinal screening services to people with diabetes, from technicians to...

News.(Brief article)(Calendar)
November 10, 2006... November12****First European Ortho-k Symposium, London (01424 850620)13****Total Marketing Resource, London, Optical Assistant 1 (tony@tmr.co.uk)13****City & Islington College, London, Open day and manufacturers' exhibition (Paul Condon: 020...

Limit on solutions bottle size.
November 10, 2006... Latest airline security measures came into effect this week, permitting passengers travelling from UK airports to carry contact lens solutions in bottles no greater than 100ml (News, September 29).Most contact lens solution companies currently...

New York meets Europe with Franklin Frames.(Brief article)
November 10, 2006... ? Franklin Frames has added new styles to its Nicole Miller and Hart Schaffner Marx ranges for autumn.Established American designer Nicole Miller has combined the New York fashion scene with European style to create the plastic Applique in...

Obituary - Ian Johnston.(Obituary)
November 10, 2006... Ian Johnston, a former director of Dollond & Aitchison Opticians, has died aged 57.He qualified as an optometrist in 1971. Making his mark as a successful practice manager in Wrexham, he was promoted to regional manager and then division...

News.
November 10, 2006... Bath-based frame firm Inspecs has moved from 75th to 39th in the Business Week European Hot Growth companies.The company, set up in 1988 by Robin Totterman and Chris Smith, has more than 600 staff and forecasts revenues of ?65m in 2006, up some...

Slipping through the net.
November 10, 2006... It is probably no great shock to the optical profession that a number of online contact lens suppliers are prepared to sell contact lenses without checking that the patient has a valid prescription.This is the finding of Optician's second...

Optometrist focuses his mind on New York Marathon.
November 10, 2006... ? Optometrist Andrew Keech took part in the New York Marathon last Sunday in memory of his late wife, Christina, who died from bone cancer last year.Keech, who works for My Eyes in London's Exmouth Market, Clerkenwell, ran the marathon for UK...

Features.
November 10, 2006... Frozen outWith just about two months to go until the eye care steering groups announce the results of the pilots that have been running concerning possible new ways for optometrists to practise, my mind has turned to what I may wish to do if my...

No prescription?
November 10, 2006... e_SSLqFrankly horrific' was how the General Optical Council described some of the responses to Optician's first mystery shopper exercise among online contact lens suppliers, carried out in February and March this year (Buyer beware, April...

AMO territory manager is up for an award.(Gareth Clarke of Advanced Medical Optics, Young Sales Professional of the Year at The National Sales Awards 2007)(Brief article)
November 10, 2006... ? Wooburn Green-based Gareth Clarke, territory manager with Advanced Medical Optics, is a finalist in the Young Sales Professional of the Year products category at The National Sales Awards 2007.The awards ceremony, now in its 10th year and...

News.(Minima open house)(Big Optician opens new shop)(Norfolk LOC joins Primary Health Net Website)(Brief article)
November 10, 2006... Rimless open dayMinima will demonstrate the art of rimless dispensing at an optics open day at City and Islington College next week. The November 13 open day, from 2-7pm, will promote the college's courses to prospective students and employers...

Obituary for long-serving optometrist.(Obituary)
November 10, 2006... ? Optometrist ME Maguire died on September 30 after a career in optometry spanning over 70 years. Born on November 24 1906, Maguire worked for Fleming Brothers Opticians from the age of 14 before completing his education and qualifying as an...

Online ordering system offers cost efficiencies.
November 10, 2006... Optical software company Ocuco-Relcon has launched an electronic ordering link between opticians and lens suppliers to provide a fast, efficient and accurate validated order system.The online system was developed by Ocuco-Relcon's lab software...

Features.(patient management software)(Ocuco-Relcon merger)
November 10, 2006... Patient management systems are just the start of an IT revolution that will change the face of retail optics says Ocuco-RelconWhen Ocuco and Relcon merged this summer to form Ocuco-Relcon you could have been fooled into thinking that they just...

Seeking support for voucher idea.(Letter to the editor)
November 10, 2006... - In response to Roger Owens' letter (November 3), he may be interested to know that a dozen optometrists in Worcestershire have collectively written to Health Minister Rosie Winterton proposing that the GOS 1 form be turned into a voucher...

New shades offer more options.
November 10, 2006... ? International Polarizer, the division of PPG Industries, has introduced two new colours to its line of sunglass polarisers, bringing the total number of colour options to 12.The new colours, dark and medium green, were created in response to...

Fitness to practise case adjourned.
November 10, 2006... Fitness to practise proceedings against a pre-reg optometrist, who is the subject of a police investigation following allegations made against him by a 14-year-old girl, have been put on temporary hold until next week.The General Optical...

Chain store pricing helps independents.
November 10, 2006... National pricing strategies adopted by the larger optical chains are helping independent retailers to survive, according to new research published by the Economic and Social Research Council.National rather than local pricing strategies...

GOC agrees with focus on public safety.(General Optical Council)(Brief article)
November 10, 2006... The General Optical Council this week welcomed the emphasis on public protection running through government proposals to improve the regulation of healthcare professionals. Responding to the consultation on Healthcare Professional Regulation,...

a good time for Seiko.(award for Bertold Oestermann of Seiko Optical)(Brief article)
November 10, 2006... Seiko Optical was celebrating last week after European operations manager Bertold Oestermann was singled out for outstanding contribution at this year's European Supply Chain Awards. Pictured, left to right, are Peter Wiles, operations manager...

Prost is new face of serengeti.(Formula 1 champion Alain Prost endorsement for Serengeti Eyewear Inc.)(Brief article)
November 10, 2006... Quadruple Formula 1 champion Alain Prost is now the face of Serengeti driving sunglasses, having been so impressed by the effectiveness and performance that he agreed to represent the brand. As a result of the partnership a limited series of...

Silmo focus.
November 10, 2006... As Silmo as an event grows, it is becoming increasingly fashion driven. One company taking advantage of the focus on fashion was Carl Zeiss Vision Sunlens. The company unveiled the first branded sun lens at this year's exhibition. To...

Former practice boss faces fraud charges.
November 10, 2006... In what is Fraud Awareness Month (November 9 to December 9), a former Specsavers store boss from Merthyr Tydfil is in court accused of defrauding Bro Taf Health Authority of ?56,000.Roger King who was a director of the store from 1993 to 2003...

Ford wins best launch.(Tom Ford's eyewear collection wins award from Accessories Council)(Brief article)
November 10, 2006... Fashion designer Tom Ford, pictured (right) with Marcolin chief executive Maurizio Marcolin, has been awarded 'best accessory launch of the year' by the Accessories Council for the Tom Ford eyewear collection. The Accessories Council Excellence...

News.
November 10, 2006... UrbanstyleWhile his contemporaries are experimenting with acetates and metallics, Scott Urban is creating frames out of more unusual materials. For the Chicago-based spectacle maker, old vinyl records and exotic woods are his source of...

Spyders, Hornets and Flexibugs.
November 10, 2006... ? Zoobug is a new collection of children's designer eyewear available for autumn/winter 2006 and created by UK eye surgeon Julie Diem Le.Inspired by her extensive professional contact with children and the need to increase awareness of the...

Attention all cat lovers.
November 10, 2006... ? Optometrist Andrew Gasson and his sister Rosemary have written a guide to cat food entitled The Good Cat Food Guide, published by Ebury Press.Illustrated by Southampton-based optometrist Kevin Oxlade, the guide includes 80 detailed reports...

Features.
November 10, 2006... That was another week that wasHardly a week goes by at the moment that doesn't have a tag of some sort.This week, for those of you who don't know, is Age Related Macular Degeneration week and of all the 'weeks' has probably generated the most...

News.
November 10, 2006... Features14****No prescription? - No problemOptician repeats a mystery shopping exercise of internet contact lens suppliers. 16****Silmo focusLens companies make the most of the opportunity to display their latest products.18****Optics before...

The future of screening.
November 10, 2006... The sixth annual British Association of Retinal Screeners (BARS) conference was held recently in Blackpool. BARS is an organisation for anyone primarily involved in providing retinal screening services to people with diabetes, from technicians...

Ophthalmic Drugs.
November 10, 2006... I will share with most, if not all, optometrists reading this review a sense of nostalgia and anticipation following the appearance of the 5th edition of Ophthalmic Drugs by Graham Hopkins and Richard Pearson. Nostalgia, in that from its...

Kodak InstaShades introduces polycarbonate lens.
November 10, 2006... ? The Kodak InstaShades lens is now available in polycarbonate which Signet Armorlite Europe said offered the combination of the fastest fading photochromic with 10 times the strength of a standard plastic lens.The lens is available in single...

News.
November 10, 2006... CIBA Vision respondsOur mystery shop scenario involved only one lens brand, Focus Dailies, the UK's best-selling lens, as an example. Secondsightonline.co.uk, which is run by an optical practice in Bromley, dispatched lenses to our mystery...

Sanitiser kills in an instant.
November 10, 2006... ? No-Germs is an instant hand sanitiser which claims to kill 99.8 per cent of all-known germs in 15 seconds.The company said No-Germs offers protection from Staphylococcus spp, Pseudomonas spp, Escherichia coli, Enteroccus spp and Salmonella,...

News.
November 10, 2006... OPTICS DEBATES PRESCRIBING AT DINNERIndependent prescribing was up for debate at the optical bodies' Autumn dinner this week as representatives from all the optical bodies gathered at Durrants Hotel, London.The discussion looked at four key...

Retinal cell transplants help to restore vision.
November 10, 2006... Scientists at University College London's Institute of Ophthalmology have unveiled 'stunning' new research where retinal cell transplants have successfully restored vision in mice.The paper, published in yesterday's edition of Nature, shows...

Diabetes.
November 17, 2006... DESCRIPTIONDiabetic retinopathy (DR) is a microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus which can result in severe loss of vision.? Type 1, or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), is due to insulin deficiency? Type 2, or...

Actman celebrates 20 years with 50 per cent discount.
November 17, 2006... ? Andrew Actman is celebrating 20 years of successful business with a 50 per cent discount day on November 27.The discount will be applied to any order made by independent opticians and customers booking appointments. Sales representatives on...

Bausch & Lomb expands toric range.
November 17, 2006... ? Bausch & Lomb has extended the parameters of its PureVision Toric silicone hydrogel contact lens. The new parameters are plus powers from +0.25D to +6.00D in 0.25D steps and cylinder -2.25D. Existing powers are plano to -6.00D in 0.25D steps...

Belstaff waxes fashionable.
November 17, 2006... Belstaff, whose frames and sunglasses are now available to the UK market, is experiencing rapid growth worldwide as befits a brand with a logo of a rising phoenix.Belstaff has a rich history, having been set up in Stoke-on-Trent in 1924 and was...

News.
November 17, 2006... There is a new name in the eyewear market with the launch of Belstaff, a brand that has pedigree in making no-nonsense clothing for active peopleBelstaff, whose frames and sunglasses are now available to the UK market, is experiencing rapid...

News.(Correction notice)
November 17, 2006... Further to the item 'ABDO clarifies college funding' (Optician Sept 22, 2006) I would like to make it clear that we have at no time suggested that ABDO had spent too much on funding the College. Our concern was simply that the board of ABDO...

Dunelm and Carolina Herrera.(Correction notice)
November 17, 2006... ? In our November 3 issue we published an article which stated that Carolina Herrera Eyewear was licensed to the US frame company Base Curve, a division of REM Eyewear. This licence applies to North America and Carolina Herrera is in fact...

Carl Zeiss Vision reveals brand identities.
November 17, 2006... ? The recently formed Carl Zeiss Vision business is mailing its first corporate brochure to the entire UK optical market.The new brochure details the story behind the formation of Carl Zeiss Vision and gives a colourful insight into the new...

News.
November 17, 2006... - I would like to thank all those who supported me in the recent GOC elections. I am delighted to have been elected as a representative of England optometrists. Over the next five years I will endeavour to effectively contribute to the...

Christmas bonus.(gift shopping)
November 17, 2006... The decorations have been hung, the carols CD has been set to repeat and the Santa hats have been handed out to staff. Christmas is nearly upon us and the vast majority of retailers have finalised their preparations for the coming month and...

Holland in the picture.(digital display system of De-pict at Keith Holland Associates)(Brief article)
November 17, 2006... ? De-pict is celebrating the 50th installation of its digital display system at Cheltenham-based Keith Holland Associates.Optometrist and owner Keith Holland (pictured right with De-pict's Ian Richardson) saw the system 12 months ago and has...

DO faces two years of random drug tests.
November 17, 2006... A cocaine-using dispensing optician has been found guilty of misconduct and given a conditional registration order for 24 months in which he will face a programme of random drug tests.Nathan Thomas Ryan, from Chester, who had worked at...

News.(product development of Ego International)
November 17, 2006... When it comes to test marketing product to spot trends, global companies are increasingly turning to Sweden which has smallish and discerning population which allows researchers to see how a trend travels. 'People pick up trends, they travel...

News.(Brief article)
November 17, 2006... The idea of using a GOS 1 as a voucher towards the eye examination is brilliant. After all this is only what has happened in dentistry over the last few years. Even as an NHS patient you will only receive a contribution to your 6 monthly...

News.(Brief article)
November 17, 2006... The Eye Health Alliance will promote the importance of eye care to other professionals when it attends the NHS Alliance's annual conference for the first time on November 23-24. An Eye Health Alliance spokesperson commented: 'This is an...

Xtreme pushes fashion factor.(Brief article)
November 17, 2006... ? Eyegenie is an external eyelid retractor that uses a set of disposable, delicate soft-grip tips to comfortably move one or both eyelids providing unencumbered access to the eye.Hilco said that Eyegenie is easy to use and enables procedures...

Flying the flag.
November 17, 2006... Boots Opticians is set inside the Boots flagship retail store in Sedley Place on London's Oxford Street. Positioned beneath a large 'Optician' sign, the practice is next to the healthcare department which practice manager Cindy Higgins says is...

Features.
November 17, 2006... On occasion I am disgusted by flagrant displays of eyewear heresy by the international pool of celebrities. However, there are many occasions when I am also delighted by top quality cutting edge bins which I sometimes get to write about here as...

GOC declares election result.
November 17, 2006... The GOC has announced the result of its elections of optometrists and dispensing opticians in England, Scotland and Wales.Turnout was 20 per cent and a total of 3,322 votes were cast out of 16,247 voting papers issued.DOs James Russell, Keith...

Reasons for time on CET compliance.
November 17, 2006... - In response to your correspondent ('Failures should be forced to comply,' Optician. Letters, November 3), the CET rules give registrants an additional period of time to make up a shortfall after December 31. However, practitioners should...

Hoyalux iD extended.
November 17, 2006... ? Hoyalux iD can now be ordered in prescriptions from +8.00 to -13.00 with a 6.00 cyl on Eyry 1.70, Eynoa 1.67 and Eyas 1.60 lens materials.Hoya said the Hoyalux iD was a completely new lens design that offered progressive wearers unprecedented...

As worn by 007.
November 17, 2006... Bond, James Bond. Suave, sophisticated and quintessentially British, Commander Bond has more than just beautiful women longing to be associated with him. The last Bond film Die Another Day raised a record ?44m from product placement....

Panel beaters get the hang of optics.(Brief article)
November 17, 2006... - If any of my colleagues are wondering how our profession is perceived by the outside world, the following anecdote will provide great comfort. I recently had the privilege of adjusting the frame of a very particular retired gentleman. He...

News.(Brief article)
November 17, 2006... Places availableA limited number of places are still available for the British Contact Lens Association's Optical Receptionists' Course in London on Monday December 4. Presented by Sarah Morgan, the course is aimed at front-line staff involved...

News.
November 17, 2006... Safilo goes BananasSafilo has signed a licence agreement for Gap's luxury brand Banana Republic. The worldwide agreement will begin with a collection being launched in the US and Canada by the end of 2007. Banana Republic has stores in North...

Ego-centric.(forecasts of Ego Optiska AB)
November 17, 2006... When it comes to test marketing product to spot trends, global companies are increasingly turning to Sweden, which has a small and discerning population, allowing researchers to see how a trend travels.Anders Feuk, export manager of Ego Optiska...

The joy of winning.(Jean-Charles Allary of Joy Opticians gets award)(Brief article)
November 17, 2006... Optos UK sales and marketing manager Jane McGregor is pictured presenting Jean-Charles Allary of Joy Opticians in Chiswick, London with a Canon Ixus digital camera as his prize for winning our summer Optos image competition. Runners-up Monica...

Optrafair offers exhibitors niche opportunities at NEC.(Brief article)
November 17, 2006... Exhibition space at April's Optrafair is now 70 per cent booked but potential exhibitors can be accommodated in a range of locations according to show owner, the Federation of Manufacturing Opticians.Space close to the ACE lecture campus, the...

News.(Brief article)
November 17, 2006... - If Roger Owen (Letters, November 3) and Jim Osborne (Letters, November 10) do not, there are many others who should recall that I and other people were suggesting vouchers 20 years ago. The AOP 'top table' rejected the suggestion out of hand....

Optom fails in fourth restoration attempt.( )(cases of General Optical Council against Ashim Parti)(Brief article)
November 17, 2006... An optometrist who was struck off and fined for claiming payment for as many as 70 eye tests a day has failed in a bid for reinstatement.Rejecting Ashim Parti's fourth attempt to be restored to the register, the General Optical Council's...

Frith warned over fields and records.
November 17, 2006... The General Optical Council fitness to practise committee has warned optometrist Robert Frith that his professional performance was 'deficient', but ruled that his fitness to practise is not impaired.The verdict was announced last week after a...

Safilo enters retail sector.
November 17, 2006... International eyewear company Safilo has acquired Loop Vision, a 61-practice group of opticians in Spain, for ?23m marking its first entry into the retail sector in Europe.The frame company released third-quarter results for 2006 showing...

Flagship opens.
November 17, 2006... Scrivens' flagship store in Birmingham city centre has reopened after undergoing a significant refurbishment. Branch manager Andrew Taylor is pictured with Claudette Douglas, a Scrivens patient given the star treatment, and the Lord Mayor of...

The clothes show.(Silmo show)
November 17, 2006... e_SSLqMaterial world' could have easily been adopted as the theme tune to this year's Silmo show, as the new eyewear collections from both major brands and boutique designers drew heavily on the world of textiles. Lace, tartan, quilting and Far...

Former boss accuses staff.
November 17, 2006... A former Specsavers director from Merthyr Tydfil, accused of defrauding Bro Taf Health Authority of ?56,000, told a court his staff wanted to see him knocked off his pedestal.Giving evidence at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, Roger King claimed...

Retractor offers easy access.(Stepper UK introduces the Xtreme collection)(Brief article)
November 17, 2006... ? The Xtreme collection, available exclusively through Stepper UK, aims to give style at an attractive price.The company said that the latest styles from Xtreme push the brand's styling further into the growing niche of high-value, high fashion...

Chunky Teddy.
November 17, 2006... ? Funk Designs said its 'fantastically funky, chunky' Teddy Smith collection generated 'an encouraging amount of UK interest' at Silmo this year. The collection is characterised by bold styling and vibrant colour combinations in acetate. ?...