OptiCenter - The Voice of Vision West – Fall 2017

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Fall / 2017

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www.vweye.com IN THIS ISSUE: from the president’s desk: Give what you can to help your fellow ODs during these very difficult times!

T H E V O I C E O F V I S I O N W E S TBy Joseph C. Mallinger, OD, MBA, FAAO 1-Hour Quick Bites Did you always want to be a professor?

By Fred H. Dubick, OD, MBA, FAAO

Ransomware A Real Threat

By Carol Sites, Business Development for Datahealth

Engage, Amaze & Convert How To Elevate The Optical Experience

By Bill Gerber, Founder + CEO OMG! Optical Marketing Group/Contentlinq

Monthly Wearers: Suffering in Silence

By Cristina M. Schnider, OD,MBA, FAAO and Michelle Wales, MM

find us on FOLLOW us on Fuchsia 3, colorful and elegant Over the last year, a new energy has taken hold of Koali, offering women trendy, comfortable, creative products that are always inspired by the living world.

The history of a new twist on a bestseller Fuchsia 3, colorful and elegantThis season, Koali has reissued its flagship concept, Fuchsia, adding acetate frames in exclusive colors.

Over the last year, a new energy has taken hold of Koali, offering women trendy, comfortable, creative products The face of the Fuchsia 3 is made from acetate, with that are always inspired by the living world. an overlapping stainless steel top bar with light and lines that evoke the petals of a fuchsia flower. The The history of a new twist onairy a bestseller temples, whichconcept, are made of stainless steel end in heat This season, Koali has reissued its flagship adjustable temple tips.

Fuchsia, adding acetate frames in exclusive colors.

Exclusive Koali colors The face of the Fuchsia 3 is made from acetate, with The patterns and colors of the face and the acetate an overlapping stainless steel top bar with light and temple tips were created in house by Koali’s designers. airy lines that evoke the petals of a fuchsia flower. The The color palette available for the Fuchsia range plays temples, which are made of stainless steel end in heat with both warm and cool colors as well as bright and adjustable temple tips. pastel tones.

Exclusive Koali colors Frames for women everywhere The patterns and colors of theThe face and the acetate Fuchsia concept is available in six shapes to delight temple tips were created in house byshapes.

Koali’sThe designers. all face front of the glasses features a The color palette available forlayered the Fuchsia plays steel and acetate, adorning designrange of stainless with both warm and cool colors wellofas bright and theas eyes the wearer. pastel tones.

Press Contact: Lisa Burns Frames for women everywhere lb@morel-eyewearusa.com The Fuchsia concept is available in six shapes to delight

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Don’t let prescriptions walk out your door When he’s ready to step out in the latest frames and lenses, step forward with special financing options* available with the CareCredit healthcare credit card. CareCredit may help your patients get the products you recommend in the styles they want— while in your office.

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from the president’s desk

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Request for every Vision West Member

Give what you can to help your fellow ODs during these very difficult times!

Optometry Cares (OC) is the only AOA Charitable Foundation and OC’s Optometry’s Fund for Disaster Relief (OFDR) is the only long-standing Disaster Relief Fund specifically dedicated to aiding ODs impacted by natural disasters!

Please use the following information to donate to OFDR www.aoafoundation.org/ofdr/. As always, feel free to offer your comments to jmallingerod@vweye.com What if this was YOUR office? Where does one start  or even whether to begin again?

Optometry’s Fund for Disaster Relief (OFDR) is the only long-standing Program designed to assist any Optometrist whose office has experienced damage due to a natural disaster! The Program does not require the OD in need to be an AOA member.

Rather the real issue is to assist our fellow Independent Eye Health and Vision Providers when they are in need because of hurricanes, earthquakes, wild fires and other natural disasters!

individuals and gifts by Luxottica Wholesale, Essilor of America, CooperVision, EyeCare Partners, PERC+IVA, The Vision Council, and Vision West, Inc. Please consider matching my contribution of $500, however it you feel that is too much please consider $100 or any other amount. As you can surmise the OFDR still has a long way to go to achieve the goal of assisting these additional offices.

Please think about your colleagues and then think of how your life would be affected if your office was flooded so badly you could not see patients, pay your staff, turn on the lights, find a contractor to help you with the repairs – our colleagues need your help!

Therefore, as you finish reading this request for your help stop and take a moment visit this IP address www.aoafoundation.org/ofdr/ and donate what you can! There is a drop-down list indicating which entity a moment and click Vision West so your fellow Vision West members know you are there for them!

In these trying times, please take the time to think about your fellow ODs and do what you can to let them know you care!

Sincerely, Joseph C Mallinger OD MBA FAAO President and CEO Vision West

Each of us should consider giving (regardless of the amount) to help our colleagues. The total number of applications received by the Committee of Optometry Cares as of 10.10.2017 stands at 117 with more than $400,000 in aid being requested!

As a member of the OC Board of Directors I can inform each of you that OFDR has never received this many applications for assistance in a single year. The tremendous donations by a few of our vendors is the only reason Optometry Cares is able to provide assistance to offices like the one featured in the photo above. Nearly $300,000 has been raised through generous gifts of

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From the President’s Desk: Joseph C Mallinger OD MBA FAAO President / CEO Vision West

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Vision West® Program Enhancements The Vision West® Program is designed to support our customers through preferred pricing on ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses while rewarding exceptional growth. We are introducing some exciting updates, making it even easier to help your practice grow.

Program Enhancements •

All Brands Qualify

•

Continued Minimum Threshold ($3,000 per quarter)

•

Introduced Loyalty Rebate (up to 4.9% prior year)

•

Adjusted Growth Rate Tiers

•

Introduced NEW VOLUME Tiers

Vision West® Program Revised Rebate Structure.

GROWTH MAXIMIZER REBATE 25% + GROWTH REBATE 15%–24.9%

TARGET REBATE 5%–14.9%

LOYALTY REBATE up to 4.9%*

6%

7%

8%

10%

11%

5%

6%

7%

8%

9%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

2%

4%

5%

6%

7%

$3k–9.9k

$10k–19.9k

$20k–49.9k

Locations with no historical sales default to loyalty rebate tier. $50k–99.9k

$100k +

VOLUME TIER *Must maintain at least 98% of prior year sales

How will this benefit my practice?

The Vision West® Reward for Performance Program has been enhanced to give your practice the opportunity to earn a larger rebate: •

Rewards for your loyalty, to help you serve your patients and strengthen our partnership

•

Maximized earning potential, with enhanced growth tiers

•

Opportunities to earn more money, for high-volume purchasers

Third party trademarks used herein are trademarks of their respective partners.

ACUVUE®, ACUVUE OASYS®, 1-DAY ACUVUE® TruEye®, ACUVUE® VITA™, ACUVUE® 2, 1-DAY ACUVUE® DEFINE® and 1-DAY ACUVUE® MOIST are trademarks of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. © Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. 2016

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2017-09-11 9:15 AM

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1Q-HOUR uickBites

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THE BUSINESS OF PRACTICE

Next in a series of easy, quick management tips that you can implement in your practice today in less than an hour,

by Fred H. Dubick, OD, MBA, FAAO.

One Hour Quick Bites: Did you always want to be a professor?

1Q-HOUR uickBites Fred H. Dubick, OD, MBA, FAAO

Does the idea of having a student doctor, intern or student medical assistant or optician spend some time in your office appeal to you? There are numerous opportunities for you to share your knowledge and experience with future colleagues. Having an intern in your office has some real advantages: Professionally, you must stop and think about how you go through your examination, verbalizing what you are doing and explaining in more detail than usual to the patient.

This is simply better patient care.

Patients respect the fact that the teaching institutions trust their students in your clinic for professional training and that validates that you are a provider that is at the highest level among your peers.

Answering questions from patients all day with canned responses is much different than the questions from young, bright, engaged future doctors. Not only does that keep you on your toes, it is just satisfying to know that you are practicing current medicine.

Many times you can have your existing staff member train the students in the skills necessary to meet the expectations of that particular program. Once the student doctor is trained for example, as a pretester, and can do that piece of the exam independently, your employee can use their time to do other parts of their job. Free labor in this instance is a small boost to your productivity and bottom line.

Having a student in the clinic changes the dynamic of how you and your staff interact with each other and with patients in a positive manner. If your office can benefit from this activity, contact the nearest school of optometry, community college or trade school and explore the options.

VIEW & PAY Your Statement Online visit: www.vweye.com

9:15 AM

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PURCHASE 25 UNITS of Polaroid thru 12.31.17 and receive a $50 Amex gift card* PURCHASE 50 UNITS of Polaroid thru 12.31.17 and receive a $75 Amex gift card*

Vision Went members receive a 13% discount on the Polaroid line SPECIAL REBATE ALSO AVAILABLE: • Purchase 25 Polaroid units in 2017 and receive a 1% rebate on all 2017 Safilo purchases (net) • Purchase 50 Polaroid units in 2017 and receive a 2% rebate on all 2017 Safilo purchases (net)

*To receive your Amex gift card please e-mail your qualifying invoice/order to Vision West at: customer_service@vweye.com Gift cards will be distributed in the month following your purchase.

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Online Education Resources

learn online WITH TWo greaT CoNTeNT SoUrCeS

Vision West is proud to partner with Quantum Optical, the leader of online education for Eye Care Professionals and their staff. The Vision West Education Portal provides our members with some of the best online and on-demand education available.

CoUrSeS INClUde:

abo, ncle, cpc/aoa, cope, state board approved credits.

$5.00 per unit for Vision West members – a saVings of $10.00 per unit!

Marshall B. Ketchum University (Southern California College of Optometry), in partnership with Vision West, offers innovative, academically-rigorous and accessible online COPE courses for Optometrists. Marshall B. Ketchum University’s available online coursework is designed to offer optometrists a timely and convenient option in order to fulfill the requirements for license renewal, per the regulations implemented by The California State Board of Optometry. Each course has been documented and accredited to meet the required criteria for self-study work. The California State Board of Optometry will allow optometrists to complete a maximum of 20 units of online coursework. exTraS INClUde:

all online courses have been cope-approved for continuing education credit.

Vision West members saVe $10 to $20 depending on the course.

To access both of these sites, Login to your Vision West account at www.vweye.com and go to the Resources tab and select either ‘Vision West Online CE/ABO’ or ‘Marshall B. Ketchum University (SCCO) Online CE Courses’ in the Education/Training Resources section.

Visit us at vweye.com or call 800-640-9485 for more information.

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DATAHEALTH

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Ransomware A Real Threat

By Carol Sites, Business Development for Datahealth Ransomware attacks are making headlines more and more.

The 2016 statistics are startling; more than 4,000 ransomware attacks occurred daily. Why is ransomware so popular with cybercriminals? Because it works! Ransomware is now a billion-dollar industry and growing.

How does the ransomware infect a computer system? There are three main ways a computer system is infected by ransomware:

• Implement a training program for your staff on the threat of ransomware and how a system may get infected. Important facts:

1) B y opening an email and clicking on an attachment.

Typically, the attachment looks legitimate, like an invoice or an electronic fax, but instead it contains the malicious ransomware code.

› Staff should not open email attachments unless it’s expected or sent from a reliable source. If in doubt, have staff contact sender to confirm.

2) A n email might contain a legitimate-looking URL, but once clicked on, one is directed to a website that infects the computer with the malicious software.

3) The newest and most sophisticated way is to send legitimate websites with malicious code, taking advantage of unpatched software on the victim’s computer.

It’s that easy! Once the infection hits the system, the malware begins encrypting all data that resides on the computer including data within the network (i.e. other computers, backup drives, attached drives).

Typically, the victim isn’t aware of the attack until they can no longer access their files and start receiving computer messages demanding the ransom in exchange for the decryption key.

Ransoms can be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, which is paid in bitcoins to provide anonymity.

Although the FBI doesn’t recommend paying the ransom, many victims pay it in order to get back to business. Not only is there the financial pain of having to pay the ransom, but also the burden of downtime costs and loss of productivity. Plus, once the ransom is paid the victim now has the financial burden of insuring their system is upgraded to prevent another attack. Plus, unfortunately, there are accounts of victims paying the ransom, but never getting the decryption key to unlock their system.

› Stop web browsing by staff to avoid phishing campaigns, suspicious websites and other scams.

• Be sure your firewalls, antivirus, antimalware and anti-exploit security programs always stay up-to-date. Be sure your antivirus and antimalware are set to conduct regular scans automatically.

• Always upgrade your operating system, software and firmware to the latest version. Unpatched programs leave the system open to threats.

• Perform daily secure backups of your critical data to a USB drive, an external hard drive and/or a cloud storage. If using a drive, be sure to disconnect it from the network after backup to prevent that device from being hacked.

• Test your backups regularly to ensure you have the data when you need it most. eing prepared and having a plan is your best line of defense.

B For more information and a detailed list of steps to help prevent ransomware, please review How to Protect Yourself from Ransomware created by the FBI which can be downloaded at: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-ccips/file/872771/download

One may never be able to be completely protected against an attack. Below, are some of the key steps to help prevent and prepare.

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Gr ad S

tud ent.

Yoga Enthusiast.

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NEW ACUVUE® VITA for ASTIGMATISM with HydraMax™ Technology

Exceptional vision and comfort you can count on - all month long For your Patients

at weeks 1, 2, 3, and 41

For your Practice

even with head and eye movements1

Family of Sphere & Toric

for greater practice efficiency*1

for spherical and astigmatic eyes2

for more information visit acuvueprofessional.com

* Rx range -1.00DS to -4.75DS inclusive, -0.75DC to -1.50DC inclusive, and axes 180±25 and 90±15.

1 JJVC data on file 2017. Subjective Performance and Clinical Outcomes of ACUVUE® VITA® Brand Contact Lenses with HydraMax™ Technology for ASTIGMATISM 2 JJVC data on file 2017. Proportion astigmats accommodated with ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses for ASTIGMATISM, and ACUVUE OASYS®, ACUVUE OASYS® 1-Day, ACUVUE® VITA® & 1-DAY ACUVUE® MOIST Brand Contact Lenses (sphere & toric), and prevalence potential soft CL wearers requiring astigmatic correction.

ACUVUE® VITA® Brand Contact Lenses are indicated for vision correction as a daily wear lens with one-month recommended replacement. As with any contact lens, eye problems, including corneal ulcers, can develop. Some wearers may experience mild irritation, itching or discomfort. Lenses should not be prescribed if patients have any eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. Consult the package insert for complete information. Complete information is also available by visiting acuvueprofessional.com, or by calling: In Canada: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care division of Johnson & Johnson, Inc. at 1-800-843-2020; In the US: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. at 1-800-843-2020.

ACUVUE®, ACUVUE® VITA®, and EYE-INSPIREDTM are trademarks of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. © Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. 2017 August 2017

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Johnson & Johnson VISON

Monthly Wearers: Suffering in Silence What you don’t know about your monthly contact lens wearers’ experience could be hurting your practice

Most practices have a significant share of patients wearing monthly replacement lenses. But have you ever thought about what makes those patients different from others who wear daily disposable or 2-week reusable lenses? Some qualitative research by the Global Strategic Insights team at Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., provides some insight.

If we were to profile the monthly patient, we might find that it is someone who wears contact lenses every day, but is not particularly engaged in the contact lens experience. This patient wants affordable, reliable, hassle-free contact lens wear and seeks to maximize the use of each pair of lenses over a full month.

However, recent research shows that the majority of monthly wearers are not getting the reliable comfort they want from their contacts all month long.

End-of-month troubles In recent surveys of habitual spherical monthly contact lens wearers in the U.S. and Europe, over two thirds of respondents said they experience comfort-related issues with contact lens wear and half are not satisfied with their lenses by Week 4 of wear.1,2 To manage their wear experience, nearly all the patients experiencing comfort issues engaged in some kind of compensating behavior. For example, 84% of those patients reported taking breaks from wearing lenses during the day, using non-prescription re-wetting drops, or removing and reinserting their lenses – sometimes without cleaning them.

Impact on the doctor-patient relationship Those compensating behaviors might be a bad sign for patient retention in contact lenses and in your practice. More than 80% of the monthly wearers who had to compensate for discomfort said they felt annoyed, inconvenienced, or frustrated as a result.1

13

y Cristina M. Schnider, B OD,MBA, FAAO and Michelle Wales, MM

KEY INSIGHTS • M onthly wearers desire hassle- free, maximum use of each pair of contact lenses • C omfort and satisfaction decline from week 1 to week 4 with current monthly contact lenses • The need to compensate for discomfort frustrates patients • P rescribing a more comfortable lens will make patients more likely to return to the practice What is even more worrying is that 73% of respondents said they don’t plan to bring up comfort issues or their contact lens frustration at their next eye exam, mostly because most think discomfort is normal. 2 Experiencing and compensating for comfort-related issues becomes what patients expect, instead of the 30 days of reliable comfort they originally wanted.

How can you turn this dissatisfaction into a positive for your practice? Well, 80% of these patients said that if their eye care professional switched them to a more comfortable lens, they would have a more positive opinion of that professional, recommend them to friends and family, and be more likely to return to the practice or make additional purchases.1 ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses include a portfolio of products with EYE-INSPIRED™ Designs to meet your patients’ unique lifestyle and eye physiology needs. For many patients, a shorter replacement schedule may be a better option. However, for those who prioritize the replacement cycle and affordability of monthly wear, there is ACUVUE® VITA™, a lens designed specifically to deliver reliable, superior comfort – all month long. The newest addition to the ACUVUE® Portfolio will be available nationwide on July 5th, 2016.

Dr. Schnider and Ms. Wales are employed by Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. 1. Online survey conducted in 2015 in which 237 US respondents who were current monthly spherical contact lens wearers responded to daily surveys over a 30-day period. Data on file, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. 2. Online survey conducted in 2015 among 758 current monthly spherical contact lens wearers in the US, UK, and Germany. Data on file, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Companies.

ACUVUE¨ VITA™ Brand Contact Lenses are indicated for vision correction as a daily wear lens with one-month recommended replacement. As with any contact lens, eye problems, including corneal ulcers, can develop. Some wearers may experience mild irritation, itching or discomfort. Lenses should not be prescribed if patients have any eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems.

Consult the package insert for complete information. Complete information is also available from Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., by calling 1-800-843-2020 or by visiting acuvueprofessional.com. ACUVUE¨, ACUVUE¨ VITA™, and EYE-INSPIRED™ are trademarks of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. © Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. 2016

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OMG! OPTICAL MARKETING GROUP

Engage, Amaze & Convert; How To Elevate The Optical Experience

A very good friend of mine named Kyle stopped me at a party to share his recent optometric experience.

He told me how his Dr. and staff “were so amazing, they had all sorts of high tech equipment to conduct the eye exam, I was blown away” While he was very impressed with the clinical side of the business, the optical left him wanting. He told me he felt as if the optical offering “was outdated and frankly a bit crusty, it did not seem like they had what I was interested in”. He then went on to tell me that he and his son went on to spend $2800 on Rx Eyewear-at a competitors location! I know Dr. H’s practice well and he did in fact have the brands that Kyle was looking for that could have been supported by an optical staff that’s second to none.

So why the disconnect and why did Kyle and his son feel compelled to go elsewhere leaving Dr. H’s practice to net almost nothing in the process?

Perception Is Reality Kyle felt compelled to go elsewhere for his eyewear because he felt he would be served better. He made a series of judgements based on his reality.

Where did Dr. H go wrong? A few key problems/ solutions he should be aware of: Brand Identification - Looking into the optical space Kyle could not tell what brands Dr. H actually features so he assumed they did not sell what he was in search of, which we all know now is far from the truth. It’s absolutely critical that anyone looking into an optical space can tell the key brands a practice offers within 3 seconds.

The average American’s attention span has gone from 9 seconds in 1991 to just under 3 seconds today! We have less time to convey our offering so it’s critical that it engages quickly and clearly.

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Signage - Adding to the brand identification problem is a lack of clear way finding and informational signage. If you display by gendor, clearly let patients know where the Men’s, Women’s, Kids and Sun sections are. You’ll also want to communicate what your exam consists of, why the practice is different than others and what key brands you sell. Signs help people know where they are, where they need to go and what they need to know.

The Quick Fix: Create and deploy consistent static and digital signage throughout the optical, reception and waiting spaces. Our firms Omg! Optical Marketing Group and Contentlinq can help implement this quickly.

Lighting - Most lighting in practices is absolutely horrendous and not only detracts from the products being shown but also makes patients look older and less attractive than they really are. Why would anyone want to have an environment that is less than flattering?

The Quick Fix: Replace all lighting with Led’s that are complimentary to skin tone and product color integrity.

A professional lighting plan will cost a few bucks, but is 100% worth it because lighting has the power to not only engage, but attract. Think of how the lighting in most jewelry stores makes the product look so appealing!

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OMG! OPTICAL MARKETING GROUP

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We definitely want to create a similar feel in our spaces to make the shopping experience fun and meaningful. It’s safe to say that Kyle’s “crusty” comment also applied to the lighting or lack thereof.

Displays - Frame boards as we know them are mostly an antiquated concept that needs to be fixed. Modern eyewear has no place being displayed in monotonous rows lined up like little soldiers on a wall. The eyewear that is being sold today has a lot of detail that needs to be shown. Typical frame boards don’t do a good job conveying the distinction of modern fashion eyewear and that’s a shame. It’s time to bail the frame boards and move into the fresh, new way of displaying eyewear so patients like Kyle know what they’re looking at.

The Quick Fix: Replace frame boards with elegant, clean wood or glass shelving using modern eyewear stands to show off the eyewear being displayed. Free floating shelves no deeper than 10” with build in led lighting will serve to both display and illuminate eyewear being sold.

Incidentally, you’ll want to make sure you’re displaying at least 3 colors per style in order to connect with the patient like Kyle that’s looking for multiple frames.

Digital Enagement: Since we’re undoubtably living in a hyper connected digital world, how does your space stack up? Does it say modern and connected or is another message being conveyed? This is a very important question to ask and answer with candor.

Kyle and his son were most likely on their phones while they were in Dr. H’s waiting space, so probably did not pay attention to the TV playing eye health messaging.

Further, since the space did not have any digital content playing or available to engage with, Kyle was not pulled into the optical space for further discovery.

Digital devices at various touch points along the patient journey will work to engage and assist. Taking pictures on a digital mirror, learning about the backstory of a brand as well as understanding the myriad lens options available are all benefits of digital devices running the right software. We as an industry are woefully behind other segments in providing a digital experience. The time is now to catch up and let your patients know your practice is up to date and on the cutting edge.

The Quick Fix: Go digital in your space by implementing useful technologies that have the power to educate and

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convert shoppers into buyers. Tablets positioned at the frame displays can go a long way in communicating features/benefits of the brand being featured. Interactive screens in the exam lane can cue up important educational information while soothing imagery on screens throughout the practice can serve to create a calm and relaxing space.

Contentlinq is a new system (full disclosure, I’m the CEO of the company) that enables a full digital experience in a practice. Initial pilot results have generated very high patient satisfaction ratings along with an increase in multiple pair and premium lens sales. See www. contentlinq.com for more information.

Conversion: Why in the world would a patient want to go to another location or online to buy their eyewear/ contacts/sunglasses, etc? It’s a real hassle that most would prefer to avoid. Yet, approximately 50% of private practice patients do just that! Why? Think about all the time that went into making an appointment, showing up, going through the exam; that’s a big undertaking for most. People leave because they are not convinved the practice has what they want at the price point they want it for.

Let’s work to give them every reason to stay and buy. By implementing the tactics listed here, you can convert many of those that would have otherwise gone elsewhere. Further, existing patients will end up staying longer and buying more if your practice is engaging and amazing. The time is now to make the changes that will help to elevate the buying experience.

I hope you’ve found this article helpful and inspirational.

Please feel free to reach out anytime, I’d love to hear from you!

By: Bill Gerber, Founder + CEO OMG! Optical Marketing Group/Contentlinq www.omghome.net www.contentlinq.com E: billg@omghome.net P: 760-822-8819

Copyright 2017

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new vendors

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SynergEyes

SynergEyesÂŽ is the only high-performance, advanced technology and OD-led contact lens company focused exclusively on leading independent eye care professionals. SynergEyes prides itself in providing over 10,000 eye care professionals products that deliver exceptional vision to their patients across the globe.

SynergEyes hybrid contact lenses transform vision for patients with astigmatism, presbyopia and irregular cornea conditions. Since the first generation of hybrid lenses came to market in 2005, the company has continued to develop and deliver advancements in hybrid contact lens technologies. Generation 2 lenses combine new high-Dk materials with more comfortable, vision-optimized designs. In 2015, several new products expand the vision possibilities for patients that will benefit from this leading technology.

The entire SynergEyes team is committed to improving the vision possibilities for astigmats, presbyopes and irregular cornea patients.

We continue to invest time and resources in R&D and development of new products. Together with the support of independent eye care professionals, SynergEyes seeks to innovate and offer products to help transform patients’ vision. Call SynergEyes today to learn more!

Contact: SynergEyes with Sandra Ditski sditski@synergeyes.com call 877.733.2012, or visit www.synergeyes.com Speciality Contact Lenses –Corneal GP, Scleral Lenses, and Duette Hybrid Lenses Exclusive Vision West Discount: Up to 5% plus quarterly volume-based rebates!

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Pepe Jeans...Trend Driven and Colorful

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Pepe Jeans is known for it’s bright color combination and trend forward shapes!

industry updates

These two new styles for Pepe Jeans feature bold triple laminates with temple tip branding inspired by iconic demin rivets. PJ3282 for men, features a modified round shape incorporating tortoise shell MONDOTTICA pattern in true Pepe style! PJ3284 for women, features strong colors of Yellow, Blue, Green and Pink combining classic Brown and Black with a modified square shape.

Pepe Jeans...Trend Driven and Colorful

Both styles offer an edgy and modern look for the Pepe Pepeenthusiast!

Jeans is known for it’s bright color combination and trend forward shapes!

These two new styles for Pepe Jeans feature bold triple laminates with temple tip branding inspired by iconic demin rivets. PJ3282 for men, features a modified round shape incorporating tortoise shell pattern in true Pepe style! PJ3284 for women, features strong colors of Yellow, Blue, Green and Pink combining classic Brown and Black with a modified square shape.

Both styles offer an edgy and modern look for the Pepe enthusiast!

Pepe Jeans...Trend Driven and Colorful

ns is known for it’s bright color combination and trend forward shapes!

o new styles for Pepe Jeans feature bold triple laminates with temple tip branding inspired by iconic ets. PJ3282 for men, features a modified round shape incorporating tortoise shell true Pepe style! PJ3284 for women, features strong colors of Yellow, Blue, Green and Pink combining own and Black with a modified square shape.

PJ 3282 C3

PJ 3284 C4

s offer an edgy and modern look for the Pepe enthusiast!

www.mondotticausa.com

PJ 3282 C3

866.666.3662

PJ 3284 C4

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industry updates

19

CLEARVISION OPTICAL

ClearVision Optical to Launch Mobile Game During Vision Expo West 2017 Proceeds of the game will benefit Optometry Cares – The AOA Foundation and Orbis International Hauppauge, NY – August 2017 – Eyewear industry leader ClearVision Optical, in partnership with Optometry Cares – The AOA Foundation and Orbis International, will launch its Dilli Dalli branded mobile game, Red’s Journey, during Vision Expo West 2017.

Beginning Thursday, September 14, Red’s Journey will be available on the App Store and Google Play as a $0.99 download. Proceeds from each download will be donated to Optometry Cares – The AOA Foundation and Orbis International to further their missions of providing vision care in the United States and across the world.

“ We are excited about the launch of this engaging app,” says Dr. Allan Barker, president of Optometry Cares – The AOA Foundation. “We are deeply grateful to Clear Vision Optical for providing monetary support to our Foundation to enable us to expand our programs.”

“We’ve done much more than just create a video game for eyecare professionals to have in their waiting rooms,” says David Friedfeld, president of ClearVision Optical. “We’ve developed a really unique way for people to engage in vision-related philanthropy; it’s as simple as buying an app.”

Red’s Journey will be prominently featured in ClearVision’s Vision Expo West booth (#16087) in a classic arcade cabinet. Vision Expo attendees can play Thursday, September 14 through Saturday, September 16 during show hours. Prizes will be awarded daily to the winners of each difficulty level.

“We are excited about the launch of this engaging app,” says Dr. Allan Barker, president of Optometry Cares – The AOA Foundation. “We are deeply grateful to Clear Vision Optical for providing monetary support to our Foundation to enable us to expand our programs.”

An extension of the renowned Dilli Dalli brand, Red’s Journey stars the pediatric eyewear collection’s brand mascot, Red. Players are tasked with navigating Red through a series of obstacles and obtaining various power-ups to gain points and special abilities. The game features three difficulty levels, to appeal to eyecare patients of all ages.

“We are extremely grateful to ClearVision Optical for supporting our quest in ending avoidable blindness around the world,” says Paul Forrest, chief development officer at Orbis. “We’re excited about Red’s Journey and the new way it engages eyecare patients of all ages.”

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20

industry updates

SAFILO

A VISION BEYOND FRAMES

DISCOVER THE NEW SAFILO COLLECTION

The new SAFILO collection renews its long standing heritage of technical and aesthetic content, with a new range of optical frames celebrating the superior design, functional innovation and “Made-in-Italy” know-how for which the brand is globally recognized.

Vision West members receive a 13% discount on all SAFILO selections See Vision West trade terms for more details.

CRAFTSMANSHIP. TECHNOLOGY. SERVICE. Relying on a quality network of opticians to offer a bespoke stylistic advice and an efficient after sale service, the new collection is conceived as a modular design system with a varied choice of materials, shapes and sizes, but also spare parts that can be easily ordered and replaced. All the elements are created to be easily assembled and disassembled in a way that quickly allows any optician to repair or change the parts on site.

CONTACT YOUR SALES REPRESENTATIVE FOR MORE INFORMATION | 800-631-1188

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industry updates

21

MOREL LUNETTES / KOALI

Fuchsia 3, colorful Over the last year offering women t that are always in

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The face of the colors Fuchsia 3 isthat made acetate, with The patterns and colors of the face and the acetate an overlapping stainless steel top bar with light and temple tips were created in house by The history of a newfor twist on a bestseller Koali’s designers. The color palette available the Fuchsia range plays with both warm and airy lines that evoke the petals of a fuchsia flower. The This season, Koali has reissued its flagship concept, cool colors as well as bright and pastel tones. temples, which are made of stainless steel end in heat Fuchsia, adding acetate frames in exclusive colors.

Frames for temple womentips. everywhere adjustable The Fuchsia concept is available inof sixthe shapes to delight allfrom face acetate, shapes. with The front of the The face Fuchsia 3 is made Exclusive Koali colors glasses features a layeredan design of stainless steel and acetate, adorning the eyes of the overlapping stainless steel top bar with light and The patterns and colors of the face and the acetate wearer. airy lines that evoke the petals of a fuchsia flower. The temple tips were house by Koali’s designers.

Press Contact: Lisacreated Burns /in lb@morel-eyewearusa.com temples, which are made of stainless steel end in heat The color palette available for the Fuchsia range plays adjustable temple tips. with both warm and cool colors as well as bright and TURA / BRENDEL Exclusive Koali colors pastel tones.

The patterns and colors of the face and the acetate Frames for women everywhere We’re taking the Brendel collection to an elevated level. While temple tips were created in house by Koali’s designers. sophisticated and unique with respect to appearance, the 2017 The Fuchsia concept is available in six shapes to delight The color palette available for the Fuchsia range plays Brendel Fall Collection tells an extremely cohesive story. Designed in all face shapes. The front of the glasses features a warm andofcool colors as well as brightGermany, and Brendel on the rise this Fallwith – A both runway trend sheer layering these Fall styles reside in the Posh collection and maintain layered design of stainless steel and acetate, adorning pastel tones. many of the design traits which make them distinctly Brendel.

To stay relevant in the world of fashion, it is paramount to continuously the eyes of the wearer.

Furthermore, the collection as always features extremely feminine search for new trends, ideasFrames and inspiration.

For our Brendel www.morel-france.com for women everywhere shapes and luxurious details.

Using a sophisticated neutral palette designers, the runway is the key resource that fosters the inspiration The Fuchsia concept is available in six shapes toderived delightfrom the runway, our main objective was to accomplish the needed to implement new trends.

In Brendel, we constantly look to Press Contact: Lisa Burns alltrends face shapes.

The of infuse the glasses a of sheer layering. So how have we done it? We’ve executed the runway to visualize these and then wefront aim to them featurestrend lb@morel-eyewearusa.com layered design of stainless steel and acetate, adorning this trend in a variety of ways: Employing a variety of cutting effects into our collection. In taking a look at current runway trends, the one to expose unexpected colors, creating custom acetate combinations the eyes of the wearer. that has been the most inspirational is the theme of sheer layering. It’s

Frames for wome The Fuchsia conce all face shapes. Th layered design of the eyes of the we

Press Contact: Lisa lb@morel-eyewear

unique only to this collection, and by layering metal and acetate to further accentuate the elevated look this collection deserves. To further the design cohesiveness, we’ve added unique wrapped metal end pieces to the styles in this collection. You’ll notice that this metal detail extends from the frame front to the temple often transitioning into a luxurious integrated spring hinge. Elevating the Brendel Fall Collection has certainly heightened our own excitement level, and we think it will have the same effect on you.

a technique best executed when garments, materials, and colors are layered which exposes interesting details unexpected layers. Though Press Contact:the Lisatrends Burnswe find on the perhaps the biggest challenge is insuring lb@morel-eyewearusa.com runway translate to the field of eyewear. We’re here to tell you that in this case, they do; that you should be excited to see how we’ve done it in the 2017 Brendel Fall Collection.

Morel - 500 West Main Street, Wyckoff, NJ 07481 Toll free : 1 800 526 8838

Exclusive Koali co The patterns and temple tips were The color palette with both warm a pastel tones.

Fax : 1 888 631 9796

Morel - 500 West Main Street, Wyckoff, NJ 07481

.com

Toll free : 1 800 526 8838

Brendel 924017 – This wearable soft square shape features a sheer layer on the frame front with a unique backside cut down exposing unique depths and layering.

Clrs: Black, Tortoise, Green Size: 54 16-140 / List Price: $79.95

VW_OptiCenter_Fall17.indd 21

Fax : 1 888 631 9796

Brendel 924019 – This feminine square shape features a puzzle-piece lamination technique in the temporal corners; a luxurious technique, as well as an inlayed metal décor on the temple tips.

Clrs: Black, Tortoise, Emerald Size: 52 17-140 / List Price: $79.95

Brendel 924023 – This soft square shape with a cut-down on the brow exposes a second layer of color. This style also boasts a signature metal wrap end pieces that flows beautifully into an integrated spring hinge and metal temple.

Clrs: Peach, Black, Tortoise Size: 53 16-140 / List Price: $79.95

Brendel 924024 – This deeper square shape comes in three custom front-to-back laminations with a brow cut-down that exposes a second layer of color.

Clrs: Peach, Black, Tortoise Size: 50 16-140 / List Price: $79.95

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