New England College of Optometry Kicks Off Fourth Annual Industry Collaborative Meeting With Focus on Health Equity in Eyecare

BOSTON—The New England College of Optometry (NECO) kicked off its fourth annual Industry Collaborative meeting on Monday on the school’s Beacon Street campus with a focus on “Health Equity in Eyecare.” NECO president Howard Purcell, OD, FAAO, delivered opening remarks and welcomed attendees on the first day of the event, along with Gary Chu, OD, MPH, vice president, professional affairs at the college. “Almost everyone is represented in this room,” Dr. Purcell told attendees. “This is a unique opportunity for us in so many ways to come together and help solve some of the issues we face.

The National Average for Gross Revenue at ECP Locations Decreased for the Week of September 2–8, Jobson’s Latest Practice Performance Tracker Shows

NEW YORK—The national average for gross revenue at ECP locations decreased last week, September 2–8, when compared with the previous week, at a rate of -17 index points due to the Labor Day holiday weekend. That places gross revenue at an equal index point level to where it was at this point in time (Week 36) when compared with last year (2023), 2 points above the same period in 2022, 13 points above 2021, 6 points above 2020 and 32 points above 2019, according to Jobson’s most recent Practice Performance Tracker.

Hilco Vision Appoints Girisha Chandraraj as New CEO

MANSFIELD, Mass.—Hilco Vision, a provider of eyecare products to ECPs and consumers, and a member of the Windjammer Capital Investors family of companies, has announced the appointment of Girisha Chandraraj as chief executive officer, effective September 3. The role was formerly held by Ross Brownlee. The company cited Chandraraj's strong track record, including serving as CEO at Marbles: The Brain Store and Elite Sportswear, as well as at Careismatic Brands, where he led the transformation of the business into an integrated, scalable platform.

PECAA and VSP Vision Extend Vision Exam Rebate Through 2025

BOCA RATON, Fla. and RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.—Professional Eye Care Associates of America (PECAA), one of the nation’s largest communities of independent eyecare professionals, and VSP Vision have announced the extension of the VSP Vision Exam Rebate through 2025, offering doctors the opportunity to receive up to $10 per VSP commercial eye exam, and as much as $60,000 in total incremental revenue next year. To date, more than 2,000 practices have benefited from $20 million for the care they deliver to patients, according to the announcement.

ODs Weigh In on the Importance of Sports Eye Safety and Sports Vision Training

With the new school year underway and the fall sports season kicking into high gear, athletes of all ages are preparing to give their best on the field and maximize their performance. Keeping athletes safe and well-protected remains paramount, with eye safety at the top of the list. Similar to team sports, this task of protecting the eye health of athletes, whether amateur or professional, is a group effort, with optometrists playing a key role. “First and foremost, (ODs can) recommend sports eyewear and/or contact lenses whenever appropriate. Secondly, we should be educating our patients, coaches and trainers on the importance of sports eye safety,” said Fred Edmunds, OD, FAAO, who runs a sports vision only practice devoted to the visual performance enhancement of athletes.