Vision Now SEPTEMBER A National Eyecare Group Publication

Transcription

1 Vision Now A National Eyecare Group Publication LineArt - Model Opera Gold Charmant UK Co Ltd tel fax sales@charmant.co.uk SEPTEMBER 2015

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3 Vision Now Comment Vision Now magazine is published by Peekay Publishing Ltd for The PK National Eyecare Group Ltd, the UK s largest purchasing group for independent opticians. CONTENTS News 2 GOS fee increase set 5 Consultation on online contact lens supply 8 New practice standards on the way 13 Dry eye disease study findings 14 ABDO reduces conference fees 14 An independent view Bringing fresh blood into independent practice 17 Developing thoughts Balancing act on the stage 19 Company profile Dunelm Optical: a family affair 20 Product profile Line Art Charmant: a symphony of style 23 Product profile Spectralis OCT: in a class of its own 26 Style spotlight Championship eyewear for sports enthusiasts 28 Suppliers directory EDITOR EDITORIAL PA FASHION EDITOR BUSINESS EDITOR DESIGNER PUBLISHER Nicky Collinson BA (Hons) nicola.collinson@nationaleyecare.co.uk Sharon Hicks s.hicks@nationaleyecare.co.uk Joan Grady jgparischats@wanadoo.fr Philip Mullins FBDO p.mullins@nationaleyecare.co.uk Rosslyn Argent BA (Hons) The PK National Eyecare Group Limited Managing Director: Michael Daunt Clermont House, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 3DN Tel: Fax: P&P Litho Ltd Unit 4, Mount Road Ind. Estate, Mount Road, Feltham, Middlesex, TW13 6AR Tel: info@pplitho.co.uk Michael C Wheeler FCOptom DipCLP FSMC FAAO Disappointing thought it may have been, it perhaps came as no surprise that the government imposed just a one per cent increase in fees provided under the General Ophthlamic Services contract increasing the NHS sight test fee to the grand sum of effective 1 April 2015 (see News page 2). I assume that many in the profession long ago abandoned any pretentions of being properly remunerated for the NHS eye examination, and have instead focused other elements of everyday practice to ensure a healthy and profitable business. Balancing the clinical side of practice with the retail side of practice is no mean feat, and it is a conundrum that has persisted in optics over many moons. Bringing new perspectives to the issue will be the speakers at this year s NEG Conference, happening at the new venue of the Hinkley Island Hotel in Leicester on 22 and 23 November. In this month s Developing Thoughts column (page 17), Phil Mullins shares details about an exciting programme, which covers all the tools the modern independent practitioner requires to ensure they are getting the balance just right. We have some fantastic eyewear spots in this issue, including a two-page feature on Line Art Charmant (pages 20-21) a music-inspired, award-winning collection that has gone from strength to strength since it was first launched in Meanwhile, Vision Now fashion editor, Joan Grady, brings to our attention some stunning new concepts in sports eyewear (pages 26-27). With winter fast approaching, this could provide some welcome inspiration for your winter sports displays. This month we also speak to Dunelm Optical director Peter Beaumont about the company s focus as it enters its 47th year of trading, and hear about the secrets of its success in providing the independent sector with a constant stream of desirable products and services (page 19). We also speak to optometrist practice owner Mark Holloway about why he decided to invest in a Heidelberg Engineering Spectralis OCT and how its adding value to his practice (pages 23-24). It s hard to believe we only have two more issues left this year, so please do get in touch if you have any reader feedback for us to consider for the year ahead. Yours, Nicky Editor Vision Now The Editor welcomes letters, articles and other contributions for publication in the magazine and reserves the right to amend them. Any such contribution, whether it bears the author s name, initials or pseudonym, is accepted on the understanding that its author is responsible for the opinions expressed in it and that its publication does not imply that such opinions are those of The PK National Eyecare Group Ltd. Articles submitted for publication should be original, unpublished work and are accepted on the basis that they will not be published in any other journal. Acceptance of material for publication is not a guarantee that it will be included in any particular issue. Copyright 2015 for Peekay Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording, without the written permission of the publishers. Such written permission should also be obtained before any part of this publication is stored in a retrieval system of any nature.

4 2 NEWS NEWS being 1 Optometric Fees Negotiating Committee The government has officially imposed a one per cent increase in fees provided under the GOS contract an offer previously rejected by the Optometric Fees Negotiating Committee (OFNC). The new NHS sight test fee announced last month and effective from 1 April 2015, is The fees payable to GOS contractors for NHS domiciliary visits is now for the first and second patients seen at one visit, and 9.40 for the third and subsequent patients. CET grants have also increased by one per cent. Mike George, OFNC chair, said: We are deeply disappointed that this fee has been imposed upon the sector, without agreement or any apparent regard to the evidence submitted. And it is even more disappointing given the significant extra funds that are being invested by the government in other areas of primary care. Ann Blackmore, OFNC secretary, added: With such poor increases in the sight test fee going back for many years now, the government and NHS England must refrain from imposing any further unfunded administrative and regulatory burdens on community optical practices, many of which are struggling to keep open for their patients in these tough times. We look forward to continuing discussions with NHS England about IT connectivity and can only hope this will be more fruitful. hailed as the fastest expanding new course on the CET circuit. From 204 delegates in its inaugural year in 2014, the event has expanded to four tracks now supplying up to 15 CET points including peer review, hands-on workshops, discussion workshops and lectures. The sessions are aimed at all target groups in the industry, from optometrists to independent prescribers to practice support staff and dispensing opticians. The ioptical exhibition has also expanded to more than 43 exhibitors while the value-for-money 45 course fee means delegates can afford to travel to Glasgow, the most accessible city in Scotland, and take advantage of hotel conference rates and the free Scottish nightcap the night before, said Dr Scott Mackie, co-organiser of the event alongside Caroline Christie. Online booking and course information can be found at 4 CooperVision CooperVision has launched the latest addition to its OptiExpert app in the form of a multifocal calculator. Available to download for ios and Android devices, users simply enter their patient s sphere and Add powers plus cyl, then select the dominant eye for the app to generate suitable product recommendations. A help icon displayed at each stage provides guidance on what to input as well as further information on the lenses themselves. 2 Eyespace Digital tool for the ECP Fresh and funky Frankie Ready for the back-to-school season, Eyespace has bolstered its Rock Star children s collection with funky girl s acetate model, Frankie. The latest addition to the range s HD print collection, Frankie makes a fun fashion statement for girls discovering their own sense of style. In a larger children s size of , Frankie is available in two options. C1 is a nautical themed sea-blue frame lined with white then a trendy semitransparent coral. A stylish anchor pattern is on the temple interior, with silver anchor temple trim details. Tortoiseshell C2 (pictured) features vintage florals to the temple interior and an eye-catching trim detail formed of a metallic rose-pink five-pointed star. 3 SCLOSS Open to all UK delegates, the Scottish Contact Lens and Ocular Surface Society (SCLOSS) Optical Networking, CET Event and Optical Exhibition on Sunday 29 November at the 4* Radisson SAS Hotel in central Glasgow, is CooperVision senior professional services consultant, Andrew Symons, said: We understand that fitting multifocal lenses can sometimes be tricky and require additional chair time, and therefore wanted to assist ECPs in making this as straightforward as possible. As mobile and tablet use is on the increase in the consulting room, we re committed to realising the potential of digital devices as clinical tools for the ECP. We will continue to evolve the app going forwards to continually help provide useful and relevant content. Passwords to download the app are available from local CooperVision business development managers. 5 Silhouette Thomas Chambers is Silhouette s new area sales manager for the North of England, following the retirement of Paul Hotchkiss after 23 years in the optics industry. Paul s support in developing the Silhouette brand across the North of England has been terrific and Silhouette now has many great advocates and brand ambassadors across this region thanks to Paul s dedication and hard work, said the company. Thomas has worked for Silhouette on the customer service team and the wider business for the past four years.

5 If only I had a Visit to see what SPECTRALIS owners really think. OCT MultiColor Autofluorescence Infrared FA ICGA Widefield Stereo Anterior Perimetry Topography UK.BE15 Heidelberg Engineering GmbH

6 Focus DAILIES Toric and Progressives contact lenses will soon be discontinued days left *...have you spoken to your patients about upgrading^ to DAILIES AquaComfort Plus Toric and Multifocal contact lenses? * Revenue packs will be discontinued on 31st December 2015 ^ Please speak to your Alcon Business Development Manager about our refitting guidance Speak to your Alcon Business Development elopment Manager or contact our Customer Care team for more information: T (UK): Online: om E: uk.easy@alcon.com VC Q Novartis AG. Focus, DAILIES, the DAILIES AquaComfort ort Plus logo, Alcon and the Alcon logo are trademarks of Novartis AG.

7 NEWS 5 6 Lenstec Paul Walden speaking at Optrafair earlier this year (courtesy of ABDO) 7 Bausch + Lomb Paul Walden has joined the Lenstec Group as technical and sales director, following the retirement of sales director Martin Burroughs. Paul worked for the Norville Group for more than 30 years, and was UK sales manager before joining the Norville board of directors in He said: I am very much looking forward to joining the Lenstec board and senior group lab teams to help further develop their expanding portfolio of products and meeting their customers needs to support the independent sector. Independent optometrists need to make better use of smart technology for stock control and social media to retain and expand their business, delegates at a recent Basuch + Lomb conference were told. More than 50 independent optometrists and retailers gathered at the conference at the Belfry in Sutton Coldfield to hear key opinion leaders outline the most effective use of smart technology, new techniques in retailing and social media. Speakers at the conference all emphasised that independents had to build on their key strengths of customer service, continuity and specialist knowledge to retain their existing share of the market and grow their customer base in future years. Amy Rothwell, head of eyecare marketing UK at Bausch + Lomb, said: With over 160 years of eyecare expertise, Bausch + Lomb are eyecare pioneers and as a result the creators of many optical firsts such as the first ever soft contact lens. Today, the company s commitment to excellence in the eyecare profession is stronger than ever and we continue to create and deliver the very best when it comes to optical science and technology. Sharing our knowledge of the market and providing thought leadership and support to eyecare professionals is instrumental to us as they are the heart of the industry and it is important we grow together. 8 LOCSU Anti-smoking advice, weight management and alcohol screening are among the services being offered to patients as part of an innovative pilot devised by optical professionals and Public Health Dudley. The Healthy Living Optician pilot in Dudley will be the first time in England that optical practices have delivered preventative health tips. Speaking after the launch at RT Knight Opticians in Dudley, Katrina Venerus, managing director of the Local Optical Committee Support Unit (LOCSU), said: Optical practices and professionals are regularly overlooked as part of the wider NHS workforce. Yet 20 million annual sight tests present an unmissable chance to start healthy conversations. The NHS Five Year Forward View has an explicit call for a radical upgrade in prevention. A sea change is required in healthcare delivery and opticians and optometrists can be a vital part of that. We will be looking closely at the results of the Dudley pilot to persuade other public health teams in England to roll out the Health Living Optician concept in their areas, added Katrina. Nine optical practices are participating in the scheme and optical staff have undertaken additional specialist training to become accredited Healthy Living Opticians. Our photograph shows from left: Shamina Asif, chair of Dudley LOC, the Mayor of Dudley, councillor Steve Waltho, practice owner and dispensing optician, Gigi Cacoullis, and Mayoress Jayne Waltho. 9 Mid-Optic New Twist Folding Readers from Mid-Optic are designed in Italy and collapse completely flat, fitting into a slim and convenient storage case so they are ideal for slipping in shirt and jacket pockets, handbags and clutch bags. Available in six colours including Flame Red, Pumpkin Orange, Apple Green and Ultramarine Blue the readers are supplied in five power options and may be purchased individually or as a complete display unit comprising 30 coloured frames, with five black frames. The unit is provided free with purchases of 35 frames. Twist Folding Readers take reading glasses Italian design with a twist Launching the Healthy Living Optician pilot to the next level with innovative click-in-place temples that allow for an easy one-handed on-and-off, said Richard Hardy, Mid-Optic sales and marketing director. 10 General Optical Council The General Optical Council (GOC) is inviting responses to a new consultation on a voluntary code of practice for online contact lens suppliers. The draft code of practice is designed to improve the practice of online contact lens suppliers and encourage people who buy online to have regular aftercare appointments and eye examinations. Suppliers who sign up to the code will be able to display an endorsement logo, making it easier for the public to find online suppliers who follow good practice. Rob Hogan, GOC council member and chair of the stakeholder steering group on contact lens supply, said: The draft code of practice draws on the independent research commissioned by the GOC to improve public protection and I m particularly pleased that the code covers the substitution of contact lenses, which can create risks to the public in some circumstances. Substitution is not covered by the law as it stands and this really shows the value of a code of practice that can adapt more easily to sector developments. Respond at by 12 October.

8 The world s first and only silicone hydrogel daily disposable family Delivering comfort to virtually every corrective need The only full family of silicone hydrogel daily disposable lenses Now, you have a daily disposable contact lens to meet the unique needs of your sphere, toric and multifocal patients Excellent performance clariti 1 day lenses allow 100% corneal oxygen consumption 1 to help maintain optimal ocular health and feature WetLoc technology for excellent all-day comfort Exceptional value for any lifestyle Now you can upgrade your patients to the health advantages of silicone hydrogel daily disposable lenses Contact your Business Development Manager for more information. Available in sphere, toric and multifocal. clariti REFERENCE: 1. Brennan NA: Beyond flux: total corneal oxygen consumption as an index of corneal oxygenation during contact lens wear. Optom Vis Sci. 2005;82(6): CooperVision Part of The Cooper Companies

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10 8 NEWS 11 National Optical Conference inspiration visually from Scandinavian imagery, while using the word association of our brand and the popular US television programme. The students have created a stand-out marketing campaign that really captures the very essence of our range, offering a designer look at affordable prices, which perfectly blends classic and modern styles. The company s summer frame promotion, offering free frames from the Orange collection with every five frames purchased, runs throughout September. Scandi cool campaign 14 General Optical Council NOC programme unveiled Keynote speakers from the NHS, ophthalmology and public health, a programme of practical workshops, and a place to network and socialise, are expected to be key draws for this year s National Optical Conference (NOC) in Birmingham. Katrina Venerus, managing director of LOCSU who develop the NOC programme, said: The NOC continues to grow in its role as a key arena for learning and development within optics and plays an important part in introducing and inspiring new LOC officers. This year LOCSU is introducing a welcome session and a buddy system for new officers and first-time delegates. A major focus will be on developing the evidence base for community services and LOCSU will be launching its new national Data Repository, which is being developed to build a watertight case for the introduction of primary eyecare services. The NOC takes place at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole from 5-6 November. Bookings are now open on the LOCSU website, with one free delegate place for each LOC. 12 AIO My-iClinic and Positive Impact have joined 13 other high profiles companies, including Rodenstock and Essilor, in sponsoring the Association for Independent Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians (AIO) Conference in Nottingham on 9-12 October. Peter Warren, AIO chairman, said: The interest shown in our event is indicative of the increasing importance of AIO as a highly respected stakeholder representing independent practitioners and the 2015 conference is expected to draw a record number of delegates. Nick Atkins from Positive Impact said: We are really looking forward to exhibiting our new dry eye portfolio at the AIO Conference and to have the opportunity to join the very impressive list of sponsors and exhibitors supporting the event. Our close relationship with AIO is highly valued by us. Other sponsors include Topcon, No7, Norville, A+E+L, Performance Finance, Hoya, Eyeplan, Clearlab, Lindberg and Optisoft. For more information about the AIO Conference admin@aiovision.org, telephone or visit 13 Orange Eyewear Orange Eyewear has teamed up with the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) to launch a new campaign, Orange: the new black. The campaign concepts were designed by fashion promotion/styling students as a result of a photoshoot competition the company ran. They will be used across all marketing collateral for its Orange collection, including POS, showcards and posters. Hanna Nussbaum, managing director at Orange Eyewear, said: We re really impressed with the look and feel of the new campaign, which draws New standards of practice for optometrists, dispensing opticians and optical students, which will come into effect on 1 April 2016, will support registrants by making much clearer the GOC s expectations as the statutory regulator with responsibility for setting professional standards in the optical sector. On announcing the new standards, the General Optical Council (GOC) pointed out that 82 per cent of the almost 1,900 registrants who responded to the online survey supported the GOC s new approach to standards: 57 per cent supported the new approach fully whilst 25 per cent supported it partly or with reservations. Both the Association of British Dispensing Opticians and Association of Optometrists have expressed reservations about certain elements of the new standards. Samantha Peters, GOC chief executive and registrar, said: We know the importance of listening, and we ve used the extensive feedback we received to make changes to enhance the clarity of our standards, and to make them easier to use and more proportionate. I d like to reiterate our thanks to everyone who has got involved in the consultation. The GOC is also updating its Code of Conduct for business registrants to make clear that registered businesses should support their employees in meeting their obligations under the new standards. All registrants will receive a copy of the new standards in the post by December As part of the annual retention process, registrants will have to declare that they have read and will abide by the standards. Registrants will also have to do at least one piece of CET on standards as part of the cycle. 15 Norville Norville has released its 2015 Duck and Cover catalogue with 28 new models across both the ophthalmic and sunwear collections. The fresh models remain true to the spirit of Ready for anything featuring a mix of metals and plastic. These urban design frames are not fussy but truly reflect the look, feel and trend of the brand, said the company. Models include DC034 C1, a trendy full rim rectangle eye with a metal and plastic mix, flat press metal temples with inset brand logo and tort temple tips. Ready for anything with 28 new styles

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13 NEWS Dunelm Optical 19 Rodenstock In a mid-season extension, Dunelm Optical has introduced nine new frames to its licensed Celine Dion range, featuring more delicate profiles and subtle side detailing. The Celine Dion logo has been omitted for the first time. Catering for the older female fashion market, high joint glossy acetates CD 7164, 7165 and 7166 (pictured) come in a range of traditional shades and contemporary mottled patterns. CD 3240, 3242, 3243 and 8129 are contemporary supra frames, with occasional splashes of Swarovski and precious stones, while CD 8130 is a full-framed titanium for a more classic silhouette. Purist concept in frame design Celine Dion collection will go on Peter Beaumont, managing director at Dunelm, said: We ve modernised the range paying close attention to shapes and detail. The new styles retain the Celine Dion dictum of adding glamour and sophistication to an everyday look. The new optical frames are now available to browse on 17 Vision 2020 UK Vision 2020 UK, the umbrella organisation which facilitates greater collaboration and co-operation between organisations across the eye health and sight loss sectors, has launched a new accessible website and resource hub at The site features extensive news and events sections promoting the latest announcements, research developments and opinion pieces from members and experts. In addition, helping to make Vision 2020 UK s portfolio of services, standards and practices from across the sector easy to browse is the new resources section, which can be accessed via the homepage. Vision 2020 UK CEO, Mercy Jeyasingham, said: We are delighted to announce the launch of our new website, designed specifically with the eye health and sight loss community in mind. As the collaborative voice of the sector we recognised the need to create a central information and resource base to help unite organisations with an interest in eye health and sight loss. 18 Federation of Manufacturing Opticians In contrast to conventional replacement systems for temples, Rodenstock completely skips screws and hinges in its latest development. Model R8010 introduces a patented temple replacement system that works completely without hinges and screws. The front consists of highperformance polyamide, with a choice of three different materials beech, horn and aluminium for the sides that emphasise the purist raw character of the spectacles. Rodenstock R8010 is available from selected opticians in an exclusive felt case, containing the front frame and two pairs of temples. 20 Essilor/Eyespace As September marks Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and National Eye Health Week, Eyespace has joined forces with Essilor s Crizal UV protective lens division to support children s charity the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CHECT), a UK-based charity for families and individuals affected by the rare eye cancer retinoblastoma. In addition to fundraising initiatives that will be undertaken by individuals within the Eyespace team, throughout September the company will also donate 10p to CHECT for every order it receives. Essilor has pledged to match the donation for every order taken by Eyespace from its Crizal UV Protective Lens customers. Joint managing director of Eyespace, Jayne Abel, commented: Forty-five per cent of the children who develop retinoblastoma have a genetic form of the disease, so the work of the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust is really vital in understanding more about its heritable links and in saving young lives. Furthermore retinoblastoma is one of the less common cancers of childhood and in the majority of cases, develops in children of pre-school age, so we want to do all we can to help raise money and awareness of this extraordinary charity and its cause, primarily during September, and then further beyond. James Conway James Conway, joint CEO of the Optoplast Group, has joined the board of the Federation of Manufacturing Opticians (FMO). He said: I am really looking forward to bringing another perspective. Optics has changed beyond belief in the time of my family s optical business and we are keen to embrace developments and seek new opportunities for the sector. I look forward to being involved and in highlighting some issues that we all face. 21 International Eyewear New Storm London model S536 from International Eyewear is a design for men with a smaller eye size of 48 and an interlocking integrated flex hinge, reflecting the brand s technical watch designs. Complemented by a modern rectangular eye shape and signature shaped tips, the frame is aimed at the teen market and available in Brushed New design from Storm London Gun (C1) and Black (C2).

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15 NEWS Kirk & Kirk Colour acrylic Kaleidoscope The Kirk & Kirk stand at Silmo later this month looks set to be busy as the company launches two new styles in its Vivarium collection, and a new acrylic collection called Kaleidoscope. We have spent much of this year listening to opticians to assess what would improve their business, said Jason Kirk. The majority want a collection that makes their store unique and allows them to stand out from their competitors but also a collection that will sell. The Kaleidoscope optical collection offers eight shapes in nine colours which include aqua, coral, cranberry and combinations colours Ocean Flame, Dusk and Earth. Shapes remain simple and accessible with a nod in the direction of classic British styling. The Kaleidoscope Sun Collection is comprised of six shapes in four colour combinations. Despite their many years of experience in eyewear, this is only Jason and Karen s second collection as Kirk & Kirk. Their first, Vivarium, created a storm at Silmo 2014 and was greeted with several awards through the year. 23 General Optical Council The regulatory framework for health and social care needs radical change. It is out of date, over-complicated and too expensive, the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) said in Rethinking regulation published last month. The body, which oversees organisations that regulate health and care professionals in the UK, is calling for the redesign of regulation in order to deal with pressure on the health and care sector. Without reform, the Authority argues, health and care systems in the UK cannot face up to future challenges including an ageing population, long-term conditions, comorbidity, the rising cost of health technologies and a global shortage of health and care workers. Responding to the report, General Optical Council (GOC) chief executive, Samantha Peters, said: The PSA s report raises some very important issues about the future of healthcare regulation, and we encourage others to join a wider debate on this. It is essential we properly and comprehensively consider the best ways in which to approach the future of regulation, and the PSA s report is a welcome step forward in initiating this conversation. We have already been pushing for legislative change in the shape of the Law Commissions Bill and were disappointed that this was not included in the Queen s Speech. We are keen to see changes to the current legal framework to enable us and other regulators to enhance our role in public protection, and we welcome the opportunity to debate this further. solutions. The system is said to gather and calculate basic fitting parameters in just 20 seconds with a precision of 1/10mm. Peter Robertson, Carl Zeiss Vision marketing and communications director, explained: Incorporating the new i.terminal Mobile by Zeiss into the dispensing process provides eyecare professionals with the latest digital centration device, ensuring individualised lenses for every face, frame and prescription, as well as providing a streamlined workflow and optimised vision for patients. By investing in the latest Zeiss measuring technology, the company is offering customers a 100 per cent rebate on the Zeiss i.terminal Mobile investment through their Zeiss lens spend. 25 Scope Ophthalmics New research commissioned by Scope Ophthalmics, conducted with 200 GPs in May, has found that one in three people aged 65 or older are now suffering from dry eye disease (DED). Despite GPs seeing an average of seven patients with DED each week, 77 per cent of GPs did not feel fully confident in treating the condition; only 6.5 per cent of GPs used diagnostic tests before providing a prescription, with three in five relying solely on patient discussion. Forty-five per cent of GPs admitted they wanted more training on diagnostic procedures such as Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), fluorescein and ophthalmoscopes, while 71 per cent believed compliance was a significant barrier to effective treatment of DED. Brian Tompkins, optometrist in Northampton and president of the British Contact Lens Association, said: GPs receive very little ophthalmic training and realise that their knowledge about the eye is limited. It s ingrained that a prescription of hypromellose will solve the problem, but it doesn t. This new research demonstrates the need for both optometrist-led DED clinics and alternative treatment options. Scope has produced a series of patient information guides on DED and blepharitis available free by telephoning Contamac The new Zeiss i.terminal Mobile Martyn Lewis has re-joined Contamac as business development and project manager after five years with Goodfellow Cambridge. Martyn said: I am very pleased to be returning to Contamac. Our research teams have been very busy and we have a full pipeline of new technologies coming through. I am looking forward to partnering with our customers to bring these innovations to the patient. 24 Carl Zeiss Vision The new Zeiss i.terminal Mobile centration system for the ipad has been designed to improve visual comfort in patients who require customised lens Martyn Lewis

16 14 NEWS 27 Vision Aid Overseas/OGS In celebration of its 30th Anniversary, Vision Aid Overseas (VAO) has joined forces with Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) in a combined fundraising effort for the World Sight Day Challenge (WSDC) on 8 October and the Optics Cycling for Sight initiative. Now in its ninth year, the WSDC is the largest annual global fundraising campaign to address avoidable blindness. Optics Cycling for Sight (OG4S) is asking the optical profession to collectively cycle 25,000 miles before WSD, the equivalent to cycling once around the world and raise at least 25,000 in donations. Funds raised from the respective campaigns will help support the 150,000 target of additional donations VAO is aiming to achieve in 2015 for its 30th Anniversary year. Find out more at and 28 Association of British Dispensing Opticians With exhibition spaces for the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) Conference, from September at Manchester Central, now fully booked and additional sponsorship secured, the Association has been able to pass on a sizeable reduction in delegate fees. Fees for attending the ABDO Conference will now reduce from the original published prices of 95 for a one-day delegate pass and 190 for a two-day delegate pass to 50 and 100 respectively. The delegate fees include lunch, coffee breaks and an extensive CET programme, which includes a dedicated contact lens track in partnership with the British Contact Lens Association, and covers all the competencies to help both OO and DO delegates meet their GOC requirements by the end of this three-year cycle. Entry to the exhibition is free of charge and there will be some 40 exhibitors to see, including NEG. See what s on the programme and register online at ABDO 2015 will cover all the competencies 29 Falmouth Sightings Vision Now s Falmouth Sightings columnist, Sue Kittow, has written a new book Walks in the Footsteps of Cornish Writers featuring 20 walks each associated with different writers connected to Cornwall. It was fascinating talking to the contemporary authors about their favourite walks, said Sue. Similarly, it has been interesting to find out more about the places that were so special to those well-known writers who are no longer with us and why they were so special. Some writers, like John Betjeman, have made their favourite places famous through verse or novels. Others, like Philip Marsden, use regular walks as a valuable part of A walk on the Cornish side their writing day, and it has been a privilege to share their thoughts. From Derek Tangye s books based in Lamorna to the revered Stephen Hawking at Morwenstow, here are a variety of walks that inspired the authors, and I hope will inspire readers too, Sue added. The book is available from all good bookstores. AN INDEPENDENT VIEW Bringing fresh blood into independent practice From a number of events held at different universities up and down the country last year, the AIO found that the overwhelming majority of students had the aspiration to work in independent practice. Indeed many had the ambition to own their own practices. There are two routes to practice ownership. The first is by buying in to an existing practice, something that remains relatively commonplace, although sadly the number of independent practices has shrunk quite significantly in recent years. The second is by opening a new practice something which is easy to say, but not so easy to do. And there is currently nowhere to go that brings together all the elements of information and advice that aspiring owners need to get started. The AIO intends in the coming months and years to help fill that gap. As the only body that exclusively represents and promotes independents it is a natural thing for the Association to do. So what is involved? Well it starts with helping aspiring independents to identify the optimum location to establish a practice, based on the opportunity in the market and by understanding the demographics of a locality that might inform the patient base that can be developed. Next there is the need to identify the right premises and this will often mean entering into a lease, in itself a daunting proposition. Then there is the acquisition of equipment and furniture and with the rare exception of those entering into a new practice with deep pockets, it is financing the new venture. All the other elements of the legal, accounting, insurance, human resources etc, requirements also have to be considered. The thing is that competence in all these disciplines exists in the businesses that serve the optical profession and there is no need to reinvent any wheels. That is why the AIO is seeking to work with organisations and businesses that share the objective of helping to develop a broad and vibrant base of new independent practices. By bringing together all the knowledge and experience that already exists into one place, not only will this bring fresh blood into the sector, but it will also play a full part in the future resurgence of independent practice. Uniquely amongst representative organisations, the AIO is determined to play a full part in delivering this outcome.

17 Mod. Sam C1 #lovewhatwesee eyespace-eyewear.co.uk

18 SILMO, PARIS 25TH - 28TH SEPTEMBER 2015 HALL 6 E continental-eyewear.co.uk Continental Eyewear MODEL WEARS X-EYES 151

19 Developing thoughts PRACTICE MATTERS 17 Phil Mullins Balancing act on THE STAGE THIS YEAR OUR CONFERENCE TITLE IS CLINICAL VS RETAIL: FINDING THE BALANCE AND WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER A PROGRAMME THAT DOES WHAT IT SAYS ON THE TIN The conference starts on Sunday afternoon with a focus on contact lenses, led by the professional services team at CooperVision. There will be three sessions two CET and one business session. Session one is a discussion workshop on Multifocal contact lenses: delivering vision and value beyond glasses, which supports a progressive approach to enhancing the lives of your presbyopes. Session two is Are they being served? Understanding and meeting the needs of today s patients while Session three is Considerations or deliberations? Are we at crossed purposes with our cyls? Many practitioners think they know it s all about correcting astigmats with soft toric contact lenses. Our experience, and recent results with practitioners, has shown there is still much to share. So be prepared to potentially re-orientate your thinking. The Sunday sessions will be followed by an evening of good food, networking and entertainment at our inaugural conference dinner. Hopefully after a good night s sleep, you ll be ready for a fun packed Monday. Kicking off proceedings will be Peter Reeve with his talk, Communication in practice transaction showing how the dispensing transaction cannot be divorced from considerations of clinical needs, and why the practitioner should not associate selling with non-professional behaviour. There will be some interesting insights into the so-called VALS types as identified by the Stanford Research Institute. Next up is Creating more income from your clinical excellence with Mark Holloway, which looks at the ethical dilemma of charging patients for a more comprehensive eye health check, the ongoing debate of who will pay for shared care in the community, and the preconceived idea that patients won t pay a premium for eyecare if given the choice. Optometrist Mark will outline how he turned a significant technology investment for the care of his patients into profit. Because you re worth it After a break, with a chance to look around the exhibition of leading NEG Preferred Suppliers, we see the return of Andy Clark. In Because I m worth it, Andy explores six factors that influence a patient s choice of optician; three that people want more of and three that people want less of. Price is one of them and the discounters want the public to think that it is the only thing that matters. Andy will explain that when you look beyond price to the other five factors, it is possible to create an offering where people expect to pay more because you offer them more of what they are actually looking for. In short, they will pay you more because you are worth it. One of the most important parts of the day at any conference is lunch. It gives you a chance to take a break, top up the fuel tank and mingle with your fellow delegates. But I would encourage everyone to take time to visit as many of the exhibitors as you can, as without their sponsorship there wouldn t be a conference and by exhibiting they are demonstrating their commitment to independent practices. Next month s issue will have a full review of what will be on offer at the exhibition. Following lunch we start with a split session It s a game of two halves: an introduction to sports vision. This will be in the form of two, 20-minute presentations from Silhouette, who will use their experience with the Adidas range to show how to introduce sports vision into your practice but more importantly how to make it a profitable element. The penultimate CET session is A holistic approach to assessing the elderly patient with Dr Scott Mackie, who will discuss geriatric eye disease from two perspectives: ocular pathology and communication. The final CET lecture is Professional solutions: a guide for optical sales by Nick Hornsby. Understanding the needs of consumers is vital in the optical practice as in any technical retail environment where the customer has no understanding of the product. Consumers also dislike being sold to. This Professional Solutions training lecture introduces you to more consultative skills using the eyecare method, boosting your professionalism in the eyes of your patients and ultimately increasing their satisfaction, without selling. In turn you will become more valued by your customers, differentiating yourself from competitors through what you say and how you treat them rather than with price. So, as you can see we have a varied programme this year, which has something for everyone. To register to attend, simply visit and follow the link from the homepage. We look forward to seeing you in Leicester in November.

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21 A FAMILY AFFAIR Making business better for independent opticians is our number one priority COMPANY PROFILE 19 Squaw from the Whiz Kids collection Dunelm Optical is entering its 47th year of trading. A family business that fast became one of the UK s leading suppliers of designer eyewear, prescription glazing, cases and accessories, its constant stream of high quality products and services continue to be a key staple in independent practices across the UK and beyond. Vision Now sits down with managing director, Peter Beaumont, to find out the secret of its success and what s next for the business. VN: You re a family business that s been around for longer than most. What has made you stand the test of time? PB: I come from an optical family with my grandfather, dad, brother and his two children all opticians, and my wife and son, daughter and nephew all involved with Dunelm. We ve been in optics since 1900, and throughout that time we ve always got under the skin of what independent opticians really need to succeed and then, simply, we ve made sure we ve provided it. We ve built long-lasting relationships with practice owners and opticians and listened closely to what they want, tailoring our products and services accordingly. It s all about working in partnership to make sure the independent sector continues to develop. VN: And what about your product offering? PB: We offer a breadth of product range that s unrivalled in my opinion, in terms of style and budget, which has enabled us to build our portfolio of independent opticians, here in the UK and now in 50 countries worldwide. We re passionate about the quality and fit of our frames, using top European materials, parts and joints with tight quality controls in place. Having premier fashion designer Paul Costelloe and lingerie brand Janet Reger on the books is a win-win situation, as we benefit from their Great British High Street appeal and they from our industry and eyewear design experience. We ve also got a licensed range with Celine Dion, and then our own collections including the fashion-forward Retro brand, WhizKids which is a bestselling children s eyewear range, Chantelle for older ladies, Julian Beaumont, which has wide appeal to the mid- A new style from Paul Costelloe market, and more budget ranges Universal and Euroflex to fulfil the full barometer of optician requirements from a range. We ve got 13 frame collections currently and that s been consistent for the past few years. We ve not launched any new frame ranges or signed up any new brands just developed the ones we ve got and focused on quality, good pricing and excellent marketing as a full package. We also offer an extensive range of cases and accessories, manufactured at our own factory in Leeds, and prescription lenses from our in-house lens laboratory in Durham. Our original grounding came from the lens manufacturing side and developed into frames, which is where we stand out from competitors. VN: How have you evolved your offer to independent opticians? PB: This year we ve launched a number of new initiatives aimed at further improving the high level service we provide. We re offering free postage and packaging for all-in glazed prescription frames for the first time, following feedback from opticians who objected to paying for postage. At our HQ in Durham, we ve invested in new state-of-the-art surfacing machinery to produce our own brand freeform lenses. We can also surface lenses for opticians with their own labs, and now have a Nidek specialist lens edger, to give the best finish on our glazed production. Our new suite of marketing collateral for opticians has been received extremely well once again, inspiring patients with different eyewear solutions. We ve introduced video of our collections and model photoshoots this year, for practices to play in reception areas. Our e-commerce website has also been re-launched so that making orders online is even easier and more convenient. VN: What s next for the optical industry and for Dunelm? PB: I think the eyewear industry is in great shape going into It s packed with trend-setting fashion, new companies entering the market, technological developments and, most of all, more skilled opticians than ever before who are fantastic at educating patients and committed to providing the highest quality eyecare. Glasses add a whole new dimension to someone s everyday look and frames are now ingrained in someone s identity, lifestyle and attitude and that s had an impact on design. As such we ve added to our premier design team to keep ahead of trends. We ll continue to develop our product portfolio and showcase our brands at key trade shows, which is something we ve always done successfully. Next up is Silmo in Paris this month. We ll be entering our fifth decade in optics before we know it and we ve never been more focused on making business better for quality independent opticians. Our number one priority is to help them add value to their patient care and services and, ultimately, to help them build business.

22 20 PRODUCT PROFILE Line Art CHARMANT A symphony of style Inspired by the beauty of music, the Line Art Charmant collection is a harmonious mix of technology and art, design and inspiration Intricately assembled using award-winning laser micro-welding technology, the Charmant Group s prestigious Line Art Charmant collection is its first signature eyewear brand to be fashioned from Excellence Titan the Group s flagship titanium alloy material. A game-changing feat of engineering technology, Excellence Titan was launched in 2009 after an eight-year joint research journey with the Tohoku University in Japan, the world authority of Metallurgical Research. At the same time as developing Excellence Titan, Charmant set about perfecting its precision laser welding technique by collaborating with the Joining & Welding Research Institute of Osaka University and the Fukui Prefecture Industrial Support Center. The use of Excellence Titan in the Line Art Charmant collection has resulted in a lightweight, flexible, anti-allergen, extremely comfortable and aesthetically appealing collection adored by female spectacle wearers the world over. First launched globally, including the UK, in 2010 and now in year five, Line Art Charmant has grown into a real contender in optical practices across the world, says Louise Brunton, Charmant UK general manager. For the patient, the collection offers a number of important benefits that make the frames stand out from the crowd. Excellence Titan is a highly flexible titanium alloy, so the light weight of the temples reduces pressure, giving the wearer optimum comfort. The material is also completely nickel-free and therefore anti-allergenic which is so important these days with increased air pollution and other allergens in the environment. Louise also points to the material s unique design: Excellence Titan is so versatile and allows for so many design possibilities, that it enables the designers to be ever-creative in the crafting of new shapes and styles. Memory function is also an important benefit of Excellence Titan, in that the frames can retain their original shape, preventing deformation to the temples, even over prolonged use. The pinpoint laser welding process that is used to create the Line Art Charmant collection ensures that only a minimal area of the metal is heated. The structure of the metal remains unchanged, reducing the risk of breakage and resulting in durable shapes and designs, explains Louise. Charmant s first signature eyewear brand to be crafted from Excellence Titan Flawless design strands Often described as being more akin to a piece of jewellery than a pair of spectacles, Line Art Charmant frames are pure and flawless in design, elegant and truly feminine. Six strands make up the collection Opera, Duo, Quintet, Rondo, Canon and Dolce, and each frame comes with a presentation boxed case and high quality branded shopping bag. Inspired by the passion of operatic performance, Opera frames require many hours of intricate hand assembly. There are a staggering 490 manufacturing steps that go into creating a pair of Opera frames, 30 per cent of which are carried out by hand. One of the latest Opera models, XL2067, is a rimless eyepiece supported by temples of wavy filigree Excellence Titan, laser micro-welded to create a light-as-air wearing sensation. New super light, super slim acetate endtips add extra comfort while hand-mounted Swarovski crystals further accentuate the dramatic look. XL2067 is available in pink, white and gold. Another new Opera model, XL2068, features Nylor end-pieces with handmounted Swarovski crystals, available in monochrome rose gold or brown and violet, both featuring an extra glittery temple pattern. Opera model XL2067 featuring temples of wavy filigree Excellence Titan Nylor end-pieces with hand-mounted Swarovski crystals adorn Opera model XL2068

23 PRODUCT PROFILE 21 A new pressure mount style front has been added to Duo model XL2069 New Duo model XL2070 features a Nylor style front accentuating its clean and simple parallel lines The Duo line is more minimally and simply designed. An ensemble of two values contemporary femininity and superior comfort are realised by parallel lines on the profile with Swarovski crystals. This month, Charmant unveils two new Duo design enhancements. A new pressure mount style front has been added to model XL2069 to accentuate the frame s clean and elegant look. New Duo model XL2070 is a supra featuring a Nylor style front accentuating the clean and simple parallel lines even further, while new ergonomically shaped end-tips add more wearing comfort. Square cut Swarovski crystals are mounted in the micro-welded, Excellence Titan temples in rose gold, pink and red to add a discreet touch of glamour. frame in the world, says Louise. The future of eyewear lies in Excellence Titan and Line Art Charmant brings to the wearer the indispensable benefits of comfort, lightness, flexibility, beautiful design and a three-dimensional fitting. Line Art Charmant is a uniquely sophisticated eyewear brand and we are proud to support members of the National Eyecare Group in bringing this harmonious fusion of technology and art to their discerning clientele. Award-winning formula The Charmant Group has been renowned worldwide for its pioneering work in the research and development of new technologies in the optical industry for more than 50 years and not without recognition. In 2011, the Group received an Excellent Product Award from the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME) for Line Art Charmant a testament to its engineering prowess. The award was given based on the proven performance of the product in the Japanese eyewear market, in addition to the fact that the company overcame technological challenges and created revolutionary products, parts and production technologies. Five most outstanding recommendations, made by the eight branches of JSME throughout Japan, were awarded and Charmant was the only one awarded for the consumer products field in that year, says Louise. Not one to rest on its laurels, Charmant followed this up by winning a 2012 Monozukuri Nippon Grand Award, a commendation awarded by the Japanese prime minister and bestowed for the very first time in the eyewear industry to Charmant. In the same year, the Group received a Laser Industry Contribution Award from the Laser Society of Japan 2011 for its precision laser welding technology used in the collection. A Japanese Good Design Award in 2013, and second prize in the luxury category at France s prestigious Les Ponts d Or optical competition in August 2014, followed. For the latter, Line Art Charmant s selection was based on the results of a survey by the leading French trade magazine and competition organiser, Inform Optic, which was sent to 10,000 optical practices across the country. Awareness and appreciation of the collection continues to be cultivated across all four continents. We believe that Line Art Charmant frames featuring Excellence Titan have a long-lasting wearing comfort that stands them apart from every other Add a luxury element to your practice with Line Art Charmant frames During the month of September, NEG members who order at least six pairs of frames from the Line Art Charmant collection will receive a complementary Line Art Crystal Display Set perfect for adding a touch of sparkle to the practice when displaying the latest additions to the collection. The set comprises a limited edition cube and crystal point-of-sale pack including a showcard and counter card. Simply contact your local Charmant representative, sales@charmant.co.uk or telephone

24 FINALIST I EDUCATION AWARD A

25 PRODUCT PROFILE IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN A leader in the world of high tech medical devices, Heidelberg Engineering is paving the way for the earlier recognition of eye disease to prevent and delay the most common causes of blindness Heidelberg Engineering s SPECTRALIS OCT in action If only I had a One in two cases of sight loss can be avoided One in two pati glaucom ents with a don have the t know they disease with patients One in two unaware they are diabetes disease have the Can you spot the differenc e? One in two people with diabetes are unaware they have the disease One in two sixty year olds have some form of cataract e s hav r old ct 60 yea catara in twoform of e One som loss ght of si ses ded cathe Will you be avoi one? two One in can be Will you be the We can. cataract procedures are carried out each year in the UK, the vast majority with excellent results.to get the best outcome from cataract surgery, it s important to have a full retinal examination prior to treatment. With the SPECTRALIS 4D HD eye health check we see the smallest change before you do and that changes everything. Seeing behind the cataract allows for better treatment planning and a better outcome for you. Protect your future, book your eye health check today. GmbH Engineering GmbH Left untreated, glaucoma but 50% of can cause patients are blindness, unaware they have the disease Heidelberg Engineering One in two people Will you bewith the one? diabetes are UK.BE UK.BE14 Heidelberg Engineering GmbH Will you be the one? We can see the smallest change... and that changes everything Heidelberg u be yo Will change smallest see the everything We can that changes 350, and UK.BE14 one? the the with HD ed IS 4D avoid thing. be TRAL can everyme for loss the SPEC es chang r outco of sight With that time. and 50% a bette and priate do sight. ent appro e you their the e befor r treatm losingent at start chang for earlie. UK s treatm est today ge small allow check right in the chan ng day n or the see the disease health ea llest ythi eye riptio we can s eye peopl sma ever, your 100 t presccheck the of seriou, book correc see changes health tion future can eye r detec your ct We and that Earlie Prote... you UK.BE14 Heidelberg Engineering GmbH Will you be the one? Protect your FutureWill you be the one? Book your 4D HD Eye Health Check Today One in sight loss two cases of can be avoided sight loss is One in two cases of caused by AMD one? Glaucoma advanced is a hereditary disease glaucoma health are unaware that is often check we called the see detection they have of glaucomathe smallest the condition.thief of sight. change future, 50% of allows book your before With the eye health for earlier treatmentyou do and SPECTRALISpatients with check today. 4D and a betterthat changes everything. HD eye outcome Earlier for you. Protect your AMD can rob you of your central sight. Once this is affected simple activities like driving, watching TV and even recognising faces becomes impossible. With the SPECTRALIS 4D HD eye health check we see the smallest change before you do and that changes everything. Earlier detection of AMD allows for earlier treatment and a better outcome for you. Protect your future, We can reduce caneye see the book your health check today. and treatment... and smallest SPECTRALIS detection that changes change With the loss. Early retinopathy. changes everything. cause sight everythin that can with diabetic do and that g disease 10 patients before you is a serious 9 out of change Diabetes loss for smallest of sight today. see the the chance check we health check eye health We can see the smallest change 4D HD eye future, book your your... and that changes everything Protect VN: How much are you charging for OCT? Mark: We have found that when we explain the benefits of OCT, the additional aspect of health checking is very well received. We are charging 35 and most people are happy with that. We have a very diverse patient demographic but there appears to be no correlation between affluence and those who choose to have the scan. Many of our patients have health insurance and one of the local companies Westfield Health One in two cases of serious sight loss is caused by age related macular degeneration (AMD) UK.BE14 Heidelberg Engineering GmbH VN: Do you invest much in marketing OCT? Mark: We used the free supply of leaflets provided by Heidelberg Engineering, and have had some more produced for use in the practice and with recall letters. Our website promotes the technology and we have included the video from Heidelberg Engineering, which shows what takes place and the resulting scans. We placed an article in the local press and have ed as many patients as possible. We used MailChimp analytics to see how many people opened the and it was well above the industry standard. VN: What do you feel about OCT a year on? Mark: The SPECTRALIS is proving to be a great way to differentiate ourselves, and patients respond well to a fairly clear message. Our tagline is, Far more precision than is possible with the human eye, and that seems to capture people s attention. Certainly when we tell patients that we have the latest and most up-to-date technology they tend to go for it. Heidelberg has proved to be very good in terms of customer service, marketing support and training. GmbH Our receptionists are very good and can explain the benefits whenever the opportunity arises. About 20 per cent of our patients are now having OCT scans but we are expecting this to grow. Most are older patients, but others with a family history of disease are receptive to the idea of having a baseline scan to file away for future reference. VN: Is there an opportunity for hospital work? Mark: We have no local protocol currently for taking on hospital work but our two nearest major eye departments the Chesterfield Royal Hospital and the Royal Hallamshire in Sheffield both use the SPECTRALIS. When we are referring, we can include copies of the scans and the departments know they can trust the technology. In the future, I would like to think that patients could be discharged from the hospital and we could review them in the community. Engineering How has the first year been of introducing a new type of technology? Mark: It is all about patient education. We have concentrated on ensuring that the patients know that we have this new technology, and we have explained the benefits very well. We have done this via recall letters, the website and by speaking to patients within the practice. Some patients call and others come in and say, We hear you have a fancy new gadget: is it suitable for me? It is certainly a talking point. VN: How easy is it to read the scans especially at the outset? Mark: I have attended the Heidelberg Academy training sessions so have learned what to look out for, and the team there are extremely good at supporting us to develop our skills within the practice especially when we have queries about the images. Heidelberg VN: VN: How does OCT fit into a routine eye examination? Mark: We allocate a separate 30-minute appointment for OCT; this enables me to take the scan, analyse it and give the patient feedback whilst they are still with me. This means they can normally leave with peace of mind. Occasionally I need to call patients back for further scans but this is unusual. UK.BE14 VN: Why did you decide to invest in OCT? Mark: We were drawn to the SPECTRALIS as our first practice OCT for its ease of use and the superb imaging quality of the technology. Our motivation was twofold: to better manage patients from a clinical perspective and to increase business revenue. will pay for OCT, so patients can frequently claim the cost back depending on how they choose to utilise their allowance Mark Holloway Heidelberg s flagship product, the SPECTRALIS optical coherence tomographer (OCT), is fastbecoming an integral and essential part of routine optometric practice in the UK. Vision Now talks to Mark Holloway, optometrist practice owner from Dronfield, near Sheffield, who invested in a SPECTRALIS OCT just over a year ago, to find out how OCT can add value to patient eye healthcare and to the practice business. One in two cases of sight loss is caused by AMD spot Can you rence? the diffe unaware Protect yourthey Future have Book the your 4D HD disease Eye Health Check Today l you Wil One be the? one ure in two r Fut you HD 60 tect 4D year ay rolds We can see Pro and the smallest youchanges k that ck Tod change... have Che everything Boo som formhealth e Eye of cataract We can see the smallest change... and that changes everything change smallest see the We can changes everything and that Protect your Future Book your 4D HD Eye Health Check Today... We can and thatsee the smallest changes change everything... Will you Will you be the one? Protect your Future Book your 4D HD Eye Health Check Today be the one? Protec t your Book your Future 4D HD Eye Health Check Today 23

26 24 PRODUCT PROFILE Amazing space-age technology John Rose, an optometrist practice owner in Kingston, Surrey, is also a SPECTRALIS aficionado. He says: Every day is so interesting I can t believe how lucky I am to use such amazing technology. As professionals we are so fortunate to have access to equipment that tells us so much. The innovation of the SPECTRALIS is incredible and as a manufacturer, Heidelberg takes a long-term view, which I like as a practice owner. The range of normal is so enormous that follow-up is the key to the value of OCT, continues John. Following change through eye tracking, and the tremendous attention to detail of the SPECTRALIS, make it a very valuable tool. It is only when you start following up that you realise that Heidelberg Engineering is in a class of its own. If you are interested in clinical care and helping patients to look after their vision in the best possible way, there is only one machine worth having the SPECTRALIS. I have two in my practice and I like the way they can be updated with each new innovation. John Rose Strengthening the team Heidelberg Engineering s commitment to integrate the advanced eye scanning technology used by astronauts on the International Space Station into High Street practices is strengthened with several recent promotions of in-house experts. The Heidelberg Engineering Academy is actively working to ensure seamless integration of the SPECTRALIS technology into a wide range of ophthalmic practices. Interpretation of results, building links with hospital eye departments, financial advice, patient communication and designing the patient journey are all part of the comprehensive offering. providing visionary diagnostic solutions. Our customers can draw upon this great wealth of experience via our clinical programme. Fresh faces on the team are Phill Ennion and Ken Binns, who have been appointed to the newly created roles of clinical implementation managers, applying their SPECTRALIS experience to the Academy team, as Ken explains: The new role will raise the bar on customer satisfaction from the initial site survey through to user training and workflow management. We ensure that there is consistency of care, with the same contact to facilitate all of their requirements. Emily Malbon, now promoted to marketing communications manager, is in her third year with Heidelberg s company and praises the commitment to customer support: We have a highly motivated team who take great pride in an excellent product, she says. Part of my role is to help our SPECTRALIS owners to promote the technology to their patients and to grow their businesses through the enhancement of clinical services. From left, Ken Binns, Emily Malbon and Christopher Mody Leading the team is Christopher Mody, recently promoted to director of clinical services, who has more than 30 years of retinal imaging experience. Christopher says: The Heidelberg Engineering Academy provides access to knowledge and experience built up over 25 years of At the 2015 NEG Building for Success Conference, being held on 22 and 23 November at the Hinckley Island Hotel, Leicester, Headline Sponsor Heidelberg Engineering will be sponsoring a presentation by Mark Holloway entitled, Creating higher income from your clinical excellence. Book your free place on the conference, themed Clinical vs retail: finding the balance, at

27 EVERYTHING A CONFERENCE SHOULD BE NETWORKING CONFERENCE EXHIBITION REGISTER ONLINE NOW NETWORKING PARTY GOOD FOOD GOLF DAY ABDO SOCIALISE CATCH UP FUN OLD FRIENDS GALA DINNER NEW CONTACTS GOOD COMPANY DANCING RELAX ALL WELCOME CITY BREAK The 2015 ABDO Conference and Exhibition will be held at Manchester Central - an award winning venue located in the heart of city centre Manchester. The ABDO Conference and Exhibition is the premiere event for dispensing opticians and is also hailed as one of the most convivial and rewarding networking events in the UK optical calendar. A unique event in the 2015 optical calendar Opportunities to network with convivial company Meet friends old and new Make new contacts All optical professionals and students are welcome to attend To reserve a place at the pre-conference golf tournament bduncan@abdo.org.uk BOOK ONLINE ABDO CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION Sunday 20 and Monday 21 September 2015 Manchester Central PRE-CONFERENCE GOLF TOURNAMENT Saturday 19 September 2015 PRE-CONFERENCE WELCOME PARTY Saturday 19 September 2015 Wolfson Reading Room, Manchester Central Library ABDO GALA DINNER Sunday 20 September 2015 The Midland Hotel, Manchester Association of British Dispensing Opticians

28 26 STYLE SPOTLIGHT Championship EYEWEAR FOR SPORTS enthusiasts BY JOAN GRADY, FASHION EDITOR MBT Ambassador for Evil Eye Evo by Adidas Eyewear, Justin Leov When you do something best in life, you don t really want to give it up and for me it s tennis, Roger Federer Have you ever dreamt of holding the magnificent Wimbledon trophy high over your head as grass court champion? Or perhaps arriving on your bicycle at l Arc de Triomphe in Paris, and donning the yellow jersey symbolic of le Tour de France race leaders? Whether you are looking at styles for yourself or your practice, all sports participation requires commitment, determination and self-confidence, among other attributes, including mental and physical awareness. This applies whether the goal is to be a repeat champion like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Christopher Froome or Tom Daley, or to relish and participate in a sports activity purely for pleasure. In addition to a healthy body and maximum fitness, eyesight is a vital component for sport excellence. Certain sports require mandatory eyewear at all times swimming and skiing in particular for safety, comfort and protection. In addition, tech-savvy and fashionable sports frames offer some of the most exciting designs currently available in eyewear to attract new and existing patients to discover more in your practice. Colours are vibrant, or contrasted with cool, sophisticated tones. Technical components and trendy mirror lenses add to the style appeal of sports spectacles. Practicality and sophistication Lacoste celebrates the joy of tennis this season with a new sunglass Capsule Collection Lacoste LT12 inspired by the reinvention of the traditional tennis racket, which combines wood and graphite for the first time. French tennis player Jean René Lacoste launched a tennis legacy as a world-class champion in the 1920s, winning seven grand slam titles, and introduced the Lacoste tennis shirt featuring the world-famous crocodile logo in The Limited Edition of only 500 rackets being produced globally is truly a unique testament to Lacoste s achievements. Decades later, the casual timelessness of the Lacoste shirt s design continues to appeal to tennis fans and champions the world over. The company s latest stylish sunglass campaign features three tennis legends, who manifest their fashion preferences: John Isner (USA), Jéremy Chardy (France) and Pablo Andûjar (Spain). The sunglasses, inspired by tennis aesthetics, are modern classics with clean features, and are available in super colour combinations that include white with the iconic Lacoste green piping detail, and black with a Mediterranean blue trim. Championship style by Lacoste: the LT12 worn by tennis pro John Isner Spain s Pablo Andûjar wears Lacoste green and white Sunglasses

29 STYLE SPOTLIGHT 27 Biking has numerous fans and whether the quest is for a serene and scenic cycle ride by the sea, to navigate heavy city traffic on the daily commute, or to ride in le Tour de France, eye protection is, of course, vital. Since the German brand was founded in 1949, Adidas Eyewear has created protective frames and lenses for optimum comfort and increased field of view. Advanced technology enables cycling frames to provide numerous safety and comfort benefits. New Zealand racer Justin Leov is the ambassador for the Evil Eye Evo Pro by Adidas Eyewear. This high tech, lightweight frame includes flash mirror lenses for an aggressive tonality, improved ventilation and a special hydrophobic coating on the front lens that ensures any moisture/droplets of water run off quickly for a clear view an important ingredient for speed and safety. On the slopes Slope sophistication and protection: ski goggles by Götti Switzerland Snowboarding or downhill skiers will appreciate the new ûber-tech goggles that protect your eyes, and offer cool style sophistication. Snow is synonymous with Switzerland and Götti, based near Zurich, has created goggles with impressive technical features, including an anti-fog system with double glazing and optimum ventilation. The material is lightweight flexible and with resistant rubber and features a threedimensional matt finish. The Götti style element is further enhanced with mirror lenses in blue, yellow and gold. Justin Rose, Adidas Eyewear golf ambassdor, wears Kumacross In the driving seat: Dante by Serengeti with polarised lenses Driving on motorways is not quite the same as being on the track for a Formula One event. However, both require quality eye protection, and Serengeti is literally in the driving seat with its frames and lenses for motoring. Ultra-bright sunshine, unexpected shadows, and flying objects can all distort vision when on the road. Serengeti s lenses are photochromic for all light conditions, and feature spectral control to enhance colours: red, green and yellow lenses filters out blue light that causes retinal glare and eye fatigue. Special nonpolarised versions are also available in the company s Pilots Collection. As residents of Denmark know, winter conditions can be comfortably cold to Arctic and unforgiving, and especially so on the ski slopes. To cope with various mountain conditions, Orgreen Optics has launched a goggle produced in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a material that stays flexible even at very low temperatures. Antifog coated lenses ensure patients are chic and protected on the steepest slopes. Ski adventures with Tamok Goggle by Orgreen Denmark Statement cycling in 6th Sense by Bollé Sailing is another sport where bright sun, hazy conditions and strong winds can have an effect on clarity and focus. Busnhell has created sunglasses ideal for sailing with polarised Offshore Blue Lenses with hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings, that help combat varying sea conditions. The aquatic life has wonderful health benefits. However, chlorine that keeps swimming pool water clean can be extremely irritating to the eyes. Norville s colourful collection of swimming goggles ensures that the eyes are safeguarded against potentially harmful chemicals. From cycling to cross-country, skiing to kayaking, eye protection is essential in order to focus clearly. Sports attract numerous new fans on a year-round basis. This exciting market, with its amazing style and safety requirements, is an ideal opportunity for independent opticians to develop this growing sector, and become champions of eyecare wellness for sport enthusiasts. Mountaineering with style Lhotse by Cébé with protective leather side shields Exploration and adventure If the golfing green is the destination, Adidas has the ideal design for both fashion and function. The Kumacross sunglass is extremely lightweight, flexible and is produced from hypoallergenic SPX materials. The frame has a wide eight-base design for improved field of vision. Kumacross is also compatible for prescriptions, making the frame very patient-friendly. Swimming essentials goggles by Norville

30 Vision Now PREFERRED SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY Preferred Suppliers are suppliers who, by prior arrangement, offer members of the PK National Eyecare Group preferential terms. For full details and terms offered to the membership, please call Directory listings are available free of charge to all preferred suppliers, with a larger listing available to Vision Now Advertisers. To make changes to the directory listings, please call Sharon Hicks on or s.hicks@nationaleyecare.co.uk ACCEPT CARDS Tel: Richard.west@acceptcards.co.ukww BRULIMAR OPTICAL GROUP Tel: Fax: COOPERVISION Tel: Fax: orders@coopervision.co.uk If only I had a ARENA EYEWEAR Tel: BRANDS DAILIES TOTAL1 DAILIES AquaComfort Plus DAILIES AquaComfort Plus Toric DAILIES AquaComfort Plus Multifocal Focus DAILIES All Day Comfort TM Focus DAILIES TORIC Focus DAILIES PROGRESSIVES AIR OPTIX COLORS AIR OPTIX AQUA AIR OPTIX for ASTIGMATISM AIR OPTIX AQUA MULTIFOCAL AIR OPTIX NIGHT & DAY AQUA FreshLook Colors FreshLook ColorBlends FreshLook ONE-DAY FreshLook Dimensions DAILIES FreshLook Illuminate TM OPTI-FREE PureMoist OPTI-FREE RepleniSH OPTI-FREE Express AOSEPT PLUS AOSEPT PLUS with HydraGlyde Systane Ultra Systane Balance Systane Gel Drops Systane Lid Wipes Call Customer Services www. myalcon.co.uk ASSOCIATED OPTICAL Tel: Fax: sales@assopt.co.uk Novartis AG. CENTRO STYLE LTD Tel: Fax: sales@centrostyle.com Charmant UK Co Ltd tel fax sales@charmant.co.uk DAVID THOMAS Tel: Fax: orders@davidthomas.com DIBBLE OPTICAL SUPPLIES Tel: Fax: barry@dibbleoptical.co.uk DUNELM OPTICAL Tel: Fax: dunelm@dunelmoptical.co.uk ESSILOR Tel: Fax: o Widefield Fundus and OCT (16.5mm) Telephone: HENRY BEAUMONT Tel: Fax: info@henrybeaumont.com HILCO EUROPE Tel: info@hilco.co.uk HOYA LENS UK Tel: Fax: enquiries@hoya.co.uk orders@hoya.co.uk UK.BE15 Heidelberg Engineering GmbH BAUSCH + LOMB UK Tel: BIB OPHTHALMIC INSTRUMENTS Tel: sales@bibonline.co.uk INTERNATIONAL EYEWEAR LTD Tel: Fax: JOHNSON & JOHNSON Tel: BONDEYE OPTICAL Tel: Fax: sales@bondeyeoptical.co.uk Tel: Fax: sales@continental-eyewear..co.uk LENSTEC Tel: Fax: office@lenstec.co.uk

31 DIRECTORY 29 LUXOTTICA (UK) LTD Tel: No7 CONTACT LENSES Tel: Fax: RAWDON OPTICAL LIMITED Tel: Fax: SHAMIR UK Tel: Fax: Open your eyes to RIDGWAY OPTICAL Tel: Fax: SILHOUETTE UK LTD Tel: Fax: SPEC-CARE LIMITED Tel: See Better Look Perfect THEA PHARMACEUTICAL Tel: Fax: MARK ENNOVY Tel: Fax: MENRAD OPTICS Tel: Fax: MID-OPTIC Tel: Fax: NATIONWIDE FRAME REPAIRS Tel: Fax: NORVILLE OPTICAL GROUP Tel: Fax: ORANGE EYEWEAR Tel: Fax: PERFORMANCE FINANCE Tel: Fax: POSITIVE IMPACT Tel: PRACTICE BUILDING Tel: PRO-OPTIC Tel: SAUFLON PHARMACEUTICALS Tel: Fax: SEIKO OPTICAL UK Tel: Fax: SERIOUS READERS Tel: STEPPER UK Tel: STONE OPTICAL Tel: Fax: TANT LABORATORIES Tel: THREE SIXTY Tel: Fax: TOP VISION UK Tel: Fax: ULTRAVISION Tel: Fax: YOUNGER OPTICS EUROPE UK Tel: UK Mobile: FOR FULL DETAILS AND TERMS OFFERED TO THE MEMBERSHIP, PLEASE CALL or

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