Indie ODs Among Those Awarded Women In Optometry’s 2024 Theia Awards of Excellence

NEW YORK—Women In Optometry has announced that it will award nine women ODs with a Theia Award of Excellence on Thursday, November 7, 2024, during the American Academy of Optometry’s Academy 2024 in Indianapolis, Ind., according to an announcement from WO. This is the ninth year for this annual awards ceremony. Each year, Women In Optometry asks readers and friends to submit the names of women who have been extraordinarily influential in the industry. This year, more than 200 nominations were submitted; the WO advisory board votes for the winners.

Laster Eye Center

The team at Laster Eye Center in Fort Smith, Ark., celebrated National Dog Day with a collage of their beloved pups.

Get Inspired for Optometry Giving Sight’s 2024 World Sight Day Challenge

GOLDEN, Colo.—In August, Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) issued its 2024 World Sight Day Challenge in support of its mission to eradicate uncorrected refractive error through the growth and expansion of optometry around the world. The Challenge is the organization’s largest annual fundraiser. This year’s theme is Giving Together, Seeing Forever, which OGS said celebrates the collective power of the optometry community to give the gift of sight to millions of people in need. The Challenge runs from now through the end of October, with World Sight Day scheduled to be celebrated on October 10.

Optometry Marketing Services Announces Milestone as Google Partner

Optometry Marketing Services (OMS), an optometric alliance founded by IDOC, a non-franchise alliance of independent ODs, has announced its recent achievement of being recognized as a Google Partner. Being named as a Google Partner is a worldwide benchmark for proficiency in digital advertising. It is a professional accreditation awarded to companies which demonstrate expertise in online advertising and the use of Google Ads. This designation validates the detailed work within the service and the quality they bring to the industry. Google Ad strategies have made a direct impact on OMS clients’ goals such as increasing new patient volume, the company said.

Indies Embrace the Back-to-School Season

NEW YORK—The back-to-school season is officially upon us. Across the country, students are headed back to the classroom; some have already started the fall semester, while others are in the last few days of their summer breaks, but either way, a large portion of Americans are thinking about the upcoming school year. As teachers, families and students get organized, it’s an important time for the optical community to remind them how important eye health is for a successful academic year. Here, we’re taking a look at what some independent ECPs are doing to get into gear for the school year.