The big name drug manufacturers are losing sales – and profits – to generic sales, and with some of the biggest eye drops coming off patent soon, there are major implications for the eye health industry. Our investigative report highlights the need for eye care professionals to be aware and informed of the consequences of brand substitution.
We’re constantly amazed by the generosity of spirit from people working in eye care, with so many donating their time and skill to help others. Two men – John Nicola and Dr. Terry Diamond – have taken their passion to a whole new level, with two superhuman feats of endurance to raise awareness and funds for eye health.
John Nicola ran across the Sahara Desert in seven days for Optometry Giving Sight, while Terry Diamond ran seven marathons, in seven days, on behalf of sufferers of Retinitis Pigmentosa. You must see the incredible photos that accompany their inspirational tales.
Ophthalmology continues to make huge advances in cataract surgery. Specialist medical writer Jenny Saunders has written a great article on what you need to know about the latest technology. While there are four companies making femtosecond laser with a cataract application, LenSx is the only unit commercialised in Australia, and studies show the precision and predictability of the equipment is leading to improved visual outcomes.
Australian cataract surgery results are already very good, and with the precision equipment now on offer, we’re likelyto see incremental improvements invisual outcomes.
Local expertise in this area is also being recognised internationally. The Vision Eye Institute’s (VEI) Dr. Michael Lawless – an early adopter of the femtosecond technology – is now conducting training programs for eye surgeons from across the Asia Pacific. It’s a good news story, not just for VEI but for Australian ophthalmology, and we’re pleased to be able to bring you the details in this issue.
mivision is committed to encouraging continued excellence in the optometry profession. One way this is expressed is through our popular distance learning centre where we’ve added, in this issue, two more CPD articles.
The article on toric lens design, worth two points with our online assessment, reveals patients are not entirely satisfied with their current vision correction, and suggests toric contact lenses could be a stable, consistent and comfortable alternative.
You can earn a further two points with our article on optimising optical transparency, which explains that, when dispensing, it is important to consider lens materials and treatments as an indivisible whole.
Lovers of fashion are sure to be delighted with this issue, there’s our review of the gorgeous coffee table book, Cult Eyewear, plus features on Anne et Valentin and flexible eyewear. As well you will also find this issue is packed with business advice, product information and the latest industry news.
Enjoy.
Mark Cushway
Editor
Contents:
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minews: All the latest news from June 2012. Read More…
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mistory: Tale of Two Runners: Some people will travel to the end of the earth to support a cause, others will run. Read More… |
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mistory: Aussies in the Andes: On the Ground in Sky-High Peru: Many Peruvians – those that live in major cities – enjoy a high standard of living. In the poor rural areas of Peru, the picture is different. Read More… |
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mifeature: Cult Eyewear: An Anthology of Cool: It took historian Neil Handley two years to create the sumptuous coffee table book, Cult Eyewear. Read More… |
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mifeature: Patent Cliffs: Ocular Branded v Generic Drugs: The pharmaceutical sector has reached the edge of the so-called ‘patent cliff’. Read More… |
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mioptometry: All the latest happenings from Australia and New Zealand in the world of optometry in June 2012. Read More… |
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miview: Glamour and glitz or rustic and functional… what does it matter, as long as the quality and care are all there writes Geoff Lawson. Read More… |
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mieducation: (2CPD Points) Toric Lens Design: Elements to Better Meet Patients’ Needs: According to NSIGHT Study results, what patients most desire is good vision yet what they are not entirely satisfied with is their current vision correction. Read More… |
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mieducation: (2CPD Points) I Can See Clearly Now: Optimising Optical Transparency: A spectacle wearer’s perception of quality and comfort of vision are impacted upon by factors beyond the prescription. Read More… |
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miophthalmology: Femtosecond Lasers in Cataract Surgery: What You Need To Know Femtosecond lasers, developed for refractive surgery in the 1990s, now have an application in cataract surgery. Read More… |
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midispenser: ADOA Report: This month Murray O’Brien delves into the past to try and unravel what we might be up against in the future. Read more… |
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mifashion: An Eye For Intelligence: Anne et Valentin… Mahatma Gandhi once said, “I want freedom for the full expression of my personality”. The same desire may well have been top of mind for French optom-come-frame designer Anne Valentin. Read More… |
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mifashion: They say flexibility is a huge advantage to achieving success – whether you’re a young parent, an elite athlete, an employee or a business person. The same can be said for putting flexibility back into eyewear… Read More… |
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mifashionnews: All the latest fashion news from June 2012. Read More… |
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mibusiness: What to Do When You Don’t Know: There are many times in our business lives when we find that we don’t know what to do. And that’s OK because it is impossible to know everything, right?! Read More… |
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mibusiness: The Tricky Business of Choosing a Home Loan: Choosing a home loan, whether it’s for your first home, an investment property or to refinance an existing loan, is a minefield. Read More… |
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miequipment: Getting the Picture: Ultra-Widefield Retinal Imaging: Ultra-widefield digital images give eye care practitioners a more comprehensive view by revealing up to 200 degrees of the retina in a single image. Read More… |
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miproducts: All the latest products from June 2012. Read More… |
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The Last Word: It’s Decision Time: How do we make decisions? What is involved in making a good decision? Read More… |
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miclassifieds: Looking for a new opportunity or a career advancement? Looking to hire staff, buy or sell equipment or a practice? mivision has a wide variety of professional opportunities being offered right here, on our website..Check it out.. |
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midiary: Want to know what events are coming up? Plan your year with mivision’s diary dates.…Check it out.. |
