editor's letter

One Giant Step

by Stephanie K. De Long

No, we didn't walk on the moon. Recently, anyway. But something really incredible did happen in our industry this summer. Something about which I am absolutely amazed and incredibly jazzed.

It's ironic that the event occurred in Chicago because unlike the folkloric history of this city where I grew up, everyone did, indeed, park their pistols at the door and put politics aside.

Called the Eye Health Summit, the "everybody" I'm referring to is more than 100 big guns from all sides of our business—from ECPs and nonprofits to suppliers and managed care companies, to name just some of the sectors—who came together for two days with a single mission in mind. That was to take the first giant step toward creating a consistent public eye health message for consumers, a plan to deliver it, and funding to sustain it.

Several major players, including associations and suppliers, are currently spending millions of ad dollars to communicate their individual messages on the importance of eyecare to consumers. But, what if all those dollars, and many million more, were dedicated to delivering a single, unified message to the American consumer? Just imagine what that could do.

With the just-announced next phase of the process—the formation of the Healthy Eyes for Life Foundation—that lofty goal is one step closer to reality. Though there's much to be done between now and then, the hope is to launch a consumer campaign by 2011.

As editor-in-chief, I've published a lot of predictions about our business. But I'd never have dreamt this many of the majors in our oft-splintered optical industry would step so in sync.

I'm proud of the collective us. And, I hope you are, too.

Kudos to everyone involved.

Stephanie K. De Long
Editor-in-Chief

P.S. For more info, go to www.eyehealthsummit.com.