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April 14, 2020April 14, 2020

Vision Expo Announces Virtual EYE2EYE Series, Launching April 15

Vision Expo is launching the Virtual EYE2EYE Series, a series of virtual panels and interactive conversations inspired by Vision Expo’s EYE2EYE educational series. Launching Wednesday, April 15, the Virtual EYE2EYE Series will take place on a weekly basis with a new topic every Wednesday and Friday. The series will feature several panels originally scheduled for Vision Expo East 2020 presented in adapted formats, as well as new, timely conversations addressing current challenges in the vision community related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During this unsettling and very disruptive time for the industry, we recognize that it is more important than ever to stay connected, to support one another, and to learn from each other.” said Fran Pennella, Vision Expo event vice president for Reed Exhibitions. “We hope that this series will serve as both an inspiring outlet that encourages creative dialogue, as well a useful tool for members of the industry to share advice and information as we continue to adapt to an unprecedented reality that is evolving on a daily basis.”

EYE2EYE’s Coffee Talk series will take place on Wednesdays at 12:15 p.m. ET. Moderated by a different industry expert every week, the series will provide guidance and actionable business strategies to help eye care providers protect their businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as practical insight for keeping businesses afloat while the pandemic is still developing. Topics include how to determine profitable projects that employees can work on from home to improve retail operations; engaging with employees during closure; and implementing e-commerce businesses.

On Fridays at 4:15 p.m. ET, EYE2EYE will host Happy Hour, featuring up-and-coming as well as established creatives talking about what inspires them and providing advice on how to stay creatively engaged. The Happy Hour sessions will present several highly anticipated panels originally scheduled for Vision Expo East 2020, including The Art of the Collab, featuring some of the most prolific collaborators in the eyewear industry and Independence @ The Creative Edge, spotlighting retailers and vendors known for their keen sense of daring. The Happy Hour series also will present entirely new panels, like the Definition of Avant-Garde.

Happy Hour will also feature an adapted version of the Next Generation of Retail Speed Dating—one of the panels originally planned for Vision Expo East 2020—during which new and potential business owners will have the opportunity to learn from the industry’s most successful independent retailers. The adapted format will present one mentor per session for a Q&A session with audience members selected through an online application.

To register to attend the Virtual EYE2EYE Series, visit west.visionexpo.com/virtual-eye-2-eye.

April 14, 2020April 14, 2020

New Peer-Reviewed Paper Offers Advice to Contact Lens Practitioners During COVID-19 Pandemic

A new peer-reviewed paper from five prominent ocular scientists will help eye care practitioners (ECPs) instruct and reassure contact lens wearers during the global COVID-19 / coronavirus pandemic. Published in Contact Lens & Anterior Eye, “The COVID-19 Pandemic: Important Considerations for Contact Lens Practitioners” delves into multiple aspects of eye health amidst the global health crisis, with a specific emphasis on the safe use of contact lenses.

The paper and related ECP and patient resources can be accessed from COVIDEyeFacts.org.

“Our findings indicate that contact lenses remain a perfectly acceptable form of vision correction during the coronavirus pandemic, as long as people observe good hand hygiene and follow appropriate wear-and-care directions,” said Dr. Lyndon Jones, director of the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) at the University of Waterloo and the paper’s lead author. “Unfortunately, we have seen a number of erroneous reports regarding contact lenses and spectacles in recent days. Our goal is to make sure that science-backed truths are understood and shared, helping eye care practitioners provide accurate, timely counsel to patients.”

Based on the paper, CORE has developed five facts:

People Can Keep Wearing Contact Lenses. There is currently no scientific evidence that contact lens wearers have an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 compared with glasses / spectacles wearers.
Good Hygiene Habits are Critical. Thorough handwashing and drying are essential, as well as properly wearing and caring for contact lenses, ensuring good contact lens case hygiene, and regularly cleaning glasses / spectacles with soap and water.
Regular Eyeglasses / Spectacles Do Not Provide Protection. No scientific evidence supports rumors that everyday eyeglasses / spectacles offer protection against COVID-19.
Keep Unwashed Hands Away from the Face. Whether people wear contact lenses, glasses / spectacles or require no vision correction at all, individuals should avoid touching their nose, mouth and eyes with unwashed hands, consistent with World Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations.
If You Are Sick, Temporarily Stop Wearing Contact Lenses. Contact lens wearers who are ill should temporarily revert to wearing eyeglasses / spectacles. They can resume use with fresh, new contact lenses and lens cases once they return to full health.

On April 8, the CDC issued updated guidance on contact lens wear during the COVID-19 pandemic, further supporting key findings from the Contact Lens & Anterior Eye paper. The CDC additionally points out that personal eyeglasses and contact lenses do not qualify as personal protective equipment (PPE).

The Contact Lens & Anterior Eye paper also reviews why management of adverse events should be retained within optometric systems, offers guidance on sleeping in contact lenses, considers wearing modalities and lens materials, and offers areas for further study.

Joining Dr. Jones as paper authors were four globally respected researchers, educators and clinicians: Dr. Karen Walsh, professional education team leader and clinical scientist at CORE, Dr. Mark Willcox, director of research at the School of Optometry and Vision Science at UNSW (Sydney), Dr. Philip Morgan, director of Eurolens Research at the University of Manchester (United Kingdom), and Dr. Jason Nichols, associate vice president for research and professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry (United States) and editor-in-chief of Contact Lens Spectrum.

Click HERE for the full press release.

April 10, 2020April 9, 2020

Gogosha Optique Winner of Vision Expo’s Third Annual OPTImum Retail Award

Vision Expo announced Gogosha Optique (Los Angeles, CA) as the winner of the third OPTImum Retail Award, an annual award created in 2016 to celebrate independent retailers and showcase their products, stores, visions and stories. Past winners include Edward Beiner (South Miami, Fla.) and Todd Rogers Eyewear (Andover, MA).

Gogosha Optique and the other 2020 finalists—Black Optical (Dallas, Tulsa, Oklahoma City); G is for Glasses (Winnipeg); Globe Specs (Kyoto); and The Eye Place (London)—received awards to recognize their accomplishments and will also be honored at a cocktail party during Vision Expo West in Las Vegas. Additionally, Gogosha Optique will be featured in 20/20 Magazine this Spring.

Gogosha Optique was selected as the contest winner by a committee of the industry’s top leaders including Dr. Arian Fartash, optometrist and influencer of @glamoptometrist; Christian Roth, eyewear designer and the first Council of Fashion Designers of America member in the eyewear category since 1990; and James Spina, 20/20 Magazine editor-in-chief and senior vice president.

To pre-register for Vision Expo West, taking place Sept. 23–26 in Las Vegas, visit visionexpowest.com and be sure to follow along on all of Vision Expo’s social media channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

April 10, 2020April 9, 2020

Essilor Donates Protective Equipment to Support Global COVID-19 Relief Efforts

To limit the spread of the virus, Essilor Group has donated close to 1 million protective equipment including face masks, as well as goggles and face shields. Beneficiaries include local hospitals and frontline workers such as healthcare personnel, firefighters, caregivers, and security forces in China, Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, USA, Canada, and many more. Other donations include protective gloves, hand sanitizing gels and plano glasses.

Paul du Saillant, CEO of Essilor International, declared: “Our heart goes out to everyone affected by this unprecedented global health crisis. Essilor is committed to using its collective power and global presence to support our people and the communities around us and around the world. As the Covid-19 crisis evolves, Essilor will continue to align its philanthropic efforts prioritizing essential supplies, medical and emergency assistance thanks to the joint efforts of country teams, online businesses, Essilor Vision Foundations and the support of Vision For Life™”.

Key contributions from Essilor Group in Canada include:

Essilor Group subsidiary, Clearly, responded to the call of the authorities for the general public and business community to contribute, with the donation of safety glasses to Vancouver Coastal Health earlier this month. The eyewear retailer has requested its global eyeglass and sunglass manufacturers to switch their production to supply face shield and safety glass and is aiming to donate tens of thousands of these much-needed items.

Click HERE for the full press release.

April 9, 2020April 9, 2020

Eyeployment.com Offers Free Career Planning Tool to Optical Industry

Eyeployment.com, the eye care and eyewear Industry’s advanced candidate assessment technology platform, is making a career planning tool available free of charge to industry associates and optical and optometry students effective immediately until August 31^st.

The COVID-19 industry disruption provides an opportunity to reflect, assess and plan for the future. The Eyeployment Career Planning Tool provides an online self-assessment questionnaire that uncovers the personal make up of individuals and points them towards specific career opportunities most suited to the person’s basic makeup. Twenty-five different attitudes, preferences and tendencies are described in a comprehensive personalized report for individuals completing the assessment.

The online survey takes about 20 mins to complete and the resultant and fully confidential Career Planning Report is immediately generated and emailed to you. (Click Here to View a Sample Report)

The optical industry provides a rich and varied source of opportunities that job seekers may not have considered. While many Opticianry and Optometry graduates may aspire to own an independent practice one day, their deep personality traits may point them in different directions for the fullest job satisfaction.

Consider the Possibilities

There are many career opportunities available to individuals trained in optical and vision sciences, including business ownership, B2B industry sales, retail sales, academia, research, franchise ownership, customer service representative, lab technician and more.

The Eyeployment Career Planner assesses individuals on 25 personality attributes and matches these, through a “Job Fit” algorithm against the requirements of specific jobs within the industry. The report provides a ranking of jobs that best match to the individual’s characteristics and points them toward a career that will be the most rewarding and least stressful.

Tim Brennan, Chief Visionary Officer, notes, “This tool provides a perfect roadmap for better course or internship choices, apprenticeship planning, and a more targeted job hunt after graduation.”

“We wanted to provide a valuable service to help students and recent graduates impacted by the COVID disruption. Self-isolation provides a unique opportunity for individuals to take stock, reflect and learn. The free service is open to anyone willing to participate,” said Eyeployment president David Pietrobon.

Start your personal and confidential self assessment now

About Eyeployment.com and Fit First Technologies
Eyeployment.com uses advanced candidate selection science powered by Fit First Technologies International Inc. to help eye care practices find high-performing stars for their practice, increase ROI and reduce turnover. Eyeployment.com’s industry-proven system makes hiring more streamlined and less painful. Solutions are tailored for independent practices or scaled up to enterprise level for multiple location networks.

Fit First Technologies mission is to make hiring practices and career discovery easier, more human and more economical for everyone.

Eyeployment.com is a division of VuePoint IDS Inc.