Vision Now September 2021

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VV SEPTEMBER 2021

Vision Now magazine

NEW

NEW

AXES

Your mediflex® max 1 day family just got MUCH bigger.

Introducing NEW mediflex® max 1 day multifocal – an evolution in lens design and fitting approach. Expansion of mediflex max 1 day toric with additional parameters and around-the-clock axes. Both lenses built on a reputation of unsurpassed comfort and excellent vision. mediflex® max 1 day is now a bigger family of high-performance one-day lenses with built-in UV blocker† that meet the needs of today’s patients who demand quality without compromise.

Walk this way to discover your exclusive mediflex® portfolio...

† Warning: UV-absorbing contact lenses are not substitutes for protective UV-absorbing eyewear, such as UV-absorbing goggles or sunglasses, as they do not completely cover the eye and surrounding area. Patients should continue to use UV-absorbing eyewear as directed. *Exclusive within the UK&I market. mediflex® is only available to NEG members.

Patient loyalty builds practice success.

Your mediflex® contact lens portfolio – designed to retain more patients and improve business revenue.

Keep patients and business coming back with your mediflex® portfolio of contact lenses and lens care solutions – NEW and exclusive* to National Eyecare Group members.

Studies show that private label contact lens patients are more loyal to their practice;1,2 and they spend more on their contact lenses too.3 Private label also helps drive spectacle sales4 and increases spend on them.4 Build your business with the mediflex® portfolio – exclusive* to NEG members. Behind each mediflex® label is a trusted CooperVision product at the same price as the branded equivalent.

Discuss this exclusive opportunity with your CooperVision Business Development Manager.

1. CVI consumer insight study, July 2019. GB adults who wear branded/private label contacts lenses: n=489; 2. CVI data on file 2020. Covid-19 contact lens users survey, Verve, April 2020. Base (all respondents): Total UK n=240.

3.Euromonitor 2020 Eyewear Sources UK July 2019. 4. CVI consumer insight study, July 2019. GB adults who wear branded/private label contacts lenses: n=497; 56% vs. 36%; p<0.05

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Inside

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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.

7 29

News 4 7 9 11 13 15

NEG conference postponed Rimless portfolio expanded New head at Mark’ennovy French brand licence extended Vision check app introduced AIO conference round-up

15 An independent view To NHS, or not to NHS?

18 Developing thoughts This way, that way, over there

21 Business matters Your business starter for 10

24 Product profile Yalea: beyond time and fashion

26 Product profile Feast your eyes

28 Style spotlight Eyewear promoting green initiatives

30 Suppliers’ directory

Editor’s comment This title of this month’s Developing thoughts column – This way, that way, over there – alludes to the befuddlement felt by Alice in Wonderland as she navigates towards the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Well, we could all be forgiven for feeling a little like Alice at the moment. Whether it’s travel restrictions and mandates, attending or running events, or mask-wearing protocols – it often feels like we’re endlessly disappearing down a rabbit hole. “Oh dear! Oh dear!”

The White Rabbit is said to symbolise Alice’s quest for knowledge – the same quest that keeps us all moving forwards in our ever-more intertwined home and work lives. Providing members with a greater knowledge and understanding, whether it be in product, technology, business or clinical practice, has always been at the heart of NEG’s mission. And so it will be at the group’s next members’ conference, which has (reluctantly) been moved back to June 2022 (see News page 4).

Despite the slow trickle return of live events within the sector, there is no doubt that virtual meetings are here to stay. They are a fantastic way to catch up, gain some CET from the comfort of your own home and cut-back on your car-driven carbon-emissions. They will continue to work extraordinarily well alongside live events, and should continue to be embraced as an additional way to improve your knowledge and skills. As the Cheshire Cat quite rightly advises: where you go, depends on where you want to end up...

Nicky Collinson Editor

Editor

Nicky Collinson BA (Hons) nicola.collinson@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 © 2021 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 CFH Docmail Ltd. St Peter’s Park, Wells Road, Radstock BA3 3UP

Vision Now SEPTEMBER 2021

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NEWS 1

3

Go Eyewear

NEG

Following feedback from both members and exhibitors, NEG has decided to postpone its Building for Success conference, which was to take place on 26 and 27 September. The new dates are 19 and 20 June 2022.

“This was not an easy decision to make,” said NEG operations director, Phil Mullins.

“We took many areas into consideration, but with the continuing high levels of Covid-19 in the community, and many practices still catching up on the backlog of patients, we would be unable to offer the conference experience that we pride ourselves on delivering. We look forward to seeing everyone next June, for what we believe will be our best ever conference,” Phil added. All delegate bookings will be carried forward to the 2022 date.

2

CooperVision

Ana Hickmann model AH6457

The autumn/winter 2021 Ana Hickmann eyewear collection is “100 per cent feminine and represents timeless refinement and elegance mixed with return-to-work trends and workleisure dressing”.

The styles feature the brand’s duo-temple design, enabling a different look with just one twist. A discreet crystal features on the hinge, one with a more overall tropical theme and the other a colour block to match the frame front. The styles are available both with a square and oval shape in three different colours.

4

Menicon

Lens powers expanded

CooperVision has added sphere powers from ±10.50D to ±20.00D for its Biofinity XR toric contact lenses, nearly doubling the number of available prescription options specific to this lens to 32,796. Biofinity XR toric is a fully cast-moulded, made-to-order lens that features CooperVision’s Optimised Toric Lens Geometry – providing the same uniform horizontal ISO thickness and optimised ballast band design as Biofinity toric.

“This latest addition to the Biofinity portfolio highlights our commitment to supporting eyecare professionals to enable even more of their patients to enjoy the freedom and confidence that contact lenses bring,” said Mark Draper, director of marketing and national accounts, CooperVision UK and Ireland.

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Vision Now SEPTEMBER 2021

Flat Pack family complete

Menicon has launched its first daily disposable multifocal – Menicon Flat Pack Multifocal – designed for new wearers and those upgrading from single vision lenses. The lens features the company’s Neuro Adaptive Design, whereby a low-amplitude change in power leads to a smooth transition along the optical focal path. SmartTouch Packaging, at just 1mm thick, means the inner surface remains hygienic during application, while the packaging is made completely from recycled plastics.

Kevin Mitchell, managing director of Menicon UK, said: “We are delighted to add new products in our 70th anniversary year and the multifocal lens completes the Flat Pack family.” The Menicon disposable soft lens multifocal calculator has been updated to include the new Miru 1day Flat Pack Multifocal.

NEG SA VE * USE CO DE NEG30

£30

24 OCTOBER 2021

Commercialising Myopia Management WHEN Sunday 24th October 2021 WHERE National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham FORMAT 1-day Conference & Exhibition

PROGRAMME Commercialising myopia management. Dr. Gary Gerber How NOT to market myopia control. Matt Oerding A once in a lifetime opportunity: Myopia Matters. Nick Dash Myopia: The conversation starts here… Sarah Morgan Charging for myopia management. Nick Black

Ticket prices from £99† when booked before 27th September 2021 For more details and to book visit www.independentsday.co.uk TITLE SPONSORS

HEADLINE SPONSORS ®

F O U N D AT I O N S P O N S O R S : E S S I L O R

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* NEG members can save £30 on the price of an individual ticket to iDay21. † Price per person for 3 or more people attending as a group booking.

NEWS 5

Stepper

6

Independents Day

Early-bird pricing for Independents Day (iDay) 2021, rescheduled for Sunday 24 October at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham, has been extended to 12 September. The programme, themed ‘Commercialising myopia management’, as well as the speakers have all been retained for the October date. Organiser Proven Track Record (PTR) has also confirmed its policy for maintaining the comfort and safety of its delegates.

Getting on with life with the SI-20113

The front of the SI-20113 is moulded in Stepper’s own TX5 material, which is said to be 25 per cent lighter than more common plastics.

As well as taking a larger space for the auditorium and exhibition rooms, double vaccination and a negative PCR test will be a requirement for entry. Anyone testing positive, so unable to attend, will be entitled to a full refund. PTR director, Nick Atkins, said: “It is essential that all delegates feel as confident attending Independents Day as they do going into work every day. Hand sanitising stations will be widely available although masks won’t be mandatory.”

For up-to-date information or to book, visit www.independentsday.co.uk

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Silhouette

“Not only is it light,” explained Stepper UK managing director, Peter Reeve, “but the precise anatomical curves are ‘memorised’ during the injection moulding process so the frame keeps its shape.” The titanium sides are around 50 per cent lighter than comparable metals. Both the titanium and TX5 parts are hypoallergenic, and the total frame weight is just 7.2g.

“The styling of the SI-20113 is a contemporary classic,” added Peter. “This means almost anyone will suit the frame and it can be worn with any outfit. So you can wear this Stepper and get on with your life.”

The Stepper SI-20113 is available in brown, midnight and green.

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New Infinity View model 2938

The Infinity View collection is the latest addition to Silhouette’s full-rim portfolio. The line takes its inspiration from architecture and comprises of four new shapes: a cat-eye, panto and two rectangular styles. The range showcases Silhouette’s signature ultra-lightweight style whilst introducing modern full-rim shapes. The translucent colour palette ranges from striking shades of green to warm tones.

For women, the collection introduces a rounded panto design or a flattering cat-eye frame.

Highlights of the colour palette include combinations of rosé pink and dark spring green.

For men, a further two full-rim squared styles join the portfolio. Masculine translucent shades include crystal clear and grey ruthenium.

Essilor

Essilor has introduced frame personalisation f-360˚ into its varifocal lens, Varilux Comfort Max, enabling frame fitting measurements to be incorporated into lens prescribing with the Eye-Ruler 2 or Visioffice. Tim Precious, managing director at Essilor, said: “The range extension...allows ECPs to dispense a lens optimised to a patient’s chosen frame and designed to adjust to the patient’s movements – giving greater flexibility in the postures they can adopt while wearing spectacles.”

Varilux Comfort Max was developed using advanced avatar simulations to mathematically model the conditions of reallife vision tasks to refine the design before live testing. Designed using Essilor’s Flex

Taking body posture into account

Optim technology, it increases the ‘useful vision zone’ of the lens by up to 46 per cent, enabling wearers to adopt a broader

range of head movements. Point-of-sale is available to support the range extension, including patient leaflets and posters.

Vision Now SEPTEMBER 2021

7

INTRODUCING

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Reference: 1. Cummings S, Giedd B, Pearson C. Clinical performance of a new daily disposable spherical contact lens.

Optom Vis Sci. 2019;96:E-abstract 195375. See instructions for use for complete wear, care and safety information.

PRECISION1, Alcon and the Alcon logos are trademarks of Alcon Inc. 14694 © 2021 Alcon Inc. 04/21 IE-PR1-2100037

NEWS 9

Mark’ennovy

10 Silhouette Launching in the UK and Ireland this month is Evil Eye sports eyewear from Silhouette, featuring a quick-change lens system and LST – the Austrian manufacturer’s high-end lens technology. The versatile product, introduced in Europe in 2019, offers a broad choice of styles for a large number of yearround sports and leisure activities.

Evil Eye makes its debut

Stuart Neilson

Stuart Neilson is the new head of the UK and Nordics regions for Mark’ennovy.

Stuart’s previous roles include senior VP global sales with the Sivantos Hearing Group and formerly business unit head of Bausch and Lomb Visioncare covering the UK and Nordics. Stuart said: “With its focus on quality, combined with the widest range of fitting parameters and exciting pipeline, I believe Mark’ennovy has a terrific opportunity to partner customers in ensuring everybody can benefit from wearing contact lenses.”

Mark’ennovy CEO, George Sarouff, commented: “I am excited to attract Stuart to join us at what is a pivotal time for Mark’ennovy as we progress with our commercial growth plans. His experience will play an important role in achieving our ambitions whilst ensuring more people can experience the freedom and comfort of wearing our individually crafted lenses.”

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British Contact Lens Association

BCLA Vision will be held online on Sunday 7 November and will feature the 2021 BCLA Medal Address by Professor James Wolffsohn and the Pioneers Lecture by Professor Eric Papas. A live lecture stream will include sessions on tele-optometry in anterior eye practice, technology that has

Designed to suit all face shapes, the frame has a double-snap nose bridge with two settings: higher or lower on the nose, meaning closer or further away from the face.

The sides have a three-stage adjustment, enabling the section between temple and lens to be angled. If the eyes are permanently looking down, for example when biking, or upwards, for example when climbing, the angle can be adjusted to the line of sight with just one movement. Vario photochromic or polarised lens options are also available.

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Association of Optometrists

The Association of Optometrists’ (AOP) Hospital Optometrists Annual Conference (HOAC virtual), supported by Menicon and No7 Contact Lenses, will take place on 25 September – offering a dedicated day of online education for those working in a hospital environment or considering it. Four webinars will look at ocular oncology referral, emergency eyecare, new perspectives on glaucoma and the use of artificial intelligence in predicting eye disease.

The programme includes speakers from Cardiff University, Google Health, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Moorfields Eye Hospital and the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield. AOP head of education, Dr Ian Beasley, said: “There is a great line up of speakers from diverse settings and

been accelerated due to the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic. Other sessions will look at the ‘business’ of contact lenses and dry eye, suggesting business model options practices could employ.

The fully virtual event, which is open to members and non-members of the BCLA, follows on from the live-streamed BCLA clinical conference. Everyone who registered

Dr Ian Beasley

backgrounds across the UK – expertly placed to share their insights.” Each webinar has capacity for 1,000 practitioners. The conference also includes two peer discussions, one specifically for therapeutic prescribers. Visit www.aop.org.uk/hoac

for that event will automatically have access to BCLA Vision so will not need to re-register.

BCLA chief executive, Luke Stevens-Burt, said: “We have carefully curated a programme featuring the very latest research, with a focus on the innovation and technology available to us today that we should not ignore – and that can play a huge part in how we look after contact lens and anterior eye.” Visit www.bcla.org.uk Vision Now SEPTEMBER 2021

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The Lens with the Most Moisture *1

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MORE moisture than any other lens*1 MORE moisture from morning to night*2

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MORE stable tear film*4 MORE breathability#7,8,9 UVA / UVB protection**7

Bausch + Lomb Biotrue® ONEday contact lens with Surface Active TechnologyTM 3 contains maximum moisture1 compared to other daily disposable lenses in the market, and retains nearly 100% of its moisture for a full 16 hours2 – while providing the highest tear film stability of leading daily disposables.4 And with its high levels of breathability,7 this lens provides more oxygen than the open eye needs to remain healthy and white.5 And now with our Patient Satisfaction Guarantee for complete peace of mind.

The ONLY daily toric with a –2.75D cyl †10

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Order your trial lenses today N 0845 602 2350 E cs.vc.uk@bausch.com Please read the Instructions for Use (IFU) for important product use and safety information with Bausch + Lomb contact lenses. *Compared to other daily disposable lenses in the market. | **UV-absorbing contact lenses are NOT substitutes for UV-absorbing sunglasses. You should continue to use UV absorbing sunglasses as directed. # Dk/t vs DAILIES®AquaComfort PLUS® and1-Day ACUVUE® Moist | † Excluding made-to-order lenses 1. ACLM, 2020. ACLM Year Book Online. https://www.aclm.org.uk/online-access/. Accessed 28.6.21. 2. Bausch + Lomb, 2012. A clinical evaluation of Biotrue® ONEday compared to 1-DAY ACUVUE® MOIST®, 1-DAY ACUVUE® TruEye® and DAILIES® AquaComfort PLUS®dehydration data preliminary results and claims support (ROC2-11-63). Rochester. 3. Bausch + Lomb, 2011. Hypergel Surface Characterisation Memo, Rochester. 4. Tomy, L., Chan, O., Reindel, B., Steffen, R., January 2020. Non-Invasive Tear Break-Up Time Evaluation of Six Unique Daily Disposable Lens Materials After 10 Hours of Wear. Global Specialty Lens Symposium. 5. Barr, J., Donnelly, C., Rah, M.J. Measuring Oxygen Transmissibility: How Much is Enough for Healthy Contact Lens Wear? 7. Bausch + Lomb, 2012. Bausch + Lomb nesofilcon A contact lens (#510(k) Summary). Rochester. 8. Alcon Manufacturer-provided information, November, 2019 9. Johnson & Johnson Visioncare Manufacturer-provided information., November 2019 10. Based on a comparison of manufacturer-provided parameter ranges on May 21st 2020.

Biotrue and Surface Active Technology are trademarks of Bausch + Lomb Incorporated or its affiliates | ©2021 Bausch & Lomb Incorporated or its affiliates.

BOD.0015.IE.21

NEWS 13 Charmant

15 Heidelberg Engineering

Elle model EL13499 in green

Charmant has extended its long-term collaboration with French fashion and lifestyle brand Elle by an additional five years – marking the 25th anniversary of the international collaboration. Charmant Group president and CEO, Masakiyo Honjo, said: “The partnership between Charmant Group and Elle is the purest combination of eyewear expertise and fashion flair.

“For over quarter of a century, we have worked in harmony to develop the Elle brand and achieve the success that is Elle eyewear. We look forward to the next chapter of this thrilling story,” added Masakiyo. Our photograph shows model EL13499 from the new autumn/winter 2021 Elle collection. A deep cat-eye style featuring metal decoration on the sides, the frame is also available in black, red and tortoiseshell.

14 Menicon Menicon has unveiled a newer and simpler system for eyecare professionals (ECP) to order disposable lenses online. The new system is designed to make it easy, fast and convenient to place orders online – and can be used to order trial lenses or complete packs from Menicon’s disposable range of contact lenses, either as a stock order or as a specific delivery for a patient. The company has produced a practical ‘how to’ video guide to online ordering, which can be viewed at www.menicon.co.uk Kevin Mitchell, managing director of Menicon UK, said: “This new system is the first phase of our refreshed fulfilment strategy to support our valued ECP customers. The objective is to make it easy and fast for them to place orders online. Our customer service team is fully trained on the new system and are here to help if anyone has any questions.”

Zak Tomlinson

Zak Tomlinson has joined the Heidelberg Engineering Academy as clinical application specialist for the north of the UK. Zak, who trained at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and has six years’ experience as an ophthalmic science practitioner, will help provide training to eyecare professionals on the company’s product portfolio.

Zak said: “Having spent the last six years using the Spectralis clinically in one of the UK’s largest ophthalmic imaging departments, I look forward to my new role where I can highlight just how good Heidelberg Engineering products are.” Emily Malbon, the company’s head of UK marketing and education, added: “We are excited to grow our Academy team and strengthen our position as leaders in clinical education. Zak’s experience and energy will help us deliver high quality, consistent education at every level from research to clinic and High Street optometry.”

16 100% Optical

New-look website

100% Optical has launched a new website with the aim of creating a fresh look, for an engaging and easy-to-use experience, generating a buzz about its first show in two years. The eighth edition of 100% Optical will take place from 22 to 24 January 2022 at London’s ExCeL. The website includes information about what’s happening at the show, including on the catwalk, with regards to the Love Eyewear Awards, and CET provision. There is also information about all the latest registered exhibitors across eyewear, equipment, lenses and business services. Find out more at www.100percentoptical.com Vision Now SEPTEMBER 2021

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Your life in lenses There is something new just over the horizon

Japanese technology and heritage Dedicated to eye health Committed to the environment

There’s an upside to recommending Menicon contact lenses.

Talk to us today about how we can help you deliver the best patient eyecare solutions with Miru contact lenses: +44 1604 646 216 enquiries@menicon.co.uk menicon.co.uk

NEWS 17 ABDO

18 De Rigo Lozza, the longest-standing Italian eyewear brand owned by the De Rigo Group, has been added to the special register of historic Italian brands. Established in 1878 by Giovanni Lozza and the Frescura brothers in the Belluno eyewear district, Lozza’s history spans the pince-nez of the 19th century to the lorgnettes of the 1950s through to the regulation Zilos of the 70s and 80s.

Sarah Smith

The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) has announced Sarah Smith as a speaker at the inaugural SEE Summit on the Environment on 4 October.

An optometrist working with Eurolens Research at the University of Manchester, Sarah will report on figures relating to the amount of waste that a range of modalities of contact lens wear generate, and discuss opportunities for responsible disposal of lenses, as well as report on steps that manufacturers currently undertake to minimise their environmental impact.

The SEE Summit aims to promote environmental sustainability in the UK optical sector and contribute to the government’s goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It takes place in the run-up to the COP (Conference of the Parties) climate change summit in November. It is supported by the British Contact Lens Association, Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers and Optical Suppliers Association and other optical organisations. Find out more about the programme and book a place at www.abdo.org.uk/events/see-event

20 Independents Day The Independents Day (iDay) business symposium, rescheduled for 24 October, is offering delegates a discounted price on purchases of the More Profits More Often toolkit from the Independent Marketing Partnership. The toolkit is a self-study programme, demonstrating how to increase practice profit through tried and tested

The brand pioneered the use of celluloid, the use of machinery to reduce workrelated accidents, and an ante litteram circular economy-inspired idea involving the re-use of production scrap to make other objects, such as buttons. De Rigo is the only

Historic recognition for brand

Italian company in the eyewear industry to have obtained such recognition for one of its brands. Barbara De Rigo, chief marketing officer, said: “We feel a profound responsibility towards Lozza, and being recognised as a ‘historic Italian brand’ makes us even more proud today to take it forward into the future.”

19 Essilor Essilor’s new My Vision Check app enables patients to conduct simple eye screenings at home before being signposted to their local independent optician for a full eye examination. The company believes the app will encourage those who may have neglected their eyes during the pandemic to attend for a full eye examination. Using a smartphone and mirror, the app goes through a series of questions on the user’s vision and a test is proposed to check distance vision.

Tim Precious, Essilor managing director, said: “We believe that by offering a simple and free resource for the public to assess their vision at home, it will not only help educate consumers on the importance of looking after their eyes but also help ECPs attract the public into practice to start, or resume, their eyecare journey.” The test takes less than 10 minutes and checks if the user can

strategies. It includes practical support such as a sales training video on how to dispense more profitable eyewear and telephone consultancy, as well as 25 professionallywritten patient recall letters, texts and emails.

Before the event, delegates can read the free Profitability Research Report offering 10 key insights from the research project and an analysis of the financial consequences of the pandemic. iDay director, Nick Atkins, said:

Attracting patients back to practice

detect Landolt ring optotypes corresponding to 20/20 visual acuity at a far distance, while wearing their usual optical correction if they have any. The user is given a test score and summary on completion encouraging them to book an appointment via the app for a comprehensive eye examination at their local optician. Visit www.myvisioncheck.net

“This toolkit has a lot of straightforward and practical advice for all independent opticians for improving financial performance. I’m pleased that delegates attending iDay21 will not only get a great day of insights into successfully establishing the business of myopia management within their practice, but additionally the benefits of attendance can continue through the excellent resource that is the More Profits More Often toolkit.”

Visit www.independentsday.co.uk Vision Now SEPTEMBER 2021

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Pier Martino collection has its own well de昀ned style, classic and elegant.

All Pier Martino glasses are made using precious woods, with the best Italian leathers or with crystals.

A Pier Martino glass is for everyone who wants to be different, for persons who always want to af昀rm their personality.

Unit 4, Bedwas Business Centre

Unit 8, Bedwas Business Centre

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1 Clayton Wood Court

Bedwas,

Bedwas,

London Road

Leeds

Caerphilly

Caerphilly

Bishop’s Stortford

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CF83 8DU

CF83 8DU

Hertfordshire, CM23 3YT

T: 02920 857 122

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MANUFACTURED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MEDICAL DEVICES DIRECTIVE

BS EN ISO 13485:2016

NEWS 21 AIO

AN INDEPENDENT VIEW To NHS, or not to NHS? There has been a lot of discussion on various online forums of late about whether or not independents should opt out of the NHS GOS contract and go completely private. Indeed, there are a number of practices that have already made the move and, generally, the feedback from these practices has been positive. As a result, there is a growing number of practices considering dropping the NHS contract.

Bringing the optical community back together

The Association for Independent Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians (AIO) is aiming to bring the profession back together as a community at its autumn conference next month. “One of the negative aspects for the world of optics over the last 18 months has been the loss of all the physical events that bring people together as a professional community,” said AIO chairman, Christian French. “Arguably it is independents who are most greatly affected as they often operate with little regular interaction with fellow practitioners.

“Whether it is 100% Optical – and in pre-Covid times Optrafair – or much smaller intimate affairs such as the NEG or AIO conferences, there is a real feeling of community when members of the optical world gather together,” continued Christian. “And it goes beyond the common bond of patient care and even language; it is about comradery and friendship. With the best will in the world, Zoom, Teams, Google Meet and so on do not work for exhibitors.

“Seeing frames in person, playing with new instruments and assessing equipment just can’t be replicated virtually.

AIO members have been unequivocal in their desire to get back to physical conferences and it is significant that the events planned for the autumn all seem to be focused on the independent sector.

“The AIO will hold its 2021 conference at Chesford Grange, Kenilworth, on 9 and 10 October. It is not the case, however, that we should simply revert to the world of events pre-Covid. Double vaccination notwithstanding, the effects of Covid can still be extremely harmful for the vulnerable, regardless of age. Conference organisers will be particularly sensitive about ensuring that their events are staged so as to afford the greatest protection and safety for delegates and exhibitors alike.

‘To NHS or not to NHS’ raises a lot of questions and issues.

First of all: is it feasible for all independents to go completely private? The answer to that is: no. There are many practices where location and surrounding demographics dictate that it is impossible to make such a move; indeed, some of these practices may be almost entirely dependent on the GOS contract. Equally, the communities they serve are often highly dependent on these practices to access good quality eye health care.

It is also the case that some practices that could make the move, feel that to opt out of the contract and adopt a wholly private model is in some ways abandoning those people in their communities that are dependent on accessing NHS services. Further, the range of NHS eyecare services in England can differ hugely from one postcode to another depending on which services the local clinical commissioning group has decided to put in place. This can make a significant difference when making a decision to opt out of the NHS contract.

However, there are real attractions to not being constrained by the pitiful GOS fee and the tension that it creates in respect of offering patients a thorough eye examination where others only deliver a simple 20-minute refraction service. Not to mention all the bureaucracy of claiming under the contract and frequently having to chase for payment. Yet making a decision to go entirely private is not easy, and can even be rather frightening.

Every practice is different, and the considerations may vary greatly from one location to another; there is no magic formula that fits all. The subject of going private (or not) will form a dedicated workstream at the AIO conference on 9 and 10 October with an expert panel session and one-onone clinics. To book a place or find out more, contact Lin by emailing lin@aiovision.org or calling 0800 1300 486.

“A combination of asking for evidence of double vaccination and negative Covid tests, and a scrupulous approach to cleanliness and sanitisation are likely to be the order of the day. This will certainly be the case for the AIO conference,” Christian concluded. Find out more about the 2021 AIO conference at www.aiovision.org Vision Now SEPTEMBER 2021

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Case Study Series Biofinity® toric multifocal, from CooperVision CASE #1: 66-year-old retired cyclist

Grow with your astigmatic presbyopes Patient Background This case reports on the successful contact lens fit of a retired 66 yearold-man who was a long-term patient of the practice. Retirement had reduced his near and computer screen viewing demands and left him with more time to pursue a new hobby of cycling. In fact, he spent most of his newly found free time out on the road. He reported that it was frustrating to not be able to see his navigation computer on the handlebars of his bike clearly and was motivated to wear multifocal contact lenses for that reason. Although his current contact lenses gave him the near vision he required, they were not performing well in terms of comfort.

Previous lens wearing experience He was an existing contact lens wearer, and prior to becoming presbyopic had successfully worn soft toric contact lenses for many years. Due to the lack of lens choice in his prescription he had initially coped with the onset of presbyopia by wearing reading glasses for close work. Early attempts at fitting toric multifocal contact lenses had not been successful due to poor vision with the lenses that were available at the time. The ability to achieve a good visual

outcome was further complicated by a retinal hemorrhage in 2015 that reduced best corrected visual acuity in his right eye to 6/12.

He was currently wearing a single vision Biofinity® toric lens in his right eye, and a multifocal toric lens from another manufacturer in his left eye.

The trouble with this approach was that the difference in lens comfort was very noticeable between each eye, with the lens in the left eye being consistently less comfortable than the Biofinity® toric in his right eye.

Knowing he was able to achieve a comfortable wearing experience with the Biofinity® material made him an obvious candidate to try Biofinity® toric multifocal in his left eye as soon as they were available.

Biofinity® toric multifocal lens fitting notes His spectacle refraction was R: -11.25/-1.25 x 55 L: -4.75/-1.25 x 140 with +2.25D reading addition While it is important to use the manufacturer’s fitting guide to suggest initial trial lenses, occasionally a patient-

Case outcome and lessons learned In this particular case the patient made a point of calling the office post-fit to proactively report how much he was enjoying the new lens. His distance and near vision were both working well, especially when cycling. Moreover, the ability to wear a pair of lenses from the same contact lens brand family meant he was no longer aware of any difference in comfort between his eyes. A pair of top-up near vision spectacles had been prescribed for very small print, but he reported that he seldom needed to use them.

This case illustrates how Biofinity® toric multifocal can be used for more challenging situations. This patient required only one multifocal lens and was already an advanced presbyope. With the right counseling early on, the patient understood the benefits of the modified monovision approach and was aware some top up may be required for detailed close work. In fact, as highlighted above, his expectations were exceeded, and the flexible options delivered by the Biofinity® family of contact lenses enabled him to be successfully fit.

Chris Worsman qualified as an optometrist at the age of 20 in 1983, becoming the youngest ever registered optometrist in the UK. He is currently the senior optometrist at Viewpoint, one of the largest contact lens practices in the UK. He is passionate about contact lens fitting and has been a principal investigator in many contact lens related clinical trials over the years. He is a regular invited guest on round table discussions.

specific situation can alter that standard approach. This case was a little different due to the presenting best correctable visual acuity the patient could achieve and the desired modified monovision prescription outcome. This led to the following prescription being trialed in the left eye, with no change to the single vision lens in his right eye:

Final lens prescription Biofinity® toric

Biofinity® multifocal toric

RIGHT LENS

LEFT LENS

Sphere power

Sphere power

-9.00

-4.50

Cylinder power

Cylinder power

-1.25

-0.75

Axis

Axis

40

140 Add power

+2.50 (D lens) The lens settled quickly in the left eye and when assessed after fifteen minutes showed less than five degrees of rotation. Lens centration and fit were optimal and the lens was rotationally stable showing no difference compared to the single vision Biofinity® toric lens in the right eye. The patient achieved binocular vision of 6/7.5 and N6 for distance and near, respectively. He reported the overall quality and clarity of vision at intermediate and near met his expectations, while at distance this even exceeded his expectations.

Most importantly given his previous experience, lens comfort was found to be equally good in both eyes. No further adjustments were needed to the prescription.

AVAILABLE PARAMETERS Sphere power (DS)

-10.00 to +10.00 in 0.25 steps or 0.50 steps beyond +/-6.50

Cylinder power (DC)

-0.75 to -5.75 in 0.50 steps

Axis

5° to 180° in 5° increments

Add power

+1.00, +1.50, +2.00, +2.50 in both D and N center designs

For more information about Biofinity® toric multifocal contact lenses visit coopervision.com Biofinity® is a registered trademark of The Cooper Companies, Inc. and it’s subsidiaries. ©2021 CooperVision.

PRACTICE MATTERS

Developing thoughts In a seemingly mad world, it’s crucial to take time out to recharge, writes Phil Mullins

This way, that way, over there Have you ever had the feeling that you have been invited to the Mad Hatter’s tea party? Where time seems to stand still and everyone around you is stark raving mad and talking absolute gibberish? Then you sit there and think: is it me? Not wanting to be too deep nor too flippant, I believe we have been stuck in a time warp for the last 18 months of the pandemic. The rates of Covid remain high across the world, restrictions keep changing, sometimes without rhyme or reason, and the politicians seem to all be talking at cross purposes. So how are we meant to make sense of it all and keep our focus?

burning yourself out doesn’t do anyone any good – least of all you.

I recently took a week’s break to a lovely cottage near Barnard Castle (I was very good and avoided posting Dominic Cummings sight test jokes all over social media) but it was great to take time away, ignoring all emails and phone calls and recharging the batteries. Taking that time out means I’m refreshed and more focused and in a better place, which is good for me and the business. So make sure you take the time you need to recharge.

MOVE TOWARDS HYBRID MODEL I have to declare that I’m not an expert, but from a personal stance we have to make sure that our family, friends and those we work with are all looked after. Not only to keep safe from the virus itself, but to make sure you offer support for those who are struggling. Mental health, thankfully, is no longer stuffed in a cupboard out of the way, so keep an eye and see who may be struggling. This is particularly important if you have staff who have been affected by the virus, who may have had to handle illness, death, self-isolation and much more. There is plenty of help out there, so make sure that no-one is left behind.

TAKING TIME TO RECHARGE You also need to take time for yourself. I know many of you have worked tirelessly through the last 18 months to keep your business afloat and although some businesses have sadly gone, the majority of independent practices are still here and are now doing well. For years, it has been accepted in this country that working long, hard hours is a good thing but in reality,

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Vision Now SEPTEMBER 2021

But how do you move away from the feeling of being stuck in time? In my July article, I spoke about being flexible in practice, be that opening hours, clinic times or products offered – and that certainly will help. But you may need to fundamentally change something or even your entire business model. Much talk in the last year has been around moving independent practice towards a more private model, and that would certainly move you forwards.

However, it’s not for everyone and my personal view is that a hybrid structure is where most independents will end up; with payment plans and a focus on private, but still offering some NHS work at set times.

More realistic is to focus on expanding one area of your business, such as dry eye clinics, or introducing a new area. This could be behavioural eyecare, independent prescribing or myopia control. There are some truly great products coming to the market in all of these areas. Just take myopia control, which is such an important area for the future vision of our children.

We’re all mad here

New products are coming online all the time and with both contact lens and spectacle lens options, you can offer your patients real choice.

It’s a great way to develop not only your business but your team too: you can encourage a dialogue on how to introduce your new specialty, go through the training together, and look at how everyone will be involved in offering the service. You may be surprised at how well people rise to the challenge and get behind something new and exciting.

So why not shut out all the gibberish, let the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat do their thing and focus on you and those close to you. Get that right and you’ll make a difference to more than those nearest to you; you’ll make a difference to everyone you come into contact with. But remember to always make time for a sit down and a lovely cup of tea...

Case Study Series Biofinity® toric multifocal, from CooperVision CASE #2: 44-year-old teacher with active lifestyle

Grow with your astigmatic presbyopes Patient background A 44-year-old female presented to the practice as a new patient. She was a teacher with demanding needs for near and computer screen viewing and was also keen to avoid compromising the quality of her distance vision at work.

Outside of work, her hobbies included playing the piano, reading and running.

She mentioned she liked the freedom of contact lenses, and the fact that they were unnoticeable when worn.

Previous lens wearing experience The patient was a lapsed contact lens wearer and currently, albeit somewhat reluctantly, relying on spectacles. She had previously worn single vision toric contact lenses, giving up wearing them a few years ago when she could no longer comfortably focus on small print while reading. She had previously tried monovision but was unable to tolerate the disparity in focus even with a modified monovision option. She continued for a while using single vision toric contact lenses plus top-up reading spectacles to manage the near work, however, this solution did not last long; it was too inconvenient, and she did not like how using reading spectacles made her feel and look ‘old’. She had ultimately stopped wearing contact lenses, reverting to full-time spectacle wear.

contact lenses that could help with clear vision for near tasks as well enable her to see at distance. She had heard about multifocal contact lenses and was hoping that switching to a multifocal design could help achieve these aims, however, she had previously been told that multifocal contact lenses would not be a viable option because of her astigmatism.

She ideally wanted to be able to wear

Based on the fitting guide the following

Biofinity® toric multifocal lens fitting notes This patient’s high level of motivation suggested she would be a good candidate for Biofinity® toric multifocal. Her up-todate spectacle refraction was: R -2.50/-1.50 x 75 L -2.75/-0.75 x 85 with +1.00D reading addition

Case outcome and lessons learned This case describes a patient who had dropped out from lens wear who was highly motivated to return to contact lenses. Her experience illustrates the positive benefits that toric multifocal contact lenses can offer astigmatic presbyopes.

However, the learning from this patient translates to all emerging presbyopic contact lens wearers in practice. They should be counseled early on about their contact lens options, making them aware that there are lenses available for them to help with near vision when the time comes. This proactive approach helps keep patients feeling happy, with corrected vision that performs for their active and youthful lifestyles.

The multifocal part of this lens behaves exactly like the spherical Biofinity® multifocal lens and the toric part exactly as the Biofinity® toric lenses. Eye care professionals can have confidence in the performance of the lens, with simple, time-efficient fitting possible too. Following the fit guide led in this case to the final prescription being achieved with just one pair of trial lenses.

The patient in this example mentioned the lenses were life changing, making her feel that she had her “normal eyes” back.

initial Biofinity® toric multifocal lenses were trialed:

Biofinity® toric multifocal final lens prescription RIGHT LENS

LEFT LENS

Sphere power

Sphere power

-2.50

-2.75

Cylinder power

Cylinder power

-1.25

-0.75

Axis

Axis

75

85

Add power

Add power

+1.00 (D lens)

+1.00 (D lens)

The lenses settled quickly and when assessed after fifteen minutes showed less than five degrees of rotation. They also had optimal centration and fit and, importantly, were rotational stable even after large eye and head movements.

The patient immediately noticed the difference in her visual experience. She achieved both distance and near binocular vision of 6/6 and N4 (distance and near).

She was extremely happy with the overall quality and clarity of vision at distance, intermediate and near, reporting that they all exceeded her expectations. She was also very happy with the comfort of the lenses and indicated that she wanted to continue with the lenses.

AVAILABLE PARAMETERS Sphere power (DS)

-10.00 to +10.00 in 0.25 steps or 0.50 steps beyond +/-6.50

Cylinder power (DC)

-0.75 to -5.75 in 0.50 steps

Axis

5° to 180° in 5° increments

Add power

+1.00, +1.50, +2.00, +2.50 in both D and N center designs

Ceri Lian Penson is a contact lens optician working for an independent group of 10 practices based in Norfolk and Suffolk.

This is my 20th year in optics. I feel very lucky to be working in this time where I am spoiled for choice with lenses and have products available to allow me to fit almost any patient. I have a particular interest in presbyopic fitting as I enjoy giving patients their “old eyes back”.

For more information about Biofinity® toric multifocal contact lenses visit coopervision.com Biofinity® is a registered trademark of The Cooper Companies, Inc. and it’s subsidiaries. ©2021 CooperVision.

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BUSINESS MATTERS

YOUR BUSINESS STARTER FOR

10

STEPPER UK’S ALEX DAVIS OFFERS UP 10 BUSINESS IDEAS TO CONSIDER AS NORMALITY RETURNS

Hopefully, the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic – and the limits it has placed on our personal and business lives – is coming to an end. The question is: will you carry on as before, or will you take this opportunity to rethink areas of your business? I’ve selected 10 ideas for consideration, which are important and deliverable with a little thought and determination.

1. CARRY OUT A SUPPLIER REVIEW Throughout the pandemic, you have needed to rethink how you can supply eyecare to your community to meet the requirements forced upon our industry.

Which of your suppliers have been there for you; empathising, understanding your needs and allowing you to continue through the most difficult of times? Good business relationships really do matter. It’s more than being a ‘nice person’. A good business partner understands your practice, listens to how you operate, is reliable in delivering on promises and has the flexibility to work with your business needs.

2. INVEST If you were planning to invest in equipment for your practice in the next few years, don’t put it off. The government is incentivising investment in capital purchases resulting in a cut of 25p in tax for every £1 invested. For those operating as a limited company, now is the time to update ageing equipment or buy the latest ophthalmic technology. The Super-Deduction Tax initiative allows companies that pay corporation tax to cut 25p in tax for every £1 they invest in plant or machinery. This initiative runs from 1 April 2021 until 31 March 2023.

Reinforce good feelings through a company blog

twice a month with one or two pictures.

Publish this content on your website and it will quickly grow, reinforcing the good feelings of those who already come to you.

It will also give those who are searching for an optician a wider perspective on your practice and a good reason to choose you.

4. SPRUCE UP YOUR WEBSITE When did you last update your website?

How can your website be improved? Are you connecting all your social media into your website? Content is often a problem.

Luckily, there is much content available from suppliers – at no cost. Take advantage of these marketing assets to make your practice’s website stand out with informative and meaningful content. In addition, make sure you have the current brand logos and photography. Consider other ways they can help. For example, do

your suppliers have videos you could use or allow access to their own bloggers’ content?

5. BE ON SOCIAL MEDIA It’s difficult to think of life before social media yet still many prefer to ignore its commercial benefits. During the lockdowns, social media became a very important way to engage with the world and interact with people and brands. When competing with optical High Street brands, prospects will know so little about you yet so much about big brands.

Social media provides an in-depth look beyond your shop window and explains so much more about what you can offer.

You don’t need to cover all social media – but choose at least one. If you don’t like writing then platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram might suit you. Facebook is a great way to create a narrative about your

3. START A BLOG Your practice is unique. This is why people come to you. Enhance the feeling of belonging, develop your practice’s character and give those who choose you greater insight into what you and your team do and how you do it – via a blog. Keep it simple and short. It doesn’t need to be a diary, just brief pieces on what is going on in your practice. Plan to write something once or

Appoint a team member to take on your social media Vision Now SEPTEMBER 2021

21

TX5/Stainless Steel Stepper (UK) Limited 11 Tannery Road Tonbridge Kent TN9 1RF 01732 375975

www.stepper.co.uk

Frame style shown: STS-30059

BUSINESS MATTERS media, blog and social media content), and reminder text and all customer touch points need to be considered.

8. EXPAND YOUR SKILLS WITH ONLINE TUTORIALS

Sit down and make a marketing plan

business, your team and those who choose to use your services and buy your products. If you are unsure where to start, find an online tutorial or ask an ‘expert’ who may already exist within your team or your own family.

6. TRAIN YOUR STAFF – FOR FREE Many suppliers would be delighted to offer training to improve the knowledge of their products within your practice. The more knowledgeable your staff, the better informed your customers are. Understanding brand features and benefits allows those who come to you to make informed decisions and realise that there is more to eyecare and eyewear, adding value to their final purchase and enhancing the professional advice given during their customer journey.

Covid-19 has taught us we don’t need to be in the same place to deliver and receive training. Talk to your suppliers about the many training options available to you.

7. CREATE A PROMOTIONAL CALENDAR Do you have a marketing plan? By this I’m not proposing planning for sales, discounts and offers. Moreover, consider what could be the communication theme each month.

Easy examples are varifocal lenses in October, prescription sunglasses in May and ‘Back to School’ in August. But dig deeper to show your practice’s real competencies using themes your competitors don’t.

For example, ‘Thin and light’: combining thin lenses with light frames; ‘Discover rimless’: an eyewear option which may not have been fully understood by many glasses wearers with a wide choice of designs and exciting lens options; or ‘Hypoallergenic frames’: a different angle to introduce titanium frames and explain frame benefits many wearers may not have known existed.

Having a plan is important as elements need to be in place to make this work. Team members need to understand the plan and the part they play. Training and briefing needs to be delivered to the team in advance; marketing support materials need to be sourced from suppliers (window display, images/video for website and social

Whatever business skill you would like to nurture or improve, you will find a wealth of helpful content on the internet. Unsure how Facebook or Instagram work? Need help with email campaigns? Want ideas for blog content? Want to discover how you can improve your website? Someone has done all the hard work for you and posted it online. Through platforms such as Vimeo and YouTube, you can search for an infinite number of subjects, often created by people who want to share their practical insights.

9. CONSIDER THE EXTENT OF YOUR OFFERING

So often today, product offering is heavily biased to having the ‘right brands’, often driven by the desires and influence of team members’ preferences. Professionally, there is a responsibility to think ‘brand blind’ with the needs of the wearer being paramount. We can’t park brands and must understand that they have a part to play in a modern practice.

But how brand heavy is your practice?

Are you presenting a frame choice based on need or want? Could you create better wearer outcomes by considering your product offering in a multi-dimensional way?

Looking at price, spread this from low to high, and look at the distribution of price. Do you have the right number of frames at key price points? Consider price and profitability: do your frames deliver a good return on investment? This needs to include those you offer at seasonally discounted prices.

We make many assumptions about age – but what is more and more clear is that style is no longer defined by age. Frame style choice for older people is no longer predictable. However, we do know that lens requirements and skin sensitivity do change with age. Make sure these needs are covered. Older people still represent the majority of glasses wearers.

Are your frames meeting patients’ needs?

Frames are as individual as the faces that wear them. For some, they are an expression of their personality, for others they are purely practical devices. There are as many patients looking for statement specs as those who need them to do the job. Reliability and the ability to deliver day-long comfort is more important to many than the brand.

10. CONSIDER YOUR BUYING PROCESSES Feel free to buy frames based on what you like – as long as you like them because they meet customers’ needs, have a good stock sell-through and make good profit.

Emotion, aspiration, instinct, sympathy or coercion have no place in frame buying. To effectively measure stock sell-through, you need to consider what you want to get out of any analysis.

Ideal stock turns of four per year are often quoted. But, if you knew this for your practice, what would be the value of this information to you? It’s nice to know, but of limited value for decision making. What is important to you is relative stock sell-through of different products and how this is moving over time. But relative to what? You need to decide what you want to measure.

Measure meaningful groups of frames that you can compare the sales performance against within your practice. This will, in turn, influence how you organise and merchandise your frames. It’s a great discipline as this also helps your staff and your customer understand your frame offering. A rational, analytical approach to stock and buying will make a significant improvement in your business. However, it requires a little time and a lot of discipline.

‘Now is a time

of opportunity’

Now is a time of opportunity. Having come this far, we have all learnt lessons on just how resourceful we are. We have adapted and survived an unprecedented period of change. Things will never be quite as they were before the pandemic. But there are positives to take from this. Our view towards change has modified, so take advantage of this and keep considering and adopting new ways, moving forward positively.

Alex Davis is head of brands and marketing at Stepper Eyewear and former marketing director for Rayner Opticians.

Alex also has marketing experience within Nissan, Citroen, Reed Publishing and General Motors.

Vision Now SEPTEMBER 2021

23

PRODUCT PROFILE

YALEA:

beyond time and fashion DE RIGO’s new 100 per cent female house brand Yalea – with Cindy Crawford and Bianca Balti as ambassadors – is available to view now...

DE RIGO is delighted to announce the launch of its new 100 per cent female house brand with one of the most famous global supermodels, Cindy Crawford, and one of Italy’s top models, Bianca Balti, as its ambassadors: Yalea Eyewear.

Brand ambassadors, Cindy Crawford and Bianca Balti

COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS • Designed and produced with women in mind, each and every frame is uniquely named by an iconic global female icon • A truly beautiful petite collection for women with smaller faces • 100 per cent of the sunglass collection is glazeable • The range is extremely commercial with an amazing selection of shapes and styles, crafted with excellent quality • An affordable price point • Stunning in-house created point-of-sale along with Cindy Crawford digital marketing material and feminine, coral-coloured frame cases

BY WOMEN, FOR WOMEN

Cindy Crawford models an ophthalmic style

Yalea is the De Rigo Group’s fourth and newest house brand. An important project for one of the sector’s leading eyewear companies, which has taken shape over the course of the last few months, Yalea is intended to enrich the group’s portfolio with a 100 per cent female brand – designed and produced with women in mind.

The new brand of sunglasses and prescription eyewear aims to promote contemporary women by supporting their freedom of choice, encouraging their talent and rewarding their personal beauty. Yalea represents a timeless, elegant and feminine brand that is an inspiration to all women, communicating a new vision of freedom of expression and independence from fashions.

Sunglasses that transcend fashion trends

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Vision Now SEPTEMBER 2021

Yalea goes beyond fashion to inspire strength and confidence – combining aesthetic and ethical values, which each and every woman can identify with. And the brand does so concretely, in the planning and design of the collection in which the shapes frame the face without concealing it and the styles take the names of truly inspirational women. Yalea is a

PRODUCT PROFILE tribute to women of different backgrounds, cultures, ages and eras, not necessarily famous but who, in different countries and fields, have distinguished themselves owing to their life choices, commitment and achievements.

Nice to see you.

BEAUTY INSIDE AND OUT The idea behind the two women chosen to endorse the Yalea brand further echoes this ethos. Cindy Crawford and Bianca Balti: not just characters but ‘real’ people. Two internationally-renowned models differing in age and style – but both expressions of harmony between exterior and interior beauty. Two women committed to promoting a conscious, independent and attentive take on femininity, in keeping with the values that characterise Yalea.

Lastly, the coordinated image created for Yalea embodies the brand’s values in every detail. The logo expresses essentiality and elegance through the choice of a clean and sober font, with a touch of originality provided by the inversion of the letter ‘Y’.

The brand’s institutional colour palette suggests a renewed sense of femininity in which the nude tones are illuminated by coral-hued notes to symbolise the strength, passion and vitality of women.

Bianca Balti

Feminine yet strong: Bianca Balti

Nice to see you.

Barbara De Rigo, De Rigo chief marketing officer, comments: “Our company wholly recognises the value of women both in the workplace and in society. My mother personally contributed to the founding and development of De Rigo which, from the very onset, was also characterised by the large number of women at the company.

“This is why we wanted to enrich our portfolio with a new all-female brand. Yalea is a tribute to the success of women. We have put our know-how at the service of a collection, distinguished by its contemporary elegance, to create frames that are characterised by a style which goes beyond time and fashion,” Barbara concludes.

DISTINGUISHED LINE-UP Proudly boasting more than 40 years of savoir-faire, with the launch of Yalea the De Rigo Group enriches its portfolio with a new proprietary brand joining Police, St!ng and Lozza, in addition to the various lines licensed with prestigious fashion houses.

The past two years have been particularly intense globally. De Rigo has worked hard to innovate the business model and re-think its

Bianca Balti

Oversized sunglasses exude independence and elegance

organisation in order to intelligently address the challenges posed by contemporary markets. With this new project, the company wanted to invest in the creation of value starting from its strengths. Not just skills, but also inspiration, resources and a profound and ever-updated knowledge of the market and trends.

BOOK YOUR VIEWING TODAY Book your appointment to view the new Yalea collection today.

Your De Rigo sales representative contacts are: • Ben Durand: UK South (West & East) – 07590 845916

• Andrew Bowe: North & Central UK – 07718 645747 • Neville Hynes: Ireland & Northern Ireland – 00353 877086053 • Steven Firth: Scotland & North East England – 07851 309890 De Rigo UK’s brand new collections for its entire brand portfolio are also now available to view including: Police, Furla, Carolina Herrera, Fila, Mulberry, Lozza, Chopard and Nina Ricci. Get in touch to arrange your viewing.

Contact De Rigo UK on 01923 249491 or email info.uk@derigo.com

Vision Now SEPTEMBER 2021

25

PRODUCT PROFILE Meena Puar discusses the importance of supplementation for total eye health – and how to educate patients about their benefits

Feast your eyes GUIDANCE FOR TOTAL EYE HEALTH

As clinicians, we never cease doing the best we can to help patients, and so when new innovations and technologies emerge we find ourselves wanting to increase our knowledge and develop our skillsets. Recent examples include optical coherence tomography (OCT) and myopia management. Another topic which has seen a rise in PubMed publications in recent years is nutritional supplementation and eyecare.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of visual impairment, with numbers predicted to increase from 196 million to 288 million by 20501,2. With a large ageing population, it is important to stop this tidal wave of age-related eye conditions and reduce the burden on NHS resources and ophthalmology departments.

This is where the conversation around nutrition and eyecare is paramount.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER Simply eating a good diet is not enough for good eye health – and this is where your recommendation can be very powerful3 (Figure 1). Surveys have shown that only four per cent of people eat enough of the recommended foods to support their eye health4. As eyecare practitioners (ECPs) we have a duty of care at the very least to provide our patients with information so that they can make an informed choice.

Evidence suggests that certain nutrients can benefit our eye health (Figure 2). For a number of reasons (including cost, dietary

Figure 1. Practitioner recommendation can be extremely powerful

26

Vision Now SEPTEMBER 2021

Figure 2. Certain nutrients can benefit eye health

habits and lifestyle) it can be difficult for patients to get these by diet alone. Figure 3 illustrates how much a patient would need to eat daily to get the same nutritional value from just one Nutrof Total capsule.

Recommending a supplement like Nutrof Total can safeguard intake of these specific nutrients.

WHEN TO RECOMMEND SUPPLEMENTS We are all living longer and know that as we age, waste disposal in the retina slows down. Certain lifestyle choices can also impact this system negatively, including: • Cigarette smoking • Exposure to excessive light • High blood pressure • Fatty diets

Patients may be aware of how the above affects other aspects of health, but it is our duty to advise patients on maintaining the health of their eyes and vision. This may include offering services such as OCT to screen for conditions, and providing advice on supplements to support eyes nutritionally.

Asking open questions about nutrition, diet, lifestyle, risk factors such as family history of AMD and smoking, is a great starting point when doing history and symptoms. It can also be helpful to incorporate a nutritionalbased questionnaire as a screening and grading evaluation (Figure 4).

As ECPs, we are continually measuring changes and offering advice accordingly. We can now utilise imagery from OCTs, together

Figure 3. Daily nutritional equivalent to one Nutrof Total capsule

PRODUCT PROFILE and zeaxanthin, vitamin D, omega 3, resveratrol plus essential vitamins and minerals. Each softgel capsule contains a premium formula specially developed to help make sure patients’ eyes have the correct nutritional intake.

With pharmaceutical grade ingredients, the capsules are individually blister-packed to ensure the highest quality – from the first capsule to the last. Nutrof Total provides a total formulation in line with a wealth of scientific research into nutrition and normal vision – providing additional clinically supported ingredients to standard formulas.

Most recently, it has been adapted to include the powerful antioxidant resveratrol and highly sought-after vitamin D – following research showing their benefits to eye health (Figure 6).

Figure 4. A nutritional-based questionnaire can be very helpful

with an understanding of the patient’s history and symptoms, to recommend a nutritional supplement when we see changes in the macula.

The ideal patients to discuss nutritional supplementation with are: • Patients who don’t appear to get enough nutrients from their diet • Those presenting with risk factors such as a family history of eye disease, smokers, obese patients • Those with age-related changes affecting the eyes, i.e. presbyopes • Multivitamin users; data suggests that most consumers look for vitamins D, C and omega 3 for overall wellness.

Components of Nutrof Total have been shown to maintain normal vision and protect cells involved in key visual pathways from oxidative stress

KEY CONSIDERATIONS AND TIPS

Quick nutritional eye health tips: • Approach the discussion as you would agerelated changes and/or the importance of OCT-recommend lifestyle changes • Introduce the idea of: ‘sunglasses protect from the outside, nutritional supplementation protects from the inside’ • Ask whether your patients take any multivitamins • Break the price down; Nutrof Total costs 50p per day • Recommend with confidence

IN SUMMARY Utilising existing tools such as OCT, taking a good history and symptoms or using nutritional questionnaires, can help us as clinicians confidently recommend products such as Nutrof Total where appropriate as part of the eye examination. It can be difficult to get enough nutrients for good eye health from diet alone – and this is where Nutrof Total can help ensure patients are getting the needed nutrients to support their eye health.

Figure 5. A unique once-a-day capsule

With our ageing population, and everincreasing numbers of age-related eye conditions, the time to educate patients and encourage maintenance of eye health is now. The fact that 60 per cent of people take some form of vitamin and mineral supplement reminds us that eye health supplements are not the reserve of patients who already have a problem.

For helpful patient leaflets, eye health posters and to find out how Nutrof Total can help your patients, contact your Thea area sales manager, call 01782 381698 or email marc.smith@theapharma.com Meena Puar BSc (Hons) MCOptom, FBCLA is sales and education lead for Théa UK.

REFERENCES 1. Keenan TD et al. Study the past if you would define the future (Confucius). B. J. Ophthalmol. 2020 104;(4):449-450.

2. Wong,WL et al. Global prevalence of age-related macular degeneration and disease burden projection for 2020 and 2040: a systematic review and metaanalysis. The Lancet Global Health 2;(2): e106-e116.

3. 20:20 Vision Report 2015. The influence of diet and lifestyle on eye health.

4. de Koning-Backus et al. Intake of vegetables, fruit, and fish is beneficial for age-related macular degeneration. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 2019 198:70-79.

It is always important to match your supplement choice to the needs of the individual patient.

In the UK, 30 per cent of people aged 65 and over are vitamin D deficient and our average lutein and zeaxanthin intake is 1-3mg a day. We also know that 40 per cent of patients struggle to swallow tablets.

Here we should look for a supplement containing vitamin D, 10 and 2mg of lutein and zeaxanthin, and an easy-to-swallow capsule rather than a tablet.

Nutrof Total (Figure 5) is a unique once daily capsule delivering ingredients known to support eye health. These are: lutein

Figure 6. A total formulation in line with a wealth of scientific research Vision Now SEPTEMBER 2021

27

STYLE SPOTLIGHT

Eyewear promoting

green initiatives

BY JOAN GRADY

Collection dyed with beetroot; the Mellow Collection with turmeric; the Trailblazer Collection with chlorophyll as a dye; and Holy Mackerel made possible by scientists in Scotland who sourced a blue spirulina, stable enough to withstand strenuous machinery processes. The results are charismatic, individualistic eyewear creations.

FORWARD-THINKING AND FASHIONABLE Eyespace, the award-winning British brand created by Jayne and Julie Abel, brings environmentally-friendly frames to the table with its Eco Conscious collection. The collection is certified as biodegradable, which is the result of extensive development by the company’s design studio. The streamlined frames are made from premium bio-based acetate with nontoxic plasticisers that are sustainable, renewable and fashionably contemporary.

The lenses are also biodegradable, while plastic-free packaging and point-of-sale assets using carbon-neutral FSC-certified cardboard are utilised. The Worcestershirebased company has also committed to a planet pledge by partnering with One Tree Planted. This means that a tree is planted for every frame sold to help reforestation efforts.

Mellow collection: the Superfood Series by Hemp Eyewear

Climate change affects multiple areas of everyone’s daily lives – and livelihoods.

This simple truth is creating compelling new realities and attitudes in all facets of business and fashion. The eyewear community has joined numerous worldwide companies helping to protect the environment with an active commitment to sustainability.

Discovering unique materials with a low environmental impact has resulted in innovative frames crafted with everything from coffee beans and castor oil to the Indian spice turmeric and the algae spirulina.

Further efforts to protect the planet and people are initiated by international companies, increasingly dedicated to

Trailblazer collection with chlorophyll

by Hemp Eyewear

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Vision Now SEPTEMBER 2021

responsible, local manufacturing whenever possible. Furthermore, hiring people from the community, using packaging that reduces waste, and shipping products by train and boat to reduce carbon emissions, are all positive steps to halt the debilitating effects of climate change.

PLANTS, HERBS + SEEDS = FRAMES Designers and companies are researching new and unexpected, sometimes edible, products that can be crafted into stylish, sustainable eyewear designs. Unique materials are the foundation for extremely ingenious frame designs from Hemp Eyewear.

From the very first collection launched in 2009, Rolf Spectacles has always created frames in natural products – including wood, stone and horn. Rolf’s latest creative roll-out is plant-based bean glasses, made from a species of the euphorbiaceae plant family.

This unique collection is produced in the Tyrolean valley of Lechtal, the Austrian headquarters for Rolf Spectacles, and has received the European Green award Gold Trophy from the European Institute of

The Scottish start-up, created by founder Sam Whitten, explores natural and vegan materials that include a hemp base grown in France. Passionate about craft and maintaining ecological equilibrium, the newest launch from Hemp is the Superfood Series, which includes beetroot, turmeric, spirulina and chlorophyll. The vibrant colours in the series are achieved by first soaking the hemp fibres for 24 hours, and then air drying thoroughly before processing into durable, lightweight eyewear.

There are four collections, each with three limited edition designs: the Cocktail

Juniper and Larch: Eco Conscious

by Eyespace Eyewear

STYLE SPOTLIGHT

Plant-based Bean frames: Substance collection by Rolf Spectacles

Applied Sustainability. The Substance collection includes 23 screwless designs in beautiful colourations.

Götti Dimension by Götti Switzerland

the company’s 100 per cent bio-based Natural 3D material, extracted entirely from castor oil plant seeds. The Earth Collection for men and women features a timeless colour palette that includes ocean teal, sand, roasted berry and black coal – plus olive, deep ocean, morning coffee and concrete.

CREATIVITY AND STYLE

Earth collection: Changing the Perspective

by Neubau Eyewear

Style and sustainability is also the foundation for Neubau Eyewear, where every effort is made to source and use justifiable organic materials. The Austrian label recently released the Earth Collection: part of Neubau’s Changing the Perspective theme, with optical designs created using

Eco-titanium and bio-acetate frames

by Jisco Eyewear

In Spain, Jisco Eyewear with its alluring Mediterranean styling has launched a striking capsule collection in eco-titanium that unites 100 per cent biodegradable bioacetate frame fronts with titanium temples.

The designs for men and women include a variety of sleek silhouettes – round, rectangular and double-bridge – in desirable colourations with refined details. Jisco is also supporting the Save the Med Foundation by donating a percentage of sales of a beautiful cleaning cloth made from 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles.

The streamlined aesthetically designed frames in the Götti Dimension and Perspective collections are fully crafted in Switzerland. Götti has developed its own manufacturing site utilising local production facilities, as well as providing employment to people living in the area – whilst ensuring top quality control for each frame.

Dynamic technological input in the designs is married with traditional handcrafting elements – resulting in environmentallyfriendly, aesthetic, beautifully constructed contemporary frames.

Lowercase NYC is a young eyewear business launched in 2016, with designer Gerard Masci uniting his love of New York, modern technology and traditional spectacle making. A quality, eco-attitude is practised with all frames crafted by hand in Brooklyn.

Artistic expression is coupled with an

Carr by Lowercase NYC

emphasis on premium, elegant eyewear ‘Made in America’. The foundation of the brand is to incorporate sustainable materials in optical designs and sunglasses for men and women in luscious colours.

The use of recycled acetate enables the Belgian brand Komono to create charismatic eyewear in avant-garde colourations. Komono was launched by former professional snowboarders, Anton Janssens and Raf Maes, and they strive to create products that are sustainable, but also viable in the long term. There is a choice of materials, and the overall goal is to have a positive impact on both the planet and its people.

‘Climate speak’ is now an important consideration for governments, scientists, chief executives, creators and designers.

The alarming crisis of climate change is happening more quickly than scientists ever anticipated and, globally, extreme fires and weather events are rapidly increasing.

The eyewear sector, and particularly independent opticians, have the pressing opportunity to aid in planet preservation. By supporting designers and brands that are seeking to promote ideas and concepts that establish creative goals and benchmarks in sustainable style, the eyewear industry has accepted the global challenge for a healthier and more balanced planet.

Dax by Komono Belgium Vision Now SEPTEMBER 2021

29

V

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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

COOPERVISION

Tel: 0371 376 0017 Fax: 0871 351 1005

Tel: 0121 7723888 Fax: 0808 2801865

Tel: 0870 9000 055

EYEWEAR DIRECT (EUROPE) LTD

www.coopervision.co.uk

Tel: 020 7193 3334

www.uk.alcon.com

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

CENTROSTYLE

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: 01923 249491

GO EYEWEAR UK LTD

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

Tel: 0800 9178270 www.goeyeweargroup.com

DUNELM OPTICAL

HEIDELBERG ENGINEERING

Tel: 01388 420420 Fax: 01388 810101

Tel: 01442 502 330 Fax: 01442 242 386

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

www.HeidelbergEngineering.co.uk

Tel: 07834 173 288 chris.burridge@cfh.com www.docmail.co.uk

ESSILOR

Tel: 0800 591150

Tel: 0800 056 5569

CHARMANT UK CO LTD

Tel: 01454 281281 Fax: 01454 281282

info@hilco.co.uk www.hilco.co.uk

BAUSCH + LOMB

Tel: 020 8992 9222 Fax: 020 8896 0287

Tel: 02920 362 136 Fax: 02920 362 137 info@atlanticoptical.co.uk www.atlanticoptical.co.uk

BARCLAYCARD

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

BIB OPHTHALMIC INSTRUMENTS

CFH DOCMAIL

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

CONTINENTAL EYEWEAR

Tel: 01438 740823

Tel: 0151 426 3907 Fax: 0151 426 9340

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

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

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SO CLOSE YOU CAN ALMOST SEE IT

HILCO EUROPE

www.essilor.co.uk

HOYA LENS UK

EYESPACE Tel: 01527 870550 Fax: 01527 837012 info@eyespace-eyewear.co.uk www.eyespace-eyewear.co.uk

When you prescribe contact lenses, you prescribe freedom.

We’re stepping up to do more, supporting you to Prescribe Freedom for more people than ever.

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coopervision.co.uk

Tel: 0845 330 0984 Fax: 0845 330 0977 enquiries@hoya.co.uk orders@hoya.co.uk www.hoya.co.uk

01580 713698

ASSOCIATED OPTICAL Tel: 01628 605433 Fax: 01628 665077

DE RIGO UK LTD

INTERNATIONAL EYEWEAR LTD

MENICON UK LTD

(FORMERLY DAVID THOMAS) Tel: 01604 646216 Fax: 01604 790366

Tel: 0121 585 6565 Fax: 0121 585 0954 www.internationaleyewear.co.uk

LENSTEC EYEWEAR

enquiries@menicon.co.uk www.menicon.co.uk

MICHAEL PACHLEITNER GROUP

Tel: 02920 857122 Fax: 02920 920480

PRACTICE BUILDING

STEPPER UK

Tel: 0115 989 9772

Tel: 01732 375975

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

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

PRO-OPTIC

TANT LABORATORIES

Tel: 01884 266130

Tel: 01279 653785 Fax: 01279 658308

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

Tel: 07583 076 132

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

RAWDON OPTICAL

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

LENSTEC OPTICAL

a.davies@michael-pachleitnergroup.com www.michaelpachleitnergroup.com

Tel: 01132 883094 Fax: 01132 883095

Tel: 02920 883009 Fax: 02920 889798

MID-OPTIC

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

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

Tel: 01332 295001 Fax: 01332 295158

LOUIS STONE OPTICAL LTD

orders@midoptic.com www.midoptic.com

RETAIL EXPERIENCE DESIGN (RED)

20 20 OPTICAL SERVICES LTD

Tel: 024 7601 0103

Tel: 01460 929460

NORVILLE (20/20) LTD

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

mark@2020opticalservices.co.uk www.2020opticalservices.co.uk

Tel: 029 2073 5293 Fax: 029 2073 1446

THEA PHARMACEUTICALS Tel: 0845 521 1290 Fax: 01782 717 944 www.thea-pharmaceuticals.co.uk

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

RODENSTOCK

ULTRAVISION

LUNEAU TECHNOLOGY UK/IRELAND – VISIONIX

Tel: 01474 325555

No7 CONTACT LENSES

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

Tel: 01525 381112 Fax: 01525 370091

Tel: 07383 555659

Tel: 01424 850620 Fax: 01424 850650

infouk@luneautech.com www.luneautech.co.uk

LUXOTTICA (UK) LTD Tel: 0808 165 8555

SEIKO OPTICAL UK

info@no7contactlenses.com www.no7contactlenses.com

Tel: 01452 610033 Fax: 01452 638250

OPTINET LTD

orders@seiko-optical.co.uk info@seiko-optical.co.uk www.seiko-optical.co.uk

www.luxottica.com

Tel: 0845 313 0233

MARCHON

sales@optinetuk.com www.optinetuk.com

SILHOUETTE UK LTD

PERFORMANCE FINANCE

Tel: 020 8987 8899 Fax: 020 8987 2430

Tel: 01536 529696 Fax: 01536 310033

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

Tel: 0800 72 2020 csuk@marchon.com

MARK’ENNOVY

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

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

www.performancefinance.co.uk

Tel: 0800 3280610 Fax: 0800 3280649 mkservices@markennovy.com www.markennovy.com

SPEC-CARE LTD

POSITIVE IMPACT

Tel: 01392 460806

Tel: 08446 696907

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

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

www.nationaleyecare.co.uk

Suppliers’ directory

Tel: 01452 510321

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

SUPPLIER – OPTICIAN – PATIENT

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SIMPLIFIED

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T: 01132 883094 E: RawdonCC@rawdonoptical.co.uk

T: 02920 883 009 E: LenstecCC@lenstec.co.uk

T: 01279 653785 E: TantCC@tantlabs.com

Optinet Flex, the innovative software that keeps your optometry business at the cutting edge.

0845 313 0233 T: 02920 857 122 E: Eyewear@lenstec.co.uk

sales@optinetuk.com www.optinetuk.com

OPTINET DIRECTORY AD - FEB 21_AW.indd OPTINET 01/03/2021 109:47

Stepper (UK) Limited 11 Tannery Road Tonbridge Kent TN9 1RF 01732 375975

www.stepper.co.uk

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MiYOSMART: the smart way to treat myopia in children.

60%*

slow down of myopia progression.

Now available in the UK & Ireland, please register your interest here: *Lam CSY, Tang WC, TseDY, Lee RPK, Chun RKM, Hasegawa K, Qi H, Hatanaka T, To CH. Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (D.I.M.S.) spectacle lenses slow myopia progression: a 2-year randomisedclinical trial. British Journal of Ophthalmology. Published Online First: 29 May 2019. doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2018-313739