DISPENSING OPTICS - OCTOBER 2015 - ABDO

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DISPENSING OPTICS - OCTOBER 2015 - ABDO
OCTOBER 2015

               DISPENSING
               OPTICS
               N E W S , I N F ORMATION an d
               ED U C ATI ON fo r OP TICIANS
                                               Dispensing Optics OCTOBER 2015
DISPENSING OPTICS - OCTOBER 2015 - ABDO
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DISPENSING OPTICS - OCTOBER 2015 - ABDO
Dispensing Optics OCTOBER 2015

            33.
                                                           Contents
21.                                                  18.

28.                                                         14.
                                                           30.
      Features                                                   Business
                                                                 Harnessing your low vision skills
                                                                 by Antonia Chitty
      21.   Product spotlight
            A closer look at low vision tools              32.   In practice
                                                                 Healthy Living Opticians: a giant step forward
      22.   Continuing Education & Training
            An overview of paediatric dispensing
            Part 2: Communication and lenses               Regulars
            by Andrew Cripps
                                                           5.    DO Dispatches
      26.   Multiple choice answers
            The low vision patient:                        6.    Letters
            illumination, glare and contrast
            by Elizabeth Bartlam
                                                           8.    Black Arts
                                                                 by ABDO president, Peter Black
      28.   Case report
            All at sea: diary of a detached retina
                                                           10.   News

                                                           34.   FAQs
                                                                 by Kim Devlin

                                                           36.   Jottings
                        FRONT COVER                              A busy year flies by, writes Fiona Anderson
                        Eschenbach Optik smartLUX
                        Digital magnifier from             38.   Jobs & Notices
                        Associated Optical

                                                                                 Dispensing Optics OCTOBER 2015   3
DISPENSING OPTICS - OCTOBER 2015 - ABDO
www.mexx-eyes.com uk-office@owp.de
DISPENSING OPTICS - OCTOBER 2015 - ABDO
DISPENSING OPTICS
The Professional Journal of the Association
of British Dispensing Opticians

VOLUME 30 NO 10

EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor
Assistant Editor
Managing Editor
                              Sir Anthony Garrett CBE HonFBDO
                              Jane Burnand
                              Nicky Collinson BA (Hons)
                                                                         DO Dispatches
Email                         ncollinson@abdo.uk.com
Design and Production         Rosslyn Argent BA (Hons)                                     A SEASON OF NEW INITIATIVES
Email                         rargent@abdo.uk.com
Admin. Manager                Deanne Gray                                                  It is that time of year when everything
Email                         dgray@abdo.uk.com
                                                                                           seems to happen at once…
EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING
                                                                                            I’d like to begin this month’s Dispatches by
Telephone            0781 2734717
Email                ncollinson@abdo.uk.com                                                 thanking everyone who supported this
Website              www.abdo.org.uk                                     year’s ABDO Conference and Exhibition in Manchester: our
SUBSCRIPTIONS
                                                                         members, ABDO staff, our guests and most of all, our sponsors
UK                        £140                                           and exhibitors whose continued support is greatly appreciated.
Overseas                  £150, including postage                        With our conference now complete, and autumn well and
Apply to                  Tom Veti
Association of British Dispensing Opticians                              truly upon us, my mind has turned to some of the new
Godmersham Park, Godmersham, Kent CT4 7DT                                initiatives that we have been working on.
Telephone                     01227 733922
Email                         tomv@abdo.org.uk                           First of all, on page 9 we report on the latest Eyecare FAQ
Website                       www.abdo.org.uk                            infographic available free of charge to members. This exciting
ABDO CET                                                                 project continues to grow and is being taken up by more and
Head of CET                   Paula Stevens MA ODE BSc(Hons)             more members. If you have yet to take a close look at the
                              MCOptom FBDO CL (Hons)AD SMC(Tech)
                                                                         benefits of Eyecare FAQ, I suggest you do so now and see how
                                                                         you may be able to use these tools effectively to support
ABDO CET, 5 Kingsford Business Centre, Layer Road,
Kingsford, Colchester CO2 0HT                                            your practice and patients.
Telephone                     01206 734155
Email                         cet@abdocet.infoman.org.uk
                                                                         Our new partnership agreement with the Worshipful
or email                      pstevens@abdo.org.uk                       Company of Spectacle Makers (WCSM) is featured on page
                                                                         12. The WCSM is the oldest optical organisation in the world
CONTINUING EDUCATION REVIEW PANEL
Joanne Abbott BSc(Hons) FBDO SMC(Tech)                                   and it established all the early qualifications in the UK. It is
Keith Cavaye FBDO (Hons) CL FBCLA                                        the original parent body of what is now ABDO so it is fitting
Andrew Cripps FBDO (Hons) PG Cert HE FHEA
Kim Devlin FBDO (Hons) CL
                                                                         that we are working with our WCSM colleagues to deliver the
Stephen Freeman BSc(Hons) MCOptom FBDO (Hons) Cert Ed                    best possible training to optical technicians and other support
Abilene Macdonald Grute FBDO (Hons) SLD (Hons) LVA Dip Dist Ed Cert Ed
                                                                         staff, creating a seamless career ladder and a ready supply of
Richard Harsant FBDO (Hons) CL (Hons) LVA
Andrew Keirl BOptom (Hons) MCOptom FBDO                                  entrants to the dispensing profession.
Angela McNamee BSc(Hons) MCOptom FBDO (Hons) CL FBCLA Cert Ed
Linda Rapley BSc FCOptom                                                 Sir Anthony Garrett
                                                                         ABDO general secretary
JOURNAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Richard Crook FBDO
Kim Devlin FBDO (Hons) CL
Kevin Gutsell FBDO (Hons) SLD
Ros Kirk FBDO
Angela McNamee BSc(Hons) MCOptom FBDO (Hons) CL FBCLA Cert Ed

DISPENSING OPTICS IS PUBLISHED BY
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DISPENSING OPTICS IS PRINTED BY
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© ABDO: No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means
whatever without the written prior permission of the publishers

Dispensing Optics welcomes contributions for possible
editorial publication. However, contributors warrant to the
publishers that they own all rights to illustrations, artwork or
photographs submitted and also to copy which is factually
accurate and does not infringe any other party’s rights

ISSN 0954 3201

AVERAGE CIRCULATION: 9,025 Jan-Dec 2014
ABDO Board certification

                                                                                                                 Dispensing Optics OCTOBER 2015   5
DISPENSING OPTICS - OCTOBER 2015 - ABDO
Letters
@
                      HAVE YOUR SAY
                      Email ncollinson@abdo.uk.com or
                      write to Dispensing Optics, PO Box
                      233, Crowborough TN27 3AB
                                                                                COLLEGE RESPONDS ON DO REFRACTION
                                                                                I would like to respond to the suggestion by Peter Black in his
                                                                                Black Arts column (Dispensing Optics August 2015) and the
LAST PUSH FOR CET CYCLE                                                         reported comments made by Simon Browning at Independent’s
                                                                                Day 2015, that dispensing opticians carrying out refraction
As the end of the current CET cycle approaches, the ABDO CET                    would be a good thing. The College of Optometrists has
department has been receiving many queries regarding members’                   produced a paper on the subject, which can be found at
specific CET requirements.                                                      www.college-optometrists.org/TheSightTest
If you are newly qualified – congratulations – you will need to                 UK legislation requires that whenever a sight test is carried out,
contact the General Optical Council (GOC) directly to find out                  the optometrist or doctor has to perform – for the purpose of
how many points you will need to attain before the end of                       detecting signs of injury, disease or abnormality in the eye or
the cycle. If you are having difficulty obtaining any particular                elsewhere – an external and internal examination of the eye,
competency or, as a contact lens optician or optometrist, need                  and such additional examinations as appear to be clinically
to complete a peer review, then please get in touch as soon                     necessary. We believe that this is essential, for reasons of public
as possible.                                                                    health. Optometrists’ training gives them the skills to perform
There are many upcoming regional ABDO CET events and other                      these important functions.
modalities of CET to help you meet your requirements [see                       There are two areas in which DOs may wish to be involved in
events listing on page 38].                                                     refraction. Firstly, by refracting as a stand-alone service, without
Joanne Abbott BSc(Hons) FBDO SMC(Tech)                                          the important health checks mentioned above, and secondly by
ABDO CET assistant                                                              refracting under the supervision of an optometrist. In relation to a
Kent                                                                            stand-alone refraction service, there is evidence, cited in our paper,
                                                                                that signs of treatable retinal and posterior pole eye diseases
                                                                                are detected during sight tests conducted by optometrists.
GOC CLARIFIES REQUIREMENTS                                                      While some of these diseases may be accompanied by
                                                                                symptoms of visual loss or disturbance, others may be
The legislation regarding CET requires all registrants to                       symptomless. Our position paper clearly sets out the evidence
complete their full three-year CET cycle requirements by 31                     and explains why it is vital that patients receive a full eye
December 2015.                                                                  examination and not just a ‘refraction-only’ service.
Those who do not meet the requirements by this date will have                   In relation to the second option, during the recent consultation
their names removed from the GOC register in January 2016.                      by the Law Commission on non-medical healthcare regulation,
The registrant will be notified of our intention to remove them                 the College did not object to suggestions that dispensing
from the register and will have 14 days to appeal this decision                 opticians could be trained to refract, under supervision,
on the grounds of factual accuracy. If removed, the registrant                  providing the important health checks mentioned above are
will have failed to meet a requirement of GOC registration and                  carried out by an appropriately qualified individual.
would not be entitled to a three-month fee refund.
                                                                                David Parkins MSc FCOptom FEAOO
Only those who it has been agreed have ‘exceptional                             President College of Optometrists
circumstances’ for not completing their CET over the three-year                 London
cycle will be granted an extension until March 2016 to complete
their remaining CET. Exceptional circumstances include serious                  Peter Black replies
illness or other significant events, which would have seriously                 One would not expect the College of Optometrists to favour
affected a registrant’s ability to meet the requirements over the               dispensing opticians refracting even though this is the system that
three years.                                                                    works well across the majority of countries worldwide. They do not
Those who feel that this applies to them must contact us before                 cite any evidence that it is detrimental to eye health or would
31 December 2015 to inform us of the situation and provide                      increase cases of preventable blindness; in their own words it is
documentary evidence which supports their case.                                 based on what they “believe”.
It is advisable for all registrants to review their CET requirements            The RNIB reports two million people living with sight loss in the UK
in the ‘My GOC’ section of our website, www.optical.org,                        fully half of which was preventable, and much of which
identify if there is any shortfall and plan to address this before              (uncorrected refractive error and untreated cataract) is reversible.
31 December 2015.                                                               The current system is clearly not fit for purpose.
Marcus Dye                                                                      It is wrong that the spectacle wearers, placed at a financial
Acting head of education and standards                                          disadvantage anyway, are forced to subsidise the eye healthcare of
General Optical Council                                                         emmetropes and the ready readers brigade. The resulting price
London                                                                          distortions produced by this cross subsidy, compounded by private
                                                                                patients subsidising NHS patients, and fear of forced selling, is also
                                          We kindly reserve the right to edit   putting people off having regular eye health checks.
                                          contributions prior to publication.
                                          Follow us on Twitter @ABDOCollege,    One could argue that if people felt confident that their refraction
                                          @MembershipABDO and @ABDONews         was linked to their spectacle purchase and eye health was separate,
                                                                                even if conducted in the same premises then, as has been
    ABDO events and booking
                                                                                experienced in parts of Canada, referrals to optometrists and
    information can be found at
                                                                                ophthalmologists would actually go up not down.
    www.abdo.org.uk/events
                                                                                Peter Black MBA FBDO
                                                                                Nottingham

6    Dispensing Optics OCTOBER 2015
DISPENSING OPTICS - OCTOBER 2015 - ABDO
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DISPENSING OPTICS - OCTOBER 2015 - ABDO
BLACK
                    PETER BLACK                                                                                               ARTS
                    Our monthly column from the ABDO president

Seeing the light
I
       n September I attended the 45th            demonstrating that sunglasses from                   We might suppose if the conditions
       Annual Cambridge Ophthalmology             Poundland give the same 100 per cent UV          were very bright the pupil might be as small
       Symposium, the subject this year           protection as top-of-the-range sunglasses.       as 2mm, and that behind extremely dark
       being light. Two days of talks refreshed        Of course the BBC would never be so         sunglasses could be as wide as 8mm. Using
       my memory of a lot of anatomy and          brand explicit, and at no point will it name     the formula for the area of a circle: A=πr2,
pathology and gave a fascinating view of          or show brands, however, it will rightly         then we can see that in theory a dark lens
advances in ophthalmology.                        point out that UV protection is very             with no UV protection at all could multiply
     Disappointingly, a presentation from         important and demonstrate that all               the exposure of the eye by a factor of 16 (a
Public Health England, having tested almost       sunglasses legitimately sold in the UK meet      1,500 per cent increase) increasing the risk
all the LED light bulbs, laptops, tablets and     the European standards on sun protection.        of premature cataract and early onset of
smartphones on the market, concluded that              It is always very difficult to know how     other age-related eye conditions, and in
the levels of blue and UV light emitted are       these kinds of activities will turn out for      extreme UV conditions making exposure
not at dangerous levels. That said, there was     the profession given that a whole day’s          keratitis (snow blindness) a near certainty.
considerable support for blue blocking            filming with three different cameramen               Three quarters of the passengers’
lenses, including intraocular lenses, as it       will ultimately be edited down to perhaps        sunglasses we tested on the day gave 100
was felt they make a considerable                 five or 10 minutes. I felt promoting UV          per cent UV protection. These included every
difference from the point of view of visual       protection whilst simultaneously getting a       pair we tested from High Street retailers
comfort. The real problem with LED lights it      plug for dispensing opticians was the right      such as Poundland, Primark and Boots.
seems is flicker.                                 thing to do.
     One session concentrated on the                   I was approached to help the BBC as a       FAKING IT ON THE HIGH STREET
dangers of excessive light exposure from          direct result of ABDO’s EyeCare FAQ’s            At Liverpool Airport around a quarter of
ophthalmic instruments and there are now          initiative. Armed with a newly purchased         sunglasses did not give 100 per cent UV
guidelines on this subject, which contact         Hoya VHC Viewer Sensor, UV Torch and my          protection and they fell into two distinct
lens opticians and optometrists would be          daughter’s iPad Mini complete with Hoya          categories – counterfeit plano sunglasses
well advised to heed. All speakers and            UV Meter App, I rolled up at Liverpool’s         and prescription sunglasses.
delegates agreed that excessive exposure to
                                                  John Lennon Airport. After passing through            Twenty years ago, fake sunglasses were
UV is not a good thing.
                                                  staff security to go airside, we set ourselves   being passed off as the genuine article in
                                                  up in an empty retail space and stopped          supposedly reputable stores. Liverpudlians
RIP OFF BRITAIN
                                                  passengers passing through the shopping          will remember Wade Smith – an independent
At the end of August I had an interesting
                                                  area with the promise of a ‘sunglasses MOT’.     retailer with half a dozen large city centre
day helping the BBC film a small section of
                                                                                                   stores selling top designer brands at top
a Rip Off Britain programme about holiday
                                                  LITTLE HAS CHANGED IN 20 YEARS                   prices – ladies’ and gents’ apparel, shoes,
rip-offs to be screened in January 2016.
                                                  The last time I was involved in such a piece     sunglasses, kids items, accessories, sports
Alongside comparisons of package holidays,
                                                  of research was on the receiving end when        and outdoor clothing – which collapsed
flights, and sun creams will be a feature
                                                  Liverpool Trading Standards investigated all     overnight when it was revealed that fakes
                                                  local sunglasses retailers, including            had entered their supply chain.
                                                  opticians, to see whether or not their                Fakes made up around a third of total
                                                  sunglasses gave the full 100 per cent UVA        sunglasses tested and more than half of
                                                  and UVB protection that they should. Back        them gave 100 per cent UV protection –
                                                  then in the early 1990s, fully half of the       even the deliberately mis-spelt RayoBam’s!
                                                  sunglasses they tested failed to give            These days, with one exception, all the
                                                  adequate protection from UV.                     people were aware they had purchased a fake
                                                      Sunglasses that give little or no UV         largely because they had paid peanuts at
                                                  protection are worse than not wearing any        beachside stalls abroad. They were much
                                                  sunglasses at all since behind a dark lens,      less aware of the dangers of UV, and more
                                                  the pupil might dilate to three or four times    importantly that sunglasses that fail to
BBC programme will highlight European             its minimum diameter that it would               protect from UV are worse than no sunglasses
standards on UV sunglass protection               normally exhibit in bright light conditions.     at all.

8   Dispensing Optics OCTOBER 2015
DISPENSING OPTICS - OCTOBER 2015 - ABDO
The one exception to customers not
knowing that their sunglasses were fake
was an ageing RayBan that was claimed to
have been purchased from an opticians for
£180 and did not give full UV protection.
We have all been offered job lots of ‘grey
market’ designer sunglasses and frames
from time to time and may have been
tempted to inject a little profitability in
austere times. This experience, and the fact
                                                       A measure of the UV transmitted by an
that the fakes in China Town in Kuala
                                                                         unfiltered UV torch
Lumpur are absolutely indistinguishable
from the real RayBans and Oakleys down to         of just over 2,400μW/cm2 – a reduction of
the last detail of their packaging, tells me      approximately 87 per cent. In bright sunlight,
we really need to be very careful if buying       my pupils are around 2mm diameter (1mm
outside of the approved UK supply chain.          radius) and in dark conditions around 6mm
    To be fair, I didn’t test many prescription   (3mm radius) so the potential is to allow nine
sunglasses as this was not the purpose of the     times more light into the eye. Nine x 330 =
filming and certainly won’t form part of the      2,970μW/cm2 so it is possible my old
programme, however, most CR39 dip dyed Rx         prescription sunglasses expose me to over
sunglasses failed to block 100 per cent UV.       20 per cent more UV light than not wearing
                                                  any sunglasses at all.
WHY BS IS BS
My understanding is that all sunglasses           ARE YOUR PRESCRIPTION SUNGLASSES
should give 100 per cent protection from          TO STANDARD?
UVA and UVB and I am confident this is the        Of course my interest was piqued and I dug
standard for plano sunglasses. But what           out other old glasses and lens samples that
about prescription ones? I have checked my        I know have been supplied by major
ABDO British Standards (BS) Extracts and
also the College of Optometrists’ guidance
                                                  manufacturers rather than simply dip dyed
                                                  in the practice workshop. They all – Zeiss,
                                                                                                   WHAT’S NEW ON
and can’t find conclusive evidence of any         Rodenstock, Hoya, Norville, Essilor, Oakley      EYECARE FAQ?
standard at all.                                  and Shamir – still gave 100 per cent UV          How does your practice engage with
    I have long held that the system of           protection. So is your lab up to scratch? Is     patients between visits? Stay in touch
standards we have is ridiculous and this is a     your technician ensuring Rx sunglasses,          by sharing resources from Eyecare
case in point. I believe standards should be      even those ubiquitous BOGOFF ones, have          FAQ, ABDO’s campaign to help
financed by industry and then freely              a UV block applied as well as a tint?            consumers learn more about looking
available to ensure compliance. Now let’s             Whether you dip dye on the premises,         after their eyes, and the role of the
assume there is an ISO/EN/BS standard for         buy in pre-tinted uncuts, or order complete      registered dispensing optician.
UV transmittance on prescription sunglasses:      jobs from elsewhere, do you have the                 New this month on Eyecare FAQ,
how am I to know which one it is? If I take       facilities on your premises to check the         you’ll find an infographic to share on
a reasonable guess, what am I to do if I          sunglasses you supply give the 100 per cent      ‘who’s who in eyecare’ as well as careers
purchase it and it turns out not to provide       UV protection the consumer has the right         in optics – a jargon-busting lingo bingo
me with the information I require? Should I       to expect. Some automatic focimeters have        card about the different optical roles.
just buy all the British Standards and hope       this facility built in, or you might have the    There are questions and answers on this
for the best? This would run into thousands       Hoya sensor and app or even a UV light           and many other topics in the public part
and thousands of pounds. More to the point,       meter. Failing that, does your supplier          of the ABDO website, www.abdo.org.uk/
how can the public understand what standard       provide a certificate to state, as happens on    information-for-the-public/eyecarefaq/
their sunglasses should be supplied to?           plano sunglasses, what filter category they          Eyecare FAQ is at:
    I don’t know whether uncoated tinted          are, their driving suitability and to certify    • www.facebook.com/eyecarefaq
                                                                                                   • www.twitter.com/eyecarefaq
CR39 lenses lose their UV blocking ability        100 per cent UV protection?
                                                                                                   • plus.google.com/+eyecarefaq
with time but my findings (repeated below             How many people tint by eye or have
                                                                                                   • www.pinterest.com/eyecarefaq
on a pair of my own Rx sunglasses) are            forgotten about lenses in the tint bath only
                                                                                                   • instagram.com/eyecarefaq/
rather concerning.                                for them to come out darker than usual?
                                                                                                       You can also stay in touch with
    The graph shows a measure of the UV           What if the lenses instead of having 15 per
                                                                                                   colleagues and access news from the
transmitted by the unfiltered UV torch,           cent LTF have an LTF of seven per cent that      world of optics via the ABDO official page
then my Silhouette Clip-On (zero per cent),       renders them unsuitable for driving under        on Facebook. Find us at https://www.
then the torch again, then a pair of my own       any conditions even in daylight? Would you       facebook.com/ABDOMembers. You can
prescription sunglasses that have been lying      know? Are you protecting your patients?          also find news for ABDO members on
at the back of a drawer for 20 years.             Are you protecting yourself if your patient      Twitter @MembershipAbdo, and more
    You can see as the picture is taken the       has a car accident and the sunglasses are        general news from the world of eyes at
sensor is measuring transmitted UV at             considered to be a contributing factor?          @ABDONews
330μW/cm2 compared to an initial reading              Time to reflect…

                                                                                                          Dispensing Optics OCTOBER 2015        9
DISPENSING OPTICS - OCTOBER 2015 - ABDO
NEWS
                                                                                             RELYING ON STATE
                                                                                             IS “NOT LONG-TERM
                                                                                             ANSWER”
                                                                                             Relying on the state is not the long-term
                                                                                             answer to proper remuneration for
                                                                                             General Ophthalmic Services (GOS),
                                                                                             believes ABDO as the UK’s professional
                                                                                             bodies are asked to encourage their
                                                                                             members to ‘ban free or cheap eye tests’.
                                                                                                  In response to the recent one per cent
                                                                                             increase in GOS fees and optical voucher
                                                                                             values, the council of the Association
          Charity biking at Essilor’s stand                                Tanya Storey      for Independent Optometrists and
                                                                                             Dispensing Opticians (AIO) has called
CONFERENCE CALL TO                             STOREY OF SUCCESS                             upon the Optical Confederation and its
MANCHESTER CENTRAL                             Shamir has named Tanya Storey as its
                                                                                             member bodies – ABDO, the Association
                                                                                             of Optometrists and the Federation of
It was destination Manchester for the          new head of sales and professional
                                                                                             Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians –
2015 ABDO Conference and Exhibition            services.
last month, as delegates from across the                                                     to: “encourage all their members to stop
                                                   A qualified dispensing optician, Tanya
UK gathered for a full two-day                 has been Shamir’s product development         misleading the public, to ban ‘free’ or
programme of CET, business, networking         manager for the past eight years; she will    cheap ‘eye tests’, and to charge
and exhibition-going.                          now drive the commercial development of       transparent and realistic fees for all
    At the new venue of Manchester                                                           professional services.”
                                               the business.
Central, delegates took part in a varied CET                                                      The AIO added: “If this proves
                                                   “Tanya’s comprehensive understanding
programme, with workshops, special tracks
                                               of the ophthalmic industry is of great        unachievable then legislation needs to
laid on by the British Contact Lens
                                               benefit to both our customers and our         be changed so a practitioner is unable
Association and Association of
Optometrists, peer review, keynote             team of lens consultants,” said Phil          to claim a GOS fee higher than their
lectures, exhibition and social events that    Bareham, Shamir general manager. “Her         private fee.”
included a drinks reception in Manchester      passion for the industry and broad                 Speaking to Dispensing Optics, ABDO
Central Library and gala dinner at the four-   experience will continue to strengthen        general secretary, Tony Garrett, said: “I
star Midland Hotel opposite the                our position and levels of support that we    understand the concerns raised by the AIO
conference venue.                              can offer.”                                   in relation to the recent announcement
    The event also offered a new Student
                                                   Tanya added: “I’m very proud to be part   about sight test fees and voucher values.
Revision Zone allowing students to
                                               of such a highly skilled and motivated        Despite the best endeavours of the
practice for their practical PQE and FQE
under supervision, as well as a Guide Dog      team. I very much look forward to leading     representative bodies, the Optical Fees
demonstration and pre-conference golf          the commercial contingent onwards and         Negotiating Committee, the government
tournament. A full report will appear in the   building Shamir’s relationships within all    has once again imposed a non-negotiated
November issue of Dispensing Optics.           sectors of our industry.”                     minimal increase this year.
                                                                                                  “However, the fact is we live in a
                                                                                             highly competitive environment where
                                                                                             quality as well as price are key factors.
                                                                                             Consumer choice is a major consideration
                                                                                             for the government and no amount of
                                                                                             special pleading will lead to a change in
                                                                                             legislation.
                                                                       OWP model 8603
                                                                                                  “ABDO believes that the provision of
                                                                                             high quality services, including wholly
FRAME TECHNOLOGY UNFOLDED                                                                    professional dispensing, is the way
                                                                                             forward. The optical bodies will continue to
New styles 7593 and 8603 from OWP’s men’s collection feature a quadruple folded
                                                                                             press for better remuneration for services
metal part designed so that there’s enough space for not just a flex hinge, but also
for a metal needle and screw to secure the long tip end.                                     provided, but relying on the state is not
    The special folding techniques are used on the temple tips of style 8603 (pictured).     the long-term answer. The future lies in
For the long end tips, acetate with many different coloured layers is used and the           our hands. Quality, service and reliability
decorations come in strong colours. The OWP men’s collection currently comprises of          are our assets and we need to make them
23 styles.                                                                                   work for us,” added Tony.

10   Dispensing Optics OCTOBER 2015
Dash
•   Sporty semi-wrap design with flexi-sides
•   Available in 6 colours
•   Adjustable side tips
•   Clip-in glazeable Rx insert

                                                 Racer
                                                 •   Sports wrap design
                                                 •   Available in 5 colours
                                                 •   Adjustable ‘tyre tread’ sides
                                                 •   Rx glazeable adaptor

               For more information
               Tel: 01452 510321
               Email: sales@norville.co.uk
               View online: www.norville.co.uk
NEWS
                                                  NEW WCSM COURSES
                                                  PROSPECTUS
                                                  ABDO College has published a new
                                                  prospectus, which outlines the full range
                                                  of training courses it now provides
                                                  leading to the Worshipful Company of
                                                  Spectacle Makers (WCSM) qualifications.
                                                      WCSM qualifications lay a solid
                                                  foundation for the development of                                  The pop star wearing
                                                  essential optical skills and open up a                             Natural Sparkle lenses
                                                  clearly defined career pathway.
                                                      Commenting on the courses, Debbie
                                                  Gigg, course coordinator – optical support      PIXIE IS NEW
                                                  programmes for ABDO College, said: “The         FACE OF DEFINE
                                                  WCSM courses available from ABDO
                                                  College range from Level 2 Optical Support      Pop star Pixie Lott is the new face of 1-Day
                                                  to Level 4 Optical Technicians and a new        Acuvue Define contact lenses.
                                                  Level 4 Optical Assistant will be available         Marcella McParland, Johnson & Johnson
                                                  early in the New Year.                          Vision Care director of professional affairs,
             Ready for anything
                                                      “The courses at Level 2 and 3 consist of    UK and Ireland, said: “With her huge
                                                  three mandatory units plus a range of           following of fashion-conscious young
URBAN BRAND                                       optional units. Learners can build up credits   women, Pixie Lott is an ideal ambassador
                                                  rather than having to do a qualification in
LOOKBOOK                                          one hit, thereby there’s an element of
                                                                                                  for 1-Day Acuvue Define. Her support will
                                                                                                  help us to further raise awareness of the
Norville has released its latest Duck and         flexibility. For an information pack with       UK and Ireland’s only natural eye-enhancing
Cover catalogue with 28 new models                details of the next intakes, fees, deadlines
                                                                                                  contact lens, and get women excited to try
across both the ophthalmic and sunwear            and application forms just contact ABDO
                                                                                                  these new lenses.
collections.                                      College.”
                                                                                                      “Pixie has been wearing contact lenses
    With the tagline, ‘Ready for anything’, the       To obtain a copy of the 2015/16 WCSM
                                                  Courses Prospectus, please contact the          from a young age, and since her first fitting
range features a mix of metals and plastic
                                                  Courses Team at ABDO College on 01227           of Define she has loved how both the
styles that reflect the look, feel and trend of
the brand. Models include DC034 C1, a             738 829 (Option 1), or email                    Natural Shimmer and Natural Sparkle
trendy full rim rectangle eye with metal and      info@abdocollege.org.uk                         variants brighten and enhance her eyes.
plastic mix, flat press metal temples with                                                        With her brown eyes, Natural Shimmer
inset brand logo and tort temple tips.              FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE ABDO                  really enhances the colour by giving added
    * Norville has increased the plus power         EVENT DETAILS keep an eye out for the         depth and intensity.”
range of its n=1.67 Flat Top bifocals up to         eNews landing in your in box, and the             For a range of marketing, point-of-sale
+17.00DS in stock additions from +2.00 to           events section of the website, visit          and education materials visit
                                                    www.abdo.org.uk/events
+3.50.                                                                                            www.jnjvisioncare.co.uk/define

CONFERENCE CATCH-UP PUNCTUMS UNPLUGGED
UltraVision CLPL caught up with ABDO              Positive Impact (PI) is running a series of
members at the Association’s Conference           CET evenings around the country focused
in Manchester last month to discuss the           on managing dry eye with punctum plugs,
latest innovations in its contact lens            having recently become the distributor for
design.                                           the BVI range of semi-permanent and
    This includes the use of unique               absorbable punctum plugs.
freeform stabilisation to accelerate lens             This adds to the company’s previous
                                                  acquisition of InflammaDry, said to be the
settling speed and diminish mislocation
                                                  only in-practice test that detects MMP-9,                    Dry eye CET evening this month
during wear, “making it a perfect form of
                                                  a biomarker for inflammation that is
stabilisation for patients with high levels
                                                  consistently elevated in the tears of patients with dry eye disease.
of astigmatism and for those who struggle
                                                      The meetings kick off in Manchester on 6 October and will initially visit Birmingham
with erratic visual acuity,” said Josie
                                                  (8 October), Gatwick (13 October), London (14 October) and Southampton (15 October).
Barlow, UltraVision CLPL clinical and                 PI joint managing director, Nick Atkins, said: “It is disappointing that so few patients
operations manager.                               in the UK, who could benefit from being plugged, are not being managed optimally. We
    As well as showcasing its other award-        believe that High Street optometry has a significant role to play in managing suitable
winning contact lens designs, UltraVision         patients using this simple procedure. With our two patented technologies, we are now
CLPL also demonstrated that ABDO                  ideally placed to support the profession in this goal. The key thing is for optometrists and
members can ‘Always Say Yes’ to their             contact lens opticians to see how safe, effective and simple to carry out the procedure is
contact lens patients regardless of their         and then to be suitably trained to deliver it. These evening seminars are the first step
visual needs.                                     along this road.” To book email plugs@positiveimpactsales.co.uk

12   Dispensing Optics OCTOBER 2015
It’s a feeling

   Stepper UK Limited
    11 Tannery Road
        Tonbridge
          Kent
         TN9 1RF
      01732 375975

  Frame style shown: Si 50079
NEWS

     Optics cycling for sight                                                                   Paul Walden

TOUR T’YORKSHIRE FEAT                                                                        PAUL MAKES A MOVE
On Sunday 30 August, 21 cyclists began their journey to complete Stage 1 of this             Paul Walden has joined the Lenstec
year’s Tour de Yorkshire.                                                                    Group as technical and sales director,
     Organised by Eyecare, the World Sight Day (8 October) Challenge is the largest          following the retirement of sales director
organised cycle ride in aid of Optometry Giving Sight (OGS). The 107-mile challenge began    Martin Burroughs.
at Sewerby Hall and Gardens, and a total of 2,702 miles were cycled in one day raising           Paul worked for the Norville Group for
more than £6,000 for OGS. This has contributed towards the current Optics Cycling for
                                                                                             more than 30 years, and was UK sales
Sight 2015 total, which is now over £10,500.
                                                                                             manager before joining the Norville board
     The target is to collectively cycle 25,000 miles and raise £25,000 for OGS as part of
                                                                                             of directors in 2006. He said: “I am very
the World Sight Day Challenge. Essilor will match the first £10,000 raised – and at the
finish line cyclists were welcomed by their ‘Think About Your Eyes’ Protectors.              much looking forward to joining the
     David Shannon, OGS UK development manager, said: “This is a tremendous                  Lenstec board and senior group lab teams
achievement. On behalf of the 600 million people around the world who are visually           to help further develop their expanding
impaired because they do not have access to glasses, I would like to congratulate and        portfolio of products and meeting their
thank the riders who gave up their Bank Holiday Sunday, their families, generous sponsors    customers’ needs to support the
and in particular Eyecare without whom this fantastic event could not have happened.”        independent sector.”
     Pictured from left with an Essilor Protector are Simon Burnley, Nick Wallwork and Ian
Kenworthy. Visit www.oc4s.co.uk to get involved.

STYLISH AND MINIMALIST
Silhouette’s new Titan Contour Fullrim collection for men, launching for
2015/16, combines a contemporary urban design with lightness and comfort.
    Screwless lens fixes and snap hinges make up “a unique frame that
integrates technology with wearability”, weighing just 4.4 grams. The collection is                                      Silhouette Titan
comprised of two shapes – flat/edgy and rectangular – and is available in Silver Black,                                  Contour Fullrim
Gold and Black, Grey Tobacco and Jeans Blue.

                                               championing and serving professionals in      owners of the Optician, we will be combining
NEW DIRECTION                                  the optical sector. Having spoken to the      our knowledge of the healthcare industry
FOR OPTRAFAIR                                  team at the Mark Allen Group, I am very       with our expertise in organising large-scale
                                               excited about their ideas for developing      events to deliver Optrafair, in partnership
The Federation of Manufacturing
                                               Optrafair and in further establishing it as   with the FMO. Working with the FMO to
Opticians (FMO) and MA Healthcare, part
                                               the must-attend event for visitors            help further extend the opportunities for
of the Mark Allen Group (MAG), have
                                               from the UK and around the world to           eyecare professionals at Optrafair was one
entered into a partnership to deliver          experience the very best in eyewear,          of the key factors in our decision to
Optrafair following the sale of Optician       design, technology, business services and     acquire the Optician.”
magazine by Reed Business Information.         education.”                                       In 2016, Optrafair will be held at the
    FMO chairman, Barry Dibble, said: “The         Ben Allen, MAG chief executive, added:    National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham
Optician and the FMO lead the way in           “I am delighted that, as the proud new        from 9-11 April.

14   Dispensing Optics OCTOBER 2015
Sirus Plus ®
            No need to move your
            head every time you    Progressive lenses bringing all the
                                        benefits of technology
            want to see clearly!

www.bbgr.co.uk
Tel: 0844   880 1349               Always closer
NEWS

     Charity call to sign petition

                                                                                                                     No quibble guarantee
CAMPAIGN FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN
New research from SeeAbility, the national sight loss and disability charity, shows            BLUE LIGHT BENEFITS
that some 37 per cent of pupils attending special schools have no history of eye               New Kodak BluProtect comes as an
examinations.                                                                                  addition to Kodak Clean & CleAR,
    This and other statistics are contained in a new report, ‘An equal right to sight’,        offering the advantages of the
published by SeeAbility as part of its Children in Focus Campaign, which draws evidence
                                                                                               company’s AR technology.
from the charity’s research project with Cardiff University’s School of Optometry and
                                                                                                  According to the company, the selective
Vision Science.
                                                                                               reflection allows BluProtect lens
    “We are calling on the government to make sight tests available in every special
                                                                                               technology to provide the best protection
school in England,” said David Scott-Ralphs, SeeAbility chief executive. “Children with
profound disabilities may not be able to tell someone they have a sight problem, or get        from blue light within a lens that resists
to a High Street optician. Let’s bring much needed eyecare to them instead.”                   dirt, scratches and glare. The technology
    The charity is urging people to sign a petition on its website, www.seeability.org,        filters out shorter wavelength light, which
which it plans to hand to the Department of Health.                                            is naturally focused in front of the retina,
                                                                                               leading to less eye strain and more
                                               news, policy pages and a new ‘For patients’     comfortable viewing over longer periods of
OT TO GO MONTHLY                               section of the AOP website.                     time. A reduction in the glare caused by
The Association of Optometrists (AOP)               Henrietta Alderman, AOP chief              blue light entering the eye enables the
has announced that its fortnightly             executive, said: “These exciting changes        wearer to better compensate to changing
journal, Optometry Today (OT), is to be        will bring all aspects of the organisation      light conditions, offering greater visible
published just once a month from               together with a consistent visual identity      contrast.
31 October.                                    across a single site, to better reflect our          Kodak is offering a ‘no quibble’ anti-
    The move comes in response to              work protecting, supporting and                 scratch guarantee valid for two years on
research and feedback from members and         representing today’s optical professionals.     every lens ordered with Kodak Clean &
journal readers, and will be accompanied            “Our members, subscribers and website
                                                                                               Clear, Kodak BluProtect or new Kodak
by a brand re-ignition across all AOP          visitors can look forward to an improved
                                                                                               C&C UV.
communications.                                online experience, with even more CET and
    Print and full online access to OT will    all the latest optical news. The changes to
be restricted to AOP members and OT            our website, journal and brand are an           VISION ARENA
subscribers from late October. Daily news      investment in the future of the Association     ROADSHOW DATES
content across OT online will continue to      and will give our members and OT
be accessible to the public, along with        subscribers much better value.”                 Vision Arena 2015, the annual CET and
                                                                                               business roadshow organised by Bondeye
                                                                                               and Shamir, will take place on 2 November
ACTIVE LIFESTYLE OPTIONS                                                                       at the Mercure London Watford Hotel,
                                                                                               and on 16 November at the Headingly
The new Wildcharge and Whipstart models by Adidas Eyewear feature a variety of
technologies, colours and advanced mirror lenses to help deliver the perfect look and          Carnegie Stadium in Leeds.
clear vision in any situation.                                                                     The theme of the roadshow is ‘Practice
    Lens tint options utilise Adidas Eyewear’s proprietary Light Stabilising Technology in     makes perfect’ and both events will include
active silver to harmonise light fluctuations. Key features include ribbed grip temples for    a pre-conference get-together. In London,
                                                 stability, adjustable nose pads and quick-    delegates are invited to dine in the Great
                                                 release temples that pop apart on impact.     Hall of Hogwarts at Warner Bros and the
                                                     Both versions are prescription-ready      World of Harry Potter on 1 November,
                                                 with direct in-frame glazing or clip-in       while Leeds delegates will enjoy a Boogie
                                                 inserts. Wildcharge (pictured) is available   Nights party at the stadium venue on
                                                 in 10 different colour and filter             15 November.
                                                 combinations, while Whipstart comes in            Find out more and book at
New Wildcharge from Adidas                       nine variations.                              www.visionarena.co.uk

16   Dispensing Optics OCTOBER 2015
NEWS

                                                                                               VISTA
                                                                                                 WWW.VISIONMATTERS.ORG.UK                           ❋ YOUR EYES ❋ YOUR VISION ❋ YOUR HEALTH

                                                                                                                                                    EAT SMART
                                                                                                                                                               THE TOP FOODS YOU NEED

                                                                                                 STEP BY
                                                                                                                                                                  TO MAINTAIN HEALTHY
                                                                                                                                                                    EYES, THROUGH THE
                                                                                                 STEP                                                                           YEARS

                                                                                                WHAT TO EXPECT
                                                                                                FROM A SIGHT
                                                                                                TEST, AND WHAT
                                                                                                HAPPENS AFTER

                                                                                                                                                                              In style
                                                                                                                                                                               A GUIDE TO THE
                                                                                                                                                                                HOTTEST 2015
                                                                                                                                                                              AUTUMN/WINTER
                                                                                                                                                                              FASHION TRENDS
                                                                                                                                                                                FOR GLASSES
                              OG Family                                                         Plus:
                                                                                                䖩㻌RECIPE IDEAS
                                                                                                䖩㻌PERFECT YOUR BEAUTY LOOK
                                                                                                䖩㻌VISUAL SKILLS COACHING FOR SPORT
                                                                                                䖩㻌GET THE AEROBIC MOVES
                                                                                                䖩㻌FIRST AID FOR EYES

FAMILY ICONS                                                Some of the visiting children
                                                                                                䖩㻌EYE HEALTH BEHIND THE WHEEL
                                                                                                䖩㻌REAL LIFE STORIES

RECREATED                                                                                                                            published by     official magazine for   in partnership with

The first new sunglass designs from the         CLINIC FOR
Goldsmith family in more than 30 years                                                                                      Consumer eyecare magazine
made their debut at Silmo in Paris last         CHERNOBYL CHILDREN
month.                                          Staff at Edmonds & Slatter Opticians in        PUTTING THE PUBLIC
    Using the extensive family archive and
original sketches, the new OG Family
                                                Glenfield gave up their day off recently       IN THE PICTURE
                                                to run an extra sight test clinic for 14
collection recreates history featuring exact    young children visiting from Chernobyl.        National Eye Health Week (NEHW) has
authentic replicas of the original frames as        The visit was arranged by the Friends      teamed up with the Royal National
designed by Oliver Goldsmith himself.
                                                of Chernobyl’s Children charity as part of     Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to
    Each frame is named after well-known
                                                a four-week recuperative visit to the UK,      publish Vista, a 60-page consumer
streets, places and landmarks in London,
                                                which will help build up the children’s        lifestyle magazine designed to raise
and features an original design detail taken
                                                immune systems.                                awareness of the importance of regular
from an OG Icon, such as lens shape,
                                                    Assistant manager Carol Barker said:
temple shape or cutting detail. In the same                                                    sight tests and how lifestyle choices can
way that each OG Icon carries its original      “All British children enjoy the privilege of
                                                                                               affect eye health.
conception date on the temple, each OG          a free eye test from the NHS but as these
                                                                                                    Edited by consumer health journalist,
Family ‘member’ carries the stamp of the        children were visitors, we were happy to
                                                donate our time and testing skills free        Rachel Symonds, with contributions from
icon they are related to on their temple tip.
                                                of charge.”                                    leading healthcare experts, Vista includes
    “The OG Family represents a new take
on timeless and classic design combining            No spectacles were required, but the       features on the importance of regular
that with a fresh aesthetic that can only       children did not leave empty handed as         sight tests, exclusive recipes, celebrity
be instilled by a new generation,” said         goodie bags with assorted toys and sweets      interviews, true life stories recounting
Claire Goldsmith.                               were provided.                                 people’s experiences of living with poor
                                                                                               eye health, tips on how to be screen smart,
LENS OFFER                                                                                     make-up and style advice plus a round-up
                                                                                               of the latest eye health news, quizzes
Nikon is offering customers who purchase any pair of Nikon spectacle lenses across
                                                                                               and more.
its range a second pair at half price.
    Nikon MD, Martin Thompson, said: ”Nikon offers a wide range of state-of-the-art lens            David Cartwright, NEHW chair, said:
options that deliver superior optical performance, better aesthetics and comfort. Now is       “Vista is an exciting concept in public
an ideal time to purchase an additional pair of spectacle lenses at special prices.”           eye health promotion. By presenting
                                                                                               important health messages in a stylish
HELP AT HAND                                                                                   magazine format we hope to encourage
                                                                                               more people to have regular sight tests
Ill health, issues of ageing and genuine problems faced by those who have worked
                                                                                               and inspire them to make healthier
within manufacturing optics may be eased by a grant from the Optical Workers’
                                                                                               lifestyle choices that reduce the risk of
Benevolent Fund (OWBF).
                                                                                               avoidable sight loss.”
     For nearly 20 years the charity has helped those who have suffered from heart attacks,
needed help with mobility aids, assisted with home decoration and the purchase of a bicycle         Copies of the magazine were sent out
to get to work. Respite breaks for long-term carers are also a source of support offered.      in the NEHW supporter resource packs
     For those who feel they would quality for help, or know of another who would benefit      and distributed at official NEHW events
from some support, contact the charity via the FMO office 020 7298 5123 or email               last month. View the magazine online at
sfisher@fmo.co.uk                                                                              www.visionmatters.org.uk/news

18   Dispensing Optics OCTOBER 2015
6MÄJPHS
NEWS
                                                                           Obituary
                                                                           Jonathan W. Courtenage
                                                                           By Gina Robinson FBDO SMC(Tech)

                                                Jon Courtenage FBDO died suddenly at home on 29 July aged only 40.
                                                    Jon joined RA&F Riley Optometrists in 1992 as a young man straight from school and
                                                attended City and Islington College, qualifying as a dispensing optician in 1998. Highly
                                                accomplished, he stayed on in the same practice, renamed Dolphins Optometrists, when it
                                                was taken over by Umesh Patel in April this year. Jon was passionate about engineering and
                                                fast cars and was very proud of his achievements in all his endeavours.
                                                    Jon will be remembered by all his colleagues and patients as a warm and caring person,
                                                always smiling and a devoted dad to his two small children. He leaves behind his wife
                                                Kayleigh and children Harry and Olivia, parents Ken and Madeline and sister Annette.
                                                    Donations in his memory may be made to Great Ormond Street Hospital and Bentley
                                                Wildfowl and Motor Museum c/o WM Collins & Son Funeral Directors, 43 Station Road,
                                                Burgess Hill RH15 9DE.

                Latest styles from Zoobug

CATCHING THE BUG                                TWENTY YEARS AND COUNTING
At Silmo in Paris last month, Mondottica        Black & Lizars is celebrating 20 years of business in Ayrshire following the acquisition
showcased its newly formed international        of the Kilgours’ practices in Troon and Ayr.
children’s eyewear division, which includes          To mark the occasion, the company’s
Zoobug London.                                  managing director Geraldine Wood presented
                                                a bouquet of flowers to Troon practice
    Following the announcement of the
                                                manager, Alison Bargh, who has worked there
strategic partnership in July, the collection
                                                from day one.
offers premium sun and optical collection
                                                     Alison said: “I’m delighted that we have
for boys and girls. Zoobug London, which
                                                reached this milestone but it certainly
launched in 2006, has pioneered the             doesn’t feel like 20 years since we opened.
development of eyewear designed specifically    Over the last 20 years the advances in
for children over the last decade.              technology and sheer range of frames has
                                                been vast, but I still get the same sense of
                                                achievement when fitting a child with their                              A special thank you
                                                first set of glasses and seeing the difference it makes to their world.”
PRESENTING THEIR CASE
A company called Lensbotic has launched
                                                DRIVING LENS SALES
a battery-powered self-cleaning contact
lens case, claiming it is the first product     Zeiss’s new DriveSafe Lenses are designed to address what market research studies
of its kind on the UK market.                   with consumers has identified as the three most common visual challenges
    Being sold direct to the public via its                                                   experienced by drivers.
website, www.lensbiotic.com, the device                                                           The lenses feature a new DuraVision
                                                                                              DriveSafe Coating to reduce perceived glare
generates vibrations and turbulence within
                                                                                              by up to 64 per cent compared to premium
the lens case that removes built-up protein
                                                                                              AR coatings. Zeiss has also developed a
and particles. The company says it can be
                                                                                              new Luminance Design Technology to give
used with any multipurpose solution and
                                                                                              wearers better vision in low-light
gives the wearer lenses that are efficiently
                                                                                              conditions. Finally, the lens design makes it
cleaned and disinfected.                                                                      easier for progressive lens wearers to
    “We believe that Lensbotic’s contact                                                      quickly refocus between the road,
                                                Opportunities with new DriveSafe Lenses
lenses cleaning device is one of the best                                                     dashboard and mirrors. It also features
ways to improve and maintain people’s           optimised distance and intermediate viewing zones, reducing the need for horizontal
contact lens hygiene and therefore every        head movement.
contact lens wearer should own one,” said          Peter Robertson, marketing and communications director for Carl Zeiss Vision, said:
Lensbiotic CEO Karolina Lofqvist, who           “Research shows that patients are willing to pay up to 20 per cent more for the benefits
founded the company in June with fellow         that Zeiss DriveSafe Lenses provide.”
Swedish finance graduate, Jasmine Tagesson.        The lenses are available in both enhanced single vision and progressive lenses.

20   Dispensing Optics OCTOBER 2015
LOW
                                                                                                                        VISION

A closer look at
low vision tools
                                                            A
                                                                        s former ABDO president and low vision practitioner,
                                                                        Jennifer Brower, explains in this month’s business and
                                                                        marketing focused article (pages 30-31), if you’re
                                                                        routinely advising your patients about lighting, large print
                                                                        or colour and contrast, then you are already involved in
                                                            low vision work. But what products and support tools are available for
                                                            your patients and practice?

                                                            SUPPORT FOR PATIENTS WITH MACULAR DEGENERATION
                                                            Optelec’s in-practice Low Vision Kit comes with staff training to allow
                                                            eyecare practitioners to help offer support to patients who have been
                                                            diagnosed with macular degeneration.
                                                                Paul Fletcher, Optelec managing director, explained: “In many parts of
                                                            the UK, most rehabilitation is done through hospital low vision clinics up to
                                                            a certain point and then it stops. With our in-practice demo kit, which
Optelec’s Compact HD Plus video magnifier
                                                            contains a narrow range of optical magnifiers, and a portable Compact Plus
                                                            HD video magnifier, we can train front-of-practice staff so that they can
                                                            ask about what power magnifier people are currently using, demonstrate
                                                            similar and better products and the electronic magnifier which is not
                                                            supplied on the NHS.”
                                                                www.uk.optelec.com

                                                            SIMPLICITY IS KEY IN NEW DIGITAL MAGNIFIER DESIGN
                                                            Associated Optical has released the second-generation version of the
                                                            highly successful Eschenbach Optik smartLUX Digital magnifier.
                                                                “Simplicity was key to the development of this digital magnifier,”
                                                            explained Stuart Baldwin, sales director of UK distributor, Associated Optical.
                                                            “Using only three buttons, its intuitive design allows the user to select
                                                            from four magnifications – 5x, 7x, 9x or 12x –, then to cycle through five
                                                            different viewing modes and capture and store up to 20 images.”
      The second-generation Eschenbach Optik smartLUX           The smartLUX Digital features a generous five-inch, anti-reflective
                                 Digital magnifier in use   screen, affording the user a comfortable reading experience in virtually any
                                                            environment. It also weighs just 220g and so is said to be the ideal reading
                                                            companion either at home or away.
                                                                www.associatedoptical.com

                                                            MAKING LOW VISION PRACTICE SIMPLE AND PROFITABLE
                                                            Informing patients about low vision aids can significantly improve their
                                                            quality of life, believes Hilco, which since 1956 has been providing
                                                            thousands of eyecare professionals with Hilco/Wilson Ophthalmic solutions
                                                            to common practice needs and for new practice growth opportunities.
                                                                “As the population ages, there is an increase in the number of people
                                                            whose eyes cannot be corrected adequately with conventional eyewear,”
                                                            said Melanie Peackock, Hilco Europe operations manager. “Despite the
                                                            growing patient need, many eyecare professionals have been reluctant to
                                                            take advantage of this practice growth opportunity.
                                                                “Our low/occupational vision programme includes a complete range of
                                                            high quality and high performance products designed to streamline
                                                            diagnosis and aid in the treatment of these conditions,” added Melanie.
                                      High performance          www.hilco.com
                                      low vision products
                                      from Hilco            Next month’s product spotlight is on new autumn/winter eyewear lines.

                                                                                                       Dispensing Optics OCTOBER 2015   21
CET
COMPETENCIES COVERED
Dispensing opticians: Communication, Professional Conduct, Optical Appliances,
Refractive Management, Paediatric Dispensing
Optometrists: Communication, Professional Conduct , Optical Appliances

  This article replaces the scheduled article on low vision. Members still missing the low vision competency should contact the
  CET Office for suggestions of alternative routes to completion of that competency.

An overview of
paediatric dispensing                                                                                         by Andrew Cripps FBDO (Hons)

Part 2: Communication and lenses

P
           art 1 of this article, published       disruptive, so the dispensing optician (DO)             The choice of vocabulary when dealing
           in the July 2015 issue of              must be prepared for whatever reaction is           with parents can cause problems – the
           Dispensing Optics, considered          presented. If a family member wears                 word ‘lazy’ for instance could be interpreted
           the law regarding paediatric           spectacles this can help to reassure a              in a wider sense than the one intended.
           dispensing, frame selection            worried child, but if this is not the case          Other terms familiar to those working in
facial and frame measurements, as well as         then parents may appear very concerned              ophthalmic optics will mean very little to
adjustment and repair of paediatric               about why their child should need to wear           parents so it is important to avoid the
optical appliances. In Part 2, we consider        spectacles. Explaining the reasons why must         jargon and technical terminology. A bold
communication and lens dispensing.                be done without resorting to jargon so that         statement such as, “I’m afraid your child
                                                  trust and confidence is built up.                   has astigmatism” is bound to cause anxiety
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION                                A discussion on the clinical reasons is        whereas a quick sketch showing the football
As children attending the practice will be        best accompanied by something visual,               and rugby ball and language everyone can
accompanied by parents or a guardian, the         preferably for the parents to take away, as         understand is more likely to inform without
conversation will be between three or more        a reminder of what has been said. Parents           inducing alarm.
people and not just on a one-to-one basis.        who appear sceptical about explanations
First impressions are very important so it is     should also be told what the likely outcome         TESTING PRIORITIES
essential that adults are greeted with            would be if the spectacles are not worn.            The methods and equipment used to
warmth and understanding. Once contact is         If this is accomplished in a firm but               examine a child’s eyes will depend on their
made, attention can be turned to the child        sympathetic manner, the parents are                 age and what can reasonably be expected
so that everyone feels included.                  usually won over. A demonstration is                and accomplished. There will be a number
     With very young children most of the         usually effective, so assuming the child            of significant conditions, which are age-
conversation will be directed towards the         has about 3.00D of myopia, a pair of                related. Amblyopia and strabismus need
adults although the child should not feel         +3.00D ready-made readers can be offered            investigating for children up to school age
left out. Older children may be inquisitive,      to parents to help them appreciate the              whereas myopia, signs of significant
reticent, excited, apprehensive or just           visual problem.                                     hypermetropia and astigmatism become

  This article has been approved for 1 CET point by the GOC. It is open to all FBDO members, and associate
  member optometrists. The multiple-choice questions (MCQs) for this month’s CET are available online only,
  to comply with the GOC’s Good Practice Guidance for this type of CET. Insert your answers to the six MCQs
  online at www.abdo.org.uk. After log-in, go to ‘CET Online’. Questions will be presented in random order.
  Please ensure that your email address and GOC number are up-to-date. The pass mark is 60 per cent. The                  C-41897
  answers will appear in the January 2016 issue of Dispensing Optics. The closing date is 12 December 2015.

22   Dispensing Optics OCTOBER 2015
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