Blog - Page 639 of 905

May 31, 2017April 24, 2018

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.

May 30, 2017April 24, 2018

L186S, the First Lacoste Sunglasses Made for Tennis

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

May 26, 2017April 24, 2018

Lizard King: The Frame That’s Full of Character

The Lizard King sunglasses from the Vinyl Factory Icons collection have a strong design, combining acetate worked in three-dimensions, and a finely crafted stainless steel with a vintage amp style. Its polarized lenses with their inside anti-reflection coating add great visual comfort to this awesome frame.

Distributed by Optiman Group: www.optimaninc.com

May 26, 2017April 24, 2018

Blanchard Contact Lenses Sponsors Gabby Chaves for 101st Indianapolis 500

Manchester, NH – Blanchard Contact Lenses announced their support of IndyCar driver Gabby Chaves, in the No. 88 Harding Racing car. Chaves has been wearing Onefit™ Scleral Lenses since February of 2017, and reached out to Blanchard to express his gratitude for what the lenses have done to help continue his racing career. From there, a partnership was formed and the Onefit™ Scleral Lens logo can be found on Chaves’ helmet as he aims to make history on Sunday, May 28th at the 101st Indianapolis 500.

After being named Rookie of the Year in 2015, Chaves had problems with his vision deteriorating and was issued a restricted IndyCar license for the 2016 IndyCar season, where he tried to make do with heavy prescription glasses and soft contact lenses – both of which were very uncomfortable for him when driving. Even with the glasses and soft contacts, he was still very close to failing the yearly IndyCar eye exam for the 2017 season. When the IndyCar eye doctor expressed serious concerns about this, Chaves took matters into his own hands. In February 2017, he found an eye care practitioner who performed a Corneal Cross Linking procedure and prescribed him Onefit™ Scleral Lenses. Not only does Chaves now have better than 20/20 vision in both eyes and an unrestricted IndyCar license, he also told Blanchard recently: “Today was opening day for practice, and for once I didn’t even have to think about my eye comfort or sight all day.”

The Onefit™ platform of scleral lenses are designed with minimal lens mass and tear lens thickness to deliver optimal oxygenation to the cornea. From inception, Onefit lenses were designed to meet or exceed Holden-Mertz, Harvitt-Bonanno criteria for optimum oxygenation of the cornea and limbal stem cells. The platform of lenses offer a wide variety of design applications for many different indications.

“We designed Onefit scleral lenses to provide an array of benefits, many of which make them the ideal choice for athletes or active individuals such as Gabby Chaves” said Jean Blanchard, President of Blanchard Contact Lenses. “We are happy that Gabby shared his success story with us, and are excited to support him in the Indy 500 and look forward to a continued partnership” added Blanchard.

For more information on Onefit™ Scleral Lenses, visit http://blanchardlab.com/products/onefit/, as well as the consumer website https://www.onefitlenses.com/.

May 26, 2017April 24, 2018

IRIS Acquires Two Clinics Including First Location in Maritimes

Laval, QC — IRIS, The Visual Group, announced its acquisition of “Blanchard & Soicher” in Fredericton, New Brunswick as well as acquiring a controlling interest of “la Clinique optométrique Ste-Thérèse”.

The Blanchard & Soicher clinic was founded in 1984 by Drs. Marisa Blanchard and Mel Soicher, and offers the full gamut of optometric services and is known for its family-style approach. This acquisition is a first step into the penetration of the Maritime market and adds another notch in the furtherance of its pan-Canadian expansion project.

Regarding the significant equity in the Ste Therese clinic, established in 1963, IRIS is continuing to pursue its pan-Canadian expansion strategy. Drs. Marie-Claude Thibault, Valérie Bélisle and Isabelle Lacroix will remain partners.

“We are very pleased to have acquired this optometry clinic that has been such an integral part of the Ste Thérèse community for over fifty-four years. Drs. Marie-Claude Thibault, Valérie Bélisle and Isabelle Lacroix are the third generation of optometrists to practice in this clinic founded by Drs. Jacqueline Moreau and Henri Allard and in which Dr. Louise Gagnon has been practicing since 1976” claimed Dr. Chaiken, president and CEO of IRIS.

Click below for the full press releases:

IRIS, Blanchard & Soicher

IRIS, Clinique optométrique Ste-Thérèse