Decisions decisions. We make them every day. But some have more of an impact on our personal and business lives than others. Some we labour over and the opportunity slips by. Others we dive into, only to discover they have hidden dangers.
For this issue we look closely at the offer that’s been put forward to independent optical retailers by VSP Neighbourhood Eyecare Network. We talk to senior management at VSP in the United States and its local offshoot, General Optical. We also speak to optometrists and industry representatives in Australia to get their opinion on the Network, all in an effort to help you weigh up the pros and cons of getting involved.
As we begin international glaucoma awareness month, we talk to two people who have been personally touched by the sneak thief of sight. At the age of 25, Senator John Faulkner discovered he had glaucoma by accident. A keen cricketer, he was constantly being hit on the head by balls that he just didn’t see approaching. It transpired that he’d already lost the upper half of his vision. Channel Nine football commentator Andrew Voss spends much of his time helping to care for his mother and her sister, both of whom have lost most of their sight to glaucoma. Their moving stories are a timely reminder of just how important it is to talk to patients about their family history in eye health and to encourage them to have regular, comprehensive tests for glaucoma. Fortunately, for future generations, there is a great deal of effort going in to research on glaucoma – both into early diagnosis and treatments. We review some of the studies in our news section this month.
Speaking of research, over the past 150 years, the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital has contributed significantly to the future of global eye health with groundbreaking research and discoveries. Most recently, the hospital’s Dr. Penny Allen led a surgical team to perform the first pre-bionic eye implant in a patient. This month we celebrate the achievements of our country’s only specialist eye, ear, nose and throat hospital, which was opened as Melbourne’s Eye and Ear Infirmary in 1863 with “£5 and one bed”.
We also recognise 100 years of business for the German manufacturer, Eschenbach. As well as manufacturing some of the world’s biggest selling brands, this company is a leading force in the development of LED technology that it uses in the manufacture of optics for low vision.
In our education articles this month Dr. Vicki Evans looks at the evolution of toric lenses and examines the potential visual beneEschenbachfits that can be gained from the latest generation of these contact lenses. Dr. Nicole Carnt, currently a postdoctoral research optometrist at Moorfields Eye Hospital in the UK, writes for us about the highly debilitating disease Acanthamoeba Keratitis.
We also have articles jam packed with practice building wisdom, fashion news from emerging eyewear designers and a feature on quality budget frames that can help independents gain a competitive edge.
Enjoy.
Contents:
 |
minews: All the latest news from mivsion March 2013. Read more… |
 |
mistory: An Industry Divided: VSP has entered the Australian market, styling itself as a white knight, here to transform independent optometry from “basically a cottage industry. Read more… |
 |
mifeature: Glaucoma: Beyond the White Noise: There is a lot of white noise around the topic of glaucoma. It is regularly discussed but rarely understood by the average person untouched by the disease. Read more… |
 |
mifeature: Celebrating 150 Years: The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital: When Dr. Andrew Sexton Gray opened Melbourne’s Eye and Ear Infirmary in 1863, little did he know that 150 years later, the Australian community would celebrate its succes. Read more… |
 |
mioptometry: All the latest optometry reports from March 2013. Read more… |
 |
miview: Detecting Glaucoma: It’s Over to You: Over the ages scientists have discovered cures for many life-changing diseases. Yet still, a cure for glaucoma continues to elude us all. Read more… |
 |
miophthalmology: Eylea and Wet AMD Implications for Clinical Practice in Australia: Eylea – the first major treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration to be introduced in Australia in the past five years. Read more… |
 |
mifashion: Oakley: Versatility You’ve Never Seen Before: So said Jim Jannard, founder of Oakley, who set the path for a company that is now internationally respected. Read more… |
 |
mifashion : Frames that Fight Back: There is no doubt that every optometry practice can strategically use low cost, quality frames to beat the competition and increase revenue. Read more… |
 |
mifashionnews: All the latest fashion news from March 2013. Read more… |
 |
mieyecare: (CPD): Toric lenses: What’s in it for me? When you suggest to a patient that they try a new product, they may think: ‘What’s in it for me?’ Read more… |
|
mieyecare: (CPD): Acanthamoeba Keratitis: Lurking Under the Radar? Acanthamoeba keratitis is rare; in Australia, you are at least 30 times more likely to die of melanoma1 than be diagnosed with contact lens related Acanthamoeba keratitis. Read more… |
 |
mibusiness: It’s all about Customer Advocacy: Let’s face it, things can go wrong and mistakes can be made – mistakes that can irritate or anger your customers. Read more… |
 |
mibusiness: The Accidental Salesperson: What’s the problem with salespeople and why do traditional sales techniques need to be changed for today’s consumer? Read more… |
 |
mibusiness: Fixed vs Variable: In times of uncertainty, the tendency is for people to lock in interest rates, but is this necessarily the right course? Read more… |
 |
mibusiness: The Lifetime Value of a Customer: The average mature optometry practice can expect to grow its new patient base by 10 to 15 per cent every year. Read more… |
 |
miproducts: All the latest products from March 2013. Read more… |
 |
milastword: You can find out a lot about a person from their IT setup. I’m not talking about the Mac vs PC debate, but about IT backup systems. Read more… |
 |
miclassifieds: Positions Vacant, Practices for sale? Equipment for sale? |
 |
midiary: Keep up with all the upcoming events on this year’s calendar. |
