By Staff
Sunday, March 17, 2024 10:30 AM
NEW YORK—The
Opticians Association of America (OAA), and the
National Federation of Opticianry Schools (NFOS), have completed a merger, with continuing funding provided by the
American Board of Opticianry & National Contact Lens Examiners (ABO & NCLE) that has created a model opticianry association representing over 80,000 opticians and contact lens professionals throughout North America, according to a statement from the three organizations. OAA has proudly been committed to promoting a professional stature of opticianry through leadership education and communication since 1925, and NFOS has been dedicated to facilitating the development of formal educational programs, upgrading the standards of opticianry education, and working for uniformity of opticianry education since 1999.
By Staff
Sunday, March 17, 2024 12:33 AM
NEW YORK—As
Vision Expo East 2024 wraps up today, the organizers of Vision Expo,
The Vision Council and
RX, would like to thank all supporters, attendees and exhibitors for their enthusiasm, hard work and commitment that has made the Show so successful this year, and for the last few decades. We thank the Javits Center and the city of New York for its unwavering support and hospitality, empowering us to host and execute one of the world’s best events for the eyecare and eyewear industry.
By Staff
Sunday, March 17, 2024 12:30 AM
SAN RAMON, Calif.—Recognizing both current and future leaders in optometry,
CooperVision announced its 2024
Best Practices honorees and student award recipients. The initiative—now in its ninth year—honors innovative U.S. eyecare practices who are committed to advancing the profession and providing exceptional patient care.
By Staff
Sunday, March 17, 2024 12:21 AM
LAKE FOREST, Calif.—
STAAR Surgical Company (NASDAQ: STAA), a developer, manufacturer and marketer of the EVO family of implantable collamer lenses (ICL) for myopia, astigmatism and presbyopia, announced the appointment of Arthur Butcher and Wei Jiang to its board of directors, effective March 12, 2024.
By Staff
Saturday, March 16, 2024 12:33 AM
NEW YORK—Welcome back to
Vision Expo East 2024, where the excitement continues as we delve deeper into a world of innovation, education and camaraderie. Today, Saturday, March 16, promises to be another extraordinary day packed with special events and enriching educational opportunities, both on and off the Show floor. As we kick off Day 2, explore today’s robust lineup of events and activities. On the Show Floor, the Bridge programming begins at 9:45 a.m. with RestoringVision's session “Doing Good is Good for Business.” Following this, at 10:15 a.m., the National Optometric Association will delve into the crucial topic of Physician Burn Out.
By Staff
Saturday, March 16, 2024 12:24 AM
NEW YORK—Simple adjustments to how eyecare practices communicate with patients may attract a significantly higher number of contact lens wearers, according to new data from the
Contact Lens Institute (CLI).
By Staff
Saturday, March 16, 2024 12:21 AM
ATLANTA—
Thomas Eye Group has announced the acquisition of Tucker & Associates Eye Care and Laser Center, adding one new location. Located in the Johns Creek community, Thomas Eye Group is looking to expand and provide eyecare to the ever-growing Atlanta community.
By Staff
Saturday, March 16, 2024 12:18 AM
LOMBARD, Ill.—
Visionix USA and
20/20NOW have joined forces to debut a new tele-optometry program at Vision Expo East 2024. The two companies announced a strategic alliance in November 2023 to offer cost-effective, comprehensive eye exams with in-office synchronous tele-optometry. 20/20Now currently serves eyecare practices and optical retailers in more than 30 states. The company employs a team of remote optometrists to assess test results and conduct live clinical reviews with the patients. In the article titled,
“The Tele-Optometry Platform Expanding Reach without Compromising Quality of Care,” Dr. Noelle Tchang, director of professional services at 20/20Now, shared a few scenarios when tele-optometry is a great fit for an evolving practice.
By Staff
Friday, March 15, 2024 12:33 AM
NEW YORK—As the curtains rise on
Vision Expo East 2024, the excitement is palpable, and the anticipation is electric. This year's event, co-hosted by
The Vision Council and
RX, promises to be a celebration of nearly four decades of eyewear and eyecare excellence in the heart of New York City. From March 14 to 17, the iconic Javits Center transforms into a bustling hub of industry activity, spanning an expansive 150,000 square feet of exhibit space.
By Staff
Friday, March 15, 2024 12:30 AM
PADUA, Italy—The board of directors of
Safilo Group S.p.A. (SFLG.MI) has approved the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023, and examined the separate financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023.
By Staff
Friday, March 15, 2024 12:24 AM
DALLAS—
Neurolens, based here, has announced a strategic leadership restructure. The new structure combines seasoned leadership with strategic hires. In December, company co-founder Davis Corley returned as CEO.
By Staff
Friday, March 15, 2024 12:21 AM
MIAMI, Fla.—
Avulux, the innovator behind Avulux Migraine and Light Sensitivity lenses, has announced the appointment of Derek Johnson as national sales manager. Johnson, who brings nearly a decade of experience to his role, is responsible for working with optometry clinics, helping them to add Avulux lenses to their practice and support patients experiencing migraine and light sensitivity. According to the company, Avulux Migraine and Light Sensitivity Lenses are the only lens clinically proven to block the harmful light wavelengths that trigger and worsen migraine attacks.
By Staff
Friday, March 15, 2024 12:18 AM
DALLAS and LOS ANGELES—
TEC, The Eye Consortium, an alliance group of independent eyecare practitioners and industry leading suppliers and vendors, has announced the addition of Frank Pigneri, ABO-AC, in the role of vice president of operations. Pigneri boasts a more than 25-year history in eyecare, optics, practice management, supply chain, data analytics and professional education for independent practitioners. He has previously worked with Essilor, EssilorLuxottica and Hoya Vision Care at various levels in those organizations.
By Staff
Friday, March 15, 2024 12:15 AM
NEWTONVILLE, Mass.—
GoodVision USA, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing the gift of good vision to underserved communities worldwide, has announced the appointment of Cira Collins to its board of directors. Collins joins Dibby Bartlett, Blair Wong, Kathy Smith, Karsten Wolf and Sally Hunt on the GoodVision U.S. board of directors. In 2022, Collins achieved the prestigious ABOM designation, master in ophthalmic optics, from the
American Board of Opticianry. This designation is bestowed upon a select group of individuals in recognition of their expertise in ophthalmic optics, commitment to continuous learning, and dedication to sharing their knowledge with opticians globally. Collins is also a certified continuing education speaker accredited by the ABO, delivering presentations at both state and national levels.
By Staff
Thursday, March 14, 2024 3:10 PM
Are Americans still concerned about the health implications of COVID-19? A new
Pew Research Center survey finds that just 20 percent of Americans view the coronavirus as a major threat to the health of the U.S. population today, and only 10 percent are very concerned they will get it and require hospitalization. This data represents a low ebb of public concern about the virus that reached its height in the summer and fall of 2020, when as many as two-thirds of Americans viewed COVID-19 as a major threat to public health.
The survey revealed that just 28 percent of U.S. adults say they have received the updated COVID-19 vaccine, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended last fall to protect against serious illness. This stands in stark contrast to the spring and summer of 2021, when long lines and limited availability characterized the initial rollout of the first COVID-19 vaccines. A majority of U.S. adults (69 percent) had been fully vaccinated by August of 2021.
Underscoring the limited demand for the updated COVID-19 vaccines, a larger share of U.S. adults say they’ve gotten a flu shot in the last six months rather than the updated coronavirus vaccine (44 percent versus 28 percent). And despite a public health push encouraging adults to get both vaccines at the same time, almost half of those who received a flu shot from a health care provider chose not to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine.
The vast majority of Americans have some level of protection from the coronavirus because of vaccination, prior infection or a combination of the two. This has led to a decline in severe illness from the disease.
Still, the virus continues to circulate widely in the U.S., with wastewater data suggesting that cases in the early part of 2024 were among the highest they have been since the first omicron wave in 2022.