News
Wearable Tech Continues its Advance in Optical
Wearable technology is no longer the “someday” product that optical tech geeks talked about years ago. It’s here. Though Google Glass hasn’t found the consumer love it wanted yet, it is experiencing success in the occupational applications.
And if the show floor at Vision Expo East (VEE) was any indication, optical companies are ready to take wearable tech and make it their own. Here’s a sampling of what’s happening.
VSP Global took its first wearable prototype—Project Genesis—for a spin around the show floor, literally. Project Genesis hides sensor technology within the temple of Dragon frames and tracks the wearer’s steps, calories burned, activity time, and distance traveled, among other readings. It syncs via Bluetooth to a custom app so the user can visualize the data and get personalized feedback.
Project Genesis, the first product to originate from VSP’s The SHOP innovation center, is still in its testing phase, but Leslie Muller and Jay Sales, who lead The SHOP, were on hand to discuss what may soon be a reality. Furthermore, VSP Global beta testers were at the company booth for a few hours during VEE, exercising and walking and showing off their progress to all who were interested.
PFO Global, in partnership with EyePALS Inc., debuted its WeOn Glasses, which interact with a smartphone or tablet for several functions. With WeOn, wearers can access social media, SMS and scheduled notifications, remote control accessibility, and other customized functions. The eyewear, available in both optical and sun and in single vision and free-form progressive lenses, incorporates a Bluetooth 4.0 chip, multicolor LED, buzzer notifications, two-button touch remote control—all inserted into one of the frame temples. It includes its own iOS or Android app.
Rochester Optical has secured a safety rating for its Smart Safety Shield for Google Glass, becoming the first and only optical manufacturer offering safety solutions for Glass. Glass has found a foothold in several occupational settings, where wearers are finding the wearable tech useful in some professional and/or industrial applications.
Tim Moore, CMO and director of wearable technologies at Rochester Optical, notes: “With the safety standard in place, the opportunities for smart eyewear in enterprise are endless. Safety is the missing piece for many companies when it comes to using wearable technology in the workplace, and we’re excited to close the loop and offer both safety and Rx solutions.”
The FACT FILE
THE WEARABLE DEVICE MARKET IS FORECASTED TO BE
$12.6 BILLION
BY THE YEAR 2018. THE MARKET INCLUDES GOOGLE GLASS AND iWATCH, AS WELL AS OTHER MEDICAL DEVICES.
(Source: statista.com)
AMONG SPECIALTY EYEWEAR CATEGORIES, ECPS SAY Rx SUNWEAR TAKES UP THE MOST BOARD SPACE. THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF Rx SUN FRAMES CARRIED IS
20
WHILE PLANO IS 11.
Rx SUNWEAR IS THE DISPENSARY’S FASTEST-GROWING PRODUCT CATEGORY, CITED AS SUCH BY
40%
OF ECPS SURVEYED BY EB. THAT’S UP FROM
33%
WHO SAID SO IN 2010.
Source: EB 2014 Market Trends Study
Read more of EB’s experience with Project Genesis and our conversation with Leslie Muller and Jay Sales…. LOG ON NOW AT EyecareBusiness.com.
Naftalovich Named President
Shamir Insight’s longtime executive and CEO, Raanan Naftalovich, has been appointed Shamir Optical Industry’s president of Shamir North America. While maintaining his duties as CEO of Shamir Insight, located in San Diego, Naftalovich will now also oversee all of the Shamir sites and activities in North America.
Naftalovich has worked with Shamir since 1990 and for the past 10 years has held the position of CEO of Shamir Insight, Inc., leading the company to double-digit annual growth and positioning it as a lead subsidiary of the Shamir Group. Shamir Group consists of more than 20 distribution centers worldwide all under the direction of Shamir Optical Industry, located in Israel.
Naftalovich has played a key role in the development and expansion of Shamir’s business throughout the U.S., according to a company statement. With his focus on growing business, Shamir Insight now has more than 400 partners and labs across the U.S., with 111 of those designated as Freeform lab partners. Naftalovich has been instrumental in launching Shamir’s Freeform offering in the U.S. and played a primary role in successfully introducing innovative designs to the market.
“Raanan has been an integral part of Shamir and his experience and skills will continue to benefit the North American region and contribute to the company’s overall success,” said Amos Netzer, CEO of Shamir Optical Industry.
Naftalovich also served as chairman of The Vision Council for two years, 2013 and 2014. He now holds the immediate past chairman position.
LOW VISION SPEAKERS SET
Envision announces that Matt Simpson, a champion goalball (a team sport designed specifically for blind athletes) player and the membership and outreach coordinator for the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes, and Dr. Jeanne Derber, a Colorado Springs-based optometrist and director of vision services for the United States Olympic Training Center, will serve as co-keynote speakers at its 10th annual Envision Conference, Sept. 9 to 12 in Denver.
Envision’s 10th annual conference will provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information on approaches to low vision rehabilitation. Ophthalmologists, optometrists, occupational therapists, researchers, academics and other vision care professionals can attend sessions, view exhibits of the latest low vision products and services, and share knowledge from around the globe in an effort to improve approaches to minimizing the adverse impact of vision loss.
INFO: envisionconference.org
EMBRACING EARTH-FRIENDLY INITIATIVES
{A GOOD IDEA}
a swirling, floating, melting mess of plastic trash and debris roughly the size of Texas spins in a growing orbit in the North Pacific Ocean. Similar garbage patches have been spotted in oceans around the world.
Disposable items like plastic water bottles are huge contributors to the problem. Humans produce more than 200 billion plastic water bottles per year, with at least 10% ending up in the ocean.
Costa, which makes polarized sunwear embraced by those who make their living and sport around the water, has launched a campaign to educate its customers about the growing ocean trash issue, and to encourage them to kick the plastic habit.
The company produced a short animated video to more simply explain the plastic problem, and has dedicated a page on its website to the “Kick Plastic” campaign, complete with news articles covering the issue, tips on ways people can reduce their own plastic habits, and showcasing people already making changes to clean up their acts. The hashtag #KickPlastic connects conversations happening on social media.
The company is also currently evaluating its own operational procedures, and developing short- and long-range plans on how it can reduce the amount of plastic it uses in its production process.
“Simple changes such as carrying a reusable bag to the store, drinking out of a permanent water bottle, and recycling the plastic we do use can significantly reduce the amount of trash making its way into our oceans,” notes Al Perkinson, Costa’s vice president of marketing. Costa also participates in several programs related to ocean conservation and sustainable sport fishing practices around the globe.
INFO on the plastic problem: bit.ly/kickplastic
WATCH Costa’s video: bit.ly/watchkickplastic
Modo’s Eco frame line works in conjunction with its “One Frame One Tree” campaign, whereby a tree is planted for each frame sold in collaboration with Washington, D.C.-based, nonprofit organization Trees for the Future. The trees were and are continuing to be planted in Cameroon. The sustainability initiative not only restores deforested lands, but also creates better conditions to grow crops.
Embracing the brand’s tagline: “Look Good, Feel Good, Do Good,” the Eco collection is made of either recycled materials or biobased materials. The packaging is also earth-friendly, made of recycled fabric from PED (recycled soda bottles).
INFO: modo.com
SAFILO INVITES APPRENTICE EYEWEAR CRAFTERS
Safilo is looking for motivated young people to become “Eyewear Masters of Craft“ through its first Eyewear Product School in Padua, Italy. The goal is to give apprentices the opportunity to acquire fundamental experience in all eyewear product areas, from design to development, from prototyping to production, the knowledge of materials, and quality control, up to pricing and concept selling.
The school will start in mid-September for the school year 2015-16 with a three-year theory and practice program that combines learning on-the-job and job rotation, engagement opportunities with leading experts from the eyewear industry, coaching led by Safilo’s international management, and regular classroom training. Requirements are a secondary education diploma (with a preference for technical, arts and design schools), aptitude for technical drawing, a basic knowledge of chemistry and materials, and a good knowledge of English and relevant computer applications.
Concierge Optical Service Expands
QSpex is expanding its business model of same-day finished eyewear delivery, and announces the opening of an Optical Service Center (OSC) in New York City this summer. The center will allow ECPs in the NYC metropolitan area the opportunity to offer their patients QSpex’s lens product lineup and concierge delivery service.
The business model is called “Fast-Traq,” same-day personalized delivery of a premium finished eyewear product by operating local service centers in the same community as, and in close proximity to, eyecare providers. QSpex lenses are manufactured through the QSpex Technologies casting and lens transfer system and finished just miles from the ECP’s practice.
“The high-speed, proprietary QSpex manufacturing process permits patient fulfillment in hours, while providing superior prescription eyewear through a lens transfer system,” says Brett Craig, president and CEO.
The process takes approximately 30 minutes to produce a personalized uncut lens, and a total of an hour to produce a finished product. Each OSC is able to serve 100 patients a day. The eyewear is delivered to the ECPs’ office or shop or delivered by a concierge optician anywhere the patient wants—such as home or office. The service, the company notes, is a natural fit for the fast-paced lifestyle and demands of New York City customers.
Danny Cruz, QSpex’s vice president, told EB the company has lined up a number of optical shops and practices for the service—all of them high-end practices. “The concierge service is what they are interested in the most,” he says.
The New York City location is one of “many” OSCs to open this year, Craig says. The company already has a center in Alpharetta, GA, and a couple in Puerto Rico.
INFO: qspex.com
Alves Named Transitions GM
Jose Alves
Transitions Optical, Inc., has named Jose Alves general manager, Americas. Since 2004, Alves served as general manager, Latin America
He succeeds Bertrand Roy, who will focus on his role as CEO of Transitions Optical.
Alves will retain his current responsibilities for Latin America, and will expand his role to include the North American region and global channel management, which encompasses laboratories, retailers, buying groups, and managed vision care.
In his expanded role, Alves will lead the development and execution of strategic plans to ensure the profitable growth of Transitions Optical’s business in both regions while also nurturing and developing the downstream side of business. After living in Sao Paulo, Brazil, for almost 20 years, Alves will relocate back to Pinellas Park, FL, where Transitions is headquartered.
Alves joined Transitions Optical in 1991 as production operator, and since then has held several roles across the organization. He helped build the company’s business in Latin America, being named the first account representative for Latin America in 1993.
ECONOMIC TRENDS TO WATCH
Brian L. Beaulieu
According to economist Brian L. Beaulieu, CEO of ITR Economics, the coming decade and a half will bring economic challenges…but also rewards for those who are positioned properly. Beaulieu presented information to attendees at The Vision Council’s Executive Summit that included the following trends for surviving financially through tough times.
By the year 2030, 20% of the U.S. population will be 65 and older, and the economic winners of the demographic will be:
In order to best position yourself and your business or practice to survive and even thrive in trying economic times, Beaulieu provided the following “Winning Inflation Strategies.”
#1 Defining a competitive advantage and having the discipline to regularly raise prices
#2 Knowing how to effectively use price escalators to your advantage
#3 Borrowing early in the inflation process
#4 Locking in labor and commodity prices at business cycle lows.
#5 Using technological advancements to continuously improve efficiencies
#6 Saving enough to cover the increasing cost of health care
#7 Investing in wealth-creating assets.
TAYE Partners With States
Think About Your Eyes (TAYE), the national public awareness campaign aimed at educating consumers on the benefits of vision health, has partnered with multiple state optometric associations to enroll each active, practicing member. The move significantly expands the number of doctors listed on the TAYE online practice locator.
The South Dakota Optometric Society was the first to enroll its full membership in the Think About Your Eyes State Leadership Program in August 2014. Since then, the optometric associations of West Virginia, Mississippi, Minnesota, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Washington have also become program partners. The addition of approximately 2,900 members of state associations and the AOA brings the total number of doctor listings on the locator to over 7,500.
Under the Think About Your Eyes State Leadership Program, the cost of a basic listing on its website locator is covered in full by the state association. Doctors are then encouraged to upgrade to a premium listing at a discounted rate.
In the other 42 states, eyecare providers can purchase individual listings on the Think About Your Eyes locator at thinkaboutyoureyes.com/enroll.
Doctors who are members of their state associations and AOA receive the best available pricing.
INFO: thinkaboutyoureyes.com
Consultancy Group Reorganizes
Brad Rourke
Gilan Cockrell, O.D., FAAO
Williams Group announces a senior management reorganization. Gilan Cockrell, O.D., FAAO, the company’s executive vice president of corporate strategy, is the new CEO. Brad Rourke, CPA, presently serving as CEO, will transition to the role of chief financial officer.
“Dr. Cockrell joined Williams Group in February 2014, and since that time has brought an extraordinary amount of value to Williams Group and our clients,” says Rourke. “With Dr. Cockrell’s experience as a highly successful doctor and his knowledge of the profession and my background in finance, Williams Group and our clients will be better served with this realignment of roles.”
Prior to joining Williams Group, Dr. Cockrell owned a private practice in Kansas, served as president of the Kansas Optometric Association in 1998 and chairman of the State Government Relations Center for the American Optometric Association in 2007, and co-founded the Eye Care Council and “See to Learn” program. Dr. Cockrell has also received numerous awards within his profession. He recently completed nine years of service on the Kansas State Board of Examiners in Optometry.
Along with corporate finance responsibilities, Rourke will take a more active role in the wgFinancial bookkeeping and payroll service, and assist with brokerage services in the wgTransitions division. “We have a tremendous opportunity to help our clients in both of these high-growth areas,” Rourke says.
LOTHES NAMED PRESIDENT, SATISLOH NA
Peter Lothes
Peter Lothes has been named president of Satisloh North America, a leading machine manufacturer for ophthalmic and precision optics equipment. Lothes succeeds Larry Clarke, who was promoted to president and COO of Satisloh AG last fall and relocated to Switzerland.
Lothes will be responsible for leading all sales and operations for Satisloh in the U.S. and Canada.
Most recently, Lothes was Essilor’s vice president of national labs and vice president of operations for both ELOA and Partner Labs. He was responsible for Essilor’s five largest production labs in the U.S. and Mexico. His optical career began with his family’s business, Select Optical, which was acquired by Essilor in 2004. Lothes continued as its president until 2009, when he joined Essilor as vice president of operations–partner labs.
News from the AOA
The American Optometric Association (AOA) has announced the following:
INFO: optometrysmeeting.org
With more data, more access, and more quality measurement solutions, AOA’s MORE represents a technological milestone in optometry for helping doctors keep up with advances in the changing world of value-driven health care.
AOA’s MORE is a secure and easy-to-use data portal that will report to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for increased reimbursements. It will help doctors with clinical improvement solutions and collect data (outcomes and population information). It will be optometry’s collective database of clinical information to support increased access for patients and eventually support scope of care.
The winning optometrist will receive the award at Optometry’s Meeting in June. Nomination forms are available online and must be submitted via the website by April 30.
INFO: foundation@aoa.org or 800-365-2219, ext. 4286; aoa.org/sullins
On the Town
A who, where, and when of the industry’s latest events
LITERARY SALON
Actor Miles Teller
Luxottica continued supporting Prada’s literary tradition with the second edition of the Prada Journal contest, which featured a focus on a capsule of ophthalmic frames and a literary consideration: “What are the signs of a changing world? And what situations can we envision? Taking a good look at the details might give us the answer.”
Winners were selected from a field of stories written in more than 20 different languages by a jury composed of Tishani Doshi, Carlo Feltrinelli, Paolo Giordano, and Colum McCann. The three winners, Viola Bellini, Miguel Ferrando, and Anabel Graff received 5,000 euro each. A special mention has been given to Alejandro Morellon. At the award ceremony, Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller, and Filippo Timi lent their voices to the winning stories and Dane DeHaan was the master of ceremonies.
“Prada Journal 2014–Signs of a changing world” is available for download at prada.com/journal
REELING IN THE WORLD
Costa is serving as executive producer of GEOBASS, an original online angling series that runs at http://bit.ly/geobassbrz. This season, Thad Robison, Jay Johnson, Chris Owens, and Brian Jill will widen their fishing adventure, to locales including Brazil, Guyana, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and even the wilds of Texas. Another highlight is a cameo appearance by Bassmaster Elite Series Pro Casey Ashley in the premiere episode. Ashley joins up with GEOBASS to give some helpful tips prior to their journey to the Amazon River.
Later in the series’ season, college bass anglers will have a chance to join the action. Costa is currently hosting a casting call, inviting college bass anglers to upload a one-minute video illustrating why they would like to tag along on an upcoming GEOBASS adventure. The winner will fish alongside the GEOBASS team during one of their extreme journeys, and be part of a future episode.
License Line-Up
“Givenchy brings significant value to our portfolio, adding to our high-end premium segment a brand of unique character and significant size,” notes Safilo Group CEO Louisa Delgado.
“Eyewear is a fast growing category for Givenchy. We are delighted to count on Safilo as our strategic eyewear partner, who offers unique end-to-end integrated best-in-class capabilities, high quality products and worldwide distribution with a brand driven long term view”, comments Philippe Fortunato, CEO of Givenchy.
The licensing agreement, which first went into effect on January 1, 2012, will now run until December 2021.
WINNERS BY DESIGN
A trio of eyewear companies has been recognized for their advanced design work. Silhouette, Lindberg, and Rolf Spectacles each earned recognitions recently.
Silhouette earned an iF Design Award for excellent design and outstanding design achievements for it’s Urban LITE thin full rim eyewear for men and women.
Lindberg received its kudos from leading design publication Wallpaper in its Wallpaper Design Awards 2015 for Best Technique, recognizing the creation of Lindberg Horn glasses. They note: “Wallpaper ‘is dispensing the design world’s highest honors to the truly deserving, and cookie-crumbling disappointment to everyone else.’”
Rolf Spectacles’ Kallista 04 out of its main collection has recently been awarded with the German Design Award 2015 in the category Excellent Product Design Lifestyle. The international jury of 30 design experts had to choose from 2,250 top-class entries in 10 categories to single out the best designs.
FYI...
News bits from the industry
{PEOPLE}
Nanofilm has named two new senior sales and marketing executives: Don Tecco is director of optical sales, North America, and Rex Talbott is business director, optical products. Tecco will lead sales efforts for Nanofilm’s lens care and Defog It anti-fog treatment to the optical market. He comes to Nanofilm with more than 20 years of executive sales and business experience. Talbott leads Nanofilm’s global branding, market expansion, and new product development strategies. He brings 20 years of consumer product experience to the company, including consumer health care, cosmetic, and children’s products.
Rick Lee has been appointed director of manufacturing at Dallas-based EGMA LLC, a lab that will handle the manufacturing and distribution of complete lenses, frames, and instruments under the Rodenstock brand. He is the former manager of lab operations at Eyecare Center of America and technical manager at VisionWorks.
Rudy Project North America has hired Amanda Cyr as its sports marketing coordinator, to ensure sponsored athletes from every sport have access to the most technically advanced equipment for training and competition. The company cites Cyr as an inspirational team member, having lost 175 pounds after committing herself to a lifestyle of health and fitness.
Prevent Blindness has announced that Carole Kenner, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, dean and professor at the School of Nursing, Health and Exercise Science at The College of New Jersey, and J. David Pierson, founder of J. David Optical Consultancy, have been elected to the Prevent Blindness Board of Directors.
{AWARDS}
Shamir Insight, Inc., received a Davey Award for its 2014 advertising campaign titled “I Am….” targeted toward dispensing ECPs. It has won three Davey Awards in the past.
1. Michael Walach of Quest Vision Care Specialty Lab was awarded a patent for a new free-form bifocal lens;
2. Rudy Project North America’s Amanda Cyr;
3. Rick Lee, EGMA LLC
{BUSINESS UPDATES}
A patent, number 8,931,898, has been given to Quest Optical Specialty Lab in Largo, FL, for its free-form bifocal lens, called the free-form Easy-Top (ET).
Area98 srl, which operates in the U.S. market with direct distribution through area98 USA LLC, announces a merger with Poets Eyewear LLC. The eyewear collections of the brands Coco Song, Kaos, La Matta, Genesis Easy, Oliviero Contini, and Robert Rüdger will now be directly distributed by Poets Eyewear LLC.
{CHARITABLE GIVING}
Optometry Cares-The AOA Foundation celebrated a successful end to 2014 thanks to donors who support its mission of improving the quality of life of Americans seeking vision care. One of the contributors, Luxottica Wholesale North America, presented a gift of $50,000 that will help provide even more opportunities for people in need to enjoy 2015 with clear and healthy vision.
The Essilor Vision Foundation reports a successful 2014, having provided more than 215,000 screenings in North America and 44,000 pairs of glasses to students in need at no cost to their families. Outside of North America, the organization sponsored more than 80,000 screenings and 40,000 people were provided with new prescription eyeglasses.
FUNDRAISING TRUNK SHOW
Urban Optiks Optometry in San Diego celebrated its 7th anniversary with a special “Raise Your Glasses” event in February—a vendor trunk show and expo that also raised more than $7,000 for Optometry Cares. More than 150 community members attended the event that brought frame vendors and lens manufacturers together for a “mini trade show” experience. Frame vendors included Gold & Wood Paris, Tom Davies London, Face a Face Paris, Anne et Valentin Paris, ic! berlin Germany, l.a.Eyeworks USA, Claire Goldsmith London, Oliver Goldsmith London, Traction Productions Paris, Booth & Bruce England, and Matsuda Japan. Lens vendors included Shamir Insight and Carl Zeiss Vision.
Puzzle
Get In the Game
SPORTS EYEWEAR
{WORD SEARCH}
Sports-related eye injuries happen to both children and adults, and are often serious. Educating patients about the importance of wearing sports frames and shatter-proof lenses when participating in sports is good patient care for every practice. See if you can find all of the terms in this puzzle related to sport-specific eyewear
By Jenean Carlton, ABOC, NCLC
WORD BANK
Anti-Reflective Coating
Comfortable
Contrast
Diving Masks
Eye Protection
Face Shields
Form Fitting
Glare Control
Goggles
Impact Resistant
Mirror Coatings
Performance
Photochromic
Photokeratitis
Polarized Lenses
Polycarbonate
Protective Standards
Reflections
Safety
Safety Eyewear
Shatter-Proof Lenses
Ski Goggles
Sports Eyewear
Swim Goggles
Tints
Trivex
Ultraviolet Radiation
UV Rays
Vision Enhancing
Wraparound Frames
{SOLUTIONS}
The answers to the March 2015 Word Search
The solution to the March 2015 Back to Basics (Part 2, Anti-Fog and Mirrors) Crossword Puzzle:
![]({"src":"/media/plxdzpyg/42015.jpg","focalPoint":null,"crops":[{"alias":"thumbnail","width":1110,"height":700,"coordinates":null}]})