eyecare professional magazine april 2013 issue

LIGHTWEIGHT EYEWEAR / PAGE 6 DRESSING UP DISPENSING TRAYS / PAGE 14

• Newest Technology• 25 to 30% Wider Fields of Vision• 100% Backside Digital Freeform• Most Advanced MEI Edgers in the World for Wraps• Very Competitive Pricing & Easy to Work With• Largest Supermarket of Freeform Lenses

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April 2013 • Volume 7, Issue 64 • www.ECPmag.com

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E Y E C A R E P R O F E S S I O N A L 3

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LIGHTWEIGHT EYEWEARKeep your customers cool and comfortable with the latest in lightweight eyewear and sunwear.by ECP Staff

DISPENSING TRAY PERFECTIONHow you present a pair of finished frames can make a lastingimpression on your patients.by Corrie Pelc

ANTI-EYESTRAIN LENSESHand held devices have led to an increase in Computer VisionSyndrome in young people.by Renee Jacobs, OD, M.A.

SPRING COLOR TRENDSThe latest PANTONE report can help give your practice an edge in offering the hottest color trends.by Lindsey Getz

RAINY DAY READINGSome great books that can help make you a more effective dispenser, manager and overall person.by Judy Canty, LDO

MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE REVERENDDetailing a unique experience I had with the renowned Reverend Leon H. Sullivan.by Elmer Friedman, OD

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EEYECAREPROFESSIONALMagazine

Features

Departments

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EDITOR/VIEW ......................................................................................................4

MOVERS AND SHAKERS ..................................................................................16

MANAGING OPTICIAN.....................................................................................18

EQUIPMENT FOCUS .........................................................................................32

OD PERSPECTIVE..............................................................................................38

ADVERTISER INDEX .........................................................................................42

INDUSTRY QUICK ACCESS..............................................................................44

LAST LOOK .........................................................................................................46

Cont

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On The Cover:US OPTICAL800-445-2773www.USOPTICAL.com

APRIL 2013

Vol. 7Issue 64

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4 E Y E C A R E P R O F E S S I O N A L

Publisher/Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff SmithProduction/Graphics Manager. . . . . . . . . . . Bruce S. DrobDirector, Advertising Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . Lynnette GrandeContributing Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Judy Canty, John Dick, Paul DiGiovanni, Gary Fore, Elmer Friedman, Lindsey Getz, Renee Jacobs, Ginny Johnson, Jim Magay, Warren McDonald, Corrie Pelc, Anthony Record, John Seegers, Jason Smith

Technical Editor . . . . . . . . Brian A. Thomas, P.h.D, ABOMInternet Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Adler

Opinions expressed in editorial submissions contributed to EyeCareProfessional Magazine, ECP™ are those of the individual writers exclusively and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of EyeCareProfessional Magazine, ECP™ its staff, its advertisers, or its reader-ship. EyeCare Professional Magazine, ECP™ assume no responsibilitytoward independently contributed editorial submissions or any typographical errors, mistakes, misprints, or missing informationwithin advertising copy.

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EyeCare Professional Magazine, ECP™ is published monthly by OptiCourier, Ltd.Delivered by Third Class Mail Volume 7 Number 64TrademarkSM 1994 by OptiCourier, Ltd.All Rights Reserved.

No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced in anyform or by any means without prior written permission of thepublisher.

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OptiCourier, Ltd. is not responsible for any errors and omissions,typographical, clerical and otherwise. The possibility of errorsdoes exist with respect to anything printed herein.

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Magazine

T he optical industry has been experiencing an explosion of new technology.

Of course, that’s nothing new ... remember when all glasses had glass lenses?Or when letters were typed on a typewriter? For many people, trying to

understand how a computer works can be just slightly easier than transcribingSanskrit. Remember how frustrating it was long ago when you tried to make senseof what the computer salesman was telling you: Byte? ROM? OS? Well, it has comefull circle.

Technological advances in lens design, coatings, or frame design and materials canbe exciting to us, but just as frustrating to the patient if presented incorrectly.Remember, what patients really want is simply the best vision possible. While it has become easier to accept the technical jargon associated with computers, theaverage optical patient hears about PAL, AR, and poly maybe once every two years.The guiding principle when presenting the latest in optical technology is KIS (Keep It Simple).

The first step in presenting technology is to know as much about it as you can.The more you know, the easier it is to explain in simple terms. While it may not beimportant to know all the physics involved in, say, free-form technology, you shouldknow the benefits to the patient of a free-form lens and why. Know when new technology is beneficial to the patient, and when it may not be appropriate, andwhat the limitations might be. Many of the newer lens designs are engineered tohelp patients with relatively high corrections, high cylinders, high add powers, orother special needs. Know your products, and when appropriate, never hesitate torecommend advanced designs.

When explaining new designs or materials, emphasize the benefits to the patient.Think of it as starting at the bottom of a pyramid, beginning with broad, generalterms and only advancing to more restrictive, technical language when necessary.Of course, there will always be those patients who want a more detailed explana-tion, either out of curiosity or to test you. In that case, go ahead and get more technical, but beware of your limits. If you’re not sure, admit it, don’t try to bluffyour way through. If your not sure (or even if you are), grab a brochure and quicklygo over it with the patient. This will not only guide you through, but gives credenceto what you’re saying.

If the new technology provides real benefits, and is presented in an understandablefashion, then the benefits will out-weigh the costs, and the patient will make afinancial decision based on value. Get excited by the new technology, and get yourpatient excited with the amazing benefits made possible by it; after all, you’re offering the best solutions for their vision needs. ■

EEYECAREPROFESSIONAL

Keeping it Simple

Scan this barcode with your smartphone to go to our website.

EDITOR VIEWJeff Smith

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LIGHTWEIGHTEyewear & SunwearThe different materials that make up this segment have one thing in common: comfort and simplicity.

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1. CharmantXL2040 and XL204: The newly developedtemple is made of seven delicate lines lasermicro-welded, offering a supple structure,with a simple and delicate look. Createdwith Excellence Titan, LineArt offersamazing lightness, a gentle touch withhardly any pressure, while at the sametime making an ultramodern fashionstatement. www.charmant.com/us

2. ScheydenThe Scheyden Fixed Gear Mustang is hand crafted with the finest materials inthe world; offering hand ground crystalclear mineral glass lenses, ultra-light titanium frames, and silicone nose pieces.A distinguished sporty look designed to fit a range of facial shapes.www.scheyden.com

3. REM EyewearVisualites reading glasses are renownedfor their timeless 3-piece mount style andlightweight TR-90 material. The easy-to-wear and easier-to-love readers are nowavailable in 21 vibrant colors. These ultra-flexible and comfortable readers havedeveloped a dedicated fan base due in part to the seemingly endless variety.www.remeyewear.com

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4. Jee ViceTimeless is a light little frame, made forthe woman with timeless sophistication.Going back to the classic cat eye and richcolor choices, these frames are truly beautiful and forever timeless. Available inGrey, Red and Tortoise. www.jeevice.com

5. Gold & WoodThe Alpha model was born from contemporary design mixing naturalwood and high tech aluminum, and features the patented Wood Lock Systemfor mounting lenses. The lightness ofwooden eyepieces is four times lighterthan a frame in aluminum and seventimes lighter than a frame in titanium.www.gold-and-wood.com

6. KaenonKaenon Maya: Maya’s gentle, femininedesign draws just enough attention toitself without overwhelming. Subtle surfaces with an upswept, curvy brow,Maya’s classic styling makes for a perfectaddition to any trip outside. This framefeatures Kaenon’s proprietary SR-91polarized lens material. www.kaenon.com

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J.F. Rey

Each shape of the Lace concept has its own exclusive pattern, theincredible precision of which demonstrates the highly preciseengraving work performed in our factories in the Jura. Noweverybody’s talking about this extremely lightweight, real lacework. It features a supple and expanding silicon endpiece tomake assembly easier whilst discretely ensuring extra efficienthold. www.jfreyusa.com

McGee Group

The style and sophistication of the art deco movement arebrought to a fashionable climax in the most recent eyewearstyles from Boutique by Totally Rimless. TR 195 features a mod-ern eyeshape with uplift for added interest. The twisted metaltemples give a rope effect with a jeweled embellishment andmarble acetate temple tips to finish the look. TR 195 is availablein Satin and Soft Brown. www.mcgreegroup.com

XX2i OpticsDesigned with top athletes in mind, France1 ProRacing Sunglasses offer unparalleled performancewhile going easy on your wallet. Fully adjustabletemple tips and nose pads ensure an accurate,individual face fit that hold strong while remainingfeather light. Their semi-rimless design allows forrapid changing of lenses and superior peripheralvision. Fully Rx-able in multiple style and lens configurations including Polarized and Sport Reader. www.xx2i.com

MOREL

Lightec is now excited to roll out Carbon 4, which featuresnewer, slimmer, carbon temples and is fitted with the screwlessAlpha spring-hinge. Two of the Carbon 4 models feature frontswith a stainless steel structure overmolded with polyurethanerubber. Polyurethane rubber is also used inside the temples toprovide exceptional comfort, while carbon is visible on the out-side. www.morel-france.com

ic! berlin

What makes a great idea even better? The answer is: Never stopinnovating! Even with simple yet ingenious technologies like theic! berlin screwless hinge system, there is always room for adjust-ments that revolutionize the concept. ic! berlin have just raisedthe bar with its new inclination hinge, which allows the wearerto change the angle of the frame up to 3 degrees up or down to ensure that temples perfectly fit to each person’s ear.www.ic-berlin.de


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Pro Design

4th Dimension 4681-83: A highly feminine collection for thewoman who wants a retro acetate frame – but still with veryunique look. The designer have used the amazing 3D templedesign and combined with brand new layered acetate color combinations, for fronts and end tips, the end result is reallystriking. www.prodesigndenmark.com

Clariti Eyewear

Konishi Lite KL3684: The Konishi Lite Collection offers an arrayof weightless, sleek frames made for everyday leisure. You’regoing to love the look of freedom. www.claritieyewear.com

LINDBERGThe LINDBERG Strip range has been extended with completelynew designs in the upper rim 7000 range and modified versions of the existing full frame strip. A new vibrant orangestands out and will be an eye catcher in this collection.www.lindberg.com

Marcolin

Olivia in color 072 (shiny pink): This elegant style offers a feminine shape with a semi rimless construction. The profile isthin, providing a delicate temple design with four small crystalsdecorating the temple and end piece. Featuring snap-inadjustable nose pads and spring hinges for additional comfort.www.marcolinusa.com

Match Eyewear

There is no need to sacrifice style or quality when choosing alightweight frame. Style 1108 from Adrienne Vittadini features astainless semi-rimless front with intricately laser etched filigree temples subtly embellished with Swarovski crystals.Vibrant semi matte colors include Purple (shown here), Red,Brown, and Black. www.matcheyewear.com


mlin

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Trevi Coliseum Eyewear

Cotton Club Carbon Fiber Line is constructed of the newestspace age materials and defines the concept of style, quality andluxury. Made of carbon fiber with rubberized temples for light-weight comfort, extreme strength and adjustability, Model CC280 is available in Black Gun, Black and White Black (shown)with a striking contrast. Made in Italy and backed by a two yearwarranty. Sold exclusively in North America by National Lens.www.national-lens.com

Hilco

Hilco’s FrameWorks™ Premier Rimless Collection ... “FashionForward” styling with end piece and temple embellishments andtreatments. Available in Gunmetal/Black and Gold/Brown, insizes: 53-17-140 and 51-17-140. www.hilco.com


Kodak and the Kodak trade dress are trademarks of Kodak, used under license by Signet Armorlite, Inc. CleAR is a trademark of Signet Armorlite, Inc.©2013 Signet Armorlite, Inc.

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In the world of selling, presentation iskey. And that doesn’t include just how anitem is presented to the customer whenthey first come in – presentation is just asimportant when a customer has alreadypurchased an item and is coming to pickit up.

Case in point – eyewear. How an opticalor optometrist’s office presents a pair offinished frames to their patient can makea lasting impression, either good or bad.

“Presentation is such an important partof the optical experience – you want yourpatient to perceive their eyewear as some-thing unique,” says Susan D. Weeks,ABOC, dispensing optician/office manag-er at The Vision Center at Seaside Farmsin Mt. Pleasant, SC.

And George Karber, general managerand board certified master optician atNorth Cypress DEY Optical in Cypress,TX, says cleanliness in presentation is toppriority. “Patients will be more open toproducts, especially upper end products,if it looks pristine and brand new,” heexplains. “It can’t have dots on it frommarking ... fingerprints need to beremoved. You just need to keep yourproduct very fresh looking like you just took it out of a package from themanufacturer.”

FROM DISPENSING TRAY ...

Many times when an optician is delivering finished eyewear to a customer,they are doing so using what is commonlyreferred to as a dispensing tray. For manyopticals or optometrist offices, the

dispensingtray is aplastictray that isthe sametray they usedback in the lab.

Patricia Bobilin, managing directorof the southern region for Eye Designs,has found that a number of opticals andoffices use a dispensing tray like this, thatmany times still has material on it fromcutting lenses or other lab work, makingthem not very attractive looking. This, shesays, can be a poor reflection on a practicein the eyes of the patient.

“If somebody is spending $200-$500plus on a frame, you don’t want to givethem a dirty tray when presenting backtheir finished product,” she adds. “In anymedical setting, it should be as clean aspossible. You really need to have some-thing that’s more upscale, is clean, andgives a nice presentation.”

For Craig Chasnov, optician and ownerwith his wife of Eyetopian Optical in FortMyers, FL, the plastic work tray “never,ever” goes out to a dispensing table orcomes out of the back room. He saysevery pair of eyewear presented to a customer should be handled like a piece ofjewelry. “If you go to a jeweler, they wouldnever bring it out in a plastic container –they always bring it out on a nice jeweler’spad,” he explains. “If it isn’t somethingyou would find in a jewelry store, I wouldn’t do it in my store.”

TO PRESENTATION TRAY ...

To help make a better presentationwhen dispensing eyewear, some opticalsand offices are elevating the dispensingtray to a “presentation tray.”

For example, Weeks uses a black coloredwooden tray, about 8 inches by 7 inches insize, lined with velvet to bring completedeyewear out to customers. When dispens-ing, eyewear is placed in the front of thetray and in the back of the tray is a bagwith the practice’s logo on it. In the bag,Weeks says the customer will find theappropriate branded case for their neweyewear, his business card, lens authentici-ty card, cleaning cloth, bottle of spraycleaner, notepad, pen and a piece of gour-met chocolate.

“A large part of my reputation rests onthe patient’s overall dispensing experi-ence,” Weeks explains. “The finished product carried in a tray to the table,along with the proper fit and instructionof wear, is what sets us apart from others.No matter the cost of the eyewear, it needsto be presented to the patient as if it’s the

MARKETING ECP

Corrie Pelc


Eye D

esign

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atio

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ay

Presentation PerfectionTurning Your Dispensing Tray into a “Presentation Tray.”

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most expensive item they have everowned.”

Gary Fore, lab manager at Texas StateOptical, says having a well-designed andappointed “presentation tray” could offeran opportunity for an optician to presentthe finished product with a “bit of flair”and enhance the eyewear so patients can

see the value. He envisions this type ofdispensing tray being made of hardwoodwith several divided areas for different

frames, plus a space for a cleaning clothand case. “Especially for higher end prod-ucts, a tray with a velvet cloth, cleaningproducts and cloth help the patient seethe special nature of what they chose andpurchased,” he says.

To meet the needs of their clients,Eye Designs has developed its own

presentation tray. The tray has a blackleather-type material with a satin finishinterior, measures 7.75 inches wide by

11.75 inches long, and has three slots forplacing frames, plus a larger slot at theend for holding a case or cleaning cloth.Bobilin says they picked materials thatwere easy to clean, and decided on theblack color as it helped hide smudges ordirt from lotion or dirt someone mayhave on their hands. “There’s a reasonwhy we did everything to that tray, eventhe size of it — the depth of the last compartment holds most optical cases,especially sunglass cases because they’repretty big,” she adds. “There was a lot ofthought that went into it.”

TO “FIRST IMPRESSION” TRAY ...

Although the higher level “presentationtray” can help make a good final impres-sion on a customer, it can also help makea good first impression.

For example, some opticals even use ahigher-end looking tray to help customersshop. Chasnov uses a black tray, measur-ing about 12 inches by 24 inches, linedwith black felt for not only dispensing finished eyewear, but also to carry multiple frames when a customer is

CNS Frame Displays – Tray with overlay for 6 glasses.

Continued on page 16

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selecting different options to try on.“Instead of holding a handful of glasses,I’ll go grab a tray and use that,” heexplains. “It makes it just like a shoppingcart.” Chasnov feels having a more profes-sional tray such as this has helped himwith not just regular sales, but second pairsales as well.

For its presentation tray, Bobilin saysthey recommend optometrist offices touse the tray as a way to start a patient’sappointment by handing the patient thetray and inviting them to visit the optical

and start selecting frames. Being that thetray has three slots, that normally encour-ages patients to select three frames. Andafter the eye exam, “it also helps with thecapture ratio because the patient feels veryobligated to go back in there to buyframes because they’ve already picked outframes,” she explains. “If I can take a cap-ture ratio and increase it by one percent,that could be worth tens of thousands ofdollars to somebody.”

And at North Cypress DEY Optical,Karber says they use a higher-end tray for

displaying and bringing out “finer mer-chandise,” such as jeweled frame lines, tocustomers. “It distinguishes the productsfrom everything else that is on the boardbecause being separated and isolated likethat, it gives more attention to its owndetail,” he explains. “The presentation isdefinitely a big deal and presentation trayscan go a long way on just differentiatingyourself from the average optical that isout there.” �

Luxottica Retail Optical North AmericaMark Weikel has been named president andCEO of Luxottica Retail Optical NorthAmerica, a major division of Luxottica Group.He had formerly been president and generalmanager of LensCrafters, and joined Luxotticain 2010 as general manager of Sunglass Hut

North America. Previously, Weikel served as chief operatingofficer of Lord & Taylor department stores and chief operat-ing officer of Victoria’s Secret stores.

Viva International GroupViva International Group has named AntonioBortuzzo as its new president. He is succeedingSherry Lay who served as interim president following the departure of Frank Rescigna several months ago. Most recently, Bortuzzowas chief executive officer of Alain Mikli

International Group. He was also the CEO of fashion opticaleyewear wholesaler Allison S.p.A, and, from 2002-2007 he wasthe CEO and general manager of Marcolin Group.

FGX InternationalFGX International has named César Melo aschief executive officer. Melo arrives at FGXInternational after a 23-year career at Colgate-Palmolive, one of the world’s leading consumerproducts companies. Melo has lived andworked in the U.S., Central and South

America, Asia, Europe and Russia in roles of increasingresponsibility in general management and marketing withColgate-Palmolive.

Eyeglass.comEyeglass.com, one of the first online eyewearretail websites, announced that public relations and marketing authority RichardLaermer will become its new CEO.Eyeglass.com’s founding CEO, Jim Morrison,will become chairman of the company and

remain active in the site’s day to day business. Laermer is anauthor, blogger and founder of the dot-com marketing firmRLMpr, which has helped raise the profile of a range ofe-commerce and digital media companies.

VSP GlobalVSP Global has named Darryl Lemecha chieftechnology officer. Lemecha, who most recently served as chief operating officer ofEyefinity, a VSP Global division, succeeds JimMcGrann in the role. McGrann will now focussolely on his role as president of VSP Vision

Care. Before entering the optical industry with Eyefinity inMay 2011, Lemecha was an award-winning senior technologyleader in a range of industries.

Reichert TechnologiesReichert Technologies, a unit of Ametek UltraPrecision Technologies, has namedChristopher A. Thatcher as division vice president and business unit manager. He hasover 19 years of experience in developing newproducts, and also has an extensive

background in ophthalmology, having previously held executive positions at Bausch + Lomb and Allergan.

Mark Weikel Richard Laermer

Darryl Lemecha

Christopher Thatcher

Antonio Bortuzzo

César Melo

MOVERS & SHAKERS

“Some opticals and offices are elevating the dispensing tray to a “presentation tray.”

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Digitally Processed In-House

at Balester

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As Easy as A-B-C

If you’re not learning something newyou’re falling behind. Those are threeof the most famous if not annoyingquotes regarding the need for contin-

uous improvement. I think we’d all agreethat there are some aspects of ophthalmicdispensing we need to improve.

For some eye care professionals (ECPs),that area of improvement might be tech-nical in nature. Others may feel the needto improve communication skills, includ-ing persuasion techniques and the abilityto overcome objections. Organizationalskills, time management, sales...the listgoes on and on. Regardless of the skillarea you wish to improve, always remem-ber two things. First, there is no guaranteethat the steps you choose to overcomeyour challenges will be effective – successis never a guarantee.

However, the second thing to rememberis probably the most important: If youalways do what you’ve always done, you’llalways get what you’ve always got. That’sIS a guarantee. We have to do things dif-ferent than we do now. For some ECPsthat means starting to do things thataren’t being done now; for others it meansthey have to STOP doing some things thatare being done now.

Here are three ABCs that I believe arecritical to making what could be signifi-cant improvements in your abilitiesas a dispenser. As you read them, askyourself what things could you startdoing that you’re not doing now;

what things should you stop doing thatyou are doing now; and what things couldyou be integrating into your optical habitsthat have never even crossed your mind.

Advocacy. That’s right – advocacy.Perhaps one of the single most impactfulthings I started to do was to consciouslydecide to be an advocate for my patients.Act on their behalf. Keep their best inter-ests at heart. The mutual benefits of thatapproach are infinite for you and yourclients.

For example, if the driving force for youtrying to sell polycarbonate or Trivex®

lenses is that your district manager is onthe phone every morning hassling you forhaving the lowest percentages in the entiredistrict, chances are no improvements willbe made. If on the other hand your driv-ing force for providing the most-impactresistant lenses on the face of the earth toeach and every one of your patients isbecause you take seriously their safety andwell-being...then that approach would

probably have a significant impact onyour poly and Trivex sales. Of course youprobably have to start doing some thingsdifferently too. Perhaps that means noteven asking which lens material a patientwants, simply entering your lens choice forthe patient on the order form. Why evendiscuss it? I can think of only one reason:A patient asks, “Why is the fee for mylenses so high?” Maybe you could stopanswering that question (and similarquestions) the way you do now.

Perhaps you could start answering it ina spirit of advocacy. “I give all my patientsthis type of lens because it’s hands downthe best. It provides the most physicalsafety for your eyes because it is the mostimpact resistant...the cheaper lenses arefar more likely to shatter should you everbe in an accident or get hit with some-thing...and they have built in protectionfrom harmful ultraviolet rays from thesun that cause cataracts and maculardegeneration...you know, the same thingthat causes skin cancer and sunburn.They’re also way thinner and lighter [or inthe case of Trivex, the lightest, most com-fortable], and they have a really tough,guaranteed scratch-resistant surface. Look,if you were my mother/sister/father/broth-er this is the kind of lens I’d give you.” (Bythe way if working with a woman and youcan’t decide whether to say mother or sis-

ter...always go with sister.)

Be Up Front. What does thatmean? Stop waiting for the patientto come back to your dispensary a

MANAGING OPTICIAN

Anthony Record, ABO/NCLE, RDO

THERE’S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. If you’re not a part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.


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few weeks after picking up her Transitionslenses to complain that they don’t get very dark in the car. Start having that discussion on the front end – whether the patient has already decided on his own that he wants Transitions, or if yousuggested them.

Have the discussion up front. If healready wears Transitions, simply reiteratewhat he probably already knows: “I seeyou’ve been wearing them for a few yearsnow, so you know that Transitions don’tget as dark in your car as they do in directsunlight outdoors, right?” If you startusing that question, perhaps that willopen the door for discussions involvingTransitions XTRActive or a separate pairof polarized sunglasses. The same holdstrue with a new Transitions wearer. Youwon’t lose many sales by explaining theirperformance up front. But you will gainmany loyal clients.

Another example of being up frontmight be an honest discussion of the effi-cacy of standard progressive lenses. Yeahthey’re great, but are they adequate for

intense ten-hours-a-day computer users?Not in my experience. Being up frontmeans that at the initial fitting you talkabout that in addition to her everydayprogressives, the patient might find a pairof Near Vision Focus (aka office progres-sives) lenses beneficial. If you start havingthose kinds of conversations, maybe you’llbegin to discover what I have learned overthe years: When I make up-front sugges-tions, eyewear-related diagnoses, andefforts to overcome initial objections I feellike a professional, a teacher, an advisor,an advocate. When I failed to do that Iwas then forced to sell, defend, explain,and back pedal. That made me feel like aweasel. The choice is yours.

Consistency. The final letter in the ABCacronym, being consistent, is a function of the other too. Consistency means thatmany of us need to stop picking andchoosing the people for who we will beadvocates. Rather, we start advocating for the eyes and vision of every potentialpatient who crosses our threshold.Every one.

It also means that we be up front with every frame, lens, and accessory wesell - the good, the bad, and the ugly. Lethonesty be your guide.

Years ago, in a continuing educationseminar, the instructor used a metaphorthat I think really explains what consisten-cy means in this context. He said it waslike fishing. He said imagine you plan togo fishing with your buddy, and the godsof fishing have ordained that you willcatch a fish 10% of the time you cast yourbait in the water. Now...if you start goof-ing around, telling jokes, sippingMargaritas and you each end up castingyour bait ten times each, you will go homewith two fish. But if you get serious, goofaround a little less, tell fewer jokes, put offthe Margaritas until you get home, andcast your bait a hundred times each, howmany fish will you go home with? Twenty.Go fishing every day. Be consistent. Reapthe benefits. (In case you’re interested,that instructor was me.) �

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Anti-Eyestrain Lenses:

GREAT TECHNOLOGIES canbring information literally toour fingertips. Integrating thatinformation, combining what

we know with what we want to know,requires sustained focus and attention atnear. Continuous accommodative demandcan have side effects. Many suffer fromsymptoms of eye strain, occurring atyounger and younger ages. Because schoolage children, college students, and youngprofessionals use digital devices duringstudy and daily work, they increasinglysuffer from dry eyes, tired eyes, and blurryvision. It is no surprise that motivationsuffers too.

To state it bluntly, the bad news is thateyeballs cannot adapt as fast as hand heldtechnologies gain market share. Now, evenyoung people are suffering from symp-toms of Computer Vision Syndromewhich is also known as Visual FatigueSyndrome. The good news is that opticalsolutions exist. Now is the time to evolveyour lens mix, differentiate your business,and increase revenue per patient. We canachieve business success by offering com-fortable alternatives to traditional singlevision lenses in order to assist thesepatients. Help your patients improve focusplus productivity during school, work,and digital recreation.

Identify Your Anti-Eyestrain Products of Choice

Before selecting your products ofchoice, investigate technology options,wholesale price points, as well as visionplan reimbursements.

Vendors employ a variety of methods toreduce eye-strain. Some position low add-power in down gaze or straight aheadgaze. See Figure 1.

Providing some plus power in order torelax the ciliary muscles is one method toreduce eye-strain. Other methods includea tint to improve contrast, prism to aidconvergence, hues to adjust color spec-trum from back lit devices, filters todecrease HEV (High Energy Visible) light,wrap to reduce tear evaporation, and anti-reflective layers to cut glare.

Understand Market Forces

When you investigate wholesale pricepoints and vision plan reimbursements, ithelps to understand dynamic marketforces. These market forces include theconsumer, eye care providers, onlineretailers, and vision plans.

Computer Vision Syndrome does nothave any age prejudice – it strikes acrossall demographics. Potential consumers areyoung individuals who enjoy digital

devices for work, study, and play-the peo-ple who suffer from digital eyestrain suchas the asthenopia described earlier. Thesepatients don’t want the stigma of bifocals,and they don’t want the expense either.

For this reason, vendors and onlineretailers are differentiating anti-eyestrainlenses from single vision options with creative tactics to avoid progressive lensstatus. Visit YouTube to experience cam-paigns directed at consumers. Viewwww.youtube.com/watch?v=fQCTA26NiJo(retrieved 17 March 2013) to understandhow Gunnar’s patented “i-AMP lens technology platform”, with “fRACTYL lensgeometry”, “pre-focuses light” specificallytuned for mid-range viewing distances.

THROUGH THE LENS

Renee Jacobs, O.D., M.A.


Improve Focus and Energy to Boost Productivity


Figure 1: Anti-Eyestrain Lens Products

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View www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cL6OxRdVZQ (retrieved 17 March2013) to learn how Hoya customizes“Radial Aspherization” to add an“Activated Area” to the bottom of the lenscreating a “whole new class of modernsingle-vision lenses”. Notice the imagery,word choice, and testimonials targetingyoung people.

It is one thing to differentiate anti-eye-strain lens products from single visionlenses, and position them as an affordablealternative for consumers. It is more diffi-cult to differentiate the same lens prod-ucts for eye care providers and visionplans. These market forces have an exist-ing paradigm for understanding low addprogressives and near-variable focus lens-es. In each case, plus power providesaccommodative relief, each brand hasunique fitting parameters, and eachwholesale price point is justified by thetechnical difficulty inherent in ordering ormanufacturing.

In order to address these challenges,some vendors are attempting to re-definea lens technology continuum, expandingthe category of atoric lenses. See Figure 2

Think through the logic while envision-ing shapes. /Spherical/ means roundshaped. /Aspheric/ means not roundshaped. In practical terms, we know thataspheric lenses will flatten or steepensymmetrically on either side of the opticalcenter. Next, atoric lenses are anotherkind of aspheric shape. In practical terms,atoric lenses are not symmetric around

the optical center. When sophisticatedsoftware calculates free form topography,the lens shape nasal to optical centermight be different than the lens shapetemporal to optical center. Then, applythis reasoning to progressive lens design.Progressives can be defined as a kind ofatoric, such that lens topography becomesincreasingly asymmetric in down gaze.

Furthermore, inside robotics enabledlabs, the real difference boils down tocomplexity of proprietary software thatcomputes the topography for each brand-ed lens design. Digital manufacturing issimilar for all the lenses. Realize that indi-viduals - who understand optics - mightobject to differentiating anti-eyestrainlenses from near variable focus lenses andprogressives.

Because differentiation is complicated,and dynamic market forces are at work,you are likely to discover inconsistenciesbetween the brands when you evaluatewholesale price point and vision planreimbursements. With this understanding,research diligently when you select anti-eye strain products best for your patientsand your business.

Follow a Leader

Once you know your products, under-stand market forces, and set your ownfees, then look for a role model.Sometimes it is easier to follow a leaderrather than trail blaze.

Recently, I met someone who hasachieved business success with anti-eye-

strain lenses. Thomas Gosling O.D. is anindependent optometrist who practices inCentennial, Colorado.

Dr. Gosling shared advice that anyoptometrist can follow. He reports thathis success hinges on two things. First,he correctly identifies patients who willbenefit from anti-eyestrain lenses.Second, he helps each patient experienceimproved visual comfort during the eyeexamination. And whenever possible, heuses the patient’s own digital device during his demonstrations.

Correctly identifying patients is as easyas adding media use questions to yourcurrent medical history questionnaire.Ask patients about their typical day. Howmany hours are they viewing their smartphone, tablet, lap top computer, and e-reader. Ask if they alternate focus betweendevices. Some people use multiple toolswhile also watching TV. Ask about digitalhobbies like gaming or online scrap-booking. Notice patient behaviors likerubbing eyes or squinting.

Finally, ask about symptoms and severi-ty. Inquire about dry eyes, tired eyes, fluc-tuating clarity, decreased concentration,light sensitivity, poor night vision, andoverall body fatigue. Remember to askabout neck, back, and head pain too. Donot exclude school age children. Theyoften use computers for school work,smart phones for email and social media,and they play video games too. Even thosewith 20/20 distance acuity can suffer ocular side effects plus attention deficitsecondary to sustained near focus.

Figure 2: Expanded Lens Technology Continuum

Thomas Gosling, O.D.

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When a patient reports symptoms, then“show and tell” the benefit of prescriptionhelp toward relaxing their eye muscles atnear. Let patients experience this comfortduring the eye examination, well beforethe point of sale.

Follow this video link, to see how Dr.Gosling tests and demonstrates accom-modative relief with low plus power.www.practicemanagementdepot.com/Free/ECPMagTGoslingODdemo.php

If you are feeling uncertain that yourpatients will love anti-eyestrain lenses,watch the video. Dr. Gosling uses a +1.00flipper, over the patient’s best correcteddistance Rx, while the patient views their

smart phone or tablet. He asks, “What doyou notice? How does it feel? What doyou see?” Many patients immediatelyexperience sharper vision and greatercomfort. After about 15 seconds, Dr.Gosling lifts the flipper. If the patientreacts by pushing their hand-held devicefurther from their eyes and squinting,then Dr. Gosling knows he has identified a candidate for anti-eyestrain lenses.

When the patient’s responses indicatevisual benefits from low add power, Dr.Gosling does one additional test. Herepeats the use of the flipper whileinstructing his patient to shift their eyesfrom their hand-held digital device to the distance eye chart, the instant the flipper is raised. If his patient reportscomfort at near and clarity at far, again,that individual is a good candidate foranti-eyestrain lenses.

Troubleshoot Any Failures

Dr. Gosling reports a 95% success rate identifying patients who will enjoyanti-eyestrain lenses. He also studiesevery single non-adapt. For each case, hereviews documented history questionsregarding behaviors and symptoms ofeyestrain. He re-confirms acceptance ofadd power during “show and tell” with theplus lens flipper. Finally, he interviews

each patient, and listens to their reasonsfor non-adapt. He asks if the patient experienced any improved visual comfortor mental focus.

Dr. Gosling reports that the most common reason, for non-adapt, is whatyou might predict. Even subtle amountsof plus power, or asphericity, positionedin down gaze, alters peripheral vision.Some patients, especially athletes, preferthe edge to edge clarity of single visionfree form lenses. These patients mightprefer separate reading glasses or occupa-tional progressive lenses during sustainednear work.

Like Dr. Gosling, you can use both science and art to help most of yourpatients most of the time.

Succeed in Business

Notice each patient who complains ofintermittent blur, tired eyes, headache, eyestrain, fatigue, and lack of mental focus.Realize that digital devices can cause ocu-lar side effects and attention may suffer aswell. To date, there is no App to preventeye fatigue!

You can make a difference. Embracenew technology lenses. Evolve your lensproduct mix. Achieve success prescribinganti-eyestrain lens solutions. �

Low Add Flipper, Best Rx and Digital Device

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ESpring Color Trends

Every season, the fashion savvyturn to Pantone, LLC, an X-Ritecompany, for their bi-annualColor Report. The PANTONE®

Fashion Color Report Spring2013 includes a comprehensivesurvey of designers’ use of color in theirupcoming collections and gives a helpfulsnapshot of the hues that will be popularin the coming spring season.

The Report includes a top 10 color list.For eyewear retailers, it’s particularly help-ful to be up-to-date on the color trends ofan approaching season so that you canguide your patients in the dispensary. Yourknowledge of the latest fashion trends willbe appreciated by patients who are look-ing to stay ahead of the curve—and eventhose that just want to find the rightframes for their wardrobe.

This season’s colors are bright andcheery. According to PANTONE, thedesigners are addressing consumers’“desire for self-expression, balance, andthe need to re-energize.” The fashion savvyare pairing dynamic brights with somego-to neutrals to create fashion combina-tions that demand attention, yet still offersome practicality.

“The expression ‘balancing act’ is some-thing we all relate to as we strive to findharmony in the frantic pace of our every-day lives,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executivedirector of the Pantone Color Institute®.“The same can be said for fashion as welook for a balance between light andbright, classic and new. This season’s color

palette emphasizes this needfor balance, while at the

same time allowing forindividuality, self-expres-

sion, and excitement.”

Green with Envy

There is no denying that greenwas a big hit on the runway thisseason. And with several differentshades of green makingPANTONE’s list, it’s obvious that

green is going to be a hot color inspring and summer accessories.

According to PANTONE, this season’s shades of green offer a“stunning foreground or the perfectbackdrop for all other hues.” “Tender

Shots” is one of those shades and is avibrant yellow-green that falls somewherein the middle on the brightness scale.“Grayed Jade” on the other hand is muchmore subtle with a gray undertone thatthe experts at PANTONE say “bringsabout a mood of quiet reflection andrepose.” The sophisticated “Emerald”green that has made PANTONE’S top 10list is a much more lively and radiantgreen and definitely one of the most pop-ular hues seen in spring fashion previews.

Red, Orange, Yellow

For the fashion-savvy who want to govery bold, the exuberant “Poppy Red” thatmade PANTONE’S top 10 list is a brightchoice. PANTONE says this shade of red is“seductive, sensual, and celebratory andwhether it’s used for a knockout dress or akiss on the lips, every woman’s wardrobe

THE FASHIONABLE ECP

Lindsey Getz


Bold and Bright Colors are theLatest Hit for Spring Accessories


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Kodak and the Kodak trade dress are trademarks of Kodak, used under license by Signet Armorlite, Inc. All other brands mentioned are the property of their respective owners.©2013 Signet Armorlite, Inc.

Purchase KODAK Progressive Lenses from a participating lab during April 1 - August 31, 2013.

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You could WIN a cruise certificate & earn gift card rewards

ABBREVIATED PROMOTION RULESPromotion includes a sales incentive program and sweepstakes. No purchase necessary to enter sweepstakes. Open to individual eye care professionals or eye care practice employees who are 19 years of age or older and a legal resident of one of the fifty United States or District of Columbia, and who have approval from an owner, officer or director of the professional eye care practice at which such individual is employed or working. Void where prohibited. Runs 4/1/13 - 8/31/13. Subject to official rules (which include details on free method of sweepstakes entry) available at www.KODAKLensPromo.com.Sweepstakes Prizes (cruise certificate or cash alternative) will be awarded to the professional eye care practice at which the registered participant is employed or works, NOT to the entering participant. Gift card incentives will be awarded to the individual participant.

MAR2013_Signet.qxd 3/13/13 9:29 AM Page 1

and beauty essentials should include thisspirited true red.”

Also on this season’s list was“Nectarine,” a bright and effervescent cit-rus orange with coral undertones thatPANTONE says “provides a tangy burst offlavor.” On the other hand the cheerful“Lemon Zest” on the list brings out a“piquant taste while remaining veryrefreshing with its spritely greenish cast.”

True Blue, and Purple Too!

Of the blues and purples that made thisyear’s top 10 color list, the exotic “AfricanViolet” was a designer favorite, bringing atouch of “intrigue” to the color palette.The experts at PANTONE say that fashionsavvy individuals will try incorporating itinto a number of different combina-tions—perhaps matching it with a neutralor even going bolder and pairing it withthis season’s “Poppy Red.”

In terms of blue, two different shadesmade the recent list including “Dusk

Blue” which is a much more subtle huethat offers a sense of tranquility and isquite similar to its green counterpart“Grayed Jade.” According to PANTONE,Dusk Blue and Grayed Jade are this sea-son’s two “newest neutrals.” For a deepershade, designers went with “MonacoBlue,” a fairly classic blue that is reminis-cent of navy but a bit bolder and brighter.The fashion experts at PANTONE suggestpairing it with Poppy Red or evenEmerald for a “fresh collegiate look.”Preppy styles are always popular in thespring!

Fallback Neutrals

Neutral tones like white, beige, and grayare always go-to colors for the springtime.They are the canvas on which many fash-ionistas build their look—using a neutralbase for their clothing and then punchingit up with colorful accessories like scarfs,handbags, and of course eyewear. In addi-tion to the new neutrals Dusk Blue andGrayed Jade, a warm “Linen” color also

made this season’s list. This light and airytone provides a “nude-like basic that is a‘must-have’ for spring,” say the colorexperts at PANTONE.

Catering to the Fashion Savvy—and those who aren’t as well

While not all of your clients care muchabout fashion, it never hurts to try andstay on top of the latest trends.Oftentimes, some of the most unsuspect-ing patients turn out to be interested infashion and recommending shades orophthalmic eyewear that is on par withthe latest fashion trends may be an appre-ciated gesture.

While bright color isn’t for everyone, itseems that more and more consumers areembracing the trends. Eiseman says she’dlike to see more accessories retailers,including eyewear dispensaries, representsome of these trends. “It would be smartto feature more color since eyewear areimportant accessories and consumers areopen to more color in their accessories.” �

THE TOP COLORS DESIGNERS’ TAKEEvery year Pantone interviews someof the hottest designers from NewYork Fashion Week to find out howthey’re using color in their fashiondesigns. Here’s a sampling of whatsome of the designers had to sayabout color in Spring 2013 fashion.

BCBG BY MAX AND LUBOV AZRIAThis season’s inspiration? The graphicnature of Black and White photogra-phy as well as the dusty muted huesof vintage color photography andgarments—the sophistication of themysterious hues and shadows createa curious mood.

Signature Color? Frosty Blue andCool Dusty Pink—these colors are fresh, yet muted, and invite afeminine mood to the strength of the season.

NICOLE MILLERInspiration? Flowers, books, and art

Signature Color? Slate Blue as a neutral—it’s much more interestingthan traditional neutrals and comple-ments the other colors prominent inthe collection.

TOMMY HILFIGERInspiration? Classic Tommy Hilfigerheritage colors and patterns.

Signature Color? The brand’s classicReds and Blues are present in HauteRed, Port Royale, Rust, True Blue,Bright Cobalt, and Sky Captain.

ELIE TAHARIInspiration? The outdoors, ocean, andbeach inspired a lot of the colorssuch as Rainstorm, Mushroom,Cotton Seed, Sea Bed, Meteor Blue,and Scuba.

Signature Color? Hibiscus Red—it’svibrant, stands out and transforms abasic piece into a fashion forwardstatement.

TRACY REESEInspiration? The Greens at PremiereVision in Paris; back in New York mybook of David Hockney landscapeswith several paintings of forests withso much greenery—the vast paletteof Greens he used really struck me.

Signature Color? Mentholescence,and White would be a close sec-ond—the freshness of these colorspaired together is really extraordinary.

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READ A BOOK, OR TWO.

First up, The Experience Economy,Updated Edition, by Joseph Pine II andJames H. Gilmore. Originally publishedin 1999 and updated in 2011, Pine andGilmore examine new ways to connectcustomers to the goods and services theywant by creating the level of loyalty necessary to compete and prosper inalmost any market. Using such diversecompanies as Disney, the U.S. Army,Heineken, Starbucks and Wal-Mart asexamples, the authors examine how tobuild customer loyalty in a marketplacefilled to the brim with commodities.

For example, coffee beans are a com-modity, sold in bulk in a commoditiesexchange. So what are the differencesbetween a cup from your kitchen, a cupfrom your local diner, a trip to Starbucksand a cup of coffee at the Caffé Florianin St. Mark’s Square in Venice? About$15.00 (plus airfare). Worth it? Couldbe. I don’t even like coffee, but the ideaof meeting a friend at the localStarbucks seems more exciting thanmeeting at the local fast food place. It’snot about the coffee; it’s about theStarbucks experience.

“When a person buys a service, he purchases a set of tangible activities carried out on his behalf. But when hebuys an experience, he pays to spend timeenjoying series of memorable events that

a company stages—as in a theatricalplay—to engage him in an inherently personal way.”

This book, which has become a business classic, sparked my interest increating the Dispensing Experience or“Dispensing Theater” as I covered in aprevious Eye Care Professional article aswell as the idea of creating the perfectpatient experience from scheduling theappointment to the final dispense.

While the business of eye care is serious, the patient experience need notbe. Why else would Dean Butler bringthe manufacturing process into eachLensCrafters location and put it in fullview of customers? He accomplishedseveral things with this approach.

• The actual processing of eyeglasseswas de-mystified.

• The lab technicians were seendoing serious work in lab coats.

• The “experience” of choosing eyewear as an accessory washeightened with a widevariety of frames tochoose from.

• The immediate gratifi-cation of wearing acustomized producthome the same day itwas ordered.

This is eye care as “edutainment” or“infotainment”. However it is viewed bypatients, it is an experience, not just anappointment.

“ …medical providers should rethinkthe educational element of treatment, lestthe ever-increasing availability of infor-mation online further frustrate doctorsand patients as they communicate pasteach other. And what hospital or doctor’soffice wouldn’t benefit from fundamental-ly rethinking the ‘waiting room’ paradigmin order to increase the esthetic value of

the welcoming

DISPENSING OPTICIAN

Judy Canty, LDO

What to do when it’s RainingAs I’m writing this, it’s raining…again. The temperature isn’t climbing out ofthe 40’s in Virginia Beach and a weather-predicting rodent in Pennsylvaniahas been indicted for fraud.

What to do?


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experience?...Take a cue from refractiveeye surgeon Roy Rubinfeld of WashingtonEye Physicians & Surgeons in ChevyChase, MD, who joins staff and patient ina shot-glass toast of carrot juice beforeentering the surgery room!”

The Experience Economy should be onyour nightstand or on your e-reader, iffor no other reason than to ignite thesingle idea that could change the eyecare experience in your practice fromroutine to memorable.

The second book I recommend is TheDrama-Free Office by Kaley Klemp andJim Warner, published in 2012. Truth be told, if you are a manager, want to bea manager or need to manage yourmanager, this is a great book.

Fair warning, the first step is a doozy.Klemp and Warner demand that youfirst learn to manage yourself, so be prepared for some serious soul-search-ing to find your own hot-buttons andhow to keep them turned off.

The authors help you identify the 4 dramatic personalities:

• The Complainer—“Nobodyknows the trouble I’ve seen.”

• The Cynic—“That will neverwork.”

• The Controller—“Nobody does itbetter than me.”

• The Caretaker—“No, no…let medo that for you. I’ll take care of it.”


Once you are able to identify these 4 personality behaviors, you’ll also recognize that they rarely surface one ata time. Most often they arrive in combi-nations:

• The Complainer-Caretakerbecomes The Martyr, or

• The Cynic-Controller becomesThe Cunning Dictator.

Using case studies and scenariosbased on several thousand encounters,Klemp and Warner coach you throughthe process of redirecting unproductivebehaviors toward what they describe asauthentic behavior, that combination ofeffectiveness (productivity) and aware-ness (the ability to see situations fromdiffering viewpoints) that desire to learnfrom every encounter and not fall intoyour own disruptive behaviors.

You can read the introduction to TheDrama-Free Office at their website,www.dramafreeoffice.com.

At a time when everyone, from thevery newest new-hire to the seasonedpractice owner is sweating a slowlyrecovering economy, this book will helpyou create a positive environmentfocused on stability and growth. I onlywish that I had found The Drama-FreeOffice several decades ago.

The third and final book on myKindle is Quiet: The Power of Introvertsin a World That Can’t Stop Talking bySusan Cain. A full one-third of us areintroverts. Because society has placed ahigh value on extroverts, we are missingsome of the skills that introverts possess. Introverts are inherently goodlisteners.

They ask lots of questions and benefitfrom a quiet space to reflect on answersand seek solutions. Introverts thrive oncooperative rather than competitiveenvironments. Unfortunately, weencourage extroversion almost frombirth, somehow believing that constant

stimulation will produce the perfectchild, teenager and finally our conceptof the successful adult.

This is an eye-opener for all of us who envy the gifted speaker or a quick-witted friend, but are more comfortablereading a book or creating a work of artor a deep conversation with friends.

Susan Cain introduces her readers tothe joys of being an introvert and,through careful research and the storiesof real people shows us how we under-value introverts and what we lose as asociety by doing so. I even found a newway to describe myself. I am anambivert, extrovert in some situationsand introvert in others. I thought I wasjust “odd”.

Eventually the sun will come out,spring will stay until summer, but untilthen, find a cozy spot and read a bookor three. �


Glasses broken?

If you have the same frame, in the samesize, in the same color, you may well tossout the old one and replace it with a newpair.

However, there are many times and manyscenarios where you will need to repair apair of glasses for continued wear, or atleast repair a pair until a new pair can beordered, shipped and received.

Where I work, we are obsessive abouttossing out anything dated or no longer inuse. We stock around seventy to a hun-dred different parts. This article mentionsonly the minimum of parts that you couldstock to provide basic customer service.

Quick Tip: If you sell high-end rimlesschassis, then you need to stock a few com-plete back-up frames for repairs. Do animmediate repair using loaner parts, thendo the complete repair using new partswhen they arrive. That is the level of servicea customer expects with high-end products.

To your patients, “broken” can mean theirglasses are missing eyewire screws, missingnose pads, have poor alignment, have broken temples, or are missing or havechewed up temple ends. Of course,

“broken” can also mean, “I backed the carover them.”

The most commonly needed repairwill be replacing the missing eyewirescrew, so be sure to stock a good variety.Ninety-nine percent of the time, for thisproblem, I default to a gold, thread-lock,coated 1.4 X 3.5. In fact, where I work, thedrawer containing these screws is high-lighted in red in our cabinet. Be sure totighten all the other screws on the entireframe along with the replacement one.

Quick Tip: If a pair of glasses has just plainhad it, then say so! Have the confidence andbe able to explain why it is time for yourpatient to buy a new pair. Say, “Mr.Knickerbottom, your chart says these are sixyears old now. The right hinge is broken,and the plating has worn off, which is whyyou have those marks on the side of yourhead, and the non-glare coating is shot,which is why they seem like you cannotclean them anymore. It really is time for anew pair.”

After eyewire screw replacement, yourmost frequent repair will be replacingmissing nose pads. There are hundreds ofshapes, sizes and materials for nose pads,but at the very least you will want to stockscrew-on and push-on, symmetrical

(interchangeable L for R) siliconepads in 15mm and 17mm size, and at

least one type of non-silicone pad.Non-silicone pads may be called plastic

or vinyl or by a trade name. If you carrya frame line with proprietary pad attach-ments, then you need to get some replace-ments from the manufacturer and havethem on hand. If you stock metal frameswith solid bridges, you will need areplacement on hand.

Quick Tip: If you are new to the field, thenget the hard copy catalogs from as manysupply vendors as you can, and lookthrough them page-by-page. You will besurprised what you will learn!

After missing nose pads, the next mostcommon repair is probably alignmentwork. Although not technically a repairthat requires parts, alignment does requirea few tools that you need to stock. At aminimum, I would have a good qualityscrewdriver, long-thin nose pad pliers,

EQUIPMENT FOCUS

John Seegers, M.Ed., LDO, owner – OpticianWorks.com

32 E Y E C A R E P R O F E S S I O N A L Continued on page 34

Parts – What To StockToaster broken?Toss out the old one and go buy a new one.

Coffeemaker broken?Toss out the old one and go buy a new one.

MP3 player broken?Toss out the old one and go buy a new one.

Cellphone broken?Toss out the old one and go buy a new one; and, of course, extend your current contract by two years.

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wide jaw temple angling pliers, and softjaw-round tip adjusting pliers. Modernframe materials are nothing short ofmiraculous in their ability to be bent backinto proper alignment after damage.

Quick Tip: If you think a frame is likely tobreak, say this to the patient: “I am happy totry to bend these back in shape. However,these are badly bent, and I fear they maybreak. If they break, you must understandthat there is nothing I am going to be able todo for you.” I highly recommend that this besaid to the patient in front of another staffmember. It is NOT your fault if a badlydamaged frame breaks when being adjusted.

Broken temples are a pretty commonproblem. You need to weigh your choiceson how to handle the repair. A brokenspring hinge cannot be repaired, so epoxyis your only choice for a short-term fix.Sometimes, you can order and replace anindividual temple. Other manufacturersrequire you to replace the entire frame.

Nothing will make your life easier whendoing a spring temple repair than Snap-Itscrews from OptiSource. With a pilot shaftthat is even thinner than a tap-and-snap,these screws will make even the most difficult spring hinge alignment andremounting a breeze. With the snap offfeature, you also eliminate the sharp edgecreated by using tap-and-snap screws forthe same job.

Quick Tip: You must keep a parts bucket ofcast off temples. There will be times whenanything, and I mean a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g, thatwill allow your patient to wear their glassesfor an hour, a day or a week will equalnothing but pure patient satisfaction.

Replacing temple tips is a quick and easyrepair. Stock a few sizes in a few colors,and in a matter of seconds you can replacewhat was once destroyed. You may be sur-prised how many patients think theywould have to buy a complete temple orframe to get them replaced. Temple endsare vulnerable: They dry out and split, getchewed on by puppies, and can be dam-aged by being stepped on.

Quick Tip: The long length of a Tap & Snapallows you to slowly close an eyewire arounda lens that is difficult to seat because ofdamage. Take a turn and adjust – take aturn and adjust – take a turn and adjust…

Kurt Vonnegut wrote, “Everybody wants to create something great, something awe-inspiring… something that’ll give them ahell of a lot of attention. But nobody wantsto do maintenance.” How true. But some-

times as ECPs we need to do a little main-tenance! Sometimes, a patient just plaininsists that they want to reuse a frame.Other times, you will make a sale based onmaking a patient’s old frame into a secondpair. When that happens, you need to do arefurbishment job.

Refurbishing Checklist:• Disassemble everything you can.

• Lenses out of frame• Temple tips off• Nose pads tossed out• Eyewires open

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APR2013_opticom.qxd 3/28/13 1:43 PM Page 1

Each year on April 25 I think ofRev. Leon H. Sullivan. I remem-ber how impressed I was with his imposing, solid, healthful

appearance. There was palpable evidenceof his spiritual strength and excellence of character. He died of leukemia inScottsdale, Arizona on April 25, 2001.

People ask me if I ever met Rev.Sullivan. I met him back in 1952 after hebecame pastor of Zion Baptist Church inNorth Philadelphia. He measured 6’ 4” talland was a giant of a man in many ways.He assumed a strong leadership role local-ly, nationally and ultimately, as his famegrew, internationally. Yet, never a word ofscandal was attached to his name. Hebecame one of the most widely admired,respected and honored men in the world.He is best known for his outstanding ded-ication to the advancement of economicopportunities for disadvantaged folksthroughout the world. His voice spoke,untiringly, to motivate and teach peoplehow to liberate themselves throughaggressive self help programs.

He founded Opportunities Industrial-ization Centers (OIC). This network ofcommunity based skills training programshad helped more than 1.4 million peoplein 100 cities and 19 countries to find pro-ductive employment. He was a constantlysought after speaker and advisor who tookthe time and interest in even the smallestbudding grass roots community group.Which is exactly how we came to meet.

I had been deeply involved in the activi-ty of a community oriented social groupin North Philadelphia, where I had beenpracticing for several years. On someoccasions the group held our meetings at Rev. Sullivan’s church, Zion Baptist.He and I would usually exchange courte-ous niceties from time to time, but on one

occasion he took me aside and said, “Dr.Friedman, I know that you are a practic-ing optometrist in our area. We have asenior group that meets in our annexacross the street and we try to provide astimulating program for them. Would youcare to speak to them about geriatricvision? It would be greatly appreciated.”I accepted the invitation in a nanosecond.He gave me the name and telephonenumber of the social worker in charge of special events and I contacted her thefollowing day.

The idea was that I would present anappropriate talk on geriatric vision to agroup of senior citizens. Plans were madefor a meeting room to be reserved for me.A chalkboard would be available andample seating around a large executivetable. I was to provide a sort of bio andcurriculum vitae for the young socialworker who would introduce me to thegroup. The special day finally arrived andin my excited state of anticipation Iarrived a little early at my destination inthe annex. It was lunch time for the groupand I diplomatically refused an invitationto join them in their repast. I immediately

regretted my decision as soon as soon as I saw that it was a full course menu withmy all time favorite dessert: ice cream andcookies. I wandered about a bit and tooknote of the wonderful programs, the volunteers, staff and physical plant thatwas devoted to this senior day care center.The meeting room was set with all thepreparations that I expected and wereboth finalized and perfect.

It was my intention to remind themthat our population is aging in most ofour developed and developing countriesand that increased eye care needs willoccur. While a large proportion of theolder population maintains an active andhealthy life there remains a percentagethat requires more health care, includingeye care. It has been suggested that overfifty seven percent of this population havevisual impairment and near acuity isexpected to be poorer than distance visualacuity. Thus, the frail elderly are a particu-lar segment of this population who areslipping through the cracks. However,many of the conditions found in thisgroup are treatable. There are situationsconnected with the elderly that have con-sequences on their vision. This includespoorer economic standing, poorer physi-cal and mental health, more social isolation and less social support. ZionBaptist Church is vigorously involved inmeeting the demands necessary to curethese ills.

Poor vision is an important predictor of falls. Because of poor performance ofskills associated with visual acuity, con-trast sensitivity and depth perception,lost balance frequently occurs. There is adegeneration of coordination that resultsfrom decreased depth perception andawareness. Falls in the elderly populationare of great concern since they may result

SECOND GLANCE

Elmer Friedman, OD


Did I Know Reverend Sullivan?DON’T ASK!

APR2013_elmer.qxd 3/28/13 11:04 AM Page 2

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not only in serious damage to the bodyand brain, but there is the matter ofincreased dependence. Those who handlestatistics resist the humane element in thisdiscourse and feel obligated to mentionthe increased cost to the health care system.

At any rate, my moment arrived, theaudience assembled and the proper introduction was delivered, exactly as Iwrote it by the young, devoted socialdirector. I was brilliant. I opened with twohumorous stories. They chuckled andlaughed in the right places and I was offand running. I gestured, I bounded, I projected, I modulated, I was pianissimo,I was crescendo and I was forte, all in thebest spots. I boldly strode to the chalk-board writing keywords, and artfully drewdiagrams that would have made Grey’sAnatomy weep with envy.

After a short time into my presentation,I wheeled about to face my audience witha salient point of fact and was silenced bythe strange sight that met my eyes. Eachand every one of my audience was dozing,nodding or was established at some levelof slumber. I realized that this is a com-mon occurrence for people who have just

devoured a good meal. My first reactionwas one of shocking numbness that per-meated my system. Then I felt disbelief.This was followed by a sense of failure anddisillusionment. Need I add humiliationand lowered self esteem that came to thefore hard on the heels of a desire to disap-pear between the cracks of the floorbeneath my feet.

And then something saved me. Theincongruity of the situation, the utter andwonderful ludicrousness of it all changedthe matter into a laughable circumstance.And so, I smiled, at first thinking of theburlesque that was unfolding in my pres-ence. I actually found myself on the vergeof hilarity and before I could controlmyself, I was laughing out loud, like amadman. I desperately wanted to sharethe moment with someone so I glancedtoward the one person I felt I could counton, the young staff worker who plannedand arranged this event. I looked at herand fell into a paroxysm of laughter. Herpretty, curly head was bent forward andher chin was resting easily on her chestwith soft puffing sounds emitting fromher lips.

I banged on the table, thereby startling

one and all out of their stupor. Once theireyes began to focus on me, I thankedthem for inviting me and hoped theyenjoyed the lecture. They applauded, and Iate a left over cookie and went home. Thesocial worker called me the next day tothank me and also to apologize for fallingasleep. She blamed it on the large lunch-eon that preceded my talk. I looked overthe lecture notes again and they didn’tseem as glowing as I first thought. Eachtime I reread them they got less and lessbrilliant. The last time I read them, I fellasleep. And you ask me if I ever knew Rev.Sullivan? I sure did! I once mesmerizedfifteen members of his senior specialevents class into a state of deep sleep inonly five minutes!

Six telltale signs that you’re getting old:1. Your ears are hairier than your head.2. The gleam in your eyes is from the

sun hitting your bifocals.3. Everything hurts and what doesn’t

hurt doesn’t work.4. Your little black book contains only

names that end in M.D.5. You can live without sex, but not

without glasses.6. You feel like the morning after and

you haven’t been anywhere. �

APR2013_elmer.qxd 4/1/13 11:23 AM Page 3

Light and Color Vision – The Basics

THE TOPIC of color vision is complexand complicated. It covers many areas ofvision including anatomy, physiology,neuroanatomy, genetics, pyschophysics,quantum mechanics, visual perception,optics, depth perception, perspective,photoreceptors, and edge detectors. Someof the color vision problems that we canexperience include color blindness, colordistortion, protanopia, deuteranopia,monochromacy, dichromacy, trichromacy,congenital and acquired color visiondefects, and rod-cone dystrophies.

When describing topics of color vision,terms that need to be explained includethe electromagnetic spectrum wavelengthof visible light, nanometers, incidence,luminance, reflection, absorption,radiance, lux, resolution, saturation, pho-toreceptors, primary colors, eccentricity,perspective, shading, motion, pigment,juxtaposition, pastels, and spectra.

It is obvious that a 1500 word articlewill not adequately address all of thesetopics. Books are written on each andevery topic mentioned and optometryschool curriculums devote 3-6 months on the topics of color vision and colorvision problems. Many of the color visionproblems are taught in ocular diseasecourses. What I would like to cover are afew of the basics for the eye care profes-sional. Further understanding of thesecomplicated areas can be researched onthe internet or the vast array of books andtextbooks that are included under theheading of “Color Vision.”

As early as the 4th century B.C.,Aristotle rejected a common idea thatthere was a “visual fire” emanating fromthe eye. As he stated, “if vision was produced by means of a fire, like the light

emitted by a lantern, why then can we notsee in the dark?” In 1604, Johannes Keplerthought that light is colorless but is “broken” and becomes colored when itencounters a colored object. In 1672,Isaac Newton made a small hole in a window shutter and placed a small pieceof prismatic glass in front of the sunbeamcoming through the window. He discov-ered that this prism divides white lightinto various colors which he called “variously refrangible” as the light wasbent by the prism.

He discovered that the color of the lightis a permanent feature and cannot formanother color by itself. This breaking ofwhite light into its component colors is known by various names such as chro-matic aberration and dispersion. You maybe familiar with the rating system used to specify the amount of dispersion in alens – Abbe value.

In 1802, Thomas Young stated that thenature of light is to have characteristics of“undulations” that must create vibrations.Young felt that light must have a wave-length in its natural state. By the midnineteenth century, many scientists pro-vided strong evidence that light consistedof waves. In 1905, Albert Einstein statedthat light may have some characteristics of particles and he proposed the idea thatlight energy is comprised of indivisibleunits or quanta of light energy that wenow call photons.

These photons of energy travel in awavelike manner. In the 19th century,James Clerk Maxwell deduced that light is one part of a huge spectrum of electro-magnetic radiation. All electromagneticradiation travels through a vacuum at186,000 miles a second. Visible light

shares many of the same characteristics as X-rays and microwave radiation. It isdue to the special neuro-receptors of thehuman eye that we are responsive to thewavelengths of 380 nanometers through780 nanometers that allow us to see colors.

The electromagnetic spectrum compris-es all energy that moves at the speed oflight. Visible light is a small region of theentire spectrum which includes cosmicrays, gamma rays, X-rays, infrared radia-tion, communication wavelengths of TV,phones, weather satellites, and powertransmissions. Wavelengths are measuredin nanometers and visible light fallsbetween 380 to 780 nanometers. The visible colors are in the reverse order of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo,and violet. Red falls at the higher wave-lengths, green is in the middle wave-lengths, and violet is at the shorter wavelengths. Specifically as a reference,red is located from 620 to 780 nanome-ters, green is located from 500 to 570nanometers, and blue is located from 450 to 500 nanometers.

The human eye has two types ofphotoreceptor cells called rods and cones.The cone cells have three types and areused in daytime vision, central vision andcolor vision. Rods are more sensitive andare used in dim lighting or night timeviewing as well as peripheral vision anddetecting movement. The three types ofcones are referred to as long, middle, andshort wavelength cones which are referredto more easily by the color wavelength ofred, green, and blue. The response of eachcone depends upon the wavelength oflight and its amount or intensity. Withinthe range of visible light, different wavelengths appear to us as different

OD PERSPECTIVE

Jason Smith, OD, MS



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Essilor Launches Organization to Study Global Consequences of Poor Vision

Calling attention to an estimated $269 billionin lost productivity due to poor vision, Essilorannounced last month that it is establishing the Vision Impact Institute, an organization dedicated to studying the global socio-economicconsequences of vision issues. Impaired visionaffects 4.2 billion people throughout the world,of whom 2.5 billion have no access to correctivemeasures, according to Essilor.

The Vision Impact Institute will act as a “globalconnector of knowledge, data and solutions,”and to “foster research where needed, encourag-ing measures in the field of vision correction,”Essilor said. It will work to ensure that poor visionand its economic implications emerge as a global challenge. Toward that end, the Institutehas created an interactive web platform, visionimpactinstitute.org, to unite a communityof experts, increase data research and fightimpaired vision throughout the world.

Poor vision is a public health issue that hassubstantial economic consequences at both anindividual and collective level, Essilor said. TheWorld Health Organization estimates that $269billion in productivity is reportedly lost every yearbecause of impaired vision, including $50 billionin Europe, $7 billion in Japan, and $22 billion inthe U.S.—even though all the required solutions(eye exams, corrections) are available.

While one of the most widespread disabilitiesin the world, impaired vision and its cost are stillunderestimated in developed and emergingcountries: 30 percent of young people in theworld under the age of 18 reportedly suffer fromuncorrected refractive error, which is often notdiagnosed due to lack of awareness of access tocare. This proportion rises to 33 percent in thelabor force, 37 percent among elderly peopleand even 23 percent among motorists, accordingto the World Bank, Boston Consulting Group.

MAR2013_eyestyles.qxd 3/28/13 1:51 PM Page 9


colors. Even though most colors can bematched to a single wavelength of light,most colors that we see are comprised ofa range of wavelengths.

A condition called protanopia affectspeople who have defective long wave-length cones which may also be missingaltogether. Protanopes are sometimesreferred to as red-dichromats because theyhave only two working cone types, theshort and the medium wavelength cones,compared to someone with three differentcone types. If the long wavelength conesare defective, they may develop with dif-ferent intensities resulting in either a moreor less significant level of color deficiency.

What is useful and most practical to theeye care professional concerning colorvision? There are visual conditions thatcan affect color vision or color perception.Patients may present with congenital oracquired color vision defects. It is rare forany patient to be totally color blind. Mostpeople with color vision problems havecolor vision deficiencies. It is rare to seewomen with congenital color visiondefects because most defects are carriedon the X chromosome. Red-green colorblindness is a common hereditary condi-tion which means it is usually passeddown from your parents. Color blindnessis usually passed from mother to son on the 23rd chromosome, which is the sex chromosome. Chromosomes arestructures which contain genes.

These contain the instructions for thedevelopment of cells, tissues and organs.If you are color deficient, it means theinstructions for the development of thecone cells are wrong and the cone cellsmight be missing. It may also mean thatthe eyes are less sensitive to light and thepathway from the cone cells to your brainhas not developed correctly.

Some pathological conditions whereblue-yellow defects may occur includeglaucoma, retinal detachments, pigmen-tary degeneration, macular degeneration,myopic degeneration, chorioretinitis, reti-nal vascular diseases, diabetic retinopathy,hypertensive retinopathy, and papillede-ma. Other color vision problems includeachromotopsia which is real color blind-

ness. X-chromosome linked incompleteachromotopsia where very little colorvision exists is sometimes referred to asblue cone monochromaticity. Somepatients may have chromotopsia which isa condition where things appear to be adifferent color than the actual color. Eventhe color white may appear as a color andthese people usually have an associatedretinal disease.

In the eye care professional’s office,color vision testing can be done in severalways. For children, colored magic markerscan easily be identified by their color. Isometimes play a game with the childrenif they know their alphabet and letters andhave them spell the color for me. On theeye chart, there are red and green colorswhich you can show any patient in orderto do a brief screening to determine thattheir red-green color vision is accurate. Ido this with every patient as a screeningespecially for the adults to be sure thatthey know the red light from a green lightwhen driving. I also include a yellowmagic marker to identify yellow.

There are now many eye care applica-tions that are available through Apple andthere are 4 applications that can be down-loaded for color vision testing. There areseveral other office based color vision teststhat include the Ishihara pseudoisochro-matic color plates, the American OpticalHarty-Rand – Ritler, the SloanAchromotopsia, the City University, theFarnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue, the D-15,the Lanthony New Color, the HolmgrenWool, the Farnsworth-Lantern, the Oscar,the Nagel Anomaloscope, and thePickford-Nicholson. I use the standardIshihara pseudoisochromatic color plateswhich are colored numbers on a different-colored background.

The purpose of this test is to determinethe accurate discrimination of subjectswith color deficiency from those withnormal color vision. The colored platesare illuminated directly from above andthe plates are placed at about 20 inchesfrom the eyes. The proper near correctionshould be used with contact lenses, glass-es, reading glasses, or a prescription lensesplaced in a trial frame. Tinted lenses or

sunglasses should never be used. Theplates should be viewed for approximately3-5 seconds.

There is a scoring sheet that the eye careprofessional can use in order to keep trackof what is viewed either correctly orincorrectly. Color deficiencies can then beclassified as normal, protanopia, deutera-nopia, or something else. People affectedby protanopia are less sensitive to red lightand people affected by deuteranopia areless sensitive to green light.

Those people with color vision prob-lems should be made aware of their prob-lem, especially children and their parents.Many adults are already aware that somecolor vision problem may already existdue to previous experiences with settingthe controls on a colored TV or trying tomatch and coordinate their clothing.There is no treatment for abnormal colorvision even though the prospect of genetherapy and stem cell research may opensome doors in the distant future.

Glasses with specific colored lenses mayhelp some individuals and there may beimprovement on the color vision tests.Colored filters may be beneficial in doingcertain tasks and the colored Irlen Lenseshave proven to help some people in theprocessing of information and reading.

Other treatments that can help somepatients have included the use of a red-colored gas permeable contact lens calledthe X-chrome lens. The use of a red lenscan enhance some red shades, but with aproblem that is embedded within thecones and the retina, there are no quickcures at the present time.

For those of us who can appreciate thebeauty and the colors of a sunset at thebeach and to be able to see all of the spec-trum of colors and all of their differentshades, this is something that we shouldnot take for granted. Because there aremany other people who will not or cannotsee the way we do. I have a framed posterthat someone gave to me that sits in frontof my desk. It says, “LIFE IS ART, LIVEYOURS IN COLOR.” Consider me luckyto see the world in the full spectrum ofcolor the way that I do. �

APR2013_jsmith.qxd 3/28/13 11:20 AM Page 4

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APR2013_NL.qxd 3/29/13 11:06 AM Page 1

Going to the Dogs

Big box stores like Petco, kiosksfor pet treats in BJ’s, localmom & fido shops sellingeverything pet related, bakeries

just for pets. We have pet friendly restau-rants, hotels and resorts. There are petexpos that dwarf our Vision Expos.

When I read an article recently abouteye surgery for dogs – I thought, “OK –this has gone a leeetle bit too far!”

I know, I know, I have friends who havespent $15,000 and more to save their dogafter a major injury or disease. But eyesurgery seemed different. What is that allabout?

Well, it turns out that it is a fairly bigbusiness, and in some circumstances itactually improves outcomes for humans.When a person needs an assistance dog,and said animal has an eye problem – thepup wouldn’t be much use to the person,and all the valuable training goes downthe drain. Bomb and drug sniffing dogs,even sheparding and hunting dogs, are allvaluable and useful creatures. And whowould guess that there is an AmericanCollege of Veterinary Ophthalmologists?

There is, and last year they began aninitiative to provide free eye exams aroundthe U.S. to a broad range of dogs that arein the assistance service to humans.Comedian Brian Fischler, who has beenblind for 10 years, depends on Nash, a yellow lab who has been Brian’s constant

companion guiding him in and aroundManhattan. Brian took advantage of thefree program.

In an interview with the NY DailyNews, Brian (the organizer of the bi-coastal fundraiser Laugh for Sight)says, “As someone who has lost his sightover the last 10 years, I know how quickeye disease can come on, and affect a person or a dog.”

Board certified veterinary ophthalmolo-gist Dr. John Sapienz urges all pet ownersto watch for their pet’s squinting, red orcloudy eyes, or bumping into objects.Dr. Sapienz comments further that “protecting eyesight includes a well balanced diet including Vitamin E,observing changes in behavior, and reducing sunlight exposure.”

It isn’t just in this coun-try either; our neighbors tothe north are showing justas much concern as do we.The Canadian VeterinaryJournal published a 2011paper that said: “The resultsof this (phaco in dogs) studyshow a superior success ratefor surgery when comparedwith other modes of cataractmanagement, especiallywhen performed early in the disease process. Thisshould encourage general(veterinary) practitioners

to recommend phacoemulsification moreoften and to refer more promptly after initial presentation. This study also under-scores the grave prognosis for cataractouseyes when no treatment is instituted. Thisinformation should therefore reinforce topractitioners that when phacoemulsificationis not possible, doing nothing is unaccept-able and, at minimum, anti-inflammatorytherapy and continued monitoring areessential for maintenance of ocular health.”

So, when I drive by the NEAD’s(National Education for Assistance Dog Services) center in my hometown –their home page describes their work as,“... the oldest continuing hearing dog program in the country and the only program of its kind in New England,” – I certainly will view it with a much greater appreciation. ■

LAST LOOK

Jim Magay, RDO

Pets are a big – no... with well over $50 billion in spending – pets are a HUGE business in this country (compared to about $30 billion on eyewear products).


APR2013_lastlook.qxd 4/1/13 10:18 AM Page 2

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