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ENVOIS DE PUBLICATIONS CANADIENNES • NO. DE CONVENTION 40052210 Adresse de retour : 202-495 boul. St-Martin O, Laval (Québec) H7M 1Y9
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ENVOIS DE PUBLICATIONS CANADIENNES • NO. DE CONVENTION 40052210 Adresse de retour : 202-495 boul. St-Martin O, Laval (Québec) H7M 1Y9
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| CONTENT | nov_dec | 2008
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| 08 | Full-Time or Part-Time,
Contact Lenses are the New Essentials
| 18 |
Light Isn’t Always Right
| 22 |
KIO Yamato: Timeless Elegance, Art and Culture
| 24 |
Vision Screening for Children a Big Success
| 30 |
Competing on Contacts Still Possible
| 34 |
Audacious and Artistic: Christian Roth and Eric Domege
| 36 |
Economic Crisis May Spell Opportunity
| 40 |
Issues and News from
| 42 |
| 44 |
| 46 |
Today is a Good Day
Optician Profile: Sara Moshurchak
What’s new?
| 48 | Classified Ads
| NEXT ISSUE | jan_feb | 2009
your Association
China: Threat or Opportunity?
China is a leading exporter of frames to
the world and has the world’s largest
‘bespectacled’ population. This article
will examine the impact of China on the
worldwide optical industry, asking and
answering questions about current
business opportunities, the quality of
goods, international trade issues, and
the overall state and size of the Chinese
market.
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www.bretoncom.com
4
VISION | sep_oct | 2008
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James W. Ahola, B.A.Sc.
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Mary Field
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| The Opticians Association of Canada |
Published six times a year
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Opticians Association of Canada
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|
EDITORIAL
|
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Paddy Kamen
Editor-in-chief
|
Welcome to our end-of-year issue and our annual feature on contact
lenses – a subject not without its controversies. Not all opticians
chose to fit contacts. According to Janice Schmidt and Tony Vianni,
both coordinators of opticianry programs (Janice in Ontario and Tony
in B.C.) this is a mistake and a shame.
Janice Schmidt finds fitting contact lenses even more rewarding
that helping a person find eyeglasses. “I especially enjoy fitting the
‘difficult’ client, including children and people with therapeutic needs.
And the major benefit, especially for people with high myopia, is the
improved visual acuity they obtain with contacts.”
It is essential that ECPs recommend the best product for visual
performance, says Schmidt. “What consumers want is improved vision
and great service, and the way to differentiate oneself is to make
available a variety of optical appliances to serve the many needs
people have, whether that be low vision aids, eyeglasses, vocational
glasses or contact lenses.”
Vianni agrees. “An optician should provide both eyeglasses and
contact lenses. Fitting contacts is part of our scope of practice and
you can’t fully help your patient if you’re just an eyeglass dispenser.
If a person comes in who needs your help and advice about contacts
you should be able to provide that help then and there.”
The dramatic improvements in contact lens materials and
designs have passed many people by, notes Vianni. “It’s up to
opticians to appropriately assess the situation and help them
determine if contact lenses will fit their lifestyle. In my experience
there are very few people who cannot benefit from them at least on
a part-time basis.”
The subject of Internet sales raises the hackles of most ECPs,
and rightly so. Janice Schmidt tells the story of fitting a nurse in her
community who subsequently purchased contact lenses off the
Internet. “I gave her heck and she realized her mistake and came
back. It overwhelms me that people take their eye health so lightly,
and especially a nurse!”
Mary Field covers the topic of Internet sales in another article in
this issue. You’ll also find a story on the effect of artificial light on
insomnia, profile of a young optician, and much more including a
touching article by James Ahola on not letting life’s precious moments
pass us by.
Thank you for spending some of your precious moments
with us.
IS I
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By Paddy Kamen
| Almost everyone
can wear today’s contact lenses, and according to Tony Vianni,
coordinator of the opticianry program at Douglas College in B.C., almost everyone should
have a pair.
“There’s only a small percentage of
the population that wouldn’t benefit from
contact lenses in their daily lives. Of
course, each person should also have a
pair of eyeglasses but there are many
activities where contact lenses are the best
choice, including running, working out or
other sports. Most people will benefit
from wearing contacts either part-time
during specific activities or full-time, with
eyeglasses as a back up.”
Janice Schmidt agrees. “People are
much more physically and socially active
today, and contact lenses work well for
almost every sport,” says the coordinator
of the opticianry program at Georgian
College in Barrie, Ontario. “But more
importantly, it’s about choice and people
want to have choices. For opticians it’s
about providing customers with appliances
that serve both their vocational and
avocational needs. One of those choices
should be contact lenses.”
But are there economic opportunities
for ECPs when it comes to selling contact
lenses? Certainly the market has changed
9
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The Opticians Association of Canada
Association des opticiens du Canada
2706-83 Garry Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 4J9
(204) 982-6060 • 1-(800) 847-3155
E-mail : canada@opticians.ca
Web site : www.opticians.ca
2008
PROVINCIAL DIRECTORS |
ADMINISTRATEURS PROVINCIAUX
LORNE KASHIN
President | Président
Thornhill, Ontario
(905) 881-1276
Alberta
DAVID MCGOWAN
Red Deer • (403) 347-1020
British Columbia | Colombie-Britannique
CINDY KOSZEGI
Abbotsford • 1-866-920-5911
Manitoba
TODD SMITH
Secretary Treasurer | Secrétaire-trésorier
Winnipeg • (204) 788-4571
New Brunswick | Nouveau-Brunswick
ROBERTA MCLAUGHLIN
Saint John • (506) 634-0016
Newfoundland | Terre-Neuve
MARIAN WALSH
St. John’s • (709) 579-2605
Nova Scotia | Nouvelle-Écosse
ROBERT DALTON
Vice-President | Vice-président
Halifax • (902) 455-4305
Ontario
LORNE KASHIN
President | Président
Thornhill • (905) 881-1276
Prince Edward Island |
Île-du-Prince-Édouard
DALIE SCHELLEN
Charlottetown • (902) 566-2020
dramatically in the last ten years, and even
though sales of contact lenses are slightly
up, according to both Schmidt and Vianni,
wearers are not necessarily buying their
contacts from professionals.
“Nevertheless there is money to be made
from contact lenses, and a true optician will
dispense according to what people need,”
says Vianni. “Through conversation, the
optician uncovers important information
about the person’s work life, hobbies and
other activities. It’s up to the optician to do
a thorough assessment before making
recommendations. Many customers may
wrongly think they cannot use contacts, or
they may have seen advertisements but not
made the connection to their own needs.”
Vianni also believes it is essential that
ECPs demonstrate the value of their
examination services by explaining the
process to patients. “Opticians do a great
job in making the examination look easy
and the patient may perceive that nothing
of significance is being done. So let the
patient know what you are doing when you
are doing it. You can for example tell the
patient, ‘I am checking under your lids to
see if there are any problems’, or ‘I am
checking the integrity of the cornea and the
tear level’. You may be able to do the job
faster but if you’re not explaining to the
patient you’re not really doing your job.
And by thoroughly explaining the risks
associated with contacts and the need for
regular examinations, you’re strengthening
the perception of value and the likelihood
that the patient will come back to you for
future purchases rather than buying on the
Internet.”
Schmidt believes that while eyeglasses
are the largest profit center in this market,
the provision of contact lenses is a service
that proves the ECP is competent to
provide total eye care. “This is especially
true if you work in a smaller city or town.
People want to purchase locally and I
would hope the local ECP would provide
everything people need.”
Quebec | Québec
ROBERT GRIMARD
Vision Canada General Manager |
Directeur général de Vision Canada
1-866-377-3636
Saskatchewan
JAMES HOLSTEIN
Rosetown • (306) 882-3511
10
The new contact lens materials and
designs give practitioners an opportunity to
upgrade patients and keep them in contact
lenses longer, notes Schmidt, who also
speaks highly of improved multifocal
designs. “The success rate is much higher
than it used to be. And while they don’t
work the same as eyeglass lenses and
aren’t a replacement for them, multifocal
contact lenses are much more accurate and
great for playing sports or socializing.”
With winter upon us, contact lenses
with UV protection can help shield eyes
from harsh winter glare. Exposure to UV
rays during winter can temporarily harm
the eyes as well as increase the risk of
developing sunlight-related eye disorders,
including cataracts, a leading cause of
reduced vision.
Ultraviolet radiation reaches the eye
via reflection from ground surfaces.
According to the World Health Organization
(WHO), while UV radiation is generally
lower during winter months, snow reflection
may double an individual's overall
exposure. The WHO advises that fresh snow
may reflect as much as 80 pe rcent of UV
rays, compared to other surfaces such as
grass, soil and water, which reflect less than
10 per cent of UV radiation; dry beach sand
(about 15 per cent), and sea foam (about
25 per cent).
Not all contact lenses offer UV protection,
and, of those that do, not all provide similar
absorption levels. According to Vistakon,
only ACUVUE® ADVANCETM, ACUVUE®
ADVANCETM for ASTIGMATISM, and ACUVUE®
OASYS™ contact lens brands carry the Seal
of Acceptance for Ultraviolet Absorbing
Contact Lenses from the American
Optometric Association's Commission on
Ophthalmic Standards. The lenses offer the
highest level of UV blocking available,
blocking more than 90 per cent of UVA rays
and 99 per cent of UVB rays that reach the
lens. On average, contact lenses without
UV blocking stop approximately 10 per cent
of UVA radiation and 30 per cent of UVB
radiation.
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FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME,
Vistakon spokesperson Brian Linde,
a Montana-based optometrist and past
president of the Montana Optometric
Association, says that sunglasses with
UV protective lenses only block about
50 per cent of UV radiation, because
sunlight also enters the eye from above,
below and around the sunwear. "The
greatest measure of UV protection can
be achieved with a combination of
UV-absorbing sunglasses, UV-blocking
contact lenses and a wide brimmed hat,"
he advises.
easy-to-open blister pack. With these
lenses, Bausch & Lomb bring a
breakthrough design to market that
continues to build on their expert
knowledge of aspherics, along with their
Comfort Moist Technology that allows for
the slow release of a solution which
envelops the lens in cushion of moisture,
helping to deliver comfort until the end
of the day. Now available in sphere
powers of +6.50D to –9.00D, this lens
is an excellent option for patient
compliance and convenience.
For contact lens care, Bausch & Lomb’s
new improved VisionPaks are aimed at
influencing patient compliance. “We
know that ECPs are concerned that
patients are risking infection by not
following instructions,” says Patrick Leu,
brand manager, lens care. “So we’ve
put large, clear and simple visual
messages about lens care on the
packaging. We also added a second
lens case because it is important for
the patient to change lens
cases on a regular basis.
With two bottles and two cases,
it becomes natural to change
cases when changing bottles.
We’ve also included a sample of
lubricant because many patients
experience dry eyes at the end of
the day.”
CooperVision overcomes the
compromises that have been associated
with many silicone hydrogel lenses with
their Biofinity monthly, approved for
29 nights of wear. Marketing manager,
Chirag Patel points at
the AQUAFORM patented
technology that surrounds the siloxane
chains, giving the material
water-loving
properties. “It creates
charged areas within
the material that forms
hydrogen bonds with
the water
molecules, locking
the water into the
lens material. Biofinity
retains water, minimizing dehydration
and thereby increasing
comfort and deposit
resistance.”
Leu adds that Bausch & Lomb’s
research shows that ReNu works
well even when patients are
non-compliant. “So we hope ECPs
will recommend it for any patients they
have concerns about.”
VisionPaks will be marketed
exclusively through ECPs. They include
two large format 480 ml bottles of
ReNu MultiPlus® or Sensitive Eyes®
Multi-Purpose Solution, a Healthy Lens
Care Guide, two lens cases, and one
bottle of ReNu Rewetting Drops. There is
also a new ReNu in a travel size 60 ml
bottle, with a bright orange airplane logo
on the bottle, which offers an easy
impulse sale for the office or store.
Also look for SofLens Daily
disposable lenses from Bausch & Lomb,
specially designed for ease of use in an
12
With high Dk
and higher water
content, lower modulus and lower
wetting angle, Biofinity is a CooperVision
success story for contact lens wearers.
Due to the growing need for
cataract surgery for the aging population,
IOL lenses are increasingly in demand.
The AcrySof® ReSTOR® Aspheric Intraocular
Lens (IOL) from Alcon is a unique
technological innovation that can
provide quality vision throughout the
entire visual spectrum – near through
distance – with reduced dependence on
reading glasses or bifocals.
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“The arrival on the market
of a presbyopia-correcting
lens implant means that
cataract patients can regain
visual quality that has been
lost over time, as well as
increase their independence from
glasses, which was impossible with
conventional implants,” said Dr. Darren
Albert, Assistant Professor of
Ophthalmology at McGill University
in Montréal. “The satisfaction rate
among patients with ReSTOR Aspheric
is over 95 per cent and the personal
accounts of patients are revealing. This
type of implant can suit all patients,
provided there is not too much
astigmatism or other eye-related diseases.”
In an FDA clinical study, 80 per cent
of patients receiving the AcrySof
ReSTOR IOL reported that they never
wear glasses for any activities. With the
AcrySof ReSTOR IOL, they can read,
work on computers, drive – day or night
– and play golf or tennis with an
increased freedom from glasses. In fact,
patients were so pleased with their
vision, nearly 94 per cent said they
would have the AcrySof ReSTOR IOL
implanted again, if given the choice.
For patients suffering from dry eye
or dryness following LASIK surgery,
Allergan has expanded its OPTIVE™
brand line with the addition of
OPTIVE™ Sensitive Preservative-Free
Lubricant Eye Drops, an over-the-counter
(OTC) artificial tear. OPTIVE is Allergan’s
line of artificial tears with a unique dual
action formula that works on both, the
ocular surface and the cellular level, to
provide long-lasting relief from dry eye
symptoms.
In a normal state, the tear film is
isotonic and provides comfort and
moisture to the eye. In the case of dry
eye, however, the tear film becomes
hypertonic, due to elevated salt
concentration, and does not sufficiently
hydrate or protect the surface of the
eye, leading to increasing signs and
symptoms of the condition. With its
unique formulation, OPTIVE brand
relieves the symptoms of dry eye in two
ways. First, it provides a lubricating and
14
hydrating protective shield on the surface
of the eye. The OPTIVE brand then
penetrates below the surface to provide
osmoprotection to the corneal epithelial
cells from excessive salt levels.
“While all artificial tears deliver
moisture to the tear film, the OPTIVE™
products are formulated to provide
lubrication of the ocular surface and are
uniquely designed to protect surface
cells from hyperosmotic stress that
occurs in dry eye, including dry eye
following LASIK,” said Joseph Vehige, O.D.,
Allergan Senior Director, Consumer Eye
Care Research and Development.
Laboratoires Blanchard is proud to
introduce their new proprietary silicone
hydrogel contact lens line, Exception.
This is the perfect lens for patients who
need a custom lens, says president Jean
Blanchard. The material is from
Contamac in England, and exclusive to
Blanchard in Canada. “It took almost a
year to develop the proper parameters
and design,” explains Blanchard.
Officially launched last August, the
response to Exception has been
extraordinary. “It’s very exciting because
previously we had a great design but
not the best possible material,” says
Blanchard. “Now we have the equivalent
of the best car with the best engine
inside, with this latheable soft lens
product.”
In spheric designs Exception’s
powers range from plus-minus 25.00D
with a vast choice for base curve and
diameter. On the toric side they have
cylinders up to -5.00D at any axis, which
is unusual in silicone hydrogel. One of
the nice features is a very low modulus
at 39, making it silky and very comfortable, says Blanchard. “The demand for
specialty gas permeable lenses is
strong, especially in Keratoconus and
bifocals. We see our niche market doing
extremely well within the overall market.
There are thousands of new presbyopes
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entering the marketi everyday and
these lenses are strong performers. At
Blanchard, our philosophy is continuous
improvement, and we’re always working
on new and more evolved designs so
that our service can become even
better.”
Blanchard is currently working on a
new generation bi-aspheric multifocal
lens. The testing is almost complete and
the lens should be introduced to the
market late in 2008.
Also look for a post-surgery-specific
contact lens from Blanchard. “The RSS
(refractive surgery specific) lens is for
post-lasik and other post-surgical
patents who are starting to develop
visual problems and need a special lens
for their flat corneal radius, which is a
result of surgery.” Blanchard notes that
8-10 years after surgery problems often
arise that are no longer surgically
correctable. “And because the eye has
been reshaped we need a new lens to
accommodate those changes.”
CIBA VISION’s latest silicone
hydrogel innovation is AIR OPTIX™
AQUA, a breathable contact lens that
delivers an advanced combination of
oxygen and moisture via the new AQUA
Moisture system, which includes a
unique moisture agent that helps
lubricate the lens for initial comfort, a
patented lens material that helps
maintain moisture by minimizing
the rate of lens dehydration, and
an ultra-smooth surface with
superior wet-ability and excellent
deposit resistance for comfort
every day.
“Seventy per cent of patients
who experience eye irritation from
their contact lenses never tell their eye
care professional about it,” said Rick
Weisbarth, vice president and Global
Head Professional Development and
Partnerships. “With the unique AQUA
Moisture System and Dk/t of 138, AIR
OPTIX AQUA lenses provide high oxygen
transmissibility plus initial and all-day
comfort, helping satisfy patient needs
for improved comfort and health.”
To help encourage healthy lens
wear and higher patient compliance,
CIBA VISION is recommending a monthly
16
replacement schedule for AIR OPTIX
AQUA lenses, with regimen of daily wear
or up to six nights of extended wear.
AIR OPTIX™ for ASTIGMATISM is
another innovative silicone hydrogel
lens from CIBA VISION that provides
outstanding performance and excellent
stability, achieving 95 per cent first fit
success, and the highest oxygen
transmissibility of any available soft
toric lens. The lens design features a
wide optic zone to provide excellent
visual acuity and ensures the lens fitting
characteristics and axis orientation are
consistent from patient to patient.
Virtually all AIR OPTIX for ASTIGMATISM
lenses have acceptable or optimal fit
upon dispensing, stabilizing on the eye
in just 30 seconds. Weisbarth notes,
“This lens offers eye care professionals
an opportunity to truly satisfy the
unmet vision and comfort needs of their
astigmatic patients, increasing patient
satisfaction and truly improving lives.”
With the launch of this lens last
April, CIBA VISION introduced the AIR
OPTIX brand name in Canada. In the
future, new CIBA VISION silicone hydrogel
product innovations will be launched
under the AIR OPTIX brand name.
Last but not least, Leis Vision is
pleased to announce that they now
carry the extended parameter range
(around-the-clock in 15° steps) of the
Extreme H2O 54% Toric LC lens, from
Hydrogel Vision Corporation, makers of
Extreme H2O soft contact
lenses. This low cylinder
lens (0.65D) is geared
toward the 55 per cent of
astigmatic patients from
0.50D to 1.00D. It was
initially launched in 30°
axis
requiring
fewer
parameters, yet providing
virtually the same vision as lenses
within 10° axis. The expansion to 15°
steps enables a more precise fit, while
still requiring fewer parameters,
enabling a quick fit. Free diagnostic sets
of the Extreme H2O 54% Toric LC and
MC lenses are available directly through
Hydrogel Vision and through any of their
authorized Extreme H2O distributors,
including Leis Vision, Centennial and
Laboratoire DL.
ISI
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Light Isn’t Always Right
By Mary Field
Artificial light may be promoting tumour growth
and sleep deprivation.
| Cancer is the big scare word of this and the last century. Why has it increased so much? One of the possible reasons is
the use of artificial light. And sleep disorders are almost epidemic in the western world, with four billion dollars worth of
sleep medication sold annually. Could artificial light be responsible for the psychological misery and adverse health affects
associated with lack of sleep?
The U.S.-based National Institute
of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS), a component of the National
Institutes of Health, supports research
to understand the effects of the
environment on human health. In
December 2005, NIEHS released
results of a study of laboratory mice
that showed that nighttime exposure
to artificial light stimulated the
growth of human breast tumours by
suppressing the levels of a key
hormone called melatonin. The study
also showed that extended periods of
nighttime darkness greatly slowed the
growth of these tumours1.
The study results might explain
why female night shift workers have a
higher rate of breast cancer. It also
offers a promising new explanation
for the epidemic rise in breast cancer
incidence in industrialized countries
like the United States.
"The risk of developing breast
cancer is about five times higher in
industrialized nations than it is in
underdeveloped countries," said Les
Reinlib, Ph.D., a program administrator
with the NIEHS' grants division.
18
"These results suggest that the
increasing nighttime use of electric
lighting, both at home and in the
workplace, may be a significant factor."
Artificial light suppresses the
brain's production of melatonin, a
hormone that helps to regulate a
person's sleeping and waking cycles.
The new study shows that melatonin
also plays a key role in the development
of cancerous tumors. Ordinarily,
melatonin is produced by the pineal
gland only when the eyes are in
darkness. The use of artificial light at
night decreases substantially the time
people are in darkness and thus the
time that melatonin is produced.
“Blind people have a 50 per cent
less incidence of cancer than sighted
people, because they produce
melatonin over the whole night,“
notes Dr. Marty Alpert, researcher and
principal of lowbluelights.com, a
Cleveland-based company that was
formed to commercialize the research
around lighting and human health.
“Cancer fighting drugs are most
effective when given at 3 A.M. This is
because in normal individuals melatonin
levels peak between 2 A.M. and
4 A.M.”
Before 2001, it was believed that
melatonin was produced by the
pineal gland only when the eyes are
in darkness in the same way that
darkeness is assumed to control the
circadian clock, which in turn through
melatonin and other hormones
controls many of the body’s activities.
If this was true, then only periods of
extended darkness would provide the
benefits of increased melatonin
production. But according to Dr.
Alpert, in 2001 research conclusively
proved that it is only the blue
component of artificial light that
supresses melatonin production2. This
finding opened the door to filters that
screen out the blue component.
Lighting developers at Lighting
Innovations Institute at John Carroll
University in Cleveland, Ohio, have
devised techniques of providing
“blueless” light to the eyes in the
evening before bedtime. This is
accomplished by using light bulbs
with coatings that do not transmit the
blue light that suppresses melatonin,
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or by having subjects wear eyeglasses
that filter out only the offending blue
light. Filtering screens are also available
for computer monitors or televisions, but
users have to be careful to make sure
there are no other sources of blue light
in the room at the same time. These
products allow the person to continue
with normal after dark activities using
the remaining colours of light. And
interestingly, filter use doesn’t affect the
alertness of the person using them.
“The products are incredibly helpful
to people with insomnia who are not
responsive to medication,” says Dr.
Alpert. “They act on the brain as if
people are in darkness. We did a study
that showed that people wearing the
glasses get up less often during the
night and have a much more restful
sleep. Over 60 per cent of the wearers
had extraordinary or very good results.
In fact, many users said they would
not give up the glasses under any
circumstances.”
According to a paper prepared by
E.F. Carome and collegues at the Lighting
Innovations Institute, which was
presented at the Proceedings of the 2nd
CIE Expert Symposium on Lighting and
Health in Ottawa, in 20063, using the
blue blocking filters for two to three
hours before bedtime causes a substantial
improvement in sleep for most people
20
by re-setting melatonin production. The
improvement in sleep quality lasts
throughout the night.
“This is a completely natural way to
re-establish proper melatonin production,”
notes Dr. Alpert. “It’s such a simple
solution, using the body to cure itself, in
contrast to melatonin supplements (pills)
that may give a person too much
melatonin, which may very well help
them to go to sleep but because the
person isn’t secreting melatonin
naturally, when the supplement wears off
the person will get the signal that it’s
time to wake up. By wearing the glasses
or using other filters one’s own
melatonin increases slowly and naturally
and it peaks at the time melatonin
would normally peak if artificial light did
not exist. Our products have worked in
many cases where medication did not.”
Research is also being conducted
on the benefits of blue light filters on
mood disorders such as bi-polar disorder,
which has been shown to improve
remarkably with increased exposure to
darkness4. Dr. Alpert says that other
studies will soon show substantial
improvement for women with post-partum
depression. He also has anecdotal evidence that the filters help children with
ADHD who are having trouble sleeping.
Dr. Carome notes that while there is
a considerable body of knowledge
showing that using artificial light at night
may increase the risk of cancer, it will
take many years to establish if the use
of blue light blocking filters will reduce
that risk.
Given what’s at stake, let’s hope
this research is undertaken soon.
In the meantime, MAVC Health and
Wellness is the Canadian distributor of
LowBlueLights products. Their web
address is www.mavchealth.com.
ISI
1
http://www.niehs.nih.gov/oc/news/cancerlight.htm
2 BRAINARD, GC., HANIFIN, JP., GREESON, JM., BYRNE, B.,
GLICKMAN, G., GERNER, E. and ROLLAG, MD., Action
spectrum for melatonin regulation in humans: evidence for
a novel circadian photoreceptor, J. Neurosci., 16,
6405-6412, 2001.
THAPAN, K., ARENDT, J. and SKENE, DJ., An action
spectrum for melatonin suppression: evidence for a novel
non-rod, non-cone photoreceptor system in humans,
J Physiol .535, 261-267, 2001.
3 Means to Avoid the Suppression of Melatonin by Artificial
Light: The Bright Side of Darkness
CAROME, E.F., HANSLER R.L. and KUBULINS,V.E.
Lighting Innovations Institute, John Carroll University,
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Proceedings of the 2nd CIE Expert Symposium on
Lighting and Health
7-8 September, 2006,Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
4 WEHR, TA., TURNER, EH., SHIMADA, JM., LOWE. CH.,
BARKER, C. and LEIBENLUFT, E., Treatment of rapidly
cycling bipolar patient by using extended bed rest and
darkness to stabalize the timing and duration of sleep,
Biol. Psychiatry, 43, 822-828, 1998.
BARBINI, B., BENEDETTI, F., COLOMBO, C., BERNASCONI,
A., CIGALA-FULGOSI, M., FLORITA, M. and SMERALDI, E.,
Dark therapy for mania: a pilot study, Bipolar Disord.,
1, 98-101, 2005.
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Doing it right means only doing it once.
LET THE MODULAR DISPLAY SYSTEM WORK FOR YOU.
Simply put, the patented Modular Display System is the industry’s quickest, most cost
effective way to rejuvenate your frame dispensary. If you’re looking to increase your bottom
line with minimal effort, then give MDS a call.
1-800-663-8527
www.modular-design.com
12/11/08
15:23
| COMPANY PROFILE |
_vis11-8:8
Page 22
KIO YAMATO: Timeless El
Bold, timeless and a step ahead, KIO Yamato makes
| When purity and innovation combine you have a company known as
KIO Yamato, named not after a person but an idea. Kio means pure and
clean in Japanese and Yamato is the name of an ancient Japanese
province, better known as ‘The Court of Yamato’, which literally
signifies ‘The Great Peace’. Between 100 and 300 B.C. the Kyushu clan
settled in this province and they ruled over the destiny of the country
for fifteen centuries. The period was marked by many technological and
cultural advances, like the European renaissance. Yamato, a narrow plain
about 30 kilometers from Kyoto and Osaka, holds great archeological
wealth, reminding today’s people of the first Japanese state whose
power sprang from wisdom and grace.
By Paddy Kamen
Begun by Steven Lee ten
years ago, KIO Yamato has
straddled the Asian and North
American worlds since its inception.
Lee is Korean and divides his time
between his home country and
New York. The company always
had offices in both regions and has
recently opened a European office.
Kevin Kim is director of KIO Yamato
Optics Inc.
because of the way we push the
materials and technologies.”
Leslie Bullock is the territory
manager for Canada, Alaska and
Hawaii. She is also an optician
with a retail presence in Vancouver,
and she fell in love with KIO Yamato
at first sight. “I was so impressed
with the beauty and quality of the
frames that I started carrying them
immediately. We have done very
well with them because they speak
to clients who appreciate superior
workmanship and clean design.”
In the KIO Yamato manufacturing
process each frame front is
pressed from a selected bar of
titanium at a pressure of 400 tons,
to create precision bevel work. It is
this same bevel work along with
exquisite finishes that enable KIO
Yamato frames to capture light
unlike any other frame on
the market, explains Bullock.
“Titanium is difficult to tool and
colour and with it we have
achieved unmatched purity of
design and gorgeous colours. The
titanium colours have a lustrous
feel and quality, and new tints are
being researched continuously. The
colour combinations go through
rigorous tests and reviews in order
to finalize a look, which is always
elegant.”
The J-hinge is a technological
innovation that the company is
understandably proud of. “This is
found in our signature series, and
is made from beta titanium,”
explains Bullock. “Some J-hinges
are hidden by the shaping of the
pure titanium temple and some are
on the outside.”
All KIO Yamato frames are
made in Japan. “Today, Japan is the
foremost producer of high quality
frames in the world, particularly in
titanium,” says Bullock, who adds
that titanium is a misunderstood
metal in the mind of consumers. “A
frame can be stamped ‘titanium’
but only has 20 per cent low grade
titanium content. At KIO Yamato,
Despite the fact that the cost
we use the purest titanium and do of titanium has risen dramatically
things with it that others cannot in the last few years, KIO Yamato
22
eyew
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| COMPANY PROFILE |
_vis11-8:8
ss Elegance, Art and Culture
makes
eyewear with elegance that lasts beyond one or two seasons.
colours and detailed emphasis on
the hinges and temples are the
focal points. The hinges are simple, yet clean and the distinctive
Moving into acetates was designs give the individual an
only natural for KIO Yamato and incentive to look upon a pair of
their high end zyls are admired O&X New York frames a little
for combining a vivid colour bit longer in admiration of the
with a more subtle shade for workmanship and ingenuity.
accentuation.
Bullock selects mid-to-high
While once KIO Yamato was end optical retailers for KIO Yamato
both the name of the company
and O&X New York. “Retailers are
and the moniker for their only
collection, a newer brand, O&X always looking for new collections
(Out and Exposed) New York, now that speak to a variety of clients.
offers something very special for Some little shops have very good
mid-range clientele. The two lines opticians and excellent clients,
are clearly differentiated from one and that is where we want to be.
another. KIO Yamato is distinctive We’re not exclusive but we want
with its high-tech constructions, retailers who understand our
subtle detailing, materials, and frames and philosophy. Fashion
designs, which are all at the brands will rise and fall, but our
forefront of the optical industry. quality and designs are timeless.”
O&X New York also offers unique
In contrast to many frame
styling and quality while being
more commercially priced. “A manufacturers, KIO Yamato still
great frame is not only worth the produces older stock. “I have
money but attracts attention to pieces that I have carried for five
the wearer’s overall appearance,” years, which is unheard of in the
explains Bullock. “Customers are industry,” says Bullock. “They
saying this line is underpriced for
don’t go out of fashion, we don’t
the quality but it is designed to
sell in higher volumes. Many of have any closeouts and all
our KIO Yamato retailers also models sold throughout the
carry the O&X to round out their world are carefully controlled and
selection. O&X easily goes up regulated so that the stores
against anything produced by the carrying these collections are
major manufacturers.”
ranked among the top optical
The O&X New York collection retailers. Our exchange policy is
goes deep into colours which also very lenient.”
were chosen with extra care to
Ultimately, it is the consumer
complement the features and who decides. KIO Yamato and
colour tones of practically any
O&X New York wearers appreciate
individual. Some styles target a
the ingenious designs, influenced
youth crowd with their funky
twists and unique shapes, while by a profound focus on comfort,
others attract a more mature fit and durability. Combine those
clientele
with
conservative factors with a dedication to art
colours, temples and classic eye and fashion and you have
shapes. For the titanium frames, KIO Yamato.
ISI
strives to keep the price reasonable
while never compromising on
quality. “Lesser quality is not an
option for us,” states Bullock.
23
_vis11-8:8
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| Business Management |
By Shannon Falconer — Coordinator, Policy and Research — College of Opticians of Ontario
Vision Screening for Children a
Big Success
24
| The College of Opticians of Ontario
is celebrating the completion of a highly
successful pilot initiative that took place
last September. Working collaboratively
with the College of Dental Hygienists of
Ontario and the York Region District
School Board, the group launched the
first School Readiness Screening Project –
an initiative where opticians, dental
hygienists and nutritionists volunteered
their time to provide health care screening
to children entering kindergarten.
Caroline MacIsaac-Power, Registrar of
the College of Opticians, helped to
spearhead the pilot project, acting on
the premise that there are many health
factors that can affect a child’s learning,
with vision playing a critical role.
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| Business Management |
“But beyond that, it’s preventative
in nature – it’s about families
and communities. So when you have
the school as the hub, it makes a
tremendous difference to the future of
the community.”
Throughout the month of September,
more than 1,200 children between the
ages of four and six from a total of
eleven schools in the York Region
District were screened by opticians,
dental hygienists and nutritionists.
Children and their families made their
way to the various health-care stations
situated around school gymnasiums to
speak with the experts, receive
screenings and pick up information
pamphlets. The project was modeled
after the on-going ‘healthy child
initiative’ from the United Kingdom,
which has demonstrated to improve
both academic achievement and
student behaviour. Although it will take
some time to determine the long-range
benefits of the recent screening project,
there were specific on-site situations
where health concerns were detected
and referrals made, demonstrating
some immediate benefit from the
program. Further, the project was well
received by the community, with parent
and child attendance as high as 98 per
cent in some schools.
Bill Hogarth is the director of
education for the York Region District
School Board. He states in an interview
with The Toronto Star that he wants the
unique pilot project to expand
province-wide. “Appropriate health care
impacts on students and their
learning,” notes Hogarth. “But beyond
that, it’s preventative in nature – it’s
about families and communities. So
when you have the school as the hub,
it makes a tremendous difference to the
future of the community.”
26
So where will the School Readiness
Screening Project go from here? The
group is currently working on compiling
initial statistics from the pilot screening,
which will be published in the COO
December 2009 newsletter, and is
looking to government for funding.
Ideally this project would role out
across the province and the
country.
ISI
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| Practice Trends |
Competing on Contacts Still Possible
By Mary Field
| I’ve written on several occasions about the Internet sale of contact lenses and
eyeglasses keeping you up-to-date on actions that are taking place and suggesting
strategies that could be used to assist opticians in fighting this trend. I’ve received
many phone calls and e-mails recently from opticians who are angry, frustrated and
bewildered by this trend. The following is an excerpt from one of those e-mails. It
would appear the time has come to focus again on this issue.
How can Internet sellers get away with
breaking the law? That’s how most opticians
view this issue. It is definitely a matter of law
but also one of jurisdiction. In the case of
dispensing, jurisdiction is provincial. Your
regulatory body has authority only over
activities taking place within your province.
But unless the Internet seller is registered in
your province there is nobody against whom
your regulatory body can lay charges. Even if
the Internet seller can be charged, the
interpretation of law may not support a
conviction as we saw in the case of the
College of Opticians of British Columbia
vs. Coastal Contacts in which the
Supreme Court of B.C. did not find in
favour of the regulatory body.
On the good news side, a court
in Britain recently did find an Internet
seller guilty of breeching the Opticians
Act and has fined the Internet seller
_75,000. This is not a significant sum
compared to the estimated millions
spent on Internet sales of eyeglasses
and contact lenses. But it does set some
sort of precedent that may be used for a
future challenge.
30
07_vis07-8:Layout 1
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PC Hydrogel and PC Technology are trademarks of The Cooper Companies, Inc., its subsidiaries or affiliates.
_vis11-8:8
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| Practice Trends |
Is price really a factor? From my
observations of how opticians usually
advertise, price and style are the two most
commonly mentioned selling points.
Whereas polls show service to be the most
important factor for consumers, price may
now become a dominating factor. The
economic downturn in the U.S. has already
started to have some spin-off effect on our
economy. Frequency of purchase and
replacement may become even more
stretched out than it is now. We’ve already
positioned ourselves in a price market and
we will likely continue to compete with
price, but we have to find a way to
emphasize the ingredients folks will be
missing if they opt for an Internet purchase.
Value added in the case of optical
purchases from a professional isn’t the
second pair free or a reduced price on
coatings or tints. Sure, we can offer those
incentives but…the real value added is you.
Opticians provide:
• Education and counseling
• Reliable and available service
• Customized fit
• Life-style specific advice
It’s sad to say but opticians haven’t
done a very good job of convincing
consumers that the purchase of optical
goods is a matter of safety. Consumers
have come to view safety as irrelevant
and have marginalized the service we
provide.
So how can we pull some of those
people who have opted for Internet
purchases back into our dispensaries?
How can we encourage others who have
not yet taken that step to exercise good
judgment in making a purchasing
choice? We can change public perception
about the safety issue over time. The
Opticians Council of Canada is currently
developing a public relations project
that should have long-term positive
effects in this regard.
But we have to deal with here and
now. We have to find ways to meet the
market. And, we have to develop
effective responses to those customers
who want us to provide them with the
information they need to order from our
Internet competitors. We must also have
the skill and knowledge to trouble shoot
Internet purchases.
• If you don’t charge for these services
you should.
• If you don’t have any literature you
can give your customers discussing
the safety issues involved in their
purchase, you should get some and
hand it out when you’re asked for
PDs, segment heights or contact lens
specifications.
• If you don’t currently have a website
of your own, invest in a professionally
developed site that will be in the top
10 of a Google or Yahoo search.
• Internet sellers post pictures of
feature frames they sell and they have
trial packs of frames people can order.
Why couldn’t you do the same thing
with a credit card number as a security
deposit?
32
Now is the time when we need to
work together more than ever before.
Your provincial and national associations,
regulatory bodies and educational
institutions (the Opticians Council of
Canada) are embarking on a public
relations project that will market our
profession in a way that will make the
writer of the e-mail introduction to this
article once again proud to be an
optician. Now is the time for you to
support your provincial and national
groups. You’ve identified the problem
and you can be part of the solution. ISI
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| DESIGNER STORY |
_vis11-8:8
Audacious and Artistic:
Christian Roth and Eric Domege
Heralding from Berlin and Paris, Christian Roth and Eric Domege
emerged as designers from the New York art scene of the early
eighties.
1.
2.
By Paddy Kamen
I
magine a young man of 15 in Berlin. It’s 1975 and his father has just
returned from a business trip to New York City, bringing with him a gift of
cool shades — Raybans, to be precise.
Now imagine a boy of 12 in Paris.
His mother is a couturier and he
breathes the air of fashion. It’s 1973
and he fakes poor eyesight so he can
get a pair of eyeglasses, loving the
way they change his appearance.
Prescient indeed.
Christian Roth is the young man
who received the sunglasses, and Eric
Domege is the boy who knew at age
twelve that eyeglasses are a fashion
accessory. The two have been friends
and business partners for over 25
years, spanning the era of no-fashion
to high-fashion eyewear with audacity.
With no formal training or background
they have created one of the most
prestigious names in sunwear with a
growing presence in the world of
ophthalmic frames. Christian Roth is
the label, but the business is the two
of them, inextricably joined in the
power of creation.
34
“The gift from his father started a
love affair between Christian and
sunglasses that extends to this day,”
notes Domege in an interview with
Vision Magazine. “He went on to work
part-time in an optical shop while
attending high school and college,
and quickly realized that there wasn’t
much of interest to offer customers.”
Domege was studying advertising and marketing in Paris when he
first met Roth in 1978. Then, when he
moved to New York City in 1981 to
continue his education, they met
again by accident and became
friends. They both loved haunting flea
markets and vintage shops where
one of the big attractions was the
eyewear.
As part of the clique of artists
that formed around Andy Warhol and
Club Area (a trendy nightclub with art
installation theme rooms), Domege
and Roth thrived on the edgy
dynamism of the New York scene.
One of their friends was putting
together a fashion show for Club Area
and asked if they would use their
vintage sunwear collection to develop
something original for the show. “We
revamped 12 pairs of vintage
sunglasses with paint and new
lenses,” explains Domege. “They
were used on the runway and even
featured on the cover of Women’s
Wear Daily. This recognition gave us
the push we needed to move into the
business, and we originally called our
company Christian Roth for Optical
Affairs.”
Luckily, Roth and Domege came
of age in a time when it was possible
to start an eyewear business with
nothing more than talent, chutzpah
and a prototype. Domege notes, “We
started with one style and, fortunately for us, some of the greatest retailers were willing to give us
15:26
Page 35
| DESIGNER STORY |
12/11/08
5.
4.
With Andy Warhol wearing a
Christian Roth design it didn’t take long
for other celebrities to catch the trend.
Early adopters were Faye Dunaway and
Diana Ross. Today’s celeb CR aficionados
include Jennifer Garner, Mickey Rourke
and Kate Hudson.
|
4. 14049 BL
|
3. 14047 BK
|
2. 14293 YE
|
Optical retailers like Henri Bendel in
New York, Fred Segal in Los Angeles, and
Marvin Freeman of Los Angeles, Chicago
and NYC (the ‘godfather’ of the fashion
eyewear industry according to Domege),
all confirmed with their patronage that
Roth and Domege were on the right
track. Among the first retail shops in
Canada to recognize their genius were
The Brass Monocle in Calgary and Eyes
on 12 in Vancouver. In Toronto, Bob Karir
was an initial enthusiast and continuing
supporter.
The dynamic duo of Roth and
Domege have their principal residence in
Monaco, and also spend a lot of time in
New York and Miami. They may create
eyewear in their home-studio, but are
just as likely to carry the design work
wherever they go, focusing not just on
their own brand but also working for others.
“We recently created both ophthalmic
and sunwear for Karl Lagerfeld, and we
also designed the original Michael Kors
collection,” says Domege. “We enjoy this
The Christian Roth customer is
work because it opens our brains up to
someone who doesn’t want to be
different stories besides our own.”
associated with a logo. With no outside
Regardless of the broader economic
branding, the look appeals to those who
have the confidence to be themselves. scene, Domege is confident that the
“Our goal is always to make the person Christian Roth brand will continue to
feel and look glamorous,” explains thrive. “We believe strongly that there
Domege. “Our customers are widespread, will always be a market for well-conceived
unisex and of all ages. One of the greatest designs and production with meticulous
satisfactions is seeing the same frame attention to technology and detail. Our
worn by Sharon Stone and Lenny Kravitz, frames do not go out of fashion and so
or to find cool kids in Tokyo wearing the are not marketed by the season or the
same frame as a chic Parisian woman. year. A lot of love is put into the product
This is a great complement, and we and the consumer and retailer can tell
the difference.”
design our frames to fit all faces.”
ISI
Ten years ago, Roth and Domege
joined forces with the Charmant Group,
based in Japan, which produces and
distributes their collections worldwide.
“We joined Charmant because of their
strength in quality and technology. They
have allowed us to do some amazing
things and I believe we have really
challenged them at times with our
designs. It’s a great partnership,” says
Domege.
1. 14295 PU
feedback and an opportunity. And if we
went to them with a prototype they
would agree to give it a try and wait patiently for several months until we could
deliver
the
product.”
5. 14048 PK
|
3.
|
_vis11-8:8
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| Finance |
Economic Crisis May Spell
Opportunity
By JoAnne Sommers
|
In the wake of the worst financial crisis in almost 80 years, it’s tempting to cash in your investments
and look for a safe place to ride out the storm. Tempting, but not advisable, says Dan Hallett,
president of the Windsor-based investment research firm Dan Hallett & Associates.
Even if the markets have panicked,
investors should not, says Hallett.
“I understand why people are
frightened but in many cases it
doesn’t make a lot of sense. Selling
prices
are
disconnected
from
fundamentals and a lot of quality
companies that aren’t dependent on
financing are being thrown out along
with everything else.”
As long as fear and uncertainty
abound, the market will continue to
throw out a lot of good stocks, says
Irwin Michael, the head of I.A. Michael
Investment Counsel Ltd. in Toronto.
Michael is a deep value investor,
whose company runs the $1.1 billion
family of ABC Funds.
Value investors take a bottom-up
approach to investing, searching for
stocks that are priced low relative to
their earnings potential, whereas
growth investors look for fast-growing
companies. For the past two to three
36
years, value stocks have taken a
pounding, in part because high-flying
commodity stocks were so expensive
that value fund managers avoided
them.
ABC Funds has suffered losses
similar to other value funds but
Michael believes that better days are
ahead for value investors. “You have
to be very patient, stick to your style
and not get dragged into the rush to
liquidity,” he says. “It's always a good
time for value and we think there are
some tremendous values out there
right now.”
Robert Ironside agrees that there
will be some wonderful buying opportunities in the market but thinks it’s
too early to go shopping “Sit tight and
keep your powder dry,” advises
Ironside, who teaches finance at
Kwantlen Polytechnic University in
Vancouver and works with the
Knowledge Bureau in Winnipeg. “Be
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| Finance |
cautious, stockpile your cash and wait
until things settle down. Safety of
principal is key right now. We still don’t
know where the bottom is and it’s
better to get back into the market a
little late than too early.”
When the time comes, Ironside
urges that you do your homework.
“Before you buy a fund, find out what
it’s invested in. Is it a value or a growth
fund? What is its philosophy? What are
its major holdings and what costs are
involved?”
Ironside says he’s a proponent of
value investing because investors tend
to overspend when they try to chase
growth. He also believes that value
provides the best long-run returns. In
fact, nearly every pure value fund on
the Canadian market shows positive
average annual gains over 10 and
15-year periods.
“Growth firms tend to pay low
dividends because they plough all of
the extra money into growth
investments. Unfortunately, investors
tend to overpay for these stocks,
thereby reducing their overall return.”
Adrian Mastracci thinks that many
38
would work well for most investors.”
Once you have a plan in mind,
says Mastracci, remember to control
what you can. “You can’t control what
the market does, only how you interact
with it.”
investors may be mystified by how
badly things have gone in the markets
because they invested for the wrong
reasons. “I suspect that many people
invested based on the past performance
of stocks and funds rather than as part
of an overall investment strategy,” says
Mastracci, portfolio manager with KCM
Wealth Management Inc. in Vancouver.
Investors need to start by asking
themselves a basic question, he says.
Do you want return on your money or
return of your money?
“That sets the tone,” says
Mastracci. “For people who don’t like
risk, the priority is capital preservation,
so being in stocks and funds may not
be the best strategy for them.”
For those who want a return on
capital, he recommends looking closely
at your asset mix. “I suggest that you
put 40 to 60 per cent in equities and
the balance in fixed income. That mix
Mastracci uses a core and satellite
system for choosing mutual funds. “The
core stuff is your serious money and
that should be about 80 per cent of the
total. I recommend you buy index funds
that track the TSX 60, the S&P 500 and
the MSCI EAFE. And buy those funds
individually so you can tweak them as
needed.”
The remaining 20 per cent of your
mutual fund investments – what
Mastracci calls the satellite portion of
your portfolio – can be invested
depending on your risk parameters and
general inclinations, he says.
“My best advice is don’t get
rattled. Don’t get emotionally attached
to your holdings and always use logic
over emotion. Remember, the markets
are cyclical and we’ve been through
downturns before and come out
stronger on the other side.”
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| OAC News |
OAC Update:
Inter-provincial Recognition and More…
By Mary Field
| The Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) is back on the radar again. As you may know, the first Ministers met
this past spring and decided that mutual recognition of credentials of the Canadian workforce across
provincial borders was not moving fast enough and that the Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA) that had
been signed did not go far enough in allowing foreign trained candidates into the professions. Subsequent to
the Ministers’ meetings the Labour Mobility coordinators have been holding information sessions across the
country for both regulatory bodies and associations. The OAC was in attendance at the Toronto meeting.
Currently, opticians appear on a list of
professions that are not compliant. This is
a mystery because our profession’s
regulatory bodies were the first group to
broker an agreement. Opticians are likely
listed because the Quebec regulators have
not signed the MRA. Otherwise there are
virtually no barriers to mobility within the
group of nine. Here’s the short version of
what is expected by the government.
• Any worker certified for an occupation
by a regulatory authority of one
province or territory shall be recognized
as qualified to practice that occupation
by all other provinces and territories.
• Such recognition shall be granted
expeditiously without further material
training, examinations or assessment
requirements.
• Premiers further directed that any
exceptions to full labour mobility would
have to be clearly identified and
justified as required to meet a legitimate
objective such as the protection of
health or public safety.
Provincial Activities
On September 27th the Opticians of
Manitoba held their annual presentation
ceremony for students graduating from the
NAIT/OAC optical programs and for
those individuals who had successfully
challenged the national examination(s).
Preceding the dinner and ceremony was a
full day of continuing education. Also at
the end of September the OOM School
40
Screening team completed vision screening
on 195 students over a two-day period.
The OOM will be doing an adult screening
project at the Workers’ Compensation
Board annual health day later in November.
The Saskatchewan Ophthalmic Dispensers
Association held their 2008 convention on
October 18th and 19th in Regina and the
Opticians of British Columbia (OBC) hosted
an education day that same weekend
including a special two-hour workshop on
communications and branding of the
profession. The Ontario Opticians Association
had another successful Inside Optics
conference October 5th at the Royalton
Hospitality Centre in Woodbridge. By the
time this article is published Vision Canada
will have hosted Vision Canada 2008 in
Halifax and will be starting to prepare for
the 2009 edition which will be held in
Calgary.
In conjunction with Vision Canada
2008 the OAC and the Nova Scotia
Society of Dispensing Opticians hosted an
RGP fitting lab for Maritime students
enrolled in the NAIT/OAC Advanced
Practice Contact Lens program. As fewer
and fewer opticians fit RGP lenses it has
become increasingly difficult for opticians
in training to acquire the basic fitting skills
they need. It is nevertheless extremely
important for us to retain this training as
part of our contact lens competencies. If
you are in a position in your province to
mentor a contact lens student let us know
and we’ll make sure you become
integrated into the practical training
module for a student in your area.
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Group Health Insurance is now
available for OAC members. We’ve been
searching for years for a program that would
provide good benefits at a reasonable price
and that would be available to dispensaries
with a small staff. At this editorial deadline
we don’t have details ready for publishing
but when you read this you will be able to
get all the information you need from the
OAC website (www.opticians.ca) or by calling
us at 1-800-847-3155.
Selling the Profession – How many
times have you been asked the difference
between an optician, optometrist and
ophthalmologist? How many times have you
been referred to as an obstetrician? Is it easy
to explain to consumers the importance of
consulting with a licensed professional when
making a purchase of glasses or contact
lenses?
We all have logos and perhaps mottos
that identify the places we work and the
business philosophy we practice under. But
that doesn’t define the profession itself. If
we ask members of the public what image
comes to mind when the words ‘registered
nurse’ are mentioned they would visualize
someone who is responsible for your health
and well being when you are in a hospital.
If we ask those same people what image
comes to mind when the words ‘registered
optician’ are mentioned they would likely
visualize someone who works in a retail
environment and who sells eyeglasses and
contact lenses. They wouldn’t necessarily
identify our profession with what they
consider the ‘serious’ part of vision care.
The OAC is undertaking a national
survey through Ipsos-Reid to tell us exactly
what perception consumers have of
opticians, along with what values they’re
looking for when they invest in dispensing
services. Maybe the scenario I described
above isn’t correct. Maybe the impression
you have of how our profession is viewed
isn’t accurate either. But one way or another
we need to have a true picture of the status quo
so we can shape our messages to the
public in a way that will better connect opticians
with public perception of vision health. Stay
tuned for the results of that survey.
One way that you can connect the sale
of eyeglasses and contact lenses (and thus
the profession) to healthy vision is through
your own community outreach projects.
• Speak to special interest groups like your
local Parent Association and find out if
your local schools would like someone to
give a class to primary grade students on
the importance of vision health and
properly fitted and dispensed eyeglasses
and contact lenses. If you’re not comfortable
speaking to large groups, you can arrange
for someone from your provincial
association or regulatory body to speak.
• Alberta Optician Holly Keyko and her
vision screening team from Wal-Mart
participated in a women’s health day
project and were gratified by the enthusiastic
response they had from attendees. Their
vision screening station was the most
popular working exhibit at the event. The
Ontario Opticians Association and the
College of Opticians of Ontario collaborated on an important school-screening
project, which you will read about in the
pages of this magazine under Business
Management.
• Your local pharmacy likely has a special
health day when people can get their
blood pressure checked and maybe have
a flu shot. What about having an
information station about vision care and
even provide vision-screening services?
If you need help organizing any of
these projects call the OAC office and we’ll
be happy to offer guidance.
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| Motivate yourself |
Today is a Good Day
By James W. Ahola
| Although some of life’s lessons are common and have been heard before, some are well worth repeating.
I received a bittersweet call the other day from a friend of mine. Her eldest son has taken a great job
opportunity and is moving out west. She is happy for him as he begins to spread his wings and leave her nest,
but at the same time her motherly heart breaks a little. A certain part of her family life has ended. It is at
moments like this when you reflect and remember once again that time never repeats itself. Too soon those once
mundane daily moments that we easily take for granted suddenly become precious memories that we would give
anything to relive. Whoever said time is the most precious commodity was right.
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women
merely players.
They have their exits and their
entrances;
And one man in his time plays
many parts...
William SHAKESPEARE,
"As You Like It" (1564 - 1616)
42
I am getting older, as are my
children, my parents, my work associates
and my clients. As time marches on,
relationships change. The good old
days have never come back and no
matter what, they never will. Opportunities also change. The windows of
opportunity quietly open and close as
time passes. I remember a real estate
developer once told me, “The best time
to buy a property is yesterday. If it is
still available today then today would
be the second best time.” I have heard
the same about planting trees,
launching a business, or starting a
serious relationship. Opportunities, like
everything else, do not last forever.
After getting off the phone with my
friend and reflecting on what she was
going through I considered my own life
and how time was continuing to march
on. Daily, life gives me precious
moments with family, friends, work
associates and countless others. Have I
truly appreciated these unique incidents
that life has graciously bestowed upon
me? I am afraid that I have not. I have
either been too rushed preparing for or
worrying about tomorrow or too
engrossed in the activities and regrets
of yesterday, and thus allowed many of
today’s precious moments to slip
through my fingers.
So what am I doing differently
since my friend’s call? Well, for starters,
I am embracing my wife and children
more often and for a little longer each
time; today’s hugs cannot be bought
tomorrow. I am enjoying those business
encounters a little more and seizing
opportunities as they present themselves.
I am keeping the times of anger or
disappointment to a minimum, there
are better ways to spend my few hours.
I am willing to be more vulnerable, for
the old adage “nothing ventured,
nothing gained” holds true for more
than just business. I am giving more of
myself and the best of myself and not
waiting till tomorrow to do so. I am
trying to drink in all that life is offering
while giving the best that I can. For I
have no promise of tomorrow, and I will
never get today, or even this moment,
again.
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| Optician Profile |
Sara Moshurchak
By JoAnne Sommers
| Sara Moshurchak
loves her job so much that she can’t think of anything she show, because some of the cutting edge
doesn’t like about it. The 30-year-old owner of Granville Eyeland Framemakers in designers just can’t afford to exhibit at
Vancouver is one fortunate woman indeed.
the big shows. Right now we have some
Granville Eyeland was started by happened. “Putting the financing beautiful buffalo horn frames by Klaus
Klaus Sebök, a frame maker trained in together was a real challenge,” says and others, and we really like the
Germany. Sebök has been creating his Moshurchak. “But I finally succeeded. It handmade wood frames by Herlicht from
own limited edition collection of frames helped that I knew the business very Germany. They are amazing and while
since 1965, and selling them exclusively intimately, because Klaus let me run it on they don’t go flying off the shelves every
in his own store for the past 14 years.
my own for two years with full access to day, they are perfect for people who like
something different. We don’t carry
Moshurchak originally wanted to be all the financial information. And I was
super-trendy designers but rather
able
to
hire
him
back,
so
I
continue
to
an optometrist, but after starting a
benefit
from
his
expertise.”
products that allow wearers to express
pre-optometry program at university, she
realized that opticianry was the best way
Granville Eyeland has its own lab. their creativity.”
for her to do what she enjoys. “I like the
lab work and working with my hands and
I love the sales aspect. I also like solving
problems and when customers have no
idea what they want I really enjoy
helping them figure it out. That’s when I
get down to asking a lot of questions.”
“We do all our drilling by hand and we
also offer sight testing, which, while not
a direct revenue source really enhances
the business. I like the variety of work
we do here because it keeps us flexible
and keeps our brains sharp.”
Moshurchak is clearly very well
suited to running her own business. “I’m
a bean counter and I love setting goals,
managing systems and developing action
plans. One of my current goals is to
attract a younger crowd, more my own
age. Our current clientele is generally
older but younger families are moving
After a few years of working into the downtown area and I’m curious
together the two started talking about about that segment.”
the possibility of Moshurchak buying the
In addition to Sebök’s collection, the
business. “It was wonderful to have the store has a couple of house brands. “We
opportunity to buy an existing business like to feature eyewear that customer’s
that I loved and knew so well; plus I can’t find in other locations,” says
knew the customers,” she explains. After Moshurchak. “I enjoy buying at the
seven years, the purchase finally smaller shows in Europe, like the Munich
During her optometry training,
Moshurchak met Sebök when he came
in to Douglas College’s program to
demonstrate soldering. “I was fascinated
by him and the fact that he made his
own frames, so after graduating I applied
to work with him and was hired.”
44
As vice president of the British
Columbia Opticians Association, Moshurchak
is extra-busy. What prompted her to
become involved? “Well the president,
Cindy Koszegi, called me and her passion
for the profession really spoke to me. I
want to help grow the profession and
being a member of the executive has certainly helped me in the business through
the networking opportunities. I enjoy
meeting with politicians and making our
case on the issues that impact our
livelihood and I believe that by working
together we can all be stronger and more
successful.”
Moshurchak laughs readily, especially
when trying to answer the question about
what she may not like about her profession.
She’s clearly trying hard to come up with
something, but in the end says, “I even
like the fact that we are open seven days
a week. That’s great!”
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| What’s New |
Novelties from Nikon
Nikon Optical Canada announces that
SeeMax™ Progressive 12 in 1.60 and 1.67 are
now available with Transitions® VI brown and
gray and that the 1.74, now manufactured right
here in Canada, is surfaced and coated on a full
range of products.
Modular Design
Opens a New
State of the Art
Showroom
Modular Design Systems, known for its
creativity in new office designs, renovations of existing offices and the design of
new frame dispensaries, has opened the
doors of its new state of the art showroom
on October 15th, 2008. Modular Design’s
office and showroom has been located, for
the past 14 years, at the same address: 55
Administration Road in Concord, Ontario,
and now under a brand new look.
SeeMax Progressive 12 - 1.60 Transitions
VI is available in total sphere +5.00D to -7.50D
cylinder up to -4.00D, addition +0.75 to +3.50D.
SeeMax Progressive 12 - 1.67 Transitions VI is
available in total sphere +5.00D to -10.00D
cylinder up to -4.00D, addition +0.75 to +3.50D.
Using the unique Nikon Digital Surfacing™
technology, SeeMax Progressive offers patients a
completely new and harmonious visual
experience thanks to its state-of-the-art
nanometric optical technologies that include: 3D
Customization™, 3D Optimization™ and 3D
Aberration Filter™. With SeeMax Progressive
lenses peripheral vision is 60% wider, distortion is
reduced by at least 40%, auto-focus is
instantaneous and vision is optimized via
prescription power.
SeeMax Progressive 12 Transitions VI
lenses provides UV400 protection and all the
benefits of Transitions VI Advanced Performance.
SeeMax Progressive 12 1.60 and 1.67
Transitions VI lenses are available with Nikon’s
new coating – SeeCoat, providing the world’s
highest level of scratch resistance, optimized
transparency and twice the lens durability. They
are also available in Nikon HCC ICE and HCC
coatings.
The company is also proud to announce
that 1.74 is now manufactured right here in
Canada. Yet another first, Nikon Optical Canada
is surfacing and coating 1.74 on a full range of
products. Not only will professionals benefit from
quicker delivery times but, they can also offer
patients a branded Nikon product and the
thinnest and most aesthetic plastic lens.
Nikon 1.74 lenses offers unparalleled visual
clarity, complete UV400 protection and a name
you can trust.
The Most
Precious
Among the
Precious Line
Brian Wolcovitch, spokesman for
Modular Design said “we want to reflect
our current display products and furniture
in an environment conducive to showing
prospective clients what we are capable of
delivering in terms of quality and design.”
Frank Fumagalli, president of
Modular Design adds “The new showroom
will give our client a very good idea of what
we are capable of delivering, in terms of
quality and design. We continue to
welcome visitors from all over Canada and
USA and we feel anyone who is thinking of
making any changes to their offices would
benefit from a visit to our new showroom
and resource centre”.
The Art Temple 70 model from the
Lindberg’s Precious collection has won
the Silmo d’Or award in the Luxury
category. The Precious line is highly
exclusive eyewear for the “feinschmecker”
(gourmet) who wants the very best.
Each frame is a piece of jewellery,
hand-made by Lindberg‘s goldsmiths
from 18-carat gold, platinum, mammoth
tooth, buffalo horn, and, not least,
diamonds.
Brian Wolcovitch said “because of
our niche market and to our knowledge, we
have the only facility like this, where a
prospective client can come in and see first
hand our extraordinary display system and
actually look at the cabinetry from a quality
and design aspect.”
Lindberg’s Art Temple 70 is an
artistic, organic design with no less than
18 diamonds, all meticulously mounted
by the finest craftsmen in the industry.
The diamond mounted at the extreme
end of the temple is an elegant, sophisticated addition to the design. It is visible
behind the ear when worn.
“We pride ourselves on the quality of
the products we manufacture and we can
show, firsthand the design, beauty and
versatility of the products we manufacture.”
“Our new showroom and resource
centre gives us the opportunity to walk
through the design process with our
prospective clients and show them hands on
what we can offer them as we go along.”
46
| Lindberg 2103 |
Like other Lindberg frames, Art
Temple 70 is made-to-measure, thus
providing optimum comfort for the
wearer. It comes in 18-carat solid yellow,
rose, white gold, and platinum, and the
wearer’s name is, of course, engraved on
the temple.
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| What’s New |
| Mod. Isis |
Versès Optik
Becomes
EGO Optiska Canada
Derek Lam Introduces SS09
Optical and Sunglass
Collection
New for this Spring/Summer 09 are four optical and five sun
styles all hand-crafted by one of the finest Japanese artisans
under the most strict quality standards.
Eye-catching with its distinctive Derek Lam features, modern optical and sun styles are offered in a variety of vintage inspired, round, oval, rectangular shapes and will thrill
contemporary yet fashionable women everywhere. The new
collection, distributed in Canada by Modo Eyewear, includes
also some progressive friendly shapes such as Style 217 and
107.
Both collection, offered in a variety of titanium and acetate
frames, do come in unique colour combinations like orange and
black or orange and navy just like the season’s most stylish runway tints. Details, like the rounded temples and the metal logo
plaque on the inside of the temple, confer a rich yet subtle feel.
The Derek Lam Eyewear SS09 collection will be distributed
through a tight league of selected eyewear, specialty and department stores across the world.
48
Further to a partnership agreement with its principal supplier
from Sweden, EGO Optiska AB, and to respect the international image, Versès Optik uses the name of EGO Optiska
Canada.
This partnership ensures a higher level of stability and security, offering more possibilities for exclusive agreements with customers. André Bélanger, now general manager of the enterprise,
is in charge of Canadian operations. Administratively, payments
can be made to either of the company names.
EGO specializes in Swedish trademarks and design. The company has two design teams, one established at the Stockholm head
office and the other in Padova, Italy. Its first agreement was for
the Lacoste brand in the 70’s. Today, EGO counts close to 15
brands in its portfolio. What makes them unique are the close relations established between the brand owners and EGO. This
partnership ensures that the products are developed accordingly
with the brands, making them as distinctive as possible.
EGO, a major supplier in the North of Europe, is now present
in more than 20 countries throughout Europe and Asia. It had
doubled his turnover every year since 2005 due to popular licenses
agreements, the hire of a very internationally respected design
team and the new expansion towards sunglasses.
This 45-year-old family business is now run by Ronald Gezang,
son of founder Edward Gezang (Edward Gezang Optiska). The
core value is without a doubt the friendly attitude between the
company, the owners and its clients.
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| What’s New |
Millenium Rhymes with
Swarovski
The very latest Da Vinci Roma collection, distributed in
Canada by Tek Optical, has been released. The six new
models, impeccably detailed with Swarovski crystal stones,
are part of the Millennium line.
| DV 1415 |
These crafted stainless steel models, characterized by
crystals imbedded in the frame, provide a subtle elegance
to a woman’s fashion persona.
LULU Signs Annabelle
| L488 |
Retro is hotter than ever and the wayfarer has been seen everywhere
from London to New York.
Lulu has taken this classic masculine style and made her own
feminine version for the ladies who want to wear the wayfarer but
couldn’t find the right accent to their feminine faces. The L488
“Annabelle” is more uplifting with custom designed metal Lulu Guinness
initial décor on the temples embedded into rich acetate colour temples.
This creates a brilliant new dimension to the frame giving it richness and
making it ageless.
The versatile tints have something for every type of glamour girls:
black, demi amber and clear navy.
A Canadian
in the OLA Hall of Fame
Bruce Calhoun, vice-president, Research and
Development at Riverside Opticalab, is one of the
12 industry veterans who has been honoured at
the 9th annual OLA Hall of Fame banquet. The
event has been held on November 6, the opening
day of the OLA 2008 Annual Meeting, in
Nashville, TN.
The OLA Hall of Fame began in 2000 as The
Optical Pioneers. Its purpose was to recognize
“the contributions of those who participated in the
establishment of the wholesale optical industry in
its founding years.” Over time, recognition has
progressed to persons from any era and any part
of the optical lab industry, and thus the name was
changed to the Hall of Fame. The banquet is held
each year at The OLA Annual Meeting, to bring
together optical industry people – new and
veteran – to celebrate the rich heritage of this
strong and diverse industry.
The recipient of the 2008 OLA Director’s
Choice Award, Gordon Keane, is president of
Digital Vision, a Portland-based company
specialized in automating optical laboratories.
50
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| FU 311 |
| What’s New |
New Lines for Sassy Eyewear
Sassy Eyewear has added a line and re-launched another in
their product range. While the Fusion collection stands out for its
very hip and fashionable metal frames, the Identity line embraces
a broad clientele.
The Fusion unisex models put the emphasis on shapes and
colours. All frames present an up-to-date fashionable style with
clean lines and bold colours that represent each individual’s
unique personality.
The Identity collection is divided in four categories: XL,
I-Face, Petite and Pietro Baroni. XL offers six large models,
mostly for men, while I-Face features about 30 trendy and more
fashionable frames, designed mainly for today’s women. Petite
suits children or small faces. Pietro Baroni presents 20 elegant
models for men who are looking for style.
Frames from both collections are mostly available in three
colours.
Discovery of Receptor’s Function Could Notably
Halt Blinding Diseases
An international team of researchers has discovered what promises
to be the on-off switch behind several major diseases. In the advance
online edition of today’s Nature Medicine, scientists from Sainte-Justine
Hospital Research Center, the Université de Montréal and the Institut
national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM) in France
report how the GPR91 receptor contributes to the activatation of
unchecked vascular growth, which causes vision loss in common
blinding diseases. These findings could also have wide-ranging and
positive implications for brain tissue regeneration.
While investigating the molecular mechanisms that lead to vision loss,
the research team uncovered that the GPR91 receptor can mediate
irregular vascular growth that is responsible for some of the main causes
of blindness in the industrial world: retinopathy of premature infants,
diabetic retinopathy in adults (vision loss or blindness that affects up to
90 percent of diabetics) or age-related macular degeneration in seniors
(central vision loss).
“We found that GPR91 is a master regulator of blood vessel growth,
which upon enhanced activation leads to the unchecked and anarchic
proliferation of vascular networks, which is the hallmark of retinopathies.
This uncontrolled overgrowth can ultimately cause the retina to detach
and a person to lose their sight,” says Dr. Mike Przemyslaw Sapieha, the
study’s lead author and a scientist at the Sainte-Justine Hospital
Research Center and the Université de Montréal.
“With the identification of GPR91 as a key player in this disease
process, we can move forward in designing treatments that block the
receptor and consequently stop vision loss,” adds Dr. Sapieha. “Inhibition
of GPR91 has great therapeutic potential to halt these blinding diseases.”
Hilco Introduces
it's Eyeglass Case
Collection
Classical Radiance
Viva International Group has debuted
Classical Radiance, the latest styles from the
Catherine Deneuve Lunettes collection for
fall 2008. This stunning trio includes CD 259,
CD 260 and CD 261.
Hilco eyeglass cases are about fashion,
trendy textures and colours. While its
Patent Leather & Snake collection has
subdued winter colours, its Brocade line
inspired by upscale “Toile” and Brocade
fabrics will be the splash of tints for this
winter.
A decorative Florentine pattern details the
temples and end pieces of all three of these
carefully designed metal styles. The modified
oval front shape of CD 259, a full-rimmed
model, provides an elegant look that’s
timeless. CD 260 offers a soft rectangle front
shape and CD 261 features a semi-rimless
modified oval front profile. Spring hinges and
adjustable nose pads provide extra comfort
and durability to this distinguished trio.
Eye-catching animal patterns like the
Zebra & Croc collection is stylish and very
distinctive. Hilco eyeglass cases protect
glasses and keep lenses scratch-free while
making a fashion statement.
52
These styles are currently offered in a
variety of rich metallic colours, including
purple, raspberry and satin brown.
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| Mod. 5019 |
| What’s New |
Optiq Frames Release
Optiq Frames, is launching the latest frames of the
Marylin Monroe ophthalmic and sunglass line.
The collection continues to be a popular brand with
Optiq customers who are looking for glamour style and
value. Marilyn Monroe has been an international icon since
the 50’s and continues to enjoy great popularity among
women of all ages.
The Marylin Monroe collection is chic and elegant, and
marked by design elements featuring an edgy, subtle and
vintage spirit. The line of 21 ophthalmic styles and 2 Rx’able
sunglasses shows refined glamour and style with models that
are extremely varied and always echo Marylin herself.
The ophthalmic collection features the latest styles and
temple treatments while keeping a classic feel that appeals to
fashionistas of all ages.
The team’s study also provides promise that the GPR91 receptor could
preserve neurons. “Neurons are key sensors in retina oxygenation and serve as
key players in the repair process of the retina,” explains Dr. Sylvain Chemtob,
director of the study and a neonatal researcher at the Sainte-Justine Hospital
Research Center and professor at the Université de Montréal’s Department of
Pediatrics, Ophthalmology, Pharmacology and the School of Optometry.
“Given the similarities between the retina and the brain, we can envision
applying our findings in the retina to the brain,” says Dr. Chemtob. “Activation
of the GPR91 receptor could be beneficial in helping salvage neurons in damaged
brain tissue in stroke or head injury victims.”
| CD 259, 260 and 261 |
Moreover, it is conceivable that interfering with the GPR91 receptor could be
used to stop cancer growth, notes Dr. Sapieha. “If you stop GPR91 from
allowing blood vessels to expand and supply a tumour with nutrients and
oxygen, one can significantly hamper growth of the cancer.”
53
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Page 54
| What’s New |
How to Become Essential
ProDesign has recently launched a new
collection, Essential, for those who want to
distinguish themselves. This line consists of
modern titanium frames of a classic design
with a pronounced vintage reference.
By using the latest technology to create
delicate carvings on the edges of the rim
and temples, the frame features a continuous
pattern within a pattern in contrasting
colours. Additionally, the designers have
created a surprising wow-effect when you
look at the frames from different angles.
Seen from front; however, nothing disturbs
the harmonious interaction between the
frame and the face. Discreet, chic and
surprising at the same time, this collection
gives the wearer a distinct energetic and
efficient look.
Transitions Optical Launches the Healthy Sight Institute
| Mod. 1359 |
Transitions Optical unveiled the Healthy
Sight Institute during the SILMO, announcing
this educational and learning resource for
health and vision care professionals worldwide.
Supported by Transitions Optical, the Healthy
Sight Institute is guided by a Global Steering
Committee of more than 25 health and eye care
professionals – such as Mary Field, associate
editor of Vision Magazine – and is dedicated to
the protection and preservation of healthy sight
for all people.
In its first phase, the Healthy Sight Institute
will serve as a dynamic knowledge center for
professionals in the form of an online resource
center (www.healthysightinstitute.org), making
available a comprehensive range of preventive
eye health and vision care information and
resources. The site will be a rich source of
clinical updates and publications, professional
education courses and public education tools.
Drawing on the expertise of its geographically
diverse and multidisciplinary Steering Committee
(professionals from U.S., Canada, England,
India, France, Colombia, Tunisia, Italy, Brazil,
Mexico, South Africa, Switzerland and China),
the Healthy Sight Institute Web site will also
provide a forum for education and collaboration
among health and vision care professionals,
optical industry leaders, policy makers, and the
public for a wider understanding of proactive
and preventive eye care choices.
In addition to the Web site, the Healthy Sight
Institute will develop specific initiatives to
address issues that impact vision and healthy
sight. Initially, the Healthy Sight Institute will
address issues facing women and children, a
higher-risk group for eye health.
“Our hope for the Healthy Sight Institute is
that it will serve as a valuable forum for delivering
education and promoting collaboration in the
quest to elevate the importance of vision
enhancement and protection, giving vision care
the attention it deserves as a critical global
health issue,” said Bette Zaret, senior vice president of global marketing, Transitions Optical.
“That’s why Transitions Optical is supporting
this endeavor, and has played an important first
step in bringing together this group of esteemed
health care and vision care professionals from
around the world to share their expertise and to
hopefully drive positive change.”
HOYA Canada Expands
Strong growth at HOYA Canada makes it necessary to expand and reorganize the sales department. The company
has established a new regional structure by creating an eastern region, inclusive of Ontario, Atlantic Canada and
Manitoba. New sales positions, including Southwestern Ontario and Southern Alberta have also been created and
filled.
Maria Henderson is appointed as regional manager for the new East region. Mark Ritter, previously with a
leading frame manufacturer, is appointed as SW Ontario territory manager. Alison Meating, previously with a
leading optometric account, will fill the Southern Alberta position. The HOYA GTA territory vacancy is still
pending.
"It is gratifying that even in today's uncertain economic climate HOYA Canada continues to have tremendous
sales growth due to its outstanding "value" positioning. Sales expansion leads to creation of growth opportunities
for our people and the advisability to bring fresh outside talent into the HOYA family", said David Pietrobon,
president of HOYA Canada.
54
13/11/08
09:00
Page 55
| BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITY |
Excellent opportunity. Newly
renovated optical store in
rapidly growing Red Deer,
Alberta. Downtown location
with 2 ophthalmologists in
the building. Eyelogic and lab
on premise. For more information, call (403) 346-1522.
Price is negotiable.
________________________
Expand or start your own
optical business! 20 minutes
west of downtown Toronto!
19 years established dispensary in busy medical building.
Turnkey operation in a top
level location with great
street level exposure. Over
9300+ patients in our database, and two doctors who
come in for eye exams.
2007 net profit 175K, selling
price is $135K;
dispensary4sale@hotmail.com.
________________________
Great
Opportunity.
Well
established optical store in
the Metro Vancouver area for
sale. Approx 18 years , same
location , excellent clientele
base. Finishing lab, contact
lenses. Eyelogic equipment
on premise as well. Call
(604) 583-6155 or e-mail
Includes inventory, furniture,
files, slit lamp, keratometer,
chair, projector & older
edging equipment. Located in
professional building with 2
Ophthalmologists down the
hall. I will also consider
partnership with OD or will
run office if needed. Selling
due to health problems.
$ 45,000.00 firm. Call
(604) 530-6155 or e-mail
eastleigh_optical@live.ca.
________________________
| EMPLOYMENT |
Are you a licensed Optician/
Contact Lens Fitter with
management experience? Are
you able to supervise staff in
a busy environment and
motivate them to sell? Are
you organized and able to
multi-task? Are you looking
for a position where you are
compensated for doing a
great job? Do you want to live
and play in the Okanagan? If
you answered yes to all of
the above, our busy optical in
Kelowna needs you! Please
e-mail your résumé (and
include
references)
to
eyeglassokanagan@hotmail.com
or fax to (250) 712-0270.
________________________
bg.westcoastoptical@yahoo.ca.
________________________
Optical Business for Sale:
5 years optical business for
sale in Richmond, B.C. Inside
shopping Mall (Alberdeen
Center). Good business and
traffic, beside food court.
Please contact Magie at
(604) 562-9181.
________________________
Optometry/Optical Dispensary
for sale in growing area of
Langley, BC. Established
business that has been an a
successful optometry office in
the past and dispensary.
Attention optometrists! Full or
part time associate required for
busy practice in Bowmanville
Ontario. Great opportunities
with above-average remuneration. Please fax résumé to
(905) 623-4583 or e-mail
raynerj@xplornet.com.
________________________
Brand new Mississauga
Optometry office is looking
for two experienced, motivated
individuals to work in our
dispensary and our front desk
or one who is comfortable
doing both. Ideal candidates
have sales experience in an
optometrist office or optical
store who are comfortable
dispensing. Excellent opportunity to get involved in a
modern new office from the
start. If interested please
résumé
to
e-mail
gill_optom@yahoo.ca.
________________________
Georges et Phina, distributor
of award winning eyewear is
seeking dynamic full time
sales reps for the following
territories
:
BC/Alberta,
Saskatchewan/Manitoba and
Ontario (from East of Yonge
in Toronto to Ottawa). All
applicants must have 10 years
experience in sales within the
optical industry, a track
record of reliability, excellent
customer service, and proven
sales results. Georges et
Phina offers you the potential
for growth with it’s winning
collections, an excellent
support structure, product
and sales training and a
high
earning
potential.
Please forward C.V. to :
johanne@georgesetphina.com.
________________________
Image Optical Brampton in
northeast Brampton (Airport
and Bovaird) is looking for a
licensed optician immediately.
Full time positions only.
Excellent pay and benefits.
Flexible schedule. Minimum 1
year experience with eyeglasses and contact lenses.
Reply with résumé by fax
(905) 494-0411 or e-mail
parmdhillon@hotmail.com.
________________________
LASIK MD is Canada's leader
in laser vision correction. Our
organization is proud to be
one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies in 2007. We
have 22 clinics across Canada
and the United States. LASIK
MD in Montreal, Laval,
Brossard,
Quebec
and
Sherbrooke
is
currently
searching for Optometrists
and Opticians (full-time and
part-time). Generous remuneration will be offered to
suitable candidates. If you are
interested in working in the
exciting field of refractive surgery, please send your
résumé to Geneviève Pilon at
hrresumes@lasikmd.com or
by fax to: (514) 904-1199.
Please indicate reference #
QODOP03 in the subject of
your job application.
________________________
LASIK MD is the leading
provider of laser vision
correction in Canada. Our
organization is proud to have
been named one of the 50
Best Managed Companies in
Canada. We are happy to
announce the opening of our
21st location in Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan
and
are
searching
for
currently
Opticians, (full time and part
time). Generous remuneration
will be offered to suitable
candidates. If you are looking
for a meaningful career within
a challenging, and rewarding
work environment, please
send
your
résumé
to
Genevieve
Pilon
at
by fax at: (514) 904-1199.
Please indicate reference
#SASOP04 in the subject of
________________________
LASIK MD is the leading
provider of laser vision
correction in Canada. Our
organization is proud to have
been named one of the 50
Best Managed Companies in
Canada. We are happy to
announce the opening of our
22nd location in Waterloo,
Ontario and are currently
searching for Opticians, (full
time and part time). Generous
remuneration will be offered
to suitable candidates. If you
are looking for a meaningful
career within a challenging,
and rewarding work environment, please send your
résumé to Genevieve Pilon at
by fax at: (514) 904-1199.
Please indicate reference
# WKOOP09 in the subject of
________________________
| classified ads |
_vis11-8:8
Marcolin Canada is hiring
Sales Representatives in the
territory of Canada, carrying
the following brands : Tom
Ford, Roberto Cavalli, Just
Cavalli, Mont Blanc, Ferrari,
Miss Sixty. Optical experience
is necessary. For inquiries,
please call (877) 393-5665,
fax (866) 672-3932 or e-mail
marcolincanada@aol.com.
________________________
Oshawa, Ontario. Optometry
office requires an optician or
student optician for professional optometry office /
optical store. Modern office,
friendly staff, positive work
environment. Base rate is
$12-15/hour and $16-25/hour
with supervisory responsibilities. Remuneration will be
based on experience. Fax
résumé in confidence to
(905) 434-7904, or e-mail:
izesight@yahoo.ca.
________________________
Sales professional for the
province of British Columbia,
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and
the province of Quebec.
Salary, commission and
expenses. To carry both the
Alternative Eyewear and Plan
B Eyewear collections. Your
Inquiry will be held in the
highest confidence. Please
contact Paul Storace at
(888)
399-7742
or
Pstorace@alternativeeyes.com.
________________________
VISION +
$499.00
Comprehensive software at a reasonable price.
Point-of-Sale Software, Inventory Control, Automatic order pricing,
Patient Invoicing, Marketing Tools, Sales Reports, Demographics
Ability to submit orders electronically to various labs
(519) 749-0374
MSF Computing Inc.
www.visionplus.cc
55
| classified ads |
_vis11-8:8
13/11/08
09:04
Page 56
✍ | PLEASE NOTE |
__________________________
________________________
__________________________
| EQUIPMENT |
Sales professional needed Calgary, Alberta - Eyelogic
Systems Inc. is seeking a
Client Sales Representative
to grow the optician market
across Canada. Competitive
salary, commission, and
benefits. Highly motivated
individuals possessing
excellent inter-personal and
organization skills should fax
résumés to (403) 264-9740 or
e-mail murphyd@eyelogic.com.
________________________
Our classified ad section is a free
service for all optical practitioners,
in the canadian optical industry.
All submitted classified ads will be
included on the Breton
Communications Web site :
www.bretoncom.com/classified
PLEASE SEND YOUR CLASSIFIED AD
BEFORE
DECEMBER 18TH, 2008 TO:
c/o Vision Magazine
Breton Communications Inc.
495 St-Martin Blvd. West, #202
Laval, Quebec H7M 1Y9
Fax: (450) 629-6044
E-mail: lauren@bretoncom.com
|Advertisers Index|
20/20 Marketing _________27
Allergan ________________11
Bausch & Lomb__________15
Blanchard Laboratories ____9
briot/Weco ______________49
Canadian Optical
Supply Co. __________37, 53
Centennial _____________39
Chantilli _________________6
CIBA Vision _______________
__________Inside Back Cover
CooperVision ______13, 31, 51
DeluxEyewear____False Cover
Sales Representatives Required:
Optika Eyewear, Canada’s
leader in high fashion,
quality eyewear, known for
Soho, Mizyake, and Oscar de
La Renta eyewear is seeking
experienced sales representatives for Ontario. Candidates must be highly
motivated and have strong
within
the
connections
optical industry. Compensation packages are excellent.
Agents are welcome to apply.
Please fax résumé to
(514) 334-0354 or e-mail at
richardj@bellnet.ca or visit
www.optikaeyewear.com.
Jai Kudo ________________20
JF Rey__________________43
Johnson & Johnson________7
KIO Yamato _____________33
Luxottica __Inside Front Cover
Mezmereyes ____________26
Mido ___________________17
Modular Design __________21
Nikon Optical Canada_____19
OAC ___________________45
Opal Optical ____________48
Plan “B” Eyewear _Back Cover
Ronor __________________25
The Optical Group _______50
Topcon Canada __________32
VCOS __________________38
Venus Eye Design _________5
Viva International Group __47
Wescan ___________3, 28, 29
Zig Eyewear _____________41
Sales Representatives
Required – Tek Canada
Optical is seeking
experienced sales
representatives to sell
Internationally recognized Da Vinci Roma
Eyewear, Spicy Eyes by
Da Vinci and other
company products in
Canada.
You
may
review our web site at
www.tekoptical.com for
further information on
our company and
products. Agents are
welcome to apply.
Please fax résumé to
(519) 652-5008 or e-mail
to sales@tekoptical.com.
Sales Representative Wanted An Ontario based distributor
of fashion forward competitively priced frames requires
a highly motivated sales
person to manage customer
relations with our existing
customers, develop the area
of Northern and Western
Ontario. We guarantee a
salary,
high
minimum
commission and travelling
allowance. Please e-mail your
résumé to
emagencies@rogers.com.
________________________
Sears Optical is looking for
fantastic opticians for Ottawa
and Belleville, Ontario. If you
have a passion for customer
service, teamwork, attentive
to detail and having fun you
are the persons we are looking for. Interested candidates
can fax their résumé to
(513) 492-5240 or e-mail to
kseeney@luxotticaretail.com.
________________________
Spectacle has expanded
to a third location. We are
currently
looking
for
professional, career driven
opticians to join our growing
team at both our uptown &
downtown locations. Enjoy
helping upscale clientele,
flexible hours, excellent pay
all within a fun, friendly team
oriented environment. Please
forward résumés (Opticians
position in the subject line)
to jag@spectacle-eyewear.com
or fax to (416) 603-7284.
________________________
Toronto, Ontario. Optometry
Office. A new, full-scope
optometric practice in midToronto requires a pleasant,
outgoing Optical Dispenser.
Please call (416) 305-6467.
________________________
Are you opening a new
store? if you are, then I have
some beautiful wooden
cabinet displays available.
There are eight units available - like new. These units
have solid wooden bases
with rods attached to them
and lights on the top part.
The base part is a two-door
cabinet that opens to some
cupboards. The price per unit
is $2,500 each but all eight
pieces are available for
$9,000. Pictures are available.
e-mail
me
at
Please
arttykoch@hotmail.com or
call Arthur Kochberg at (416)
633-9365 or (416) 529-0336.
________________________
Auto Refractor. Nikon Speed1
Auto Refractor for immediate
sale. Made in Japan. Looks
like new. Seldom to use.
$5,000. Call Michael or Leo
(604) 439-7868 or e-mail:
graceeyewear@hotmail.com.
________________________
Brand new OD Equipment for
sale:
• Reichert Advantage Chair
• Reichert Illuminated Diale
Phoropter with cyl
• XCEL 250 Slitlamp
• SifiMAV Vision Tester
• Trial lens Set in Case
• Universal Trail Frame
• Perkin II Applan Tonometer
• Indirect Ophthalmoscope
head set
• Examiner Stool with backseat
• Guiden BV15 B16 Prism
Bar Set
• Huvitz Autolensmeter
• Reichert RK 600 AutoRefractor / Keratometer
Call (778) 389-3937 or e-mail
S_winterz@yahoo.com.
I can send you pictures if
interested.
________________________
Equipment for sale: Pre-Owned
Essilor Gamma Patternless
Edger and Tracer/Blocker for
sale very good condition
$10,500 or best offer. Pictures
available. Contact: Matt at
opteva@optevaweb.com.
________________________
For sale: three pieces of
quality equipment for one
low price, all in excellent
working condition. A Nikon
NR-5100 autorefractor with a
printout for the findings; a
B&L keratometer which is a
work horse and will last for
years; a Topcon minus
cylinder phoropter which
easily fits on a stand. All this
equipment for $6,000. Pictures
available. Please e-mail me
at arttykoch@hotmail.com or
call Arthur Kochberg at (416)
633-9365 or (416) 529-0336.
Price is too high? Let's talk.
________________________
For sale: B&L Keratometer,
SER No: GH4261 white colour,
good condition. Asking for
$600 O.B.O. Please call
Patrick at Eye Shades Optical
(604) 438-8788 or e-mail
eye-shades-optical@hotmail.com.
________________________
Slitlamp for sale: Older
model but in good working
condition comes with height
adjustable table. Asking
$500 CND or B/O, you have
to pick up in St. Catherines,
ON. Call Ramsey at (905)
641-5288.
________________________
OPTICIANS ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
To become a member of the Opticians Association of Canada and take
advantage of its many membership benefits please call
1-800-847-3155 • canada@opticians.ca
OPTICIANS ASSOCIATION OF CANADA : 2706-83 Garry Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 4J9 • www.opticians.ca
56
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advertisement - Opticians Association of Canada

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