VM and 20/20 Magazine Announce EyeVote Readers’ Choice Awards for 2023

By Staff
Monday, November 27, 2023 4:18 PM NEW YORK—Vision Monday and 20/20 Magazine are pleased to announce the selections in the 15th annual EyeVote Readers’ Choice Awards, a special survey aimed at identifying readers’ favorite products and companies of the year. Optical retailers and ECP readers of the two Jobson Medical Information publications were asked to identify their “favorite” products in 22 distinct categories: optical frames, spectacle lenses, sunglasses, Rx sun lenses, contact lenses, optical equipment for wholesale prescription labs, optical supplies/consumables/tools, ECP/retail in-office lab equipment, diagnostic instruments, practice management software, EHR software, dispensing/measuring fitting systems, patient engagement systems, online ordering website, social purpose missions, online and social media marketing services, PPE, telehealth solution, virtual/ omnichannel sales tool, sustainable eyewear materials for frames, sustainable eyewear materials for sunwear, and low vision and assistive technology. Read More

Women In Optometry: OD Deposits Hope for Her Future in Renovated Bank Building

By Staff
Monday, November 27, 2023 4:15 PM When Samantha Hornberger, OD, opened her box of Halloween decorations, she realized she was going to need a whole lot more. In February, Dr. Hornberger moved her practice, Bright Family Eye Care, from a second-floor, 1,400-square foot location to a one-level brick building about three miles away, still in West Harrison, Indiana. She tripled her space, and now has an entire wall of windows, compared to one small second-floor window before. She recently had a conversation with her staff about decorating the office for the Christmas holidays. With a much larger optical and a separate, comfortable waiting room, she’s thinking she may well need two trees. Read More

Services to Be Held for Standard Optical’s CEO Aaron Schubach, 47

By Staff
Wednesday, November 22, 2023 11:47 AM SALT LAKE CITY—Services will be held here on Friday, Dec. 1 for Standard Optical's CEO, Aaron Schubach, 47, who passed away unexpectedly on Nov. 16. Aaron Richard Schubach was the fourth generation in the role of CEO at the optical company, one of the largest retailers and eyecare services providers in the state of Utah and the U.S. Standard Optical was started by his great grandfather in 1911. Schubach joined the company as VP marketing in 1999 and became CEO in 2017, succeeding his father, Stephen Schubach, who himself had followed in his father Richard's footsteps.Stephen Schubach told VMAIL, "There were so many ways that Aaron developed relationships with the staff, his managerial team, the doctors at Standard. When I experienced health issues in 2017, he took on the CEO position and he was a visionary, developing new ideas and direction for the business." Read More

20/20 Magazine: Eyes on Sustainable Eyewear

By Staff
Wednesday, November 22, 2023 11:44 AM In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” In other words, it’s our society’s ability to exist and develop without depleting all of the natural resources needed to live in the future. Natural disasters, such as storms, wildfires and floods, have prompted even more attention to the environment and scrutiny of how everyday items are made, used and disposed of, including eyewear. Across the industry, eyewear companies are adopting and advancing sustainable practices for materials, production and packaging for their part in securing a healthy world future. Read More 

World Council of Optometry Launches the WCO Pediatric Resource for Optometrists

By Staff
Tuesday, November 21, 2023 4:17 PM ST. LOUIS—The World Council of Optometry (WCO) is celebrating World Children’s Day 2023 with the official launch of its Pediatric Resource, a clinical resource for optometrists as they deliver accessible, quality eyecare to children across the globe. The resource is available to the public and includes clinical information, assessment tools and references for clinicians to use to help children and their families in accessing the best eyecare possible. Resource sections on the WCO website include WCO key media messages for pediatric eyecare, pediatric equipment resource list, clinical practice guidelines surveys, materials for patient education and links to pediatric eyecare textbooks. Read More

20/20 Europe: Rolf Receives Further Recognition for Sustainable Collection

By Staff
Tuesday, November 21, 2023 4:14 PM Rolf Spectacles has received the Materialica Design + Technology Award for their new 3D printed Wire collection, produced from rapidly renewable castor beans. The brand took first place in the “Product” Category. Rolf managing director Roland Wolf expressed his delight with the achievement: “Materialica is all about sustainability, and that makes it the perfect fit for us and our corporate values. In combination with our fastidious design requirements, with Wire we have been able to create a product that blends closeness to nature with a contemporary feel. Made in Austria, naturally.” Read More

Super Bowl MVP Von Miller and GlassesUSA.com Debut Exclusive Eyewear Collection

By Staff
Monday, November 20, 2023 4:17 PM NEW YORK—GlassesUSA.com and Super Bowl MVP and Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller have announced the launch of Von Miller x GlassesUSA.com, an eyewear collection made up of 18 styles co-designed by Miller and available exclusively through GlassesUSA.com as part of its Own Your Vision campaign. This first launch within the partnership includes optical and sun frames, and takes inspiration from Miller’s heritage, roots and passion for the Wild West. The collection is available now. Miller said, “It’s not just about wearing frames, frames are part of you and a part of your personality. Whenever you put on frames, you should feel a sense of coolness. Frames are the first thing that people see and the frames that we created are stylish and unique." Read More 

Review of Ophthalmology: Patient Education Websites May Hinder More Than Help

By Staff
Monday, November 20, 2023 4:14 PM For better or worse, patients often go online to gain medical information or to make decisions about their condition. Therefore, it’s necessary for patient-oriented websites to be readable to the layperson or have complementary patient education video content to promote better health literacy. Website accessibility accommodations are especially important to cataract surgery candidates, as these patients already have vision difficulties and may have other medical comorbidities due to older age that may limit their access online, according to researchers based at The Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. Read More

Registration Now Open for Vision Expo East 2024

By Staff
Sunday, November 19, 2023 1:39 PM ALEXANDRIA, Va.—The Vision Council and RX have announced that registration for Vision Expo East 2024, the premier event for the eyewear and eyecare industry, is officially open. Scheduled to take place from March 14 to 17 at the Javits Center, Vision Expo East 2024 will mark nearly four decades of showcasing cutting-edge products, fostering education, and bringing together ophthalmic professionals in New York City. This event will not only celebrate the rich history of Vision Expo East in the city that never sleeps, but usher in an exciting new chapter for the industry. Mitch Barkley, vice president of Trade Shows and Meetings at The Vision Council, said, "As our industry advances, our dedication to innovation and creating a dynamic platform for Vision Expo exhibits and attendees remains steadfast." Read More 

Review of Myopia Management: Advocating for My Patients Has Led to More Than 20 Years of Myopia Management Success

By Staff
Sunday, November 19, 2023 1:36 PM My interest and entrance into myopia management came about for two primary reasons. My partner, Dr. Barry Tannen, OD, FAAO, FCOVD, and I opened our practice, Eyecare Professionals, cold in 1988. For ten years we had a very successful primary care practice. We started to notice that as we were getting busier, it didn’t necessarily translate to more profitability. We were working much harder but not seeing that impact our bottom line. At about the same time, both my sons became nearsighted, and that’s when my interest in myopia management started growing. Read More

Alcon Reports Increased Net Sales for Q3 2023, Narrows Full-Year Guidance

By Staff
Thursday, November 16, 2023 1:51 PM GENEVA—Alcon (SIX/NYSE:ALC), a global leader in eyecare, reported its financial results for the three and nine months ended Sept. 30, 2023. For the third quarter of 2023, sales were $2.3 billion, an increase of 8 percent on a reported basis and 9 percent on a constant currency basis, as compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Sales for the first nine months of 2023 were $7.0 billion, an increase of 8 percent on a reported basis and 11 percent on a constant currency basis, compared to the first nine months of 2022. Read More

Review of Optometry: One-Third of Low Vision Patients Have Dry Eye

By Staff
Thursday, November 16, 2023 1:45 PM It’s no secret that patients’ quality of life suffers when they have dry eye disease (DED), and all the more so when it’s accompanied by compromised visual function. In a new study, researchers evaluated the prevalence of diagnosed DED, meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and blepharitis among the low vision population and found that dry eye in this population is a significant comorbidity that occurs in over a third of patients. Performing ocular comfort assessment and questionnaires such as SPEED or DEQ-5 in these patients can help coordinate dry eye management, the study shows. Read More

The National Average for Gross Revenue at ECP Locations Increased for the Week of Nov. 6–12, Jobson’s Latest Practice Performance Tracker Shows

By Staff
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 12:10 PM NEW YORK—The national average for gross revenue at ECP locations increased last week, Nov. 6–12, when compared with the previous week at a rate of 6 index points. That places gross revenue at a level 3 index points above where it was at this point in time (Week 46) when compared with last year (2022), 13 points above the same period in 2021, 9 points above 2020, and 16 points above 2019, according to Jobson’s most recent Practice Performance Tracker. Read More

Review of Optometric Business: The Areas of Contact Lenses With the Greatest Growth Potential

By Staff
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 12:05 PM Contact lenses change patients’ lives, giving them an alternative to glasses and providing them with optimal vision. New developments in this space have meant that many patients who previously could not wear contact lenses are now candidates, and many who wore contact lenses unhappily in the past have new, highly comfortable options. The CooperVision executive team of Alex Wilkes, president of the Americas, Melissa Kiewe, vice president of Marketing, and Michele Andrews, OD, vice president, Professional and Government Affairs, give their take on areas of contact lenses that offer both patients and practices exciting opportunities in this exclusive ROB video. Read More

Marge Axelrad to Retire as SVP, Editorial Director of Vision Monday, VMAIL Group at End of March 2024

By Staff
Tuesday, November 14, 2023 3:12 PM NEWARK N.J.—Jobson Optical Group announced that after 35 years, senior vice president and editorial director of Vision Monday and VMAIL, Marge Axelrad, has decided to retire, effective March 31, 2024. Axelrad will continue to play a role for Jobson during this transition period and will remain active in monitoring industry news and key developments in the industry. She will also continue to represent Jobson at key industry meetings and events in the U.S. and internationally and will play a key role in the upcoming Vision Monday Leadership Summit in March prior to Vision Expo East 2024. Read More