Fall 2011 - College of Opticians of Alberta

Filling
in the
Blanks
FALL
2011
Monitoring Ocular Hypertensive Patients: 1 EC credit
Renewals 2012
Ethics for Opticians
Privacy Breaches
Going Pink!
National Campaign
a newsletter of the College of Opticians of Alberta
iss. 081 - October
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6-1731 Ross Ave E
Regina, Saskatchewan
S4N 7K2
Canada
PHONE
(306) 775-2355
FAX
(306) 522-0586
WEB SITE www.optiksinternational.ca
September, 2011
As part of a larger corporation based out of Regina, Saskatchewan, Optiks
International is possibly the fastest growing optical company in Western Canada. In
addition to ten regular dispensaries, we operate five of the largest retail optical
dispensaries in Canada today.
We have a unique approach to marketing eyewear that will interest those licensed
opticians with a desire to be the best there is. If you enjoy a fast paced work day in a
modern environment, with thousands of frames on display, backed up with full
optometric assistance and on site edging, then we would like to be talking to you.
We offer competitive salaries and full health and dental benefits. The hours of
operation are extended retail hours and weekends.
We have opportunities in Calgary for three more licensed opticians one part time
optometric receptionist and two students. To arrange for an interview, interested
parties should send their resumes and particulars to:
Paul Johnson VP Operations at:
pjohnson.factoryoptical@sasktel.net
or call my direct line at 306-775-2355 ext 2.
2
Council Meeting Dates
November 21, 2011
January 23, 2012
April 16, 2012 (Edmonton)
May 6, 2012 (AGM)
June 4, 2012
COLLEGE OF OPTICIANS OF ALBERTA
201, 2528 Ellwood Dr SW
Phone: (780) 429-2694
Fax: (780) 426-5576
Toll Free Phone: 1-800-263-6026
Toll Free Fax: 1-800-584-6896
British Columbia
May 25, 2012
Sept 28-30, 2012
Ontario
October 21-23, 2011
April 20-22, 2012
Oct 19-21, 2012
Saskatchewan
June 2-3, 2012
New Brunswick
Nov 3-4, 2012
Nova Scotia
November 5-6, 2011
June 9-10, 2012
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Vice President
Rick Miller
Reports
President
Maureen’s Desk
Notepad
Page 4
Page 14
Page 21
Infection Control
Page 5
Renewals 2012
Page 6
&ODVVL¿HGV Going Pink!
Director, Accreditation/Registration
Lyle Olsen
Director, Finance and Audit
Mel Findell
Director, Communications
Charlotte Kessler
Director, Government Liaison
Scott Smith
Page 8
Monitoring Oculer
Page 10
Hypertensive Patients
Manitoba
November 19-20, 2011
June 9-10, 2012
November 17-18, 2012
website: www.opticians.ab.ca
President
David McGowan
NACOR
Practical Examination
Schedule
Alberta
Feb 4-5, 2012
June 22-24, 2012
e-mail: coa@opticians.ab.ca
Director, Practice Audits
Mary-Lynne Wagener
Director, Member Services
Nola Hornung
Page 12
Code of Ethics
Page 15
Privacy
Page 16
National Awareness
Page 18
ADVERTISING
The Eighth Line is published four times a year. Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. We
charge for the employment opportunities, or used equipment for sale. Exempt are
continuing education lectures that are hosted by the COA and articles from members
and associates as well as seeking employment ads. THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION
IS TWO WEEKS BEFORE PRINT and the rates are as follows:
Full page $350.00
Half page $175.00
Quarter page $87.50
Business card $45.00
Full Page Back Page $400.00
All submissions must be typed and accompanied by a cheque payable to the COA.
If the advertisement is greater than 150 words in length, includes a photograph, table
graph chart or logo, or has special instructions, it should be submitted on disk. We
use InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator as well as Microsoft Word 2003, Access and
Excel.
Director, Registration
Anthony Chan
Public Members
Judy Hierlihy
Dr. Sibylla Lane
Pam Crosby
Executive Director/Registrar
Maureen Hussey
Regulatory Standards Director
Belinda Swann
Executive Assistant
Kristie Gross
Registration Administrator
Lynda Willey
Administrative Assistant
Kristina Glover
Accounting Administrator
Zaneta Ilievska
The deadline for submission of Advertising for the next issue of the Eighth Line is
DECEMBER 15, 2011
3
here. We also saw a fair amount of regular and online
advertisements especially for contact lenses, including the
in flight magazine.
Wow what great fall
weather
we
have
apparently had. I say
apparently
because
I just returned from
my chilly vacation to
Europe so I missed
most of the lovely late
September
weather
here at home. While
away I made some
observations and want to share some of my thoughts with
you. My wife and I are both Opticians and we usually
stop in and have a look around an optical store or two
while on holiday, this year was no different. However,
the number we visited was many more this year than in
the past as I managed to run over her Serengeti sunglasses,
fortunately she wasn’t wearing them at the time! It was of
course my fault that they were destroyed and had nothing
to do with her throwing them under the front wheel of
the rental car. (Hopefully she won’t read this article)
As I said, we have been fortunate to visit several countries
in Europe and these are my observations. There seems
to be a lot of Optician/optical stores and they all label
themselves as Opticians. Europeans in particular know
what an Optician is and does, while an Optometrist is
a relatively new phenomenon, a refracting Optician
is more the norm. The optical outlets are advertised as
Boots Opticians, Spec Savers Opticians or Hussey and
Jeffries Opticians est. 1864. (As you can see from the
references the sunglasses were broken while in Britain)
So while out shopping we would stop into various optical
locations in our quest for sunglasses. We noted that the
prices were a bit more expensive over there which meant
that it would cost them a fair bit more of their income
to purchase eyewear as compared to Canada. However,
in most European countries particularly France, Spain
and Italy their culture encourages the expectation that
you replace your glasses every year because they are a
fashion accessory. Also noted was the sale of contact
lenses that indicated that the price for the yearly supply
also included your follow up care. Now we looked for
both sunglasses and regular prescription frames. The
brand names were the same as we get over here with the
exception of what was obviously their house brand and
the styles were all somewhat similar to what is available
4
The thoughts that I had regarding these observations
were this... if we all tagged our businesses with “fill in the
blank Opticians” would this raise the profile of Opticians
in the collective conscious of Canadian consumers? Is
the internet sale of optical product inherently bad for
Opticians? If somebody buys multiple pairs of eyeglasses
from the internet is that lost sales to Opticians or a
future multiple pair sale to us because that is what the
consumer expects to do? Is buying contact lenses online a
bad thing if the consumer buys more lenses and replaces
them more frequently? (We’ve all had the three month
supply guy who buys them every year like clockwork) As
a professional you can always charge for your chair time.
These are just some issues to ponder and look at with a
different perspective than perhaps we normally would
which is something travel allows us to do. We are able
to see the accepted or routine of our lives in an entirely
different light. So what could be the future of Opticianary
be for us in this country?
I don’t have actual figures but see if you can reconcile this
information with what you know or have observed. We
do not graduate enough Ophthalmologists in Canada to
deal with the aging population and the eye conditions
that come with it. Medically necessary cataract, lid lifts,
retinal, macular, glaucoma and refractive surgery is on the
increase. With this comes the required pre and often long
term post op care these patients need. So who is going
to share this burden, other MD’s? Doubtful as the news
keeps telling us how hard it is to find a GP. The most likely
progression would be Optometrists. They have gradually
been expanding their scope of practice and in some
instances working in conjunction with Ophthalmologists
so they can bill the government under ophthalmological
billing codes. So with these added responsibilities would
the public’s access to eye exams become more difficult?
Who would now fill this gap? The ready remedy for this
would of course be Opticians! We are highly educated
professionals able to take on refracting like our European
counterparts. Never you think? As been witnessed in
British Columbia, all it takes is a government that is
willing to explore options that would benefit the public
with greater access to professionals. So I challenge you
to think outside of the box we place ourselves in, look
beyond our borders and imagine the possibilities of what
Opticianary could be.
Respectfully yours,
David McGowan, RO, RCLP
COA President
ACHOOOO– GESUNDHEIT-BLESS YOU
It shall be the IDEAL, the RESOLVE, and the DUTY of
each Optician to act in accordance with the principles. Ethic
#8: To be diligent in application of the standards of infection
prevention and control. We need to guard with special
attention, for our patients. There have been some big debates
about hand washing and hand sanitizers.
HANDWASHING 101:
As adults, we wash out hands every day, but we may never
have been taught how to do it thoroughly enough to remove
germs effectively. Here’s how:
1. Wet your hands and apply liquid or clean bar soap.
Keep bar soap on a rack to allow it to drain.
2. Rub your hands vigorously together and scrub all
surfaces, especially around nails and cuticles.
3. Continue for 20 to 30 seconds.
4. Rinse well and dry your hands, using a paper towel
to turn off the tap.
5. Use the paper towel to open the bathroom
door and turn off the lights when you leave.
HAND SANITIZER:
1. Apply sanitizer (minimum 60% alcohol-based).
2. Rub hands together.
3. Work sanitizer between fingers and back of nails,
fingertips and under nails.
4. Rub hands until dry.
Colds and flu are contagious even before symptoms are
evident. Respiratory etiquette is always appropriate, but
it’s particularly important when you are sick. Make a habit
of the following in order to protect others from catching
your illness.
1. Cover your nose and mouth when sneezing or
coughing. If you don’t have a tissue, sneeze or
cough into your upper arm, rather than your
hand.
2. Throw away tissues after coughing or wiping
your nose.
3. Wash your hands after coughing, sneezing, or using tissues. Soap and water is best, but you can
also use waterless hand sanitizers when soap and
water are not available.
4. Keep your fingers away from your eyes, nose, and
mouth.
These are reminders only and I am sure we are all aware
to stay home when ill as not to infect anyone else around
our work environment, including our patients. We also
need to disinfect equipment between patients including
pupilometers, tools and even marking pens. The flu virus
can live on your hands for five (5) minutes and can live
on doorknobs for 1 – 2 days according to Alberta Health
and Wellness. Alberta Health and Wellness, University
of Alberta- Health Info. University of Toronto- Hand
washing.www.research.utoronto.ca
“I saved just for being a member of my professional association.”
– Bob Raposo, client since 2002
Insurance program endorsed by
At TD Insurance Meloche Monnex, we know how important it is to save wherever
you can. As a member of the College of Opticians of Alberta, you can enjoy
preferred group rates and other exclusive privileges, thanks to our partnership
with your association. You’ll also benefit from great coverage and outstanding
service. At TD Insurance, we believe in making insurance easy to understand so
you can choose your coverage with confidence.
YOU COULD
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OR $30,000 IN CASH!*
Get an online quote at
www.melochemonnex.com/abopticians
or call 1-866-269-1371
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The TD Insurance Meloche Monnex home and auto insurance program is underwritten by SECURITY NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY. The program is distributed by Meloche Monnex Insurance and Financial Services Inc. in Quebec and by
Meloche Monnex Financial Services Inc. in the rest of Canada.
Due to provincial legislation, our auto insurance program is not offered in British Columbia, Manitoba or Saskatchewan.
*No purchase required. Contest ends on January 13, 2012. Each winner may choose the prize, a 2011 MINI Cooper Classic (including applicable taxes, preparation and transportation fees) for a total value of $28,500, or a cash amount of $30,000
Canadian. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. Skill-testing question required. Contest organized jointly with Primmum Insurance Company and open to members, employees and other eligible persons belonging to all
employer groups, professional groups and alumni groups which have an agreement with and are entitled to group rates from the organizers. Complete contest rules and eligibility criteria available at www.melochemonnex.com. Actual prize may differ
from picture shown. MINI Cooper is a trade-mark, used under license, of BMW AG, which is not a participant in or a sponsor of this promotion.
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The TD logo and other trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank or a wholly-owned subsidiary, in Canada and/or other countries.
5
Renewals 2011
Renewals were mailed out the 1st week of September.
As we move into fall there are just a few reminders:
1. Take advantage of the Membership Lottery
EARLY BIRD Payment before October 31,
2011 & there will be 3 potential prizes for
early registration:
1st Prize–One year Eyeglass fees value @
$657.75
2nd Prize-Half year Eyeglass fees value @
$328.88
3rd Prize-Cash credit for continuing
education of your choice in Alberta value
$150.00
2. Not only is your membership dues tax
deductible, but so are receipts for continuing
education don’t lose your receipts. We will
be charging $10.00 for duplicates this year.
3. If you wish not to be a member of the
Opticians Association of Canada (OAC)
please indicate by checking off the box on the
renewal form.
4. On your renewal form there is a check
box if you want your name included in the
membership roster that will be published on
the website. If you miss checking this box
we will assume that you want your name and
business information published.
5. In your renewal package we included the
2012 Renewal Check List, so please ensure all
documents are completed or they will be sent
back
6. Undertaking form is for Non-Practicing
members only. If you are changing your
Status before January 1, 2011 or after please
note the exact date on the Renewal Form.
7. Non-Practicing members still have to fill out
the Undertaking form.
Lynda Willey, Registration Administrator
their employees. So if your Company pays
for your insurance just note it on the renewal
form and it will be checked when you send it
in.
9. If you are buying Errors and Omission
Liability Insurance through OAC, please
send the application directly to their office
and note on your renewal form that you have
done so with a copy attached to your renewal
and write COPY on it.
10. If you are faxing in your Renewal or any
other information to the COA PLEASE
CALL THE OFFICE 10 minutes after you
send it, to confirm that we have received your
fax.
11. If you have credits missing on your record
please send them in so we can add them to
your Continuing Education Report and/or
the corrections.
12. We have the on-line renewal registration up
and running for the 2012 Renewals…take
advantage of this quick and easy option.
13. If you send your renewal in the last 2 weeks
of November, expect to wait up to 3 weeks
to receive your receipt and certificate. Also,
please note that we do not fax renewal receipts at
this busy time of the year.
New Members & New Students
I would like to start up an Announcements Column
in our 8th Line Newsletter, (accomplishments,
marriage, birth, death, etc.). So our Opticians and
Students can be informed, unified and involved.
I know everyone shares pride and confidence
in who you are and what you do. So I would
really appreciate any positive response from our
membership. Please contact me at the office.
Welcome New Members & Students
8. We have an Errors and Omission Liability
Insurance Companies list, which insures
6
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all
Renewals 2011
of our new members and Students to the College of
Opticians of Alberta. You all have really worked so
hard to get to where you are today. I have talked to
a number of new members and found that all of you
are really conscientious, polite and friendly on the
phone. I look forward to working with you in the
future and meeting you at our next Annual General
Meeting in Red Deer May 6, 2012.
I know it must be a bit confusing for some of you
because for instance, there is NAIT, COA, OAC,
NACOR and who does what right? Have no fear
please do call me if you have any questions or
concerns whatsoever, I am here for you!
Lynda Willey, Registration Administrator
HEALTH & WELLNESS KORNER
“WHAT DOES AUTUMN MEAN TO YOU?”
Fall is here and the weather has been awesome wouldn’t
you say? Autumn can be so nice with all the pretty colors
of the trees and fallen leaves.
A – All of us
U – Unified
T – To become
U – Useful
M – Masterful in
N – Nurturing ourselves and others that
come into our lives
REGARDING YOUR CERTIFICATES
x Please ensure that your certificate is placed
on the wall visible to the Public.
x Also, if you don’t like your picture, feel free
to send in another new one. I would be more
than happy to make you a new certificate
with no extra charge to you.
7
Eyecare Group
ds
e
i
f
i
s
s
Cla
Required: Optician or Student Optician. Duties: Administrative,
pre-testing, frame consulting, ordering lenses, customer relations.
Qualifications Required: Please attach a picture of yourself with
resume and available start date. Additional Information: Computer
work, recall system, and telephone. Contact: Alicia Forbes,
Eyecare Group, 10724-82 Ave, Edmonton, AB T6E 6P4, Ph: (780)
439-2020 Fax:(780) 437-1930 Email: alicia@eyecaregroup.ca
Website: eyecaregroup.ca
Date of Posting: August 15, 2011
Downtown Vision Care
Required: Optician / Contact Lens Practitioner. Duties:
Optical Dispensing, management skills. Edging, experience
with drill mounts rimless frames, contact lens fitting and
dispensing eyeglasses. Additional Information: Do you want
your evenings and weekends off? Do you want to work with
an upbeat downtown clientele? Do you want to work with a
team of progressive Optometrists and Opticians? Do you
want to have fun at work with your fellow colleagues? If so,
Downtown Vision Care wants you to join our team. Contact:
Dr. Ken Gellatly, Downtown Vision Care, 205-300-5 Ave SW
Calgary, AB T2P 3C4 Ph: (403) 262-5012 Fax: (403) 266-5800
Email:kengellatly@hotmail.com
Website: www.downtownvisioncare.com
Date of Posting: September 26, 2011
Dr. Milton
Required: Optician Qualifications Required: Optician and
Student Opticians welcome. Additional Information: This
position is for five days a week, two Saturdays a month till 3
p.m. no Sundays and one late night on Wednesday. Contact:
Gail, Dr. W.G. Milton, 6135-28 Ave, Edmonton, AB Ph: 780-4628209 Fax: (780) 463-1107
Date of Posting: September 21, 2011
Thompson Optics Ltd.
Required: Licensed Optician. Additional Information: We
look forward to meeting someone who excels in
customer services, has the ability to work as a team player
to ensure the overall success of our dispensary. If you
special skills such as the ability to organize, prioritize,
problem solve and work under limited supervision we
would really like to meet you. We offer excellent company
benefits and a competitive starting wage. Please submit
resume to: Attn: Cathy Mills, Thompson Optics Ltd,
11303-104 Ave, Edmonton, AB T5K 2S1 Ph: (780) 425-5367
Fax: (780) 425-5417 Email: cathy@thompsonoptics.com
Website: www.thompsonoptics.com
Date of Posting: October 3, 2011
8
Health Plus Optometry
Required: Licensed Optician or Student. Duties: To wow our patients with
excellent frame selection and dispensing. Additional Information: Multidoctor optometry practice seeking a dynamic Optician to grow our
progressive and well established business. We offer excellent benefits, work
hours and educational opportunities. go our website to learn more about
us. Contact: Colleen Van Dam, 215, 290 Midpark Way Calgary , AB T2X 1P1,
Ph: 403-256-0606 Fax: 403-254-2800 Email: colleen.vandam@gmail.com
Website: www.myvisioncalgary.com
Date of Posting: August 12, 2011
Luxottica (Lenscrafters)
Required: Optician. Lenscrafters is seeking Opticians who share our Vision
of "Being the Best at Helping the World See" Being an Optician at
LensCrafters means:
s
Delighting customers with right frame and lens choices
s
Becoming educated and applying expertise in every interaction
with customers and associates
s
Providing leading technology to your customers
s
Extensive opportunities for growth within Luxottica brands
s
Access industry leading benefits packages and training programs
s
OneSight - get involved in our charitable programs that have
provided vision care and eyewear to more than 7 million people in need
around the world and here in Canada
LensCrafters has the following opening in Calgary, Lethbridge and Red
Deer. Applicants must hold the following attributes: Self motivated, Passion for the business, Results driven, Open minded and adaptable
Qualifications:
s
Valid Optician License with the College of Opticians of Alberta
s
Professional and customer service driven
s
Strong communication/organization/delegation skills
s
Quality excellence minded
s
Proven selling skills
Interested candidates should fax a copy of their resume to:
Peggy Wewiora, Senior Director of Eye Care, LensCrafters Fax: 513-4924588 Website: www.luxotticalretail.com
Southcentre Optometry
ds
ie
Classif
2
Required: Licensed Optician. Additional Information: We are seeking an
enthusiastic Optician for our busy practice. Applicant must be friendly
and a great team player. Contact lens training is an asset. Please
Contact: Karen Grant, Southcentre Optometry 123-100 Anderson Rd SE
Calgary, AB T2J 3V1 Email: karen.grant@fyidoctors.com
Date of Posting: September 27, 2011
Nova Optical Labs
Northern Vision Centre
Required: Optician. We are looking for a highly motivated
person to join our team. Candidate must be professional,
and able to work in a fast paced environment. Hours can
include some evenings and Saturdays. We offer:
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
Competitive wages
Health and Dental Benefits
Free glasses and sunglasses
Free contact lenses
Gym membership
Free eye exams for you and your immediate family
Family and friend discounts
Paid sick leave
We will accept resumes until a suitable candidate is found.
SUBMIT RESUMES via:
Email: terry.curry@fyidoctors.com or fax: 780-539-1175 Attn:
Terry Curry. Only those selected for interviews will be
contacted. Contact: Northern Vision Centre, 12111 99 Street,
Grande Prairie, AB T8V 6X9 PH: (780) 532-2634
Date of Posting: August 16, 2011
Costco Optical – Grande Prairie
Required: Licensed Optician or Contact Lens Practitioner.
Additional Information:
Costco Optical in Grande Prairie requires a dynamic person
who has excellent customer service skills, can multi-task and
loves to work in a fast paced environment. you should be
team oriented with strong organizational skills. We offer the
successful candidate the following: Competitive compensation, comprehensive benefit programs that include health
care and opportunities for retirement savings. Licensing fees
paid and Continuing Education reimbursements. Contact:
Lori Whitley, Costco Optical, 9901-116 Street, Grande Prairie,
AB T8V 5W3, Ph: 780-538-3670 Fax: 780-538-3685
Email: w254opt@costco.com
Date of Posting: August 8, 2011
Required: Optician. Qualifications Required: Working knowledge of
edging equipment and a good knowledge of optics. Duties: Edging and
checkouts. Contact: Nova Optical Labs, 5920-50 Ave, Red Deer, AB T4N
4C3 Ph: 403-346-0999 Fax: 403-347-4790 Email: novadave@telus.net
website: www.novaoptical.ca
Date of Posting: September 9, 2011
Red Deer Eyecare Centre
Required: Optician/ Contact Lens Fitter. Duties: Contact lens fitting
and Optician. Qualifications Required: Full-time contact lens fitter
needed (would consider a second year student) Contact: Koren
Claffey, 4402 - 49 Ave, Red Deer, AB T4N 3W6 Ph: (403) 342-0333
Fax:(403) 343-9440 Email: reddeereyecare@hotmail.com
Date of Posting: September 21, 2011
Forsight Eyecare
Required: Optician. Duties: Manage optical dispensary and patient
glasses selection and repairs/adjustments. Secondary duties to assist
at front desk, pretesting and contact lenses
Additional Information: Join us in an exciting new Optometry practice
in Calgary. We seek a licensed optician with strong interpersonal skills
who enjoys educating patients about eyecare and eyewear. The right
candidate will have initiative to run our optical dispensary. Multitasking and computer skills are helpful. We can offer in depth training and
an excellent compensation package. Contact: Dr. D Leong, Forsight
Eyecare, 226, 40 Country Hills Landing NW. Calgary AB T3K 5P4, Fax:
403-263-8823. Email: drdleong@gmail.com
Website: www.foresighteyecare.com
Date of Posting: August 4, 2011
Total Focus Northgate
Required: Licensed Additional Information: Optician wanted.
Flexibe hours, competitive wages, bonuses and benefits. Permanent full-time position. Please submit resume to: Attn: Dr. J.
Torbeih, Northgate Total Focus, 1092 Northgate Centre 9499-137
Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5E 5R8 Fax: (780) 472-7740 Email:
torbeih3@telus.net Website: www.totalfocusnorthgate.com
Date of Posting: October 3, 2011
9
Monitoring Ocular Hypertensive Patients - Part 1
FREE CON-ED CREDIT: www.opticians.ab.ca/CE_Courses.aspx
Monitoring
M
i i O
Ocular
l H
Hypertensive
i P
Patients:
i
P
Part O
One
Eye care practitioners are faced with the challenge of
maintaining good sight for each and every patient that
walks into our clinic. Many times we come across
patients whose prescriptions keep changing every now
and then, and we wonder if we have continuously
refracted these patients wrongly. Enquiries into our
patient’s systemic condition will often times resolve the
problems. As opticians, we will do these patients a lot
of good if we advised them properly concerning issues
that surround them.
Most times, we might be the first point of call for some
of these patients, who haven’t had the opportunity of
visiting either an optometrist or an ophthalmologist,
and an idea into few of the supposedly ‘complex’ eye
conditions will be of value in such cases in delivering
comprehensive eye care service. Intraocular pressure
(IOP) is the result of a dynamic balance between aqueous
humor formation and outflow, which are nearly equal
under normal conditions. It is the main risk factor for
development and progression of primary open-angle
glaucoma (POAG).
Ocular hypertension (OH) has been defined as increased
IOP greater than two standard deviations above
21mmHg (mean=16mmHg, normal range 10-21mmHg)
in the absence of optic nerve damage or visual field loss.
Ocular hypertension increases the risk of developing
glaucoma especially in persons at high risk such as, black
Caribbean/Africans, increasing age, thin corneas, family
history of glaucoma, increased systemic blood pressure,
and diabetics, but can’t necessarily cause glaucoma. OH
has been recognized as the most important risk factor
for the development of POAG, and as today, the only
factor that can be medically or surgically controlled.
As demonstrated in recent studies lowering intraocular
pressure in both ocular hypertensive and glaucoma
patients is of great benefit in preventing the progression
of ocular hypertension to POAG and management of
POAG.
The major aim of monitoring ocular hypertensive
patients is therefore to make sure their IOPs are
maintained at baseline levels so as to preserve sight for
the patients’ life time. Monitoring the IOP of ocular
hypertension and glaucoma patients is a bit complex
as studies have continually shown that human IOP
10
fl
i ifi
l during
d i wake
k – sleep
l
l This
Thi
fluctuates significantly
cycle.
was thought to be influenced by various physiological
and environmental conditions in the diurnal/wake,
nocturnal/sleep, and 24-hour period.
Studies have also reported that reducing the optic nerve
head (ONH) blood flow below a crucial level during sleep
in patients with ocular hypertension with vulnerable
optic nerve head may play a role in the pathogenesis
of AION and glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON)
and progression of visual field loss. This goes further
to show that IOP routinely measured in clinic hours
isn’t usually a true representation of the patients IOP.
Since most practitioners categorize subjects based on
IOP values obtained during clinic hours, many of the
patients categorized as ocular hypertensive patients may
actually have been POAG patients. It has been reported
that IOP peaks at 6.00am in suspects and glaucomatous
patients on inadequate treatment. We run the risk of
misdiagnosing these patients and subsequently delaying
treatment, which may result in optic disc damage and
visual field deterioration. 0.22% of subjects in whom
treatment was delayed in a study had an increased risk
of developing POAG compared to 0.16% of individuals
on medication.
Long-term IOP fluctuation is associated with a
progression of visual filed loss in patients with low
mean IOP but not in patients with high mean IOP.
Using the baseline clinical factors (race, age, IOP, cornea
thickness) to predict subjects with ocular hypertension
that would develop glaucoma, the Ocular Hypertensive
Treatment Study (OHTS) was able to reduce by
60% the cumulative probability of them developing
glaucoma just by initiating treatment with topical ocular
hypotensive medication. At 60 months, the probability
of the patients on medication developing glaucoma was
reduced to 4.4% as compared to 9.5% in the observation
group.
This has been confirmed by few other studies that
demonstrated the importance of initiating treatment
early to reduce IOP. Their objective was to reach a target
IOP in 46.0% of their cohorts. Treatment was initiated
because of unsatisfactory IOP value. OHTS also showed
that topical ocular hypotensive medication is effective
in reducing the incidence of glaucomatous visual field
loss and/or optic nerve damage in individuals with
elevated IOP between 24mmHg and 32mmHg. 0.22%
Monitoring Ocular Hypertensive Patients - Part 1
FREE CON-ED CREDIT: www.opticians.ab.ca/CE_Courses.aspx
off subjects
bj
iin whom
h
treatment was d
delayed
l d iin a study
d
had an increased risk of developing POAG compared
to 0.16% of individuals on medication. They therefore
concluded that individuals at risk of developing POAG
may benefit from more frequent examinations and early
preventive treatment.
Patients
with
Ocular
hypertension and POAG
should also be monitored
to ensure compliance with
medication. High IOP can be
a predictor of noncompliance.
Studies have identified a
50% noncompliance rate
when patients with ocular
hypertension/POAG
are
treated with one medication
with a 20% increase when more
than one medication is being
used. They also concluded that
forgetfulness was the main
reason for noncompliance.
Patel and cohorts indicated
that compliance increases
before patient’s visit to the
clinic, thereby making IOP
measurements misleading and
not reflect variations when
medication was omitted.
These patients also need to
be monitored because it has
been observed from practice
that even the most effective
IOP-lowering medication, the
prostaglandins, do not get all
patients to low target IOP.
Not being able to predict
which patients are able to get
to low-target IOP makes it
mandatory that patients be
monitored at regular intervals.
Monitoring intervals should
also be dependent on level of
risk factors of each individual.
R
f
ffor this
hi article
i l can be
b accessed
d through
h
h the
h
References
College of Opticians of Alberta.
Respectfully Submitted,
Osuagwu Levi , RO, RCLP
VISION +
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11
[DuetoSpaceintheNewsletterthetypehereissmall]{ReadingGlasses,ST28,orPROGanyone?})
Asmanyofyouknow,wehavedecidedtodosomethingspecialfortheCOAbeingputundertheHPAonMarch23,2011.We
decidedtodotheHairMassacure,formallyknownasValentine’sHairMassacre.TheHairMassacureishavingits’10th
Anniversary.AllmoneyraisedwillbegoingtotheStolleryChildren’sHospitalFoundation,TheMakeͲAͲWishNorthernAlberta,
andRonaldMcDonaldHouse®NorthernAlberta.
Therewillbepeopleouttherelookingatthisandsay,“WhywouldIbothersupportingsomethinglikethiswhenIliveSouthof
RedDeer?”Theanswersaresimpleandmany:
1) WeareOpticiansandhumanbeingswithagoodheart;wecareaboutourpatients,nomatterwheretheylive.We
alsohateseeingpeoplesuffer,especiallychildren.Isn’tthatcorrect?Wouldn’titbegreattohelpsomeoneevenjust
alittle?
2) IfwecangetenoughparticipationinSouthernAlberta,thatwouldgivemorereasonfortheHairMassacuretogo
SouthofRedDeer.
3) WeneedtoactasOneEntireCollege,OneEntity,notbrokendownintopiecesmadeintoRegionsorDifferent
Companies.
4) ThiswillgivetheGeneralPublicmoreexposuretoOpticiansandcastusinabetterilluminationthenjustlawsuits
againstCoastalContactsandLondonDrugs.
5) WehavechallengedtheOphthalmologistandtheOptometristswiththeHairMassacure.YOUWANTTHEMTO
BEATUS!!ITHINKNOT!!
ThedateofdyeingyourhairPinkisonJanuary13,2012.AndthedateofshavingattheIcePalaceinWestEdmontonMallis
onFebruary3,2012.Ineedvolunteersinalllocalestohelpmewithorganizingthisevent,pleaseemailmeifinterested.
OurteamnameisTeamOptician.Forthosepeoplethatdon’twanttodonateunderaparticularindividualunderourteam,
thereisaTeamOpticianGeneralDonationsthatpeoplecanusetodonate.
Herearethestepstoregisterfortheevent:
1) Sendanemailtomenotifyingyourinterestthatyouwanttoparticipateandinwhatmanner,especiallyifyouaren’t
goingtotheIcePalaceinWestEdmontonMallonFebruary3,2012(therearespecialinstructionsforthese
individuals).
2) Gotohttp://hairmassacure.com
3) Clickon“RegisterNow”
4) Clickon“JoinanExistingTeam”
5) OnthelinethathasTeamOptician,Clickon“ClicktoJoin”
6) Fillinallappropriateinformation.Makesureyouputinapledgegoal.
DYEINGPINKANDSHAVING
DAVIDMcGOWAN
RICKMILLER
BOBBYMALTESE
MAUREENHUSSEY
ANTHONYCHAN
THOMASHEGEDUS
JOHNNESBIT
KRISTINEHARTVIKSEN
DIANADALY
KRISTYHALAS
MELFINDELL
DARCYGIROUX
TAEGYNGIROUX
DUANEKEY
12
DYEINGPINK
ILEANAMACLEOD
SHIRLEEBLOCK
CHARLOTTEKESSLER
WAXING
SHAVINGONLY
JERRYKONOZA
PINKHIGHLIGHTS
PEGGYBOSS
SARAHSCOVILLE
KARENLEUNG
PINKWIG
KRISTIEGROSS
BELINDASWANN
KRISTINAGLOVER
LYNDAWILLEY
VOLUNTEER
ColourKey
Blue–COADirector
DarkOrange–Essilor–EdmontonStaff
Red–COAOfficeStaff
Green–Friends/FamilyMembers/Patients
Purple–ROsandRCLPs
PleaseNote:KristineHartuiksen,DarcyGirouxandTaegynGirouxareonefamily.BobbyMalteseisaCribbagefriendofmine
thatlovedtheideaofwhatweweredoingandagreedtodoitalso.Hesworethathewouldn’tdosomethinglikethis,butfor
ourcausehechangedhismind.Ihavealso2patientsfrommystoreinHobbemathatisthinkingofPinkingandShaving.They
allwillbeundertheTeamOpticianBanner!
PleaseNote:Onlydonationsofatleast$25willbeissuedaTaxReceiptthroughtheStolleryChildren’sHospitalFoundation.
Asyoucansee,IhaveputMelFindell,aCOADirectoronatotallyseparateTable.Thiscourageouspersonhasagreedtogo
beyondthecallofdutyandsufferforthecause.Melhasagreedifwecanget$10,000donatedunder“MELWAX”,hewillget
aBraziliandone(withhotwaxforthosethatdon’tknow!).HOWEVER,ifwecanget$20,000donatedunder“MELWAX”,he
willbeliterallyHOTWAXINGFROMTHENECKDOWN!Idon’tknowaboutyou,butthatsuresoundspainfultome.Forthose
ofyouthathaven’tdonewaxingbefore(Ihaven’teither),pleaseasksomeonethathasdoneitbeforetoseehowpainfulit
was.
Now,$20,000seemsalottoraisejustforthisonepledge,howeveryouhavetobreakitdownintoamanageableamount.
Therearealmost1,000ROsandRCLPsinAlberta;ifweallpledgejust$21eachtothe“MELWAX”,ontopofourother
donations,thenitcouldbedone.Alsoweknowthatsomepeoplewon’tpledge,soifyouwanttopledgeextrapleasedo.If
youknowotherpeoplethatwouldlovetodonateintosomethinglikethis,theycan.Don’twewantMeltobealobster!Sorry
Mel,Ihadtosayit.
AsseenfromtheTableonthepreviouspage,thereareseveralwaystoparticipateintheHairMassacure.YoucanDyePink
andShave,DyePinkOnly,ShaveOnly,PinkHighlights,PinkWig,andVolunteer.Eventhoughyousignedupforonecategory,
youcanstillchangeyourmindlater.Forexample,ifyoudecidedinitiallytoonlydyeyourhairpink,butonFeb3,2012you
actuallywantedtoshave,youcandothat.Also,viceversaapplies.PleasenotifymeofanychangessothattheTablecanbe
uptodate.Afewpeoplearen’tallowedtochangetheirmindhowever.RickMiller(becauseheisRickMiller),JohnNesbit(as
perhisstaff),MelFindell(ǁĂƚĐŚŽƵƚ͕ĚŽŶĂƚŝŽŶƐĂƌĞĂůƌĞĂĚLJĐŽŵŝŶŐŝŶ),Maureenbecauseweloveher,andmyself(Iwouldn’t
askyoutodosomethinglikethisifIwouldn’t).
dŚĞƉĞŽƉůĞƚŚĂƚĐĂŶũŽŝŶƵŶĚĞƌƚŚĞdĞĂŵKƉƚŝĐŝĂŶĂŶŶĞƌĨŽƌƚŚĞ,ĂŝƌDĂƐƐĂĐƵƌĞĂƌĞZKƐ͕Z>WƐ͕&ĂŵŝůLJDĞŵďĞƌƐ͕KƉƚŝĐĂů
&ŝĞůĚDĞŵďĞƌƐ͕&ƌŝĞŶĚƐ͕ĂŶĚũƵƐƚĂďŽƵƚĂŶLJŽŶĞĞůƐĞ͘
OurgreatWebMaster/WebGuruKristinaGloverwillbehavingaTableofpeoplethatareparticipatingintheHairMassacure
ontheCOAwebsite.IfyoutalktoanyoneontheTableofparticipates,pleasecongratulatethemandgivesome
encouragement.IwillhaveadditionalmaterialontheCOAwebsiteoncetheTableisupandrunning.
Pleasesendmeanemailifarewillingandabletoparticipateinanyformatand/orifyouhaveanyquestions.Myemail
addressissleepyloki@yahoo.caandpleaseputonthesubjectline“HairMassacure”.ThereisalsoaFAQsectionontheHair
Massacurewebsite.Itisnevertooearlytostart.Mel,I’vedonatedalready$25toMELWAX!
AnthonyChan–RO,RCLP,COADirector,TeamOpticianCaptain
13
Maureen's Desk...
When you hear that there is now mandatory registration
it is a common misconception that this is limited to mean
you may not dispense eyewear if you are not registered but
have been in the past. While it does mean that it also means
many more things. Mandatory registration means that a
person who is trained and educated and therefore eligible
to be registered:
x May not perform the activities of an optician without taking responsibility for themselves by being
registered.
x Must maintain appropriate amounts of Errors and
Omissions insurance to remain registered
x Must maintain competency levels through participation in continuing competency programs to remain registered.
x May not use the title of optician, ophthalmic dispenser, optical dispenser, contact lens fitter, dispenser or practitioner or provisional optician without being registered. There are also restrictions on
any term that implies that a person is registered
who is not.
x May not perform restricted activities without being registered.
x May not supervise a student without being registered
It does not mean that if you refrain from using a
Lensometer,
you do not have to register.
14
“The mandatory registration requirement is distinct
from legislative restrictions on the use of titles and
the performance of restricted activities. An individual
who is qualified to be registered as an Optician and
who intends to provide, or supervise the provision of
professional services to the public must register with the
COA whether or not they intend to refer to themselves
by the restricted titles in Schedule 16 to the HPA,
and whether or not they intend to perform restricted
activities.
Each regulated profession has a schedule in the Health
Professions Act which describes the common practices
for the profession. This is found in Section 3 of the
schedule 16 for Opticians. It provides that in their
practices, Opticians design, supply, prepare, adjust, and
dispense optical appliances and prostheses, including
corrective lenses, promote eye health and the correct use
of optical appliances and prostheses through education of
consumers and regulated members, perform refractions
and identify the need for corrective lenses, conduct
or collaborate on optical related research, conduct
assessments and make referrals where appropriate
and provide restricted activities. Individuals who are
qualified to be registered with the COA and intend
to provide, or supervise the provision of any of these
services must register with the COA.”
Respectfully Submitted,
Maureen Hussey, RO, RCLP
Executive Director/Registrar
2010 Wage Survey
This years member wage survey is now
available on our website. Results will
be tallied and posted on our website as
soon as we receive enought results to
post.
Please take part in this important survey.
Remember that all information you
submit is anonymous. You can also print
a copy of the survey from our website
and fax it to: (780) 426-5576
Link: http://www.opticians.ab.ca
Code of Ethics for Opticians
The code of ethics the IDEAL, the RESOLVE and
the DUTY of each Optician to act in accordance with
principles. What does that mean? To hold in strict
confidence all information acquired in the course
of the professional relationship with my customer/
patient, and shall not divulge any such information
unless expressly authorized by my customer/patient,
or by law.
I recently attended a course
regarding
the
Privacy
Compliance put on by Field
Law. This was a scenario
that I felt we should discuss
as this scenario went to the
Privacy Commissioner. A
patient asked to be faxed
their personal file from a
Health Care Provider, and
inadvertently the information was faxed to the wrong
office. There was a breach of important personal
data such as medical data, date of birth, home address
and phone numbers. When the patient realized what
had happened they called the Privacy Commissioner.
What does that mean? The business must notify
Alberta’s Information and the Privacy Commissioner
if personal information in the organization’s
control is lost or is accessed or disclosed without
authorization, if the incident reaches the required
threshold for harm. If it is assessed that a threshold
of harm is reached. You can see in the Mandatory
Breach Notification article in the newsletter the steps
that need to be taken. The Field Law office wanted
to make sure that we understand that even if the
information has been accessible through the loss of
a laptop or USB key or anyone that has access to the
files. We the health care provider is the one who is
responsible for the care of information.
I get at least 5 questions a week as to whether a
patient is entitled to information, file, or Pupillary
Distance measurements. A patient is entitled to
their personal file under the HIA and if a Pupillary
Distance measurement is in the file they are also
entitled to this information. We must be reminded
to be careful what we document about a patient in the
file as the patient will be able to read it at some point
and we may have to justify the file to the Privacy
Commissioner. It does not matter if the file is paper
or electronic the information must be guarded with
special care.
As we can see from the article “Mandatory Privacy
Breach Notification” in this newsletter, organizations
need to consider the impact of the mandatory breach
notification requirements on their operations. It is
an offence to fail to notify the Commissioner of a
privacy breach that poses a real risk of significant
harm to individuals. It is also an offence to fail to
comply with an order of the Commissioner, such an
order to notify affected individuals. Conviction of
an offence can result in the organization being fined
in an amount of up to $100,000.00 In addition, once
an order has been issued by the commissioner, an
affected individual has a cause of action against the
organization for any harm resulting from the matter
at issue in the order. It remains to be seen if the
breach notification amendments lead to actions being
filed against organizations.
These amendments serve not merely as a reminder
to opticians and organizations about the proper
response to a privacy breach once it has occurred, but
also as a reminder that breaches are better avoided
than endured. Because of these and other changes
to the private-sector privacy regime in Albert, this
is an excellent time for opticians to review their
privacy practices and policies. Information that
is useful to us as Opticians is PIPA and HIA - our
contact for Opticians at the Information and Privacy
Commissioners office is Leahann McElveen her email
is lmcelveen@oipc.ab.ca
I would also like to thank Field Law for information
from their article and especially Anne Cote Barrister
and Solicitor for her help.
Belinda Swann, RO, RCLP
Regulatory Standards Director, COA
15
PRIVACY PRESS
A NEWSLETTER BY FIELD LAW’S PRIVACY GROUP
SUMMER 2010
ALBERTA INTRODUCES MANDATORY PRIVACY
Data breaches are like pollution: a
preventable byproduct of organizational
activities that exposes people to
ANNE CÔTÉ
harms. The challenge in both cases
is to maximize social welfare while
minimizing everyone’s costs to optimal levels.1
What is the role of an organization in a privacy
breach incident? A partial answer comes from the
amendments to the Personal Information Protection
Act (“PIPA”), which were proclaimed in force on
May 1, 2010. On that date, Alberta became the first
jurisdiction in Canada to require notification in the
event of a privacy breach.
Many private-sector organizations are subject to the
provisions of PIPA: businesses, certain non-profit
organizations, professional regulatory organizations,
and others. These organizations must now notify
Alberta’s Information and Privacy Commissioner
(the “Commissioner”) if personal information in
the organization’s control is lost or is accessed or
disclosed without authorization, if the incident
reaches the required threshold for harm. What
types of privacy breaches would be covered by the
amendments? Examples include the following:
ĪORVVRIDODSWRSFRQWDLQLQJSHUVRQDOLQIRUPDWLRQ
about clients or customers;
ĪDFOLHQWGDWDEDVHEHLQJDFFHVVHGE\KDFNHUV
ĪWKHIWRIDSRLQWRIVDOHWHUPLQDOFRQWDLQLQJFXVWRPHU
credit and debit card information; or
ĪDURJXHHPSOR\HHVHOOLQJFXVWRPHUFUHGLWFDUG
information.
1
A. Cavoukian, Information and Privacy
Commissioner of Ontario, “Privacy Externalities,
Security Breach Notification and the Role of
16
Independent Oversight” (May 2010) Canadian
Privacy Law Review
The Commissioner must be notified without
unreasonable delay if a reasonable person would
view the incident as presenting a “real risk of
significant harm” to the affected individuals. A
real risk is a genuine risk, not one that is merely
theoretical or hypothetical. The organization
must consider the likelihood that the information
could be accessed or misused by an unauthorized
individual. Significant harm occurs when there is
harm of importance or consequence. Examples
include potential financial loss, identity theft,
physical harm, embarrassment or harm to
reputation. Where the threshold for harm is reached,
the following information must be provided to the
Commissioner:
Ī
D GHVFULSWLRQ RI WKH FLUFXPVWDQFHV RI WKH
breach;
Ī
WKHGDWHRQZKLFKRUWKHWLPHSHULRGGXULQJ
which, the breach;
Ī
DGHVFULSWLRQRIWKHSHUVRQDOLQIRUPDWLRQ
involved;
Ī
DQDVVHVVPHQWRIWKHULVNRIKDUPWR
individuals as a result of the breach;
Ī
DQHVWLPDWHRIWKHQXPEHURILQGLYLGXDOVWR
whom there is a real risk of signifcant harm as a
result of the breach;
Ī
DGHVFULSWLRQRIDQ\VWHSVWKHRUJDQL]DWLRQ
has taken to reduce the risk of harm to individuals;
Ī
DGHVFULSWLRQRIDQ\VWHSVWKHRUJDQL]DWLRQ
has taken to notify individuals of the breach; and
Ī
WKHQDPHRIDQGFRQWDFWLQIRUPDWLRQIRUD
person who can answer, on behalf of the
organization, questions about the breach.
The Commissioner determines whether, and how,
the organization must inform affected individuals.
The amendments to PIPA also give the
Commissioner the power to require that the
organization satisfy additional terms and conditions
that the Commissioner considers appropriate. This
may include the requirement that the organization
continue to report to the Commissioner regarding
the notifcation process. It is not yet known what
other terms or conditions the Commissioner will
order in this regard.
Organizations may also notify affected individuals
without awaiting a response from the Commissioner’s
office. This may well be advisable in the event that
the risk of significant harm is obvious and immediate
(although the amendments require that the
Commissioner create an “expedited” process in such
a situation). Further, the Commissioner may require
that the Organization notify affected individuals when
the Commissioner has not received a direct report
of a privacy breach from the organization itself but
has learned of the incident through media reports or
other means. If the Commissioner requires that the
organization notify affected individuals, the notice
must include the following information: a description
of the incident; the time when the incident occurred;
a description of the personal information involved;
information about any steps taken to reduce the risk
of harm; and contact information for a person who
can answer the individual’s questions.
Organizations should consider the impact of the
mandatory breach notification requirements on
their operations. It is an offence to fail to notify
the Commissioner of a privacy breach that poses a
real risk of significant harm to individuals. It is also
an offence to fail to comply with an order of the
Commissioner, such as an order to notify affected
individuals. Conviction of an offence can result in the
organization being fined in an amount up to $100,000.
In addition, once an order has been issued by the
Commissioner, an affected individual has a cause of
action against the organization for any harm resulting
from the matter at issue in the order. It remains to
be seen if the breach notification amendments lead
to actions being filed against organizations.
These amendments serve not merely as a reminder
to organizations about the proper response to a
privacy breach once it has occurred, but also as a
reminder that breaches are better avoided than
endured. Because of these and other changes to
the private-sector privacy regime in Alberta, this is
an excellent time for organizations to review their
privacy practices and policies.
This article was originally published in Field Law’s Privacy Press
in their Summer 2010 Newsletter. Author, Anne Cote.
PRACTICE REVIEW
Accreditation
Introducing a new type of continuing education
credit. Now you can receive credits for volunteering.
How can you do this? Many of you volunteer on
some type of committee that helps to enhance the
occupation of Optician. Or help to make things
go smoother at meetings seminars etc. We are
introducing the “V” credit. The “V” credit can be
used towards your continuing education. You may
use 10% of your points as “V” credits. In other words
an eyeglass license can obtain 2 “V” credits and a
contact lens license can use 3 “V” credits towards
their continuing education per 3 year cycle. Forward
proof of your volunteer work to the College office
by way of a couple paragraphs and it will be assessed
for credit.
Practice Audit Program 2012
The Health Professions Act gives the right to the
College of Opticians of Alberta to perform Practice
Audits. We will be starting this project in January. At
this time we have begun appointing Auditors and are
beginning the training. This project is designed as an
opportunity to raise the excellence bar in members’
performance and practice.
Lyle Olsen, RO
Director, COA
17
National Awareness Campaign
What’s new with the National Branding Campaign?
It sure has been an exciting couple of months where
the National Branding Campaign is concerned. As I
mentioned in my last update, the past year had been
focusing on internal review of the program so as to
set our next focus. Well these focuses have been set
and are in motion.
Over the last few months we have accomplished
many things and have much in progress. We have
created 15 second versions of the commercials that
will be playing in doctors offices, gas pumps, etc.
These were determined as a good way to get some
exposure in the interim (while we create our next
round of TV spots) for less costs.
We have also been searching
for a way to become more
present online. We found
that when you googled
“optician”, we weren’t
happy with what came to the
tops of the pages. You can
pay to get higher placement
on these pages but that only
gets you so far. You can
also gain higher presence by
having more people access
your sites, by having video or social media aspects
and by gaining hits on things like YouTube. So
we decided that we needed to create YouTube-able
videos that highlight positive Opticians that help
promote our profession. We worked with some
of the other provinces and found Opticians from
across Canada that represented different aspects of
being an Optician and that could be seen as positive
ambassadors of the profession. There were 3 chosen
from Alberta. These videos were produced in BC
and will be being introduced to many at the National
meetings this month and then will go live online.
We will post a link on our website as soon as they
are up, so keep watching for them and when they go
live let’s all pitch in and get them viral. Send them to
everyone you now and show pride in your profession.
Let’s gain some much needed and deserved presence.
18
We have also reviewed the existing deliverables of
the brand (stickers, pins, brochures) and expanded
the product line. The goal here is to give every
Optician a way of promoting the Optician brand
within their own offices and day to day lives. We
are designing the products as a National group and
then we will provide packages to each province to
distribute to their members based upon member
numbers and budgets. These deliverables will
also be available thru the www.licensedoptician.ca
website. If you aren’t a member of this website
already, be sure to sign up and visit often for many
more updates and available products and ways you
can help get the brand out there.
Speaking of the website, after much surveying and
insight from our members, the Licensed Optician
website is being revamped. The new site will be
more intuitive, more specialized depending on if
you are visiting as a member of the public or as an
Optician, more interactive and more consistently
maintained. Again, if you aren’t a member already,
be sure to go to www.licensedoptician.ca and get
signed up. Do it now so you can be kept up to
speed as these changes occur. Becoming a member
is simple; go to the site, go to “login”, and fill in
your info in the “register here” section. The site
will confirm your registration status with your
College (as this site is for Opticians only) and then
you will receive an email with your login and
password info.
It is an exciting time to be an Optician and I look
forward to keeping you posted on all the ways we
are working hard to bring this profession to the
forefront, both for our members and for the public.
Charlotte Kessler, RO, RCLP
COA Director
Opticians Council of Canada (OCC)
August 25, 2011
For Immediate Release
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Angel Cheng as Communications
Specialist for the Opticians Council of Canada (OCC).Angel comes from a background in Business
Management Studies at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton and Public Relations at Mount Royal College
in Calgary, and brings over 10 years of experience in publicity, marketing and corporate communications.
Her past projects with Alberta agency Play It By Ear Productions have included Stakeholder Engagement
for OMNI TV Station Launch – Calgary and Edmonton, Coordinator and Advisor for the Alberta Beverage
Container Recycling Corporation – Street Team Program, and Publicist and Logistics Manager for the Alberta
Centre for Injury Control and Research – Seniors Falls Prevention Campaign, and Media Relations and VIP
Guest Relations – Globalfest Human Rights Forum as the Principal of her previous company Aspira Public
Relations.
More recently, as the Principal of Salt Rose Productions, Angel acted as Events Lead for Four Host
First Nations Aboriginal Pavilion – 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games, Director of Development for
Cinesonika International Film and Video Festival of Sound Design, and Marketing and Distribution Advisor to
Parvaz Film Corporation, before joining the Opticians Council of Canada.
She can be reached at the OCC at acheng@opticianscouncil.ca. We look forward to your support and
cooperation with Angel in her new assignment.
Welcome all new and returning students to the fall intake. The office staff and
instructors wish you all the best in your studies.
The registration deadline for the winter intake of the Eyeglasses Program is
December 5, 2011. Classes begin January 2, 2012 and will end August 12, 2012.
This will allow students to register immediately for second year in the fall intake and
complete the two year program by April, 2013.
ǦǡǤ
19
Help Patients See Life In HD
New PureVision®2 HD Contact Lenses Designed with High Definition™ Optics
New PureVision®2 HD contact lenses provide outstanding vision with vibrant
colours and clear, crisp vision all day. They are designed to reduce halos
and glare in low light with innovative design advances to improve comfort
and breathability. Now, help your patients see everything life
has to offer with new PureVision®2 HD contact lenses.
® /TM denote trademarks
of Bausch & Lomb Incorporated.
20© 2011 Bausch & Lomb Incorporated
Call your B + L Sales Representative for more information,
1 800 668 7510 or visit bausch.ca
The Notepad
....from the Registrar, Maureen Hussey
New Members Registrations
Marco Keller
1948
Melissa De Jesus
1949
Laura Harding
1950
Barb Holland
1951
July 20, 2011
July 28, 2011
Aug 23, 2011
Aug 30, 2011
Provisional Eyeglass
Jessica Stewart
Shaylee Smith
Rawan Hatoum
Kayla Harshey
Richard Du
Charlene Perrott
Stephanie Fischer
June 1, 2011
June 1, 2011
June 1, 2011
June 1, 2011
June 1, 2011
June 1, 2011
Sept 1, 2011
1811
1810
1790
1789
1758
1898
1760
Upgrade to Eyeglass (no longer provisional)
Imelda Andrada
1836
May 28, 2011
Zeny Boily
1883
May 28, 2011
Sahar Alkhatib
1781
June 25, 2011
Gabrielle Anctil
1782
June 25, 2011
Chaka Barnes
1837
June 25, 2011
Megan Belcourt
1783
June 25, 2011
Jaspreet Binning
1784
June 25, 2011
Chelsea Bottrell
1751
June 25, 2011
Laurie Briscoe
1754
June 25, 2011
Jenny Chaker
1944
June 25, 2011
Assad Choudhry
1756
June 25, 2011
Odete De Sousa
1786
June 25, 2011
Sheena Fish
1894
June 25, 2011
Susan Foster
1788
June 25, 2011
Crystal Hale
1762
June 25, 2011
Veronica Hammond
1856
June 25, 2011
Chunying Hao
1911
June 25, 2011
Lamia Haymour
1654
June 25, 2011
Jennifer Isnardy
1943
June 25, 2011
Fatan Khamis
1764
June 25, 2011
Vitalie Lavoie
1765
June 25, 2011
Laura Lazenby
1824
June 25, 2011
Hedieh Mah
1795
June 25, 2011
Beck Mais
1796
June 25, 2011
Allan Manalo
1766
June 25, 2011
Karlyn McTaggart
1767
June 25, 2011
Katie Melzer
1864
June 25, 2011
Jasmina Miskic
1933
June 25, 2011
Aleem Mohamed
1768
June 25, 2011
Shelley Murray
1769
June 25, 2011
Katie Napier
1800
June 25, 2011
Alexia Olsen
1869
June 25, 2011
Natalie Payne
1773
June 25, 2011
Brandon Petersen
1802
June 25, 2011
Kaelin Pillay
1947
June 25, 2011
Lindsey Reid
1775
June 25, 2011
Beverley Rempel
1759
June 25, 2011
Cassandra Riddell
1806
June 25, 2011
Lihong Ruan
1776
June 25, 2011
Amanda Ruby
Angela Saranchuk
Ashley Saunders
Kelly Seheult
Reza Shams-Zahraie
Loretta Slomp
Shannon Smith
Tammy Sunstrum
Marcella Svrta
Chelsea Taylor
Jessica Trieu
Shayna Widdowson
Adrina Wills
1895
1777
1892
1778
1808
1779
1809
1873
1946
1945
1813
1875
1803
June 25, 2011
June 25, 2011
June 25, 2011
June 25, 2011
June 25, 2011
June 25, 2011
June 25, 2011
June 25, 2011
June 25, 2011
June 25, 2011
June 25, 2011
June 25, 2011
June 25, 2011
Provisional Contact Lens
Tyra Mitchell
1672
Iglima Rafi
1623
June 6, 2011
June 16, 2011
New Contact Lens
Carol Bourrie
George Colgan
Lisa Duberger
Alida Van Essen
1502
184
1541
1718
June 26, 2011
June 26, 2011
June 26, 2011
June 26, 2011
Upgrade to Practicing
Shelley Westfall
Charlie Thode
Olga Soenen
Shannon Colli
976
1664
303
1571
July 4, 2011
Aug 19, 2011
Aug 19, 2011
Aug 31, 2011
Change to Non-Practicing
Ian MacIvor
768
Cassandra Payne
1399
Lianne Eberts
876
Melissa Weare
1680
Kristin Reid
1536
Corrina Hynes
920
June 1, 2011
June 16, 2011
June 24, 2011
June 30, 2011
Aug 1, 2011
Aug 25, 2011
Name Change
Amanda Hondl
Lavay
Adrina Pollom
Alexia Richardson
Kristen Black
Black-White
Amy Soenen
1716
July 4, 2011 now Amanda
1803
1869
1708
Aug 23, 2011 now Adrina Wills
Aug 23, 2011 now Alexia Olsen
Aug 26, 2011 now Kristen
1464
Aug 26, 2011 now Amy Macht
Reinstated
Hilary Kennard
Catherine Henderson
Teresa Sokalski
1549
1156
772
June 17, 2011
June 20, 2011
June 30, 2011
Kari Coppock
Sandra Mageau
1258
511
June 30, 2011
Aug 30, 2011
21
Planning ahead eases worries when facing tax audit
A letter arrives from Canada Revenue Agency
(CRA). You are being audited. Panic ensues as you
wonder what you did wrong and why the CRA is
targeting you. "There must be bigger fish to fry," you
might say to yourself. The first thing you need to do
is relax and take a few deep breaths. If you have a
qualified tax advisor on your team, you have nothing
to worry about. If you don't, now is a good time to
contact a professional tax planner to review your
returns and assist you with the audit.
Unless you have filed your tax returns with gross
negligence or displayed willful non-compliance, you
are not in any "real" danger from the taxman. At the
same time, no one wants to pay additional taxes and
penalties due to an oversight. That's why tax planning
is so critical. Instead of scrambling for deductions to
reduce your taxes at the end of the year, set a plan
with a financial advisor at the beginning of the year.
When you plan ahead, facing a CRA audit can be a
breeze.
How to prepare for a CRA tax audit:
you can have the information ready for their arrival.
It will also give your tax advisor an opportunity to
review the files.
The field auditor will arrive and give an overview
of the audit process. You may be asked for an
overview of your business and a tour of the premises
if relevant.
Have all of the financial records that were
requested available and organized. The easier you
make it for the field auditor, the sooner they'll be on
their way.
Only provide the financial records requested. Do
not offer additional information. Wait for the auditor
to request it.
Be courteous and professional, they are people just
doing their job. Provide them with a quiet,
comfortable place to work.
Questions from the field auditor should be directed
to a lead individual such as yourself, your accountant,
or your tax planning specialist.
Answer the field auditor's questions honestly.
Refrain from expanding on your answers unless
asked. Do not volunteer information, let them do
their jobs.
Contact your financial advisor. If you do not have a
A qualified tax planner can provide expert advice
tax planner, you should speak with one. They stay
when it comes to audits from the Canada Revenue
up-to-date on annual changes to Canadian tax
Agency. They are also an important component of a
legislation and can assist you in achieving your
quality financial plan. Their goal is to aid you in
financial goals.
keeping the wealth you have earned and provide
A field auditor will contact you to arrange a time to
assistance in estate and financial planning. As for the
conduct the audit. They will exchange contact
field auditor, they likely won't stay long when they
information with you and give a general overview of
find out you've used the services of a qualified tax
the process.
specialist.
Ask for the tax years they will be auditing so that
Space
Tax Planning - because it's the right thing to do. Call today!
Dave Hawryluk, CFP, B. Comm., RHU
Certified Financial Planner
21143-48 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T6M 0G2
(780) 761-3343 www.capitaledgefinancial.ca
Copyright © 2011 AdvisorNet Communications Inc. under license to Life Letter. All rights reserved. (2011-07)
22
PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
OPTICIANS ASSOCIATION OF CANADA SUES BRETON COMMUNICATIONS INC.
FOR PASSING-OFF
Winnipeg (Manitoba), September 28, 2011 – The Opticians Association of
Canada (OAC), has instituted action in the Federal Court of Canada against
Breton Communications Inc. (Breton), which published, until April 2011, the
OAC’s VISION and LA REVUE magazines. The OAC’s action alleges passing-off,
trade-mark and copyright infringement by Breton and claims damages.
“The OAC takes to heart the representation of Canadian opticians and the
defense of its VISION and LA REVUE magazines, with which it communicates
with its membership”, said Mr. Robert Dalton, Executive Director, OAC.
About the Opticians Association of Canada
The Opticians Association of Canada (www.opticians.ca) is a non-profit
organization, which represents the common interest of all Canadian opticians
and which educates and informs consumers about matters related to eye care.
The OAC’s bi-monthlies VISION and LA REVUE magazines, which canvass issues
of concern to opticians, have been published and distributed free of charge
across Canada since 1991 and 2007 respectively.
-30-
Contact:
Monica Pelletier / Caroline Couillard
Morin Public Relations
T.: 514 289-8688, ext. 238/233
C.: 514 236-3962 / 514 755-5729
monica@morinrp.com / caroline@morinrp.com
23
I N D A I LY D I S P O S A B L E L E N S E S
TURN AN UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH INTO A
It’s a fact many reusable wearers don’t know:
Not all lenses protect equally against 4 key symptoms of
discomfort. Consequently, patients put up with the dryness,
irritation, stinging, and redness their lenses may cause.
Share the comfort of 1•DAY ACUVUE® MOIST® Brand
Contact Lenses with LACREON® Technology
• Exceptional comfort throughout the day
• 1•DAY ACUVUE MOIST Brand wearers agree:
®
®
— They seldom or never experienced the 4 key
symptoms of discomfort1
— Lenses felt smooth on their eyes all of the time2
— 7 out of 10 would recommend the lens to others3
Give patients the daily pleasure of
1•Day ACUVUE® MOIST® lenses.
A FRESH LENS IS A BETTER LENS
References: 1. Data on file. Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. 2011. 2. Data on file. Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. 2009. 3. Data on file. Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. 2009.
ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses are indicated for vision correction. As with any contact lens, eye problems, including corneal ulcers, can develop. Some wearers may experience mild irritation, itching or
discomfort. Lenses should not be prescribed if patients have any eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. Consult the package insert
for complete information. Complete information is also available from Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Division of Johnson & Johnson, Inc., by calling 1-800-267-5098 or by visiting www.jnjvisioncare.ca.
24
ACUVUE®, 1DAY ACUVUE® MOIST® and LACREON® are trademarks of Johnson & Johnson, Inc. © Johnson & Johnson, Inc. 2011. March 2011