Latest News Energeyes Association to Launch Dry Eye Centers for Corporate and Retail-Affiliated Optometrist Members By Staff Wednesday, October 14, 2015 12:19 AM Joseph Barr, OD, MS, FAAO. NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The Energeyes Association announced yesterday that it will launch the Dry Eye Centers of America, a blueprint for its members to provide high quality dry eye diagnosis and treatment. Beginning in February of 2016, the new service will be offered free to Energeyes members in an effort to support the growth of medical services within members’ practices. Michael Porat, executive director of the Energeyes Association, said, “Due to time constraints, we see ODs taking months and months to get a service started, and often it is not created to the highest level possible. As a non-profit, the association can be a neutral catalyst connecting dry eye clinical experts and vendors with members.” An advisory board led by Joseph Barr, OD, MS, FAAO, will create dry eye diagnostic and treatment protocols. Product and equipment recommendations will be provided to fulfill the clinical protocols developed. Discounts on all products and services will also be negotiated for the group. In addition, to ensure the flow of patients into the new Dry Eye Centers of America, the initiative will provide a full marketing kit, including direct mail, press releases, a personalized dry eye website, brochures and marketing campaigns. Ongoing support and education will also be provided. The new service will also include a data warehouse for examining clinical outcomes. “I am very excited about the prospect of this effort,” said Barr. “No one at this time is comprehensively gathering outcomes data in the field, and the prospect of seeing what is truly working and what is not working so well may lead to great improvements to treat this disorder.” Member practices will receive their initial training for the program as part of the Energeyes SECO Sunday on Feb. 28, 2016, in Atlanta, Georgia. Later in 2016, this blueprint strategy will be applied to other areas that require a coordinated ‘center’ approach, such as glaucoma and diabetes.