By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, May 25, 2023 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—May is Healthy Vision Month, 30 days set aside by the Centers for disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Eye Institute (NEI) to promote the importance of taking care of the eyes—from annual, comprehensive eye exams to everyday habits that will protect eye health. Through its Vision Heath Initiative, the CDC has made a number of
resources available for free to all, including information about the basics of eye health, prevention and risk management and more. Infographics are also available for
download, which can be posted online or in the office.
By Staff
Thursday, May 11, 2023 8:15 AM
WASHINGTON D.C.—Could your small business help inspire others? Want to get recognized for the small business you’re building? Applications are now open for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s
America’s Top Small Business 2023 Awards. This year’s awards will recognize the contributions of small business to America. The deadline for submissions is July 8. And the Chamber says it is looking for examples of “Ingenuity. Grit. Perseverance.” Rules are posted online, but to enter, applicants must be legal residents of the U.S., they must be a for-profit business operating for at least one year, primarily within the U.S., the business has to have fewer than 250 employees or gross revenue or less than $20 million for both 2021 and 2022.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, April 27, 2023 2:30 PM
LITCHFIELD, Conn.—Tommasina Sideris, OD, owner/operator of
Eyes On Litchfield in Litchfield, Connecticut, makes no secret of her love for independent, creative and unexpected eyewear. In fact, she only sells independent designs in her own practice, acting as a champion for the unique, exciting and often cutting edge world of eyewear design. Here, in a special feature for Jobson’s
Independent Strong, Dr. Sideris discusses her passion for independent eyewear, her decision to keep her practice independent and her journey to Italy to design her own independent eyewear.
By Staff
Thursday, April 27, 2023 2:20 PM
NEW YORK—Last Saturday, everyone, everywhere celebrated the same special holiday:
Earth Day. As is the case every year, Earth Day fell on April 22 and gave us all a moment to reflect on the beauty and importance of our planet—and to think about how we can continue to protect and nurture our unique home. For a look at the evolution of Earth Day, read
Still Trying to Save the Planet as Earth Day Hits Its 53rd Year. Everyone celebrates Earth Day a little bit differently—so here’s a look at how some independent ECPs spent their April 22.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Wednesday, April 19, 2023 8:30 AM
WASHINGTON, D.C.—There is a lot of talk about products, ideas and innovations that sit at “intersections,” forging new worlds by bridging the gap between two markets. But no matter what, nothing new could ever occupy that intersection between science and style the way eyewear does. Fashion, health and technology are the pillars of good eyewear—and sometimes it can feel like our industry deserves more credit for finding that perfect balance when creating truly good eyewear. For
Georgetown Optician in Washington, D.C., the rise of AI technology provided the perfect canvas to showcase that vital intersection, while reflecting the retail’s own pioneering spirit.
By Staff
Monday, April 10, 2023 1:58 PM
Like the proverbial candle burning at both ends, Ada Noh, OD, felt burnout with her optometric career not even seven years after her 2015 graduation from Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University. “I had secretly been hating many aspects of optometry for many years, but I had this debt, and I didn’t know what else to do,” she says. So she made some major pivots in her life and her career. She left the practice where she was in the Philadelphia area and relocated to Little Rock, Arkansas. Plus she determined that the one aspect of eyecare that she truly loved was treating dry eye. “I didn’t want to admit it, but I didn’t like doing refractions, and I don’t enjoy fitting contact lenses. So I decided I was just going to treat dry eye.”
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, March 23, 2023 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—Last week, thousands of members of the optical community arrived at New York City's Javits Center to attend Vision Expo East 2023. From some of the biggest companies in the world to mom-and-pop shops in small towns, Vision Expo offered something for everyone—and indies were well represented at this year’s show. Here, we’re taking a look at social media to see how Vision Expo East shaped up for some of the visiting independent ECPs.
By Staff
Thursday, March 23, 2023 8:20 AM
NEW YORK—At sundown on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, the month of Ramadan officially began. Celebrated by over 1 billion Muslins worldwide, Ramadan is the holiest month in the Muslim calendar. For thirty days (this year, from March 22 to April 21), millions will fast from sunup to sundown every day. The month also involves prayer, charity, community time and introspection for Muslims everywhere, including those who do not fast during the month. Islam is the third most popular religion here in the U.S.
By Staff
Thursday, March 9, 2023 2:35 PM
NEW YORK—March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month, a month headed up by Prevent Blindness to help keep eyes healthy, safe and protected on the job. Thousands of workers in the U.S. sustain eye injuries at work each year, many of which are preventable. The American Academy of Ophthalmology states that 90 percent of these eye injuries could be avoided by wearing the proper eye protection. There’s still plenty of time to get involved and spread the word to your patients and teams—here are just a few ideas.
By Staff
Thursday, March 9, 2023 2:30 PM
NEW YORK—On March 8, International Women’s Day, the people at
Family Business announced the women chosen by a panel of their staff members and advisors who will be featured in the May/June 2023 issue of
Family Business Magazine, “Transformational Women of 2023.” As part of their Transformational Women in Family Business 2023 Event, the women will be celebrated at a special awards ceremony and dinner to be held in Denver, Colo. on June 7-8.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, March 2, 2023 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—Diane Hilal-Campo, MD, knew she wanted to be an ophthalmologist from a young age—but she had no idea that she wanted to be the founder of a makeup brand called
twenty/twenty beauty. Her father, neuroradiologist Sadek Hilal, MD, influenced her desire to enter the medical field in some way, but, as she tells
VM, “it was as a young girl, when I first visited ophthalmologist Dr. Stephen Trokel, one of the inventors of the excimer laser that is used to perform Lasik, that I became fascinated by ocular health. He prescribed me my first pair of glasses, and being able to see the beauty of the world with such clarity changed my life.”
By Marge Axelrad
Thursday, February 23, 2023 8:30 AM
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.—A leading optometric innovator has brought several elevated eyecare and patient experience concepts to her newest location in Southern California. Nikki Iravani, OD, the founder and CEO of
eyeXam Optometry in Silicon Valley’s Santa Clara, Calif. opened a bright, bold second luxury practice in the Crystal Cove Shopping Center in upscale Newport Beach in Orange County last fall.
By Staff
Thursday, February 2, 2023 11:36 AM
Eversee Boutique Eyecare opened in late 2022 in Winnetka, Illinois, to support the area with a high-quality medical practice and retail offering. Dan Myers, OD, the owner and lead optometrist, has a passion for making patients healthy and helping those that cannot find comfort with more traditional treatments. His wife and co-owner, Marisa Kowalsky, focuses her enthusiasm for luxury eyewear on the retail side of the business. The core mission of Eversee Boutique Eyecare is to make patients see better, feel better and look better.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Tuesday, January 31, 2023 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—On January 22, billions of people around the world celebrated the Lunar New Year, saying goodbye to the Year of the Tiger and ringing in the Year of the Rabbit. The holiday, which is celebrated by about 2 billion people worldwide, will last until February 5 in some countries—a full cycle from one new moon to the next full moon,
USA Today reported.
By Staff
Tuesday, January 31, 2023 8:20 AM
NEW YORK—Love is in the air this month. No matter your relationship status, February 14 can be a fun, loving day to celebrate—it doesn’t matter if that celebration involves date night, friends’ night or a day full of self care. There’s still plenty of time to get ready for Valentine’s Day, including some time to decorate the office or put together some sweet social media ideas. Here, we’re taking a look at a few ways indies have celebrated Valentine’s Day to spark some inspiration.