By Staff
Thursday, September 12, 2024 12:24 AM
BOSTON—The
New England College of Optometry’s (NECO) fourth annual Industry Collaborative, “Health Equity in Eyecare,” shifted venues on Tuesday from the school’s Beacon Street campus to the
Artists for Humanity EpiCenter. The second and final day of the event featured a spirited panel discussion on the current scope of practice in optometry as well as a fireside chat from John Katzman, founder and CEO of
Noodle, on artificial intelligence (AI) and education, hosted by Howard Purcell, OD, FAAO, current president of NECO.
By Staff
Wednesday, September 4, 2024 12:24 AM
NEW YORK—
Vision Monday and
20/20 are hosting the 16th annual EyeVote Readers' Choice Awards to
identify the optical industry’s favorite products and companies this year. These two Jobson Medical Information publications are teaming up once again this fall to get readers’ opinions by asking optical retailers and ECPs to identify their favorite products in 22 distinct categories.
By Staff
Thursday, August 29, 2024 12:27 AM
NEW YORK—The State University of New York Board of Trustees has announced the appointment of Dr. David Troilo as president of
SUNY College of Optometry. He is the fourth president to serve the state’s only college of optometry, the announcement stated, following the retirement of Dr. David A. Heath after 17 years of service to the campus. Dr. Troilo’s appointment is effective immediately. “SUNY College of Optometry is a center of research and academic excellence, and Dr. Troilo is a collaborative and thoughtful leader who is ready to move the campus forward, growing and innovating optometric education and patient care," the SUNY Board of Trustees commented.
By Staff
Thursday, August 22, 2024 12:18 AM
LAS VEGAS—Jobson Optical Group has announced the speaker roster and agenda for “The Artificial Intelligence Revolution: Practical Applications in Eye Care Today,” a new,
live event, which will be presented at The Venetian Hotel during Vision Expo West 2024. The program is scheduled for Wednesday, September 18, from 3:00 to 5:30 pm. Dr. Scot Morris, OD, director of development and CEO of Augmented Medical Intelligence, a medical knowledge platform transforming medicine, will chair the presentation.
By Staff
Tuesday, August 13, 2024 12:24 AM
NEW YORK—Eyewear company
Modo has announced the acquisition of
ICU Eyewear, a designer of over-the-counter, non-prescription reading glasses, sunglasses, blue light blocking eyewear, sun readers and outdoor specialty sunglasses, effective immediately. The strategic purchase, Modo told
VMAIL, is aimed at expanding the company's reach in reading glasses and sunwear and increasing its offerings to meet the growing demands of customers seeking readers. Modo Eyewear launched ONE:1, a sustainable carbon-negative readers brand, for the independent channel in 2023, and, according to the company, adding ICU Eyewear to this offering will allow for broader solutions.
By Staff
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 9:30 AM
DULUTH, Ga.—
National Vision Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: EYE), one of the largest optical retail companies in the U.S., has announced the appointment of Alex Wilkes as National Vision’s president, reporting to Reade Fahs, chief executive officer of National Vision, effective August 19, 2024. The company told
VMAIL that Wilkes' role as president is a new position. This follows the company’s
announcement on July 1, 2024, of Mark Banner joining the company as chief stores officer. National Vision also announced that Patrick Moore, the company’s chief operating officer and former chief financial officer, has shared his plans to retire at the end of this year.
By Staff
Thursday, August 1, 2024 12:21 AM
LAS VEGAS—Jobson Optical Group has announced a new, live event titled “The Artificial Intelligence Revolution: Practical Applications in Eye Care Today,” that will be presented at The Venetian Hotel during
Vision Expo West 2024 on Wednesday, September 18, from 3:00 - 5:30 p.m. The event will feature subject-matter experts who will share information and guidance on using artificial intelligence (AI) in eyecare practices. Dr. Scot Morris, OD, director of development and CEO of
Augmented Medical Intelligence, a medical knowledge platform transforming medicine, will chair the presentation.
By Staff
Thursday, July 25, 2024 12:27 AM
PARIS—
Kering Eyewear, part of the global luxury group Kering, has reported revenue of €914 million in the first half of 2024, up 5 percent as reported and up 6 percent on a comparable basis. In the second quarter, Kering Eyewear's sales rose by 3 percent both on a comparable basis and as reported, driven by solid progression of the brands in its portfolio, the Group said. Overall, revenue from the Kering Eyewear and Corporate segment amounted to €1.1 billion for the first half of 2024, mainly attributable to activities of Kering Eyewear and Kering Beauté, the latter including the sales of Creed.
By Staff
Thursday, July 18, 2024 12:27 AM
PARIS and DENVER—
EssilorLuxottica, a global leader in the optical industry, and
VF Corporation, a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel, footwear and accessories, announced that they entered into a definitive agreement for EssilorLuxottica to acquire the
Supreme brand from VF for $1.5 billion in cash. A New York-city based skate culture brand, Supreme was established in 1994 and has expanded into a global community, with 17 retail stores in the U.S., Asia and Europe, and an e-commerce platform across all regions. It runs a digital-first business.
By Staff
Monday, July 8, 2024 12:24 AM
NEW YORK—A Jobson Research poll of opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists in response to recent updates by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to the Eyeglass Rule shows that the changes will have moderate to significant impact on practices' workload and bottom line. As recently
reported in
VMAIL, the FTC announced final updates late last month to its
Ophthalmic Practice Rules, also known as the Eyeglass Rule, in what the organization stated was an effort to increase compliance with the requirement that ophthalmologists and optometrists provide patients with a free copy of their prescription immediately following a refractive eye exam. Among the updates are the requirements that ECPs must now ask patients to sign a statement confirming they received their prescription, keep a record of that confirmation for at least three years, and offer patients the option of a digital prescription.
By Staff
Monday, July 1, 2024 12:24 AM
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Last week, as
reported in
VMAIL, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced final updates to its 10-year
Ophthalmic Practice Rules, known as the Eyeglass Rule. According to the FTC, the updates, which are scheduled to take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, are designed to increase compliance with the rule’s long-standing requirement that ophthalmologists and optometrists who have a financial interest in selling prescription eyewear provide patients with a free copy of their prescription following a refractive eye exam.
By Staff
Thursday, June 27, 2024 1:15 PM
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Concluding a comprehensive multi-year review, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced final updates to its
Ophthalmic Practice Rules, known as the Eyeglass Rule, aimed at promoting competition and consumer choice. According to the FTC, the updates are designed to increase compliance with the rule’s long-standing requirement that ophthalmologists and optometrists provide patients with a free copy of their prescription immediately following a refractive eye exam. The changes announced on Thursday require that prescribers, after providing the prescription, request that their patients sign a statement confirming they received their prescription and keep a record of such confirmation for at least three years.
By Staff
Thursday, June 20, 2024 12:27 AM
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Recent best practice honorees and student award recipients weighed in on hot topics relevant to the optical industry and profession on Wednesday during a roundtable discussion hosted by
CooperVision at
Optometry’s Meeting here. Topics selected by the honorees and discussed included new and emerging technologies, contact lenses and myopia management, according to CooperVision. Back in March, as
reported by
VMAIL, CooperVision announced its 2024 Best Practices honorees and student award recipients.
By Staff
Monday, June 10, 2024 11:15 AM
HAMBURG, Germany and GREEN BAY, Wis.—The
Fielmann Group, a global eyewear provider, has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement in which its U.S. subsidiary, Fielmann USA, will acquire 100 percent equity ownership in
Shopko Optical, an optical retailer based in Green Bay, Wis., from
Monarch Alternative Capital LP. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of this year, the group said, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Shopko Optical operates more than 140 stores across 13 states and generated $168 million in sales in 2023, according to the announcement.
By Staff
Wednesday, June 5, 2024 12:27 AM
RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.—
VSP Vision announced that Usha Patil has joined the company effective June 3 as chief insurance officer, and in that role will lead VSP Vision Care, the organization’s not-for-profit vision benefits business that serves more than 85 million members. Patil joins VSP Vision from
UnitedHealth Group, where she spent the last 14 years in a variety of senior leadership roles, most recently leading operations for UnitedHealthcare’s individual and family Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans, the company stated.