The Star Wars franchise is firmly entrenched in the cultural makeup of western society, so much so that the battle between the dark forces of the Empire and the Rebel Alliance are as familiar to us as our own day-to-day battles. Perhaps that’s why independent optometrist Margaret Lam found it so easy to channel her inner-geek for this month’s lead story to ask ‘What would Yoda Do?’.
Margaret compares the current dynamics of optical retailing with corporate optometry’s offensive into the contact lens market to that intergalactic war in that galaxy far, far away. But rather than laying down her lightsaber in defeat, in the first of a two part series, Margaret is looking at strategies for independents to fight back. There’s a lot of detailed analysis and sound advice behind her analogy.
There’s also a neat segue into this month’s CPD article, which looks at the increased availability of toric and multifocal daily disposable contact lenses. Where once spherical prescriptions would have been substituted, there’s now no need to compromise. The article by optometrists Colette Parkinson and Helen Gleave also looks at studies showing most patients would try contact lenses if only they were recommended by their optometrist.
So, it’s worth reviewing the options and taking a more proactive approach to recommending daily disposable contact lenses. Don’t forget to log into the mivision Independent Clinical Learning Centre to earn your CPD points from this article.
Our features this month make for interesting reading. The first is on practice refurbs. Without doubt costly, inconvenient and disruptive but definitely worth the investment.
Have you heard comedian Rachel Sommer? She’s a Canadian who fell in love with Australia, then studied and practised optometry here, before discovering a talent for stand-up comedy. She talks exclusively to mivision about a life juggling optometry, comedy and young children.
Our guest ophthalmology editor this month is Dr. Chandra Bala who looks at new solutions to improve the quality of life for people who have advanced macular degeneration. One trial is looking at implanting asymmetric refractive IOLs and – Dr. Bala is recruiting patients with AMD and cataracts for this surgical trial now. Read more in the miophthalmology insights column, beginning on page 37.
Our fashion feature this month looks at sports and adventure eyewear. As the warmer weather lures more of your patients off the couch and into the sunshine, your more adventurous customers will be demanding high performance and high fashion. We’ve got your back with reviews of the leaders in the field at all price points. mivision also talks to Jean-Baptiste Bouvier, the lead designer behind the deceptively simple, gloriously lightweight French-owned eyewear brand Lightec.
And we bring you all the news from WAVE and TLC, information on frames, products and technology that you’ll want to bring into your practice, and brilliant back to basics business advice from John Lees.
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