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by Tara Rosenzweig
1 Children: Eyewear Heroes
Many popular characters from works of children's fiction wear eyeglasses. These can serve as role models for spectacle-needing students.
When it comes to letting kids know that eyewear is cool, try sharing classic and contemporary children's literature characters who were known for their specs.
■ Harry Potter
■ Meg in Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle In Time, A Wind In the Door, and A Swiftly Tilting Planet
■ Beverly Cleary's Ramona
■ American Girl Dolls' book collection character Molly
| 2 EYES on the facts |
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| ■ Babies cry but don't produce tears until one to three months after birth. ■ Each of our eyelashes has a life span of approximately five months. ■ Of all the muscles in our body, the eye muscles are the most active. |
| 3 Vision Tip Sheet |
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| Promoting good vision may mean sharing what bad vision is with your current and potential patients. Let those in your area know about the telltale signs that it's time to visit an eyecare professional, as stated by The Vision Council. Among these are: ■ Blurry vision ■ Sitting right up close to the television set |
International Vision Expo Future Dates Announced
Reed Exhibitions and The Vision Council announce future dates for International Vision Expo West and East to better assist the worldwide optical industry with future planning.
"We have made a concerted effort to secure future dates that meet the expectations and industry buying cycles of both visitors and exhibitors," said Tom Loughran, event director of International Vision Expo West.
Future dates for International Vision Expo West are:
2009 Exhibits: October 1 to 3
2010 Exhibits: October 7 to 9
2011 Exhibits: September 8 to 10
Each event will be held at the Sands Expo Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Future dates for International Vision Expo East events held at New York City's Jacob Javits Convention Center are:
2009 Exhibits: March 27 to 29
2010 Exhibits: March 19 to 21
2011 Exhibits: March 18 to 20
For more information about International Vision Expo, visit www.visionexpo.com.
| First ABO/NCLE Conference Welcomes Opticians |
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| The inaugural ABO-NCLE National Education Conference kicks off with training and education designed to improve opticians' technical, professional, and managerial performance. Including more than 150 hours of ABO- and NCLE-approved education, options include practical, hands-on training and a special one-day management track For one session, EB editor-in-chief Stephanie K. De Long will be moderating the Blockbuster Industry Panel, Sept. 20, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., whose guests include Essilor's Mike Daley and consultant Valerie Manso, on how being an optician has led to their achievements and continued passion for the field. The event will also host an Optical Showcase exhibit hall and is the location of the 2008 Opticians Association of America Annual Meeting. For more information or to reserve a place at the conference, visit www.abo-ncle-conference.org. |
| Grant Program Awards Made |
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| The first beneficiaries of Transitions' Healthy Sight for Life Fund community grant program have been named. One-time grants were awarded to the following five community organizations: ■ Butler County Association for the Blind (Pennsylvania) ■ Camden Eye Center (New Jersey) ■ The Center for the Partially Sighted (California) ■ Deicke Center for Visual Rehabilitation (Illinois) ■ Vision Health International (a United States-based organization serving Latin America) The community grant program was created to provide one-time funding and other support to ECPs, optical labs, local charity groups, and regional associations seeking to promote healthy sight in their communities. "We are so impressed by the plans of the selected organizations and are anxious to see the fruits of their efforts," says Mary O'Hara, regional giving officer and communications specialist, Transitions. ECPs and charity organizations can apply for a grant through the Transitions Healthy Sight for Life Fund by submitting a grant request proposal. Annual charity grants are grants to qualified charitable organizations considered and awarded once a year. Local Community Grants, considered and awarded on a rolling basis, are select one-time grants to benefit local community charities and volunteer efforts. This year's annual grant benefitted Prevent Blindness America's efforts to educate the public on healthy sight issues, and particularly on UV protection. For more information on the funding program, visit the website www.healthysightforlife.org. |
| HONG KONG Optical Fair 2008 Events and Services Set |
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| The Hong Kong Optical Fair 2008 will be held Nov. 6 through 8 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wanchai, Hong Kong. Major exhibition categories include contact lenses, frames and mountings, lenses, parts and accessories, safety eyewear, sunglasses, optometric instruments, spectacle cases and holders, equipment and technology, and services and publications, among others. Special highlights of this year's show include a retail and shop design, equipment, and technology section that includes a wide range of exhibits, from furniture and fixtures to point-of-sale equipment and technology. In addition, there will be a Visionaries of Style area for elite international eyewear brands to display their products in a stylish setting. Free business facilities and services will be provided at the fair. Optical fair hours are Thursday, Nov. 6, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Buyer registration hours begin a half hour before fair opening times and end a half hour before fair closing times each day. Those planning to attend the fair can pre-register online at http://hkopticalfair.hktdc.com. |
Integrated Advertising Program Launched
A new print, broadcast, and digital integrated advertising campaign this year from Transitions Optical represents an effort to boost consumer awareness of the importance of healthy sight. A consumer public relations effort will serve as a key driver of the campaign.
The TV advertising campaign will air over a 22-week period, with spots running in prime time, daytime, syndicated, news, and cable TV shows including during such big hits as "Grey's Anatomy" and "CSI."
Print advertising will focus on publications related to general health and well-being, and will also include top-tier Hispanic media. In addition, Transitions commercials will air in Spanish in the U.S. for the first time.
For the digital integrated portion of the campaign, Transitions created a presence on popular social networking websites such as YouTube.
"This is an exciting time for Transitions as we continue to evolve the Transitions brand and expand the depth of consumer outreach and education about the importance that healthy sight has on overall health and wellness," notes Brett Craig, president, Transitions Optical.
| Stat Box: Did You Know? |
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| One in four children has an undetected vision problem that can interfere with learning. The average child today receives three times the annual UV exposure of an adult. While 82 percent of people know that the sun causes skin cancer, only nine percent know it can harm the eyes. Children are two times more likely to wear sunscreen than they are sunglasses to protect from the sun's harmful radiation. |
JCAHPO adds online courses
The Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO) and the Ophthalmic Mutual Insurance Company (OMIC) have launched a series of online risk management courses that address liability and practice protocol for ophthalmic personnel.
An initial three courses will be available for continuing education credit at www.myjcahpoce.org.
WebWorld
MediNotes Corporation, a provider of electronic health record solutions, has redesigned its website, merging its product and corporate sites into one at www.MediNotes.com. New features include information on discipline-specific solutions for more than 20 specialties (including ophthalmology and optometry), revamped product tours, and userfriendly navigation based on practice size and/or type of solution desired.
An enhanced website for consumers and industry professionals has been unveiled by Transitions Optical. Still located at the address www.transitions.com, it features an updated look and an interactive function that lets visitors experience the firm's latest technology via visual simulation.
The website includes an advertising section where visitors can view print ads and the new television commercial featuring a cinematographer who relies on her eyes for her work. Other interactive features of the new site include a local UV index report and a Find an Eyecare Professional tool that lets consumers search for providers by zip code.
The For Professionals section of the site provides continuing education opportunities and links to the online marketing tool, where ECPs can create custom marketing and point-of-sale materials.
CIBA Vision Academy for Eyecare Excellence™, introduced in February, has launched a website, www.ciba-visionacademy.com. The site includes an overview of the CIBA Vision Academy and easy access to program information, including the Management & Business Academy™ and the First Practice Academy™ (both co-sponsored by Essilor of America), and educational programs for corporate affiliated eyecare professionals.
The website provides information for programs available in the U.S. and U.K., but will expand to include content for eyecare professionals in other countries.
"The Academy for Eyecare Excellence expands the commitment and support of CIBA VISION to eyecare professionals around the world, helping them achieve success in both their clinical and business goals," said Andrea Saia, CEO, CIBA VISION.
| Frame Buyer's Certificates Awarded |
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| The Vision Council's Eyewear & Accessories Division—in cooperation with co-sponsors International Vision Expo and Eyecare Business—has awarded Frame Buyer's Certificates to ECPs who completed the program at Vision Expo East. Certificate recipients are: Benjamin Domiano of Old Forge, Pa.; Magdalena Bucio of Plainville, Conn.; Deanna Gusk of Stanchfield, Minn.; Maria Cheng of New York; Luis Carvallo of Brighton, Mass.; Sandra Kyzar of Troy, Ala.; Rebecca Winters of Redmond, Ore.; and Cynthia Johnson of Esterhazy, Saskatchewan. The program will also be offered at Vision Expo West. For information, visit www.visionexpowest.com. |
| Top Choices |
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| When it comes to best-selling material or add-on at practices surveyed, EB reports that photochromics are in the top three. 47% of those surveyed report photochromics to be a top practice seller |
| STAR Gazers | |
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| 1. Rumor has it that Adrian Brodyand Spanish actress Elsa Patakyare planning to marry in Spain in 2009. The two currently share a home in New York but were recently seen strolling the streets of Cannes, while Elsa wore the new Versace style 4149 by Luxottica. 2. "Sex and the City" starlet Kristen Davis got her big break in 1995 when she was cast as Brooke on the TV series "Melrose Place." Unfortunately, she was written out after only one year because viewers didn't like her nasty character. These days, Davis is riding high on the success of the big screen version of "Sex and the City." She was recently seen in Israel wearing Robert Marc style RM573. 3. Academy Award-winning actress (best lead actress, "Walk the Line") Reese Witherspoon majored in English literature at Stanford University, but didn't finish her studies because her acting career took off. Born Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon, the actress can soon be seen in the upcoming movie, "Four Christmases," scheduled to hit theaters in November. She was recently seen around Los Angeles sporting sunglass style Oly by Sama Eyewear. 4. "Will and Grace" alum Debra Messing stars in the USA Network TV series "The Starter Wife" and in the upcoming movie, "The Women," which features an all-star cast including Meg Ryan, Eva Mendes, and Jada Pinkett-Smith, just to name a few. The New York University film school graduate donned Jimmy Choo style Lou/s by Safilo at the MTV Movie Awards Style Lounge. 5. Legendary Victoria's Secret model Heidi Klum has broadened her repertoire over the years to include hosting, acting, and designing. Klum is the host of "Project Runway" on the Bravo network, has acted on TV and in movies ("The Devil Wears Prada;" "How I Met Your Mother"), and has designed collections for Mouawad jewelry and Birkenstock shoes. Here, the mother of three wears Karl Lagerfeld KL603S by Marchon. |
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