eyecare professional magazine march 2013 issue

NEW RELEASES FOR SPRING / PAGE 6 FREE FORM SATISFACTION / PAGE 20

March 2013 • Volume 7, Issue 63 • www.ECPmag.com

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To schedule an appointment, contact us by e-mail: [email protected] or by phone: 1 888 663 9065

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

Courtesy ofTA

G H

euer

NEW SPRING RELEASESUsher in the new season and offer the latest and greatest in eyewear and sunwear.

SELLING SUNWEARIncrease your sunglass sales by staying on top off all the trends in shapes and styles.by Lindsey Getz

CREATING AN “EXPERIENCE”Companies like Apple and IKEA can provide a blueprint of how to successfully market our products.by Judy Canty, LDO

FREE FORM SATISFACTIONEffective methods to help ECPs work together and predict whichpatients will want free form lenses.by Renee Jacobs, OD, M.A.

INTERVIEW: ALLERGANAllergan’s David Gibson discusses the innovative products and initiatives available to dispensers.By Paul DiGiovanni, LDO

WHAT’S YOUR NAME?Practical tips to help ECPs remember the first names of their many patients in the community.by Elmer Friedman, OD

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EEYECAREPROFESSIONALMagazine

Features

Departments

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

MOVERS AND SHAKERS ..................................................................................14

MOBILE OPTICIAN ...........................................................................................18

MANAGING OPTICIAN.....................................................................................28

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

ADVERTISER INDEX .........................................................................................45

OD PERSPECTIVE..............................................................................................46

INDUSTRY QUICK ACCESS..............................................................................48

LAST LOOK .........................................................................................................50

Cont

ents

On The Cover:CLARITI EYEWEAR1-800-FRAMES-2www.claritieyewear.com

MARCH 2013

Vol. 7Issue 63

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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.

ADVERTISING & SALES(215) 355-6444 • (800) [email protected]

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EyeCare Professional Magazine, ECP™ is published monthly by OptiCourier, Ltd.Delivered by Third Class Mail Volume 7 Number 63TrademarkSM 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.

OptiCourier, Ltd. makes no warranty of any kind, eitherexpressed, or implied, with regard to the material contained herein.

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.

It shall not be construed that OptiCourier, Ltd. endorses, pro-motes, subsidizes, advocates or is an agent or representative forany of the products, services or individuals in this publication.

For Back Issues and Reprints contact Jeff Smith, Publisher at800-914-4322 or by Email: [email protected]

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Magazine

I’m assuming that most of you heard about the futuristic Google Glass glasses

when they were first introduced last spring, and the company recently announcedthat they would soon be available to the public for $1,500. Ironically, this

announcement came out around the same time the European Union revealed that they are preparing to take action against Google unless the company moves toalleviate concerns about privacy of user data.

The EU is concerned about the way in which Google has, since last March, beenpooling the data of its individual users across its popular services like search, Gmail,Google+ and YouTube in order to bundle them up for advertisers. One prominentfeature of Google Glass is the ability to record everything you see in real time. Willpeople be comfortable knowing that a Glass wearer can record their face and/orconversation? And will the company be selling this personal information to theiradvertisers like they do with their collected internet data?

These are big hurdles that Google must overcome with regulators and the public.Aside from the “Big Brother” implications, there is the safety issue of wearers beingdistracted by heads up display functions while crossing busy streets. Google Glass isundoubtedly an exciting product, and should be a hit as the price inevitably comesdown and the style becomes more mainstream. Making user data privacy a defaultfeature would be a good start in helping to allay some of these concerns.

To learn more about this and other innovative eyewear developments, see JimMagay’s article on page 50. As for the rest of this issue, we have the usual assortmentof entertainment, editorial, and education:

This month we are featuring the latest new releases in eyewear and sunwear for thespring. Speaking of the new season, Lindsey Getz stresses how important it is tostart promoting sunwear early as the weather changes. Judy Canty describes howmodern companies like Apple and IKEA can provide a blueprint of how to marketour products more successfully.

Renee Jacobs provides some invaluable methods to help ECPs figure out whichpatients will want free form lenses. The current lack of personal, hands on dispens-ing in our industry could be a reason why consumers are turning to the internet, asAnthony Record aptly explains. Ginny Johnson chronicles the hectic day in the lifeof a typical dispenser.

Marco’s Lensmeters have been around for forty years and are still a staple of themodern practice, says John Seegers. Elmer Friedman gives some practical tips tohelp ECPs remember the first names of their patients. Allergan’s David Gibson discusses the innovative products and initiatives that his company has to offer. Andlast but not least, Jason Smith details how some forms of visual distortion have beenalleviated through the use of colored filters. ■

EEYECAREPROFESSIONAL

Google Glass – For Your Eyes Only?

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

EDITOR VIEWJeff Smith

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EYEWEAR IN MOTION

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2. CharmantEsprit ET17790: This elegant ladies look features a

generously large, softly curved frame. Upbeat layers oftypically preppy colors including navy and white enhance

that elite college feel. Enjoy the same high comfort stylein warm tones of amber, red and beautiful black.

www.charmant.com/us

3. TAG HeuerMotor racing is an essential part of TAG Heuer’s DNA. Inspired byhigh-performance automobiles, the LRS combines optimal functionwith urban styling to ensure you always have the advantage.Precision polycarbonate sunglass lenses offer full protection and caninclude prescription correction. Double injected elastomer templesfor comfort and perfect hold. www.tagheuer.com/eyewear

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New Releases New Releasesfor Spring

1. LINDBERGThe distinctive LINDBERG n.o.w. range is a familiar-yet-markedly different extension of our unique design idiom –with everything appearing subtly softer. The frames aremade of premium-grade polymer with exceptional tensilestrength. This material provides a softer, translucent overallappearance, with discreet color gradients that enhance thisincreasingly fashionable look. www.lindberg.com

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6. MarcolinMade from eco-conscious materials, designed to behardwearing, inspired by the outdoor life of NewEnglanders, where nature powerfully shows off all its forms: these cornerstones that are part of theTimberland DNA form the basis for the newSpring/Summer 2013 Timberland Eyewear collection.Made from renewable resources such as recycled plasticderiving from vegetable oils for the front and bamboofor the temples. www.marcolin.com

5. Reptile SunReptile’s “Brady” is named after Brady Barr, the host ofthe National Geographic show, “Dangerous Encounters.”The full wrap architecture complements the luxurioushandmade acetate frame fitted with Reptile’s crystal TPC-X polarized lenses. Barr’s adventures have broughthim face to face with some of the most amazing reptiles inthe world, all while wearing his beloved Reptile Sunglasses.www.reptilesun.com

4. SilhouetteThe Titan Minimal Art. The Icon. is the newest iteration of theTitan Minimal Art Collection. It has the signature features ofthe classic – hingeless, rimless, and screwless – but exudes asportier appeal, with a sleek temple design and colorful SPXtemple ends. The Icon is made of High-Tech Titanium, madefor lightness and durability, perfect for every day wear. Mixand match the twelve shapes and colors, to create a fully customized look, tailored to each of your patients.www.silhouette.com

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MOREL

Falk, the latest from ÖGA, is full of character. The injected frameplays with concepts of volume and contrast with an architecturaldesign. The folded stainless steel cover encloses the temple andendpiece to add a graphic touch. The concept is produced inboth matte and shiny tones to play on the idea of material contrasts. Falk is offered in three models which are available infour colors each. www.morel-france.com

Pro Design

4th Dimension 4128-30: With this retro inspired collection, theshapes are more slender and curvy, with a lowered nose bridgeto give a much more feminine expression. Choosing the samematerial for both the front and the beautiful decorated templesresults in a clean and streamlined look. It’s a bold and individualchoice for the woman who wants to emphasize her strong,feminine expression. Available in 3 shapes in 3-5 colors each.www.prodesigndenmark.com

Revolution EyewearDon Ed Hardy is considered the “Godfather” of tattoo.He is the person who helped to make tattoos into highend art. He incorporated Irezumi into his tattoo art tomake it more vibrant and colorful. Revolution firstincorporated the tattoos onto the temples of the infamous sun-glasses, what followed is a feast for theeyes in Rx-able Ed Hardy. Featured is the EH0752.www.revolutioneyewear.com

Rudy Project

The new ultra-light, stylish sunglasses Spaceguard offer the perfect balance of ergonomics and optical performance with anexcellent quality to price ratio, making them affordable for allcyclists, runners and athletes. The Spaceguard comes in threecolor combinations, including a Black Gloss frame also with aPhotoclear lens, White Gloss with Multilaser Red, and a BlackMatte frame with a Multilaser Orange lens.www.rudyprojectusa.com

Clariti Eyewear

KA5733: These Konishi frames in Eggplant flatter all face shapesand are accented by bold silver cutouts. Ombre shading adds asofter, more feminine feel, creating a look that exudes confidenceand shows off a fun personality. www.claritieyewear.com


OptiSource Now DistributingPatented CliC Readers

OptiSource International is now distributing thetrendy CliC reading glasses. The patented CliCdesign incorporates universal eye shapes with abuilt-in adjustable orbit retainer, and a breakawaymagnetic nose bridge that allows the readers to be conveniently worn around the neck. Theproduct’s popularity soared in the past year whenCliC readers were regularly featured on the hitCBS television show, CSI: Crime SceneInvestigation.

“Our customers count on us to provide the in-demand accessories that other suppliers don’thave access to,” said Daryl Squicciarini, presi-dent of OptiSource. “The partnership with CliCEyewear has helped develop the ECP market byexpanding the awareness and availability of theproduct. As a result, ECPs are now able to profitfrom this unique reader that patients are activelylooking for,” he said. “We will continue to addstyles, colors, and sunglass options throughoutthe year to offer the widest selection of CliCreaders to ECPs.”

To view CliC readers and other products, goto: www.1-800-optisource.com


Fatheadz Eyewear

Preferred Stock is the premier offering by Fatheadz Eyewear.They are contemporary frames with smart styling, designed forthe modern larger headed man. The Preferred Stock lineup wascrafted from the start with the latest technological advancesavailable in the eyewear industry to provide durability, comfort,and style. Balance XL in Tortoise is the name of the frame pictured. www.fatheadzeyewear.com

A&A Optical

Jimmy Crystal sunglasses are available in multiple unique styles,shapes and materials. JCS601 integrates expressive black brushstrokes on a translucent acetate front and clean, black temples. Atwo-tone linear crystal pattern on the upper temples completesthe luxe look. JCS601 is available in classic black andopaque white. Size: 55-17-140. www.aaopticalco.com

TifosiTough as nails and big on style in a lightweight package,the Duro features adjustable nose pads and temples for acustom fit. Vented lenses prevent fogging and hydrophilicear and nose pads cut down on the slip-factor, evenunder sweaty conditions for all-day comfort and style.www.tifosioptics.com

Hilco

Hilco’s new Leader Rx Sunglasses Metal Collection offers asophisticated twist on traditional styles. Semi-wrap styling provides enhanced coverage and protection from glare, wind,and dust. www.hilco.com

J.F. Rey

Woodstock – Classic wooden frames revisted in a highly innovative way. The single block temples are cut from thicksheets of multicolored birch plywood. The color of the frontmatches the color of the temples. The temples are then craftedby an individual who is known for his extravagant smokingpipes, that hand sculpts these delicate wood temples. This is the care and attention J.F. Rey puts into his handmade frames.www.jfreyusa.com


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Selling Sunwear

Lindsey Getz

AS WE NEAR THE SPRING SEASON,now’s the time to start thinking about making more sunwear sales

With a sunny spring season upon us, it’s time to really startramping up your sunwear sales efforts. Whether it’s becauseof a spring vacation or just planning for the weather to turnin their hometown, any time your patients start spending

more time thinking about the outdoors is a time to capitalizeon selling sunwear. We explore some of the recent fashiontrends and what they’ll mean for your accessory sales for thespring/summer 2013 season.

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MARKETING ECP

The Latest Trends

Two-tone color patterns were a bigtrend to come off of the spring fashionrunway. That included shoes with a contrasting heel color, tops and bottomsthat showed bold contrast instead ofmatching (think white top, black bottom),and purses with two bold tones. The sametrend is cropping up in eyewear as well.Frames that have a different-colored temple appear to be a hot trend.

In the same way that many are getting alot bolder in their ophthalmic eyewearselections (think chunky, thick frames thatmake a strong statement) you may alsofind that sunwear fans are getting muchbolder in the styles they select. Bright colors, thick frames, and unusual designsare showing up not only on the runway

but in real life too. Whileyou may be tempted tocarry a lot of classic stylesthat appeal to the majority,your fashion-savvy patientsmay be interested in somemore unusual selections sotry to have some of them onhand as well.

In addition to bold colors, sunwear wearers arealso getting more daring byselecting unusual shapes.Round sunglasses were a bighit on the spring/summer2013 runway, but many aregoing even bolder withoctagonal and other oddshapes that have a futuristicand edgy look. This trendtoward interesting styles hasalso brought back the cateye shades that were once so popular in everyday eyewear.

As wearers get more daring, the number ofembellishments on framesseems to be increasing. Theflower patterns and designsthat were highly prevalenton runway clothing have

even started popping up on eyewear thisseason. For instance, Prada sunglasses dec-orated with plastic flowers, similar to onesused in new clothing pieces, were a hit onthe models. Even if your patients don’twant the bold look of a lot of embellish-ment, they may still appreciate some ofthe simpler embellished styles that featuredetailing on the temples or a few smallflowers or rhinestones near the lenses.

Ruffles, plaid, and prints were anotherhot trend on runway clothing styles anddesigners are even finding ways to incor-porate these into frames. Many new sun-wear styles showcase a variety of printsaround the lenses and on the temples,including plaid. For wearers who like tomake a statement with their sunglasses,these will be a hot pick.

Selling Tips

It helps to know some of the latest sunwear trends and to ensure that youhave a good variety of styles on hand. Butit also helps to put more effort into yoursales. Want to get motivated to sell moresunwear? First consider the fact thateveryone should be wearing it. Thatmeans every single patient that walks intoyour practice is a potential candidate for asunwear sale. Now that you’re thinkingabout selling more, here are a few tips toget you going.

Know the Need. If you want to sellmore sunwear to your patients, it helps toknow what they spend their time doingoutdoors. If they’re going shopping orgrabbing coffee with friends, they mightbe more interested in fashion-forwardstyles than if they’re playing golf or hiking. Sports are often a great hook forsunwear sales. Make sure patients knowthat sunwear is more than a style state-ment—it’s a piece of equipment to theirgame. The right polarized lenses can upthe ante in their golf game, for instance.

Educate on Protection. Make the discussion of UV rays a common practicewhile the patient is in your chair. Talkabout the long-term damage and howimportant it is that they’re wearing sunwear when it’s needed. A lot of people

remember to wear sunwear outdoors butmay not think about it for driving orother times when the sun’s rays may stillbe reaching their eyes. This educationalapproach isn’t just a sales tactic—it’s yourresponsibility. But of course it can alsoserve as a successful approach to making asale. After explaining the importance ofprotecting the eyes, ask your patient if heor she already has a good pair of sunglass-es and invite them to check out some ofthe styles you carry.

Give your Displays Some TLC. When’sthe last time you updated your sunweardisplay? If you’re not keeping up withyour display, your patients may lose interest. If it’s the same P.O.P. materialsand arrangement that you’ve always had,patients won’t be drawn to the section.You may have new frames on display butif you haven’t done anything to change theset-up many patients won’t even realizethere are new styles. To them it’s just thesame old display they see time and timeagain. But if you continually switch thingsup, you just may draw patients over to thesection while they wait—or after theirappointment. Instead of having all yoursunwear in one section, many practiceshave actually found it successful to spreadit out among the ophthalmic styles. Thismay help make a second pair sale whileyour patient is shopping for their eyewear.It makes it easy to bring up a conversationabout sunwear in the dispensary as youcan point to a sun style and say “Perhapsyou might consider a pair of sunglasses to go along with those frames?” Thenbring up the possibility for prescriptionsunwear.

With a little bit of attention paid to thelatest sunwear trends as well as your selling strategies, you can be on your wayto increasing sunwear sales this year. Formany, getting a new sale can be as simpleas remembering to talk to your patientsabout their sunwear needs. Simply gettingyour patient to start thinking about yourpractice as a place they can get the latestsunwear styles—and not just their regularglasses—can be a very successful salesstrategy on its own. �

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AlconDwight Akerman, OD, has been appointedhead, Global Professional Affairs for Alcon’sGlobal Vision Care Franchise. He has extensiveexperience in professional affairs, medicalaffairs, clinical research and medical market-ing. He has served as the head of Professional

Affairs & Clinical Research for Wesley Jessen Corp., globalhead of medical marketing for Novartis Pharmaceuticals ophthalmic business unit, and director of Professional Affairs,Americas region for CIBA Vision. Most recently, he was director of Professional Affairs for U.S. Vision Care.

MarcolinValerio Giacobbi has been named general manager of sales, marketing and businessstrategies for Marcolin S.p.A. He will reportdirectly to Giovanni Zoppas, CEO of Marcolin.Giacobbi has gained 20 years of experience inthe eyewear industry by holding key positions

in such companies as Luxottica Group where he had beenexecutive director of business development and executive vice president of retail for North America.

AllisonAllison S.p.A has announced that it will nameJacopo Romano chief executive officer.Additionally, the company has singled outRoberto Bazzara as international sales execu-tive and Massimiliano Zegna Baruffa to over-see product development. Romano, previously

of Paladin Capital Partners, the private equity firm thatacquired Allison in 2004, has been working at the companysince 2009 and is already a member of the company's board ofdirectors.

Transitions OpticalTransitions Optical, Inc. has appointed MattDorling as director, national retail and Canada.In this position, Dorling will be responsible forstrategizing the growth and profits of NorthAmerican national retail partners, as well asstrengthening partnerships while building the

Transitions brand in Canada. Dorling has been withTransitions since 1999 when he began as trade developer.He was most recently Business Director, U.K. and Ireland forTransitions Optical.

Dwight Akerman, OD

Valerio Giacobbi

Jacopo Romano

Matt Dorling

MOVERS & SHAKERS

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You can talk about contourplots and percentages ofincreased viewing areas. Youcan rely on any number of

electronic devices to underscore your vastknowledge. You can fill your dispensarywith splashy graphics and point-of-saledisplays. However, when push comes toshove, the graceful arc is tried, true andeffective. It is simple and it is personal.

One of the great experiences in life is toattend a live performance, whether aBroadway show, a Las Vegas spectacular oryour local community theatre. A greatperformance will draw you in and captureyour undivided attention.

The ongoing discussion among eye care professionals is “to charge or not tocharge” for dispensing services such asminor repairs or adjustments, even for fitting services such as PD and Seg placement measurements. There are valid reasons and concerns both for and against.

“If it only comes down to selling at (the)lowest price, game over. Online and thelargest retailers win the price battle, andAmazon wows consumers with both serviceand price. So, how do you create and sustain experience consumers will value?Retailers would do well to borrow from theplaybook of Disney who understands a high

quality experience is all about ‘theatre’...and requires a blend of Stage + Actors +Script.” –CHRIS PETERSEN,RetailCustomerExperience.com

Over the years, I have written aboutstore layout and design, dispensing as the-atre and the rightness of charging for allservices rendered. Why not start a discus-sion about combining all three to createthe eye care experience?

Setting the stage

Apple is so confident in the design oftheir stores that they’ve recently appliedfor a trademark to protect it. It is spare,minimalist and yet inviting. On the otherhand, IKEA is a labyrinth, drawing cus-tomers further into the store with a newidea around almost every corner. Both“stages” are very successful. Costco is awarehouse store. It looks and feels like awarehouse store, but I challenge you toleave without dropping more cash thanyou intended. Each of these very differentconcepts is the result of careful design andplanning. Each one is designed to create aspecific experience for every customer.From floor covering to lighting, from fix-tures to the accessibility of products, everyaspect is carefully thought out.

However without a stellar cast, even themost exquisite, delightful stage is just somuch furniture and props.

Finding the perfect cast

Costco is lean on staffing, primarily hir-ing stockers and cashiers. Apple hires forsmiles, to enhance its very customer cen-tric model. Apple looks for the right peo-ple to completely engage their customersin the Apple experience. Costco makessure that the shelves are full and the aislesare clear so that maneuvering those hugecarts is as easy as possible. We don’t needto talk about those temptresses with thefood samples now do we? IKEA knowsthat their customers will stay long enoughfor a meal. The staff is unobtrusive, butready to guide you. “You can do it on yourown”, they say, “but you don’t have to.”

The stage is set. The actors are in place.But none of this works without the perfectscript.

Writing the script

“Sociologists have spent years studyingexperiences and have noticed that there areshared rules that govern how we act. Thesescripts are unwritten and unspoken, yetgreatly influence our day-to-day behaviorsand interactions.” –JUMP ASSOCIATES

The working script for a film or a stageplay contains not just the dialogue, butalso the cues for lighting, entrances andexits, gestures and body language. Everytiny element is in its proper place to createthe complete experience.

DISPENSING OPTICIAN

Judy Canty, LDO

Continued on page 18

OFF-BOOKI can sit in any office and know exactly when the optician begins a discussionon progressive addition lenses. The arm is up and out, indicating a wide span ofdistance vision, and gracefully arcs down and inward indicating an uninterruptedrange of vision from distance to near. That, dear readers, is a scripted response.

Is there a better way?


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Creating the best script for your busi-ness may require that you disrupt theexisting script. Creating an experience isnot necessarily about highlighting premi-um products. It is about creating some-thing unexpected, like Southwest Airlines.

At its best, Southwest is a combination ofheart, humor and efficiency that isdelightfully not the normal air travelexperience.

The best scripts begin with empathy,stepping into the customers shoes, under-

standing what brought them to the door.The best scripts are, in truth, the SOP(Standard Operating Procedure) of anyretail environment. There is a reason whyApple stores revenue per square foot istwice that of Tiffany & Co. Apple is completely focused on the customer experience.

The best scripts should make your cus-tomers your biggest fans.

How?

• By trusting your customers andyour staff and being willing to sus-pend cynicism.

• By defining a clear purpose, a clearpromise to improve your customerslives.

• By being real, encouraging staffmembers to bring the best versionof themselves to work everyday.

• By beginning with the customerspoint of view in mind when devel-oping procedures and policies.

• By being able to say “I’m sorry” andmean it when something goes wrong.

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Translating all this to your eye care practice

To begin, take a hard look at yourneighborhood. How does your locationcompare to others? Does your practicestand out or blend in? Is it time for a freshlogo or other signage? Do you need toinvest in a professional window dresser oris someone on your staff an untappedvisual merchandiser?

What does your patient see when walk-ing in the door? You and your staff see thesame thing every day, so it’s easy to missthe little and sometimes not so little thingthat needs attention. Remember, you’resetting a stage. If you are using some formof follow-up communication, includequestions about the entire experience, notjust the exam and the eyewear purchaseand allow it to be anonymous.

“Writing a sales script is simple. You just need to identify your specific types ofcustomer interactions. Then, make a list ofthe key phrases that will help you gatherinformation from a customer in that kind of situation, with a list of information that

you want to convey, and the tone of the conversation.” –ENTREPRENEUR.COM

Who is handling the phones and whatis their script? Is it so short that a caller isunsure who they’ve called? Or is it so fullof information that itallstartstoruntogether,exasperating everyone involved? How doyou handle phone-shoppers? How do youaddress unhappy patients? These scenariosand more require a script and a lot ofrehearsal time. Allow your staff to developtheir scripts and then fine tune themtogether, perhaps at a staff meeting. Thebest script doesn’t sound “scripted”, itsounds comfortable and natural.

The most engaging stage and the mostcreative script are useless without a stellarcast. Placing the proper person in theproper role requires much thought. Whatsense does it make to place your patients,the life-blood of your practice, in thehands of a poorly trained or unhappy staffmember? In the average Optometric prac-tice, the dispensary is responsible forabout 60% of the revenue. That responsi-bility should be in the hands of the best

qualified optical professional you can find. The front desk should be manned by the calmest, most un-flappable profes-sional you can find.

“While you can have a theater experiencein a park without a stage, the best theaterhappens when staging is built for the script,and the actors are chosen for their talent toplay specific roles to bring the story to life.It is the theater director’s job to bring allthree...S(tage) + A(ctors) + S(cript) intoharmony to create an experience.”–CHRIS PETERSEN,RetailCustomerExperience.com

Eye care professional as theater director...hmmm.

By the way, Off-Book means that you’renot reading from your script anymore.You are ready for the curtain to go up and your audience is ready to pay for the experience! �

IS THISTHE

ARE LOOKINGTHROUGH?

YOURLENSCUSTOMERS

If you’re not demonstrating – andrecommending – Clarity® lens care, yourcustomers might not be truly satisfied withtheir eyewear. Our formulas are preferredaround the world because they’re the best.Period. At the dispensing table, they buildrelationships. At home, they help preventremakes and build loyalty every day.

Remove the fingerprints.Contact us today.

800.883.6266www.nanofilmproducts.comHome of Clarity Brand Products

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Calculate The Free Form WOW

Doctors, opticians and staff canwork together toward predict-ing which patients will lovetheir new free form lenses.

First, consider fundamental elements thatwow your patient, then develop a methodto calculate a probability score, the likeli-hood that your patient will love top tieroptics. With this understanding, opticianscan communicate appropriate benefitstatements during the sale. Never over-promise a WOW to someone who won’t experience improvement. Alwaysrecommend best possible optics whenyour patient will see noticeably better.

Today I will share optical analysisresources and propose one method to predict patient satisfaction, by weightingthree elements of WOW. This article isintended for staff training toward under-standing optics and improving patienteducation. The WOW factor scores arebased upon science, opinion, and personalexperience. Use your own professionaljudgment. Test the method I propose, oruse tools and resources toward devisingyour own tactics. Practice predictingwhich patients will love their new freeform lenses.

As you begin to ponder the elements ofwow, recognize that few patients will pur-chase a conventional lens plus a clinicallyequivalent free form lens simply to com-pare them. Only eye care providers thinkthis way. From the patient’s point of view,the new lenses are better if he sees betterwhen he puts them on. He will make acomparison between his new glasses and

his habitual Rx. Patient satisfaction isbased upon Big Picture improvement.

For this reason, the best method to predict patient satisfaction, will weightmultiple factors that contribute toimproving each patient’s overall, visualexperience of their world.

With this in mind, I propose scoringthree elements of WOW. First, assign anAcuity Change WOW Factor that indicateslines of visual acuity improvement due toa change in prescription. Second, assign aPrescription Strength WOW Factor basedupon the patient’s prescription numbers.Third, assign a Personality WOW Factorthat indicates your patient’s sensitivity to small changes in their Rx, plus theirattitude toward new technology. Then,add the assigned scores to predict patientsatisfaction on a scale of 0 to 10. A lowscore predicts your patient will not bewowed by their new free form lenses.A high score predicts the patient will see significantly better.

Score Three Elements of WOW

Element #1: Acuity Change WOWThe Acuity Change WOW Factor

indicates noticeable improvement invision due to a change in prescription.

In general, eye care professionals knowthat multiple factors influence improve-ment of best corrected acuity. Theseinclude the amount of Rx change, plus the status of accommodation, and also eyediseases such as cataracts or dry eyes.Some diseases cause decreasing acuity;some cause fluctuating quality of vision.For this reason, we can’t promise edge toedge visual clarity to every patient whopurchases free form lenses. Evaluate eachpatient case by case. See Figure 1.

The doctor is best positioned to assignthis score because visual acuity improve-ments are documented in the patient’srecord during the exam.

Simply assign 1 Factor of WOW foreach line of visual acuity improvementdue to the change in prescription. If a new Rx makes no improvement in VA,when compared to the habitual Rx, thenassign a WOW Factor of zero. Notice thatthe maximum possible Acuity ChangeWOW Factor is 3.

After assigning an Acuity Change WOWfactor, score a Prescription Strength WOW Factor.

Element #2: Prescription Strength WOWPeople who understand optical math

THROUGH THE LENS

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


Predict Which Patients Will Love Their New Free Form Lenses


Figure 1

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realize that free form technology providesthe greatest visual benefit to those patientswho have strong prescriptions. Patientswith low prescriptions will notice little ifany improvement in optics from buyingfree form lenses instead of aspheric orconventional lenses. To predict a wow,resulting from the patient’s prescriptionnumbers, we can think of prescriptionsalong a continuum, and then apply whatwe know about optical science.

There are many ways to describe freeform technology. I think of it as the abilityto calculate point by point asphericity,across a lens surface, toward decreasingoptical distortion and improving thepatient’s natural view of the world.Computers use complex algorithms tocalculate the best lens topography, uniquefor each prescription. Then robotic sur-facing equipment digitally shapes eachlens to exacting design parameters. Freeform optics are the result of computerdesign plus digital manufacturing.

Applying this concept, we can say thatfree form lenses will improve the optics ofany unique prescription, if small aspheric-ity-changes to the traditional lens shape,applied across the entire lens surface, willcause noticeable improvement in visualclarity. The improvements are due to sci-ence, reducing optical distortion andaberration.

Dynamic analysis of optical design iscomplicated, yet Darryl Meister ABOMcreated a suite of resources any opticalprofessional can use to advance theirunderstanding. Find downloadable pro-gram files at OptiCampus.com. www.opti-campus.com/tools/spectacle_optics.php

Using the Spectacle Optics-OpticalAnalysis tool you can data enter lenspower, diameter, and a traditional basecurve, then dynamically vary asphericityand observe changes in tangential error,sagittal error, oblique astigmatism, meanpower error, and more.

Using the Spectacle Optics-PrescriptionAnalysis tool, you can data enter thepatient’s prescription, and frame parame-ters plus vertex distance, pantoscopicangle, and facial wrap. You can vary all of the parameters including index ofrefraction, and the tool will dynamically

calculate the resultant compensated pre-scription and spectacle magnification.

I used these tools plus my experienceand opinions to devise a method forassigning a Prescription Strength WOWFactor. See Figure 2.

For example, assign an RX StrengthWOW for the prescription:

OD: -4.50 -1.25 x 043OD: -4.20 -1.50 x 137

When you circle all of the lens powernumbers for the right eye, the highestassigned WOW will score 2.5. When youcircle all of the lens power numbers forthe left eye, the highest Assigned WOWwill score 2.25. Evaluating both eyes, thehighest number is the Rx Strength WowFactor of the right eye, 2.5. Notice that themaximum possible score is 4.

After assigning an RX Strength WOWFactor, score a Personality WOW Factor.

Element #3: Personality WOWThe Personality WOW Factor indicates

your patient’s appreciation of smallchanges in their prescription plus theirattitude toward new technology. There isno optical science to this score. Use yourbest judgment.

We know from experience that onepatient will exclaim that -0.25 diopters ofchange makes a world of difference tohow they see. At the other extreme, apatient might experience 3 lines ofimproved acuity, yet claim the differenceis hardly noticeable. Patients vary in their

sensitivity and opinions about prescrip-tion change.

People also have a range of attitudesregarding new technologies. For some, thewords “newest technology” can have aplacebo effect. Some patients want thenewest iPhone, the latest HD televisionwith 3D capability, and they want top tierlenses. At the other extreme, somepatients won’t purchase bifocals becausethey can read by wearing OTC magnifiersover their distance eyeglasses.

Personality is an element determiningpatient satisfaction. Opticians are highlyskilled at evaluating a patient’s tempera-ment toward change. See Figure 3.

If you have that patient who rejects thenew prescription because his vision “isjust too sharp”, that patient who prefers20/30 binocular acuity over adapting to20/20 acuity, then the Personality WOWFactor score = zero. You get the idea.

Figure 2

Figure 3

Continued on page 2422 E Y E C A R E P R O F E S S I O N A L

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Predict Patient Satisfaction on a Scale of 0 to 10

After assigning all three factors of wow,add up the scores. A low score predictsyour patient will not be wowed by theirnew free form lenses. A high score pre-dicts the patient will love top tier lenses.With this understanding, opticians can communicate appropriate benefitstatements with confidence. Let’s look atan example. See Figure 4.

Figure 4:

Example: Terry James is a historicalarchitect who specializes in restoring heritage buildings. Recently he noticed hesquints to read road signs and addresses.With both eyes open, Terry sees 20/25-3through his habitual Rx. During the eyeexamination, Terry saw 20/15 with eacheye, through the phoropter, with his new Rx. He experiences two lines ofimprovement, measured on the distanceeye chart.

During the subjective refraction, TerryJames reacts quickly to small differencesin prescription change. He refines the

cylinder axis to the exact one degree.Finally, Terry James is tech savvy. Heseems to light up when his doctor recommends top tier technology, freeform lenses.

Given this history, score the WOW Factors:

Acuity Change WOW Factor = 2.0 See Figure 1

Prescription Strength WOW Factor = 2.5See Figure 2

Personality WOW Factor = 3.0See Figure 3

Total Free Form Wow Factor = 7.5 on a scale of 0 to 10.

Using this method, we have determined,with 75% confidence, that Terry Jameswill love his new free form lenses.

Use Common Sense

Practice this method with a variety ofpatient profiles. Discuss the elements ofwow. If you have recent patients who weredisappointed with their free form lenses,then pull those charts. Apply the method.You might gain new insights.

In addition, run a couple of hypotheti-cal scenarios. Notice what happens if apatient experiences no improvement invisual acuity and hates change. Then,depending upon their prescription num-bers, the highest possible score is 4 out of 10, 40% confidence the patient willlove free form lenses. What do you thinkof that?

Notice what happens if the patient hasthree lines of improved acuity, and loveschange, and their Prescription StrengthWOW Factor scores zero.

In this case the patient can score 6 outof 10, and have zero benefit due to theoptical benefits of free form technology,

namely reduced aberration and distortion.What do you think of that? Ethically, inthis situation, would you sell top tier technology or conventional lenses? Whatif the free form lenses have lower whole-sale cost, better turn-around time andgreater product availability? Talk about it.Draw your own conclusions.

Today I shared optical analysis resourcesand proposed one method to predictpatient satisfaction with top tier technolo-gy lenses. This article is intended for stafftraining toward understanding optics andimproving patient education as well assetting the stage for patient satisfaction.The WOW Factor scores are based uponscience, opinion, and personal experience.

Always apply good judgment and usecommon sense. Nothing proposed in thisarticle diminishes the importance ofordering the best corridor length for eachpatient who wears progressives. Nothingdiminishes the importance of accuratemeasurements and accurate fabrication.

You can test the method I propose, oruse tools and resources toward devisingyour own tactics. Practice predictingwhich patients will love their new freeform lenses.

Never over-promise a WOW to some-one who won’t experience improvementas this is a recipe for patient dissatisfac-tion. Always recommend best possibleoptics when your patient will see notice-ably better. �

Progressivelenses.com

“Predict whichpatients will love

their new free form lenses.”

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Eye Care Professional Service

The paradigm fromwhich you normallypractice opticianry isprobably what most

affected your thoughts.

Grammatically speaking, youcould have thought of the wordservice as a noun or a verb –maybe even an adjective. Evenwithin those three distinctions, somany possibilities exist.

As a verb you may have thoughtof things like to repair, check,examine, or tune-up. Maybe evenoverhaul. As a noun some of those samewords might come to mind, but theymean different things. For example, checkand examination might stand for theactual act of doing it, as in, “Before wedecide if we can use your old frame to putin your new prescription, let me performa ‘check’ on them.” When thinking aboutservice, the religious among you mighthave thought of some ritual or ceremony.In reference to a joyous wedding or moving funeral one might remark,“What a moving service that was.”

Finally, the word could function as anadjective, “She’s our service manager.” Iwonder, however, how many of youimmediately thought of the type of serviceI want to consider – the service thatmeans to help, offer assistance, guide,provide advantages for, and offer benefits

to the people who are the recipients of ourservice as eye care professionals (ECPs).

I have a friend and colleague whosename is Hari Singh Bird. I first met Harias a fellow attendee at continuing educa-tion classes in Florida. It’s kind of hard tomiss him in the crowd. As a follower ofSikhism, he’s usually the only guy in thecrowd sporting a turban. Quiet andfriendly, I always liked him. Lately I havecome to also respect him for the positiveinfluence he is trying to have on the optical profession and the opticians whopractice it. I recently sat down and askedhim about the state of affairs in opticianryas he saw it. I think we could all learnfrom what he had to say.

I figured I’d deal with the politicallyincorrect pink elephant in the room right

away, so I asked him about his religion, and if or how it affectedhis optical outlook. Hari explained,“Sikhs are service-oriented philo-sophically and historically. One ofour main tenets is to serve andshare with others. Service is anintrinsic value, not a value to beadded. Man’s purpose is to serve.How does that apply to opticianry?The emphasis should be on service,not on income. Not to say thatincome is unimportant; it justshouldn’t be our primary focus.”While he acknowledged thatincome is vital, we both agreed

that if ECPs were more focused on realservice to our patients, the income wouldfollow as a natural consequence.

Hari has seen it all in our profession,and he’s seen it all change. Years ago,right after his stint with the United StatesMarine Corps, he went to work as anAmerican Optical lab technician, learninghand surfacing, power generation,hand-stone edging, automatic edging,bench work, final inspection, ophthalmicdispensing, and “hands-on-the-consumercustom fitting.” He currently holds statelicenses in Arizona and Florida, and is amember of POF – Professional Opticiansof Florida.

When I asked him what he thoughtabout the current state of opticianry, hisresponse was an interesting paradox.

MANAGING OPTICIAN

Anthony Record, ABO/NCLE, RDO


What words or images popped into your head when you read the title of this article?


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While he marveled at the extraordinaryaccomplishments we have seen withregard to technology in the past 50 years,he lamented the fact that, “the directpatient contact delivery of eyewear hassteadily declined for lack of training oremphasis on the art and craft of fittingeyewear directly on the consumer.”

He further explained that, “the cus-tomized fitting of eyewear involves farmore than just adjusting a nosepiece or bending a temple. It has to includereshaping, bending, stretching, twisting,aligning and sculpting of the frame components in order to personalize the

eyewear. Anything less compromises thepatient’s visual comfort and long termwear-ability. I express it this way:Opticianry is defined by how well the eyewear fits the patient.” He likes to call it “Hands on Adjustment.”

“Because of the declination of this principle, all sorts of secondary declinesoccur,” said Hari. “For instance, opticianscannot acquire the fitting range of sizes inframe eye sizes, bridge sizes and templelengths. The connection is obvious. Whenopticians don’t custom-fit the patient thedemand for size range declines, ergo themanufacturers quit offering the inventory.The decline goes on to impact frame quality, hand tool availability, practicaldispensing furniture, and so on. This cre-ates further deficiencies in the acceptabledelivery of prescription eyewear.”

We both agreed that this lack of person-al, service-oriented, hands-on dispensingis one of the reasons why more and moreoptical consumers are turning to the

Internet to purchase prescriptioneyewear. After all, what’s the dif-ference between a dispenser in abricks-and-mortar practice whosimply hands a pair of glasses toa “patient” and calls it dispens-ing, and an optical “customer”who walks to his mailbox, opensa box and puts on his new glass-es? Not much. One of the mosteffective ways to reduce the num-ber of Internet-based eyewear

sales is to truly give our patients what theycannot get online – a human professionalknowledgeable in the art of hands-onadjustment and custom fitting eyewear.

Hari has created hands-on dispensingcontinuing education classes, and I urgeany ophthalmic dispenser to attend themwhen they can. The Florida Board ofOpticianry recently made the attendance

to such a class for first-time applicantsmandatory. This is a step in the rightdirection, and I challenge other stateboards to follow suit.

If some of this is ringing true to you,and you would like more informationabout Hari, his philosophy, or the classeshe has created, check out some of thewebsites he has created – all dedicated to re-humanizing the dispensing ofprescription eyewear, and more generallyenhancing the profession he loves.

www.opticianrytoday.com – A review of the history of optical dispensing.

www.opticiansforchange.com – Hari attempts to generate-inspire somemeaningful change in the industry towardimproving training and the dispensing of skillfully designed and delivered prescription eyewear.

www.dispensingguidelines.com – Offers a step-by-step, how-to for the delivery ofprescription eyewear.

www.opticalworkshops.com – Hari offershands-on frame fitting training, especiallyfor latter-day opticians who are unfamiliarwith the human-touch aspects of a profes-sion, which is incapable of serving theconsumer without direct laying on ofhands as do manicurists, hairdressers,dentists, etc.

www.3Ddispensing.com – Promotesindustry emphasis on Discovery (a comprehensive lifestyle interview), Design(based on an unbiased analysis and theconsumer’s actual needs) and Delivery(the application of touch and feel,hands-on-the-patient, and frame on-the-face frame-fitting skills). �

When thinking about service, the religiousamong you might havethought of some ritual or ceremony. In referenceto a joyous wedding ormoving funeral one mightremark, “What a movingservice that was.”

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Nanofilm Launches a New Ultra Clarity Lens Care Collection

Nanofilm is introducing a new Ultra ClaritySpring Lens Care Collection, with four fresh looksfor eyeglass wearers in the new season. The fourdesigns are Blossom, a sunny floral; The Links, a pastel argyle; Tweet-Tweet, a chipper bird pattern; and Eyes Love Clean Glasses, a colorfulgraphic print.

All four designs are available in a 1-ouncespray that can be imprinted with customer information. There’s also a 4-ounce The Linksrefill bottle, and Organza gift bag kits of any 1-ounce design and a refill bottle.

“It’s the time of year when retailers are bring-ing out new spring merchandise and eyeglasswearers are looking to update and refresh, too,”says Jodi Groh, Director of Marketing forNanofilm. “The Ultra Clarity Spring Collection of Clarity lens care is like a chic scarf or a new tie – a smart accessory that catches the eye,meets a real need, and makes a person feelgood.”

Nanofilm’s Ultra Clarity lens care formulas arepreferred around the world for their advancedperformance. They exceed every industry stan-dard for effectiveness and safety on all lensesand coatings, including anti-reflective coatings.Dirt, oily fingerprints, and everyday grime wipeaway easily, without smears or smudges.

For more information, go to: www.nanofilmproducts.com


Fun Fact: Did you know the Marco manual LM-101 lensmeter went into pro-duction in the early 1970s? That is whenLynyrd Skynyrd gave us “Sweet HomeAlabama,” and Barry White gave us “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love,Baby!”

I began to think about how much wetake our manual lensmeter for grantedseveral days ago when ours, a thirty-plus-year old Marco manual LM-101,needed a new bulb. I figure the old onehad probably been in there for about tenyears. Imagine my surprise when I installed a new bulb, and it was as ifsomeone had switched lensmeters onme. The target and reticle were sharp,and contrast was suddenly excellent! Try it!

That got me to thinking about the manual lensmeter, and I did some quickcalculations. Where I work, the lensme-ter is used an average of a dozen timesa day, every day. That means it readsabout 7,500 lenses a year. In its lifetimeto date, it has probably read about225,000 lenses – nearly a quarter of amillion lenses. All without a single complaint!

Fun Fact: Did you know the reason themanual LM-101 can tilt to 90degrees is so it can read a contactlens? It’s a matter of gravity!

Did you know that on the manual LM-101:

• You can replace the ink pad whenit is worn?

• You can change the bulb, whichwill sharpen the reticle and target?

• You can replace the lens stop if itis damaged?

• You can replace the rubber lensretention ring when it dries out?

• You can retro-fit it with self-inkingcartridge pens?

• You can have it fully, professionallyrefurbished?

Replacement parts, service and fullrefurbishing are all available only throughauthorized Marco dealers. A list of deal-ers can be found at www.Marco.com.

Fun Fact: Did you know the LM-101 was the first manual lensmeter to offerambidextrous power measuring knobs,allowing left handed people to easily use it?

The newest version of the manual LM-101 features both AC and battery powerfor both flexibility and portability. Theincandescent bulb has been replacedwith cool, long-lasting, brighter LEDs.

Pens are now self-inking cartridges thateliminate the old style ink pad. The padworks great, but is prone to having theink dry out, and ink can easily transfer to clothing and hands.

The manual lensmeter will continue tobe the workhorse of the industry formany years to come. However theadvantages of an auto-lensmeter cannotbe ignored.

I recently saw that a class was beingoffered on “Reading prescription-compensated lenses with a manual lens-meter.” I thought, what? A manual lens-meter is a m-a-n-u-a-l lensmeter. Thatmeans that it is open to some subjectiveinterpretation of what you see. The eye-piece is adjusted for the individual user.The power drum is adjusted for powerreadings. The axis wheel is adjusted foralignment. Adjustability equals subjectivi-ty. The power drum of a manual lensme-ter “is what it is,” and you are either ona specific diopter line, or you are some-where in between. If you are not directlyon a 1/8 or 1/4 diopter line, then youneed to make the subjective call on thepower. If you want to read a lens thathas been prescription compensated tothe nearest 1/100th of a diopter, thenyou need a modern auto-lensmetercapable of reading to the nearest1/100th of a diopter.

The useful term “WYSIWYG” stands for“What You See Is What You Get.” Anauto-lensmeter = WYSIWYG. Since there

Lensmeters: O How We Love YouFirst: Before you say “Lensometer!”, I have to explain. Marco, the world

leader in lensmeter production, prefers that we use the term “lensmeter” in place of “lensometer.” I am trying to help them

spread the word. I have to admit that their request makessense, since the instrument provides a meter, or measure, of

lenses, not a meter of “lensos,” or “lens-ohs.” So, pleasehelp. Call it a lensmeter from now on.

EQUIPMENT FOCUS

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


Marco LM-101


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Know who’s sitting in your chair in less than 1 minute:Harvest more accurate data in less timeUnderstand each patient’s full optical pathwayDetermine refractions needing minimal correction to achieve 20/20Save 5-7 minutes per patientSee an additional 3+ patients each dayGive every patient more quality timeIncrease optical revenue up to 30+%Validate Rx changes and increase patient satisfactionOptimize cataract and refractive outcomes to 20/happyEnjoy more patient loyalty

Now that’s outstanding return on investment. It’s about time!

XFRACTION:WAVEFRONT OPTIMIZED REFRAXION

Wavefront Optimized RefraXionBecause it’s Time for Better

VEE MS6703800.874.5274

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*Data based on national averages.

We all know that ‘time is money’, but do you know how to ‘buy more time’?

OPD-Scan III wavefront system measures >20 diagnostics – and how cleanly light passes through the optical path. In less than 1 minute, Wavefront Optimized refraction can discern which patients will/will not require a full refraction to achieve 20/20.

TRS-5100 rapidly completes the required refraction with digital speed and accuracy.

you do.

MAR2013_Marco.qxd 2/28/13 11:21 AM Page 1


is no adjustability, there is no subjectivitywhen using an auto-lensmeter.

Current offerings from Marco includethese:

Automatic LM-600. Features:Hartmann-Shack Wavefront Technology,auto lens detection, lens marking system, green measurement light, builtin IC card reader for EMR, and wideprism measurement range.

Automatic LM-600P. Features:Hartmann-Shack Wavefront Technology,auto lens detection, lens marking sys-tem, green measurement light, built inIC card reader for EMR, wide prismmeasurement range, and a high-speedprinter (the “P”).

Automatic LM-600PD. Features:Hartmann-Shack Wavefront Technology,auto lens detection, lens marking system, green measurement light, builtin IC card reader for EMR, wide prismmeasurement range, high-speed printer,and easy PD measurement (the “P and PD”).

Automatic LM-1800P Features:Hartmann-Shack Wavefront Technology,auto lens detection, lens marking sys-tem, green measurement light, built inIC card reader for EMR, wide prismmeasurement range, high-speed printer,enlarged LCD Screen, Tilt able LCDmonitor.

Automatic LM-1800 PD. Features:Hartmann-Shack Wavefront Technology,auto lens detection, lens marking system, green measurement light, builtin IC card reader for EMR, wide prismmeasurement range, high-speed printer,and easy PD measurement enlargedLCD Screen, Tilt able LCD monitor.

This is what those features can mean foryou in your every-day practice. Keep inmind that automatic lensmeters fulfilltwo roles in a practice. First, they areused for layout work. Second, automaticlensmeters are used to read completepairs for verification and patient records.

Hartmann-Shack Wavefront Technology:Replacing single lens focus, theHartman-Shack system uses a series ofpoints to capture multiple focus andconvert them to a refractive power. Byusing 108 points of data collection, the600 and 1800 series provides a muchhigher degree of accuracy.

Auto lens detection: This means that theautomatic lensmeter instantly recognizeswhat type of lens has been inserted.This feature is important when reading anew patient’s glasses during preliminaryexams. You will never mistake a progres-sive for a single vision again!

Lens marking system: Used for layoutwork, the lens-marking system providesyour OC and axis reference points. The600 and 1800 series provides inkdesigned to clearly mark hydrophobiccoated lenses.

Green measurement light: Green allowsverification of even the highest indexlenses without aberration or distortion.

Built in IC card reader: Electronic medical records are becoming a part ofevery practice. All new optical equip-ment is designed to transmit the datacollected to a central server point. Manyare even designed to share informationbetween instruments for use during thepatient exam.

Wide prism measurement range: Fewtools will be as useful to the novice staffmember as the ability of the 600 and1800 series to read and display prismas WYSIWYG. No interpreting rings or direction.

High-speed printer: An almost indispen-sable part of an auto-lensmeter, theprinter allows for a paper trail. The print-out can be used for side-by-sideRx comparison for troubleshooting, verification records and hard copypatient records.

Easy PD measurement: Great for useduring the verification process, the600PD and 1800PD series records thePD as present for comparison to theactual patient PD. Although this is not aguarantee of accuracy, having a record-ed PD may help you avoid that awkwardphone call when you forget to take apatient PD. (Of course, that has neverhappened to you!)

UV metering: The 600 and 1800 seriesincludes UV metering so you can shareUV transmission rates with your patientsand discuss the importance of UV protection.

Full color LCD screen: The 1800 serieshas a LCD screen that provides all thelens information in full color and with an adjustable viewing angle.

Fun Fact: Did you know that modernauto-lensmeters are designed with soft lens stops so you can safely movethe lens around while measuring progressives and lined multifocals without damage? �

Marco LM

-600P

Marco LM

-1800PD

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Whatever Floats Your Boat

When I first moved to thebeach several years ago, Ipurchased a brand new 3seater jet ski. Anyone who

owns a boat or personal watercraft willprobably agree that boating has a way ofrevealing your real friends. My real friendswere there to help before, during and afterthe jet ski fun. I also had reel friends whowere no help and only fishing for a goodtime. Keeping my personal watercraftafloat took time, money, insurance, regu-lar maintenance, fuel and elbow grease.

One afternoon I was backing my jet skitrailer into the water and noticed a guy atthe boat landing who was trying to force asmall boat to sink. I commented on thenice weather and asked how he was doing.He said he was enjoying the weather whileworking on the final stages of his unsink-able boat invention. He was confident thathis boats would sell since no one wantedto drown. He had a passion for what hewas doing and a “whatever floats yourboat” attitude.

Running a practice is similar to boatownership. Without real staff your practice can’t stay afloat.

I asked real staff members to put downon paper what it takes on a daily basis tokeep the practice afloat. Here’s whatCrystal and Heather had to say:

Insert green key to open door (it’s greento remind you it’s where you make yourmoney). Turn computers on and make

sure they are still mapped to program system to start the day. Print routing slips,match charts, check trash cans in theexam rooms. Turn on equipment andmake sure rooms have enough alcoholwipes. Pull insurance for the next day.Greet patients. Check them in and processnew paperwork (oops, hurry and answerphone, it’s on the 3rd ring). It’s a patientcalling to see if their eyeglasses are ready.No sir, it’s only been 2 business days andthey will take 5 business days.

Take a patient back to pre-test room.Tell them to have a seat in the wonderfulwhite chair. Do a little small talk. Updatetheir records. Go through the meaningfuland useful questions. Take their bloodpressure. Autorefractor, FDT, digital fundus imaging. Apologize to patientswho feel like the questions are an invasionof privacy. Walk patient over to the examroom and pass off the chart to the doctor.

Notice trash on the floor and pick it up.Remove some empty boxes from the

counter. Gather them up and place themby the back door. Wash hands. The mail-man arrives. Spend 30 seconds goofing off with him. Phone rings. Schedule newpatient who has no clue which visioninsurance plan they have. Ask them whotheir employer is and try to help them fig-ure it out. Patient walks in and needs theireyeglasses adjusted. Our optician will beright with you, please have a seat at thesmall table in our wonderful dispensary.

Take the next patient back. Ms. Helpfullets me know we need more paper towelsin the restroom.Thanks for letting meknow, I’ll get right on that. Finish withpatient and go to the storage room to getthe paper towels and we are out of them.Doctor catches me in the hallway and askswhere I have been. I attempt to answerand she interrupts and asks me to takephotos on different patient. Take photosand walk patient to check out. Add papertowels to the supplies needed list. Phonerings. Take a message for the doctor.

I walk the next patient back and thedoctor hands off a patient to me for CLinsertion and removal training. Thephone rings and it’s my daughter’s schoolsaying she is sick and needs to be pickedup from school. I excuse myself from thepatient and make arrangements for mychild. I go back to instructing the patienton the proper care and wear of CL andturn them back over to the doctor.

UPS dropped off a box of CL and eyeglasses while I was in the back so I

THE MOBILE OPTICIAN

Ginny Johnson, LDO, ABOC

I live fifteen minutes away from the beach and often overlookits beauty when I allow life’s demands to get in the way.


MAR2013_ginny_mobile.qxd 2/28/13 1:38 PM Page 2

check the CL in and open the other boxfor the Optician. She will inspect the eye-glasses in between ordering the six pairsshe sold yesterday. She is troubleshootingwith a progressive lens wearer so I appeasethe next patient until she can get to them.Fed Ex just dropped off a box of newframes that will need to go into inventory.A patient just purchased a year’s supply ofCL and actually understands the rebateinfo. Cool.

Life at the front desk is busy as usual.The last patient paid in cash and we haveno change. We pool our money togetherand are able to give them back the correctchange. A patient wants to order contactsover the phone and pay when they pickthem up. They are quickly reminded howeasy it is to order from our website andhave them shipped directly to their house.Oh boy, here we have a patient that isgoing to put us through HIPAA 101.We’re more than happy to provide themwith their own copy to read and keep.Collecting medical and vision insurancecards and photo IDs from patients seemsto be a real challenge today. What’s upwith that? It’s like pulling teeth sometimesand we aren’t even dentists. At least we arewinning at the co-pay game and no one isdoubting our insurance knowledge.

Now it’s time to put the insurancechecks we received in today’s mail into thecomputer system. Oh wait, gotta give myopinion to an eyewear patient that can’tdecide between three frames. I love themall! Soon it will be time to confirm thepatient appointments for tomorrow alongwith those that are 2 days and 2 weeksout. There goes the printer which meansthe doctor is printing a patient’s RX andsummary of their visit. I’ll add theirappointment reminder for next year tothose papers. They pay for their visittoday and I show them how to put on themydriac sunglasses.

The fax machine starts ringing and ithas some important documents for thedoctor to fill out so I put them on herdesk. Ten minutes later they are back onmy desk with a sticky note asking me tofill them out and she will read over themand sign them. I still need to callOfficeMate back about a fee slip snag thatwe keep running into. Can’t do that inbetween patients though.

Greet the next patient. Walking themdown the hallway it dawns on me thattoday is the 15th of the month. I need toprint out and mail statements to thosepatients who still owe us money. Can’t log

onto my computer in the pre-test roomwhich signs off after five minutes of noactivity. That means someone else signedon to the extra computer in the office andour limit of 5 computers has beenreached. Take the necessary steps to correct it and continue with pre-test.Walk the last patient to the exam roomand give the chart to the doctor.

Return phone call to a patient that ishaving problems with new CL. Put notesin the computer. Cover up equipment inpre-test room. Call OfficeMate and theywill need to call me back. Check emailand respond to patient in Afghanistan.

Bring up the daily transactions andcount the cash and checks. Make sure allof the EFTs match up. Settle out the creditcard machine. Fill out the deposit slip.Print report for doctor. Shut down thecomputers and cover exam equipment.Turn off all of the lights. Make sure cordless phone gets put back on charger.Get out the green key and lock the doorbehind us.

I hope you have real, unsinkable stafflike Heather and Crystal, that are willingto do whatever is needed to help the practice stay afloat. �

MAR2013_ginny_mobile.qxd 2/28/13 1:38 PM Page 3


EyeCare Professional’s Paul DiGiovanni, LDO, speaking withDavid Gibson, Allergan’s Director, Optometric ProfessionalRelations and Strategic Initiatives.

Offering ECPs a World of Resources

How has Allergan been able to maintain itself for over ahalf century as a leader in the pharmaceutical industry,along with their over-the-counter consumer productsand in the medical device industry?For more than 60 years, Allergan has been committed touncovering the best of science and to developing anddelivering innovative and meaningful treatments to helppeople reach their life’s potential. From our beginnings asan eye care company, we have followed our R&D technologies to expand into several medical specialties.Today, Allergan offers a broad portfolio of pharmaceuti-cal, biologics and medical devices and continues to investsignificantly in research and development to advancetreatments across the specialty areas we support.

Please explain the technical advantages that lead to thelaunching of Allergan’s new dry eye lubricant drop,REFRESH OPTIVE®?Allergan continues to showcase its leadership in the dryeye arena and has recently added two new options tothe artificial tear market – REFRESH OPTIVE® Advancedwas introduced in 2012 and REFRESH OPTIVE®

Advanced Preservative-Free launched in February 2013.REFRESH OPTIVE® Advanced works on all three layers ofthe tear film to relieve dry eye symptoms. Specifically,the tear is formulated to stabilize the lipid layer to helpreduce tear evaporation, to hydrate the aqueous layer,and to provide an advanced lubricating and protectiveshield to the mucin layer of the tear film. REFRESHOPTIVE® Advanced Preservative-Free Lubricant EyeDrops features the same scientifically-advanced asREFRESH OPTIVE® Advanced, but without the use of apreservative.

Allergan recently implemented the Allergan TechAllianceProgram. Please provide a brief description of the program and how it is designed to assist ECPs.Technicians play an important role in patient care andpatient flow throughout a practice. By educating thetechnician and providing valuable tools, the technician

can provide greater patient care especially in areasaround medication compliance and persistency.

Allergan has introduced the Allergan TechAllianceProgram to provide tools to empower eye care technicians to be as knowledgeable and effective as possible, as they interact with the optometrists and ophthalmologists with whom they work to positivelyimpact patient experiences.

The Allergan TechAlliance Program is supported by awebsite that provides ECPs with a wealth of information.How was this site developed and who can benefit from it?The Allergan TechAlliance program was developed basedon feedback from technicians, optometrists and ophthal-mologists about the types of tools and resources thatwould be of value to busy technicians. That is why the

David Gibson

AllerganAllergan

Allergan_0313.qxd 2/28/13 2:11 PM Page 2

The Allergan Commitment to Optometry Is Stronger Than Ever. With new programs designed for doctors at every phase of their career, there are more ways for us to work together than ever before.

Visit AllerganOptometry.com to access a world of possibilities for your practice.

©2013 Allergan, Inc., Irvine, CA 92612 ® and ™ marks owned by Allergan, Inc.ZYMAXID® is licensed from Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. APC05MW13 130367

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MAR2013_Allergan.qxd 2/28/13 12:00 PM Page 1


website www.allergantechalliance.com covers everythingfrom education on common eye conditions to productinformation and details about coupons and rebates thatcould help patients save money on their prescriptions.

What other products does Allergan have in their eye careportfolio?Eye care professionals and patients rely on Allergan products to treat a variety of eye conditions includingglaucoma, dry eye, and external eye diseases. Products inAllergan’s eye care product portfolio include RESTASIS®

(cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion) 0.05%, LUMIGAN®

(bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.01%, LASTACAFT®

(alcaftadine ophthalmic solution) 0.25%, ZYMAXID®

(gatifloxacin ophthalmic solution) 0.5% and the REFRESH®

Brand line of artificial tears.

What was the thought process behind the OPTOMETRYJUMPSTART™ Program? Do you market this program directly to optometry schools to attract last year students or recent graduates? If not, what is your marketing strategy?Allergan launched the OPTOMETRY JUMPSTART™

program to support recent optometry school graduatesas they are beginning their career. OPTOMETRY JUMPSTART™ provides new optometrists with educationalresources as well as the latest information on Allerganproducts, including access to product samples, patientassistance and savings programs. Recent graduates can learn more about the OPTOMETRY JUMPSTART™

program and enroll in this free program at www.allerganodjumpstart.com.

The Allergan Optometry Teaching Institution team isinvolved with all 21 optometry schools throughout the

U.S. These representatives work with the students andfaculty to educate students on the OPTOMETRY JUMPSTART™ effort and to enroll them in the program.Additionally, we work through the Association of Schoolsand Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) and AmericanOptometric Student Association (AOSA) to publicize the program.

Are you able to provide any insight on other initiativesAllergan have planned to assist optometrists?Allergan offers a number of programs to supportoptometrists throughout their careers. In addition to having a dedicated sales team for optometrists, Allerganworks closely with optometry schools and optometry residents, providing materials and access to speaker programs that help them prepare for practice.

Additionally, Allergan distributes an optometry-dedicatednewsletter about news, trends, and data related to theoptometry field as part of the OPTOMETRY JUMPSTART™

program for new graduates.

Optometrists also have access to the dedicated educa-tional website, www.allerganoptometry.com for the latest information on Allergan products, patient assistance andsavings programs. The website also offers a number ofdownloadable materials designed to help optometristseducate their patients about eye health and, when appropriate, specific ocular conditions and the importance of treatment. �

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I’ll Never Forget What’s His Name

Practicing good patient relations,you meticulously responded bysending a note of thanks and ared rose to that nice person on

each occasion of his/her good will.

One lovely Sunday, after church servic-es, you are engaged in pleasant, casualconversation with some fellow congre-gants. Suddenly, a familiar face, wreathedin smiles, bears down on you with anextended hand and closes in, fast. Youshake their hand, vigorously, and thenhe/she waits, expectantly. You search yourmemory but there is no responsive chord.The smile begins to wane. You are embar-rassed and awkward in the presence ofyour company. By this time, your confron-ter has adopted a cynical smirk and finallyreveals that he/she is the person uponwhom you have lavished so many thanksand personal attention. This person’s atti-tude now shows that you have beenstripped of your outer veneer to reveal thephony you. You feel small enough to hidebehind a blade of grass growing in a crackbeneath your feet.

Stephanie Tallman Smith tells us in anarticle from Lifescript, “As people age, it iscommon for us to occasionally forget thename of a patient, a high school friend oreven the place we ate dinner the weekbefore,” she says. “This is hardly a causefor panic, yet the gradual decline in ourability to recall simple facts will frequentlysend a person scrambling for ways towardmemory improvement.”

Forget where you left your keys? Do notfear the onset of Alzheimer’s disease or abrain tumor because you forgot the name

of your child’s teacher.Other than serious diseaseor brain injury, the realityis that our memory is abiological function and cansuffer a decline in effective-ness as we age. Much thesame way that our musclesatrophy and our skin losessome of its elasticity,memory can malfunction,as well.

Our public relationexperts constantly remindus of our obligations in cultivatingpatients. For instance, at a well knowncenter of optometric education, a speakerrecently estimated that a successful prac-tice is based on 15% knowledge and 85%in knowing how to deliver our services tothe patient. While a practitioner may haveexcellent in-office public relations, it canbe destroyed by one disastrous episodeunder circumstances least expected. Theanswer to this lies in one’s frame of mind.Eye care professionals who frequentlyappear before audiences and engage insocial activities that bring them into con-tact with large groups must be prepared toremember names and faces. Memorypower is applicable at P.T.A. meetings,service groups, faith based organizationsand the like.

Be mindful that you may meet that special patient at a social event, the theateror even the supermarket. That person willleap at you like a long lost relative. Don’tdisappoint that special patient and don’tinjure the image you have built so

painstakingly. The good news is that thereare active steps we can take to improvememory, just as we can practice trainingto strengthen our muscles and replenishour skin elasticity with a healthy diet.

One of the most common tips is to repeat their name as they introducethemselves. “Hi Jim, it’s a pleasure to meetyou.” As you introduce yourself to Jimthink of a mental or visual image that canhelp you to recall his face. An interestingchallenge occurs when we meet someonefor the first time. Many people forget people’s names immediately after meetingthem. We must remember to keep ourattention focused on the situation at handand not allow ourselves to be distracted.

Use their name a few times during yourconversation. This helps your memoryduring the meeting and even for a shorttime afterwards. For example, “So whatkind of business are you in, Jim?” Whenyou part ways, say that person’s name asyou bid farewell. This has the double benefit of making the person feel good

SECOND GLANCE

Elmer Friedman, OD


Picture this: You have an enthusiastic patient who has recently shuttledinnumerable referrals to your office.


MAR2013_elmer.qxd 3/1/13 12:06 PM Page 2

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because you remembered the name and italso helps you to reinforce the name inyour memory even deeper.

Record that person’s name with person-al and business details in your organizer atthe earliest possible moment while theinfo is still fresh in your memory. As youdo this, visualize that person and repeatthe name aloud a few times. Do this regularly for a few months and you willvirtually guarantee that the name will not be forgotten.

Understand the setting of the first meeting and it will help to remember thename. Take a moment to picture them indifferent possible settings and visualizewhat they would look like in that environ-ment. Another idea practiced by some isto associate the name with objects or animals. Find an animal or an object that shares a letter or syllable in commonwith the person’s name, for example,“Kimberly-Kitten” or “Billy-Board.”

There are other routes that are availableto us to improve our memories. Puzzlesand mind games improve the memory.Brain teasers and crossword puzzles are

also helpful. Exercise is important since itincreases oxygen to the brain and keepsbrain cells healthy. A diet rich in VitaminB complex improves the memory by protecting neurons from a toxic acid that causes them to deteriorate. The bestsources are leafy green vegetables likespinach, romaine lettuce, cabbage, beans,melons, strawberries and asparagus. Add ahealthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids sincethey aid in brain function as well.

Try to remember the person as well asthe name. If you can recall their face a per-son will be forgiving if you can’t remem-ber their name. You could say, “I recognizeyour face but I can’t recall the name.”You will rarely encounter a disappointed subject under those circumstances.

Philip Guo writes articles for the publi-cation Mind Hacks. He notes that, “If youdon’t make an effort to remember some-one’s name the first time that person tellsit to you, then it’s really difficult for you toget another chance to do so,” he says. “Asimple way to avoid this awkwardness is toask a friend who is present, and knows theperson, to remind you of his/her name.”

Guo suggests that we make an extraeffort to learn foreign sounding or uncon-ventional names. These people are accus-tomed to others botching their names.You will make an extra good impression if you can accurately recall and pronouncetheir names. The best advice is to apolo-gize and ask the other person to repeatand clarify how to exactly pronounce thename. You could say, “Sorry, I can’t heartoo well with this noise in the back-ground. Could you repeat how to pro-nounce your name?” This will not workwell in a quiet room. Or, “Pardon, did I pronounce it correctly? I want to makesure I get it right.” At least they will appre-ciate that you are making the effort.

Finally, when all else fails, own up tohaving forgotten the other person’s name,as politely as you can. Say something like,“I’m terribly sorry, but I’ve forgotten yourname. Would you mind telling me what itis again?” This is typical of the personwho stopped to think and forgot to startagain. As for me, I have seen it all, done itall, can’t remember most of it. �

MAR2013_elmer.qxd 3/1/13 12:07 PM Page 4


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MAR2013.qxd 3/1/13 1:49 PM

Colored Filters orColored Overlays Help with Learning

EYE CARE PROFESSIONALShave been prescribing coloredeyeglass lenses to patients formany years and for a variety

of reasons. Photo-grey glass lenses,Transitions plastic lenses, polarized lenses,and dark sunglass lenses are prescribedfor comfort, safety, and eye-health protection combined with the proper prescription. Gradient tints are sometimesused for cosmetic reasons as well as forcomputer vision glare problems. Yellowincreases visual perception and decreaseseye fatigue when in foggy, hazy, or overcast weather conditions.

When tints are applied to lenses, it isbeneficial to have UV coatings or anti-glare coatings added to the lenses. Mosttinted plastic lenses do not provide UVprotection alone. Eyeglass lenses can havea mirror coating applied to them toreduce glare, improve eye comfort, and toenhance contrast. These are some of the

lens options that canhelp patients be visuallycomfortable while alsocorrecting their myopia,hyperopia, astigmatism,presbyopia, ani-sometropia, or muscleimbalance when used inconjunction with the correct prescription.

As I recently foundwith a patient, sometimes correcting arefractive error or a prism imbalance withclear or tinted lenses may not be all thatcan be done for a patient. Have you hadpatients who have had problems withlearning basic information while in gradeschool, high school, or college? Have youhad parents claim that their child is hav-ing learning problems even though thereis no refraction problem, vision problem,or medical problem?

These are not people who have conver-gence or divergence anomalies. These arenot young adults with accommodative,binocular, or oculomotor dysfunctions.These may not patients who have myopia,astigmatism, or hyperopia. These are notchildren with genetic retinal problemssuch as Stargardt’s disease.

According to an American OptometricAssociation, “over the past two decadesthe use of tinted lenses and colored over-lays to improve reading comfort and per-

formance has been presented in both thepopular media and professional literature.With increasing frequency, patients andparents consult optometrists and eye careprofessionals about the value of coloredoverlays and tinted lenses.”

Olive Meares and Helen Irlen describeda syndrome of visual symptoms and dis-tortion that can be alleviated with coloredfilters. This syndrome has been referred toas “scotopic sensitivity syndrome” or theIrlen Syndrome. Colored overlays andtinted lenses are used to improve readingability and visual perception, increase sus-tained reading time, and eliminate symp-toms associated with reading such as lightsensitivity, eyestrain, headaches, blurringof print, loss of place, and watery eyes.

In the early 1980’s, a teacher in NewZealand, Olive Meares, was the first toprovide a detailed written account of thespatial distortions affecting text being readby some individuals. Olive Meares alsoreported that the effects she cited could bereduced or eliminated by the use of col-ored papers or by using colored plasticoverlays. The “overlays” were placeddirectly over the text that needed to beread.

A psychologist working in California,Helen Irlen, wrote a paper describingsymptoms similar to what Olive Meareshad found. Ms. Irlen named the need forthese overlays as “Scotopic Sensitivity

OD PERSPECTIVE

Jason Smith, OD, MS


MAR2013_jsmith.qxd 2/28/13 1:58 PM Page 2


Syndrome (SSS) or the Irlen Syndrome.”This syndrome was one where reading isdifficult due to perceived distortions ofthe printed page. She reported that thedistortions were positively affected oreliminated through colored filters or over-lays.

Ms. Irlen went further in her researchand established a protocol for screeningfor Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome and fordispensing colored overlays or lenses as aresult of the assessment. These tints arenot the normal tints found in the averagedispensary. Rather they are highly selec-tive tints with very precise wavelengthattenuation.

Many years ago, 60 Minutes did a shortprogram on the “Irlen Lenses.” The use ofcolored lenses has been written about inprofessional journals, textbooks, theNational Geographic, Good MorningAmerica, and news programs on ABC,NBC, the BBC, as well as news programsin Ireland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, andAustralia. In these programs, there weremany young adults who had been “men-tally challenged” or “learning disabled”until they started using various coloredlenses or colored filters that would beused on a printed page. And their worldschanged dramatically.

Many of the people interviewed statedthat “the words now pop up on the pageand I can see them better.” Several of thechildren that were interviewed were intears over what they had experienced andhad suffered over many years. Some of thenames that were used to describe some ofthese children were horrible. And it wasonly because no one was able to detectany anatomical, physiological, visual, ormedical problem that was creating their“visual confusion.”

Words were running together.Understanding was limited. Processing ofinformation was negligible. Academicachievement was extremely limited. Manyof the children that were intervieweddropped out of school. Many turned todrugs, alcohol, or crime because they wereconsidered outcasts and under-achievers.

That all changed for the majority of thechildren when the Irlen lenses became

available to them. The smiles on theirfaces and the new sense of “being found”and not being an outcast any longer begana significant and long lasting change intheir lives. The colored overlays and tintedlenses are used to improve reading abilityand visual perception, increase sustainedreading time, and eliminate symptomsassociated with reading such as light sen-sitivity, eyestrain, headaches, blurring ofprint, loss of place, and watery eyes.

The Irlen lenses have helped childrenand adults become successful rather thanto continue to experience academic, per-sonal, and professional difficulties. Inaddition to this processing problem,patients with dyslexia, migraineheadaches, Alzheimer’s disease or epilepsymay benefit from the use of colored lensesas well.

CASE STUDY

The case that I encountered involved a21 year old successful college female. Shehad spoken to me about needing extratime to understand her lectures and thatthis is something that had always beentrue for many years. She had done well inher 2 years in college, “but it always tooklonger to understand what I was reading,”as she told me. She was slightly nearsight-ed and used daily soft contact lenses, OD:-1.00, OS: -1.25 with corrected visualacuities of 20/20 in each eye, distance andnear. Her color vision using Ishihara pseu-do-isochromatic color plates was normalin both eyes.

I had several different colored filtersthat my Father used many years ago withanother patient. These are transparent,colored pieces of plastic that can be seenthrough and are placed onto a printedpage. I tried every different colored filterto see if anything worked. I used red,orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. Ihad various shades of darker and lightercolored filters that I also tried. The prob-lem with the darker shades is that itreduces the contrast of the darker printand actually makes it harder to see and toread.

But I did have some significant success(and luck) with one shade of the orangefilters. I could see the smile on this young

adult’s face. She said that, “it was like thewords are coming right at me for the firsttime. I do not feel that it is a struggle forme to see or to read.” I had her sit andread some pages from her college classesfor a half an hour and this seemed towork. I gave her the colored orange filterto take with her and I have talked to herseveral times. She is extremely pleased,more confident, and has stated that, “it istaking me less time to do my studying andhomework.”

Why the orange filter worked and whythe overlay had to be placed directly ontothe page will be something that I addressin my next article. If the filter was placedadjacent to her eyes the benefits of whatshe was experiencing were not present.The orange colored overlay had to beplaced directly onto the page of what wasbeing read in order to be effective.

This encounter was very rewarding tome but there are many other color visionand color blindness problems that exist.Color vision is such an important topic inthe eye care world that it is a unique andrequired course in optometry school.

Sometimes eye care professionals haveto take some chances even though theoutcomes may be uncertain. We try tocome up with answers for patients basedon experience, knowledge, and educationand that is why our professions are sorewarding. In this case, I was fortunatethat what I wanted to achieve did work.There is never any harm in taking chancesas long as the pros and cons, potentialoutcomes, and positive and negatives arefully explained to both the patient andtheir family.

Hopefully, everyone will be in totalagreement and understand your goals andmotivations considering treatment andtherapies. �

MAR2013_jsmith.qxd 2/28/13 1:58 PM Page 3


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Google Glasses and other miracles

Bare bones now but Google isout to make them look awhole lot more stylish, says

the New York Times. According to thereport, the company is negotiatingwith Warby Parker, a popular Internetglasses company that sells fashionableframes for very affordable prices.(Warby Parker’s regular glasses startat $95 including the prescription, andpart of that goes to charity).

So why have a cheapo novice eye-glass company developing yournewest technology? Maybe it is theappeal of working with like-mindedtech start-up guys who aren’t afraidto break ALL the rules.

That still doesn’t explain Googlefounder Sergey Brin’s visit with Diane VonFurstenberg at New York’s Fashion Weeklast year.

Then there is emPower!, the first elec-tronic-focusing eyewear. A touch of thetemple or tilt of the head activates a layerof liquid crystals in each lens, instantlycreating an electronic add zone. As you allknow – they’ve been out a bit over a yearand aren’t exactly setting the world on firewhat with production difficulties and alack of dealers willing to pay upfront thedevelopment costs of the technology.Maybe the second generation will iron outthe bugs.

A third electronic upstart is GlassUp,eyeglasses that report the incoming

emails, text messages, tweets, Facebookupdates, and other messages, so that theuser can keep abreast on what is going onin this big world. The message is shownfor only an instant, on the side of the fieldof view, in an unobtrusive manner.

They work via a free Android app and abluetooth connection, so you must haveyour mobile with you. They are read only,it would be messy to try and manage themessages: to respond to a message you’llhave to go back to your mobile, as usual.

So with all these computer/eyeglassmashups another solution might be withApple who is working on a product we allremember from those Dick Tracy movies— a watch that has some phone-like capa-bilities. According to a report in The NewYork Times on Sunday, Apple is testing or“experimenting” with a “wristwatch-like

device made of curved glass” and theoreti-cally iPhone capabilities.

Well, I’m wondering when the lawsuitswill begin. With all this technology, some-one will be infringing on someone’s patentand the lawyers will be happy. Then thereare the liability issues – I recall a suit wasrecently filed when a person tripped into a decorative mall pool (filmed by securitycameras) while gabbing on a cell phone –imagine when that person is walking on a busy street interacting with her eyeglass-es!!? Watching the antics of drivers thesedays trying to text and talk on a handhelddevice while driving will be merely amus-ing compared to what I expect will be theresult when your heads up display startsflashing messages on your Google/Warby/Furstenberg glasses while you are negotiat-ing a left hand turn across 2 lanes of rushhour traffic. ■

LAST LOOK

Jim Magay, RDO

So...Google glasses, $1500.00 for a prototype pair for early adopters after you write an essay explaining why you should be allowed to buy them, Hmmmm?


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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.

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eyecare professional magazine march 2013 issue

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