Digital Diagnostics and Orbis International Announce Study to Help Save Sight in Bangladesh

CORALVILLE, Iowa—Digital Diagnostics, developers of IDx-DR, an FDA De Novo-cleared autonomous AI system for the detection of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular edema (DME), and Orbis International, the influential nonprofit dedicated to fighting avoidable blindness around the world, have partnered on a study that will bring high-quality disease detection to communities in Bangladesh.

Optical Sales Recovered for the Week of June 7-13 Following Steep Declines During Memorial Day Holiday, Jobson’s Latest Weekly Tracker Shows

NEW YORK—Optical sales recovered last week, June 7-13, following the steep declines experienced during the Memorial Day holiday of the previous week (May 31-June 6), according to data from Jobson’s latest Practice Performance Tracker. Gross revenue recovered and surpassed the -17 index points it lost the previous week by adding 23 index points last week. Not only did gross revenue recover last week (Week 24), but it also surpassed the comparable weeks of both 2019 and 2020.

Consumers' Online Eyewear Purchases and Research Before Buying Increased Significantly in 2020, Per Latest Vision Council Internet Influence Research Report

ALEXANDRIA, Va.—In 2020, more than 44 percent of adults who purchased eyeglasses used the internet to assist in their acquisition of prescription eyeglasses, up from 22 percent in 2017. With 14.1 percent of 2020 eyeglass buyers using the internet to directly purchase eyeglasses throughout the year, about 30 percent of 2020 eyeglass buyers used the internet to compare prices, find the type or style of eyeglasses they wanted to buy or find the ECP or retailer they bought from in-person later. These are among the conclusions of a new 2020 Internet Influence Report from The Vision Council.

National Survey Finds Our Eyes Are in Overdrive

Eighty percent of Americans say pandemic-prompted screen time put their eyes in "overdrive," according to the results of a new survey commissioned by VSP Vision Care. The nationally-representative survey of 1,500 general population consumers found that two-thirds of respondents report experiencing some degree of eye discomfort every day, and nearly a quarter say their eyes feel worse now than they did a year ago. Moreover, 90 percent of respondents believe it’s important to take care of their eyes, starting now.

Prevent Blindness to Present its 2021 Person of Vision Award to Marc Ferrara of Jobson Medical Information, at Vision Expo West

CHICAGO—Prevent Blindness, the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight will present its 2021 Person of Vision Award to Marc Ferrara, CEO of Information Services, Jobson Medical Information, on Thursday, Sept. 23, in conjunction with Vision Expo West. The Person of Vision event will be held at the Sands Expo & Convention Center, Las Vegas, beginning at 6:30 p.m. PT. Dinner will be served at 7:30 p.m., with the program and award presentation beginning at 8:30 p.m. All attendees are invited to the Champagne after-party immediately following the program.