1. Sense of Purpose
2. Embrace Eye Health
3. Measure Up
4. Task Master
5. Drive Time
6. Putting On Your Game Face
7. The 3-D Boom
8. Get Connected
9. Eye Sites
10. Bring Words to Life

View a pdf of this month’s Cover Story. 

While the concept of acting in a charitable manner is nothing new, a new awareness of “purchase-with-purpose” has gripped many consumers in the wake of a tough economic climate and a changing world. Purpose-purchasing is spanning everything from sustainability programs to hands-on service programs and the delivery of products to the disadvantaged and underprivileged, in the U.S. and around the world.

For reasons of their own and in response to a growing consumer appreciation of business initiatives that are linked to “socially responsible” programs, retailers and independent ECPs alike can start to embrace services which “give back” in many ways.

Major optical players’ own foundations are embracing this mission. Among these, Essilor’s Vision Foundation (www.essilorvisionfoundation.org) Luxottica’s OneSight.org (www.onesight.org) and Transitions Healthy Sight for Life Fund (www.healthysightforlife.org), while ODs, optical boutiques and regional chains are building local community ties through their own outreach and sustainability efforts.

Giving back is good for business—and an increasing number of consumers agree, it’s the the right thing to do.  ■

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With health care reform continuing to be a hot topic throughout 2010, ECP and vision care organizations are working hard to ensure that the eyecare element of health care is not left behind. “Wellness” and “eye health” is a trend every ECP can embrace. Managed vision plans are making sure consumers get the message that potentially serious illnesses, such as diabetes and hypertension, can be detected first, and then managed, by eyecare professionals. Several managed vision firms—both those affiliated with health insurance companies and those offering stand-alone vision plans—include information about the eye exam’s role in overall health care and wellness both to prospective clients among the ranks of employers and to consumers who are their plan members. Managed vision firms are also sharing information detected through their eyecare programs with the health insurers to better manage patients’ medical conditions.

The eyecare industry as a whole will be taking the “eye exams help wellness” message directly to consumers via a national informational campaign to be developed during the course of this year. The newly formed Foundation for Eye Health Awareness plans a campaign to direct consumers to take better care of their eyes.

Led by executives of the American Optometric Association, The Vision Council, the Opticians Association of America and the National Association of Vision Care Plans along with eyewear suppliers, retailers and other eyecare organizations, the foundation plans to launch its campaign to the industry during 2010, then roll it out to consumers in 2011.  ■

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The Center is a patient measurement system developed by the Indo Group and marketed in the U.S. by AIT Industries.  The Carl Zeiss new iTerminal.

Customization is taking on new meaning in today’s ophthalmic lens arena. Patients seeking the ultimate visual experience can now order progressive or single vision lenses that provide the proper refraction and also can be fit precisely according to the patient’s choice of frame and how they wear the frame.

Using actual patient measurements maximizes the performance of the lens.

A growing number of vendors now offer sophisticated, compact systems for capturing these measurements in the dispensary which offer ECPs the chance to provide a real ‘wow’ choice to patients. The systems reinforce the professional image of the practice or dispensary and show that the practice is on the cutting edge of technology. Most of the systems can also photograph the patient so they can see how they look wearing various frame and lens combinations, which is a big selling point, according to dispensers. Among the leading systems are Optikam, Activisu Expert 3 and Expert 3 XS, Carl Zeiss iTerminal and Indo’s The Center.

System features vary, but most programs measure interpupillary and nasopupillary distance, seg height and pantoscopic tilt, and some also measure vertex distance and frame wrap.

A new type of system, VisiOffice, will be introduced by Essilor in the first half of 2010. The system uses dynamic, 3-D measurement technology to track the patient’s eye rotation and produce a lens design calculation known as the Eyecode. ■

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Essilor’s new Essilor Visual Fatigue Solutions line includes Essilor Anti-Fatigue lenses. Kodak Anti-Fatigue Lens from Signet Armorlite uses a base-in prism design to alleviate symptomatic convergence insufficiency (CI). Gunnar Optiks lenses are engineered for people spending extended time in front of a computer screen and in fluorescent light environments.

After a long day of multitasking, our eyes often feel the strain. Hour after hour spent reading or staring at computer screens,
iPod displays and cellphone text messages can leave us red-eyed, stiff necked and irritable. Fortunately, several vendors are coming to the rescue with lenses that are specially designed to give our tired eyes some much needed relief.

Gunnar Optiks’ Digital Performance Eyewear Indoor Collection includes 15 styles that are engineered to improve performance, visual acuity, visual endurance and the overall viewing experience for people spending extended time in front of a computer screen and in fluorescent light environments. The lenses, available in both plano and Rx versions, are made of diAMIX, a proprietary material that combines the durability and impact resistance of polycarbonate with the clarity and control of crown glass, according to Gunnar. The company’s patent-pending i-AMP lens technology features “advanced geometry tuned for specific distances” and is the result of research on the human optical system and its interaction with digital devices. An amber tint and coating enhances contrast while minimizing screen glare and the overabundance of high energy visible light typical in computing indoor environments.

Essilor of America’s new Essilor Visual Fatigue Solutions lenses address the symptoms of Visual Fatigue Syndrome (VFS). The line recently debuted with two products, Essilor Anti-Fatigue lenses and Essilor Computer lenses.

Intended as a primary-pair replacement for patients’ single vision lenses, Essilor Anti-Fatigue lenses feature a special “Power Boost” area in the lower portion of the lens to give the wearer’s eyes greater clarity and comfort when focusing up-close for extended periods. Essilor Computer lenses are recommended for presbyopes experiencing symptoms of visual fatigue and are intended as a second pair to complement the wearer’s primary pair of progressive lenses. The lenses offer clear vision at full distance. A larger intermediate area creates a more relaxed, comfortable visual experience, with no head tipping required to find the correct intermediate power.

Signet Armorlite takes a different approach with its Kodak anti-fatigue lens. The lenses incorporate a base-in prism design that alleviates symptomatic convergence insufficiency (CI), a condition that can result in excessive eyestrain and eye fatigue experienced in presbyopic patients who perform lengthy near-viewing tasks. The base-in prism in the reading area can assist the normal binocular function of a patient’s eyes for more comfortable near work for longer periods of time. ■ 

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TAG Heuer’s Night Lenses are designed with a pale yellow shade that provide a high level of luminous transmission that contrasts dark blue and green nighttime environments. Carl Zeiss Vision’s Driver’s Seat tint is designed for speed and motion. It incorporates “image identifier” filters that improve light adaptation in a variety of colors. Drivewear Transitions SOLFX lenses from Younger Optics use proprietary photochromic technology to self-adjust with changing light conditions.

While U.S. automobile manufacturers have been taking it on the chin, the tough economic conditions have not stopped suppliers of sunglasses and ophthalmic lenses from putting innovative products on drivers’ eyes. Drivers of all ages are taking to the road with increased confidence, equipped with the latest technologies, offering a new business opportunity for ECPs.

Drivewear Transitions SOLFX lenses from Younger Optics are a prime example of this trend. Specifically designed to meet the visual demands of driving, these polarized lenses self-adjust with changing light conditions, helping to enhance visual performance and the driving experience by automatically changing their degree of darkness and color.

Serengeti incorporates photochromic technology in its new PhD lens series, which includes its renowned Drivers tint. Serengeti PhD lenses are built on Intercast’s NXT lens platform, which has been customized to deliver Serengeti’s proprietary Spectral Control and photochromic performance to enhance contrast and enhance color. The lenses, which are available in North America through the Carl Zeiss Vision laboratory network, feature Serengeti’s “Confined Tint” technology and offer comfort and durability.

Drivers can also benefit from advances in fixed tint lenses such as TAG Heuer Night Lenses, which combat night myopia with a -.25D correction. The lenses feature a patented, anti-dirt oleophobic treatment and an AR treatment on both front and back surfaces that reduces the effects of glare and ocular fatigue. A specific pale yellow shade with a high level of luminous transmission has been developed in order to contrast the dark blue and green nighttime environments without altering color perception.

Essilor is targeting drivers with its new Xperio polarized lenses. According to Essilor, which has performed studies with drivers and their reaction times, the lenses eliminate glare for greater driving safety.

Carl Zeiss Vision offers the “Driver’s Seat” tint as part of its PrescripSun Performance Lens Series (PLS). Designed for speed and motion, the lens incorporates “image identifier” filters that improve light adaptation in a variety of colors. To help drivers adjust to varying light conditions, Zeiss offers two options: a bronze gradient mirror with 13 percent light transmission and a lighter version, the Tri-Flection Alps mirror, which allows 35 percent transmission.

Indo’s Road Design lenses feature a specialized progressive lens design with a minimum fitting height of 19mm. Part of Indo’s Free-Form Solutions, Actions Design series, Road Design lenses are manufactured using back-side free-form technology and have been optimized for far and intermediate distances. ■ 

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Pro golfer Kenny Perry wears the new Adidas Ambition with Transitions lenses.

Last year saw a rise in sport performance brands debuting optical collections that truly reflect the DNA of the brand by adding the same technical performance details to their Rx collections used in many of their sun styles. Brands like Oakley, Nike and Columbia have long offered optical collections to complement their performance sun collections, but now a whole new, highly engineered crop has risen.

Smith’s Rx collection allows prescription lenses to be interchanged just like in their Interlock sun collection. Rudy Project’s first ophthalmic eyewear collection has 360-degree fully adjustable temples and ImpactRX FreeForm TEK prescription technology that custom tailors the lens to each eye for an increased field of vision of up to 20 percent in a material born from unbreakable Apache helicopter windshield technology. Adidas, which has always offered sun performance features in their optical styles, recently launched the Ambition ophthalmic collection, which offers 8-base wrap frames, often preferred in sport sunglasses, which allow for the maximum field of vision. Switch Vision invented a new system of magnetic interchangeable lenses that allow frames to be switched from tinted to clear ophthalmic lenses and back in a matter of seconds.

Having at least one sports ophthalmic collection is a must for any optical practice serious about serving its action-minded clientele. Now the category offers some seriously high-performance and technically advanced options. It’s giving sport enthusiasts and weekend warriors who need vision correction a whole new edge when it comes to “putting on their game face.” ■ 

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RealD's 3D glasses

The 3-D revival is being heralded as the newest transformation in entertainment and digital media and 2010 will see an explosion in its visibility for movies, television, video games, Web sites, and even mobile devices.

So is it an opportunity for optical retailers and eyecare professionals? We think so, particularly if major eyewear players choose to participate directly by making 3-D glasses available for personal use. In fact, Carlsbad, Ca.-based Gunnar Optiks just announced that it will offer 3-D glasses soon.

At the very least, ECPs can gain expert footing in talking with patients and consumers about stereopsis—how the brain takes two separate images and “sees” them as one.

Not including the $1 billion-plus box office blockbuster, James Cameron’s “Avatar,” there are some 50 3-D films slated for release in the coming years, according to RealD, the leading 3-D platform company which saw a 200 percent increase in its worldwide installation base last year.

The RealD 3D platform has 9,500 screens under contract and 4,800 screens installed in 48 countries with 300 exhibition partners. XpanD part of X6D Limited, uses battery-powered LCD shutters to achieve the 3-D effect and is another growing 3-D supplier.

This month’s Consumer Electronics Show showcased 3-D TV from Sony, Panasonic and other electronics leaders while ESPN revealed plans for a 3-D sports cable channel. Gaming companies already are eselling 3-D glasses “kits” to transform video game and virtual reality experience for dedicated fans.

In-Stat found in a recent poll that some 64 percent of respondents expressed at least some interest in watching 3-D programming at home. ■  

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Welcome to the Social Media Revolution! Analysts say the rise of social media could be the biggest socioeconomic shift since the Industrial Revolution.

No longer confined to tech geeks and bored teenagers, the use of social media platforms is on the rise for business as well. According to the 2008 Business in Social Media Study done by Cone (coneinc.com), a strategy and communications agency, 93 percent of social media users believe a company should have a social media presence, 85 percent believe a company should also interact with its consumers and 56 percent felt a stronger connection with and felt better served by companies they interact with in a social media environment.

Luckily, an increasing number of optical companies, retailers and ECPs are seeing the importance of social networking. Companies like VSP, Sunglass Hut and Zyloware have strong Facebook presences, while brands like Ray-Ban, Oakley, Fysh UK and Gucci allow users to communicate directly with them and others on sites dedicated to community building.

Still not convinced? Those without a digital presence should take note:

• In 2010, Gen Y will outnumber Baby Boomers for the first time and 96 percent of them have joined a social network.
— Trendspotting.com and MillennialsConference.com

• It took Radio 38 years to reach 50 millions users, Television 13, the
Internet four, and the iPod three…it took Facebook less than nine
months to reach 100 million users.— UN.org, Mashable.com and CNN.com

• Facebook is banned in China but despite that with more than 350
million active users worldwide, if Facebook were a country it would
be ranked the third largest in the world between India and the U.S.—
Facebook.com and Wikipedia.com

• The fastest growing segment on Facebook is 55 to 65 year-old females.

• More than 3.5 billion pieces of content (Web links, news stories, blog
posts, notes, photo albums, etc.) are shared on Facebook each
week.— Facebook.com

• Twitter traffic exploded over the last year, going from about 2 million
unique visitors per month in December 2008 to over 17 million in May
2009.— comScore.com

• One in five Internet users now use Twitter.— PewInternet.org

• The second largest search engine in the world is YouTube. — TGDaily.com

• Some 34 percent of bloggers post opinions about products and
brands. — uiversalmccann.com ■

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In today’s highly competitive eyecare/eyewear environment, a simple, non-dynamic Web site is no longer good enough.

Savvy retailers and ECPs are using their Web sites’ functionality to connect with patients. More interactivity—offering patients the ability to schedule appointments online, for example—are also bringing ECPs’ presence to patients via Facebook and other social networking media.

Here are several examples of the kind of Web innovations that are likely to spread this year:

• In the St. Louis area, 43-office Clarkson Eyecare’s site ( www.clarksoneyecare.com) offers online appointment scheduling as well as an extensive Patient Education section that includes walking the prospective patient through the exam process. Clarkson’s president and chief executive officer, Bill Jehling—himself an Internet buff—recently established a Facebook page for the company as well, highlighting the practice and its products.

• Under president Robert Samit, OD, MyEyeDr, with 33 locations in the Washington, D.C., metro area, offers a function on its Web site ( www.myeyedr.com) that allows patients to fill out or update their eyecare history forms online before coming into the office. The practice also offers patients a $20 Eyebucks discount on the purchase of eyeglasses or contact lenses if they fill out an online customer satisfaction form after a visit to a MyEyeDr location.

• Another Facebook fan is Ira Haber, owner of four-store Europtics in Denver, Colo. Europtics’ Facebook page includes regular entries on its Wall as well as information about promotions and sales, plus photos of celebrities sporting the latest eyewear styles. A similar celebrity eyewear gallery called What’s Hot—turns up on Europtics’ Web site ( www.europtics.net), along with a promise to consumers that if they see frames they like on the famous faces, “If we don’t have them, we’ll get them.”

• As befits its optometrist-oriented marketing position, Pearle Vision’s Web site ( www.pearlevision.com) is quite OD-centric. In addition to online exam scheduling, the Pearle site offers an extensive Vision Health section including information on the digital retinal imaging its stores offer; the site also urges consumers to ask their Pearle OD for a Personal Eye Health and Wellness Report to take home. ■

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The Intel Reader reads text aloud. Optelec’s FarView is a portable magnifier.

There has been an evolution of visual products that use technology to improve and enhance the reading experience from the printed word to the Web or digital media.

For those in the vision care field, offering new services for the low-vision or visually-impaired patient can modernize the traditional practice. Web-site accessibility for vision-related sites can also make vision service sites more relevant to users.

The Intel Reader is a new mobile handheld device that reads text to people who have dyslexia or other specific learning disabilities, or have vision problems such as low-vision or blindness. About the size of a paperback book, the Intel Reader converts printed text to digital text, and then reads it aloud to the user. Launched by Intel Corp, the device combines a high-resolution camera with an Intel Atom processor, allowing users to point, shoot and listen to printed text. When the Intel Reader is used together with the Intel Portable Capture Station, large amounts of text can be easily captured.

Optelec, a supplier of low vision products based in Vista, Calif. recently introduced FarView, a powerful, portable, magnifier designed for people with an active lifestyle. Users can scroll through text and select any of six viewing modes on the built-in menu and a complete document or multiple pages can be captured. Images can be magnified up to 90 times, and up to 100 images can be stored and accessed on the device which measures 4.3 inches and weighs in at a little over 10 ounces.

Last year, Lighthouse International released an innovative new add-on software tool called LowBrowse—the first program to enable people with moderate or severe low vision to both view Web pages as the original Web author intended and read the text on those pages tailored to their own visual needs. The program runs in conjunction with the Mozilla Firefox browser, and is available for free via the Firefox add-on site. ■ 
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