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Friday, 10 September 2010
Extended-Extended Wear CLs
Topic: Contact Lenses
Take a contact lens, coat it with a little selenium, and people could wear their CLs for as long as two months, says Ted Reid of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock. Why? Selenium is antibacterial, which enables extended wear. See story here.

Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 6:46 AM EDT
Updated: Friday, 10 September 2010 7:19 AM EDT
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Federal Info on Impact Resistance
Topic: Optical
Should you need detailed information about the regulations governing impact resistance of lenses, good to this link, which the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) set up recently.

Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 6:24 AM EDT
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Thursday, 9 September 2010
Workers Don't Use Safety Eyewear
Topic: Safety Eyewear
"New research published by 3M has revealed that over a third of companies in UK have employees who don’t wear safety eyewear when required," according to a post on Safety & Health Practitioner. Some 38 percent complained that their safety eyewear felt uncomfortable. (Was that compared to a shard in the eye?) About 73 percent claimed comfort was "the most important factor when selecting safety eyewear."

Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 8:16 AM EDT
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Two Designers Sign Deal
Topic: Eyewear
WWD (Women's Wear Daily) is running the following story: "Two cutting-edge names in fashion – Maison Martin Margiela and Cutler and Gross – are finally seeing eye-to-eye."

Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 8:07 AM EDT
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The Effect of the Upcoming Changes in FSA Regs
Topic: Insurance

Opticians have become accustomed to an end-of-the-year sales rush--not sparked by the holidays. Customers want to spend the remainder of the flex spending (FSA--flexibile spending accounts). With the passage of the recent health care bill, FSA's will change.

OTC meds and devices will require a doctor's note if the patient wants to apply his/her FSA. There are exceptions, such as contact lens supplies and reading glasses.

By  2013, the law limits FSA allocations to $2500 annually tax-free,  down from the current $5000 tax-free. Apparently individuals in the past would use their left over flex spending to go on buying sprees. Click here for more.


Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 8:05 AM EDT
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Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Humana Vision Expands Retails Providers
Topic: Insurance
HumanaVision Vision Care Plan (VCP) network is expanding its network to include LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sears Optical, Target Optical, and JCPenney Optical as of the secord quarter next year. That's the report from MarketWatch.

Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 5:38 AM EDT
Updated: Wednesday, 8 September 2010 5:39 AM EDT
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Tuesday, 7 September 2010
Geek or Fashion Accessory
Topic: Eyewear
Once eyewear equalled geek for teenagers. Apparently that has changed, at least in Great Britain, according to ContactLenses. "Teenagers are increasingly focusing on eyewear in order to showcase their fashion nous, one source has noted. According to a post on Guampdn.com, one of the best ways of displaying a person's individuality is through their eyes and as a result teens are buying sunglasses to enhance their appearance."

Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 6:31 AM EDT
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Monday, 6 September 2010
Oakley USOC Sponsor
Topic: Optical
"Oakley has signed a sponsorship and licensing agreement with the U.S. Olysmpic Committee that will allow it to outfit members of Team USA with its eyewear during Olympic competition. Terms of the multiyear agreement were not available, but sources said it offers the USOC both cash and value-in-kind," reports SportsBusinessJournal.

Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 8:24 AM EDT
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Hopes for a Good Year in 2011
Topic: Eye Care
Regardless of what you thought of the health care bill, you--along with the rest fo the health care field--may benefit as business people. "As the provisions of the Affordable Care Act begin to be implemented, many small businesses in the United States will be able to take advantage of new tax credits, a new report shows. During the first phase of the act, some businesses employing some 16.6 million workers will be eligible for these tax credits, according to the report released Thursday from the Commonwealth Fund. 'The new law is likely to have a significant impact on affordability and access to health care coverage for small business owners and employees,' Commonwealth Fund president Karen Davis said during a press conference Wednesday," according to a story posted on MedicineNet.

Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 7:47 AM EDT
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Saturday, 4 September 2010
YAPping Your Cataracts
Topic: Eye Care

How you want to find out if you will develop cataracts? Check your YAP protein. Why? Researchers are Johns Hopkins researchers that the YAP protein “is a major target of a gene which, when mutated in humans, causes tumors to develop on nerves associated with hearing, as well as cataracts....[YAP] is linked to the NF2 tumor suppressor gene” that shapes and sizes tissue growth by coordinating control of cell proliferation and death...YAP someday could serve as a therapeutic target for those afflicted by the ringing ears, hearing loss and cataracts that characterize neurofibromatosis type 2,” according to a report posted on Newswise.



Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 10:05 PM EDT
Updated: Saturday, 4 September 2010 10:07 PM EDT
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B&L to Buy Novartis Unit
Topic: Eye Care

Under considerable pressure from the Federal Trade Commission, Novartis is readying to sell Miochol-E to competitor Bausch & Lomb. Novartis had to csell the drug before the FTC would approve its aquisition of Alcon. Why?  Both companies made the only injectable miotics, which physicians use in cataract surgery.That's the report from Business Week.


Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 7:41 AM EDT
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Now Playing: CooperVision Open Japanese Division
Topic: Contact Lenses
"Asahi Kasei Aime Co. said Friday that it will withdraw from developing and marketing contact lenses to focus on manufacturing them. The firm's R&D and marketing divisions will be sold to CooperVision Inc. in December for an undisclosed sum. The roughly 100 R&D and sales personnel, four domestic branches, and other assets will be transferred" to CooperVision's Japanese company, according to Nikkei.

Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 7:30 AM EDT
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Friday, 3 September 2010
FDA Cracks Down on Lens Imports
Topic: Lenses

This report is from the PRWeb site: "The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proving its newly formed concern regarding the safety and validity of claimed 'impact-resistant lenses' in eyeglasses and sunglasses by initiating a new FDA Import Alert, last updated on August 26, 2010. Import Alert 86-07 'Detention Without Physical Examination of and Guidance for 'Impact-Resistant Lenses in Eyeglasses and Sunglasses' (IA 86-07) includes a Red List of five firms which have been added only since July 15, 2010. Three of these five firms were added on August 26, 2010. ... Sunglasses (with or without UV protection) and eyeglasses (prescription and nonprescription) are regulated by FDA as medical devices."


Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 8:56 AM EDT
Updated: Friday, 3 September 2010 3:51 PM EDT
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Transitions Takes Multicultural Approach
Topic: Eye Care
"Recognizing the increased risks African Americans face for a number of eye health issues, Transitions Optical,...is launching its 'Healthy Sight for Life: Focus on African-American Eyes' campaign at the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW)'s 25th annual Black Family Reunion Celebration on September 11 in Washington, D.C." according to a story on the PR Newswire.

Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 8:42 AM EDT
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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."

 


Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 8:27 AM EDT
Updated: Friday, 3 September 2010 8:38 AM EDT
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Thursday, 2 September 2010
Marchon Tricks Out Its Lines
Topic: Eyewear

Vision Monday reports that "in January 2011, the Lacoste eyewear licence will be taken over by Marchon Eyewear, Inc."

EyeSmart noted "Marchon Eyewear, Inc., will design, produce and sell the LACOSTE sunwear and optical collections under the control of LACOSTE S.A.. The new collections will debut in retail in January 2011 and will be presented at the LACOSTE Spring-Summer 2011 Fashion Show in September 2010."

In addtion "Altair, a division of Marchon Eyewear, has been appointed to design a line of Bebe-branded sunglasses and other eyewear for launch next month," according to LicenseMagazine.


Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 2:49 PM EDT
Updated: Thursday, 2 September 2010 2:55 PM EDT
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Wednesday, 1 September 2010
Consumer Reports Health Pushes for New CL Solution Packaging
Topic: Contact Lenses

ConsumerReportsHealth.com came out with a story including this idea: " the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) is reporting a possible update to the package design that would require the attachment of the contact lens holder to the bottle in order to use the solution. We've [Consumer Reports] previously made the argument that look-alike containers can lead to mistakes. Seeing all multipurpose cleaning and disinfecting solutions used for rinsing and soaking lenses in look-alike containers and stored side-by-side on store shelves, contact lens wearers might assume that the Clear Care product can be used in the same way as others."


Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 6:46 AM EDT
Updated: Wednesday, 1 September 2010 6:47 AM EDT
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Leading Cause of Childhood Blindness Can Be Easily Cured
Topic: Safety Eyewear

If parents, teachers, and coaches were more pro-active, the leading cause of childhood blindness will cease. That's the implications of a recent posting for HealthNewsDigest.com by National Eye Institute (NEI). The esteemed institution noted that eye injuries account for much of the blindness in school-aged children and that most injuries are sports related. Parents, teachers, and coaches can prevent the resulting corneal abrasions, blunt traumas, penetrating injuries, inflamed irises, fractured eye sockets, detached retinas, and traumatic cataracts 90% of the time if they insist the children wear safety eyewear. That's why Prevent Blindness America has declared September as Sports Eye Health and Safety Awareness Month.

At the same time, MDLinx notes that "The depiction of adequate protective eyewear use during eye–risk activities is rare in network scripted broadcast programs. Healthcare professionals and health advocacy groups should continue to work to improve public education about eye injury risks and prevention; these efforts could include working with the television industry to improve the accuracy of the depiction of eye injuries and the proper protective eyewear used for prevention of injuries in scripted programming."


Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 6:26 AM EDT
Updated: Wednesday, 1 September 2010 6:48 AM EDT
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TearLab and AMO Partner in Canada
Topic: Eye Care
Based on a new agreement AMO Canada will market TearLab Corporation's Osmolarity System in Canada, and TearLab reps will push AMO's Blink for dry eye, according to a story appearing in the Wall Street Journal.  About 100 million people suffer from dry eye, which can lead to loss of sight.

Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 6:07 AM EDT
Updated: Wednesday, 1 September 2010 6:50 AM EDT
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Tuesday, 31 August 2010

Topic: Contact Lenses

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Abbott Laboratories (ABT) has recalled bottles of two contact lens solutions in parts of Europe and the Middle East--Complete Multi-Purpose product and Total Care--because of poor-fitting caps that could compromise the products' sterility. Just a few days ago, the recall affected only lots of Complete sold in Great Britain after the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency issued an alert on Friday. The British agency and Abbot are concerned about a potential leak in the bottles' flip-top caps. The solution itself is not contaminated.


Posted by ct3/opticalceu at 6:41 AM EDT
Updated: Wednesday, 1 September 2010 6:50 AM EDT
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