news
Hot List: July 2011
Alicia Isenberg
1 Tides of Change
Baby boomers are aging, making way for a new wave of consumers. Following are the U.S. Census Bureau's projected population estimates for the United States by 2015, broken up by generation.
26.7%
Millenials (born 1981-2000)
22.9%
Baby boomers (born 1946-1964)
20.5%
Generation X (born 1965-1980)
9.7%
Matures (born before 1946)
2 I feel therefore I am
In her “Macro Trends 2015+” paper, futurist and Kjaer Global founder Anne Lise Kjaer reveals that consumers of the future will respond best to companies that create an emotional connection. In order to be successful, Kjaer says companies must engage customers on four key levels:
- Scientific
- Social
- Emotional
- Spiritual
3 Mobile Mavens
With smartphones growing in popularity, search engine superpower Google foresees a growth in mobile advertising. In fact, it predicts that mobile will be the number-one screen through which users engage with advertisers' digital brands.
4 NEW CONSUMERS
PricewatershouseCooper and TNS Retail Forward's Retailing 2015: New Frontiers report revealed that consumers are changing the way they shop, putting more emphasis on personalization, looking for opportunities where their input matters, and valuing product and service solutions.
Vision-Ease
Lens Recovers From Jakarta Facility's Fire
Vision-Ease Lens (VEL) announced that it has fully recovered from the fire at the company's Jakarta facility. In addition, Vision-Ease CEO Doug Hepper has reported a production increase of more than two million pairs of lenses over the last couple months.
The Jakarta facility produces glass and polycarbonate lenses. The November 2009 fire, caused by an electrical short, created an estimated a 6,000,000 to 700,000 pairs-per-month loss. Some production was moved to VEL's Ramsey, Minn., facility, which tripled its production. In a little more than two months after the fire the Jakarta site was cleaned up, and by February 2011, the outside, floor, and cleanroom panels were installed. This spring has been spent re-qualifying equipment.
The company paid and utilized its 700-strong Jakarta workforce throughout the cleanup. In spite of the crisis, new products such as Thindex 1.70, among others, were released.
More than $20 million was spent to rebuild the Jakarta facility, with insurance paying 90 percent and VEL opting to go 10 percent beyond what the insurance covered. Production is now split more evenly between the Jakarta and Ramsey facilities. The percentage of space allotted in Jakarta's new layout is 65 percent poly, 13 percent glass, 11 percent warehouse, and 11 percent office space.
Vision-Ease Lens' Jakarta facility debuts a new exterior, recovering from an electrical fire that took place in 2009
| LICENSE LINEUP |
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| Marchon Group has signed a license agreement with Italy's Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A for the design, distribution, promotion, and sale of men's and women's sunwear and ophthalmic eyewear worldwide. The initial Salvatore Ferragamo eyewear collection from Marchon is set to debut at retail in January 2012. In other news, Marchon has also inked a new global license agreement with Valentino. The license agreement, which begins in January of next year gives Marchon exclusive rights to manufacture and distribute Valentino sun and ophthalmic collections. Alexander McQueen has renewed its eyewear license agreement with Safilo Group, under which Safilo will continue to manufacture and distribute the brand's eyewear until Dec. 31, 2015. |
GOOD IDEA
The Think About Your Eyes campaign has increased the number of comprehensive yearly eye exams and vision health awareness.
Achieving its goal, the multi-faceted public awareness campaign, which was originally launched in 2010, uses TV, radio, online, and social media to reach more than 22 percent of the U.S. population and drive about 1.6 million comprehensive eye exams—a six percent improvement in the number of exams and a 36 percent improvement in the number of new patients scheduling exams. As a result of its success, eyecare professionals have detected more than 300,000 incremental cases of potentially blinding eye diseases.
The ads focus on eye health and wellness issues that can be detected with routine comprehensive eye exams and encourage consumers to locate ECPs in their area by visiting thinkaboutyoureyes.com.
Santinelli Joins Relief Efforts
Santinelli International has donated a state-of-the-art lens finishing lab to VSP Vision Care and Transitions Optical, Inc.'s Eyenstein Mobile Eyes Clinic, an on-the-road clinic deployed to aid individuals affected by the storms in the South and Midwest. So far, Santinelli's donation has helped Eyenstein volunteers fit more than 500 individuals with glasses.
VSP's Niki Myers using a Santinelli lens edging system aboard the Eyenstein Mobile Eyes Clinic
| Essilor Breaks Ground on New Facility |
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Essilor recently broke ground on its new, world-class Innovation and Technology Center. Based in Farmer's Branch, Texas, the new 43,000 square-foot facility will house both Essilor's research and development and engineering resources and equipment under one roof. The facility is scheduled to open in April 2012. 
Essilor of America president and CEO John Carrier (l) with City of Farmer's Branch, Texas mayor Bill Glancy (r) |
Web Watch
Mykita recently launched a new website (mykita.com) featuring improved navigation and detailed product information. Visitors to the site can browse the latest Mykita offerings and view the current campaign, which was shot by New York-based photographer Mark Borthwick.
The Eye Foundation of America's new website, created with the purpose of providing information about ways to eliminate avoidable childhood blindness worldwide, boasts a blog, news, research papers, photographs, and videos as well as detailed information about the organization's recent work.
Serengeti's all-new website (serengeti-eyewear.com) captures the spirit of the brand with a blend of sophisticated graphics and interactive features. The easy-to-use site showcases the company's full selection of sunwear and highlights key product features using interactive graphics on the Technology page.
Opticians Association of America member Brent McCardle, an Opticianry instructor at Durham Technical Community College in Durham, N.C., has developed Optical Tool, an iPhone application designed to help students, faculty, and opticians have quick access to optical information. The application, which is available at the Apple App Store for $1.99, has seven formulas (Back Vertex, Compensated Power, Oblique Meridian, Prentic's Rule, Resultant Prism, Resolving Prism, and Thickness) and includes a reference to ANSI Standards.
ECPs can preview ClearVision Optical's Marc Ecko Cut & Sew collection on its exclusive new website, clearvisionoptical.com/marcecko, before the line becomes available for purchase on August 1. Visitors to the site can watch all-new videos and explore the history of the Cut & Sew line as well as the inspirations behind it.
Eyefinity will host its third annual Virtual Users' Group Meeting from July 25 to 29. The meeting is free for OfficeMate/ExamWRITER users and consists of more than 30 training webinars covering e-prescribing, creating a paperless office, inventory management, patient history documentation, OfficeMate scheduler best practices and marketing tools, and much more. Attendees will also get a sneak peak of OfficeMate/ExamWRITER (v10.5), which is set to release this summer. To register, visit officemate.net/usergroup.aspx.
VSP Vision Care has launched the second season of its EyeFiles webisode series which centers around a mom wrestling with her concerns over her children's eye health. The four-part series stars the NBA's Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans as well as VSP optometrist Leanne Liddicoat, OD, who dispenses tips to help keep children's vision healthy while participating in sports, playing outside in the sun, using digital devices, or watching 3D movies. Links to the series can be found on VSP's Facebook (facebook.com/VSPVisionCare) and YouTube pages.
Vistakon, Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., announced the launch of “Healthy Vision with Dr. Val Jones,” a new online radio program devoted to educating and improving the eye health of America.
ClearVision Optical's new site showcases the Marc Ecko Cut & Sew Collection
Mykita debuts a new website, featuring the work of photographer Mark Northwick
Visit EyeFoundationofAmerica.com for info on eliminating avoidable childhood blindness
The Serengeti website has a new look to better align with the spirit of the brand
On The Town
Executives and brand managers from Viva International Group attended the Candie's Foundation “Event to Prevent” 10th anniversary gala, which Viva has sponsored and supported for several years.
Safilo USA and Solstice Sunglass Boutique provided celebrities with beachside sunglass fittings during the 64th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France. In addition, the duo sponsored The Variety Studio, a popular festival-filmmaker video series featuring memorable interviews with indie and award-winning actors, directors, writers, and producers.
In other news, Safilo USA celebrated the launch of the Tommy Hilfiger Eyewear collection with a rooftop party at The Jimmy in New York City. At the event, invited guests were treated to a private screening of “Sight | Sound,” a film by Mikey DeTemple.
Lacoste Eyewear by Marchon Group was the official eyewear of the 2011 MTV Movie Awards. Both presenters and nominees, including Cameron Diaz, Leighton Meester, and Natalie Portman, among others, were outfitted with the latest Lacoste sunglass styles.
1. Safilo-sporting Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt at Cannes; 2. Eden Wexler, Ross Brownlee, Kelley Hayes, and 3. TV star Kelly Bensimon at the Tommy Hilfiger Eyewear launch
4-5. Celebrity nominees and presenters were fitted with Lacoste sunglasses by Marchon Group at the Lacoste Eyewear-sponsored 2011 MTV Movie Awards
6. Singing sensation Bruno Mars performs at the Candie's Foundation “Event to Prevent” 10th anniversary gala in New York City; 7. (l to r) Viva's Salvatore Rianna, Don Fatula, and Ron McLaughlin with Viva president Frank Rescigna
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According to the EB Market Study, completed last month, here's how practice revenue breaks down for our survey respondents:
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OLA Provides Renewed Products and Programs
Six months after its affiliation with The Vision Council, the Optical Laboratories Association (OLA) continues to provide products and services to ECPs and OLA member laboratories. Updated and new products and programs include the following.
■ “OLA Progressive Identifier Book 2011” has been dramatically reformatted to make it faster and easier for ECPs to find information, with one graphic for each lens design instead of many. Additional information about a design, such as available materials, filters, and recommended fitting height, are now in one place.
■ “Clear Choices: YOUR Eyes, YOUR Lenses, YOUR Choices,” formerly the OLA Lens Menu, is a brochure for consumers that now includes information about recent lens technology. Facts on lens materials, designs, and treatment options, along with a lifestyle questionnaire, help patients become involved in lens selection.
■ “Indispensable Dispensing Guide, 2nd Edition,” a training tool for optical personnel in a lab or practice, addresses topics, such as eye anatomy; optical terminology; lens materials, designs, and treatments; and prescriptions, frame selection, fitting, and final adjustments.
■ The OLA's Annual Meeting, to be held from September 22 to 24 at the 2011 International Vision Expo West in Las Vegas, will kick off with the Twelfth Annual Hall of Fame Banquet to honor Hall of Fame inductees and the Director's Choice recipient. This year all VEW attendees, not just lab personnel, can register to attend OLA education seminars.
■ Currently scheduled OLA seminars include: Standards, Regulations, and Technical Issues for Labs; What Do ECPs Want from Labs?; Enhanced Vision vs. Restored Vision; ecommerce—Online Eyewear; The Race to the Future Begins Today; How to Change Your Surfacing (Because You Are Going to Change!); First-Time-Fit Finishing: High Wrap, Bevels, Drill Mounts; and Finishing Robotics—Making the Decision. Several of the courses are panels or hands-on format.
Visit ola-labs.org for more information on the OLA 2011 and OLA products.
| VISION EXPO WEST REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN |
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| Registration for this year's International Vision Expo West is now open. Show organizers estimate that more than 13,000 eyecare professionals will attend the tradeshow, to be held at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas from Sept. 21 to 25, 2011. This year, VEW attendees will have access to 388 hours of continuing education, an 80-hour increase from last year, including the Frame Buyer Certificate Program, co-sponsored by Eyecare Business. This year's CE program encompasses three core competencies—Disease Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management; Clinical Application of Products; and Healthy Business Solutions. INFO: visionexpowest.com |
Transitions Optical Names New President
Transitions Optical, Inc., has promoted Dave Cole to president, assuming responsibility for the company's business effective immediately. Cole, who has been with Transitions Optical since the company launched in 1990, was named COO in October 2010. In his new, expanded role, Cole will be accountable for leveraging the regional and global leadership teams and business strategy development and execution, all while continuing to build strong strategic partnerships to drive the overall photochromic market.
After a nine-year period of moving through a variety of sales and marketing positions with PPG Industries, Inc., Cole joined Transitions Optical 21 years ago as manager of sales and business development. Since then he has served as business manager, general manager, added Australia and New Zealand to his North American responsibilities, and added global strategic initiatives.
Cole's leadership has led to significant company growth and strong loyalty from industry partners. He holds a bachelor's degree in medicine from the University of Notre Dame.
Transitions Optical president, Dave Cole
AOA Elects its First Woman President
The American Optometric Association elected its first woman president, Dori Carlson, OD, of North Dakota, during Optometry's Meeting in June. Carlson succeeds Joe Ellis, OD.
Carlson says her primary goal for the year will be making sure the pediatric vision benefit in the upcoming healthcare reform includes eye exams for young children, not just screenings. She also plans to continue her “20/20 Tour,” in which she plans to visit 20 schools and colleges in 20 months to promote AOA membership to future optical professionals. In addition, Carlson will help the AOA be proactive in other eye healthcare reform, such as getting other states to follow Kentucky's lead in passing legislation that will give state optometry boards more say in ODs' scope of practice.
| Optometry Giving Sight Appoints New U.S. National Committee Chair |
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| Mary Anne Murphy, OD, of Front Range Eye Associates, P.C., in Broomfield, Colo., has been named the Optometry Giving Sight's (OGS) U.S. National Committee chair. In her new role, Dr. Murphy will lead the OGS's efforts to raise funds for people who are blind or vision impaired because of uncorrected refractive error and help OGS procure funding for projects that will provide affordable and accessible eyecare services to people in underserved communities. Optometry Giving Sight was created in 2003 as a means of mobilizing resources from the global community to fund the development of sustainable eyecare projects for people in need. Today, 85 percent of every donation to Optometry Giving Sight goes directly to support these programs. 
Mary Anne Murphy, OD, (c) teaching a group of ODs during a trip to Tanzania sponsored by Vision Source and OGS |
STARGazers
1. Funny man Seth Rogen sports Indie's “Quinn” frame by REM Eyewear while on the set of his upcoming comedy, “My Mother's Curse,” in which Rogen portrays an inventor on the road trying to sell his latest invention with the help of his mother, played by Barbara Streisand.
2. Former Victoria's Secret model and aspiring actress Karolína Kurková was spotted wearing GA 853/S style Giorgio Armani sunglasses by Safilo at The Variety Studio at the Stella Artois Lounge.
3. Legendary artist Stevie Wonder looking dapper in Tommy Bahama Sun Style TB537S in Deep Water by Altair Eyewear. Wonder was recently inducted into the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame at the Apollo Spring Gala 2011 in New York City.
4. Model and TV host Heidi Klum, with daughter Lou in tow, hits the streets wearing Christian Roth style CR14289 Vision XXL sunglasses. Klum recently launched a new lifestyle website with AOL, heidiklum.aol.com, to share her real-life parenting, fashion, and fitness insights with her fans.
QSpex Receives Polarized Patent
QSpex Technologies, Inc., has been granted a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for applying polarized film and scratch-resistant coating to lens casting molds. The patented technology forms the basis of the QSpex Q-Polar lens, which should be available in September 2011.
The patented process involves pre-applying polarized film and scratch-resistance to the mold's inner surface, which are then transferred from the mold during the curing process to become an integral part of the lens, allowing QSpex Premium Lens System users to produce polarized single-vision or PALs in-office.
QSpex's Q-Polar lenses block 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays and can be drilled, edged, notched, or grooved with any edger
| EYEMED debuts ‘KidsEyes’ Vision Benefit |
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| Luxottica Group's EyeMed Vision Care is set to launch a new eyecare benefit tailored to the active lifestyles of children 18 years and younger. EyeMed's KidsEyes is being sold on a group-benefit basis, with coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2012. In order to receive the KidsEyes benefits, parents must also enroll in EyeMed coverage for themselves. The program covers two eye exams within a single benefit year; an additional covered pair of glasses if the child's vision changes during a benefit year; a 40 percent discount on subsequent pairs, including replacing broken or lost glasses; and a 20 percent discount on sports-related eyewear and plano sunglasses. The plan also funds polycarbonate and photochromic lenses as well as professional contact lens services. |
Magic Design's Margaret Furman dies at 61
Funeral services for Margaret Furman, Magic Design/Visual Dynamics Inc.'s co-founder and vice president of marketing, were held last month in California. She was 61 years old.
Furman, along with her husband, Cy, started Magic Design in the early 1980s. At the time, the company specialized in glass showcases for retailers, until 1983 when they focused exclusively on design and merchandising business for retail dispensaries. Today, the company has expanded its offerings to include client services ranging from lighting to flooring and furniture selections.
Furman is survived by her husband, her daughter, and her granddaughter.
| Test Your Mettle! |
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| Whether you're new to your profession or have been in practice for 20 years, remembering everything you've learned is one tough assignment. To help you clear any cobwebs, Test Your Mettle features one question each month for optometrists from a previous Varilux Optometry Super Bowl and one for opticians from a National Federation of Opticianry Schools College Bowl. Thanks to Essilor and NFOS for providing this month's questions and answers. OPTOMETRY Q. Your single vision lens power is +3.00 +2.25 X30. If the lens has a base curve of +6.00 D, what are the remaining two curves? OPTICIANRY Q. Minus Powered lenses diverge light rays and create /archive/2011/July/images/focal points that are known as ___________? Answers, below |
| Test Your Mettle ANSWERS |
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| Thanks to Essilor and the NFOS for providing this month's questions and answers. Optometry Answer: −0.75D and −3.00D Opticianry Answer: Virtual /archive/2011/July/images/virtual focal points |
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