EyeCare Professional Magazine March 2013 Issue

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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: service@woodoptic.com or by phone: 1 888 663 9065

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EYECAREPROFESSIONAL

MARCH 2013 Vol. 7 Issue 63

Features 6 12

Courtesy of TAG Heuer

Contents

Magazine

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

SELLING SUNWEAR Increase your sunglass sales by staying on top off all the trends in shapes and styles.

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by Lindsey Getz

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

by Judy Canty, LDO

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FREE FORM SATISFACTION Effective methods to help ECPs work together and predict which patients will want free form lenses.

by Renee Jacobs, OD, M.A.

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INTERVIEW: ALLERGAN Allergan’s David Gibson discusses the innovative products and initiatives available to dispensers.

By Paul DiGiovanni, LDO

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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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On The Cover:

Departments

CLARITI EYEWEAR

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

1-800-FRAMES-2 www.claritieyewear.com

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 EYECARE PROFESSIONAL 3

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EDITOR VIEW Jeff Smith

EYECAREPROFESSIONAL

Magazine

Google Glass – For Your Eyes Only? ’m assuming that most of you heard about the futuristic Google Glass glasses when they were first introduced last spring, and the company recently announced that 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 to alleviate concerns about privacy of user data.

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The EU is concerned about the way in which Google has, since last March, been pooling 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 prominent feature of Google Glass is the ability to record everything you see in real time. Will people be comfortable knowing that a Glass wearer can record their face and/or conversation? And will the company be selling this personal information to their advertisers 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 being distracted by heads up display functions while crossing busy streets. Google Glass is undoubtedly an exciting product, and should be a hit as the price inevitably comes down and the style becomes more mainstream. Making user data privacy a default feature would be a good start in helping to allay some of these concerns.

To learn more about this and other innovative eyewear developments, see Jim Magay’s article on page 50. As for the rest of this issue, we have the usual assortment of entertainment, editorial, and education: This month we are featuring the latest new releases in eyewear and sunwear for the spring. Speaking of the new season, Lindsey Getz stresses how important it is to start promoting sunwear early as the weather changes. Judy Canty describes how modern companies like Apple and IKEA can provide a blueprint of how to market our products more successfully.

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

Publisher/Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff Smith Production/Graphics Manager. . . . . . . . . . . Bruce S. Drob Director, Advertising Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . Lynnette Grande Contributing 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, ABOM Internet Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Adler Opinions expressed in editorial submissions contributed to EyeCare Professional Magazine, ECP™ are those of the individual writers exclusively and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of EyeCare Professional Magazine, ECP™ its staff, its advertisers, or its readership. EyeCare Professional Magazine, ECP™ assume no responsibility toward independently contributed editorial submissions or any typographical errors, mistakes, misprints, or missing information within advertising copy.

ADVERTISING & SALES (215) 355-6444 • (800) 914-4322 lgrande@ECPmag.com

EDITORIAL OFFICES 111 E. Pennsylvania Blvd.

Feasterville, PA 19053 (215) 355-6444 • Fax (215) 355-7618 www.ECPmag.com editor@ECPmag.com EyeCare Professional Magazine, ECP™ is published monthly

by OptiCourier, Ltd. Delivered by Third Class Mail Volume 7 Number 63 TrademarkSM 1994 by OptiCourier, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written permission of the publisher.

OptiCourier, Ltd. makes no warranty of any kind, either expressed, 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 errors does exist with respect to anything printed herein.

It shall not be construed that OptiCourier, Ltd. endorses, promotes, subsidizes, advocates or is an agent or representative for any of the products, services or individuals in this publication.

For Back Issues and Reprints contact Jeff Smith, Publisher at 800-914-4322 or by Email: jeff@ECPmag.com Copyright © 2013 by OptiCourier Ltd. All Rights Reserved For Subscription Changes, email: admin@ecpmag.com Scan this barcode with your smartphone to go to our website.

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

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EYECARE PROFESSIONAL

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EYEWEAR IN MOTION URBAN 7 ANTI-SLIP EAR PADS VERY LIGHT AND RESISTANT POLYMER MIRROR OR SOFT-TOUCH FINISHING

VISIT US AT VISION EXPO EAST THE GALLERIA/BOOTH # G442 LOGO OF THE AMERICAS 1840 N Commerce Pkwy # 2

Weston FL 33326 USA 800-345-3733

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New Releases for Spring 1. LINDBERG The distinctive LINDBERG n.o.w. range is a familiar-yetmarkedly different extension of our unique design idiom – with everything appearing subtly softer. The frames are made of premium-grade polymer with exceptional tensile strength. This material provides a softer, translucent overall appearance, with discreet color gradients that enhance this increasingly fashionable look. www.lindberg.com

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2. Charmant Esprit ET17790: This elegant ladies look features a generously large, softly curved frame. Upbeat layers of typically preppy colors including navy and white enhance that elite college feel. Enjoy the same high comfort style in warm tones of amber, red and beautiful black. www.charmant.com/us 3

3. TAG Heuer Motor racing is an essential part of TAG Heuer’s DNA. Inspired by high-performance automobiles, the LRS combines optimal function with urban styling to ensure you always have the advantage.

Precision polycarbonate sunglass lenses offer full protection and can include prescription correction. Double injected elastomer temples for comfort and perfect hold. www.tagheuer.com/eyewear

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4. Silhouette The Titan Minimal Art. The Icon. is the newest iteration of the Titan Minimal Art Collection. It has the signature features of the classic – hingeless, rimless, and screwless – but exudes a sportier appeal, with a sleek temple design and colorful SPX temple ends. The Icon is made of High-Tech Titanium, made for lightness and durability, perfect for every day wear. Mix and 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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5. Reptile Sun 6. Marcolin Made from eco-conscious materials, designed to be hardwearing, inspired by the outdoor life of New Englanders, where nature powerfully shows off all its forms: these cornerstones that are part of the Timberland DNA form the basis for the new Spring/Summer 2013 Timberland Eyewear collection.

Made from renewable resources such as recycled plastic deriving from vegetable oils for the front and bamboo for the temples. www.marcolin.com

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Reptile’s “Brady” is named after Brady Barr, the host of the National Geographic show, “Dangerous Encounters.”

The full wrap architecture complements the luxurious handmade acetate frame fitted with Reptile’s crystal TPC-X polarized lenses. Barr’s adventures have brought him face to face with some of the most amazing reptiles in the world, all while wearing his beloved Reptile Sunglasses. www.reptilesun.com

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MOREL

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

Pro Design

Rudy Project

The new ultra-light, stylish sunglasses Spaceguard offer the perfect balance of ergonomics and optical performance with an excellent quality to price ratio, making them affordable for all cyclists, runners and athletes. The Spaceguard comes in three color combinations, including a Black Gloss frame also with a Photoclear lens, White Gloss with Multilaser Red, and a Black Matte frame with a Multilaser Orange lens. www.rudyprojectusa.com

Clariti Eyewear

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

Revolution Eyewear Don Ed Hardy is considered the “Godfather” of tattoo.

He is the person who helped to make tattoos into high end art. He incorporated Irezumi into his tattoo art to make it more vibrant and colorful. Revolution first incorporated the tattoos onto the temples of the infamous sun-glasses, what followed is a feast for the eyes in Rx-able Ed Hardy. Featured is the EH0752. www.revolutioneyewear.com

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

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OptiSource Now Distributing Patented CliC Readers

OptiSource International is now distributing the trendy CliC reading glasses. The patented CliC design incorporates universal eye shapes with a built-in adjustable orbit retainer, and a breakaway magnetic nose bridge that allows the readers to be conveniently worn around the neck. The product’s popularity soared in the past year when CliC readers were regularly featured on the hit CBS television show, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

“Our customers count on us to provide the in-demand accessories that other suppliers don’t have access to,” said Daryl Squicciarini, president of OptiSource. “The partnership with CliC Eyewear has helped develop the ECP market by expanding the awareness and availability of the product. As a result, ECPs are now able to profit from this unique reader that patients are actively looking for,” he said. “We will continue to add styles, colors, and sunglass options throughout the year to offer the widest selection of CliC readers to ECPs.” To view CliC readers and other products, go to: www.1-800-optisource.com

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Fatheadz Eyewear

Preferred Stock is the premier offering by Fatheadz Eyewear.

They are contemporary frames with smart styling, designed for the modern larger headed man. The Preferred Stock lineup was crafted from the start with the latest technological advances available in the eyewear industry to provide durability, comfort, and style. Balance XL in Tortoise is the name of the frame pictured. www.fatheadzeyewear.com

Hilco

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

J.F. Rey

A&A Optical

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

Tifosi Tough as nails and big on style in a lightweight package, the Duro features adjustable nose pads and temples for a custom fit. Vented lenses prevent fogging and hydrophilic ear and nose pads cut down on the slip-factor, even under sweaty conditions for all-day comfort and style. www.tifosioptics.com

Woodstock – Classic wooden frames revisted in a highly innovative way. The single block temples are cut from thick sheets of multicolored birch plywood. The color of the front matches the color of the temples. The temples are then crafted by an individual who is known for his extravagant smoking pipes, 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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Lindsey Getz

Selling Sunwear 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 start ramping up your sunwear sales efforts. Whether it’s because of a spring vacation or just planning for the weather to turn in their hometown, any time your patients start spending

more time thinking about the outdoors is a time to capitalize on selling sunwear. We explore some of the recent fashion trends and what they’ll mean for your accessory sales for the spring/summer 2013 season.

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MARKETING ECP

The Latest Trends Two-tone color patterns were a big trend to come off of the spring fashion runway. That included shoes with a contrasting heel color, tops and bottoms that showed bold contrast instead of matching (think white top, black bottom), and purses with two bold tones. The same trend 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 a lot bolder in their ophthalmic eyewear selections (think chunky, thick frames that make a strong statement) you may also find that sunwear fans are getting much bolder in the styles they select. Bright colors, thick frames, and unusual designs are showing up not only on the runway but in real life too. While you may be tempted to carry a lot of classic styles that appeal to the majority, your fashion-savvy patients may be interested in some more unusual selections so try to have some of them on hand as well.

In addition to bold colors, sunwear wearers are also getting more daring by selecting unusual shapes.

Round sunglasses were a big hit on the spring/summer 2013 runway, but many are going even bolder with octagonal and other odd shapes that have a futuristic and edgy look. This trend toward interesting styles has also brought back the cat eye shades that were once so popular in everyday eyewear.

As wearers get more daring, the number of embellishments on frames seems to be increasing. The flower patterns and designs that were highly prevalent on runway clothing have

even started popping up on eyewear this season. For instance, Prada sunglasses decorated with plastic flowers, similar to ones used in new clothing pieces, were a hit on the models. Even if your patients don’t want the bold look of a lot of embellishment, they may still appreciate some of the simpler embellished styles that feature detailing on the temples or a few small flowers or rhinestones near the lenses.

Ruffles, plaid, and prints were another hot trend on runway clothing styles and designers are even finding ways to incorporate these into frames. Many new sunwear styles showcase a variety of prints around the lenses and on the temples, including plaid. For wearers who like to make 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 you have a good variety of styles on hand. But it also helps to put more effort into your sales. Want to get motivated to sell more sunwear? First consider the fact that everyone should be wearing it. That means every single patient that walks into your practice is a potential candidate for a sunwear sale. Now that you’re thinking about selling more, here are a few tips to get you going.

Know the Need. If you want to sell more sunwear to your patients, it helps to know what they spend their time doing outdoors. If they’re going shopping or grabbing coffee with friends, they might be more interested in fashion-forward styles than if they’re playing golf or hiking. Sports are often a great hook for sunwear sales. Make sure patients know that sunwear is more than a style statement—it’s a piece of equipment to their game. The right polarized lenses can up the ante in their golf game, for instance.

Educate on Protection. Make the discussion of UV rays a common practice while the patient is in your chair. Talk about the long-term damage and how important it is that they’re wearing sunwear when it’s needed. A lot of people

remember to wear sunwear outdoors but may not think about it for driving or other times when the sun’s rays may still be reaching their eyes. This educational approach isn’t just a sales tactic—it’s your responsibility. But of course it can also serve as a successful approach to making a sale. After explaining the importance of protecting the eyes, ask your patient if he or she already has a good pair of sunglasses and invite them to check out some of the styles you carry.

Give your Displays Some TLC. When’s the last time you updated your sunwear display? If you’re not keeping up with your display, your patients may lose interest. If it’s the same P.O.P. materials and arrangement that you’ve always had, patients won’t be drawn to the section.

You may have new frames on display but if you haven’t done anything to change the set-up many patients won’t even realize there are new styles. To them it’s just the same old display they see time and time again. But if you continually switch things up, you just may draw patients over to the section while they wait—or after their appointment. Instead of having all your sunwear in one section, many practices have actually found it successful to spread it out among the ophthalmic styles. This may help make a second pair sale while your patient is shopping for their eyewear.

It makes it easy to bring up a conversation about sunwear in the dispensary as you can point to a sun style and say “Perhaps you might consider a pair of sunglasses to go along with those frames?” Then bring up the possibility for prescription sunwear.

With a little bit of attention paid to the latest sunwear trends as well as your selling strategies, you can be on your way to increasing sunwear sales this year. For many, getting a new sale can be as simple as remembering to talk to your patients about their sunwear needs. Simply getting your patient to start thinking about your practice as a place they can get the latest sunwear styles—and not just their regular glasses—can be a very successful sales strategy on its own. I

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MOVERS & SHAKERS Alcon

Allison

Dwight Akerman, OD, has been appointed head, Global Professional Affairs for Alcon’s Global Vision Care Franchise. He has extensive experience in professional affairs, medical affairs, clinical research and medical marketDwight Akerman, OD ing. He has served as the head of Professional Affairs & Clinical Research for Wesley Jessen Corp., global head 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.

Allison S.p.A has announced that it will name Jacopo Romano chief executive officer.

Additionally, the company has singled out Roberto Bazzara as international sales executive and Massimiliano Zegna Baruffa to overJacopo Romano see product development. Romano, previously of Paladin Capital Partners, the private equity firm that acquired Allison in 2004, has been working at the company since 2009 and is already a member of the company's board of directors.

Transitions Optical Marcolin Valerio Giacobbi has been named general manager of sales, marketing and business strategies for Marcolin S.p.A. He will report directly to Giovanni Zoppas, CEO of Marcolin.

Giacobbi has gained 20 years of experience in Valerio Giacobbi the eyewear industry by holding key positions in such companies as Luxottica Group where he had been executive director of business development and executive vice president of retail for North America.

Transitions Optical, Inc. has appointed Matt Dorling as director, national retail and Canada.

In this position, Dorling will be responsible for strategizing the growth and profits of North American national retail partners, as well as Matt Dorling strengthening partnerships while building the Transitions brand in Canada. Dorling has been with Transitions since 1999 when he began as trade developer.

He was most recently Business Director, U.K. and Ireland for Transitions Optical.

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DISPENSING OPTICIAN Judy Canty, LDO

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

Is there a better way?

ou can talk about contour plots and percentages of increased viewing areas. You can rely on any number of electronic devices to underscore your vast knowledge. You can fill your dispensary with splashy graphics and point-of-sale displays. However, when push comes to shove, the graceful arc is tried, true and effective. It is simple and it is personal.

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One of the great experiences in life is to attend a live performance, whether a Broadway show, a Las Vegas spectacular or your local community theatre. A great performance will draw you in and capture your undivided attention.

The ongoing discussion among eye care professionals is “to charge or not to charge” for dispensing services such as minor 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 the largest retailers win the price battle, and Amazon wows consumers with both service and price. So, how do you create and sustain experience consumers will value?

Retailers would do well to borrow from the playbook 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 about store layout and design, dispensing as theatre and the rightness of charging for all services rendered. Why not start a discussion about combining all three to create the eye care experience?

Setting the stage Apple is so confident in the design of their stores that they’ve recently applied for a trademark to protect it. It is spare, minimalist and yet inviting. On the other hand, IKEA is a labyrinth, drawing customers further into the store with a new idea around almost every corner. Both “stages” are very successful. Costco is a warehouse store. It looks and feels like a warehouse store, but I challenge you to leave without dropping more cash than you intended. Each of these very different concepts is the result of careful design and planning. Each one is designed to create a specific experience for every customer.

From floor covering to lighting, from fixtures to the accessibility of products, every aspect is carefully thought out.

However without a stellar cast, even the most exquisite, delightful stage is just so much furniture and props.

Finding the perfect cast Costco is lean on staffing, primarily hiring stockers and cashiers. Apple hires for smiles, to enhance its very customer centric model. Apple looks for the right people to completely engage their customers in the Apple experience. Costco makes sure that the shelves are full and the aisles are clear so that maneuvering those huge carts is as easy as possible. We don’t need to talk about those temptresses with the food samples now do we? IKEA knows that their customers will stay long enough for a meal. The staff is unobtrusive, but ready to guide you. “You can do it on your own”, they say, “but you don’t have to.”

The stage is set. The actors are in place.

But none of this works without the perfect script.

Writing the script “Sociologists have spent years studying experiences and have noticed that there are shared rules that govern how we act. These scripts are unwritten and unspoken, yet greatly influence our day-to-day behaviors and interactions.” –JUMP ASSOCIATES The working script for a film or a stage play contains not just the dialogue, but also the cues for lighting, entrances and exits, gestures and body language. Every tiny element is in its proper place to create the complete experience.

Continued on page 18

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

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standing what brought them to the door.

The best scripts are, in truth, the SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) of any retail environment. There is a reason why Apple stores revenue per square foot is twice that of Tiffany & Co. Apple is completely focused on the customer experience.

The best scripts should make your customers your biggest fans.

How? • By trusting your customers and your staff and being willing to suspend cynicism.

• By defining a clear purpose, a clear promise to improve your customers lives.

Creating the best script for your business may require that you disrupt the existing script. Creating an experience is not necessarily about highlighting premium products. It is about creating something unexpected, like Southwest Airlines.

At its best, Southwest is a combination of heart, humor and efficiency that is delightfully not the normal air travel experience.

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

• By being real, encouraging staff members to bring the best version of themselves to work everyday.

• By beginning with the customers point of view in mind when developing procedures and policies.

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

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Translating all this to your eye care practice To begin, take a hard look at your neighborhood. How does your location compare to others? Does your practice stand out or blend in? Is it time for a fresh logo or other signage? Do you need to invest in a professional window dresser or is someone on your staff an untapped visual merchandiser?

What does your patient see when walking in the door? You and your staff see the same thing every day, so it’s easy to miss the little and sometimes not so little thing that needs attention. Remember, you’re setting a stage. If you are using some form of follow-up communication, include questions about the entire experience, not just the exam and the eyewear purchase and allow it to be anonymous.

“Writing a sales script is simple. You just need to identify your specific types of customer interactions. Then, make a list of the key phrases that will help you gather information 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 what is their script? Is it so short that a caller is unsure who they’ve called? Or is it so full of information that itallstartstoruntogether, exasperating everyone involved? How do you handle phone-shoppers? How do you address unhappy patients? These scenarios and more require a script and a lot of rehearsal time. Allow your staff to develop their scripts and then fine tune them together, perhaps at a staff meeting. The best script doesn’t sound “scripted”, it sounds comfortable and natural.

The most engaging stage and the most creative script are useless without a stellar cast. Placing the proper person in the proper role requires much thought. What sense does it make to place your patients, the life-blood of your practice, in the hands of a poorly trained or unhappy staff member? In the average Optometric practice, the dispensary is responsible for about 60% of the revenue. That responsibility 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 professional you can find.

“While you can have a theater experience in a park without a stage, the best theater happens when staging is built for the script, and the actors are chosen for their talent to play specific roles to bring the story to life.

It is the theater director’s job to bring all three...S(tage) + A(ctors) + S(cript) into harmony to create an experience.”

–CHRIS PETERSEN, RetailCustomerExperience.com

Eye care professional as theater director ...hmmm.

By the way, Off-Book means that you’re not reading from your script anymore.

You are ready for the curtain to go up and your audience is ready to pay for the experience! I

IS THIS

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ARE LOOKING

THROUGH? If you’re not demonstrating – and recommending – Clarity® lens care, your customers might not be truly satisfied with their eyewear. Our formulas are preferred around the world because they’re the best.

Period. At the dispensing table, they build relationships. At home, they help prevent remakes and build loyalty every day.

Remove the fingerprints.

Contact us today.

800.883.6266 Home of Clarity Brand Products

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THROUGH THE LENS Renee Jacobs, O.D., M.A.

Calculate The Free Form WOW Predict Which Patients Will Love Their New Free Form Lenses

D

octors, opticians and staff can work together toward predicting which patients will love their new free form lenses.

First, consider fundamental elements that wow your patient, then develop a method to calculate a probability score, the likelihood that your patient will love top tier optics. With this understanding, opticians can communicate appropriate benefit statements during the sale. Never overpromise a WOW to someone who won’t experience improvement. Always recommend best possible optics when your patient will see noticeably better.

Today I will share optical analysis resources and propose one method to predict patient satisfaction, by weighting three elements of WOW. This article is intended for staff training toward understanding optics and improving patient education. The WOW factor scores are based upon science, opinion, and personal experience. Use your own professional judgment. Test the method I propose, or use tools and resources toward devising your own tactics. Practice predicting which patients will love their new free form lenses.

As you begin to ponder the elements of wow, recognize that few patients will purchase a conventional lens plus a clinically equivalent free form lens simply to compare them. Only eye care providers think this way. From the patient’s point of view, the new lenses are better if he sees better when he puts them on. He will make a comparison between his new glasses and

his habitual Rx. Patient satisfaction is based upon Big Picture improvement.

For this reason, the best method to predict patient satisfaction, will weight multiple factors that contribute to improving each patient’s overall, visual experience of their world.

With this in mind, I propose scoring three elements of WOW. First, assign an Acuity Change WOW Factor that indicates lines of visual acuity improvement due to a change in prescription. Second, assign a Prescription Strength WOW Factor based upon the patient’s prescription numbers.

Third, assign a Personality WOW Factor that indicates your patient’s sensitivity to small changes in their Rx, plus their attitude toward new technology. Then, add the assigned scores to predict patient satisfaction on a scale of 0 to 10. A low score predicts your patient will not be wowed 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 WOW The Acuity Change WOW Factor indicates noticeable improvement in vision due to a change in prescription.

In general, eye care professionals know that multiple factors influence improvement of best corrected acuity. These include the amount of Rx change, plus the status of accommodation, and also eye diseases 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 to edge visual clarity to every patient who purchases free form lenses. Evaluate each patient case by case. See Figure 1.

The doctor is best positioned to assign this score because visual acuity improvements are documented in the patient’s record during the exam.

Simply assign 1 Factor of WOW for each line of visual acuity improvement due to the change in prescription. If a new Rx makes no improvement in VA, when compared to the habitual Rx, then assign a WOW Factor of zero. Notice that the maximum possible Acuity Change WOW Factor is 3.

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

Element #2: Prescription Strength WOW People who understand optical math

Figure 1

Continued on page 22

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realize that free form technology provides the greatest visual benefit to those patients who have strong prescriptions. Patients with low prescriptions will notice little if any improvement in optics from buying free form lenses instead of aspheric or conventional lenses. To predict a wow, resulting from the patient’s prescription numbers, we can think of prescriptions along a continuum, and then apply what we know about optical science.

There are many ways to describe free form technology. I think of it as the ability to calculate point by point asphericity, across a lens surface, toward decreasing optical distortion and improving the patient’s natural view of the world.

Computers use complex algorithms to calculate the best lens topography, unique for each prescription. Then robotic surfacing equipment digitally shapes each lens to exacting design parameters. Free form optics are the result of computer design plus digital manufacturing.

Applying this concept, we can say that free form lenses will improve the optics of any unique prescription, if small asphericity-changes to the traditional lens shape, applied across the entire lens surface, will cause noticeable improvement in visual clarity. The improvements are due to science, reducing optical distortion and aberration.

Dynamic analysis of optical design is complicated, yet Darryl Meister ABOM created a suite of resources any optical professional can use to advance their understanding. Find downloadable program files at OptiCampus.com. www.opticampus.com/tools/spectacle_optics.php Using the Spectacle Optics-Optical Analysis tool you can data enter lens power, diameter, and a traditional base curve, then dynamically vary asphericity and observe changes in tangential error, sagittal error, oblique astigmatism, mean power error, and more.

Using the Spectacle Optics-Prescription Analysis tool, you can data enter the patient’s prescription, and frame parameters plus vertex distance, pantoscopic angle, and facial wrap. You can vary all of the parameters including index of refraction, and the tool will dynamically

calculate the resultant compensated prescription and spectacle magnification.

I used these tools plus my experience and opinions to devise a method for assigning a Prescription Strength WOW Factor. See Figure 2.

We know from experience that one patient will exclaim that -0.25 diopters of change makes a world of difference to how they see. At the other extreme, a patient might experience 3 lines of improved acuity, yet claim the difference is hardly noticeable. Patients vary in their

Figure 2 For example, assign an RX Strength WOW for the prescription: OD: -4.50 -1.25 x 043 OD: -4.20 -1.50 x 137 When you circle all of the lens power numbers for the right eye, the highest assigned WOW will score 2.5. When you circle all of the lens power numbers for the left eye, the highest Assigned WOW will score 2.25. Evaluating both eyes, the highest number is the Rx Strength Wow Factor of the right eye, 2.5. Notice that the maximum possible score is 4.

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

Element #3: Personality WOW The Personality WOW Factor indicates your patient’s appreciation of small changes in their prescription plus their attitude toward new technology. There is no optical science to this score. Use your best judgment.

sensitivity and opinions about prescription change.

People also have a range of attitudes regarding new technologies. For some, the words “newest technology” can have a placebo effect. Some patients want the newest iPhone, the latest HD television with 3D capability, and they want top tier lenses. At the other extreme, some patients won’t purchase bifocals because they can read by wearing OTC magnifiers over their distance eyeglasses.

Personality is an element determining patient satisfaction. Opticians are highly skilled at evaluating a patient’s temperament toward change. See Figure 3.

If you have that patient who rejects the new prescription because his vision “is just too sharp”, that patient who prefers 20/30 binocular acuity over adapting to 20/20 acuity, then the Personality WOW Factor score = zero. You get the idea.

Figure 3 Continued on page 24

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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 predicts your patient will not be wowed by their new free form lenses. A high score predicts the patient will love top tier lenses.

With this understanding, opticians can communicate appropriate benefit statements with confidence. Let’s look at an example. See Figure 4.

Figure 4:

cylinder axis to the exact one degree.

Finally, Terry James is tech savvy. He seems to light up when his doctor recommends top tier technology, free form lenses.

Given this history, score the WOW Factors: Acuity Change WOW Factor = 2.0 See Figure 1 Prescription Strength WOW Factor = 2.5 See Figure 2 Personality WOW Factor = 3.0 See 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 James will love his new free form lenses.

Use Common Sense Practice this method with a variety of patient profiles. Discuss the elements of wow. If you have recent patients who were disappointed with their free form lenses, then pull those charts. Apply the method.

You might gain new insights.

Example: Terry James is a historical architect who specializes in restoring heritage buildings. Recently he noticed he squints to read road signs and addresses.

With both eyes open, Terry sees 20/25-3 through his habitual Rx. During the eye examination, Terry saw 20/15 with each eye, through the phoropter, with his new Rx. He experiences two lines of improvement, measured on the distance eye chart.

During the subjective refraction, Terry James reacts quickly to small differences in prescription change. He refines the

In addition, run a couple of hypothetical scenarios. Notice what happens if a patient experiences no improvement in visual acuity and hates change. Then, depending upon their prescription numbers, the highest possible score is 4 out of 10, 40% confidence the patient will love free form lenses. What do you think of that?

Notice what happens if the patient has three lines of improved acuity, and loves change, and their Prescription Strength WOW Factor scores zero.

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

“Predict which patients will love their new free form lenses.” namely reduced aberration and distortion.

What do you think of that? Ethically, in this situation, would you sell top tier technology or conventional lenses? What if the free form lenses have lower wholesale cost, better turn-around time and greater product availability? Talk about it.

Draw your own conclusions.

Today I shared optical analysis resources and proposed one method to predict patient satisfaction with top tier technology lenses. This article is intended for staff training toward understanding optics and improving patient education as well as setting the stage for patient satisfaction.

The WOW Factor scores are based upon science, opinion, and personal experience.

Always apply good judgment and use common sense. Nothing proposed in this article diminishes the importance of ordering the best corridor length for each patient who wears progressives. Nothing diminishes the importance of accurate measurements and accurate fabrication.

You can test the method I propose, or use tools and resources toward devising your own tactics. Practice predicting which patients will love their new free form lenses.

Never over-promise a WOW to someone who won’t experience improvement as this is a recipe for patient dissatisfaction. Always recommend best possible optics when your patient will see noticeably better. I

Progressivelenses.com 24

EYECARE PROFESSIONAL

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MANAGING OPTICIAN Anthony Record, ABO/NCLE, RDO

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

he paradigm from which you normally practice opticianry is probably what most affected your thoughts.

T

Grammatically speaking, you could have thought of the word service as a noun or a verb – maybe even an adjective. Even within those three distinctions, so many possibilities exist.

As a verb you may have thought of things like to repair, check, examine, or tune-up. Maybe even overhaul. As a noun some of those same words might come to mind, but they mean different things. For example, check and examination might stand for the actual act of doing it, as in, “Before we decide if we can use your old frame to put in your new prescription, let me perform a ‘check’ on them.” When thinking about service, the religious among you might have 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 an adjective, “She’s our service manager.” I wonder, however, how many of you immediately thought of the type of service I want to consider – the service that means to help, offer assistance, guide, provide advantages for, and offer benefits

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

I have a friend and colleague whose name is Hari Singh Bird. I first met Hari as a fellow attendee at continuing education classes in Florida. It’s kind of hard to miss him in the crowd. As a follower of Sikhism, he’s usually the only guy in the crowd sporting a turban. Quiet and friendly, I always liked him. Lately I have come to also respect him for the positive influence he is trying to have on the optical profession and the opticians who practice it. I recently sat down and asked him about the state of affairs in opticianry as he saw it. I think we could all learn from what he had to say.

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

away, so I asked him about his religion, and if or how it affected his optical outlook. Hari explained, “Sikhs are service-oriented philosophically and historically. One of our main tenets is to serve and share with others. Service is an intrinsic value, not a value to be added. Man’s purpose is to serve.

How does that apply to opticianry?

The emphasis should be on service, not on income. Not to say that income is unimportant; it just shouldn’t be our primary focus.”

While he acknowledged that income is vital, we both agreed that if ECPs were more focused on real service to our patients, the income would follow 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 States Marine Corps, he went to work as an American Optical lab technician, learning hand surfacing, power generation, hand-stone edging, automatic edging, bench work, final inspection, ophthalmic dispensing, and “hands-on-the-consumer custom fitting.” He currently holds state licenses in Arizona and Florida, and is a member of POF – Professional Opticians of Florida.

When I asked him what he thought about the current state of opticianry, his response was an interesting paradox.

Continued on page 30

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While he marveled at the extraordinary accomplishments we have seen with regard to technology in the past 50 years, he lamented the fact that, “the direct patient contact delivery of eyewear has steadily declined for lack of training or emphasis on the art and craft of fitting eyewear directly on the consumer.”

When thinking about service, the religious among you might have thought of some ritual or ceremony. In reference to a joyous wedding or moving funeral one might remark, “What a moving service that was.”

He further explained that, “the customized fitting of eyewear involves far more than just adjusting a nosepiece or bending a temple. It has to include reshaping, bending, stretching, twisting, aligning and sculpting of the frame components in order to personalize the

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EYECARE PROFESSIONAL

eyewear. Anything less compromises the patient’s visual comfort and long term wear-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 declines occur,” said Hari. “For instance, opticians cannot acquire the fitting range of sizes in frame eye sizes, bridge sizes and temple lengths. The connection is obvious. When opticians don’t custom-fit the patient the demand for size range declines, ergo the manufacturers quit offering the inventory.

The decline goes on to impact frame quality, hand tool availability, practical dispensing furniture, and so on. This creates further deficiencies in the acceptable delivery of prescription eyewear.”

We both agreed that this lack of personal, service-oriented, hands-on dispensing is one of the reasons why more and more optical consumers are turning to the Internet to purchase prescription eyewear. After all, what’s the difference between a dispenser in a bricks-and-mortar practice who simply hands a pair of glasses to a “patient” and calls it dispensing, and an optical “customer” who walks to his mailbox, opens a box and puts on his new glasses? Not much. One of the most effective ways to reduce the number of Internet-based eyewear sales is to truly give our patients what they cannot get online – a human professional knowledgeable in the art of hands-on adjustment and custom fitting eyewear.

Hari has created hands-on dispensing continuing education classes, and I urge any ophthalmic dispenser to attend them when they can. The Florida Board of Opticianry recently made the attendance

to such a class for first-time applicants mandatory. This is a step in the right direction, and I challenge other state boards to follow suit.

If some of this is ringing true to you, and you would like more information about Hari, his philosophy, or the classes he has created, check out some of the websites he has created – all dedicated to re-humanizing the dispensing of prescription eyewear, and more generally enhancing the profession he loves. www.opticianrytoday.com – A review of the history of optical dispensing. www.opticiansforchange.com – Hari attempts to generate-inspire some meaningful change in the industry toward improving training and the dispensing of skillfully designed and delivered prescription eyewear. www.dispensingguidelines.com – Offers a step-by-step, how-to for the delivery of prescription eyewear. www.opticalworkshops.com – Hari offers hands-on frame fitting training, especially for latter-day opticians who are unfamiliar with the human-touch aspects of a profession, which is incapable of serving the consumer without direct laying on of hands as do manicurists, hairdressers, dentists, etc. www.3Ddispensing.com – Promotes industry emphasis on Discovery (a comprehensive lifestyle interview), Design (based on an unbiased analysis and the consumer’s actual needs) and Delivery (the application of touch and feel, hands-on-the-patient, and frame on-theface frame-fitting skills). I

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Nanofilm Launches a New Ultra Clarity Lens Care Collection

Nanofilm is introducing a new Ultra Clarity Spring Lens Care Collection, with four fresh looks for eyeglass wearers in the new season. The four designs are Blossom, a sunny floral; The Links, a pastel argyle; Tweet-Tweet, a chipper bird pattern; and Eyes Love Clean Glasses, a colorful graphic print.

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

“It’s the time of year when retailers are bringing out new spring merchandise and eyeglass wearers are looking to update and refresh, too,” says Jodi Groh, Director of Marketing for Nanofilm. “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 feel good.”

Nanofilm’s Ultra Clarity lens care formulas are preferred around the world for their advanced performance. They exceed every industry standard for effectiveness and safety on all lenses and coatings, including anti-reflective coatings.

Dirt, oily fingerprints, and everyday grime wipe away easily, without smears or smudges.

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

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

Lensmeters: O How We Love You

Marco LM-101

First: 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 makes sense, since the instrument provides a meter, or measure, of lenses, not a meter of “lensos,” or “lens-ohs.” So, please help. Call it a lensmeter from now on.

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

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

I began to think about how much we take our manual lensmeter for granted several days ago when ours, a thirtyplus-year old Marco manual LM-101, needed a new bulb. I figure the old one had probably been in there for about ten years. Imagine my surprise when I installed a new bulb, and it was as if someone had switched lensmeters on me. 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 quick calculations. Where I work, the lensmeter is used an average of a dozen times a day, every day. That means it reads about 7,500 lenses a year. In its lifetime to date, it has probably read about 225,000 lenses – nearly a quarter of a million lenses. All without a single complaint!

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

Did you know that on the manual LM-101: •

You can replace the ink pad when it is worn?

•

You can change the bulb, which will sharpen the reticle and target?

•

You can replace the lens stop if it is damaged?

•

You can replace the rubber lens retention ring when it dries out?

•

You can retro-fit it with self-inking cartridge pens?

•

You can have it fully, professionally refurbished?

Replacement parts, service and full refurbishing are all available only through authorized Marco dealers. A list of dealers can be found at www.Marco.com.

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

The newest version of the manual LM101 features both AC and battery power for both flexibility and portability. The incandescent bulb has been replaced with cool, long-lasting, brighter LEDs.

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

The manual lensmeter will continue to be the workhorse of the industry for many years to come. However the advantages of an auto-lensmeter cannot be ignored.

I recently saw that a class was being offered on “Reading prescriptioncompensated lenses with a manual lensmeter.” I thought, what? A manual lensmeter is a m-a-n-u-a-l lensmeter. That means that it is open to some subjective interpretation of what you see. The eyepiece is adjusted for the individual user.

The power drum is adjusted for power readings. The axis wheel is adjusted for alignment. Adjustability equals subjectivity. The power drum of a manual lensmeter “is what it is,” and you are either on a specific diopter line, or you are somewhere in between. If you are not directly on a 1/8 or 1/4 diopter line, then you need to make the subjective call on the power. If you want to read a lens that has been prescription compensated to the nearest 1/100th of a diopter, then you need a modern auto-lensmeter capable of reading to the nearest 1/100th of a diopter.

The useful term “WYSIWYG” stands for “What You See Is What You Get.” An auto-lensmeter = WYSIWYG. Since there Continued on page 34

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Wavefront Optimized RefraXion Because it’s Time for Better 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.

you do.

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

Know who’s sitting in your chair in less than 1 minute: t Harvest more accurate data in less time t Understand each patient’s full optical pathway t Determine refractions needing minimal correction to achieve 20/20 t Save 5-7 minutes per patient t See an additional 3+ patients each day t Give every patient more quality time t Increase optical revenue up to 30+% t Validate Rx changes and increase patient satisfaction t Optimize cataract and refractive outcomes to 20/happy t Enjoy more patient loyalty Now that’s outstanding return on investment. It’s about time!

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is no adjustability, there is no subjectivity when using an auto-lensmeter.

Current offerings from Marco include these:

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

This is what those features can mean for you in your every-day practice. Keep in mind that automatic lensmeters fulfill two roles in a practice. First, they are used for layout work. Second, automatic lensmeters are used to read complete pairs for verification and patient records.

Marco LM-600P

Hartmann-Shack Wavefront Technology: Replacing single lens focus, the Hartman-Shack system uses a series of points to capture multiple focus and convert them to a refractive power. By using 108 points of data collection, the 600 and 1800 series provides a much higher degree of accuracy.

Auto lens detection: This means that the automatic lensmeter instantly recognizes what type of lens has been inserted.

This feature is important when reading a new patient’s glasses during preliminary exams. You will never mistake a progressive for a single vision again!

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

Automatic LM-600PD. Features: Hartmann-Shack Wavefront Technology, auto lens detection, lens marking system, green measurement light, built in IC card reader for EMR, wide prism measurement 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 system, green measurement light, built in IC card reader for EMR, wide prism measurement range, high-speed printer, enlarged LCD Screen, Tilt able LCD monitor.

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

Marco LM-1800PD

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

Page 4

Lens marking system: Used for layout work, the lens-marking system provides your OC and axis reference points. The 600 and 1800 series provides ink designed to clearly mark hydrophobic coated lenses.

Green measurement light: Green allows verification of even the highest index lenses without aberration or distortion.

Built in IC card reader: Electronic medical records are becoming a part of every practice. All new optical equipment is designed to transmit the data collected to a central server point. Many are even designed to share information between instruments for use during the patient exam.

Wide prism measurement range: Few tools will be as useful to the novice staff member as the ability of the 600 and 1800 series to read and display prism as WYSIWYG. No interpreting rings or direction.

High-speed printer: An almost indispensable part of an auto-lensmeter, the printer allows for a paper trail. The print-out can be used for side-by-side Rx comparison for troubleshooting, verification records and hard copy patient records.

Easy PD measurement: Great for use during the verification process, the 600PD and 1800PD series records the PD as present for comparison to the actual patient PD. Although this is not a guarantee of accuracy, having a recorded PD may help you avoid that awkward phone call when you forget to take a patient PD. (Of course, that has never happened to you!)

UV metering: The 600 and 1800 series includes UV metering so you can share UV transmission rates with your patients and discuss the importance of UV protection.

Full color LCD screen: The 1800 series has a LCD screen that provides all the lens information in full color and with an adjustable viewing angle.

Fun Fact: Did you know that modern auto-lensmeters are designed with soft lens stops so you can safely move the lens around while measuring progressives and lined multifocals without damage? I

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THE MOBILE OPTICIAN Ginny Johnson, LDO, ABOC

Whatever Floats Your Boat I live fifteen minutes away from the beach and often overlook its beauty when I allow life’s demands to get in the way.

W

hen I first moved to the beach several years ago, I purchased a brand new 3 seater jet ski. Anyone who owns a boat or personal watercraft will probably agree that boating has a way of revealing your real friends. My real friends were there to help before, during and after the jet ski fun. I also had reel friends who were no help and only fishing for a good time. Keeping my personal watercraft afloat took time, money, insurance, regular maintenance, fuel and elbow grease.

One afternoon I was backing my jet ski trailer into the water and noticed a guy at the boat landing who was trying to force a small boat to sink. I commented on the nice weather and asked how he was doing.

He said he was enjoying the weather while working on the final stages of his unsinkable boat invention. He was confident that his boats would sell since no one wanted to drown. He had a passion for what he was doing and a “whatever floats your boat” attitude.

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

I asked real staff members to put down on paper what it takes on a daily basis to keep the practice afloat. Here’s what Crystal and Heather had to say: Insert green key to open door (it’s green to remind you it’s where you make your money). Turn computers on and make

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

counter. Gather them up and place them by the back door. Wash hands. The mailman arrives. Spend 30 seconds goofing off with him. Phone rings. Schedule new patient who has no clue which vision insurance plan they have. Ask them who their employer is and try to help them figure it out. Patient walks in and needs their eyeglasses adjusted. Our optician will be right with you, please have a seat at the small table in our wonderful dispensary. sure they are still mapped to program system to start the day. Print routing slips, match charts, check trash cans in the exam rooms. Turn on equipment and make sure rooms have enough alcohol wipes. Pull insurance for the next day.

Greet patients. Check them in and process new paperwork (oops, hurry and answer phone, it’s on the 3rd ring). It’s a patient calling to see if their eyeglasses are ready.

No sir, it’s only been 2 business days and they will take 5 business days.

Take a patient back to pre-test room.

Tell them to have a seat in the wonderful white chair. Do a little small talk. Update their records. Go through the meaningful and useful questions. Take their blood pressure. Autorefractor, FDT, digital fundus imaging. Apologize to patients who feel like the questions are an invasion of privacy. Walk patient over to the exam room and pass off the chart to the doctor.

Notice trash on the floor and pick it up.

Remove some empty boxes from the

Take the next patient back. Ms. Helpful lets me know we need more paper towels in the restroom.Thanks for letting me know, I’ll get right on that. Finish with patient and go to the storage room to get the paper towels and we are out of them.

Doctor catches me in the hallway and asks where I have been. I attempt to answer and she interrupts and asks me to take photos on different patient. Take photos and walk patient to check out. Add paper towels to the supplies needed list. Phone rings. Take a message for the doctor.

I walk the next patient back and the doctor hands off a patient to me for CL insertion and removal training. The phone rings and it’s my daughter’s school saying she is sick and needs to be picked up from school. I excuse myself from the patient and make arrangements for my child. I go back to instructing the patient on the proper care and wear of CL and turn them back over to the doctor.

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

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check the CL in and open the other box for the Optician. She will inspect the eyeglasses in between ordering the six pairs she sold yesterday. She is troubleshooting with a progressive lens wearer so I appease the next patient until she can get to them.

Fed Ex just dropped off a box of new frames that will need to go into inventory.

A patient just purchased a year’s supply of CL and actually understands the rebate info. Cool.

Life at the front desk is busy as usual.

The last patient paid in cash and we have no change. We pool our money together and are able to give them back the correct change. A patient wants to order contacts over the phone and pay when they pick them up. They are quickly reminded how easy it is to order from our website and have them shipped directly to their house.

Oh boy, here we have a patient that is going to put us through HIPAA 101.

We’re more than happy to provide them with their own copy to read and keep.

Collecting medical and vision insurance cards and photo IDs from patients seems to be a real challenge today. What’s up with that? It’s like pulling teeth sometimes and we aren’t even dentists. At least we are winning at the co-pay game and no one is doubting our insurance knowledge.

Page 3

Now it’s time to put the insurance checks we received in today’s mail into the computer system. Oh wait, gotta give my opinion to an eyewear patient that can’t decide between three frames. I love them all! Soon it will be time to confirm the patient appointments for tomorrow along with those that are 2 days and 2 weeks out. There goes the printer which means the doctor is printing a patient’s RX and summary of their visit. I’ll add their appointment reminder for next year to those papers. They pay for their visit today and I show them how to put on the mydriac sunglasses.

The fax machine starts ringing and it has some important documents for the doctor to fill out so I put them on her desk. Ten minutes later they are back on my desk with a sticky note asking me to fill them out and she will read over them and sign them. I still need to call OfficeMate back about a fee slip snag that we keep running into. Can’t do that in between patients though.

Greet the next patient. Walking them down the hallway it dawns on me that today is the 15th of the month. I need to print out and mail statements to those patients who still owe us money. Can’t log

onto my computer in the pre-test room which signs off after five minutes of no activity. That means someone else signed on to the extra computer in the office and our limit of 5 computers has been reached. Take the necessary steps to correct it and continue with pre-test.

Walk the last patient to the exam room and give the chart to the doctor.

Return phone call to a patient that is having problems with new CL. Put notes in the computer. Cover up equipment in pre-test room. Call OfficeMate and they will need to call me back. Check email and respond to patient in Afghanistan.

Bring up the daily transactions and count the cash and checks. Make sure all of the EFTs match up. Settle out the credit card machine. Fill out the deposit slip.

Print report for doctor. Shut down the computers 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 door behind us.

I hope you have real, unsinkable staff like Heather and Crystal, that are willing to do whatever is needed to help the practice stay afloat. I

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Allergan Offering ECPs a World of Resources

David Gibson

EyeCare Professional’s Paul DiGiovanni, LDO, speaking with David Gibson, Allergan’s Director, Optometric Professional Relations and Strategic Initiatives.

How has Allergan been able to maintain itself for over a half century as a leader in the pharmaceutical industry, along with their over-the-counter consumer products and in the medical device industry?

For more than 60 years, Allergan has been committed to uncovering the best of science and to developing and delivering innovative and meaningful treatments to help people reach their life’s potential. From our beginnings as an eye care company, we have followed our R&D technologies to expand into several medical specialties.

Today, Allergan offers a broad portfolio of pharmaceutical, biologics and medical devices and continues to invest significantly in research and development to advance treatments across the specialty areas we support.

Please explain the technical advantages that lead to the launching of Allergan’s new dry eye lubricant drop, REFRESH OPTIVE®?

Allergan continues to showcase its leadership in the dry eye arena and has recently added two new options to the artificial tear market – REFRESH OPTIVE® Advanced was introduced in 2012 and REFRESH OPTIVE® Advanced Preservative-Free launched in February 2013.

REFRESH OPTIVE® Advanced works on all three layers of the tear film to relieve dry eye symptoms. Specifically, the tear is formulated to stabilize the lipid layer to help reduce tear evaporation, to hydrate the aqueous layer, and to provide an advanced lubricating and protective shield to the mucin layer of the tear film. REFRESH OPTIVE® Advanced Preservative-Free Lubricant Eye Drops features the same scientifically-advanced as REFRESH OPTIVE® Advanced, but without the use of a preservative.

Allergan recently implemented the Allergan TechAlliance Program. Please provide a brief description of the program and how it is designed to assist ECPs. Technicians play an important role in patient care and patient flow throughout a practice. By educating the technician and providing valuable tools, the technician 38 E Y E C A R E P R O F E S S I O N A L

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

Allergan has introduced the Allergan TechAlliance Program 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 positively impact patient experiences.

The Allergan TechAlliance Program is supported by a website 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 based on feedback from technicians, optometrists and ophthalmologists about the types of tools and resources that would be of value to busy technicians. That is why the

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We Bring More to Your World AllerganOptometry.com

OPTOMETRY JUMPSTART™

National and Regional Meeting Support

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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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website www.allergantechalliance.com covers everything from education on common eye conditions to product information and details about coupons and rebates that could help patients save money on their prescriptions.

What other products does Allergan have in their eye care portfolio?

Eye care professionals and patients rely on Allergan products to treat a variety of eye conditions including glaucoma, dry eye, and external eye diseases. Products in Allergan’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.

U.S. These representatives work with the students and faculty to educate students on the OPTOMETRY JUMPSTART™ effort and to enroll them in the program.

Additionally, we work through the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) and American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) to publicize the program.

Are you able to provide any insight on other initiatives Allergan have planned to assist optometrists?

Allergan offers a number of programs to support optometrists throughout their careers. In addition to having a dedicated sales team for optometrists, Allergan works 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-dedicated newsletter about news, trends, and data related to the optometry field as part of the OPTOMETRY JUMPSTART™ program for new graduates.

Optometrists also have access to the dedicated educational website, www.allerganoptometry.com for the latest information on Allergan products, patient assistance and savings programs. The website also offers a number of downloadable materials designed to help optometrists educate their patients about eye health and, when appropriate, specific ocular conditions and the importance of treatment. I

RESTASIS® (cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion) 0.05%

Going Mobile!

What was the thought process behind the OPTOMETRY JUMPSTART™ 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 graduates as they are beginning their career. OPTOMETRY JUMPSTART™ provides new optometrists with educational resources as well as the latest information on Allergan products, including access to product samples, patient assistance 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 is involved with all 21 optometry schools throughout the

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

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SECOND GLANCE Elmer Friedman, OD

I’ll Never Forget What’s His Name Picture this: You have an enthusiastic patient who has recently shuttled innumerable referrals to your office.

P

racticing good patient relations, you meticulously responded by sending a note of thanks and a red rose to that nice person on each occasion of his/her good will.

One lovely Sunday, after church services, you are engaged in pleasant, casual conversation with some fellow congregants. Suddenly, a familiar face, wreathed in smiles, bears down on you with an extended hand and closes in, fast. You shake their hand, vigorously, and then he/she waits, expectantly. You search your memory but there is no responsive chord.

The smile begins to wane. You are embarrassed and awkward in the presence of your company. By this time, your confronter has adopted a cynical smirk and finally reveals that he/she is the person upon whom you have lavished so many thanks and personal attention. This person’s attitude now shows that you have been stripped of your outer veneer to reveal the phony you. You feel small enough to hide behind a blade of grass growing in a crack beneath your feet.

Stephanie Tallman Smith tells us in an article from Lifescript, “As people age, it is common for us to occasionally forget the name of a patient, a high school friend or even the place we ate dinner the week before,” she says. “This is hardly a cause for panic, yet the gradual decline in our ability to recall simple facts will frequently send a person scrambling for ways toward memory improvement.”

Forget where you left your keys? Do not fear the onset of Alzheimer’s disease or a brain tumor because you forgot the name

of your child’s teacher.

Other than serious disease or brain injury, the reality is that our memory is a biological function and can suffer a decline in effectiveness as we age. Much the same way that our muscles atrophy and our skin loses some of its elasticity, memory can malfunction, as well.

Our public relation experts constantly remind us of our obligations in cultivating patients. For instance, at a well known center of optometric education, a speaker recently estimated that a successful practice is based on 15% knowledge and 85% in knowing how to deliver our services to the patient. While a practitioner may have excellent in-office public relations, it can be destroyed by one disastrous episode under circumstances least expected. The answer to this lies in one’s frame of mind.

Eye care professionals who frequently appear before audiences and engage in social activities that bring them into contact with large groups must be prepared to remember names and faces. Memory power is applicable at P.T.A. meetings, service groups, faith based organizations and the like.

Be mindful that you may meet that special patient at a social event, the theater or even the supermarket. That person will leap at you like a long lost relative. Don’t disappoint that special patient and don’t injure the image you have built so

painstakingly. The good news is that there are active steps we can take to improve memory, just as we can practice training to strengthen our muscles and replenish our skin elasticity with a healthy diet.

One of the most common tips is to repeat their name as they introduce themselves. “Hi Jim, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” As you introduce yourself to Jim think of a mental or visual image that can help you to recall his face. An interesting challenge occurs when we meet someone for the first time. Many people forget people’s names immediately after meeting them. We must remember to keep our attention focused on the situation at hand and not allow ourselves to be distracted.

Use their name a few times during your conversation. This helps your memory during the meeting and even for a short time afterwards. For example, “So what kind of business are you in, Jim?” When you part ways, say that person’s name as you bid farewell. This has the double benefit of making the person feel good Continued on page 44

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

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because you remembered the name and it also helps you to reinforce the name in your memory even deeper.

Record that person’s name with personal and business details in your organizer at the earliest possible moment while the info is still fresh in your memory. As you do this, visualize that person and repeat the name aloud a few times. Do this regularly for a few months and you will virtually guarantee that the name will not be forgotten.

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

There are other routes that are available to us to improve our memories. Puzzles and mind games improve the memory.

Brain teasers and crossword puzzles are

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

also helpful. Exercise is important since it increases oxygen to the brain and keeps brain cells healthy. A diet rich in Vitamin B complex improves the memory by protecting neurons from a toxic acid that causes them to deteriorate. The best sources are leafy green vegetables like spinach, romaine lettuce, cabbage, beans, melons, strawberries and asparagus. Add a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids since they aid in brain function as well.

Try to remember the person as well as the name. If you can recall their face a person will be forgiving if you can’t remember their name. You could say, “I recognize your face but I can’t recall the name.”

You will rarely encounter a disappointed subject under those circumstances.

Philip Guo writes articles for the publication Mind Hacks. He notes that, “If you don’t make an effort to remember someone’s name the first time that person tells it to you, then it’s really difficult for you to get another chance to do so,” he says. “A simple way to avoid this awkwardness is to ask a friend who is present, and knows the person, to remind you of his/her name.”

Guo suggests that we make an extra effort to learn foreign sounding or unconventional names. These people are accustomed to others botching their names.

You will make an extra good impression if you can accurately recall and pronounce their names. The best advice is to apologize and ask the other person to repeat and clarify how to exactly pronounce the name. You could say, “Sorry, I can’t hear too well with this noise in the background. Could you repeat how to pronounce your name?” This will not work well in a quiet room. Or, “Pardon, did I pronounce it correctly? I want to make sure I get it right.” At least they will appreciate that you are making the effort.

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

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Advertiser Index ADVERTISER

PAGE #

PHONE #

WEB SITE

Allergan

39

800-433-8871

www.allerganoptometry.com

Balester

23

800-233-8373

www.balester.com

Clariti Eyewear

ADVERTISER

PAGE #

Nassau Vision Group National Lens

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29

800-526-0313

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18, 30, 35, 41

866-923-5600

www.national-lens.com

FRONT COVER

800-FRAMES-2

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Nellerk Contact Lens Cases

48

607-748-2166

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CNS Frame Displays

44

877-274-9300

www.framesdisplays.com

Optical Dynamics

17

800-797-2743

www.opticaldynamics.com

Coburn Technologies

31

800-262-8761

www.coburntechnologies.com

Opticom

35

800-678-4266

www.opticom-inc.com

BACK COVER

800-821-2020

www.corning.com/ophthalmic

OptiSource

25

800-678-4768

www.1-800-optisource.com

41

800-678-4225

www.optogenics.com

Corning Eyevertise

37

847-202-1411

www.eyevertise.com

Optogenics

Fatheadz

11

800-561-6640

www.fatheadzeyewear.com

PediaVision

15, 49

800-327-2002

www.feaind.com

SEIKO Eyewear

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Signet Armorlite

FEA Industries Gold and Wood

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21

888-514-7338

www.pediavision.com

26, 27

800-235-LENS

www.seikoeyewear.com

INSIDE BACK COVER 800-759-4630

www.KODAKLensPromo.com

Grimes Optical

45

800-749-8427

www.grimesoptical.com

TAG Heuer

5

800-345-3733

i-see optical

18

800-257-7724

www.iseelabs.com

Tech-Optics

48

800-678-4277 www.techopticsinternational.com

J.F. Rey

9

212-842-1269

www.jfreyusa.com

Three Rivers Optical

43

800-756-0034

Marco

33

800-874-5274

www.marco.com

US Optical

29

800-445-2773

www.usoptical.com

My Vision Express

48

877-882-7456

www.myvisionexpress.com

Vision Systems

45

866-934-1030

www.Patternless.com

Nanofilm

19

800-883-6266

www.nanofilmproducts.com

XX2i Optics

14

888-662-6291

www.xx2i.com

www.tagheuer.com

www.threeriversoptical.com

E Y E C A R E P R O F E S S I O N A L 45

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OD PERSPECTIVE Jason Smith, OD, MS

Colored Filters or Colored Overlays Help with Learning

lens options that can help patients be visually comfortable while also correcting their myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, presbyopia, anisometropia, or muscle imbalance when used in conjunction with the correct prescription.

YE CARE PROFESSIONALS have been prescribing colored eyeglass lenses to patients for many years and for a variety of reasons. Photo-grey glass lenses, Transitions plastic lenses, polarized lenses, and dark sunglass lenses are prescribed for comfort, safety, and eye-health protection combined with the proper prescription. Gradient tints are sometimes used for cosmetic reasons as well as for computer vision glare problems. Yellow increases visual perception and decreases eye fatigue when in foggy, hazy, or overcast weather conditions.

E

When tints are applied to lenses, it is beneficial to have UV coatings or antiglare coatings added to the lenses. Most tinted plastic lenses do not provide UV protection alone. Eyeglass lenses can have a mirror coating applied to them to reduce glare, improve eye comfort, and to enhance contrast. These are some of the

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

As I recently found with a patient, sometimes correcting a refractive error or a prism imbalance with clear or tinted lenses may not be all that can be done for a patient. Have you had patients who have had problems with learning basic information while in grade school, high school, or college? Have you had parents claim that their child is having learning problems even though there is no refraction problem, vision problem, or medical problem?

These are not people who have convergence or divergence anomalies. These are not young adults with accommodative, binocular, or oculomotor dysfunctions.

These may not patients who have myopia, astigmatism, or hyperopia. These are not children with genetic retinal problems such as Stargardt’s disease.

According to an American Optometric Association, “over the past two decades the use of tinted lenses and colored overlays to improve reading comfort and per-

formance has been presented in both the popular media and professional literature.

With increasing frequency, patients and parents consult optometrists and eye care professionals about the value of colored overlays and tinted lenses.”

Olive Meares and Helen Irlen described a syndrome of visual symptoms and distortion that can be alleviated with colored filters. This syndrome has been referred to as “scotopic sensitivity syndrome” or the Irlen Syndrome. Colored overlays and tinted lenses are used to improve reading ability and visual perception, increase sustained reading time, and eliminate symptoms associated with reading such as light sensitivity, eyestrain, headaches, blurring of print, loss of place, and watery eyes.

In the early 1980’s, a teacher in New Zealand, Olive Meares, was the first to provide a detailed written account of the spatial distortions affecting text being read by some individuals. Olive Meares also reported that the effects she cited could be reduced or eliminated by the use of colored papers or by using colored plastic overlays. The “overlays” were placed directly over the text that needed to be read.

A psychologist working in California, Helen Irlen, wrote a paper describing symptoms similar to what Olive Meares had found. Ms. Irlen named the need for these overlays as “Scotopic Sensitivity

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Syndrome (SSS) or the Irlen Syndrome.”

This syndrome was one where reading is difficult due to perceived distortions of the printed page. She reported that the distortions were positively affected or eliminated through colored filters or overlays.

Ms. Irlen went further in her research and established a protocol for screening for Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome and for dispensing colored overlays or lenses as a result of the assessment. These tints are not the normal tints found in the average dispensary. Rather they are highly selective tints with very precise wavelength attenuation.

Many years ago, 60 Minutes did a short program on the “Irlen Lenses.” The use of colored lenses has been written about in professional journals, textbooks, the National Geographic, Good Morning America, and news programs on ABC, NBC, the BBC, as well as news programs in Ireland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Australia. In these programs, there were many young adults who had been “mentally challenged” or “learning disabled” until they started using various colored lenses or colored filters that would be used on a printed page. And their worlds changed dramatically.

Many of the people interviewed stated that “the words now pop up on the page and I can see them better.” Several of the children that were interviewed were in tears over what they had experienced and had suffered over many years. Some of the names that were used to describe some of these children were horrible. And it was only because no one was able to detect any anatomical, physiological, visual, or medical problem that was creating their “visual confusion.”

Words were running together.

Understanding was limited. Processing of information was negligible. Academic achievement was extremely limited. Many of the children that were interviewed dropped out of school. Many turned to drugs, alcohol, or crime because they were considered outcasts and under-achievers.

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

available to them. The smiles on their faces and the new sense of “being found” and not being an outcast any longer began a significant and long lasting change in their lives. The colored overlays and tinted lenses are used to improve reading ability and visual perception, increase sustained reading time, and eliminate symptoms associated with reading such as light sensitivity, eyestrain, headaches, blurring of print, loss of place, and watery eyes.

The Irlen lenses have helped children and adults become successful rather than to continue to experience academic, personal, and professional difficulties. In addition to this processing problem, patients with dyslexia, migraine headaches, Alzheimer’s disease or epilepsy may benefit from the use of colored lenses as well.

CASE STUDY The case that I encountered involved a 21 year old successful college female. She had spoken to me about needing extra time to understand her lectures and that this is something that had always been true for many years. She had done well in her 2 years in college, “but it always took longer to understand what I was reading,” as she told me. She was slightly nearsighted and used daily soft contact lenses, OD: -1.00, OS: -1.25 with corrected visual acuities of 20/20 in each eye, distance and near. Her color vision using Ishihara pseudo-isochromatic color plates was normal in both eyes.

I had several different colored filters that my Father used many years ago with another patient. These are transparent, colored pieces of plastic that can be seen through and are placed onto a printed page. I tried every different colored filter to see if anything worked. I used red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. I had various shades of darker and lighter colored filters that I also tried. The problem with the darker shades is that it reduces the contrast of the darker print and actually makes it harder to see and to read.

adult’s face. She said that, “it was like the words are coming right at me for the first time. I do not feel that it is a struggle for me to see or to read.” I had her sit and read some pages from her college classes for a half an hour and this seemed to work. I gave her the colored orange filter to take with her and I have talked to her several times. She is extremely pleased, more confident, and has stated that, “it is taking me less time to do my studying and homework.”

Why the orange filter worked and why the overlay had to be placed directly onto the page will be something that I address in my next article. If the filter was placed adjacent to her eyes the benefits of what she was experiencing were not present.

The orange colored overlay had to be placed directly onto the page of what was being read in order to be effective.

This encounter was very rewarding to me but there are many other color vision and color blindness problems that exist.

Color vision is such an important topic in the eye care world that it is a unique and required course in optometry school.

Sometimes eye care professionals have to take some chances even though the outcomes may be uncertain. We try to come up with answers for patients based on experience, knowledge, and education and that is why our professions are so rewarding. In this case, I was fortunate that what I wanted to achieve did work.

There is never any harm in taking chances as long as the pros and cons, potential outcomes, and positive and negatives are fully explained to both the patient and their family.

Hopefully, everyone will be in total agreement and understand your goals and motivations considering treatment and therapies. I

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

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LAST LOOK Jim Magay, RDO

Google Glasses and other miracles 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?

are bones now but Google is out to make them look a whole lot more stylish, says the New York Times. According to the report, the company is negotiating with Warby Parker, a popular Internet glasses company that sells fashionable frames for very affordable prices.

(Warby Parker’s regular glasses start at $95 including the prescription, and part of that goes to charity).

B

So why have a cheapo novice eyeglass company developing your newest technology? Maybe it is the appeal of working with like-minded tech start-up guys who aren’t afraid to break ALL the rules.

That still doesn’t explain Google founder Sergey Brin’s visit with Diane Von Furstenberg at New York’s Fashion Week last year.

Then there is emPower!, the first electronic-focusing eyewear. A touch of the temple or tilt of the head activates a layer of liquid crystals in each lens, instantly creating an electronic add zone. As you all know – they’ve been out a bit over a year and aren’t exactly setting the world on fire what with production difficulties and a lack of dealers willing to pay upfront the development costs of the technology.

Maybe the second generation will iron out the bugs.

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

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

emails, text messages, tweets, Facebook updates, and other messages, so that the user can keep abreast on what is going on in this big world. The message is shown for only an instant, on the side of the field of view, in an unobtrusive manner.

They work via a free Android app and a bluetooth connection, so you must have your mobile with you. They are read only, it would be messy to try and manage the messages: to respond to a message you’ll have to go back to your mobile, as usual.

So with all these computer/eyeglass mashups another solution might be with Apple who is working on a product we all remember from those Dick Tracy movies — a watch that has some phone-like capabilities. According to a report in The New York Times on Sunday, Apple is testing or “experimenting” with a “wristwatch-like

device made of curved glass” and theoretically iPhone capabilities.

Well, I’m wondering when the lawsuits will begin. With all this technology, someone will be infringing on someone’s patent and the lawyers will be happy. Then there are the liability issues – I recall a suit was recently filed when a person tripped into a decorative mall pool (filmed by security cameras) while gabbing on a cell phone – imagine when that person is walking on a busy street interacting with her eyeglasses!!? Watching the antics of drivers these days trying to text and talk on a handheld device while driving will be merely amusing compared to what I expect will be the result when your heads up display starts flashing messages on your Google/Warby/ Furstenberg glasses while you are negotiating a left hand turn across 2 lanes of rush hour traffic. ■

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Runs 4/1/13 - 8/31/13. Subject to official rules available at www.KODAKLensPromo.com. Sweepstakes Prizes (cruise certificate or cash alternative) will be awarded to the professional eye care practice at which the registered participant is employed or works, NOT to the entering participant. Gift card incentives will be awarded to the individual participant.

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