By Staff
Tuesday, February 23, 2021 12:15 AM
SACRAMENTO, Calif.—In a move to address the state’s shortage of health care providers available to administer COVID-19 vaccines, the California Department of Consumer Affairs approved a public health emergency waiver that will allow doctors of optometry to administer COVID-19 vaccines to persons 16 years of age or older, according to the
California Optometric Association (COA). Optometrists can immediately help with surge capacity at mass vaccination sites once more vaccine is available, COA noted earlier this month.
By Staff
Monday, February 22, 2021 12:24 AM
NEW YORK—Solstice Marketing Concepts LLC, parent company of the
Solstice Sunglasses retail chain, said last week that it has filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition for relief in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan. According to the company’s announcement, Solstice Sunglasses is the second-largest retailer of sunglasses in the U.S., and it is planning to complete a financial reorganization and emerge from bankruptcy.
By Staff
Monday, February 22, 2021 12:15 AM
SANTA ANA, Calif.—
Johnson & Johnson Vision said it has begun a month-long celebration of the 20th anniversary of the TECNIS platform, the proprietary combination of materials and design on which Johnson & Johnson Vision IOLs (intraocular lenses) are built.
By Staff
Tuesday, February 16, 2021 12:15 AM
GREEN BAY, Wis.—
Shopko Optical has rebranded its Project Eyecare program to Kids in Focus. The Kids in Focus program is organized in partnership with the Lions Club. Its mission is to continue to enrich the lives of children in need by contributing to their visual wellness through complimentary eyecare and eyewear in the communities Shopko Optical serves, according to the company’s recent announcement. The Lions Club will continue to identify children in need between the ages of 5 and 17 to receive a comprehensive eye exam and a pair of eyeglasses at no-charge from Shopko Optical.
By Staff
Friday, February 12, 2021 12:18 AM
DALLAS—In an effort to support its employees who want to receive a COVID-19 vaccination,
Eyemart Express said Thursday it would pay bonuses to those frontline associates who receive the vaccine.
By Staff
Wednesday, February 10, 2021 12:27 AM
NEW YORK—
EssilorLuxottica (Euronext: EL) has made moves to restart the European Union’s review process of its proposed acquisition of
GrandVision, (Euronext: GVNV) and the regulatory commission overseeing the review has responded to the actions by setting a new April 12 deadline to rule on the deal.
By Staff
Tuesday, February 9, 2021 12:21 AM
LONGARONE/CASTIGLIONE OLONA, Italy and KINGSPORT, Tenn.—
Thélios has announced it is partnering with leading acetate-sheet manufacturer
Mazzucchelli 1849 and with specialty materials provider
Eastman to push forward sustainable innovation in the eyewear industry.
By Staff
Tuesday, February 9, 2021 12:15 AM
CALGARY, Alberta—
FYidoctors, a leading optometrist-controlled eyecare company, said Monday that it has acquired Aesthetic Medical Network Inc. (AMNI), a network comprised of Canada’s leading aesthetic medicine doctors. Through the new partnership, AMNI will have the opportunity to further position the network and its members as the leading experts in the Canadian medical aesthetics space. In addition, FYidoctors said the deal will allow the network “to fuel future expansion plans, funding further market development and practice support initiatives.” The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
By Staff
Friday, February 5, 2021 12:21 AM
CHARENTON-le-PONT, France—
EssilorLuxottica announced Thursday the results of its 2020 international employee share ownership campaign (Boost 2020), which showed the company has increased its employee shareholding to a record high of 44 percent at company level.
By Staff
Thursday, February 4, 2021 12:18 AM
PALM SPRINGS, Fla.—
My Eyelab, a retail brand of
Now Optics, has reported that it experienced “tremendous growth this past year” with the opening of 28 new locations. This raised its total optical locations to 99 stores, 48 of which are franchised and 51 corporate-owned and operated, according to its announcement. In addition, My Eyelab last year signed 57 new franchise deals, a 200 percent increase in new units compared with 2019, which the company attributed to the 23 “discovery days” it held last year for potential franchisees, according to the announcement.
By Staff
Wednesday, February 3, 2021 12:24 AM
MONTREAL—
New Look Vision Group (TSX: BCI) has named Jean-François Lacasse as vice president, business development, according to an announcement on Tuesday.
By Staff
Tuesday, February 2, 2021 12:30 AM
NEW YORK—With the number of COVID-19 cases continuing to rise even as the U.S. scrambles to increase the pace of vaccinating eligible Americans, the day-to-day routine of eyecare practices and optical retailers across the nation has become a hodgepodge of procedures. Some practices (28 percent) are reporting higher capture rates than a year ago, while others (29 percent) say capture rate is down.
By Staff
Monday, February 1, 2021 12:24 AM
DRAPER, Utah—
1-800 Contacts has promoted chief marketing officer Phil Bienert to president and he will continue to hold the chief marketing officer role, as well, according to a spokeswoman. The move to president will expand Bienert’s role to include “broader business and operations responsibilities, in addition to CMO,” the spokeswoman noted. The move comes just a few months after the investment firm
KKR agreed to acquire 1-800 Contacts from previous ownership group
AEA Investors in a deal that Wall Street observers valued at about $3 billion, as
VMAIL reported.
By Staff
Monday, February 1, 2021 12:21 AM
RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.—
VSP Ventures announced late last week the acquisition of
Sacramento Optometric Group, located in Sacramento, Calif. The single-location practice has served the region for 90 years.