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The Optical Group and Optik Forge Agreement for Enhanced Services

The Optical Group and VuePoint IDS, publishers OPTIK Magazine and InfoClip.ca are pleased to announce a multi-faceted partnership agreement providing benefits to the entire eye care professional membership base of The Optical Group.

The Optical Group Members will have a special “member only” discount to all accredited Continuing Education courses available in the OPTIK ConEd portal for the remainder of the year.  Available courses can be previewed at Http://CE.Vuepoint.ca.  Course examinations can then be taken online, and members will receive immediate certification from the appropriate provincial authority upon successful completion of the examination.

In addition, members will have access to special discounts for Classified Ads which are made available through the InfoClip.ca website and e-newsletters and OPTIK print and digital versions.

“Optik and InfoClip have been providing valuable information to our members for over 10 years. We are pleased to be able to enhance the value that these publications provide to members, including resources like obtaining CE online provides education and knowledge that are fundamental to the success of the Canadian Eye Care Professional and their business.” said Stephanie Martin, Co-Director of Operations.

“As a leading network of Independent Eye Care Professionals, including many of the highest caliber independent optical retailers in the country, we are pleased to be strengthening our relationship and provide exposure to our full range of resources for Canadian ECPs.”  said David Pietrobon, President of VuePoint IDS.

 For More Information:

The Optical Group: http://theopticalgroup.ca/
VuePoint Continuing Education Portal:  Http://CE.Vuepoint.ca
Optik Magazine (digital version): www.optikdigital.ca

 

UBirmingham Develops Eyedrops to Replace Injections for AMD Treatment

A team of researchers at the UK’s University of Birmingham led by biochemist Dr. Felicity de Cogan have developed eye drops which are capable of delivering drugs to the relevant area of the eye.

Eye drops would be safer and easier to administer than injections currently used, which run the risk of tearing and infection within the eye that could result in blindness.

The eyedrop formula uses cell-penetrating peptides (CPP), short chained molecules which allow the “cargo,” in this case the anti-AMD drugs bevacizumab and ranibizumab, to get taken into cells and delivered to the eye’s posterior chamber.

The eye drops delivered clinically relevant amounts of bevacizumab and ranibizumab to the posterior chamber of rat’s eyes within six minutes during in vivo tests. Similar results were obtained testing with porcine eyes.

“The CPP-drug has the potential to have a significant impact on the treatment of AMD by revolutionising drug-delivery options. Efficacious self-administered drug application by eye drop would lead to a significant reduction in adverse outcomes and health care costs compared with current treatments,” says the study’s lead author Dr. de Cogan.

Cell-penetrating peptides have applications for other ocular diseases as well, according to Dr. de Cogan.

 

Read the the full article HERE.

 

 Bloor Islington Optometry Joins FYidoctors

CALGARY, AB – FYidoctors announced that Dr. Harvey Mayers of Bloor Islington Optometry has joined the company.

FYidoctors welcomes the expertise of Dr. Harvey Mayers and his staff. Bloor Islington Optometry is located at the heart of Etobicoke, Ontario, where Dr. Mayers has served patients in the GTA for over 30 years.

Dr. Mayers has published several papers on contact lenses in Canadian and British journals, and has been actively involved in outreach programs for the Metropolitan Toronto Association for Community Living. He has also served as Chief of Primary Care Service and Contact Lens Service at The Vision Institute of Canada and has been a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry since 1982.

From 2011-2015, Dr. Mayers also worked with a neurologist network in Toronto. His clinic has on-site TearLab Osmolarity point of care for dry eye disease, and the entire staff at Bloor Islington Optometry are certified under the Canadian Association of Optometrists.

As part of FYidoctors’ growth strategy, this acquisition strengthens the company’s position in the GTA and demonstrates its commitment to increasing presence in Ontario.

Click HERE to read full press release.

 

Canadian Thought-Leaders Address Critical Issues for Independent ODs

An optometry thought-leader panel shared their views on the future of independent optometry in Canada in a live webinar on Monday May 29, 2017. Hosted by Canadian Eye Care Business Review Co-Editors Drs. Jeff and Tina Goodhew, six panelists from vastly different types of practices and business areas addressed six critical issues on the minds of Canadian optometrists.

Panelists included Dr. Daryan Angle, Executive VP, Iris Group, Mr. Ken Barbet CEO of Eye Recommend, Mr. Pierre Bertrand, President, Essilor Canada, Dr. Sheldon Salaba, OD practice owner, Hamilton ON, Dr. Altaz Shajani, OD practice owner, North Vancouver BC and Dr. Al Ulsifer, CEO & President, FYiDoctors.

The webinar, attended by nearly 200 attendees, was the largest ever live web event specifically for the Canadian eye care industry. Attendees participated in live polls to provide on the fly input to the hosts and panelists as they addressed the issues, and audience questions were fielded by panelists following the discussion.

Critical issues examined included:

  • The impact of supplier side consolidation and its potential effect on independents.
  • The reasons why ODs are selling practices to larger retail groups.
  • How optometry can avoid being swept up in the general sea-change in retail.
  • Importance of the “customer experience” in practice success.
  • The risks to solo practitioners in today’s environment.
  • The commercial opportunity for optometric medical services vis-à-vis retail dispensing.

With panelists representing corporate optometry, buying groups and solo entrepreneurial ODs, a rich variety of opinion was expressed.

Click HERE for the audio recording of the live webinar.

 

 

L186S, the First Lacoste Sunglasses Made for Tennis

René_Magnetic_Sunglasses_LACOSTE

 

Worn by Novak Djokovic, the new Lacoste brand ambassador, the René Magnetic Sunglasses combine contemporary sport design with technology.

The René Magnetic Sunglasses:

The perfect match between the heritage of the brand, the sport inspired look and the contemporary design. L186S features the exclusive Lacoste Magnetic Frame Technology combined with a sporty yet vintage and retro-chic look. The metal pilot shape comes with high quality ZEISS lenses specific for the different tennis courts and the René Lacoste signature engraved on the right lens.

Distributed in Canada by Marchon: www.marchon.com

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