Slain Optometrist Receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Topic: Optical--Sort Of
"The late optometrist Tom Little, a Kinderhook native, was one of 15 people recently named by President Barack Obama to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Among others named along with Little were cellist Yo Yo Ma, Congressman and Civil Rights hero John Lewis, poet Maya Angelou, artist Jasper Johns, investor Warren Buffet, civil rights activist Sylvia Mendez, baseball great Stan Musial, basketball great Bill Russell, president George H.W. Bush and labor leader John J. Sweeney," goes the report from the RegisterStar.

Life Sucks in Sweden for Opticians--and Editors
Topic: Optical--Sort Of
"Psychologists, physiotherapists, dentist and specialist fire fighters are not likely to have to worry about getting a job in the future, according to the trade union Saco's prognosis. Other professions that will be in high demand by 2015, says the report, are social workers and chiropractors. Librarians, opticians, editors at publishing houses and museum workers are on the other hand more likely to face unemployment, according to the white collar union Saco." That was a recent post on Radio Sweden.

Harry Potter's Glasses Stolen--Sort Of
Topic: Optical--Sort Of
"Daniel Radcliffe has joked that he 'stole' his character's glasses from the Harry Potter movie," reports the New Zealand website Stuff. "The British actor plays the lead role and title character in the Harry Potter film franchise about a group of wizard students battling a villain called Voldemort, adapted from the books by author J.K. Rowling."

Optical Sec Gets Two in the Slammer
Topic: Optical--Sort Of
OpticianOnline reports that "an optician's secretary who stole more than £170,000 over five and a half years was sentenced to two years imprisonment in Nottingham Crown Court."

Your Customers Might Have Read about the New Hypnotic CLs
Topic: Optical--Sort Of

SpoofTimes has posted the following:

A new technology is in testing right now, Hypnotic Contact Lenses. This is a new and clear contact lenses have nano technology on it that will have the the wearer to hypnotize the person who's looking directly the wearers eyes.

The lens operates as with the thought of the wearer as he dazzled the victims with the wearers eyes. The lens will make the victim look to the wearers eyes and gives off small instances making the wearers eyes in a white color. The hypnotist will then give a verbal command to the victim and the victim suppose to obligate the wearers command.

 

Seeing the Galaxies with New Vision Aid--Sort of
Topic: Optical--Sort Of
"Using the world's largest space telescope, ESA's Herschel Space Observatory, a UK-led team has discovered a new way of locating a natural phenomenon that acts like a zoom lens, allowing astronomers to peer at galaxies in the distant and early Universe," according to a Sify post.

SEC Football Officials Offered Free Eye Care
Topic: Optical--Sort Of
The Slophouse blog reports: "The old saying goes, “Hey ref, get your eyes checked!” Well, now they have their chance. Fayetteville-based McDonald Eye Associates is taking it upon itself to make sure Arkansas doesn’t have any more questionable officiating. The company said in a release Tuesday it will offer free laser vision surgery to any on-field or replay booth official from Saturday’s Arkansas-Auburn game. The Razorbacks lost 65-43, but a pair of questionable Auburn touchdowns have had Arkansas fans up in arms."

Sexual Misconduct Sends Optician to Jail
Topic: Optical--Sort Of

The YorkPress, a United Kingdom publication, reported that "an optician who performed a sex act while giving an eye test to a teenage girl has been struck off. Selby man John David Gill was jailed last January for 21 months after being found guilty of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and outraging public decency at his practice in Knottingley.“

Eyeglasses Nab Suspect in Girl's Attack--After Six Years/Eyewear Held for Ransome
Topic: Optical--Sort Of

There has been an eyewear-related crime spree of late:

• "Prosecutors say DNA from a pair of telltale eyeglasses has led them to a suspect in a vicious attack on a New York City teenager six years ago...Authorities found the attacker's glasses and took a DNA sample. But prosecutors say it went unidentified until the attacker's DNA was entered into a state database in September, after his burglary conviction," according to a post on WCAX's website.
• NPR radio reported that during a party at London's famed Serpentine Club, a man snatched the glasses off the face of famed American writer Jonathan Franzen. The culprit left a ransome note demanding $100,000...."Partygoers chased after the thief, who jumped into the Serpentine, a small lake that divides Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens...[The police] called in a helicopter, concerned the culprit could drown....The prankster was 'eventually coaxed out of some bushes,' and some 30 minutes later, 'a very nice police officer' returned the glasses, which the author describes as 'heavy, brown, horn-rimmish sort of things.'"

Soccer (Football) Eye Care Promo Moves Ahead
Topic: Optical--Sort Of

An advertisement "for the supermarket Asda offering free eye tests for Uruguayans after a referee and linesman from that country missed Frank Lampard's goal for England at the World Cup has been cleared of causing offence. The online promotion for Asda opticians stated: 'Our special World Cup offer: Free eye tests for all Uruguayans. Like everyone in England, we couldn't believe our eyes when the Uruguayan referee and linesman failed to recognise Frank Lampard's equalising goal against Germany,'" according to a story posted on the Independent.

Who Needs New Glasses (or Proofreader)?
Topic: Optical--Sort Of
Can you find the mistake that appeared in the OCRegister? "About 80 percent of Costco optical employees are certified for optical work by the American Board of Ophthalmology, the company says." One question remains: Did COSTCO say ABO and the OCRegister presumed the American Board of Ophthalmology? One can only hope that was the case.  

Health Care Costs Climb
Topic: Optical--Sort Of
"In 2011, the combined average of premium and out-of-pocket costs for health care coverage for an employee is projected to climb to $4,386, according to an annual study by Hewitt Associates to be released this week. That's a 12.4 percent increase, or $486, over this year," according to a story posted on ChicagoTribune.

New Health Care Rules Being Today
Topic: Optical--Sort Of
The NYTimes reports that "adjusting to the new terrain could push some insurers out of business, health care analysts say...'A lot of health plans will struggle and fail,' said Jeff Fusile, a health care partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers...The challenge for the industry as a whole will be to demonstrate an ability to oversee patient care and work closely with hospitals and doctors to find ways to improve the quality of care while trying to contain costs. To that end, insurers are making big investments in technology systems and new areas of expertise."

Old before Our Time
Topic: Optical--Sort Of
The UK's Mirror reports that "Wearing glasses ages people by at least three years, a survey claims.  Those who use spectacles are also regarded as "geeky" compared with people who do not. On average, glasses-wearers were put at 3.3 years older than they actually were, while specs aged people over 45 by five years."

Gorilla Cataract Surgery--Yeap
Topic: Optical--Sort Of

DB Wearing Glasses Years after Laser Surgery
Topic: Optical--Sort Of

Who cares? Great Britiain's DailyMirror apparently has little better to do than follow David Beckham, wondering why he was honing and then removing his eyewear.

Here's one from VisionMonday: "The President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies appeared in newspapers and on national TV wearing Pramaor eyewear."

 

Take Care When Driving in the UK
Topic: Optical--Sort Of
Americans may have problems with drinking and driving. The Brits have a problem with seeing and driving. ContactLenses reports that "despite thousands of UK drivers requiring spectacles or contact lenses, one in ten people are failing to wear them and putting other motorists at risk as a result, it has been claimed. Research compiled by LV car insurance shows that 45 per cent of UK motorists should wear glasses while behind the wheel but many neglect to do so."

 

Cloak of Invisibility
Topic: Optical--Sort Of

It's not "new," having been discovered more than five years ago. It has nothing to do with eyewear or contact lenses. It has everything to do with what you see: invisibility fabric. Here's a report from Reuters.

 

Opticianry a Thriving Occupation
Topic: Optical--Sort Of
"Employment of dispensing opticians is expected to grow about as fast as average for all occupations through 2018, as the population ages and demand for corrective lenses increases. Very good job prospects are expected." That's the word from a new study by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

US Optical Market Improving
Topic: Optical--Sort Of
The attitude of independent eye care professionals regarding the econopmy and their businesses improved only slightly for July. VisionMonday.com carries the story.