Business Bites

SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS: JUNE AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS

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Regular eye checks can pick up problems before you develop serious sight loss

Diabetes

what you need to know

June is packed with awareness events including Diabetes Week and the BCLA Love Your Lenses Week (both 13-19 June), BNF Healthy Eating Week (13-17 June) and Macular Week (20-26 June).

A suggested social media post for Diabetes Week might be: "Why does diabetes cause eye problems? People with diabetes can have eye problems due to weakened, leaky or blocked blood vessels in the retina, the layer at the back of the eye. Over time, this can cause sight loss".

Find Q&As on all these topics and in the Eyecare FAQ section of the ABDO website and graphics in the EyecareFAQ resources for members section.

REMEMBER: you can find EyecareFAQ on the ABDO website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

BUSINESS BITES

CONTACT LENS SOLUTIONS

In this month's OA Corner, dispensing optician Sue Deal asks: why are there so many different ingredients in contact lens solutions – and what do they do? .

To help expand the OA's knowledge of this area of contact lens practice, Sue will first consider the fundamental purpose of a contact lens solution, which is to effectively disinfect the lens and remove any deposits. She will then look at the more common ingredients found in contact lens solutions, such as preservatives, buffers and surfactants, and outline their key functions.

Read OA Corner Part 18 in full on DO Online.

DISCOVER MORE ABOUT CONTACT LENS SOLUTIONS

MAXIMISING YOUR MENTORING QUESTIONS

Thinking of getting a mentor, or already have one? Here are some pointers on the sorts of questions you might ask your mentor to get the best out of the relationship...

To break the ice, try using questions to help you find out something about their own career. For example, you could ask: “How did you land your current role?” You could also ask more specific questions around your own career objectives and concerns. Questions like: "What do you wish you had known before taking your first management role?" "How did you learn to embrace risk-taking?" "Which leadership skills were the most difficult to develop?"

Once the conversation is flowing, you can bring up more specific questions around situations that you would like your mentor to help navigate. For example: "I tried to delegate a task last week and it did not go well. Can we work through what I could do differently next time?" "I have two very different career path options available to me. Can you help me work through the pros and cons of each to help me make a final decision?" Having the ability to see yourself as others view you is very valuable in both your career and personal life. The obvious question to start with is: “How do you think others perceive me?” Ask more questions such as: "Where do you see my strengths?" "What do you see as some of my blind spots and how can I improve?" "How could I communicate my ideas more clearly?"

Is there is a skill you’re currently working to enhance? Ask your mentor for advice and resources to help you polish that skill. Ask questions such as: "How can I become better at managing people who do not report to me?" "Do you have any quick tips for re-energising an overworked team?" "Can you recommend a book or resource for dealing with difficult conversations?" "What practices can you recommend for dealing with nervousness when speaking to groups?"

Re-energise your mentoring conversations and really get the results you are looking for. Find out more about mentoring on the ABDO Business Support Hub and the ABDO Mentor Platform.