The stunning impact of Hurricane Sandy in VM’s home base region is still devastating to many. Our VM team joins with those in the optical and eyecare community in sharing our concern and empathy to those most affected by this natural disaster. We’ve posted several industry initiatives toward relief on VisionMonday.com and via our VisionMonday/Facebook page and Twitter feeds and will continue to do so in the weeks to come. Please continue to keep us informed of your own related efforts.

VM turns its business attention this month to the very interesting contemporary and young men’s eyewear market. VM’s Dee Carroll and Cat Wolinski help shed light on this optical market growth sector. Men’s wear market experts, eyewear suppliers and astute retailers and optical dispensers confirm that today’s young male consumers are much more fashion-aware than they’ve been in the past. They reveal that men are open to recommendations, technology and style-wise, and relate to brands in ways that are translating into increased sales for many businesses.

We hope you spend some time on the rich nuggets of information in our Cover Story this month and share with your staff the tips provided by retail and dispensing colleagues for successfully tapping this important now-and-future customer base.

I’d also like to draw your attention this month to dba, VM’s latest editorial initiative. This new e-newsletter, which also features a related print-edition section in VM, targets the critical role that local and regional retail/optometric business leaders play in delivering eyecare and selling eyewear to millions of consumers. We are specifically addressing their decision making needs and giving voice to their success stories via dba. A complete preview edition of dba, which will officially launch monthly starting in January 2013, is now posted on VisionMonday.com.

Highlighting what it’s like to do business in optical’s local and regional markets across the U.S., dba profiles business challenges for regional/local leading retailers/optometric practices with Q&As, insights on staffing and recruitment, marketing and buying, operations and managed care. We’re confident that dba will be influential in reporting on the innovative programs and initiatives taking place, talking to the key executives and managers in this important sector. You can sign up for the dba e-mail newsletter at the Subscribe section on VisionMonday.com. ■

maxelrad@jobson.com