Blog - Page 489 of 886

May 27, 2020May 27, 2020

The Vision Council Launches ReopenEyecare Website

Reopeneyecare.com, a new digital platform designed to help eye care providers navigate the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on their businesses, is now launched. Featuring content specially curated by a taskforce of vision community leaders and sponsored by The Vision Council, the website is intended to serve as a comprehensive resource to help eye care providers navigate the complex journey from shutdown back to ‘new normal’ business conditions with practical insights and a collection of best practices, protocols, tools and tips for reopening a practice and maintaining its health until conditions improve.

“The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the vision and eyecare community in ways that can threaten the livelihood of eyecare providers, their staff and their businesses if they do not adapt to the new circumstances. We understand how overwhelmed business owners are feeling during these unprecedented times. That inspired us to build a website to serve as a one-stop destination to help eyecare providers make the right practice and business decisions as they navigate from shutdown to a sustainable new-normal,” said David Chute, Co-Founder and CEO at ThinOptics. “Reopeneyecare.com provides the most timely, relevant information that eyecare providers need to be aware of as they reopen their businesses, as well as tools and actionable tips to employ over the coming months as they evolve from surviving to thriving. By curating the best, trusted resources in one place in a personalized and interactive format, we hope to help eyecare providers make informed business decisions.”

“Now more than ever, it is important to come together as a community, so that we can emerge from this crisis stronger, smarter and more nimble,” said David Friedfeld, President at ClearVision Optical. “Reopeneyecare.com reflects a collective industry effort to gather the most useful information and tools in one accessible platform to support and guide eyecare providers as they adapt their business strategies through each stage of reopening and recovery. Reopeneyecare.com contains all the information eyecare providers need in one, easy-to-navigate website and will continually be updated as guidelines, regulations, and standard practices evolve.”

Designed for a seamless user experience, the website features an intuitive display and is divided into seven sections:

The Landscape:
- With detailed information on national COVID-19 data and trends, The Landscape is home to Survive to Thrive: Covid-19 Coping Skills, an overview presentation that highlights the challenges eye care providers are faced with and how they can approach the implications of the pandemic on their businesses from a strategic, financial and leadership perspective.
Setting Your Course:
- This section breaks down the process of developing a strategy to navigate the implications of COVID-19 and provides tips on how to communicate with patients and strengthen relationships.
Financing the Journey:
- Featuring an interactive cashflow calculator, Financing the Journey explains how to calculate cash flow, manage and generate cash and includes financial best practices and checklists.
Roadmap to Reopening:
- From understanding personal protective equipment (PPE) sources and best practices to breaking down dispensary protocols, Roadmap to Reopening details what eyecare providers need to know to begin seeing patients again while keeping both patients and staff safe.
Leading the Way:
- This section provides tips on how to manage, motivate, and compensate staff during a difficult time, when strong, inspiring leadership is essential.
Rules, Regulations and Requirements:
- Highlights state and local rules, professional guidelines, liability issues and employment law.
Industry Data:
- The Industry Data section contains the latest industry research pertaining to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the vision industry, with insightful analysis and key takeaways.

The website will continue to be updated with new, pertinent content as conditions change and new information becomes available.

Reopeneyecare.com and the resources included on the website are available for use and distribution by anyone involved in the vision community. Users should register on the website to receive updates as new content is posted. An eyecare provider advisory panel is in development. The panel will advise on future content and site improvement.

Source: The Vision Council

May 22, 2020May 21, 2020

Essilor Celebrates United Nations’ Recommendation to Governments to Ensure Good Vision of All Road Users

Essilor celebrates this major milestone, an incentive to generalise eye tests and facilitate access to eyecare, and reinforces its commitment towards safe mobility, as a vision care leader and as a donor to the United Nations Road Safety Fund.

Effective April 1^st, the call to ensure good vision for all road users in the world is now part of the “ITC Recommendations for Enhancing National Road Safety Systems”. The recommendations were adopted by the governments at the Inland Transport Committee (ITC), the United Nations’ regulatory platform in the field of inland transport.

This historic achievement builds on the 3^rd Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, held in Stockholm last February, where main representatives of governments, public and private sectors called for a precise framework to achieve the United Nations’ road safety-related 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Following the Stockholm declaration, the “ITC recommendations for Enhancing National Road Safety Systems”, which came into effect on April 1^st, represent a major guide towards road safety across the globe. It particularly calls countries to adopt specific rules to ensure appropriate vision for all road users as an important lever to achieve this goal.

Essilor officially joins the United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) through a US$200,000 cash contribution, becoming UNRSF donor as of 5^th May 2020. It is a major milestone following the successful collaboration with the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile)* since 2017 promoting the golden rule “Check your vision” for all road users.

As part of its efforts, and as countries gradually lift their lockdown restrictions in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Essilor Group will be launching an international public campaign entitled “On the Road again” in June 2020. Driven by the hashtag #MaxVisionMaxSafety, it will encourage drivers, bikers, cyclists and pedestrians to enjoy the recovered mobility safely with optimal vision.

David Navarro, VP Vision & Road Safety at Essilor, declared: “In a world where people are preparing to get back on the road in the context of the COVID-19 crisis, the recommendations of the United Nations come at a very timely moment. Along with the fundamental role of good vision for all road users, this set of rules is a real game-changer, enabling countries to adapt their national policies accordingly. As a vision care leader and member of the UNRSF, we are thrilled to contribute to safe mobility by boosting awareness, innovation, access to vision tests and vision care everywhere around the globe, in line with our mission of improving lives by improving sight.”

Click HERE for the full press release.

May 22, 2020May 22, 2020

“New Talent” Sarah Bureau at sbspecs

Jessie Strype, Optik magazine’s contributor, spoke with Sarah Bureau of sbspecs. Sarah talks about how she got into the optical industry and found the art of restoration and customizing eyewear to be a perfect blend of science and the arts.

The most common request Sarah receives is for custom nose pads. She can do titanium implanted pad arms, fused pad arms (ideal for translucent frames), and bridge build ups for acetate frames.

Of all the custom work Sarah has completed to date, the one repair she is particularly proud of is the very first time she repaired an acetate frame which had broken in half at the bridge.

Optik asked which frame feature Sarah would alter to avoid a common break. Her answer? She would alter the way a traditional spring hinge works.

Optik also wanted to know how Sarah saw the optical industry changing and how does that apply to the future of sbspecs. Are you as curious as we are? If so, find out by reading the full interview!

The full interview with Sarah Bureau by Jessie Strype is available in the April – May Issue of Optik Magazine.

Click here to view the full interview.

May 22, 2020May 21, 2020

Karl Optical to Provide Surgical Masks to ECPs

Karl-Optical, a Quebec company, whose brands TopLook and Fatal Eyewear are sold worldwide, aims to help eye care professionals in terms of protection and hygiene.

In order to help and contribute to the safety of their partners and customers, Karl-Optical has started providing free surgical masks to eye care professionals in Canada and will reach a total distribution of 5,000 masks.

This is to facilitate the reopening of clinics, optical stores and to protect professionals and consumers.

For more information, contact Jeff A. Larbi at info@karl-optical.com.

May 21, 2020May 25, 2020

Hoya Canada Launches New COVID Relief Programs and Incentives

HOYA Vision Care Canada announces the extension of support available through the “Hoya Cares” program offered to independent eye care professionals (ECPs) to assist them in preparing to re-open their practice.

As the country slowly starts to revive the economy, HOYA is launching new promotions and offers that will help ECPs provide patients with the peace of mind that they need in this difficult time. Some of these initiatives include the “We’re in this together” Family Multi-Pair Program which extends the 60% OFF the second (or even third) pair of lenses to family members until September 30th. The extension of the time period for redemption from 30 to 120 days*, allows families to benefit from the savings for other members of their household who may not be ready to order their lenses right away.

In addition to the Family Multi-Pair Program, HOYA has introduced another special incentive to further aid in attracting and bringing patients back. ECPs will receive a FREE upgrade to Hoya’s newest treatment available on the market; Super HiVision EX3+ when they order EX3 Anti-Reflective coating before August 31, 2020.

“It is this type of incentive support that makes it easier for a patient to decide to visit one practice over another, and we are doing the best we can to help our valued business partners to make it through the pandemic successfully,” said Ahmos Henry, President of HOYA Vision Care Canada. To offer further aid to ECPs, HOYA is extending the warranty period for jobs that were entered before the pandemic lockdown came into effect to allow sufficient time for patients to redeem them.

HOYA will also provide business partners with the ‘Optical Care Safety Kit’ containing recommended hygiene protocols, face shields, masks, sanitizer, floor graphics and more to help give practices the push they need to re-open promptly with the confidence that patients are looking for to walk through their doors.

HOYA’s Eye-M-Growing (EMG) Program offers significant savings to parents with young children looking for the right lenses for kids’ active lifestyles. Featuring Phoenix lenses; the lightest lens material available with superior scratch and impact resistance as well as UV protection, the EMG Program is made available to meet the demands of childhood. This program includes a substitute pair of lenses within 16 months to adapt to the needs of a growing child.

HOYA seeks to remind ECPs about the various support tools that are already available to them to help in the re-opening of their practice. New resources are being added daily to the website and include guidelines, checklists, relevant insight and materials from government officials, educational content, communication strategies, downloadable assets for interacting with patients during this time and so much more.

Click HERE for the full press release.