By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, October 10, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—
Prevent Blindness has once again declared October as Contact Lens Safety Month, with the goal of educating the public on the proper use of contact lenses, both prescription and cosmetic. With Halloween on the horizon and some costumes calling for a change in eye color, October is an ideal time to reinforce the importance of proper and safe contact lens use; to do so, Prevent Blindness is offering a variety of resources including fact sheets, social media graphics and
dedicated webpages. For ECPs, there are plenty of ways to prioritize contact lens safety this month. Here, we’re taking a look at the social media push that some indies are using to spread the word.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Friday, September 13, 2024 7:30 AM
NEWARK, N.J.—Jobson Optical Research released its annual
ECP Income Study this month, offering new insights into what ECPs across the country are earning. This extensive study includes the average income for optometrists, opticians/dispensers and optical office managers in the U.S—these metrics include independent ECPs, offering a helpful guidepost for other independents. In addition, a full comparison of males vs. females is broken out across all demographics.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, September 5, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—
Women In Optometry has announced that it will award nine women ODs with a Theia Award of Excellence on Thursday, November 7, 2024, during the American Academy of Optometry’s Academy 2024 in Indianapolis, Ind., according to an announcement from
WO. This is the ninth year for this annual awards ceremony. Each year,
Women In Optometry asks readers and friends to submit the names of women who have been extraordinarily influential in the industry. This year, more than 200 nominations were submitted; the
WO advisory board votes for the winners.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Wednesday, August 21, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—The back-to-school season is officially upon us. Across the country, students are headed back to the classroom; some have already started the fall semester, while others are in the last few days of their summer breaks, but either way, a large portion of Americans are thinking about the upcoming school year. As teachers, families and students get organized, it’s an important time for the optical community to remind them how important eye health is for a successful academic year. Here, we’re taking a look at what some independent ECPs are doing to get into gear for the school year.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, August 8, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—Prevent Blindness has again declared August as Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, with the goal of educating parents, caregivers, professionals and policymakers on the important role vision and eye health plays in children’s development. As reported in
VMAIL, Prevent Blindness is marking this month with free materials on children’s vision, including fact sheets, social media graphics,
toolkits, videos and webpages on a variety of topics about children’s vision from infancy through adolescence. The NCCVEH provides
resources on getting children ready for school, taking a child to an eye doctor, preparing a child for wearing glasses or contact lenses and tips for preventing eye injuries.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Wednesday, July 24, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—It’s summertime and the weather is warm, which means many of us are spending more time than usual outside and in the sun—and that the sun is at its strongest. In recognition of this, July is recognized as UV Safety month across the industry, providing another opportunity for ECPs to educate patients and communities about the importance of keeping their eyes protected from UV rays. To close out July, we are taking a look at how some ECPs have used UV Safety Month to shed some light on UV light.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Wednesday, July 10, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—On June 27, sunwear and summer enthusiasts alike celebrated National Sunglasses Day by breaking out their favorite pair of sunnies, snapping a selfie and posting on social media. National Sunglasses Day, which occurs on June 27 every year, is a fun and interactive holiday for everyone—but, most importantly, it creates the perfect opportunity for ECPs to remind patients and their communities just how important it is to keep our eyes protected from the sun. This National Sunglasses Day, independent ECPs took to local news stations, social media and more to educate the public and spread some sunny fun.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, June 20, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—On June 6, members of the eyecare and eyewear communities celebrated the ninth annual National Eyewear Day, a day founded by Zyloware Eyewear that is dedicated to bringing awareness to comprehensive eye exams and overall eye health. As
reported in
VMAIL, Zyloware kicked off National Eyewear Day with a number of resources to help everyone get involved, and partnered with Optical Academy to provide free eye exams and eyewear as part of a community event. In addition, many ECPs across the country took part in National Eyewear Day in their own communities, through fundraising, special events and more. Here, we’re taking a look at how some indies celebrated eyewear this June 6.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, June 6, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—Prevent Blindness has again declared June as Cataract Awareness Month. In recognition of the month, Prevent Blindness offers a variety of free informational resources in English and Spanish including fact sheets, social media graphics and a listing of vision care financial assistance programs. The group also offers a dedicated
web resource, and the “Understanding Cataract” episode in the “Focus on Eye Health Expert Series,” featuring Albert Cheung, MD, cataract, cornea and anterior segment specialist with Virginia Eye Consultants and assistant professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, May 16, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—This week, May 13 through 19, 2024, is Myopia Awareness Week, a global event that aims to raise awareness about juvenile-onset myopia and encourage eyecare professionals to take necessary actions. The week has been marked by a number of myopia awareness related initiatives, both big and small, as
reported in
VMAIL Weekend. In addition, ECPs have been putting in the extra work this week to educate their patients about myopia, both online and in person. Here, we’re taking a look at how some indies are approaching Myopia Awareness Week.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, May 2, 2024 8:30 AM
FOLSOM, Calif.—Small business owners hear it all the time: social media is a nonnegotiable item if you want to grow. But the prospect of getting started can be daunting. What platforms should you be on, and what should you be posting once you’re on there? How do you gain followers and find a community? And what value is all of this offering both to you and your patients? For Jennifer Wademan, OD, jumping into social media was a slow but steady process—and one that has ultimately grown into a career-changing and life-altering move.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, April 18, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—Last week, millions of North Americans turned their eyes to the skies for a solar eclipse—total for some, partial for others, but special for all. Leading up to the big day, ECPs spent months educating their communities on how to
watch the eclipse safely, and when the eclipse finally arrived, they were able to enjoy watching the astronomical phenomenon with proper eye protection. Here, we’re taking a look back at how indies watched the solar eclipse.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, April 4, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—The week of March 17–23, 2024 was World Optometry Week, culminating in World Optometry Day on March 23. With the theme “Advancing Optometry’s Commitment to Global Eye Care,” World Optometry Day aims to shine an annual spotlight on the profession of optometry and the contribution of optometrists worldwide to increasing access to eye health care as a human right, as
reported in
VMAIL. Here, we’re recapping how some independent optometrists across the country celebrated their profession’s special day.
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.