By Sarah McGoldrick, Contributing Editor
Friday, August 16, 2024 8:30 AM
Healthy Aging Month is almost here, and with it comes calls for those over 65 years old to get a thorough eye exam. As people age, several vision health concerns begin to emerge such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts. Not only can these vision problems lead to loss of sight, but they can also make day-to-day activities more difficult. According to the
BrightFocus Foundation, macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision loss in Americans 60 years of age and older. As the senior population continues to grow, the number of older patients requiring vision care for common ailments will also begin to rise.
By Sarah McGoldrick, Contributing Editor
Friday, July 26, 2024 8:30 AM
August is Children's Eye Health & Safety Month, and eyecare providers and eye health organizations are taking steps to ensure parents and caregivers are aware of the risks. According to the
International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, there are more than 1.4 million children globally under the age of 14 with blindness. Additionally, 22.6 million children suffer from moderate to severe sight loss, and 46.6 million children from mild sight loss. The agency noted that 40 percent of children are blind from eye conditions that could have been prevented.
By Sarah McGoldrick, Contributing Editor
Sunday, July 21, 2024 1:59 AM
Alaska has beckoned innovative and strong-minded individuals to set up businesses for centuries. Renowned for its outdoorsy ruggedness and beauty, in recent years it has also become a hub for technological advancement and an entrepreneurial-friendly place to start a business. With a keen understanding of an underserved Alaskan eyeglasses market, Robert Wiktorowicz, chief operations officer at Anchorage-based Custom Eye Lab Inc., and his business partner, optometrist Charles Vojta, set up the only full-service, independent prescription lab in the state.
By Sarah McGoldrick, Contributing Editor
Sunday, July 21, 2024 1:58 AM
CLEARWATER, Fla.—More than 55 customers and industry partners gathered here in April for three days of education and networking at the annual Ocuco www.ocuco.com Innovations User Group Meeting (UGM). The meeting featured nearly 30 workshops and presentations including Innovations and Lablink Development Road Maps, Strategies to Enhance Online Presence, and Specialized Personnel Recruitment.
By Sarah McGoldrick, Contributing Editor
Thursday, May 30, 2024 8:30 AM
With the summer months approaching, there are lots of reasons to celebrate, and one of the most popular ways to do so is with fireworks. Before lighting up the night sky, however, it is important to take the right precautions to avoid injuries, especially injuries to the eyes. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s
2022 Fireworks Annual Report, there were more than 10,000 injuries and 11 deaths that year resulting from firework injuries. Today,
VMAIL Weekend takes a look at why fireworks are so dangerous and how ECPs can educate their patients about staying safe this summer season.
By Sarah McGoldrick
Thursday, May 23, 2024 8:10 AM
Reducing the impact of climate change has found what, some might say, is an unusual group of advocates. SCI Cambridge Springs, located south of Erie, Penn., is a minimum-security Department of Corrections facility for women that is also home to a 1,800 square-foot optical lab that adopted a lens recycling program in 2020, designed to reduce the amount of waste generated by lens manufacturing.
By Sarah McGoldrick
Sunday, May 12, 2024 12:54 AM
With more than four million pairs of eyeglasses thrown away each year, efforts to reduce the environmental impact and create more cost-efficiencies have prompted optical industry leaders and innovators to reevaluate how products are made and delivered to consumers.
By Sarah McGoldrick, Contributing Editor
Friday, May 3, 2024 8:30 AM
A cross-disciplinary team of researchers and doctors at the
University of Waterloo (UW) are developing a new contact lens material that could change the way eyecare providers treat corneal wounds. The team, from the
Centre for Ocular Research and Education (CORE), located within the School of Optometry & Vision Science and the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University, believe the new material, acting as a bandage for corneal wounds, could release drugs in a controlled manner to help the eye heal faster.
By Sarah McGoldrick / Contributing Editor
Sunday, April 14, 2024 2:45 AM
This year, Cherry Optical Lab is marking 25 years as a successful, family-owned, independent optical lab. During that time, the Green Bay, Wisconsin-based wholesaler has established an enviable reputation for its excellent quality of work and forward-looking approach to technology.
By Sarah McGoldrick, Contributing Editor
Sunday, April 14, 2024 1:54 AM
NEW YORK—Heading into the afternoon sessions and before a break for lunch, Jim Rowan, principal at
Deloitte Consulting LLP, shared his insights into how to weave AI into daily business operations. In his presentation titled, “How to Build an AI Team,” he noted that generative AI is transforming the way the optical industry does business, from diagnostics to managing patient interactions and marketing, suggesting that AI is seemingly making it easier to enhance the patient experience.
By Sarah McGoldrick, Contributing Editor
Sunday, April 14, 2024 1:53 AM
NEW YORK—One of the greatest challenges businesses face in today’s age of artificial intelligence is finding the right balance between technology and human interaction. Hitting on this equilibrium was the focus of Liza Amlani’s session with her lunch-time presentation titled, “Keeping the Customer In Focus: Clienteling for Retail Eyewear.” As the principal and founder of the
Retail Strategy Group, Amlani has used her experience to help businesses improve profitability and organizational effectiveness by using the latest technology and most provocative retail trends.
By Sarah McGoldrick, Contributing Editor
Friday, April 5, 2024 8:30 AM
All eyes will be on the sky on Monday, April 8, as North America experiences the first total solar eclipse since 2017. The event will offer sky gazers a chance to experience a total solar eclipse throughout most of the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and will be the last time a solar eclipse will be visible in the contiguous U.S. until 2044. Making sure people view the eclipse safely is the top priority of eyecare specialists and optical industry leaders, who have spent the last few months sharing tips and resources to reduce the chances of eye damage during the event.
By Sarah McGoldrick, Contributing Editor
Friday, March 15, 2024 8:30 AM
On April 8, millions of people will have their eyes on the sky for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience a rare total solar eclipse that will be visible throughout North America as it passes across Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. The April eclipse will be the last total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous U.S. until 2044. Experts estimate that the solar eclipse will cover a lot of ground and has the potential to be viewed by millions of people. For several months, optical safety experts have been sounding the alarm about the upcoming eclipse, warning eyecare providers and their patients to take steps to avoid significant eye damage.
By Sarah McGoldrick / Contributing Editor
Sunday, March 3, 2024 2:05 AM
Today’s optical industry landscape may seem like it’s changing daily with the integration of artificial intelligence technology and better products to treat eye conditions. Providing the highest level of care to patients requires that eyecare professionals (ECPs) stay current and continue to learn about the latest innovations and technological advancements. For many ECPs, this means regularly updating continuing education credits and participating in training and courses provided by their optical partners.
By Sarah McGoldrick / Contributing Editor
Sunday, March 3, 2024 2:04 AM
In 2022,
Hoya introduced the Hoya Learning Center. The platform was designed to be used by clients who had sold lenses within the previous calendar year, making it easy to stay on top of the newest offerings and innovations from the Hoya team.