(PRESS RELEASE) HEBRON,KY — ZEISS announced the sponsorship of promising 23-year-old skipper Thimoté Polet for the upcoming 2024 edition of the Transat CIC, the oldest single-handed ocean race. Polet will compete in the Class40 category, and his boat will bear the name and colors of ZEIS for this major race across the North Atlantic. ZEISS also provided the company’s industry-leading products for Polet’s use during the race, including binoculars and mirrored sunglass lenses, built with 175+ years of excellence in optical innovation. Thimoté Polet The 15th edition of the Transat CIC will depa ..read more

(PRESS RELEASE) LONGARONE/MILAN, IT — Marcolin, a worldwide leading group in eyewear, and K-Way, French brand born in 1965 – currently owned by Turin-based group BasicNet – and known worldwide for its revolutionary rain jackets, announce they have signed an exclusive licensing agreement for the design, production, and worldwide distribution of K-Way brand sunglasses, optical frames, ski goggles and eyewear for kids. The partnership, officially beginning on January 1, 2025, will last six years, until December 31, 2030. The new agreement and resulting collaboration with a brand that has always p ..read more

(PRESS RELEASE) MIAMI, FL — Fifteen Bascom Palmer Eye Institute physicians were selected for the 2024 Power List, a selection of the world’s 100 most influential people shaping the future of eye care, as published by The Ophthalmologist magazine. Drs. Eduardo C. Alfonso, Kendall Donaldson, Hilda Capó, Janet Davis, Harry Flynn, Anat Galor, Steven Gedde, Ranya Habash, Carol Karp, Jaclyn Kovach, Byron Lam, Felipe Medeiros, Richard Parrish, Philip Rosenfeld, and Sonia Yoo were named to the 2024 Power List. Bascom Palmer Eye Institute is the Department of Ophthalmology for the University of Miami M ..read more

(PRESS RELEASE) PADUA, IT — Safilo Group, one of the eyewear industry’s key players in the design, manufacturing, and distribution of prescription frames, sunglasses, outdoor eyewear, goggles, and helmets – signed a perpetual license agreement with Authentic Brands Group (Authentic), for David Beckham Eyewear, which substitutes the previous contract expiring at the end of 2030. Under the new agreement, Safilo will continue to oversee the entire value chain, including the design process creatively led by David Beckham, through to its production and global distribution. Following an announcement ..read more

(PRESS RELEASE) MEMPHIS, TN — As part of its 2024 commencement on May 7, Southern College of Optometry will recognize the contributions of two alumni and one industry professional to the field of optometry. SCO will bestow the following honors: Doctor of Ocular Science – Dr. Fred Farias III, OD (Class of 1987) Doctor of Humane Letters – Dave Sattler (former SCO board trustee) Lifetime Achievement Award – Dr. Barry Winston, OD (Class of 1974) “These three individuals have championed the evolution and progress of the optometric field in differing ways over the past several decades,” said Dr. L ..read more

LONG BEFORE I became an optometrist, my parents instilled the importance of hard work and a good education, including the value of using my knowledge to do good in the world. Their guidance and words of wisdom inspired me to cherish the chances to positively impact my community and my optometry degree has empowered me to fulfill this aspiration in a myriad of meaningful ways. I was in 3rd grade when I first discovered I needed glasses after going through a routine vision screening at my elementary school, conducted by interns and doctors from an institution called the Southern California Colle ..read more

ONE OF THE MOST persistent challenges we hear about from eyecare business owners is how to attract new graduate and associate optometrists to full-time positions. There are a number of economic and cultural factors at play here. A recent white paper by Texas State Optical (TSO), a network of independent optometrists, described a recruitment environment made increasingly difficult by private equity consolidation, the financial power of corporate optometry, geographical imbalances in job availability, and evolving career preferences among new graduates. According to TSO, “A growing percentage of ..read more

YOU ASKED: How do eyecare business owners find a way to afford medical benefits for a super small business — or, alternatively, set up an HRA for my small business? WE ANSWER: It’s about finding the right fit between valuable employee benefits and what’s financially feasible. Let’s delve into Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) and traditional medical benefits to see what might work best. Health Reimbursement Arrangements: HRAs offer a flexible approach to health benefits. You, as the employer, reimburse employees for medical expenses, including premiums for individual health plans, up to ..read more

I discussed lid hygiene with a patient. He returned for a follow-up one month later and I noticed his lids looked worse. He replied, ‘Doc, I’m washing my eyebrows every day — it’s not working’. — Patti Richard, OD, Family Eye Care, North Andover, MA Back when you had to use Aosept to clean your contacts, we had a patient who thought she had to take the dissolving cleaning tablets orally. She couldn’t figure out why her contact lenses weren’t clean! — Susan Kantor, Central Phoenix Eyecare, Phoenix, AZ  ..read more

RECRUITING ASSOCIATE ODS is vital to practice growth. But with a shortage of ODs in many regions, strategic hiring is essential to attract top talent. Here are some strategies: Cast a wide net: Tap into your network, post on social media platforms (especially LinkedIn), and utilize job boards. Please update your website. Owners shouldn’t tout having a state-of-the-art facility with a 1980s website design. Construct a great offer: There is no single compensation structure that works best across the board. Some owners offer a flat base rate, others use a percentage-of-production model; neither o ..read more