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VV AUGUST 2020

Vision Now magazine

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Inside

Vision Now magazine is published by Peekay Publishing Ltd for The PK National Eyecare Group Ltd, the UK’s largest purchasing group for independent opticians.

11 23

News 4 7 9 11 12 17

Optrafair and 100% Optical merge Pennine Optical rebranded Menicon extends Miru toric range Back-to-school styles from Esprit Anti-fog coating availability widened ABDO NRC opens for business

17 An independent view The voice of independents

19 Developing thoughts Best of times, worst of times

20 Company profile Stepping up in lockdown

22 Optical trade shows End of the affair

23 Optical education Never stop learning

24 Style spotlight Expressive eyewear for youngsters

26 Suppliers’ directory

Editor’s comment The majority of independent eyecare practitioners, including National Eyecare Group members, are notorious for hiding their lights under a bushel. Understandably, they’d much rather just be quietly getting on with the job of providing excellent eye health care for their patients – more often than not under challenging circumstances. But there comes a time when you need to blow your own trumpet – and there is no better time than now. As we report on page 12, Practice Building has launched a new Love Local Eyecare campaign, which taps into the current affection for all things local by providing a directory of independent practices. Having offered a similar nationwide directory of practices that “are passionate about eyes” for several years now, Specs Network is also ramping up its support for independents in the wake of Covid-19 with the launch of an animated video to help welcome patients back to practice (see News page 11). The struggle is real for very many practices right now, but patients are steadily flowing back – and possibly with a renewed sense of appreciation for the health care services being provided. NEG, along with its preferred suppliers and business partners, continue to work away in the background to ensure that as practices navigate unchartered waters, they do so with as much fire in their engines as possible. So, sign up, sign in and sing out about all that’s amazing about independent eyecare and eyewear. Nicky Collinson Editor

Editor

Nicky Collinson BA (Hons) nicola.collinson@nationaleyecare.co.uk

Editorial PA

Sally Spicer s.spicer@nationaleyecare.co.uk

Fashion Editor

Joan Grady jgparischats@wanadoo.fr

Business Editor Phillip Mullins FBDO p.mullins@nationaleyecare.co.uk Design and Production

Rosslyn Argent BA (Hons)

Publisher

Michael C Wheeler FCOptom DipCLP FSMC FAAO

The Editor welcomes letters, articles and other contributions for publication in the magazine and reserves the right to amend them. Any such contribution, whether it bears the author’s name, initials or pseudonym, is accepted on the understanding that its author is responsible for the opinions expressed in it and that its publication does not imply that such opinions are those of The PK National Eyecare Group Ltd. Articles submitted for publication should be original, unpublished work and are accepted on the basis that they will not be published in any other journal. Acceptance of material for publication is not a guarantee that it will be included in any particular issue. Copyright © 2020 for Peekay Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording, without the written permission of the publishers. Such written permission should also be obtained before any part of this publication is stored in a retrieval system of any nature.

@PK_NEG VISION NOW is published by Peekay Publishing Ltd for The PK National Eyecare Group Limited, Clermont House, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3DN VISION NOW is printed by P&P Litho Ltd, Ashford, Middlesex TW15 1AB

Vision Now AUGUST 2020

NEWS 1

Norville/Inspecs

National Eyecare Group

Frame and lens packages in the pipeline Conference hotel venue

The National Eyecare Group’s (NEG) next Building for Success conference will now take place in the spring. Phil Mullins, NEG operations director, said: “To allow time for the profession and industry to recuperate, we have rescheduled our Building for Success conference to take place on 23 and 24 May 2021 at the De Vere Staverton Estate. “Expect a fun-packed business and education day at this wonderful hotel venue, surrounded by 150 acres of peaceful parkland in the heart of the Northamptonshire countryside. We’ll be sharing updates on the educational, business and social content of the conference over the coming months.” In a convenient location, De Vere Staverton Estate is easily accessible and close to Northampton and Coventry.

The Inspecs Group has acquired the manufacturing operations of the Norville Group from the administrators for £2.4m. The acquisition includes £1.2m of freehold property for Norville’s Gloucester site and the remainder for stock, plant, intellectual property and contracts. Norville’s manufacturing operations are undertaken primarily from the business’s headquarters in Gloucester, with smaller operations in Bolton, Seaham and Livingston. Inspecs intends to retain part of Norville’s management team and employees as part of the acquisition. Robin Totterman, CEO of Inspecs, said: “With Savile Row [Algha] and Norville, we have combined the two oldest and most respected British optical brands – frame maker with lens maker. With Inspecs’ global frame manufacturing, marketing and sale capabilities, we are continuing to grow our vertically integrated business model. We are also taking this opportunity to integrate our two UK manufacturing sites, and soon we will offer a bespoke Savile Row lens collection to accompany the frames. Our plan is to similarly offer our many licenced brands with high quality bespoke lens packages.” * The Hakim Group has acquired Norville Opticians with the promise of safeguarding the majority of practice staff jobs. The retail division of the Norville Group, Norville Opticians was founded in 1898 and has practices in various locations including Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stonehouse.

FMO/Media 10 The Federation of Manufacturing Opticians (FMO) and Media 10, organiser of 100% Optical, are joining forces to deliver one UK industry show following the cancellation of Optrafair 2020. Under the new agreement, the Optrafair brand will transition to Media 10 ownership from January 2021.

Two UK shows to combine

Vision Now AUGUST 2020

Nathan Garnett, 100% Optical event director, said: “With the FMO’s full backing of 100% Optical, coupled with that of the Association of Optometrists and Association of British Dispensing Opticians, I can see huge potential for us to take 100% Optical

forwards, grow our attendance levels, increase the diversity of our content, and make it an even more unmissable date in the UK and international optical calendar.” FMO chairman, Stuart Burn, commented: “I am looking forward to working with Media 10, and believe this partnership will provide both tangible benefits and cost savings to our members and other exhibitors. Now more than ever we can come together as an industry at 100% Optical and tackle the key issues facing optics today.” Turn to page 22 for industry reactions to the new partnership.

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NEWS 4

Lenstec Optical Group

Optinet

Optinet Flex is helping practices adapt to post-lockdown life in two key ways – via eRecall and online appointment booking. “Letter recalls are expensive and place a workload on practice staff,” said Chris Smith, Optinet business development manager. “Switch to email and SMS reminders and you will save money, fill your practice diary more quickly and reach your patients no matter where they are. Flex can send all your email, SMS and letter recalls, while the option to send letters via Docmail is also fully integrated.” Regards online appointment booking, Chris explained: “Traditionally after receiving their recall, a patient would either phone or pop in to the practice to make an appointment. However, giving your patients a live view of the practice diary, and the ability to book their own appointments, will reduce the number of calls and visitors to the practice. The Flex online diary lets you control which appointment times are available, the appointment reasons that can be selected, and it even allows bespoke information prompts to appear during the booking process,” Chris added.

Lenstec Optical Group has amalgamated its full sales team and rebranded Pennine Optical as Lenstec Eyewear, supporting its nationwide laboratories – Lenstec, Tant and Rawdon. Lenstec Eyewear will continue to carry and support existing eyewear brands with the rebranded website showing all models. The group has also introduced a new loyalty frame stock scheme enabling customers to select a minimum of 60 frame pieces to be used to order complete packages with no financial stock outlay. In addition, the company will supply a free order after nine orders have been dispensed. Nigel Castle, Lenstec Optical Group managing director, said: “It has been a challenging situation for all, dealing with the negative economic impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on our profession and industry. Our network has provided a full service throughout this period, which we hope has brought the wider community together. We do realise there is more we need to do to remain flexible and kick-start our loyalty in partnership moving forward again, which is why we have announced these new support schemes with no catches but with rewards for loyalty.” Lenstec is the only independent group manufacturing to the Medical Devices Standard EN 1SO 13485:2016 across all of its sites. It utilises warehouse stock for immediate dispatch with no hidden middle man postage charges or delays. All stock is alongside its automated MEI production running 24 hours, and all frames are now supplied with a case.

Eyespace

Zipps model ZP4081 C2

Luxurious detailing bring added value to style ZP4081, a new model in the Eyespace budget-friendly Zips collection. The flattering soft cat-eye shape, suitable for the majority of face shapes, is offered in two subtle colourways: C1 is a soft smoked brown with light gold temples, while C2 is a sought-after pink with warm rose gold temples. The Zips collection is designed to give fantastic quality and style at accessible prices. Using a new injected acetate technique, these pieces can be treated and glazed in the same way as traditional acetate models.

Essilor

Back-to-school promotion

Essilor has enhanced its Take Two multipair promotion for families of children heading back to school. Parents can choose any Crizal lens and receive their child’s pair for free, selecting from the Airwear junior

range with Crizal Easy UV or Crizal Prevencia lenses. New point-of-sale is available, including window posters and leaflets. Tim Precious, managing director at Essilor, said: “Our promotion will encourage families to visit their local optician before children head back to the classroom after what’s been an extra-long period away for many pupils.” The offer runs until 30 November. The company has also launched a nostalgic sports day board game incentive. Practice staff compete by collecting sporting activity stickers every time they place an order for a pair of Varilux Transitions Crizal lenses, during the three-month promotional period from 1 August. With five stickers to collect for each activity, and an extra boost for completing all five sticker sets, there is also the chance to win the star prize sticker worth £500 in gift vouchers. Vision Now AUGUST 2020

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NEWS 8

Alcon

Silhouette

Model Greta in ocean teal and matte gold

Cheryl Donnelly

Cheryl Donnelly has joined Alcon as international head, professional affairs. “As a highly respected member of the international vision care community, Cheryl brings her extensive experience gained in independent and large chain practices, industry body positions, education and the wider profession within the UK, Europe and Asia,” said Antoine Delgrange, vice president, International Marketing Group for Alcon’s Vision Care Franchise. “With her leadership and passion for the industry, Cheryl will be crucial to connecting our vision care innovation agenda and portfolio of products to the needs of Alcon’s customers,” Antoine added. A contact lens optician and well-regarded educator, Cheryl was previously CEO of the British Contact Lens Association. She also has experience at Bausch + Lomb in professional services and medical affairs, holding roles for the UK market and the EMEA region.

Four new models have been added to the 100 per cent bio-based eyewear collection from Neubau – Natural3D. Named after well-known environmental activists – Greta, Erin, Bill and David – the lightweight frames feature 3D temples made with an integrated titanium needle, allowing the glasses to be easily adjusted in just a few steps. The sustainable frame material is formed using oil extracted from the castor oil plant seeds. The resulting powder is then merged together layer by layer by a laser during 3D printing with any excess material reused for additional frames.

10 CooperVision CooperVision has repurposed part of its R&D and production facilities in Hampshire to produce bottles of hand sanitiser. As well as producing it for its own requirements, the company has provided its hand sanitiser within the local community, including the NHS, schools, community facilities, care homes and charities. “As a manufacturing organisation with an innovative in-house design team, we were keen to take on this challenge and contribute to supporting not only our own requirements for hand sanitiser, but also to see if we could support the community in some way,” said Steve Mathieson, senior vice president, European Manufacturing. The company also provided

New outlay at Southampton facility

3,000 face masks to Southampton General Hospital and made a significant contribution to the hospital’s staff welfare fund.

11 Menicon Menicon has extended its Miru 1month Toric range to include -2.25 cylinder parameters across a range of axes. The company has also launched a new digital calculator, at www.menicon.co.uk/professional/calculator, to help ensure first fit success with toric contact lenses. Andrew Ferguson, sales manager for Menicon’s UK Frequent Replacement Division, said: “When

prescribing lenses for customers with more complex vision needs, eyecare professionals can sometimes take a little longer to identify the best lenses for each patient. “While this is understandable given the variables involved, the end result may increase chair time and can also lead to customer drop-out if they feel their vision is

not quite right. Our new online calculator removes the guesswork and produces an instant starting point result, which will help give the customer the optimal lens for their visual needs. This, in turn, will increase their loyalty to the practice. Eyecare professionals are asked to input a number of visual readings and the calculator does the rest,” Andrew added. Vision Now AUGUST 2020

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NEWS 12 Glasklar UK

13 Charmant

Supporting frontline workers

Hundreds of bottles of refillable spectacle lens cleaner has been delivered to frontline NHS staff at Hastings, Bexhill & Eastbourne Hospitals courtesy of local supplier Glasklar UK. Ellie Jarman, marketing coordinator, explained: “Several of our Glasklar stockists have been providing free bottles of cleaner and free refills to essential workers, so the idea grew from there. We heard of a local ICU consultant who cleaned his spectacles using a high alcohol anti-bac wipe and damaged the surface coating as a result, rendering his glasses unusable.” Jacquie Fuller of East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust said staff were most grateful, and that she had advised colleagues to obtain free top-ups from local Glasklar practices. Maxine Green, managing director, added: “Glasklar stockists have been keen to support the initiative as they are providing free cleaning concentrate from the company anyway as part of our stockist programme. The great thing about Glasklar is the only person who handles the product when refilling is the bottle owner.”

Colourful new styles from Esprit

As the nation prepares for a full-scale return to school next month, all eyes will be on the latest eyewear styles for youngsters. Leading the charge is Esprit with its new kids collection of four styles in varying frame forms and vibrant colours. The use of Ultem ensures a light, comfortable fit and durability. The styles are further enhanced by ‘the grip’ – a removable silicone ear-clip positioned behind the ears to keep the frames steadily in place. The styles come in cheerful reds, blues, purples and browns with cool accents on the end tips.

14 Essilor Alan Pitcher has joined Essilor as commercial director to drive business solutions and growth for independent practices. Alan has a background in the health sector, most recently in orthopaedic medical devices. He said: “Much will undoubtedly change in this industry in the coming years, but I’m driven to see lens volumes return to pre-crisis levels and see key brands return to monthly growth before year end.”

Alan Pitcher

15 SPECS Network The Specialist Providers of Eye Care Solutions (SPECS) Network has launched an animated video to help welcome patients back to the practice. The animation was created by a collaboration between Seiko Optical UK and Think Training. Simon Burgess of Think Training said: “Independent practices are renowned for their high levels of customer care delivered in an unrushed, professional manner – making them ideally placed to apply the new guidelines – but it is important that this is communicated well to their clients. “The animated video is designed to reassure their clients that they will receive the great service that they expect in a safe environment so they can feel confident to

Welcome back video campaign

revisit the practice.” The animated video is available complimentary to all independent practices by simply entering their practice

email address at www.specsnetwork.co.uk/welcomeback-your-independent-optician Vision Now AUGUST 2020

NEWS 16 Practice Building

18 CooperVision

Award winner, Ciarán Conway

New directory of independents

The team at Practice Building have launched a user-friendly directory of independent opticians called Love Local Eyecare. There are three annual membership levels to choose from: Basic membership gets the practice listed in search results; Standard unlocks the potential of the platform with specialities, Google integrations, media sharing and free monthly marketing campaigns; while Premium membership provides even more tools to engage with patients and the ability to list multiple practices from a single account. “As the lockdown is relaxed and we all steadily come to terms with a ‘new-normal’, we believe that it’s more important than ever to shine a bright spotlight on the independent optician,” said Practice Building’s Andy Clark. “That’s why for pretty much the rest of this year, we’re going to be re-investing the majority of revenue from membership fees back into marketing Love Local Eyecare, on Facebook and through other practical ways of reaching your key patients and customers.” Find out more at www.lovelocaleyecare.co.uk

17 Seiko Optical

A final-year optometry student from Dublin University has been named as CooperVision’s FORCE Student of the Year for the UK and Ireland. Ciarán Conway won the title with his project on, ‘The effectivity of the Topcon Eye-Light in treating meibomian gland dysfunction’. The Future Ocular Research Creativity Event (FORCE) is an annual competition in the field of the anterior eye and contact lenses, open to students from colleges and universities all over Europe. The award encourages students to develop their professional knowledge base and contacts to benefit their future careers. With this year’s European FORCE final cancelled due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Ciarán will now attend as a guest at the 2021 event in Budapest. He said: “The FORCE is an amazing opportunity for students and I’m very grateful to CooperVision for the chance to take part. We’re fortunate to have one of the industry’s leading companies there to support us in our optical journey and give us confidence for the future.”

19 Continental Eyewear

With – and without – Seiko FoglessCoat

To support glasses wearers who may find lens fogging an issue whilst wearing a medical mask or face covering, Seiko Optical’s FoglessCoat is now available across almost its entire lens range. The coating, which is provided on both the front and inner surface, encourages water droplets to spread to form an even layer so that the lens maintains its transparency, allowing the wearer to benefit from a clear view even whilst wearing a mask. “Seiko FoglessCoat provides practitioners with an ideal option to meet the new needs of patients and an opportunity to utilise the coating within a second pair offer,” said a company spokesperson.

Vision Now AUGUST 2020

Continental Eyewear has joined the list of optical suppliers now offering personal protective equipment (PPE). The range includes KN95 four-layer face masks, disposable surgical face masks, face shields, goggles, safety glasses and a range of antibacterial sprays, wipes, and hand sanitiser foam. James Conway, CEO of the Millmead Optical Group, said: “It is essential for us to continue to support the optical Industry in safeguarding their employees and customers.” All PPE items are compliant with industry standards, and can be viewed at www.continental-eyewear.com

NEWS 20

British Contact Lens Association

Incoming BCLA president, Indie Grewal

The next president of the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA), Indie Grewal, will give his Presidential Address on Thursday 10 September as an online webinar. Titled, ‘Making a lasting first impression’, Indie will share his memories of attending the 1997 BCLA clinical conference, and how his longstanding membership has shaped his contact lens practice. Indie, who takes over from current president Jonathon Bench, will also look at the evolving contact lens market and how new technologies might enhance the practitioner/patient relationship.

Indie said: “Our return back to a new normal way of practising will also be an opportunity for many of us to see new patients, as many be unwilling to travel far or may wish to continue their desire to shop locally. Creating a lasting first impression has always been important when meeting someone new, never more so than today. It can take less than a second for you to judge someone and create a first impression, it’s time to make that second count.” Register at http://www.bcla.org.uk

Association of British Dispensing Opticians

The National Resource Centre (NRC), the Association of British Dispensing Optician’s flagship meeting, events and examinations venue, has reopened with a raft of safety measures in place. NRC operations manager, Mat Stringer, said: “All staff have completed infection prevention and control (IPC) training, including the use of personal protective equipment [PPE]. PPE will be provided for all Safety a top priority events as well as hand sanitising stations throughout the centre. And communal areas have been adapted to adhere to social distancing. Perspex screens have been fitted in areas where necessary.” There is now contactless sign in, and all areas have been configured for social distancing with protective desktop screens available when needed. The cleaning protocols have been reviewed so cleaning will take place with increased frequency. Visitors will receive a new Covid-19 communication and conduct protocol before each event, along with the assistance of an individual event host. PPE will also be supplied to visitors.

22 Practice Building Practice Building has provided funds for 55 homeless people to gain an eye examination and spectacles thanks to a lockdown marketing initiative. All proceeds from the sale of information packs and marketing material for practices to use in engagement with patients have been donated to Vision Care for Homeless People.

AN INDEPENDENT VIEW The voice of independents The level of frustration amongst independents (that has been so clearly demonstrated in recent weeks) with the ignorance and ineptitude shown by NHS England (NHSE) towards the optical sector (particularly in response to the Coronavirus emergency) is probably at an all-time high. It is fair to say that the various optical bodies have done their damnedest to try to represent the whole sector in an effective manner, but it is simply the case that unlike in Scotland and Wales, NHSE do not have even any basic understanding of the role of optometry and dispensing optics in protecting the nation’s eye health. To them, ‘opticians’ are simply retailers who do some eye tests. This cannot continue and it is reassuring to see the Optometric Fees Negotiating Committee OFNC (finally?) standing up to NHSE and rejecting its 2020/21 GOS sight test fee. Not that this will actually make any difference; the freeze on the fee will simply be imposed. As most independents will know, the AIO has drafted a Post Covid-19 Manifesto that has been discussed with all the main optical bodies including the General Optical Council. It is now being refined following feedback from them and the multitude of practitioners who also responded to our request for input. It is our intention that the manifesto becomes the basis for a drains up review of the relationship with NHSE that results in a complete reshaping of the NHS contract, and on a national level. But we need your help. We have a loyal and growing membership base, and to all of them we are very grateful for their support. However, we need a lot more members to have the moral authority as well as a resource to become the ever stronger Voice of Independents. If you are not a member, please visit aiovision.org and sign up today.

Andy Clark, director of Practice Building, said: “We did a lot of work during lockdown with our one2one campaign in helping practices to reassure their patients about the safety of coming back into the practice. With the strapline, ‘Give your eyes some quality time’ we helped practices to reach thousands of patients, particularly online and via social media. We decided to donate the money generated to Vision Care for Homeless People.” Vision Now AUGUST 2020

BEING INDEPENDENT DOESN’T MEAN BEING ALONE Join the NEG Business Club, as a full member for only £225 a month, to get business coaching, ongoing tailored marketing, staff training, sales systems and much more.

For more information go to practicebuilding.co.uk/neg or book a call with one of the team.

PRACTICE MATTERS

Developing thoughts There are hard times to come – but there is also cause for optimism, writes Phil Mullins

Best of times, worst of times “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” When Charles Dickens wrote these famous lines for his epic novel, A Tale of Two Cities, he could never have dreamt how apt they would be for the year 2020. Without doubt, 2020 will go down in history, alongside previous wars, famines and plagues, as the first global pandemic to occur in the digital age where national lockdowns saw life as we know it grind to a halt. I think we can all agree it has been the worst of times. The number of deaths alone would put us there, but many industries have been devastated. Although the government has been paying the wages of millions, over the next few months we will see even more people lose their jobs, including those in the optical sector. But on the flipside, it has also been the best of times. We have seen amazing acts of kindness, the like of which we may never see again, as people have just got on with it. The ‘clap for the NHS and key workers’ initiative brought communities closer together, as did all the local support groups that popped up across the nations.

A few weeks in to the easing of lockdown, most practices seemed to have constructed themselves a great routine, making sure everything was done via appointment, screens in place, good signage, and a warm welcome to patients. Initially, many were taking one hour per examination to allow for personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning, but most are now five to 10 minutes longer than before as everyone gets used to the new routines. Members are also reporting that they are looking at what changes they need to improve how they work; a case in point is the introduction of digital phoropters, with the Luneau VX65 and the Essilor R800 being the most popular. They are so much easier to clean than trial sets and add a modern technology feel to the examination. One benefit post lockdown has been the desire to eliminate as much paper as possible, with many practices turning to electronic NHS claims and clinical records. Our Optinet team members have been run off their feet with requests to move to eGOS and online booking systems. They have also been working with practices to upgrade to Optinet FLEX, which with full clinical record, dispensing, remote recall mailing, SMS, and email messaging as well as eGOS, enables practices to become as near to paperless as possible.

POSITIVE FEEDBACK AND OUTLOOK ADAPTING TO NEW ROUTINES But what about the independent optical sector? What’s happening, and how are members responding? Firstly, the great news is that the vast majority of members are open for business. Having survived lockdown, many of our members are now determined to come through this difficult time stronger than ever before. Unfortunately, we have had a very small number who didn’t reopen following lockdown, and some are still struggling. But overwhelming, the tone has been very upbeat.

So, we are up and running, there’s a routine in place and we are heading towards eliminating the paper practice: but what’s next? The big message from NEG this year is that just because you’re independent, it doesn’t mean you’re alone. There is a lot of support out there, regardless of where you are located or how small your business is. During lockdown, we received tremendous feedback for the updates we shared from Xact regarding staffing and, in particular, the furlough scheme, which saved many practices.

A global crisis in the digital age

We have also seen a growing number of members upgrade their NEG Business Club membership from the free element, which is available to all members, to the monthly subscription. Once again, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive as practices work closely with Andy Clark and his team to maximise business potential in the coming months. This will be particularly crucial as more and more people turn to local businesses and move away from the big multinationals, emphasising local is best. Obviously, this is just a flavour of what’s happening at the moment and we are constantly working behind the scenes to bring members more support and benefits, which we will keep you informed about in the coming months. But if there is anything in particular that you would like us to look at, please feel free to email me at p.mullins@nationaleyecare.co.uk and I’d be more than happy to look at your suggestions. Vision Now AUGUST 2020

COMPANY PROFILE

Stepping up

in lockdown In this special feature, we hear how Eyespace has been navigating the extraordinary challenges of lockdown A video call with a customer

Britain’s lockdown is generally being discussed as a time of intermittent tedium and anxiety; a nation trapped at home, whilst witnessing the countless tragedies and controversies unfold. For many in the optical industry, it was a time of initial confusion and urgent adaptation. Here, Jayne Abel, co-founder of Eyespace, discusses how the Midlands-based family business successfully evolved while navigating the toughest economic challenges known in modern history. “I think like all employers we felt an immediate concern for our staff with respect to the new government guidelines announced in late March,” says Jayne. “Almost overnight we closed our headquarters, furloughed our teams and redirected the telephone lines directly to our homes.” But, as a former practising optometrist, Jayne has an inherent insight into the pressures faced by eyecare providers during the height of the pandemic. Jayne continues: “For many people – particularly during a period of reduced NHS hospital services – High Street opticians represented the first port of call for emergency eyecare, whether to advise on serious and significant problems with vision or replace essential lost or broken glasses.

Jayne Abel

Vision Now AUGUST 2020

situation. Instead we adapted and evolved to support our customers and those who needed eyewear the most.”

NEW FRONTIER OF BUSINESS

Social distancing during a sales visit

It was quickly evident that there would be a demand for emergency eyewear, and it was so inspiring to see opticians proactively face these new and uniquely adverse conditions to support their patients, and in turn we wanted to support them.” Within three days of the office closing, Jayne and co-founder Julie Abel had set up a dispensing service from their homes and were completing daily dispatches for emergency orders from sample cases. Even during the strictest period of lockdown, they were able to operate by using their daily exercise allowance to visit the post box at the end of their roads.

The industry lockdown was simultaneous with a soaring demand for personal protective equipment (PPE), which left many essential key workers unprotected or wearing uncertified, substandard items. As soon as the lockdown was announced, Eyespace obtained what PPE supplies it could and donated them to local GP surgeries and care homes, making doorstep drops of visors, face masks and goggles in the first six weeks. “People forget how tough those first few weeks were,” Jayne says. “It was a dire situation and it made us realise that our team could do even more to help source supplies – particularly in anticipation of rising infection rates and practices reopening under extremely challenging circumstances.”

“We found that Royal Mail and courier companies worked through obstacles and, with just a couple of delays, all our deliveries got through successfully,” recalls Jayne. “We even dispensed directly to people’s homes when specifically requested by independent opticians, who were also adapting in every which way they could.”

And so began Eyespace’s most significant business innovation to date – and the exceptionally rapid diversification it demanded. The painstaking process of introducing potentially life-saving ‘fullycertified’ facial PPE to meet new government standards required procurement from audited, certified factories and rigorous quality control – both at the point of manufacture and upon arrival in the UK, where new customs procedures were proving an additional hurdle.

As demand continued, Jayne and Julie began to work from the company’s headquarters on alternate days to dispatch frames, eventually bringing back a skeleton crew at opposite ends of the building. “We fulfilled all frame orders throughout the lockdown and I think this is one of the things we are most proud of; we didn’t go to ground during what felt like an impossible

The in-house product development team rose to the challenge, quickly becoming expert in the stringent auditing procedures required for medical-grade PPE. Discovering within themselves a range of specialisms and transferable skills, they began sourcing new suppliers. Working through the night to match time zones in the Far East and meet tight deadlines, a month-long period of

COMPANY PROFILE intense research and development saw the Eyespace team remotely auditing factories. Already highly conversant with European safety standards and current legislation, they drew on decades of experience to liaise with the relevant industry bodies. Jayne explains: “This journey made us appreciate the talent, calibre and dedication of our team. Every single person upped their game to deliver the new service and help meet demand.”

A GOVERNMENT SUPPLIER Armed with an audited supply chain and certified PPE, Eyespace applied to the government’s Covid Crisis Team to supply the NHS, but the process to secure a government contract proved difficult and convoluted, as the cabinet established new teams, processes and systems at the same time as appointing suppliers.

automotive industries. “It was important for us to pull together with our brand partners; both Land Rover and Aspinal of London have been highly responsive to the new challenges faced by their followers,” explains Jayne. “We were particularly inspired by Aspinal Heroes; a lockdown campaign donating the brand’s luxury products to selected nominees on social media. Aspinal very kindly allowed us to continue this idea on our own channel and it was extremely fulfilling to put a smile on the faces of many key workers and those going the extra mile during those challenging weeks.” Each week, the #EyespaceHeroes campaign saw the business gift dozens of sunglasses to patients, volunteers, NHS medical professionals and key workers of the public via social media during the lockdown.

FAST FINANCIAL PLANNING

During the delays at national level, Eyespace began supplying NHS trusts as well as local services, care homes and social housing directly through county councils. Eventually, the company was able to navigate the complex routes and had a breakthrough to work with Lord Deighton’s newly formed PPE team, which was set up to temporarily supply the NHS trusts and social services across the UK; the team has since been disbanded. Eyespace’s first emergency shipment of PPE to the national government was airfreighted into the UK on a convoy of 16 aeroplanes.

“Like many UK suppliers, as soon as opticians closed their doors, our revenue dropped nearly 95 per cent year-on-year for the first two months, and we furloughed almost 30 team members,” Jayne recalls. “It was a very anxious and uncertain time.” Furthermore, the pandemic had halted manufacturing in Italy, France and the Far East for weeks prior to the UK lockdown, disrupting both existing stock orders and further product development. These dramatic and instant revisions to every aspect of operations demanded the most astute business practices.

KEEPING UP MORALE

Eyespace, which warehouses frames for all its collections at the company’s Midlands headquarters, faced unprecedented challenges with unsold stock running into hundreds of thousands of pounds in value. With cashflow disrupted and season launches put on hold, large orders from factories and suppliers across the world had to be urgently rescheduled. Strong relationships, that have taken the business decades to build, paid off.

“We fought the temptation to shut down, and instead reached out to our partner organisations to see how we could face this crisis together,” Jayne says. “It has taken decades to build our network and I honestly think our relationships are stronger now than before the pandemic.” Keeping in touch, not only with optical practitioners but also brand partners, Eyespace quickly became aware of the challenges faced by the fashion and

“Our accounts department, run by Julie, is highly proficient and we have a history of prompt and reliable payment which allowed us to buy time at this crucial moment,” Jayne adds. Meticulous financial planning and a strong grasp of outgoings proved a saviour, allowing Eyespace to extend flexibility to its customers with negotiated payment plans and promotional offers on new product lines.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Thanking the public via the #EyespaceHeroes campaign

Jayne sums up: “In the last three months, we have had to learn at an extraordinary pace under unprecedented pressure; I feel as though we gained three years’

Eyespace’s new Eco Conscious collection

experience in just three months. It is now wonderful to see our teams return from furlough with new enthusiasm and settle back into a newly laid-out office. Orders are regaining momentum, and we are already seeing promising feedback from the industry with average dispensing values actually increasing.” However, the founders at Eyespace remain mindful of lingering uncertainty and anticipate that trading conditions may take time to recover. New and rapidly introduced specialisms have allowed the business to broaden distribution, making Eyespace well placed to meet the challenges ahead. “The flexible furlough scheme has also been extremely useful in bringing people back at right time, and members of Eyespace have undertaken external online training to ensure a thorough understanding of Covid safety procedures such as PPE use and advanced cleaning of our workspace and eyewear samples. “If we could summarise the past few months in one word it would be ‘support’. We’ve both offered and asked for the support of our families, our employees, our suppliers and our customers. The only way we can meet the future is if the industry supports one another, keeps talking, keeps listening and plans one step ahead. “I strongly believe there is cause for optimism; people will undoubtedly come out of lockdown with a backlog of routine testing and additional eyecare needs. The optical industry has supported the nation over lockdown and is now well prepared to operate under government regulations. So, there has never been a more relevant time to innovate, diversify and focus on positive change.” For further information and to view the full Eyespace offering, including the brand new Eco Conscious collection, visit www.eyespace-eyewear.co.uk Vision Now AUGUST 2020

OPTICAL TRADE SHOWS

End of the affair

THE MERGER OF OPTRAFAIR AND 100% OPTICAL IS GOOD NEWS FOR BOTH INDUSTRY AND PROFESSION, WRITES NICKY COLLINSON

our industry to showcase, educate, network and promote UK optics as a whole.”

SINGLE POINT OF FOCUS While Media 10 and the FMO work out how the Optrafair brand will transition to 100% Optical, UK suppliers can now plan how to harness the benefits of one big national show. Alison Pearson, sales and marketing executive at mark’ennovy, said: “It [the merger] should be a good thing, as other countries that have one big national exhibition seem to be extremely successful. The exhibitions are on a much larger, grander scale. There is a big variation of exhibitors with lots of different things to see and learn. This appears to attract a huge footfall, even including visitors from overseas.” Industry welcomes show consolidation

It was the ‘year of optics’ that never was. It had all begun so well – with Opti Munich in January attracting 28,000 visitors, and 100% Optical in London later that month reporting 9,500 registrations. But as coronavirus spread across the globe, so too did the postponements. First Mido pushed its 50th anniversary show back to July, before cancelling completely. The mooted consolidation of Vision Expo East and Vision Expo West for September was abandoned last month, as was the last optical trade show standing – Silmo Paris in October. Back home, the eventual cancellation of Optrafair 2020 was inevitable. It was meant to be the last ever held at the NEC Birmingham, before a planned move to the Ricoh Arena in 2021. However, on 13 July, the FMO and Media 10, organiser of 100% Optical, announced that the two shows would combine from January 2021.

POSITIVE STEP FORWARDS While the move certainly marks the end of an era, it must surely be cause for optimism. Phil Mullins, NEG operations director, concurs: “While I’m sorry that there won’t be a final Optrafair at the NEC in Birmingham, the merger of the two shows brings certainty

Vision Now AUGUST 2020

for the industry, which is really needed in these uncertain times. It means we can now all focus on the one show in January.” Emily Malbon, head of UK marketing and education at Heidelberg Engineering, also sees the move as a positive step forwards. She told Vision Now: “Condensing the two shows into one will allow exhibitors to focus their budget, effort and resources into one show, which will enhance the quality of the experience and educational content for visitors. As an exhibitor, there are many questions still to be answered because the two shows ran quite differently...but we look forward to hearing how the two shows will be combined. We hope everyone will be able to enjoy the best of both shows.” For Chris Beal, senior vice president at Charmant, the merger was also welcome. He said: “It is good news to finally hear of this consolidation after many years of our industry saying that a single annual UK trade fair was the best way forward. I’m sure this will be welcomed by manufacturers, suppliers and all optical practitioners and retailers alike, as the way to bring the whole industry together under one roof at one time. It will reduce fragmentation and costs, whilst consolidating to a focal calendar point for

Who knows, the new combined offer may even entice the contact lens companies. Having sponsored neither Optrafair nor 100% Optical, CooperVision confirmed it “was interested” in the January 2021 show. A spokesperson for Alcon stated: “For the past few years, we have not been present at either event. However, each year we evaluate where our presence would have the greatest impact, particularly for eyecare practitioners with a clear focus on contact lenses and ocular surface health.” Stuart Burn, chairman of the FMO, believes the new partnership will provide tangible benefits and cost savings to FMO members and other exhibitors. Media 10 is now working with ExCeL London and the local health authorities to ensure the show is Covid-19 safe. Home to one of the largest Nightingale Hospitals, ExCeL will re-open on 1 October. “This is great news, as our exhibitors can ready themselves for 100% Optical in January in confidence,” Tweeted Nathan Garnett, event director of the show, when the news was announced last month. It remains to be seen where we will be with Covid-19 rules and regulations by January, and therefore what shape 100% Optical will eventually take. But at least the industry can now move forwards, and plan more strategically for the recovery period ahead.

OPTICAL EDUCATION

Never stop

learning

ABDO COLLEGE’S SUPPORT STAFF COURSES are great for staff development – and business building too, writes Steve Hertz

relevant to the tasks a senior optical assistant will do in practice. Student and employer feedback is a key driver in how we develop courses and it is clear that a one-year course to develop candidates with an existing working knowledge of optical practice will be very useful. As with the introductory OA course, students are assigned a personal tutor, and work through weekly assignments, receiving the support of ABDO College webinars, advice and guidance from their personal tutor and the college support team.

INSPIRING OTHERS As well as applying what they learn in practice, staff on ABDO College courses can share what they are learning with the whole practice team, inspiring others and ensuring that everyone improves their skills and knowledge. Students who complete the OA or SOA course will be accepted onto the FBDO programme. For students who want to enhance their skills in smaller steps, following the OA course with the SOA course as a one-year programme provides a great solution.

As a business owner and manager, you know that you never stop learning. Running a practice brings new challenges every day, and over the last few months, you will have faced more challenges than usual. While the world of optics is adapting to a new way to work, it is worth looking at your plans for learning for your staff team too. Staff training is key to growing your business. From the moment the very newest optical assistant or receptionist joins the team, they are on a steep learning curve. They will need to learn about how your business works, as well as develop their knowledge of optical terms and equipment. The more your team develop their knowledge and skills, the more they bring to your business. And each team member benefits too, in terms of job satisfaction and the feeling that they have a clear path to develop their career. It can be easy to let staff training slip during challenging times, which is why ABDO College’s Optical Assistant (OA) and Senior Optical Assistant (SOA) courses are an ideal way to ensure that your support staff continue to develop their knowledge and skills. Your staff member will have a module to study each week, and every module has been created with practical application in practice in mind.

FOCUS ON PATIENT CARE The introductory OA training course was launched last September with more than

Help develop staff’s knowledge and skills

120 students completing the course over the first two intakes. This course covers the eye, spectacle lenses, frames, contact lenses and legal requirements. What’s more, there is also the chance to take part in an optional workshop on spectacle repairs and screening. On completion, your staff member will be better equipped to answer questions, solve problems and ensure that every patient gets the appropriate eyecare and eyewear from the right person in the practice team.

Study with ABDO College provides the perfect pathway for you to build your team in-house. This brings benefits of staff loyalty, and a patient base who knows and likes your highly skilled team. New for this year, ABDO College is making payment plans available for all courses. This allows you to spread the cost of payment over a period of six months to help with cash flow.

OAs who have been with you for some time will benefit from the SOA course, which has a more in-depth approach to the topics covered. Updated for 2020, the course content has been refined to make it more ABDO College’s OA courses can lead on to FBDO qualification

NEW FROM ABDO CMI-accredited management qualifications ABDO management and leadership training, accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), is a great

way to turn informal learning and management skills into a recognised qualification. Study online to get a recognised Level 5 qualification. Find out more and apply for the Continuing Improvement Certificate by 21 August. Visit www.abdo.org.uk/MLT

To find out more, visit www.abdocollege.org.uk/courses or email info@abdocollege.org.uk Steve Hertz FBDO is head of operations at ABDO College. Vision Now AUGUST 2020

STYLE SPOTLIGHT

Expressive eyewear for youngsters

By Joan Grady

Positive, personal expression is important for children as this helps them to grow into confident, creative and independent young people. Children like to select the clothes they want to wear from the age of four or five. By then, most kids have already experimented with dressing up and costume parties. They have an idea of colours they love – or choose to reject. The same concept applies to children who need glasses: spectacles are an excellent example of a child’s freedom of expression. Of course, parental guidance is required, but studies reveal that children are more apt to wear what they have chosen – rather than what parents insist they wear. Designers and manufacturers who create frames for children are aware of what influences youngsters. With this realisation, a diverse range of directional spectacle styles cater to babies through to teenagers, incorporating on-trend looks for budding young scholars to fashionistas. Quality materials, smart little shapes, plus creative colourations provide numerous desirable choices.

Desirable choices for boys and girls from Eyespace’s Rock Star collection

TRADITION AND TRENDS Nowadays, influences for youngsters are derived from many sources: parents and other family members, TV and games, the internet and social media. So their sphere of information and global dimension is vast. Rock Star from Eyespace Eyewear brilliantly captures the extent of these influences, with its extended collection of fashionforward designs for boy and girls. Styles include both acetate and metal frames, with coveted vintage silhouettes aptly scaled to small faces, plus rectangular and square shapes that adjust easily for fit and comfort. Trendy tortoise, bright red, pale pink plus sleek combinations of black and pink, apple green and black are among the colours that children will respond to with glee. Unique and directional trends in eyewear have been accelerated with 3D printing possibilities. The layer-by-layer technique

Adam and Drake: fashion savvy Rock Star designs from Eyespace Eyewear

Vision Now AUGUST 2020

Dimension Next by Götti Eyewear: 3D printing excels in Domo

has brought innovation to eyewear designs, not only for adult frames but children’s spectacles as well. The recipient of numerous design awards, including the prestigious Red Dot, Sven Götti had a long time dream to create a children’s collection. When the Swiss designer launched Dimension Next at Götti Eyewear, the material of choice was 3D printing. Sven fully understands that children need a positive experience with eyewear to give them confidence as well as a stylish look. The sleek shape in Domo is available in a beautiful jewel-tone colour – Ruby – and children can personalise the design by choosing the colour of the nose pads and temple tips. In addition to Ruby, there are 12 smart colourations. Retro inspires the ultra-thin metal frames by Superflex kids. Style SFK-234 is among a fun collection of designs with fit, function and fashion in cat-eye, round and rectangular shapes for kids aged from six to 12 years. Superflex Kids models include spring hinges for extra durability and comfort. Hues range from candied coloured

Retro inspiration at Superflex Kids

STYLE SPOTLIGHT

Gustave: dynamic colourations by Lafont Paris

Forever-favourite tortoiseshell: Graffiti by Lafont Paris

Caroline Abram’s designs spotlight desirable shapes in radiant rose, aubergine, and soft ice-cream shades in pink and blue amongst other innovative hues. The Parisian designer has been awarded four Silmo d’Or statuettes with her designs for adults and children. The cat-eye for little girls is one of her prominent, adroit silhouettes that children respond to with positivity and enjoy wearing.

Louis Stone’s Hi 4 Flex frame in vivid Candy Floss

Fun at the fair in eyewear by JF Rey

models to turquoise glitter, paisley and watercolour patterns.

COLOUR DIVERSITY Lafont Paris was among the first companies to capture the need and potential for fun, dynamic frame designs to which children – and parents – would respond with enthusiasm. The French brand specialises in frames for babies from six months old to 12 years. Designs integrate fashion styling with trends that adults are wearing. Tortoiseshell designs are a contemporary and perennial favourite with parents, and the children’s version is skilfully scaled to fit small faces. The latest designs include slender acetate shapes with tortoiseshell frame fronts, and sides in harmoniously accented palettes.

children like outdoor fun and frolics. The frames for youngsters through to teens include captivating designs in precise little shapes, in breezy solid colours, as well as demonstrative prints. Innovative techniques for comfort, excellent fit and durability enhance each design. Joyful colours highlight Louis Stone frames for children and teenagers. Tempting Candy Floss is among the perky colours that youngsters will be delighted to wear in contemporary shapes.

Among the new arrivals at Whiz Kids, distributed by Dunelm Optical, are two charming designs with vivacity and fashion cool. Eclectic colours mix amicably in Whiz Kids Haida, with a printed frame front and contrasting sides. Colour variations include orange, purple and red – primary tones with warmth and vitality. Also new and sleek is Whiz Kids Mohawk, a contemporary frame shape that fits easily and comfortably. The sophisticated colours in Whiz Kids Mohawk – Matt Green, Matt Red and Matt Black, provide girls the opportunity to feel very grown up with fashion savvy.

Most young girls appear to have a natural instinct for fashion, frequently a hybrid of sporty plus feminine, girly clothes in tangy colours. The fresh new eyewear for these developing style setters embraces frames with dashing captivating shapes, and traditional plus trendy sophisticated colourations.

Children’s frames are an expanding and invigorating sector of eyewear. It’s inspiring territory, as the young customers of today are potential clients for future decades. Designs are carefully catered to appeal to children, as well as their parents. Independent opticians have excellent potential to instil in youngsters the worthwhile aspects of eye health, plus the feel-good factor of wearing frames that best express each individual personality.

Young and sporty: Whiz Kids Haida

Girly grown-up: Whiz Kids Mohawk

GIRLY GLOW

A Lafont trademark is distinctive prints and this season decorative, peppy black and white patterns as well as colourful versions highlight the collection. Gustave sports a round shape with a mingling of lively colours, and sides in solid chocolate. All Lafont designs are crafted in the Jura region of France, and the brand has been given the esteemed certification of OFG – Guaranteed French Origin. JF Rey puts the spotlight on fun fairs with its lively collection of children’s eyewear photographed at an amusement park. Located on the Mediterranean coast, the French company understands how much

Vision Now AUGUST 2020

Preferred Suppliers’ Directory

Preferred Suppliers are suppliers who, by prior arrangement, offer members of the PK National Eyecare Group preferential terms. For full details and terms offered to the membership, please call 01580 713698 Directory listings are available free of charge to all preferred suppliers, with a larger listing available to Vision Now Advertisers. To make changes to the directory listings, please call Sally Spicer on 01580 713698 or email s.spicer@nationaleyecare.co.uk

ALCON UK

BONDEYE OPTICAL

DAVID THOMAS

GO EYEWEAR UK LTD

Tel: 0371 376 0017 Fax: 0871 351 1005

Tel: 0121 7723888 Fax: 0808 2801865

Tel: 01604 646216 Fax: 01604 790366

Tel: 0800 9178270

www.uk.alcon.com

sales@bondeyeoptical.co.uk www.bondeyeoptical.co.uk

orders@davidthomas.com www.davidthomas.com

CENTROSTYLE

DE RIGO UK LTD Tel: 01923 249491

sales@assopt.co.uk www.associatedoptical.com

OPTICAL CENTRE SUPPLIES LTD Tel: 01923 239267 Fax: 01923 253951

ATLANTIC OPTICAL UK LTD

sales@centrostyle.com www.centrostyle.com

Tel: 02920 362 136 Fax: 02920 362 137

CHARMANT UK CO LTD

info@atlanticoptical.co.uk www.atlanticoptical.co.uk

Tel: 020 8992 9222 Fax: 020 8896 0287

BARCLAYCARD

sales@charmant.co.uk www.charmant.co.uk

Tel: 01628 605433 Fax: 01628 665077

Tel: 0800 056 5569

BAUSCH + LOMB

CONTINENTAL EYEWEAR Tel: 0151 426 3907 Fax: 0151 426 9340

info.uk@derigo.com www.derigo.com www.my.derigo.com

HEIDELBERG ENGINEERING Tel: 01442 502 330 Fax: 01442 242 386 www.HeidelbergEngineering.co.uk

HENRY BEAUMONT

DUNELM OPTICAL

Tel: 0116 251 8936 Fax: 0116 262 4205

Tel: 01388 420420 Fax: 01388 810101

info@henrybeaumont.com www.henrybeaumont.com

dunelm@dunelmoptical.co.uk www.dunelmoptical.co.uk

ESSILOR Tel: 01454 281281 Fax: 01454 281282

HILCO EUROPE Tel: 0800 591150 info@hilco.co.uk www.hilco.co.uk

www.essilor.co.uk

HOYA LENS UK

sales@continental-eyewear.co.uk www.continental-eyewear.com

EYESPACE

BIB OPHTHALMIC INSTRUMENTS

COOPERVISION

Tel: 01527 870550 Fax: 01527 837012

Tel: 0845 330 0984 Fax: 0845 330 0977

Tel: 01438 740823

Tel: 0870 9000 055

info@eyespace-eyewear.co.uk www.eyespace-eyewear.co.uk

Tel: 020 8781 2900 www.bausch.co.uk

sales@bibonline.co.uk www.bibonline.co.uk

SO CLOSE YOU CAN ALMOST SEE IT

www.coopervision.co.uk

enquiries@hoya.co.uk orders@hoya.co.uk www.hoya.co.uk

A refreshing perspective To help you enhance your contact lens practice, CooperVision offers an extensive product range designed to meet the needs of even more of your patients.

For more information 0870 9000 055* www.coopervision.co.uk COMING SOON

Vision Now AUGUST 2020

*Calls cost 2p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.

T 01527 870550 eyespace-eyewear.co.uk

01580 713698

ASSOCIATED OPTICAL

www.goeyeweargroup.com

Tel: 0121 585 6565 Fax: 0121 585 0954

MARK’ENNOVY

PRO-OPTIC

SUNWISE (TG SPORTS)

Tel: 0800 3280610 Fax: 0800 3280649

Tel: 01884 266130

Tel: 01865 714620

sales@pro-optic.com www.pro-optic.co.uk

info@tgsports.co.uk www.sunwise.co.uk

www.internationaleyewear.co.uk

mkservices@markennovy.com www.markennovy.com

LENSTEC EYEWEAR

MID-OPTIC

Tel: 02920 857122 Fax: 02920 920480

Tel: 01332 295001 Fax: 01332 295158

sales@lensteceyewear.co.uk www.lensteceyewear.co.uk

orders@midoptic.com www.midoptic.com

LENSTEC OPTICAL

RAWDON OPTICAL

TANT LABORATORIES

Tel: 01132 883094 Fax: 01132 883095

Tel: 01279 653785 Fax: 01279 658308

RawdonCC@rawdonoptical.co.uk www.lenstecopticalgroup.co.uk

TantCC@tantlabs.com www.lenstecopticalgroup.co.uk

No7 CONTACT LENSES

RETAIL EXPERIENCE DESIGN (RED)

Tel: 01452 510321

Tel: 02920 883009 Fax: 02920 889798

Tel: 01424 850620 Fax: 01424 850650

Tel: 024 7601 0103

LenstecCC@lenstec.co.uk www.lenstecopticalgroup.co.uk

info@no7contactlenses.com www.no7contactlenses.com

LLOYDS BANK

OPTINET LTD

Tel: 07780 338656

Tel: 0845 313 0233

franchising@lloydsbanking.com www.lloydsbank.com/business

sales@optinetuk.com www.optinetuk.com

LOUIS STONE OPTICAL LTD

ORANGE EYEWEAR

Tel: 029 2073 5293 Fax: 029 2073 1446

Tel: 0161 773 5555 Fax: 0161 773 5544

info@louisstone.co.uk www.louisstone.co.uk

LUNEAU TECHNOLOGY UK/IRELAND – VISIONIX Tel: 07383 555659 infouk@luneautech.com www.luneautech.co.uk

info@orange-eyewear.co.uk www.orange-eyewear.co.uk

dean@retailexperiencedesign.co.uk www.retailexperiencedesign.co.uk

RODENSTOCK Tel: 01474 325555

sales@norville.co.uk www.norville.co.uk

THEA PHARMACEUTICALS Tel: 0845 521 1290 Fax: 01782 717 944

sales@rodenstock.co.uk www.rodenstock.co.uk

www.thea-pharmaceuticals.co.uk

SEIKO OPTICAL UK

Tel: 01686 627595 Fax: 01696 610015

Tel: 01452 610033 Fax: 01452 638250 orders@seiko-optical.co.uk info@seiko-optical.co.uk www.seiko-optical.co.uk

THREE SIXTY Kieran@calotherm.co.uk www.calotherm.co.uk

ULTRAVISION

PERFORMANCE FINANCE

SILHOUETTE UK LTD

Tel: 01525 381112 Fax: 01525 370091

Tel: 01536 529696 Fax: 01536 310033

Tel: 020 8987 8899 Fax: 020 8987 2430

info@ultravision.co.uk www.ultravision.co.uk

www.performancefinance.co.uk

POSITIVE IMPACT

office@uk.silhouette.com www.silhouette.com

LUXOTTICA (UK) LTD

Tel: 08446 696907

SPEC-CARE LTD

Tel: 0808 165 8555

Tel: 01392 460806

www.luxottica.com

sales@positiveimpact.co.uk www.positiveimpact.co.uk

MARCHON

PRACTICE BUILDING

Tel: 0800 72 2020

Tel: 0115 989 9772

STEPPER UK

andy@practicebuilding.co.uk www.practicebuilding.co.uk

Tel: 01732 375975

csuk@marchon.com

THE NORVILLE GROUP LTD

info@speccareservices.co.uk www.speccareservices.co.uk

WEBPOST Tel: 0800 074 2425 annie.mackervoy@webpost.com www.webpost.com

XACT Tel: 01698 574 655 IMcGleish@xact.uk.com www.xact.uk.com

sales@stepper.co.uk www.steppereyewear.com

www.nationaleyecare.co.uk

Suppliers’ directory

INTERNATIONAL EYEWEAR LTD

Open your eyes to

Love Your OCT. Guaranteed.

www.HeidelbergEngineering.com

Andrew Davies F.B.D.O UK Country Manager +44 (0) 7583 076 132 a.davies@michael-pachleitner-group.com

0845 3130233 sales@optinetuk.com

www.optinetuk.com

Vision Now AUGUST 2020

VisionXtra™ – designed to make your life easier. VisionXtra is the patient registration scheme from CooperVision that is designed to make your life easier. It’s simple and free to register patients, can work alongside your own monthly payment plan service and offers beneﬁts such as direct to patient delivery and the ability to create and release ‘trigger patient orders’ giving you more ﬂexibility. Discover the difference VisionXtra can make to your practice.

A FREE, simple way to manage your patients

Help you keep contact lens revenue in your practice

Direct-to-patient home deliveries1 with contact lenses and solutions together in one convenient pack The ability to create and release ‘trigger patient orders’ giving you more ﬂexibility 100% credit on product returns2 Hassle-free returns process.

For more information, visit coopervision.co.uk/VisionXtra, call 0870 9000 0553 or speak to your CooperVision Business Development Manager. 1. Direct to patient orders will be subject to a standard freight charge. 2. To claim a credit you will need to do so within 90 days of the invoice date. We reserve the right to request for product to be sent back to us. If we do decide to ask for product back we will do so within 10 working days of receiving a credit request form. 3. Calls cost 2p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.

Help provide a convenient and costeffective way to ensure that your patients get the lenses they need