By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, March 21, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—Last week, the optical community descended on New York City for Vision Expo East, the show’s final edition in the Big Apple before it heads to Orlando beginning in 2025. In addition to the thousands of ECPs, buyers, students and sellers, Vision Expo East 2024 showcased the second annual NOW Awards, over 450 exhibitors and more than 200 education sessions. As
reported in
VMAIL, Fran Pennella, vice president, Vision Expo at RX, said, “We could not be happier to close out our final show in New York City on such a high note." As we set our sights on Las Vegas for Vision Expo West in September, and Orlando for 2025, let’s take a look back at how some Indies spent their last Vision Expo East in New York.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, March 7, 2024 8:30 AM
ATLANTA—On March 3, SECO 2024 closed its five-day annual event of optometric education. As
reported in
VMAIL, the event, which featured special sessions, breakfast symposiums, hot topic breakfasts, awards events and an exhibit hall featuring more than 160 exhibitors, welcomed thousands of ECPs here. From executives to education professionals to tech experts to ODs, SECO 2024 created a hub for optometric minds.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Wednesday, February 21, 2024 8:30 AM
ORLANDO, Fla.—From February 11 through 14, hundreds of ECPs gathered here for the 2024 edition of Transitions Academy. In front of more than 1,300 attendees from around the world, Chrystel Barranger, president, Transitions Optical, and president, EssilorLuxottica Wholesale EMEA, announced the launch of Transitions Gen S, as
reported in
VMAIL from Academy. In addition to this major product launch, the three-day event included breakout educational sessions, a brand experience and a number of networking opportunities. Here, we’re taking a look at a snapshot of Transitions Academy through the eyes of independent ECPs who were on-site.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, February 8, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK and MILAN, Italy—Over 40,000 people headed to Milan this month for the 2024 edition of
Mido. The show welcomed visitors from over 160 countries—including many Americans who made the trek across the Atlantic to take a look at Italian eyewear up close and personal. Mido organizers reported a major success this year, with an 11 percent gain in visitors over last year and an active presence overall. Mido president Giovanni Vitaloni said, “Prior to the show opening, we had hoped for an increase in visitors compared to last year. Thanks to everyone’s efforts and the industry’s trust in us each year, we achieved the ambitious goal we had set for ourselves." Here, we’re taking a look at how some ECPs spent their time in Milan.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Monday, January 29, 2024 7:30 AM
NEW YORK—January was Glaucoma Awareness Month, offering ECPs many ways to educate patients and the public about one of the leading causes of blindness in the U.S. Prevent Blindness is helping patients, care partners and professionals with a number of resources including a dedicated webpage, downloadable fact sheets that include financial assistance resources, shareable social media graphics in English and Spanish, educational videos, podcasts and much
more.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Wednesday, December 20, 2023 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—As Christmas approaches, there’s no shortage of errands and tasks to add to our lists—and that includes gift shopping. Finding the right gift can be tricky—and pretty stress inducing—but shopping and gifting season also offers the eyewear industry a moment in the spotlight. With the holiday just around the corner, many independent ECPs are taking a moment to showcase some unique and fresh gift ideas: frames. This week, we’re taking a look at some fun, bold and opti-themed gift ideas from indies.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Wednesday, December 6, 2023 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—This year, like every year, November marked Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month. The month served as a time to bring light to the many diabetes-related eye diseases, and to educate patients and the general public on how diabetes can affect the eyes. As
reported in
VMAIL, the CDC states that approximately 37.3 million people have diabetes, and 96 million people aged 18 years or older have prediabetes—making information about diabetes-related eye diseases valuable to most Americans. ECPs across the country stepped up to educate patients this past November.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Monday, November 20, 2023 8:30 AM
MOUNT PLEASANT, South Carolina—In 2019, Jake Sunkin, OD, achieved a long-held dream of opening up his own, independent eyecare practice. When
Independent Optical debuted in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina that June, things were looking bright and exciting—Dr. Sunkin’s dad, Chris, retired from a 25-year career in the industrial equipment industry and took on the challenge of opening a practice from the ground up alongside his son. The two documented every step of their process, from construction through to opening day, on
Instagram, and in an interview with
The Independent Eye that
summer.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Monday, November 6, 2023 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—For independent ECPs taking their practice to the next level, private label eyewear is often a logical and exciting step, allowing ECPs to flex their creative muscles, lean into the design world and connect with their patients in a new and unique way. Now, with the launch of a new program from
Frames Data, in conjunction with private label supplier
Your Brand Eyewear, that integration has become even more seamless. The new program offers practices the ability to display their private label frames from Your Brand Eyewear in an online gallery, but under a custom brand name that is exclusive to the practice. Previously, private label eyewear could only be displayed under the name Your Brand.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, October 19, 2023 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—On October 12, members of the optical community all around the world came together to celebrate World Sight Day. This year, according to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), and as
reported in
VMAIL, the 200+ member groups and companies’ efforts generated more than 13 million eye test pledges, well above the group’s target goal of 10 million for the day, which emphasized the Love Your Eyes at Work theme this year. And, of course, ECPs all around the world did their part, too, this World Sight Day. We’re taking a look at how some indies celebrated World Sight Day on social media, spreading the word to their followers everywhere.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, October 5, 2023 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—
Hispanic Heritage Month, which is observed from September 15 through October 15 every year, provides an opportunity for all Americans to celebrate Hispanic Americans who have made an impact on our country. Enacted into law on August 17, 1988, Hispanic Heritage Month’s 30-day span covers a number of important days for Hispanic Americans: September 15 is the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. September 16 is Mexico’s independence day, while September 18 is Chile’s. Dia de la Raza is on October 12.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Wednesday, September 20, 2023 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—For sports lovers, Fall is an exciting time. Many sport seasons restart in the Fall, both professional and amateur—which also makes this season the perfect time to talk to patients about keeping their eyes safe while getting active. This Sports Eye Safety Month, Prevent Blindness shared new data that shows more than 32,000 sports-related eye injuries were treated in the U.S. last year—an
increase of nearly 20 percent from the previous year.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, September 7, 2023 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—For many of us, the COVID lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 provided some time to slow down, to reassess and to try to get some rest—but for Idriss and Federica Nestor, the opposite was true. Instead, the married couple used that time to develop
OPR Eyewear, their home-grown, family-owned eyewear business in New York City. Idriss told
The Independent Eye, “My wife and I have always been very passionate about glasses until one day, during COVID, we decided to finally invest in our dream and create our own brand. I had a consulting company while Federica had a legal background—very different worlds that, nevertheless, prepared us for what we were about to create.”
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, August 24, 2023 8:30 AM
MEMPHIS, Tenn.—
Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee, has recognized three young alumni with the Hayes Center for Practice Excellence Award—an award which recognizes a graduate of the past 10 years who owns and operates a private optometry practice. This year’s recipients are: Autumn Adams, OD, for the Practice Acquisition Award; Derek Hennig, OD, for the Partnership Award; and Andrew Bradbury, OD, for the New Practice Award.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, August 10, 2023 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—This week, the "Barbie" movie officially made over $1 billion at the box office. Director Greta Gerwig has become the first and only woman with sole director’s credit for a billion dollar movie,
NPR reported, and the film’s popularity has taken the world by storm. On social media in particular, the "Barbie" movie has generated countless trends that users are enjoying—from meme templates to full-hearted reminiscing on childhood memories with Barbie dolls.