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October 2012 | Vol.30 No.5 | $5.00
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
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October 2 0 1 2
| Vol.30
No.5
Better eyesight—
There’s an app for that
Seeing clearly—
New eyewear technology
Exclusive: Vision Expo coverage
Social media:
Marketing your business
www.opticalprism.ca
THE MAGAZINE FOR EYECARE PROFESSIONALS
contents
October 2012
Vol.30 No.5
On opticalprism.ca this month:
k
Footage from Vision Expo West
k
Cartier Launch
k
Foundation Fighting Blindness
Features
12
Seeing clearly with new
eyewear technology
by Sarah McGoldrick
The latest in eyewear technology
16
Special Report: Where Vision
Care and Culture Meet
by Talib Qilzilbash
A look at how culture affects eyecare
22
Myopia and the Asian eye
by Janice Schmidt
A look at how myopia has reached Asian culture
24
Departments
6
From the editor
8
Preview
Converse, Transitions, New Vintage
32
Glimpses
Hoya second pair program, Diversity at
Silhouette, Menicon captures gold
34
Events Calendar
35
Classifieds
36
Frame by Frame
Style meets culture in Toronto
Better eyesight—
There’s an app for that
by Pippa Wysong
A Review of the latest apps and technology
geared to eyecare
26
Exclusive Vision Expo coverage
28
Put technology
in your marketing
by Salimah Mamdani
How social media is making marketing your
business easier
30
Vision Expo West Review
A look at what was new and innovative
at VEW 2012
ON OUR COVER: Modo
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
3
THE MAGAZINE FOR EYECARE PROFESSIONALS
Publisher
Robert May
416-432-8473
[email protected]
Associate Publisher
Mary Lu May
416-233-0779
[email protected]
Editor
Sarah McGoldrick
226-383-3855
[email protected]
Assistant Editor
Leah Miller
[email protected]
Art Director
Rhoda Tang
416-456-3739
[email protected]
Webmaster
Grant Heaslip
[email protected]
Contributors
Gerard Keledjian, Salimah Mamdani,
Talib Qilzilbash, Janice Schmidt, Pippa Wysong
Advertising:
Fax: 416-233-1746
Tel: 416-233-0779
E-mail: [email protected]
Classified ads: [email protected]
Website:
www.opticalprism.ca
Optical Prism (ISSN 0824-3441) is published 8
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VISIT US AT:
SILMO
OCTOBER 4-7, 2012
HALL 6 BOOTH B75
A brand of
800.361.6220
FIND US:
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/WESTGROUPE
WWW.TWITTER.COM/WESTGROUPE
WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WESTGROUPECHANNEL
MODELS ARE WEARING F-3448 & F-3439
f ro m t h e e d i t o r
The technology behind the style
S
eptember was an incredibly
busy month in the eyewear
industry. Many new lines were
launched and the annual Vision Expo
West was held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This event is the who’s who of the
industry, second only to Vision Expo
East.
While thousands of people were
playing the slots, just as many were
filing through the doors of the Sands
Conference Centre to see what was in
store for 2013. The result was a
colourful and imaginative array of
designs, styles and technology. From
glasses designed to impress to glasses
designed to help children in third
world countries see for the first time,
there was no shortage of ideas and
amazing stories.
This issue of Optical Prism
hopes to capture some of what we
learned at Vision Expo West in
addition to what we have discovered
in research labs and design studios
across North America.
From eyewear designed to help
colour-blind people see the true
beauty and vivid colour of the world
around them to glasses to help
children overcome lazy eye, you are
sure to find some incredibly useful
information and stories in our
October issue.
For those looking for neat ways
to promote and manage their
business, check out our articles on
both marketing and the latest apps.
These tools will help find new ways
to reach your audience in both a
multi-platform and cost effective way.
6
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
We are also pleased to officially
launch our YouTube page in this issue
with footage from Vision Expo. Once
you are finished reading please go
online and see the exciting new
videos. More will be added all the
time so subscribe, share and like our
videos.
Finally take time to explore our
Special Report on ethnic issues
related to eyecare and eyewear. The
cultural landscape of Canada
continues to evolve and with it come
new challenges related to language,
culture and service. This issue helps
lift the confusion on how best
to assist clients from different
backgrounds and how to offer
services
in
a
multi-cultural
environment so that no one is left
without care.
Don’t forget to check us on
Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. We
invite you to share your thoughts and
ideas with us.
Enjoy another great issue of
Optical Prism.
Sarah McGoldrick
Editor
[email protected]
VISIT US AT:
SILMO
OCTOBER 4-7, 2012
HALL 6 BOOTH B75
A brand of
800.361.6220
FIND US:
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/WESTGROUPE
WWW.TWITTER.COM/WESTGROUPE
WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WESTGROUPECHANNEL
MODEL IS WEARING SFK-95
preview
Big, bright and
oh so cool
F
ootwear giant Converse pushes kids
to be both playful and tenacious on
the playground this season with its
new fashion forward glow in the dark
collection. These special frames soak up the
light during the day, powering up for a night
time glow. Flutter and Zoom optical frames
come in fruit punch pink with star scattered
temples, and bold blue for boys come with
a tartan temple. Zap and Zing sport graphic
slash patterns on a matte metal frame while
Yikes is a vintage-inspired acetate front
complete with skull and cross bones
patterns on the temples. For girls, Pop is a
classic cat-eye shape and Purr shows off its
leopard spots on the temples.
For
more
information,
visit
www.westgroupe.com
Groundbreaking Advantage
A
nother breakthrough in lens technology puts
Transitions Optical on the map with its
newest innovation, variable polarization
adaptive lens technology. These lenses will not only
adjust the amount of light indoors and outdoors, but
will also polarize depending on the amount of UV
exposure. Transitions Vantage lenses are everyday
photochromic lenses that start out virtually clear and
non-polarized indoors before optimizing the angle at
which light reaches the eyes to help control glare and
light scatter while they adapt to changing light
outdoors by increasing polarization and darken.
Transitions Vantage lenses are available exclusively
in grey.
For more information, visit www.transitions.com
8
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
A New Vantage of Vintage
G
EEK 201 by Geek Eyewear is a vintage
frame inspired by legendary looks of the
1950s that incorporated the best features
of both plastic and metal eyeglasses in the same
frame. Remaining faithful to the early original
designs, designers have added some technical
refinements to add strength and provide comfort.
A
double-screw
lens
locking
system
holds
prescription, sunglass, or clear lenses firmly in
place. The metal bridge that joins the right side of
the frame to the left is reinforced with a strong,
durable single bar that helps the frame retain its
shape.
GEEK
201
comes
in
two
colour
combinations, tortoise-gold and black-silver. Each
frame comes with soft nose pads that match the
vintage plaques on the front of the frame. Famous
people spotted in this style include Malcolm X,
Richard Gere, Matt Damon and Kevin Costner.
For more information, visit www.lbieyewear.com
New Shades In Town
P
orsche Design is presenting interchangeable
lenses in new colour variants for the successful
P’8478 sunglass line. Sulfur yellow, steel blue and
raspberry red are now available along with the six classic
shades of brown, light blue silver mirrored, grey gradient
silver mirrored, green, dark orange silver mirrored and
olive silver mirrored. P’8478 sunglasses were Porsche
Design’s first ever eyewear offered and has remained
unchanged since 1978 except for the use of ultra-light
titanium to bring the P’8478 up to the technical state-ofthe-art of the 21st century. What makes these sunglasses
stand apart is their interchangeable lens mechanism that
enables them to be adapted to various sight requirements
and light conditions.
For more information, visit www.porsche-design.com
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
9
preview
As Clear As Day
B
ausch + Lomb lets you take one day at
a time with its new Biotrue™ ONEday
premium daily disposable contact lenses.
Biotrue ONEday is made from HyperGel, a daily
disposable material that features hydrogels and
silicone hydrogels. The lens offers high water
content and delivers more oxygen than a traditional
hydrogel—all without the need for silicone—while
maintaining the comfort of conventional hydrogels.
These contacts are meant to provide consistent,
clear, comfortable vision throughout the day because
the material helps them retain moisture and optical
shape. Biotrue ONEday lenses contain 78 per cent
water and help deliver the oxygen level needed by
the open eye to maintain healthy, white eyes, even
after up to 16 hours of wear.
For more information, visit www.bausch.com
For the Indoors-y Type
I
n Canada, it’s cold. As a result, Canadians spend
up to 90 per cent of their time indoors, with an
average of nine hours a day staring directly at a
glaring screen. Nikon’s new Home & Office lens is
specifically designed for comfortable indoor vision that
focuses on extended intermediate vision. Nikon has
designed the Home & Office lens to provide a 50 per
cent wider intermediate vision zone than traditional
progressive lenses, allowing the wearer a clear view
whether it’s of a computer/tablet or simply looking
across the room. This can help alleviate symptoms that
may be caused by increased time spent indoors using
intermediate vision. Home & Office lenses, designed to
fit your prescription, are available in indices 1.50, 1.60,
1.67 and 1.74, from total sphere +8.00D to -12.00D,
cylinder -6.00D. They are also available with Nikon
coatings such as SeeCoat Blue, SeeCoat Plus, ICE
and HCC.
For more information, visit www.nikonlenswear.ca
10
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
IMAGE COURTESY OF MODO
Seeing
clearly
with
new
by Sarah McGoldrick
Amblyz offer a real
solution to lazy eye
beyond traditional
patching
I
n an industry constantly
experiencing new developments
in eyewear technology and
fashion, it is often difficult
to separate the fads from the truly
fabulous.
Rarer and more difficult to treat
conditions can also make it more
difficult to find eyewear that are
worth both the investment and
actually provide real results.
This
is
what
XPAND 3D took into
consideration when
they were developing
the Amblyz glasses,
designed
to
improve
the
eyesight of people
with amblyopia
(lazy eye).
Already
a
global leader in
multidimensional
i m a g i n g
technology, the
company
was
looking for a way
to
apply
their
knowledge to those
from
suffering
amblyopia. The neural
disorder affects three to
five per cent of children and is
traditionally treated using an eye
patch.
The patch is placed over the
good eye, forcing the weak eye to
compensate. This treatment was
not always effective when the eyes did
not respond or the child refused to
wear the patch for the correct length
of time.
“Treatment by patching the eye
is extremely difficult,” said company
chief strategy officer Ami Dror,
noting using games like pretending
to be a pirate only humours children
for so long before they want to
remove the patch.
In other cases drops would be
administered to blur the vision of
the good eye, once again forcing the
weaker eye to try and compensate.
The Amblyz glasses are
electronic devices that force the
amblyopic eye to function and
develop the muscles and neural
connection using electronic shutters
to make one lens intermittently
transparent or opaque.
They are worn like traditional
glasses which allows children to feel
more comfortable.
“Amblyz is really the only way to
heal and fix the problem effectively,”
said Dror.
“This could change the lives of
children around the world.
The glasses will be available
through
traditional
eyewear
providers.
“These are clinically approved,”
said Dror noting they have been
approved by governing bodies in
both Europe and the United States
including the FDA. “They are a real
solution for a real problem.”
Colour Your World
For those suffering from colourblindness, there are a whole new set of
challenges when it comes to choosing
eyewear. Right now few options exist
that will allow people with colour
vision deficiency (CVD) to see colour
in true richness and variety.
EnChroma recently unveiled a
line of advanced optical sunglasses
for those who are colour-blind which
will help distinguish between colours
and shades.
More than 10 million Americans
live with red/green CVD. The
sunglasses have a optical coating that
filters
wavelengths
of
light
responsible for colour confusion,
allowing the wearer to see colours as
they should be.
eyewear technology
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
13
“Traditionally eyewear like
this would allow for one colour
enhancement, but would give up
another,” said EnChroma CEO
Tony Dykes. “These increase the
overall colour enhancement.”
The product, the EnChroma Cx,
Cx-D and Cx-PT, was developed
while working on a study to
determine the feasibility of enhancing
colour vision in humans, particularly
those suffering from CVD. The
company had initially developed
the technology to protect laser
surgeons while they performed their
work.
“Our ‘A Ha’ moment came when
we realized that surgeons were taking
the protective eyewear out of the
operating rooms and using them as
sunglasses at the beach,” said VP
of Product Development, Dr. Don
McPherson in a media statement.
“Investigating further, I then
discovered that the eyewear had
a noticeable positive impact on
the wearer’s colour vision, explaining
both
increased
performance
differentiating tissue in the operating
room and enhanced vividness of the
natural world outdoors.”
The technology was so powerful
that laser surgeons could noticeably
tell the difference between various
tissues during procedure leading to
more effective treatment.
By narrowing the light filters,
the glasses allow for wearers to
differentiate between colours in the
same way, allowing for a richer,
clearer image and the ability to
distinguish colours they would not
already be able to see.
“I had intended on making
glasses that would block one very
narrow bandwidth of laser, nothing
more,” said McPherson. “Thus the
discovery, like many great discoveries,
14
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
Frames made of recycle
materials are both
fashionable and earth
friendly
was accidental and a side effect of
creating something else. They end
result was the development of a
product with far more benefits than
the original product.
The EnChroma CxSeries will be
available in mid-October.
Saving Sight and the
Environment
Technology can be found not only for
those with special eye conditions, but
for those who are looking to make
their eyewear a statement of who they
are environmentally.
Modo has unveiled a new line
aptly named Eco 2.0 which is made of
95 per cent recycled materials.
From the frames to the metal,
just about every piece of these
fashionable glasses is made from pre
or post-consumer product.
“We want to make sure our
planet continues to go on and our
children and theirs have a future,”
said Marketing Manager Natalie
Ligon.
She said the company realized
there were few pieces on the market
that offered a truly sustainable option
for consumers who wanted to
incorporate their desire to protect
the earth into their eyewear.
The technology was also difficult
to perfect, said Ligon, because of the
difficulty with mixing multiple
materials.
“It was hard to get the acetates to
be melted down and reused,” she said
adding once this was perfected, it was
easy to find factories to provide the
necessary materials to craft they
eyewear.
The result was a light-weight
piece of eyewear made from many of
the items found in everyday homes
and workplaces.
Stainless steel was purchased
Fromm factories that take fridges and
cars for recycling. The materials were
turned into sheets of steel which
Modo then transformed into the
various elements of the glasses.
Recycled surgery steel worked
allowed Modo to create pieces that
were more flexible and comfortable
on the eyes.
“These glasses have really
evolved and are now equal to any
product out there,” said Ligon. “We
have got the technology down.”
The Eco 2.0 is now available
only or through eye care providers.
•
b y Ta l i b Q i z i l b a s h
Where
vision care
SPECIAL REPORT
W
ith a population
just over 133,000,
Abbotsford, BC,
may not seem
very large, but it is remarkably
diverse. Beyond the large sections of
the populace tracing their roots back
to England and Scotland, over 21 per
cent have German heritage and 20
per cent have ethnic ties to South Asia.
Dr. Surjinder Sahota practices in
the small Fraser Valley city and says
ethnic South Asians make up about
10 to 15 per cent of her patients.
Though she says her practice has
“not changed much” over the years,
some change has been inevitable.
“You learn to change with the
times,” says Dr. Sahota. The
Abbotsford
practice
Complete
EyeCare Optometry, in which she is
a part of, has two Punjabi-speaking
optometrists in addition to front-desk
staff who also speak the language.
“Key for us is our Punjabi-speaking
optician who is able to explain
progressives and the differences
between various lenses.
The optometrist and current
president of the British Columbia
Association of Optometrists (BCAO)
admits that the hiring of multilingual
staff was a conscious move to build
the practice. Making available
informational material in languages
other than English is also part of that
effort. Through the BCAO, she
provides brochures in Punjabi about
eye health and children’s vision.
Currently Dr. Sahota is also
developing an in-office Punjabi-
on Canada’s changing optical marketplace
language brochure to help explain her
team’s OPTOS retinal imaging
system to patients.
Dr. Sahota and her team have
rightly placed special focus on
language to better serve South Asians
in Abbotsford. While 93 per cent of
South Asian Canadians can converse
in either English or French—
interestingly English is an official
language in many of the countries
from which many ethnic South
choice is important.
“With older patients, written
material,
while
helpful,
can
overwhelm. Often they prefer having
the chance to discuss the issues,”
he says. “There is no substitute for
one-on-one communication.”
Still, language is just one vehicle
on the road to providing better
health care to minority communities.
“Fostering Healthy Sight in Canada:
Focus on Culturally Diverse Groups,”
Patients find it easier to
share their medical concerns
with a doctor who speaks
their language
Asians hail, including India, Pakistan,
Guyana, Fiji and Mauritius—65 per
cent still speak another language at
home.
In Edmonton, Dr. Neepun
Sharma, O.D., speaks with some of
his South Asian patients in either
Hindi or Punjabi. Some of these
patients do not have a good grasp of
English, he says. For others, it is
simply a matter of comfort. No
matter the reason, being able to speak
with them in the language of their
a 2010 study published by Transitions
Optical, highlights the multidimensional issue of “culturally
appropriate vision care.” And when it
comes to providing culturally
appropriate eye care to Canada’s
growing South Asian communities—
including people of Bangladeshi, East
Indian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan
descent—a wide-angle perspective
that takes into consideration health
risks and culture is key to mapping
the way forward.
and culture meet
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
17
By 2031, visible minorities will
comprise 32 per cent of all
Canadians. The same percentage,
estimates Statistics Canada, will have
a mother tongue other than English
or French. In some cities, the cultural
mix will be at another level
altogether: visible minorities will be
59 per cent of the population in
Vancouver and 63 per cent in
Toronto.
As the number of visible
minorities grows, so does the
prominence
of
South
Asian
Canadians. South Asians are already
the largest visible minority group in
Canada. By 2031, the size of this
ethnic group is expected to more than
double, perhaps even triple, growing
to between 3.2 million and 4.1
million from the 1.3 million recorded
during the 2006 census. South Asians
would then represent 28 per cent of
all visible minorities and could reach
11.5 per cent of the total population.
As the population changes,
health professionals in Canada are
becoming increasingly aware of the
health issues that are prevalent within
different ethnic communities. That’s
no different with the South Asian
community.
According to Dr. Sahota,
pterygia, pingueculae and old
trachoma are prominent among
South Asians due to exposure to UV
rays and diseases in third-world
countries. As a result, conjunctivitis
and Dr.y eyes are very common.
It is the high incidence of heart
disease, hypertension and diabetes
within the South Asian community
that
has
healthcare
experts
particularly concerned. A study
published in the Canadian Medical
Association Journal in 2010 reported
that the risk for diabetes among
South Asian immigrants to Ontario
was three times higher than among
newcomers from western Europe
or North America, and also
higher compared with longterm residents of Ontario.
Many parents
see eyeglasses as
a sign of weakness
in children
18
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
“This risk becomes evident at an
early age,” wrote the study’s authors,
“suggesting that effective programs
for prevention of diabetes should be
developed and targeted to immigrants
in all age groups.”
People with diabetes are more
likely to develop cataracts at a
younger age. The high incidence of
diabetes, though, means the main risk
is the development of diabetic
retinopathy.
In Edmonton, Dr. Sharma has
ventured beyond his optometric
practice to teach diabetic patients
that eye care should also be part of
their health care regimen. As part
of the team on the Canadian Diabetes
Association’s South Asian Education
Committee, he educates South Asians
about different aspects of diabetic
care, including the importance of
annual eye exams. Educating the
South Asian community, though, is
more complex than one might
imagine: it often means confronting
hard-set attitudes and debunking
myths.
Dr. Sharma describes patient
education as an ongoing process.
“You must keep repeating the
message that they must continue
coming back for regular check-ups.”
he says. “And you must be very
communicative in the exam process:
explaining what you are checking and
why.”
A major reason for this is because
preventative eye care is a foreign
concept to many South Asian
immigrants, as there is no attention
given to it in their home countries. In
fact, it is common for South Asian
patients to only seek help when there
is a problem, says Dr. Sahota in
BC. With the well-ingrained
misconception that 20/20 vision
equates to “healthy eyes,” it is hard
for eye care professionals to
successfully explain eye diseases when
there is often no pain or distressing
symptoms.
Getting over this hurdle and
having patients acknowledge the
reality that diseases like glaucoma are
insidious and can exist despite 20/20
vision is a challenge. Patients at risk
need to be reminded of the statistics:
South Asians have an increased
incidence of glaucoma, a disease that
affects 250,000 Canadians but where
only 50 per cent know they have it;
and even more Canadians have
diabetic retinopathy, which is the
most common cause of new blindness
in North America.
“By the time a patient has vision
loss, it’s irreversible. It is our job to
make sure we educate our patients to
understand the importance of a
comprehensive eye exam. There is
definitely negative stigma associated
with wearing glasses in the South
Asian community,” says Dr. Sahota.
“Parents feel that it is their child’s
fault and that glasses are a bad thing.
They do not realize the need for and
benefit of glasses—and some parents
will get mad at their children for
honestly not being able to see certain
letters.”
Dr. Sharma has come across
similar attitudes about eyeglasses
while working with South Asian
communities in Alberta.
“Many South Asian parents have
a tough time accepting eyeglasses for
their child, especially when the child
is in grade three or lower,” he says.
The optometrist says the stigma
stems from myths that have been
ingrained in them. For instance, Dr.
Sharma has patients who think
glasses will make their children’s eyes
weaker and believe that when a child
has a problem, she will realize and ask
for help.
Many others are convinced
glasses are mostly for old people and
no serious eye problems affect
children.
These perceptions can be battled
with facts, but Dr. Sharma admits it
communicating as effectively as
possible. The key is recognizing that
communication now occurs within an
environment filled with varying
cultural values. Dr. Sahota says it can
be South Asian men who end up
being very reserved with women
doctors.
“They will not look the female
Culturally appropriate eye care:
Better serving the South Asian
community
“65% of South Asians speak a language other than
English or French at home”
The most common languages spoken by South-Asian
Canadians are:
1. Punjabi
29%
2. Tamil
10%
9%
3. Urdu
4. Gujarati
6%
5. Hindi
6%
6. Bengali
3%
(Source: Fostering Healthy Sight in Canada: Focus on Culturally
Diverse Groups, Transitions Optical Inc.)
Sidebar 1
also takes a lot of persistence. One of
the best ways to appeal to parents,
though, is by explaining that their
child’s poor eyesight can affect her
success at school: when a child can’t
see well, she can’t comprehend fully,
performance starts to deteriorate and
then after a while she will stop paying
attention.
For eye care professionals,
making an impact and truly breaking
through attitudinal barriers involves
doctor in the eye and will sometimes
have their wife talk for them,” he
says.
Meanwhile, the issue of male
doctors treating female patients is not
as big of a deal as some people might
initially assume for some conservative
Asian cultures. According to Dr.
Sahota, this is because there is not
much touching in optometry and the
eyes are not considered as private as
other body parts.
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
19
Vision problems in school-aged children
often lead to learning problems
There is of course the need to be
aware of cultural clothing, such as
hijabs for women and turbans for
men. Turbans, says Dr. Sahota, can
get in the way of optometrists when
using certain equipment. The key
is to always remain sensitive and
respectful.
A 2009 Canadian National
Institute for the Blind (CNIB) study
that investigated barriers to accessing
CNIB services in Punjabi and
Chinese-speaking communities, also
highlighted cultural issues that
could get in the way of effective
communication. Dr. Alexander Shaw,
Ph.D., a lead researcher in the
CNIB study, says that things such
as “not looking someone in the eye”
can be misinterpreted to mean
poor eyesight, while the reticence
of some people could have them
labelled as “bad patients” when they
could simply be uncomfortable with
English or could believe “it is not
their place to ask questions.”
This is one reason why Dr. Shaw
says eye care professionals should
make the most of the situation when
family members accompany a patient
to an eye exam. ECPs should not
hold the view that these extra family
members are “in the way,” but rather
part of a possible healthcare solution.
They can help translate, explain and
comfort. Often, when they leave the
office, they can share any new
knowledge they’ve learned. In fact, in
the CNIB study, one Punjabi senior
revealed that in their community
getting women involved in the
promotion of health awareness and
community programs is critical: “If
you tell a woman, she will tell the
20
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
• 80% of what a child
learns in the classroom depends on
the efficiency of the
visual system
• 80% of children with
learning problems
have undiagnosed vision problems
• Children with undiagnosed vision problems may
instead be diagnosed with a learning disability
or a behavioural problem
• 1 in 4 children begin grade one with a vision or eye
health problem
• Nearly 25% of children have undetected vision
problems that are holding them back
(Sources: visionhelp.com, American Optometric Association,
opto.ca)
Sidebar 2
whole family, but if you tell a man, he
won’t. Women educate one another,
men don’t.”
Back in his Edmonton practice,
Total Eyes, Dr. Sharma continues to
educate his patients on the proper
standard of care. Sure, everyone
wants to protect their vision, but in
his community he is struggling to get
people to realize that there are risks
to manage and problems to fix. Until
their misconceptions are corrected,
they will continue to short change
themselves.
This is why he assists with
the Multicultural Health Brokers
Co-operative in Edmonton. At the
MCHB, Dr. Sharma worked on a
project to translate informational
brochures on healthy vision and
children into different languages.
“By educating parents on the
importance of eye care and regular
eye exams, the goal is to get both
parents and children to develop a
relationship with their optometrist,”
he says.
So while being able to
communicate with an increasingly
diverse patient base is one thing,
being able to connect with them
so that they view and manage eye
health differently is the greater
challenge. •
D
Read our digital magazine online
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Web-exclusive editorials
SPECIAL REPORT
on Canada’s changing optical marketplace
by Janice Schmidt
Myopia
Asian
and the
T
he most common cause
of poor eyesight is a
physiological condition
known to the eye world
as myopia and recent studies seem to
be unearthing new causes of this
global phenomenon.
According to recent research
studies it appears that the Asian
countries of Taiwan, China, Japan
and other Asian communities are
the hardest hit with myopia or
nearsightedness
with
reports
indicating that up to 90 per cent of
school children are afflicted with the
problem. The research also indicates
that the numbers are on the rise.
So what is causing this alarming
increase in the development of
22
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
myopia in eastern countries?
Myopia is the result of different
factors one being the axial length of
the eye, meaning that the eye is too
long resulting in, an inadequate
correlation between the focusing
power of the cornea and the lens
compared to the length of the eyeball
or that the eye itself just has too much
power.
In addition, if both parents
have myopia the child’s chances of
being myopic are also increased
demonstrating that genetics plays a
large role in diagnosis.
Research also notes nutrition,
environmental factors and light
exposure as causes of myopia. It is
difficult to come up with just one
eye
cause, as myopia is more multifaceted than previously thought and
many of the causes interact with each
other to create the condition.
Studies conducted by Professor
Ian Morgan from an Australian
University speculate the reasons for
the increase in Asian myopia is related
to culture, lifestyle and the fact that
young Asian children typically do not
spend many hours outside in the
daylight. One of the main reasons for
the lack of sunlight is the pressure
placed on the youth of today especially
in eastern countries to study and be
successful. This demonstrates that
too much reading, computer games
or genetics may not be the primary
cause for myopia among youth.
These findings give credence to
the idea that it’s not what you do but
where you do it that apparently
counts. This includes the need to be
outside in sunlight and it is the
intensity of light along with the
duration of time spent outdoors that
counts.
Greater exposure to sunlight
may actually protect eyesight by
stimulating the release of retinal
dopamine, a ‘neurotransmitter’ which
may prevent the elongation of the
eyeball which is the structural basis of
myopia.
For an example, Australia reports
lower numbers of myopic patients
compared to Asia. Australia also has a
high level of education, however the
lifestyle is significantly different with
more emphasis put on spending time
outdoor.
The average Asian child spends
thirty minutes outdoors on a daily
basis and when in school they usually
take a half an hour nap at lunch
because their studies are very intense
and energy consuming.
Experts recommend children
and teenagers must spend at least two
hours outdoors everyday day in direct
sunlight. Playing outside will also
constrict the pupil giving a greater
optical depth of field and the ability
to focus on objects far away giving
their near vision a break.
Are there any side effects to this
recommendation? Yes. The greatest
risk would be over exposure to ultra
violet light.
But this risk can be reduced
considerably by using personal
protection that includes proper use of
sunscreens, wide brimmed hats to
provide shade to the neck and top of
the head along with protective clothing
made out of material with an SPF
(sun protection factor) of 50 which is
recommended by Sloan Kettering
Cancer Centre for prolonged periods
of outdoor activity. In addition it is
recommended that both young and old
wear sun protection on the eyes.
There may be many other reasons
or risks why we are reluctant to let our
children play outdoors but when I
think back to my childhood some of
my fondest memories are of outdoor
places and activities.
Minimizing the amount of time
the children play on computers and
watch television and force them
to go “outside” because the physical
activities outside in the sunlight are
better for overall health and now in
light of new information healthier for
the development of eyesight. •
Janice Schmidt has been an optician for more than 30 years and is coordinator of the
Opticianry program at Georgian College in Barrie, Ont.
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
23
Better
eyesight—
app
there’s an
for that
by Pippa Wysong
A
pps for iPhones,
iPads and tablets are
creating a brave new
world for eyecare
and
professionals
patients alike. Tools available for the
devices can provide reminders for
patient to go to appointments, give
them handy information about their
eye condition, or offer basic tests
to alert people to changes to their
vision. Some apps provide tests that
can be used by patients or eyecare
professionals
alike
to
assess
progression of conditions such as
cataracts or macular degeneration.
But many of the available apps
have not undergone scientific
scrutiny. “There are a rapidly
growing number of these apps, but
very few have been validated,”
cautions Dr. Nadia Northway, an
orthoptist and lecturer at Glasgow
24
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
Caledonian University, Scotland.
She presented a poster at the recent
joint meeting of the Canadian
Ophthalmological Society (COS) and
International Orthoptic Congress
(IOC) here.
Her own study focused on
investigating the effectiveness of the
iSight app, an iPad app for measuring
visually acuity (VA). For the study, a
total of 35 children and 36 adults
underwent VA testing using iSight
plus conventional testing. The Bailey
Lovie chart was used with the adults,
and children underwent testing with
the Kay picture test. Both groups
were retested with iSight and results
were compared.
The researchers reported no
statistical difference between the iPad
measures and conventional eye charts
in the adult or the children’s groups
(p=0.05). Generally, iSight results
showed higher acuity in preschool
children than the chart and the test
took longer to conduct, in part
because the young participants were
restless.
Northway noted that some
adults complained of blur when the
iPad screen was set to 100%
brightness, which could be attributed
to glare. Researchers reported that
correlation to the chart measures and
compliance improved when the screen
brightness was set to 50 per cent.
Researchers concluded that the
iPad app was accurate when
compared to results from the charts,
and suggest iSight would be a good
tool for parents to use to assess their
children’s vision.
It could be useful for patients
to have this on their personal devices
for checking VA, and if they notice
a change they can book an
appointment with an eyecare
professional. “But patients should use
information from their eye care
professional
when
undergoing
treatment rather than their own
measures,” she said.
Another
study
presented,
presented at the COS annual
meeting, showed that brightness isn’t
the only thing that can affect the
usefulness of electronic devices.
In fact, researchers from Toronto
showed the font is used can effect
reading performance of patients
who have age-related macular
degeneration (AMD).
In a study of 24 patients with
bilateral AMD it was found that those
with central vision loss can read text
written in Courier font better than
they can other commonly used fonts.
Subjects read text of varying sizes
using four versions of the MNRead
reading charts.
Patients entered into the study
had a mean visual acuity of 0.47
+- 0.19 LogMAR. The charts had
text written on them in either
Ariel, Times New Roman, Courier,
Lucinda sans fonts or Andale
Mono. Findings were presented
by Luminita Tarita-Nistor, PhD,
fellow at the Toronto Western
Research Institute.
She explained the differences
between the fonts. Courier is a
mono-spaced serif font where
individual letters each take up the
same amount of space. Arial is
proportionally spaced in that letters
take up varying spaces depending on
the size of the letter, and is sans serif.
Times New Roman is proportionally
spaced, serif font. Lucinda San is
mono spaced, and Andale Mono
is sans serif, mono spaced.
Generally, fonts that are sans
serif and have variable spacing are
commonly recommended by agencies
that help the visually impaired. In
reading function tests it was found
patients could read significantly
smaller print with the Courier chart
(.58 ± .21 logMAR) and performed
the worst with the Arial chart (.69
± .20 logMAR).
More patients were able to read
one or more sentences on the
Courier chart than on any of the
other charts. However, which font
was used had no effect at larger print
sizes: with bigger print-sized there
was no difference in maximum
reading speed with any of the four
fonts, she said.
Dr. Tarita-Nistor noted that the
Canadian National Institute for the
Blind (CNIB) recommends Arial, and
concluded that recommendations
should be revised.
A variety of apps for vision are
available for both patients and
healthcare professionals. A recent
editorial in the Nature journal Eye
(2012, 26, 343–354) lists over 40
apps that are available. Many provide
tests for VA, information about
disease conditions or offer reminders
about going to see eye care
professionals. Some also have Amsler
grids for AMD, tests for colour
blindness, tests for astigmatism,
duochrome testing, and even far
field vision testing. Some include
apps for locating local opticians, have
eye quizzes, advice and facts about
the eye and vision. Some are designed
for patients, others are designed for
use by eyecare professionals, the
editorial says.
The authors note that such apps
are likely to increase in number as
well as in the types of potential uses,
especially for professionals. For
instance, there has already been work
done adding technologies so phones
and tablets can aid in diagnosis and
the monitoring of patients in remote
areas for telemedicine purposes.
For instance, MobiUS developed
a smartphone ultrasound imaging
device. It uses a hand-held wand
and the smartphone works as a
portable imaging system. It has
FDA approval in the US. The
authors state “this could be suitable
for ocular ultrasound examination”.
Another item on the market is a
slit lamp that can work with an
iPhone with specially designed
adaptors. Also, iPhones have been
used in teleophthalmology relating
to retinopathy of prematurity in
India, but these have required large
imaging devices.
However, in future, “it is likely
that an attachable fundus camera will
fit directly on to a smartphone with
wide field images created by existing
photo-stitching packages and making
it a truly portable fundus camera,”
the authors said.
The editorial in Eye concluded
that “Rapidly advancing technology
has literally put knowledge in the
palm of our hands. The possibilities
for
investigations,
teaching,
information
sharing,
research,
collaboration,
and
ultimately
improved patient care are endless.”
Dr. Northway added “It is to be
expected that people will use these
apps, however visual acuity is only
one aspect of visual processing.
Success (on an iPhone test) does not
mean everything is OK. Vision is
complicated, but the fact that parents
can assess their own child using a
validated app could be advantageous.
Patients should always remember to
see a professional if concerned.” •
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
25
West
All eyes on
Vision Expo
2012
Put some
technology
into
your
marketing
I
t’s no secret that opticians
are facing intense competition
from online retailers in
addition to the “guy down
the street”. At the same time,
consumers are increasingly more
cost-conscious, media savvy and
comfortable buying prescription
eyewear online. Here are our top
recommendations to give your
marketing efforts a boost using online
technology.
1
Tip #1
Make sure your website
is up to par.
Last December, an online retail giant
waged a war on traditional retailers
by offering special discounts that
encouraged shoppers to browse
products in physical stores before
28
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
purchasing them online at cheaper
price. Many retailers such as Best
Buy and Target have since
implemented strategies to curb
being treated as “showrooms” for
online retailers.
When fighting the online
retailers, you have to show up to
the fight with at least an updated
website of your own. Make sure
your website tells a compelling
“story” similar to what customers
will experience inside your physical
store. That’s your brand identity.
Merchandise your website the
same way you would your store, by
showing products and brands that
you carry in an exciting and appealing
way.
Also make sure your website is
built on the latest codes and a
responsive design—so that it can be
viewed on a desktop as well as mobile
devices so customers who are on the
go, can find you when they need you.
Once your basic website is
updated, the work doesn’t end there.
Maintain your website’s ranking and
relevancy by creating a blog. Blogs
can add depth, keep the content fresh
and help establish you as an informed
authority in your industry. Your blog
can offer product knowledge and
reviews, tips, new releases, pictures,
videos etc. all of which can in turn
bring traffic to your site and to your
store.
Finally, measure your website
traffic with free applications such as
Google Analytics. This will help you
see what topics your customers are
most interested in.
2
Tip #2
Find more (profitable)
customers online
Before sharing your profits with flash
deal sites, such as Groupon, Living
Social etc. consider attracting new
customers by utilizing Search Engine
Optimization (SEO) and Google
Adwords. You need to know what
keywords and phrases your target
customer is looking for and then bid
to get their attention to drive traffic
to your website or store. Google also
allows you to select location (i.e.
postal code, city or province) where
the ad or offer can be seen. And since
you set the budget, you know exactly
how much the new customer is going
to cost.
Tip #3
Offer services in store that
cannot be delivered online.
Savvy opticians can utilize technology
to educate their customers on the
benefits of a particular lens or by
taking precise measurements. Consider
developing short, informative videos
that explain the benefits of a certain
lens type over another, for example.
Upload those videos on your website
and other social media sites such as
YouTube to increase your online reach.
Another tool that can help
opticians close more sales in-store is
the use of a basic smartphone, tablet
or a digital camera. Some clients with
double-digit prescriptions may find it
difficult to see what frames look good
on them. Often they walk out of the
store with a promise to return with a
3
friend or a spouse to help make
their decision. In this
situation, an optician can
offer to take pictures of
the client as they try
on various frames and
email a link where
they can view or
share their images
from the comfort
of their home.
By obtaining
the client’s email
and their consent
to
send
them
advertisement
materials, opticians can
now start an online
dialogue with potential
customers. Consider sending
follow-up information, promotions,
offers and special invitations via
online email sites such as Mail Chimp
or Constant Contact and stay in
touch.
While online retailers can lure
customers with low prices, vast
selection, ease of transaction and
quick shipping, there are
certain elements that they
can’t offer, such as precise
measurements, after-sales
service, frame adjustments
and repairs, not to mention
the expertise of a licensed
practitioner. By providing unique
experience, better service—and a bit
of help from technology—brickand-mortar stores can maintain
their relevance and compete
against online retailers. •
Salimah Mamdani is the owner of The Marketing Boutique and has worked
with opticians, optometrists and eyewear manufacturers to develop their
marketing strategies. Find out more at www.themarketingboutique.ca
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
29
International
Vision Expo
West:
Healthy,
Energetic
and
I
nternational Vision Expo West,
the complete eyecare event,
wrapped up on Saturday,
September 8 at the Sands
Expo & Convention Center in Las
Vegas. More than 12,000 eye care
professionals (ECPs) attended the
event opening on the heels of the
Labor Day weekend.
“International Vision Expo West
is a healthy, energetic and vibrant
event, and the number of loyal and
satisfied visitors in attendance at this
past week’s event was a true testament
to that,” said Tom Loughran, vice
president for Reed Exhibitions. “We
remain committed to providing the
entire ophthalmic community with a
convenient location to network, hold
meetings and source the best in
products, education, innovative
solutions and business-building tools
for the health of their practice and
their patients.”
Dozens of strategic partnerships
were formed at this year’s event
between a diverse, global network of
optometric associations, professional
30
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
Vibrant
organizations, alliances and buying
groups. The Optimum Program,
comprised largely of million dollar
practices, Vision Monday’s Top 50
Retailers and boutique optical buyers,
grew by 22 per cent and 11 new
professional groups joined Vision
Expo’s Partner Program, bringing the
total number to 38. In addition, the
growth of the Optometry (OD)
Student Program enticed several
organizations to host meetings at the
show, including the Association of
Practice Management Educators
(APME) and Student Optometric
Leadership Network (SOLN).
A record number of show
specials, new products, lines and
launches were also key drivers at this
year’s event. Nearly 475 exhibitors
from around the globe offered more
than 600 show specials and 5,000
brands, covering all aspects of
eyecare, eyewear and accessories.
“We are ecstatic with the
outcome of Vision Expo West. Not
only did it exceed our expectations,
we hit company goals and achieved
record breaking results overall,” said
Milena Cavicchioli, vice president
of marketing for Luxottica North
America. “Following the success of
Vision Expo East earlier in the year,
we have continued to see a remarkable
increase in the demand for our brands
and have kept the momentum going
ever since. The show was another
excellent opportunity for us to
spotlight the new collections as well
as update guests on the latest company
news and brand initiatives, including
Ray-Ban’s 75th Anniversary.”
Mike Hundert, CCO and CEO
for REM Eyewear, agreed. “This year’s
[International] Vision Expo West was
the best show ever, with orders up 25
percent over last year, a clear sign of
optimism and enthusiasm. It was a
great environment in which to make
the west coast debut of our latest
brand, Tumi. Plus, Vegas provides
everyone with abundant restaurants
and endless entertainment, making it
the most convenient and enjoyable
show on the planet.”
For some exhibitors, Vision Expo
West presented the opportunity to
showcase their products and their
business acumen. “[This] was one of
our most successful shows to date,”
said Joseph Tallier, vice president of
Global Sales for Ogi Eyewear. “…the
amount of traffic in our booth was up
considerably; giving ECP’s a chance to
see for themselves what it’s like to work
with a successful company. We had a
full appointment book, and were busy
selling product. Vision Expo West is a
great opportunity to see who is doing
things right in today’s economy.”
Dick Russo, executive vice
president for Safilo, added, “The
show was very productive for
us…those attendees who visited our
booth were very engaged and anxious
to conduct business, which resulted
in extremely productive meetings.”
In addition to reporting strong
sales at the event, many exhibitors
were optimistic about the industry’s
growth potential for the remainder of
2012. “Marchon continues to gain
momentum and market share as we
launch spectacular product season
after season,” said Lloyd Gittler, vice
president—retail
division
for
Marchon Eyewear. “From Michael
Kors to Lacoste to Fendi, we have
maintained our position as a leader in
the industry and an innovator in
product, design and marketing. We
also had a nice response to the launch
of Valentino men’s eyewear. Life is
good post-[show].”
For attendees, the benefits of
attending International Vision Expo
West extend well beyond the exhibit
hall and classroom. “It’s not just what
you learn at Vision Expo, it’s what
you do with it when you get home
that matters,” said Jessica Rodriguez,
office manager for Weslaco Vision
Source in Weslaco, Texas.
Next year, Vision Expo West will
be held October 2-5 in Las Vegas,
before returning to its typical late
September timeframe for the next
seven years. For more information
about International Vision Expo
West, including event highlights,
images and videos, please visit
www.visionexpowest.com. •
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
31
glimpses
Diversity Through Minimalism:
Silhouette Offers Exciting New Range
T
he needs and requirements of spectacle-wearers
While the rimless and Nylor models are already
are as diverse and personal as their faces
available from opticians, 3 full-rim models in 12 colours
themselves. Every spectacle-wearer wishes to
will complete the “design range” from July 2012
see well and look good—at the same time as appreciating
onwards—available from select opticians worldwide. Like
perfect comfort in wear as well as the ultimate in quality
all Silhouette collections, Silhouette Titan Dynamics is
and unique materials, irrespective of whether he opts for
manufactured in Austria using the best quality materials
eyewear with or without a rim.
in more than 200 different steps, around 80% of which are
Silhouette is now completing its first design range
performed by hand.
with the Titan Dynamics series. With a clear style, reduced
to the essential, combined with an unforgettable feel and
a soft appeal, it is immediately available in three models:
rimless, Nylor and full-rim.
Affirmation for products that are predominantly
hand-made and a longing for a softer and gentler feel and
individuality are forward-looking attitudes towards life
today. People nowadays have a relaxed and easy lifestyle
and appreciate things that do not weigh them down.
H
OYA Vision Care Canada is excited to
launch a new “No Strings Attached” 2nd
pair program for Eye Care Professionals.
This new program, effective immediately, offers
Silhouette has put a lot of time, enthusiasm and
ECPs 60% off a second pair and third pair of
expertise into issues, like lightness, feel and flexibility.
lenses for the same patient with the same
“Every part of our eyewear has a different challenge in
prescription.
terms of bending strength, flexibility and adaptability. We
“This program will be a great asset to our
overcome these challenges with the use of different
ECP customers” said Maria Petruccelli, Professional
materials,” states Klaus Schmied, Chairman and Co-owner,
Services and Marketing Manager. It gives them
with responsibility for Engineering and Research. “A
the freedom to focus on multiple solutions and
Silhouette never consists of only one material, but is often
deliver the benefits to meet every patient’s
made of up to eight different polymers or of high-tech
need.”
titanium or a combination of them,” states Klaus Schmied.
The 2nd pair program is available on all
This ability now enables us to “class” Silhouette
HOYA Rx, uncut and edge & assembled, as well
designs and offer them as “design ranges”. Titan
as
Dynamics is the first eyewear from Silhouette, available in
professional price list. Following the program’s
three versions—rimless, Nylor and full-rim. Coloured and
“No Strings Attached” tagline, there are virtually
material-based features enhance the linear style of Titan
no restrictions to what can be ordered—
Dynamics: the interplay of transparency and powerful
dispensers shouldn’t have to make compromises
opaque conjures up contrasts, thereby underlining the
when it comes to their patient’s visual demands.
diversity of the models.
32
HOYA Canada
Introduces Attractive
New 2nd Pair Program
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
GSSP
products
found
on
the
HOYA
Menicon Captures Gold
M
enicon Co., Ltd.’s “Magic, “ a daily disposable contact lens pack that provides wearers with both
functionality and ultra-thin portability through its minimalist design, won the 2012 Gold Award for
Brand and Identity Experience at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Gold Awards
for package design were also clinched at the CLIO and The One Show awards, adding to Magic’s list of accolades.
Magic has also received high praise for its integrated marketing approach, which conceives of a product’s name,
package design, logo, website, communications and advertising holistically, up to and including in-store
merchandising. The effectiveness of this approach has been evidenced in the range of awards Magic has garnered
thus far, and Menicon is confident that it will be further validated by consumer demand when Magic becomes
available throughout Japan starting in August.
The awards are considered to be the three most important in advertising are the Cannes Lions International
Festival of Creativity, The One Show and the CLIO Awards.
advertiser index
Acuvue
37 (IBC)
Essilor
11
Menicon
38 (OBC)
Optic Plastic
31
Optical Group
33
Optical Prism—Web
21
Optika
2
Rodenstock
4
The Marketing Boutique
Transitions Optical
Western Optical
23
15, 34
Cover,
Cover Wrap, 5, 7
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
33
glimpses
Events
Calendar
Lenses to enhance
any lifestyle
®
Transitions
VI lenses
1408 TRA-12-207BAN 7.125x0.9 .indd 1
DATES
EVENT
Oct. 3–6, 2012
EVER, European
Association for Vision
and Eye Research
®
Transitions
XTRActive™ lenses
CITY
®
Transitions
Vantage™ lenses
VENUE
®
Transitions
performance sunwear
19/07/12 2:17 PM
WEB
EMAIL
Crete, Greece
Creta Maris
www.ever.be
[email protected]
Oct. 18–20, 2012
Alberta Association of
Optometrists Annual
General Meeting
Calgary, AB
Westin Hotel
(Conference) and
Calgary Telus
Convention Centre
(Optifair)
www.optometrists.ab.ca
sdominiuk@
optometrists.ab.ca
Oct. 26–27, 2012
Saskatchewan
Association of
Optometrists 103rd
AGM & Trade Show
Regina, SK
Delta Regina Hotel
www.optometrists.sk.ca
[email protected]
Nov. 2–3, 2012
Association des
optométristes du
Québec Salon Vision
Montréal, QC
Palais des congrès de
Montréal
www.aoqnet.qc.ca
josee.lusignan@
aoqnet.qc.ca
Nov. 2–3, 2012
Nova Scotia
Association of
Optometrists AGM
Halifax, NS
World Trade &
Convention Centre and
Prince George Hotel
www.nsoptometrists.ca
karen@
innovativeplanning.ca
Nov. 16–18, 2012
Vision Canada 2012
Mississauga, ON
Delta Meadowvale
Hotel and Conference
Centre
www.vision-canada.ca
convention@
vision-canada.ca
Feb. 12–14 2013
The Eye Show
London ExCeL
International
Exhibition Centre
www.theeyeshow.com
Feb. 22–25, 2013
British Columbia
Association of
Optometrists AGM
Mar. 15–17, 2013
International Vision
Expo East 2013
New York, NY
Jacob K. Javits
Convention Center
www.optometrists.bc.ca
info@
optometrists.bc.ca
www.visionexpoeast.com
inquiry@
vision.reedexpo.com
Visit the 12-Month Event Calendar sponsored by Transitions at www.opticalprism.ca
34
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
classified
PERSONNEL WANTED
PERSONNEL WANTED
FOR SALE
SERVICES
19 year old business with strong ties to
the community and an excellent reputation is in need of a skilled Optometrist to
work one to two days per week in the
sunny Okanagan. Potential to grow to
full time position. Great work environment and friendly patients. Please E-mail
[email protected]
Looking for talented optician and
student optician for durham location.
We also give professional training.
Please contact manager @ (416) 725-4948
or email: [email protected]
Complete set of high quality equipment
for optometrist office, or optical store
doctor’s office. Including: power chair,
stand with light and sliding table
(Topcon), refractor (Topcon), slit lamp
(Topcon), kertometer(Topcon), projector
and lensmeter (Burton) for sale as a complete set. Please call (416) 988-6877.
Does your existing space need updating? Are you ready for a change?
At Belmark, we specialize in the needs
of the optical industry. We offer our
clients a variety of services and a
convenient one-stop-shop for all their
renovations, new construction, maintenance and design needs. At Belmark,
we do more than construction, we excel
at creating unique contemporary spaces,
custom display fixtures, creative signage
solutions, branding and logo design.
A full service Optometric office in
St.Thomas, On is looking for a licensed
Optician/Optometric Assistant/Dispensing
Staff to join our team for coverage of a
maternity leave. The successful candidate
must be knowledgeable in all areas
relating to eye care, have excellent
customer service and able to work in a
small team atmosphere.
Excellent working hours and compensation.
Please forward resume in confidence
to [email protected] or fax (519)
633-7881.
SALES REPS WANTED
OPTIKA EYEWEAR: Canada’s leading
optical frame supplier known for
popular eyewear lines: Hello Kitty,
Nat and Coco, Mizyake, and Soho
eyewear, is looking for sales rep for
Ontario territory. Established territory,
excellent compensation package, start
immediately. Please email cv to Richard
Allan at [email protected] or fax (514)
334-0354. www.optikaeyewear.com
P E R S O N N E L A VA I L A B L E
Refracting MD looking for busy GTA
locations for weekdays only. Part time
available. Please call (416) 709-3740.
OPTICAL STORES FOR SALE
Seeking fashion forward optician,
student optician, or wptometric
assistant. Optometric practice in
Newmarket, Ontario seeking a full-time
or part-time individual with excellent
interpersonal skills. Experience definitely
an asset. Please e-mail resume to:
[email protected].
Position available ASAP.
BRAND NEW OPTOMETRIST
OFFICE/OPTICAL STORE FOR LEASE
For lease is a brand new optical office/
store in Richmond Hill. Yonge Street
exposure in fast growing neighborhood.
No competition in the area. Perfectly
suited for an optometrist practice,
including excellent dispensing and waiting areas, refracting room, finishing lab
and a separate entrance. The store is
finished with modern custom made
furniture including 700 frame capacity
dispensing cabinets. Affordable leasing
rate with an option to purchase the
plaza unit. Call (416) 727-3325 or (416)
398-2141.
SEARS OPTICAL OAKVILLE, ON—
PART TIME OPTICIAN NEEDED
Part Time Optician required to dispense
glasses and contact lenses. Looking for
an upbeat, customer service oriented
person who excels at sales. Must be able
to multitask, be professional and work
independently.
Optical store for sale in Southern Alberta
(Medicine Hat). Well established with
MD located across the hall. Includes all
inventory and equipment. Very attractive
lease in place. Site testing and finish
lab on premises. Turn key opportunity.
[email protected] for more info.
Optical store for sale in Scarborough. In
the same location for the past 40 years.
Great parking and separate entrance for
an eye doctor. Sales of approximately
$25,000 a month. Reasonable rent and
reasonable expenses. Owner wanting to
retire. All inventory and lab equipment
included. Call Arthur (416) 529-0336
or Check canadianopticalequipment.ca
[email protected]
Established optical store (17 years in business) for sale or partnership. Finishing
lab, CL fitting and refracting room.
Excellent location, beautiful store and
great frame collection. Serious inquiries
only please. Email [email protected]
or call (416) 488-8184.
OPTICAL EQUIPMENT/FURNITURE
FOR SALE
Recently closed store is looking to sell all
of its equipment and furniture. Things
for sale include, edging equipment,
lensometer, pupilometer, frames, and
many other things. For further detail
please contact me by email.
[email protected]
Call us today to book a free consultation and find out how we can enhance
your business image.
Please visit us at www.belmark.ca or
call us at (416) 913-0341.
DISPENSARIES FOR SALE
FRAMES WANTED
Well established 20 years in North
Burnaby (Vancouver), E.Hastings area.
Loyal clientele after long time quality
service. Very reasonable rent. 7
Opthalmologists close by with no
dispensary. Finishing lab with Essilor
patternless edger. Owner retiring.
Please text (604) 710-8667. Email:
[email protected]
TOP QUALITY DESIGN FRAMES
COLLECTION WANTED.
FREE!!!!!!!!
Well connected bilingual Sales
Representative is looking for a top
quality and design frames collection to be
sold to high/end optical stores in Quebec.
For info: [email protected].
Cell (418) 208-0741.
GRATIS!!!!!!!!
NO CHARGE!!!!!!!!
Optical Prism classified word ads are now FREE when sent to Optical
Prism by email.
Not only do you get your ad in Optical Prism, the magazine, your ad is
Please
also posted on the
site—www.opticalprism.ca.
T H EOptical
M A G A Z I Prism
N E F O R web
EYECA
RE PROFESSIONALS
note, the maximum number of words per ad is 50, and no logos are to be
included with this offer.
Need to hire staff? Need to sell some equipment? Just email your text
to [email protected] and reach the entire Canadian optical industry.
Deadline for next issue – October 15, 2012.
NOTES
Looking for long term reward with small
financial down payment in a growing
area across from Downsview Subway. I
want to talk to an Optician or
Optometrist. I also have an optometrist
office with modern equipment next to
Optical. Please contact me by e-mail or
text [email protected] or
(647) 707-1130.
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
35
SPECIAL REPORT
on Canada’s changing optical marketplace
frame by frame
Personal to
Professional:
Finding the right fit
T
racy Hong was 10
years old when she
went with her
family to get her
first glasses. Today
at 28, she still takes family members
and friends when shopping eyewear.
“I like to see what their opinion
is when they look at me wearing
them,” she says. She takes what the
optician suggests into perspective as
well, but at the end goes “with what
I’m comfortable wearing.”
Hong appreciates the fact that
Carmen Lau of May Optical in
Scarborough,
Ontario,
doesn’t
hesitate in taking risks with things
that are new and different. That’s why
36
OPTICAL PRISM | OCTOBER 2012
she’s been her customer for over
3 years now.
The young teacher admits being
conservative but practical too in her
choices, “because (my glasses) need to
last me for a long time.”
Her “long time” is 3-4 years
when she changes her glasses if they
are broken or there’s a change in her
prescription. “But if (they) seem to be
still in a good working condition and
not too far behind in time, I’ll just
re-use them.”
But now that she has her own
insurance, she cannot deny the
possibility of refreshing her eyewear
more frequently. Plus, she’s ready to
go over her average budget of $200,
“if I do really like them.”
At work, she chooses to look
professional. That’s why she goes for
black, dark brown or in the case of
her current frame she bought a year
ago on an Asian trip, dark blue. And
though she prefers metal frames, her
current one is plastic, her first actually.
An experience she’s not sure she’ll
repeat, despite being happy with them.
However, outside work she wears
a little more stylish: fun colours and
bigger sizes.
Hong is not aware of the greater
risks of eye diseases and health issues
that Asian-Canadians face, but she
regularly goes for check-ups and tends
to eat healthy.
-Gerard Keledjian
Eye health isn’t one dimensional,
neither are your patients.
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