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FEBRUARY 2017

Vision Now magazine

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Vision Now FEBRUARY 2017 3

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164Vision Now magazine is published by Peekay Publishing Ltd for The PK NationalEyecare Group Ltd, the UK’s largestpurchasing group for independent opticians.

VISION NOW is published by Peekay Publishing Ltd for The PK National Eyecare Group Limited, Clermont House, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3DNVISION NOW is printed by P&P Litho Ltd, Ashford, Middlesex TW15 1AB

Editor’s commentWelcome to the first issue of Vision Now for 2017 after a shortrecess to reboot and reset. Over the next 10 issues (excludingAugust) we will be keeping you updated with all that’shappening in the world of NEG and the wider optic-sphere.

We hope you had a good festive break after attending NEG’sfirst-ever joint conference with Independents Day. The partnership proved agreat success and so the plan is to repeat the format this year. If you weren’table to attend, then turn to page 24 for a round-up of both conferences – andnote 5 and 6 November in your diary for this year’s events.

There were so many presentations and workshops to enjoy at both conferences,but one that particularly stood out covered the often-overlooked practise ofscleral contact lens fitting. So, for this issue (pages 22-23) we asked presenterPauline Bradford to revisit her presentation and provide some inspiration forreaders who may be a little trepidatious about the modality.

Optrafair 2017 will soon be upon us, so we have invited the organisers to say afew words about this year’s show (pages 20-21). We will follow this up nextmonth with a preview of what NEG’s Preferred Suppliers will be showcasing.Also this month, gain some stock control trips from Stepper’s Alex Davis (pages16-17) and hear what Essilor is doing in the area of blue-light protection (pages18-19). Finally, Joan Grady brings some stunning sunglass sensations to the forein her monthly Style Spotlight (pages 28-29).

Please don’t forget to send us your practice news, or any views you want toshare; we would be delighted to hear from you.

Nicky Collinson Editor

The Editor welcomes letters, articles and other contributions for publication in the magazine and reserves theright to amend them. Any such contribution, whether it bears the author’s name, initials or pseudonym, is acceptedon the understanding that its author is responsible for the opinions expressed in it and that its publication doesnot imply that such opinions are those of The PK National Eyecare Group Ltd. Articles submitted for publicationshould be original, unpublished work and are accepted on the basis that they will not be published in any otherjournal. Acceptance of materialfor publication is not a guarantee that it will be included in any particular issue.Copyright © 2017 for Peekay Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced ortransmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording, without the written permissionof the publishers. Such written permission should also be obtained before any part of this publication is stored ina retrieval system of any nature.

21

News 4 NEG/iDay partnership success 7 Adlib men’s collection launched 9 Survey shows enhanced services support 11 Appointments at mark’ennovy 12 Rock Star sunnies introduced 13 Contact lens makes CES debut

13 An independent view Stimulating the debate

15 Developing thoughts Are you keeping up with

your patients?

16 Business matters Smart stock sell-through

18 Product profile UV protection: going beyond the

front surface

22 Contact lenses An introduction to modern

scleral lenses

24 NEG/iDay report Digital lifestyles and steps to

retail success

28 Style spotlight Sunglasses that lift the spirits

30 Suppliers’ directory

Editor Nicky Collinson BA (Hons)[email protected]

Editorial PA Sharon [email protected]

Fashion Editor Joan [email protected]

Business Editor Phillip Mullins [email protected]

Design andProduction Rosslyn Argent BA (Hons)

Publisher Michael C Wheeler FCOptom DipCLP FSMC FAAO

The Specs Network is helping independent practices to getinvolved with World Book Day on 2 March with a book tokencompetition for their young patients aged between five and16 years. The competition, which can be entered online atwww.specsnetwork.co.uk, will see 20 youngsters win a £20book token. “World Book Day is a wonderful celebration ofreading and the joy of books – and what could be moreimportant for children when reading than their eyes andvision,” said Richard Hollings of the Specs Network.

A package of resources to support the campaign, including aposter, film and press release template, have been produced –and practices not already signed up can find out more byemailing [email protected]. “The multiples arebecoming increasingly adept at leveraging publicity by linkingwith national campaigns, but there is no exclusivity or divineright to this activity unless the independent chooses to concede the opportunity,” Richardadded. “Through collaborative marketing, independent practices can achieve a strong,cohesive national marketing campaign that will get their collective voice heard by theconsumer.” Other national campaigns the Specs Network will be tying in with this year areNational Glaucoma Awareness Week ( June), National Eye Health Week (September) andRoad Safety Week (November).

4 Vision Now FEBRUARY 2017

NEG’s first joint conference withIndependents Day (iDay), the annualconference organised by Proven Track Record(PTR), has been hailed a success. Speakingafter the events, held at the Hilton MetropoleHotel in Birmingham on 6 and 7 November2016, NEG director of business development,Phil Mullins, said: “There is always a worrywhen you start out on a new venture: is itthe right move? Will it be successful? Well,we needn’t have worried; not only was thereterrific support before the event, but theoverwhelming feedback has been highlypositive. Our attendance was 20 per cent upon last year, which is particularly pleasing.”

PTR director and programme organiser, NickAtkins, commented: “Our decision to moveto November and bring our two conferencestogether has been vindicated and resultedin us putting up the ‘sold-out’ signs for boththe conference and the exhibition.” Theconferences will return on 5 and 6November respectively this year at thesame venue. Turn to page 25 for a round-upof both conferences.

NEWS Specs Network2

Using their vast experience in the field,Julbo has developed a range of technicallenses adapted to the needs of each type ofuser, regardless of the conditionsencountered. With photochromic,polarisation and tints, Julbo’s lenses havedemonstrated their excellence bothoutdoors and in the lab, says exclusive UKdistributor Lenstec. Category 4 protection isavailable for high altitude sports such asskiing with frame designs offering laterallight protection such as Montebianco,

Monterosa, Explorer 2.0, Trek, Tamang andthe classic Vermont.

“With Julbo everyone can benefit from thevery best technology and the greatestcomfort when practising their sport or justgetting out and about,” said Paul Walden,Lenstec technical and sales director. “Webelieve that our Julbo performancesunglasses offer great quality and protectionand are an ideal higher-end product for allthe family, including toddlers.”

Lenstec Optical Group4

NEG Conference/iDay1

Delegates at the joint exhibition

£20 book

voucher

Tell us the title of your favourite book and why you like it in less than 50 words.*

*Terms and conditions apply. Book vouchers will be able to be used at many participating book stores go to http://www.booksellers.org.uk/wbd to find your closest store. One submission per bookworm. Please email [email protected] for more information.

WIN VISIT

Competition is open to all young bookworms aged 5 -16

(We have 20 prizes to give away! )

aspecsnetwork.co.uk

World Book Day Competition poster

Luxottica and Essilor have agreed a €46bn merger to create“a global integrated player in the eyewear industry” with acombined revenue in excess of €15bn. Leonardo DelVecchio, chairman of Delfin and executive chairman of theLuxottica Group, said: “With this agreement my dream tocreate a major global player in the eyewear industry, fullyintegrated and excellent in all its parts, comes finally true.The marriage between two key companies in their sectorswill bring great benefits to the market, for employees andmainly for all our consumers.”

The new company will be called ‘EssilorLuxottica’ with140,000 employees worldwide and sales in more than 150countries. Hubert Sagnières, chairman and CEO of Essilor,commented: “By joining forces today, these twointernational players can now accelerate their globalexpansion to the benefit of customers, employees andshareholders as well as the industry as a whole.” The deal

is expected to close in the second half of the year, with Delfin on course to becomeEssilorLuxottica’s largest shareholder.

Essilor/Luxottica3

Leonardo Del Vecchio

The Julbo Trek (courtesy of Marc Daviet)

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RENDIA is a single, cloud-based platform that allows you to communicate andengage with your patients, wherever they are thinking about their health: beforean appointment, in the waiting area, the consulting room or after the appointment,setting your practice apart from the competition.

We call these areas patient touch points and with RENDIA you can communicateacross all the touch points, by sending visual presentations from one platform, whichis flexible enough to work from any PC, tablet or smartphone. RENDIA integrateswith emails, Twitter, Facebook and other leading media.

Available in the UK from PK National Eyecare Group Ltd www.nationaleyecare.co.uk 01580 713698

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7Vision Now FEBRUARY 2017

NEWS

Following the success of its Adlib collectionof contemporary frames for women,Charmant has introduced a complementaryAdlib line for men. Inspired by trends infashion, technology, sport and pop culture,Adlib eyewear is designed as a collection“for lifestyle-oriented urban men”. Thecollection’s colour trends and frame designsare inspired by the image of high-poweredmotorcycles and camouflage patterns. Thecomplete range is made in France from high-quality titanium material that provides alight fit and long-wearing comfort. The newcollection features 12 models, each availablein three colours. A selection of counter cardsand branded displays are available forpractices that stock the collection.

Charmant 5 General Optical Council9

General Optical Council (GOC) research hasshown that only a third of patients and thepublic viewed ‘opticians’ as healthcareproviders, and that 45 per cent of opticianshave faced pressure to meet commercialtargets at the expense of patient care atsome point in their careers. The GOC’ssurvey of more than 4,000 registrants alsofound that 41 per cent of practitioners hadcome under pressure to sell a product orservice that the patient did not need. Thesecond volume of the GOC’s registrant surveyreport also shows that some 45 per cent ofregistrants would not feel comfortable raisinga Fitness to Practise concern with the GOC,and 40 per cent would not feel comfortableraising a concern with their employer.

Samantha Peters, GOC chief executive andregistrar who will be leaving theorganisation in June to pursue her studies,said: “Public satisfaction with opticiansremains extremely high and it is clear fromour previous research that patients areconfident in the standard of care they willreceive from their practitioner. But if theprofessions are going to deliver moreeyecare services in the community – whichhas enormous potential benefits – then thepublic need to be confident that commercialpressures will not compromise patient safety.”

Shamir UK has received certification of thenew BS EN ISO 9001: 2015 a year ahead of itbecoming compulsory. “Shamir UK has beenkeen to undergo the inspection and, as aresult, we have now been registered by NQAas a company maintaining a qualitymanagement system above standard,” saidPhil Bareham, Shamir UK general manager. The revised policy compels companies toensure all products are consistently producedto relevant statutory and regulatorystandards, as well as to constantly improvemanagement systems.

* Shamir has launched its ‘Refer a friend to theSpark Mi and receive £100’ campaign. Enter viathe Promotions tab on the company’s website.

Shamir7

CE-marked LissamineGreen Sterile Strips arenow back in stock withMid-Optic. Manufacturedin the UK, I-Dew Green issupplied in 100 sterilestrips individuallywrapped in transparentpouches. The strips areproduced using thehighest grade LissamineGreen and premiumpaper, says the company,and are manufacturedvia an automated production processresulting in ‘no human touch’ of the strips.

Mid-Optic8

The British Contact Lens Association (BCLA)will officially celebrate its 40th anniversaryat its 2017 clinical conference and exhibitionat the ACC in Liverpool from 9-11 June.

Keynote speakers at the conference willinclude Professor Lyndon Jones, AssociateProfessor Jennifer Craig, Dr Eef van der Worpand Dr Michel Guillon. There will be hands-on workshops, an exhibition and a special40th anniversary dinner.

BCLA president, Brian Tompkins, said: “Theworld was a very different place in 1977 andthe BCLA has changed as well. Reaching 40gives us the chance to celebrate the hugestrides the industry has made, but it alsoallows us to look back with pride at ourachievements. The next 40 years promise tobe just as exciting, perhaps even more so,and we want the BCLA family to be able toenjoy it together.” Register www.bcla.org.uk

Samantha Peters

Sporty and colourful Adlib for men

British Contact Lens Association6

Brian Tompkins at the Liverpool 2015 conference

Strips back in stock


NEWS

An independent survey of more than 4,000 UK optometrists and dispensing opticianscommissioned by the General Optical Council (GOC) has found that 87 per cent support plansto provide enhanced optical services in the community. The same percentage expected tosee their role change in the next five years, with new technology the most widely citedreason; 62 per cent were optimistic about the future of the professions.

Alistair Bridge, GOC director of strategy, said: “It is great to see how registrants want to getmore involved in this work. But our research has also shown there are barriers to overcome,including access to training, interest from some employers and making the work cost-effective.The optical sector will also have to work to change public perceptions about opticians.”

Kirk and Kirk13

More than 25 new models have been added to the Invu range from Norville, each suppliedwith UV400 ultra-polarised lenses. According to Norville, the multi-layer construction ofInvu ultra-polarised lenses makes them virtually unbreakable, and so ideal for all sportsand outdoor activities. The UV protection layer of the lens blocks rays up to 400 nanometreswhilst allowing useful light to pass through the eye.

A selection of styles are glazeable with lenses supplied in CR39, Resin 1.60 and 1.67,Nupolar Polarized Single Vision, Grey/Brown/Green, 15 per cent LTF UV400, dependent onthe nearest match to the dummy lens fitted into the plano sunglasses option. Additionalcoatings, including mirror, are available and a number of Active wrap frames can also besupplied to prescription. The lenses incorporate 8 base manufacturing and MEI 5 axis glazing.

Norville10

Righton, the name behind the Nikon brand,has entered the market directly with thenew MW50D LED slit lamp, available in theUK from BIB. The MW50D sets a newbenchmark in slit lamp biomicroscopy byboasting the highest magnification (50x) andthe widest field of view available of anyother slit lamp, said BIB, in addition to thewidest slit width available at 1-16mmcontinuous. The new multi-anti-reflectioncoated optics is said to achieve a 22 percent higher transmittance than previousmodels, while the LED light sourcewavelength is as close as is possible to thatof halogen, eliminating the blueish lightoften experienced. The MW50D is availablein standalone clinical format or with a 5MPwide dynamic range CMOS camera system. Setting new slit lamp standards

A commitment to providing “first class”training on OCT and fundus imaging will seethe Heidelberg Engineering Academy visitmore than 10 cities, offer more than 100hours of education and deliver over 50hours of CET this year. “The Academy hascarefully constructed an educationalprogramme to cater for the training needsof eyecare professionals in the communitywho are undertaking ocular imaging as partof their role,” said Christopher Mody,director of clinical services. “The courses aredesigned to provide optometrists with theconfidence to make clinical decisions andrefer appropriately. The programme is alsoinclusive of dispensing opticians, who areseeing their roles evolve with the additionof OCT imaging in practice.” Visit www.HE-Academy.com for course information.

BIB Ophthalmic Instruments11

Heidelberg Engineering14

New Invu model T2712-C in Milky Teal

Arty new lens cloths

General Optical Council12

Jason and Karen Kirk have added a newarm to their business in the form ofKirk & Kirk Distribution. The first collectionsto be available through the new companywere launched at 100% Optical in Londonearlier this month: Italian sunglass brandsEyepetizer and Hapter, and French brandBruno Chaussignand. Jason Kirk said: “Toomany opticians find it challenging to get tothe international shows and discover newbrands, or alternatives to the big brandsthat so many opticians already stock. Theyneed options to distinguish themselvesfrom their competitors and give clients areason to visit their store, which is whereKirk & Kirk Distribution comes in.”

* Kirk & Kirk has commissioned London artistand illustrator, Thomas Hedger, to producethree giant lens cloths featuring his brightartwork as the first release in their new ArtistPartnership Series.

JOIN THE REVOLUTION #optrafair • www.optrafair.co.uk

R E V L U T I O N


NEWS

Dunelm’s 2017 sunwear collection has been launched with 35 new sun frames includingseven Paul Costelloe, five Janet Reger, five Retro, 10 Sunset+ /Sunset and eight Whiz Kids.The children’s signature piece is Whiz Kids Sun 446 (pictured) – a metal aviator available inpastel pink and pastel blue with contrasting colours on the sides and a striped innerdesign. All sunglasses can be glazed and come with a free case. Open and lockable displaystands are available free with orders of six or 12 frames.

Peter Beaumont, Dunelm Optical’s managing director, said: “We are delighted to launch ourlatest range of prescription sunglasses which brings our total sun range to 115 frames. Thisprovides independent opticians with the greatest choice of designer and classic sunglassesfor men, women and children, covering all price points.”

Dunelm15 Stepper UK18

Louis Stone (Optical) has launched a new range children’s frame collection called Hi. Theplastic and metal, 29-piece frame range offers 69 combinations of size and colour, withoptions for children with low vision related difficulties.

Louis Stone (Optical)17

Signature Whiz Kids style

Multifocal and toric versions of No7 ContactLenses’ Comfort 15 contact lens, whichfeatures a 15mm diameter, are being beta-tested in readiness for launch later this year.Kevin Taylor, No7 technical director, said:“Mini-sclerals have, in the past, beennotoriously expensive and involved a steeplearning curve – but the Comfort 15 is simpleto fit. Cost is also a major factor.” Made fromOptimum Extra, a Contamac material, thelens and its new modalities are expected tomeet growing demand for the requirementsof fitting irregular corneas.

No7 Contact Lenses19

In response to the latest men’s eyewearfashion trends, Stepper is taking classicelements from the past and applyingtechnology and hi-tech materials to deliverinnovative and stylish eyewear. “Most menare looking for reliable, robust andunderstated frames that do the job with theminimum of fuss,” said Peter Reeve,managing director of Stepper UK. “Theywant to look good, but don’t want to lookas if they’ve tried too hard to achieve this.”

Weighing just 5g, the new SI-20042(pictured) takes an archetypal plastic frontand, using the latest developments inpolymer materials and injection mouldingprocesses, produces a super-thin profile rim.The simple front, with in-built anatomicalStepper bridge, is joined to ultra-light andflexible beta-titanium sides featuring subtle‘leather’ etching detail. The style is availablewith Sherry, Smoke and Blue fronts.

Understated style

Jorgen de Schipper has joined mark’ennovy as group sales director leading the salesorganisations in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, the Nordics and the Swiss GermanCantons. With a career spanning AMO, Bausch + Lomb and more recently Optos, Jorgensaid: “In joining mark’ennovy I am becoming part of a unique family dedicated toinnovation, service and a professional focus on contact lens fitting that makes a realdifference to both eyecare professionals and patients every single day – both clinically andcommercially.” mark’ennovy has also appointed two new business development managers:Sarah Brown for the Midlands and Leila Butler-Waltham for Yorkshire and East Anglia.

mark’ennovy16

Colourful Hi kids range


Orange Eyewear has relaunched its voucher plus range with new branding – No Limits byOrange. Available only to independents, the frames come in a range of vibrant colours forthe teenage market and beyond, featuring hand-finished acetates that are spring-hinged,as well as stainless steel metal options.

Hanna Nussbaum, managing director at Orange Eyewear, said: “We constantly review ourranges to mirror consumer trends and incorporate the feedback we get from opticians. Thistype of collection is traditionally aimed at teenagers, so we wanted to make sure that wewidened the appeal and created looks that were just as appropriate for older wearers, too.”

Orange Eyewear20

The Eschenbach Visolux Digital HD is ahybrid of a seven-inch digital hand-heldreader and desktop video magnifier. “Ratherthan duplicating what is already available inan overcrowded market, Eschenbach hascombined new technology and intuitivedesign to create what is a unique, featurerich digital magnifier for the low visionmarket,” explained Stuart Baldwin, salesdirector for UK distributor, Associated Optical(AO). “Features include Visolux’s DLS(Dynamic Line Scroll), which allows the userto scroll horizontally across the text beingviewed without the need to move the

magnifier makes the Visolux Digital HD atruly unique product.”

Associated Optical21

Eyespace22

Brulimar Optical Group has created a newmanufacturing division through a series ofjoint ventures with Chinese factories,enabling UK independent practices to orderdirectly from source. MD Howard Libraeexplained: “We have set up this new serviceso smaller groups of optical stores are ableto compete head-on with the major chainsby paying significantly lower pricing marginsthat are comparable to manufacturer pricesand what large corporations currently pay.”The new division, stemming from a six-figure funding deal with Allied Irish Bank,will also enable practices to create bespokeframe collections, said the company.

Brulimar Optical Group24

Model ORK129 in aubergine

Rock Star sun model Bondi

NEWS

Eyespace has added a capsule sunglass line to its Rock Star eyewear collection for five to15-year-olds. Eyespace’s head of product development, Emily Shepherd, said: “In keepingwith the brand ethos we have developed a capsule range, which embodies the all-American attitude of our ophthalmic frames whilst still offering the high quality standardswe are renowned for. All lenses are optical quality CR39 [UV400] for the highest level ofprotection from the sun’s rays, and have been carefully selected in shades to complementthe individual frame colour options. We have even included high impact blue mirror lenses,specially sourced in CR39 material.”

ABDO CET at Optrafair 2016

The Association of British DispensingOpticians (ABDO) will once again have asignificant presence at Optrafair in April –delivering CET-approved lectures anddiscussion workshops in the ABDO CETTheatre (H130). Up to 15 CET points will beavailable during sessions approved for bothdispensing opticians and optometrists.ABDO CET lectures and discussionworkshops are free to attend and admissionwill be on a first come, first served basis –with CET lectures approved for one CET pointeach and discussion workshops offeringthree CET points each. Space is limited to 80delegates per lecture and 30 delegates perdiscussion workshop. The Associaiton willalso stage its gala dinner on the Sundayevening of the show, and tickets can bebooked at www.abdo.og.uk

Association of British Dispensing Opticians23

The Eschenbach Visolux Digital HD


NEWS

AN INDEPENDENT VIEW

Stimulating the debate

As the AIO takes an increasingly prominentrole in representing the interests ofindependent practices, it has made thedecision to arrange meetings up and down thecountry for independent optometrists anddispensing opticians, both AIO members andnon-members. The meetings will be based onthe Question Time format with the aim ofstimulating active debate amongst all parties –panelists and attendees alike.

Following the quick reaction by the AIO to theletters from Doug Perkins to many independentpractices inviting them to “become part of theSpecsavers family”, we have had a lot ofcomment and email correspondence on theissue. We have also been involved in exchangesof views on online forums, and our pressreleases have been quoted in the optical media.

We will be reviewing our policies in 2017 and,with the world of optics changing at an everfaster rate, it is important that the Associationfocuses on those issues and challenges thatmatter to practitioners day-to-day. It is also thecase that independents can feel unconnected as a sector. As a professional body that onlyrepresents independents, the AIO has an importantrole to play in addressing this.

Details of the events will be publicised shortly,and we encourage all independents to takeadvantage of the opportunity both to have yourvoice heard and to network with otherindependent practitioners.

CooperVision introduced its Biofinity Energys contact lens, designedspecifically for digital lifestyles, to some 200,000 digital industry leaders atthe Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last month. Dr BruceLucas, a fourth-generation optometrist who practises in California, wasamong the first to begin fitting the lens. He said: “I’ve been prescribingBiofinity Energys to all of my eligible contact wearers. Its performance isnothing short of remarkable, and is definitely a game changer.”

Commenting on the lens’ debut at CES, Oxana Pastushenko, CooperVisionVP marketing, said: “Support from the digital industry is extremelyimportant to us within the context of this product as we communicate tothe millions of digital device users worldwide that eye tiredness anddryness no longer needs to be accepted as ‘normal’ for contact lens wearers,thanks to Biofinity Energys.”

CooperVision25

New model JL 1272 from Continental Eyewear’s Jacques Lamont collectionfeatures temples embellished by a jewellery detailed lug with the addedadvantage of a quality spring hinge. The new style is available in Purple(pictured) and Tort and fits a 53 eye size.

The Safilo Group and Canadian consumer brain sensing technology firmInteraxon have announced a strategic R&D partnership and licensingagreement enabling Safilo’s entry into wearable technology, under thename of SafiloX. “SafiloX is the perfect intersection of our renowned iconiceyewear design and authentic quality craftsmanship dating back to 1878,the leading brain sensing technology application, and today’s most covetedconsumer search to master mental focus and strength to achieve enhancedpersonal performance and well-being,” said Safilo CEO, Luisa Delgado.

“It is neither another example of technology mounted on frames, nortechnology for its own sake,” continued Luisa. “With SafiloX our groupleverages its legendary Passion for Product and People for a wearableeyewear proposition of unparalleled fit and comfort, aspirational designand style, and compelling consumer relevance.” SafiloX will first be offeredvia the group’s Smith performance eyewear brand.

Safilo Group26

Continental Eyewear27

Sparkling collection addition

Digital industry gathers at CES 2017

0845 3130233 · [email protected] · www.optinetuk.com

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A clearer way to manage


It doesn’t matter if you call them patients,clients or customers, the people visitingindependent practices today are evolving into smarter, more educated and moreengaged individuals. So how do we adaptto ensure they remain with us?

Firstly, let’s get over the whole price issue.That’s not to say that price isn’t a factorwith your patients, but if someone is stoodin an independent practice, price is not themost important factor. Let’s face it, we arebombarded by price led offerings from themultiples and more often now the internetsuppliers, so if they wanted cheap they couldeasily find it. So, what are they looking for?

Generally, people who choose independentpractices are slightly older, but older in bodyno longer means older in mind. Many ofthe grey generation regularly use technology;they use social media to interact with friendsand family, they take their health veryseriously and unlike younger patients, theydemand good service rather than purespeed. So what to do?

REVIEWING YOUR OFFERINGStart off by reviewing every patient touchpoint, i.e. every point at which youencounter your patients, starting with yourwebsite and social media content. Thenmove to the practice environment. Are yourstaff smart and polite? Do they have thecorrect telephone etiquette? Is your receptionarea approachable? So often over the yearsI have visited practices that have highreception desks, with people sat behindthem with their heads down, basicallysaying ‘Do not disturb’.

Look at the overall impression of thepractice; is it clean, bright and professional?Is it giving your patients the right message?Are the frames in stock correct for yourpatients? (read Alex Davis’ article overleaf

for more guidance in this area). Next moveinto your consulting room. Is the equipmentup to date? And by this I don’t mean thelatest all-singing, all-dancing imagingtechnology – I mean fundamental tools likethe test chart, the slit lamp and the trialset. If these look old and outdated, you’resending the message: “I’m out of touch”.I’ve seen ripped chairs and plaster comingoff walls, all of which is unacceptable. Youmust be seen as the professional you are.

MAKING YOURSELF CLEARNext look at how you are engaging with yourpatients, using technology to support whatyou’re offering. This could be by usingproducts like Rendia, the patent educationsoftware available exclusively through NEG,or finding independent websites to whichyou can refer your patients to support yourmessage. Make sure your staff are fullytrained, so they can explain to patients whatis happening and why. Always involve thepatient in the process, giving them options,asking them open questions so you can get afull understanding of their needs, which youcan then match with the correct product.

The modern patient wants an ‘experience’ –and that doesn’t mean lights, music and agreat cup of coffee (although a good coffeewill always help). They want to feel part ofthe process; they want to feel individual andthat they matter. This is surely where theindependent practice can truly shine. You canspend time with patients, you can choosefrom an endless product range, you canenhance their lifestyle and not just sell themtwo bits of plastic in another bit of plastic.

Finally keep in touch and keep it simple.The worst thing you can do is speak‘Opticinese’, that industry jargon that we sooften use; it can make patients feeluncomfortable and unwanted. So use plainEnglish, explain what you mean and make

sure they understand what you have said.Then keep in touch.

In the past, a recall letter every two yearswas fine. This is no longer the case and youwill find that your competition is talking toyour/their patients every day. So, a coupleof weeks after they have collected theirspectacles or contact lenses, get in touch tomake sure everything is okay and to resolveany issues if there are any. Maybe think ofoffering a ‘refer a friend’ incentive, whichwill encourage them to talk about you. This,in turn, will reinforce patient loyalty.

Over the period between visits, make sureyou regularly communicate with yourpatients – be it about a new range of framesyou’ve introduced, upcoming open days, freeadjustments and cleans, contact lens trialsand so on. But make sure the message fitswith the information that you gatheredwhile they were in the practice. There is nopoint in emailing information about ortho-kto a 65-year-old with a -10.00D prescription,but it’s worth texting a link to informationabout Julbo to a keen sportsman.

Above all, remember that as your patientsare becoming more sophisticated and moredemanding, you need to evolve with them –offering a better experience than thecompetition and meeting their ever-changing needs.

Developing thoughtsAs your patients become ever-more sophisticated, your consulting room, staff,products and services need to evolve to meet their changing demands

Are you keeping up withyour patients?

PRACTICE MATTERS

Is your waiting area child-friendly?


BUSINESS MATTERS

Probably 54 per cent of NEG membersreading this article do not carry out properstatistical analysis to help in making framebuying decisions. I quote 54 per centbecause this is the number not measuringframe stock turn in a recent survey ofpractitioners undertaken by Stepper in theUK*. However, the fact is that analysingstock sell-through, measured in stock turn,is the only way to make informed purchasedecisions, meet customers’ needs over timeand maximise profitability.

Feel free to buy frames based on what youlike – as long as you like them because theymeet customers’ needs, have a good stocksell-through and generate a good profit.You cannot afford to ‘like’ a frame for anyother reason. Emotion, aspiration, instinct,sympathy or coercion have no place inframe buying.

A rational, analytical approach to stock andbuying will make a significant improvementin your business. Having worked in abusiness with up to 150 practices, I knowthe positive impact proper analysis of framesales can have on the bottom line. Thisimpact can happen very quickly. It requiresa little time and a lot of discipline.

MEASURING STOCK SELL-THROUGH To effectively measure stock sell-through,you need to consider what you want to getout of any analysis. I’ve read of ideal stockturns of four per year. If you knew this foryour practice, what would be the value ofthis information to you? I’d argue: not a lot.OK, so it might go up over time and you’redoing well. Or, it might go down and you’renot doing so well.

Stock sell-through figures are as individualas a practice. This is nice to know but oflimited value for decision making. What isimportant to you is relative stock sell-through of different products and how thisis moving over time. But relative to what?You need to decide what you want to

measure. Measure meaningful groups offrames that you can compare the salesperformance against within your practice.This will, in turn, influence how youorganise and merchandise your frameproduct. It’s a great discipline, which alsohelps your staff and your customersunderstand your frame offering.

The following is a simplified example ofmeasuring stock turn:1. Plan your frame showroom into key frame areas (categories) to allocate relative frame stock levels.2. It is most useful to calculate this using your merchandising system so your final stock plan makes sense within the showroom. Most systems are arranged in ‘drops’ of approximately 14.3. If you have 30 drops, this gives you an ideal stock level of 14 x 30 = 420.4. From this, you will need to carve up your drops into key categories, with stock weighted depending on the nature of your practice. Typical categories are: children and teens, voucher, women, men, designer and rimless.

EXAMPLE: WOMEN’S STEPPER PLASTIC Let’s take the women’s category as a workedexample. Say of the 30 drops, six areallocated to women. Of those six drops, one

is Stepper. There are, therefore, 14 pieces ofStepper to monitor. In this case, I wouldrecommend dividing the stock into sevenmetal and seven plastic. As the characteristicsand appeal of metal and plastic are different,the relevant stock turns need to be measured.We will look at plastic.

Each category, drop and sub-group needs tobe measured.• Category: Women’s• Drop: Stepper• Sub-group: Plastic

As you sell a women’s Stepper plastic,make a note on a spreadsheet (preferablyelectronic). At the end of each day, reorderby what you have sold. If you sold twowomen’s Stepper plastics, reorder in thissub-group (it doesn’t need to be the samemodel, just the same category/drop/sub-group). Repeat this process daily, making anote on your spreadsheet and re-orderingto maintain the sub-group of seven.

At the end of three months analyse yourresults. Let’s say in this period you sold fivewomen’s Stepper plastic frames. As you soldeach one, you replenished your stock so yourstock level of this sub-category remainsseven. Now you can begin to analyse stockturn and project your three months results

Smart stock sell-throughHow many of your business purchase decisions are based

on analysis and how many on gut feelings? asks Alex Davis

Choose frames you like because they meet your customers’ needs


BUSINESS MATTERS

into an annualised stock turn. Sales in threemonths (one quarter year) would equal 20sales in a year (five x four quarters).

A stock turn is given by dividing theannualised sales for this sub-group (20) byyour maintained stock level for this sub-group(seven) – so 20/7. The projected annualisedstock turn for this sub group is, therefore,2.89. Make a note of this figure and as eachquarter ends, repeat this exercise. This willallow you to compare quarterly performanceand see whether it is improving or worsening.As each quarter builds, you will develop amore robust stock turn figure.

PITFALLS AND MAXIMISING RESULTSIf you run promotional activity such as asale, be aware that this will potentiallyaffect your stock sell-through; increasing itbut at a commercially detrimental price,possibly causing a switch sale from a framethat would have sold on its own merits atfull price. You will need to be aware of thisand make an allowance for it.

Where analysing stock sell-through beginsto add value within your business is whenyou compare all your sub-groups. It is thecomparative data that is important to youas a business tool. To help analyse figures,sort them into highest to lowest stock turnorder. Now you have a true insight into howyour fames are performing. You may havesome very revealing surprises.

You can now look at your under and over-performers and make some importantdecisions. Under-achieving frames are theweakest performers in your practice. Youneed to ask yourself why you are stockingthem in such high quantities, or stockingthem at all. This can be a harsh, ordisappointing revelation, but the correctaction needs to be taken.

Star performers are the stars in yourpractice, but you need to look at why. Didyou have very low stock levels during thisperiod? Whatever you discover, it is mostlikely that you need to increase your stockof these frames. However, be strict andwork on a one in, one out basis. You canonly increase in this area as you decreaseyour under-performers.

There’s one more element to add to thisequation. How much profit did these sub-groups generate? This needs to be shown inrelation to stock sell-through. For example:• Sub-group: Women’s Stepper plastic• Average stock: seven pieces• Value: £245• Average profit per piece: £70• Stock: seven• Stock turn: 2.89• Profitability per annum: £1,416.10

The above example shows that thestockholding cost of generating £1,416.10 ofprofit per annum is £245. For comparativepurposes, this needs to be seen as a ratio of:£1,416.10/£245 = 5.78, with 5.78 being thecomparative figure. From this, you can lookat the relative profitability of all the sub-groups within your practice. The higher thisfigure, the better. Include this profitabilityscore in your sub-groups analysis tables toassist you in your stock turn analysis. Youwill tend to find these are closely related.

FINAL HINTS AND TIPSSo, to maximise stock sell-through:• Organise your stock into meaningful categories, groups and sub-groups• Once organised, maintain stock numbers in these groups• Measure sales and review every three months• Identify under-achievers and star performers• Take action by increasing or reducing frame sub-group stock profiles in accordance• Be mindful of the profitability of sub-groups

In following the above guidance, you willbe successfully analysing stock sell-through

and the relative profitability you need tomanage your stock as you move forward.Many suppliers offer a next day deliveryservice so you can replenish stock as you goalong. This is most helpful when trying tomanage your stock in this way. Replenishing‘just in time’ also helps with cash flow.

It’s good to see sales representatives fromframe companies so you can evaluate newstyles and keep abreast of current trendsand developments. But, give your starperformers priority when organising salesvisits from frame companies. Your stockplan will also help you remain focused onthe needs of the business, rather than justbuying what you want.

Above all, good business information iseverything and your business is unique.Understand the facts and figures for your business and work with knowledge not instinct.

* Stepper (UK) online customer survey,November 2016, and telephone/visit surveyDecember 2016.

Alex Davis is head of brands and marketingat Stepper Eyewear.

STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTIONFrom a sample of Stepper customersin the UK*, we asked questionsregarding stock sell-through in arecent online survey. Although asurprising proportion (54 per cent)admitted to not measuring stocksell-through, for those who did,Stepper performed particularly well.

It was good news for Stepper, as 65 per cent noted the Stepperframes were measured to be eitherthe best or among the best framecollections for stock turn. Thenwhen making buying decisions, 50per cent said that stock sell-throughwas very important in deciding tobuy Stepper. For the remaining 50per cent, this was quite important.

Fifty per cent of respondentsordered frames as they sold them inpreference to waiting until they sawa frame representative. In addition,we discovered an average Stepperstock turn of three, with individualpractices manging a stock turn ashigh as 4.5 for Stepper products.

Model SI 30088 from the latest Stepper collectionfor women


PRODUCT PROFILE

This article will take a closer look at UV/bluelight wavelengths and when and wherepeople may be exposed. It will also considerwhat impact UV/blue light exposure mighthave on vision, and explore the spectaclelens filtering technology available designedto regulate wearers’ exposure (Figure 1).

UV EXPOSUREWithin the electromagnetic spectrum, UVradiation is split into three categories:UVA/UVB/UVC. UVC (100-280nm) is fullyabsorbed by the ozone along withatmosphere meaning none will reachground level. Around 10 per cent of UVB(280-315nm) will reach the surface of theearth1, whilst almost all of UVA (315-380nm)will reach ground level.

An international guide and compendium,completed by key opinion leaders on behalf of the World Health Organisation,offers a detailed review of the burden ofdisease resulting from exposure to UVradiation2. It covers a wide range of areas,with a section showing how much UV fromsunlight (by far the biggest source) reachesthe earth’s surface.

The overall amount of UV a person mayencounter throughout the day is influenced byseveral environmental factors, which include:• Position of the sun in the sky: 60 per cent reaching ground level between 10am and 2pm• Altitude: four per cent increase in UV for every 300m increase• Ground reflection: grass (three per cent); water (five per cent); concrete (12 per cent); white sand (20 per cent); old snow (50 per cent); new snow (>90 per cent)• Presence of cloud: only good protection when the cloud cover is very heavy as over 90 per cent of UV will penetrate light cloud cover

Considering ocular UV exposure specifically,recent research has shown the time ofmaximum risk for UV damage to the eyesand skin is very different. The risk to skin isgreatest when the sun is highest in the skyor the person is at altitude. However, as the

eyes are deep set within the orbit, they arepartially protected when the sun is high, sodirect ocular UV exposure is greatest when thesun is lower. For spring, summer and autumn,maximum ocular UV exposure occurs between8-10am and later on between 2-4pm1.

It is certainly worth noting research thatuncovered the back surface of a spectacle

lens reflectslight comingfrom behinda spectaclelens weareronto theeyes, therebyincreasingocular UVexposure3.This area

was explored, and found that traditionalanti-reflective coatings significantlyincreased UV reflectance off the back lenssurface (Figure 2).

OCULAR DAMAGEFrom an acute ‘quick onset’ stand-point,photokeratitis is a very painful condition,commonly referred to as ‘snowblindness’,which normally resolves untreated within12 hours. Chronic UVA/B exposure withinsunlight is damaging to the eyes; its impacthas been shown to include development ofclimate droplet keratopathy, pterygium,photoconjunctivitis to name a few, alongwith driving cataract formation. A finalpossible concern is a link to age-relatedmacular degeneration, which has beenrigorously study for many years now.

BLUE LIGHT EXPOSUREWithin the electromagnetic spectrum, bluelight is the visible neighbour of UV, therefore, it

forms part of visible light which carries themost energy. It is sub-divided into blue-violet light (380-450nm), and blue-turquoiselight (450-500nm). The amount of thesewavelengths coming from the sun and skydepends on the season, time of day andgeographical location. As a proportion ofdaylight, blue light is around 25 per cent of thefull amount that reaches ground level; it is themost abundant colour that surrounds all of us.

As with UV, outdoor sunlight is certainly thebiggest source of these blue wavelengths.However, it is ever-more important foreyecare practitioners to be aware of modernartificial sources. Public Health England hasput these into two categories: ‘devices westare at’ and ‘surrounding sources’.

Devices we stare atSmartphones, smart watches and digitaltablets are used an increasing amount. Recentresearch has shown that more than 90 percent of 20-65-year-olds use a digital devicedaily, and that 64 per cent of people spendfour hours or more on one a day4. However,the power emitted by these digital devices isvery low, so exposure simply to these sourcesis not a concern for ocular tissue damage.

Surrounding sourcesWith internal lighting, traditional artificiallight sources such as incandescent bulbs/striplighting are rapidly being replaced byproducts based on light emitting diodes(LED). The reasons for this are that they havea longer lifetime, lower energy consumptionand lower environmental impact. It isestimated that LED will account for 70 percent of all lighting sources by 20205.

Modern LED lighting delivers a noticeablyhigher radiance of blue light than digital

U V H E V L E V

( U V )HARMFUL LIGHT

(Blue-Violet)

ESSENTIAL LIGHT(Blue-Turquoise) ( r e s t o f v i s i b l e l i g h t )

UV: Ultraviolet lightHEV: High Energy Visible lightLEV: Low Energy Visible light

Figure 1: Because light is both essential and harmful to health, eyes should be protected with a selective light filter

UV protection: goingbeyond the front surfaceBy Andy Hepworth, professional relations manager, Essilor

UP TO 50%

Figure 2: UV exposure by reflection


PRODUCT PROFILE

devices and although much less powerfulthan sunlight, internal lighting changes alongwith life expectancy increase. This means thatlifetime exposure to blue light wavelengthsis set to grow for the vast majority of people.

OCULAR DAMAGECurrent evidence indicates that the majorrisk for ocular ageing is from unprotectedexposure to light. A recent major systematicreview of the epidemiological literature hasconcluded that individuals with moresunlight exposure are indeed atsignificantly greater risk of ocular damage.

Many independent cell and animal researchstudies over the last 15 years haveevidenced that the harmful part of thevisible spectrum to retinal cells is the blue-violet range (380-455 nm). This includes invitro photobiology research carried out bythe Paris Vision Institute, which uncoveredretinal pigment epithelial cell death(apoptosis) following exposure to blue lightwavelengths between 415nm >455nm.

The study went on to uncover that preventivesolutions to these wavelengths werenecessary to slow down this cell damage.Moreover, this newly established photo-toxicity spectrum creates the starting pointfor two very practical areas of research: theinvention of selective photo-protectionophthalmic lens filters that absorb and/orreflect these wavelengths; and the calculationof how well these filters deliver protection.

Although the most robust clinical evidence-based data allowing close to perfect lifetimeexposure predictions is not yet available, webelieve our duty of care to a patient shouldinclude a filter that will noticeably reducethe potentially phototoxic blue-violet lightexposure – as this can now be done withoutreducing visual performance.

PRODUCTS TO PROTECT AND REFLECT Since 2012, Essilor has gone beyond simplyreducing the UV that transmits through alens by considering research highlightingthe amount of UV reflection from the lensrear surface3. With this in mind, it becameapparent that for clear photochromic and

sunwear, we must provide a Crizal coatingthat virtually eliminates rear surface UVreflection back into the wearers’ eyes.To support practitioners’ patientcommunication around this additional UVprotection, Essilor has worked with experts todevelop a relevant index based on a series ofexperimental measurements taking intoaccount UV exposure from all directions. Likethe SPF index quoted on skin care products,the E-SPF is a ratio between eye exposurewith and without protection, highlightinghow much less UV a wearer’s eyes willreceive; on a simple level how muchprotection from UV a wearer’s eyes (and thesurrounding delicate skin) will enjoy.

To reduce the amount of these higherenergy visible wavelengths entering aneye, Essilor research teams have developedtwo products to reduce transmissionthrough reflection and/or absorption: CrizalPrevencia and Eye Protect System lenses.

CRIZAL PREVENCIAWith Crizal Prevencia, selective AR technologycalled Light Scan ensures this latest version ofCrizal will filter out 20 per cent of blue-violetwavelengths, whilst preserving maximumtransmission of the rest of the visiblespectrum including blue-turquoise (Figure 3).

Using this technology, a wearer might noticethe subtle blue look of the higher energyblue-violet light along with a slight yellowingof colour perception. Having spoken to manypractitioners, a large proportion commentedthat wearers enjoy the visual change, inparticular in lower light conditions.

EYE PROTECT SYSTEM LENSESIn 2016, a new approach to tackle the shortwavelength issue involved embeddingmolecules into the lens material, whichactively absorbed a portion of harmful blue-violet light. Through collaborative researchwith the Paris Vision Institute, Essilor canensure these new filters will deliver blue-violet light protection whilst allowing blue-turquoise light to transmit (Figure 4). Thisresulted in the Smart Blue Filter absorbers thatensure Eye Protect System lenses filter out ofthe 20 per cent of blue-violet wavelengths.

Anything within a lens material that activelyfilters blue-violet light will bring a naturalyellow appearance to the lens, which somewearers may find unappealing. So as toeliminate this, neutralising molecules areadded intothe SmartBlue Filter.To assessthe successof this area, sensoryanalysis ofthis new lenstype wasperformed by skilled analysts who evaluatedfour parameters: lens and skin appearanceof wearer; and lens transparency and colourperception when viewing through the lens.Each of the four parameters consistentlyrated higher than without the absorbers. EyeProtect System lenses carries neither anyresidual tint nor blue reflection (Figure 5).After a two-month wearer test, 100 per centof wearers were satisfied with the product5.

SUMMARYRecent research has highlighted theimportance of delivering a spectacle lens,which will reduce the amount of UV alongwith a portion of blue light wavelengths intothe eye. Internal lens research teams havebeen working tirelessly to deliver spectaclelens features that will support this requirementin order to protect and, ultimately, supportthe prevention of many ocular complications.

REFERENCES1. Sasaki H, Sakamoto Y, Schnider C et al (2011) UV-B exposure to the eye depending on solar. Eye & Contact Lens 37 (4): 191-5.2. Intersun. The Global UV Project Radiation and Environmental Health. World Health Organization. www.who.int/uv3. Citek K (2008) Anti-reflective coatings reflect ultraviolet radiation. Optometry 79 (3): 143-8. 4. Consumer quantitative study of 4,000 individuals. US, Fr, Br, CH (Br & CH: online representative). Ipsos 2014.5. McKinsey and Company. Lighting the way: perspectives on the global lighting market. 2nd edition report. Aug 2012.

Figure 3: Crizal Prevencia front and back surface advanced selective filter technology

NO RESIDUAL YELLOW TINT

NO BLUE REFLECTIONS

Figure 5: No yellow residual tintor blue reflections

WAVELENGTH (nm)

TRANSMISSION % (nm)

0

25

50

75

100

280 420 460 780

N A R RO W B A N D

— STANDARD AR LENS4

— EYE PROTECT SYSTEMTM WITH CRIZAL FORTE® UV

Lens transmission for polycarbonate non-photochromic lenses. The transmission for HI and UHI lenses is lower between 380 and 400 nm.

EYE PROTECT SYSTEMTM TRANSMISSION CURVE.

Figure 4: Eye Protect System transmission curve


Optrafair unites professionals and supportstaff, practice managers and owners ofevery size of practice, plus manufacturers,distributors and suppliers and the opticalassociations to expand your knowledgeabout the sector, provide opportunities toenhance your awareness of new productsand services, obtain high quality businessadvice, and to participate in CET accreditededucation and business training, all underone roof in an exciting and dynamicenvironment.

Built on a trusted heritage spanning nearly40 years, Optrafair has established itself asthe place to close deals, be immersed inthe latest clinical thinking, receive soundbusiness advice and get hands-on with newproducts and equipment. Exhibitors includeleading brands and newer companiesaiming to get a foothold in the market whoknow that Optrafair is the perfect event tomeet dedicated and informed eyecareprofessionals.

Optrafair 2016 closed its doors with a recordnumber of exhibitors rebooking stands in abid to repeat their success at the 2017 show.Respected suppliers of OCT and topographyinstruments, leading providers of digitallens products and technology, independentbusiness consultants and practice buyinggroups, leading frames suppliers, nichefashion boutique suppliers and theassociations that represent every part ofthe sector, can all be found at Optrafair.

CENTENARY CELEBRATIONSBryony Pawinska, chief executive of theFederation of Manufacturing Opticians (FMO),said: “2017 is a very special year for the FMOwhen we will be celebrating our centenary atOptrafair, with features that will show visitorsjust how far the optical sector has come inthe past 100 years but with a firm focus onthe future, and the knowledge, products andservices that practitioners will need as theoptical sector embraces technological changeand clinical advances.

“The education and training programmeavailable for professionals, support staff,

owners and managers, both clinical and CETaccredited, and business focused, will besecond to none. With the buzzing ResortsWorld on its doorstep, the NEC provides thevery best one stop shop for anyone workingin the optical sector who is coming to learn,to buy and to socialise with their peers,”Bryony added.

First held in 1978, Optrafair is today organisedby two of the most respected organisationsserving the optical market in the UK. TheFMO first introduced Optrafair as a show ‘bythe sector, for the sector’ and those valuesremain. As a non-profit organisation, the

surplus from Optrafair is ploughed back forthe sector. Working in partnership with theaward winning MA Exhibitions and Opticianmagazine, Optrafair is committed to creatinga visitor experience at the three-day eventto surpass any other show.

“The year 2017 marks the 100th anniversaryof the FMO, the owners of Optrafair and thefounders of this feast of quality content andmarket leading exhibitors,” commented EdTranter, managing director of MA Exhibitions.“Central to the theme of Optrafair 2017 willbe this unprecedented heritage, with afocus on the future of optics. At MAExhibitions, we are proud to be partneredwith the FMO to deliver this prestigiousevent until 2020 – to revive and reinvigoratethe original and the best show in the sector.”

FOREFRONT OF OPTICAL THINKINGOffering visitors exclusive business advice,clinical CET content and the largest range ofinteractive partner-led workshops, Optrafairis proud to be at the forefront of opticalthinking and practice. There are multipleopportunities to obtain interactive CETpoints by taking part in 2017’s programmeof lectures, seminars and presentations.Sessions will feature leading educators,business minds and researchers and will bepacked with discussion and debate.

Show time at the NECFrom 1–3 April at Birmingham’s NEC, Optrafair will once again bring together the optical community

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

A “feast” of quality content

Top-flight CET lectures and workshops


The education at Optrafair 2017 will includea CET theatre, the ABDO Theatre and for thefirst time a Business Theatre. Clinical provisionalso extends onto the show floor with on-stand CET and a digital CET trail that will testyour ability to diagnose and manage arange of common ocular conditions. Clinicalcase histories will be presented on videoscreens throughout the exhibition.

Eyecare professionals with ownership andmanagement responsibility have expresseda real need for reliable, quality businessadvice. To meet this growing demandOptrafair will host a Business Theatre todeliver a series of hard-hitting businesssessions and real-world case studiesembracing management issues such as HRand marketing, to benefit owners andmanagers and give you tangible advice tohelp support your business decisions.

With most community optical practicesenjoying large windows in high-traffic areas,a window display is a critical part of yourpractice’s identity. Windows that encouragepassers-by to take a second look effectivelypromote and advertise what you do, and itrequires little effort to deliver tangible

results. Visit Optrafair and learn how to dressyour practice window for any day, week orseason from experts who will not only showyou how it’s done but also explain the set-upand give top tips for you to take home.

Within many creative industries, especiallythe fashion sector, trend forecasting hasalways been a valuable tool and Optrafairwill bring this element into the world ofoptics. New for 2017, the floor will include aTrend Forecasting feature to help designersand buyers with choosing the right productsat the right time for their business.

All those who attend the show can alsoenjoy the FMO Centenary Bar. Located at thecentre of the show floor, the bar willshowcase how far the British optical sectorhas come in the past 100 years. The barprovides the perfect opportunity to meet,network and socialise with old friends andprospective clients while celebrating thepast, present and future of optics.We look forward to welcoming you andyour team to the NEC Birmingham in April,to experience for yourself what makesOptrafair the UK’s leading optical event.Visit www.optrafair.co.uk to register.

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

The chance to see products up close

The latest instrumentation demonstrated

An abundance of companies to meet Helping you boost your business fortunes

SEVEN REASONS TO ATTENDOPTRAFAIR1. Optrafair covers the whole of the profession From equipment and lenses to eyewear and business services, all corners of the eyecare profession are available to you in one convenient location.2. Quality business advice From inspirational leaders and innovators, culminating in the sharing of cross-profession views and debate, Optrafair offers you the opportunity to ask questions of the panel.3. Great location The NEC is at the heart of the UK motorway network and reliably serviced by national rail and coach services.4. Proud heritage Optrafair was launched in 1978 and continues to galvanise optics and shape the future. Surpluses from Optrafair are ploughed back into the optical industry in the UK.5. World class education Optrafair offers seminar and instrument workshop sessions from well-known and authoritative experts, designed to help you understand the latest research and practice issues and get hands-on with high specification equipment.6. By the profession for the profession Close associations with all of the professional bodies and leading vision charities, and a strong supplier membership, ensures Optrafair has the profession at its heart.7. The best ideas Immerse yourself in new surroundings, network with your peers, visionaries, academic experts and leading optical suppliers; at Optrafair you’ll find the best ideas come to you when you take a day out from your practice or workplace.


Views range considerably – with somebelieving them to be no more than apiece of optics history, that they wouldneed training in taking impressions to fitthem (which is no longer the case) or thatthe fitting process is too lengthy andcomplex to be used in everyday practice.At the other end of the scale are eyecarepractitioners who are regularly identifyingthe most suitable cases for these lensesand enjoying fitting them with greatsuccess and happy patients.

Interestingly, these are also patients who arenot an obvious target for the multiples orinternet sellers of contact lenses. Therefore inaddition to being interesting to fit and havingsignificant clinical benefits to some of yourpatients, they also represent a great businessopportunity for the independent practitioner.

WHY DO WE STILL NEED SCLERAL LENSES?To fully understand the role of scleral lensesin today’s contact lens market, we need tofirstly be clear on the roles of other lensesthat are likely to be more familiar. It’sprobably fair to say that soft lenses accountfor the majority of the contact lens businessin most practices – and rightly so. Theselenses are fantastic, generally very easy tofit, ‘patient friendly’ and if structured well,‘business friendly’ too.

So what about when there isn’t a suitablesoft lens available? There may usually appearto be, but is it really the right lens for the job?Or just the nearest thing you have to it that’sconvenient to use? Think about the numberof presbyopic patients you have. Almosthalf of them will have cyls of 0.75D orabove in at least one eye1. This then takesthem out of range of most manufacturers’fitting guidelines for soft multifocals.

There are one or two toric multifocals aroundbut the process starts to become morecomplex, as trials usually need to be madeto order, stability can be an issue and costsincrease. Monovision is sometimes an optionbut does represent a compromise; also,

research shows that multifocals outperformmonovision in real world situations2.Combined with the fact that we know thepresbyopic age range is subject to the highestrate of drop-outs, using a compromise as astarting point can only increase the chancesof this unfortunate outcome.

Corneal gas permeable multifocal lenses cangive your patient excellent distance and nearvision, and can be toric if required withoutcomplicating the fitting process. Orderedempirically using accurate measurementsand the appropriate fitting guide, theselenses will land on your desk in two tothree days and, most of the time, the firstpair will be successful. Many cases of earlykeratoconus or other corneal irregularities canbe managed well with corneal gas permeablelenses too, and there are specific designsavailable to help further in these cases.

Why then do we need scleral lenses? Firstly,they are available in a much wider range ofprescriptions than most mass producedlenses as each pair is individually made toorder, and are available in spheres, cyls andmultifocals. When keratoconus becomesmore advanced and the cornea is protrudingfurther, it can be more difficult to get agood fit and good comfort for your patientswith corneal lenses. The ideal situation inthese cases is to take the bearing off thecornea completely and rest it on a tougher,less sensitive surface – and this is theprimary feature of the scleral lens.

Scleral lenses are effectively fitted to thesclera (via the conjunctiva) and vault overthe cornea, having absolutely no directinteraction with it at all. In fact, it could beargued that if we are referring to thecornea, it’s not technically a ‘contact’ lens atall. This results in comfort comparable witha soft lens even immediately afterapplication, due to bearing on the lesssensitive sclera rather than the cornea, andhaving also eliminated any lid interactionwith the lens edge – two of the maincauses of contact lens awareness. Figure 1

shows theideal fit of ascleral lens.

A commonlyreportedsymptom of contactlens-related

discomfort during the wearing day is dryness.Scleral lenses address this impressively andcould be another reason you may choose tofit them3. The lens is filled with unpreservedsterile saline, which is then sealed in behindthe lens, therefore ensuring that the corneais protected all day long by this liquidreservoir. Potential concerns around hypoxiaare managed by using modern high Dkmaterials to manufacture the lens. Themeasurable vision with these lenses isusually better than with any of the possiblealternatives, and your patient is likely toreport fewer visual symptoms such asfluctuations with blink, haloes and streaks.

FITTING SCLERAL LENSESSo now we have established why theselenses are useful, let’s look at how to fitthem. Fitting is done by sag rather than themore traditional back central optic radius(BCOR) and, as a general guide, the morethe cornea protrudes, the larger the sagrequired to vault over it and the larger theoverall diameter will need to be to supportthe lens. The fitting process consists of foursimple steps using a straightforward trialset and fitting guide. It is essential that the steps are followed in the correct order

An introduction tomodern scleral lenses

CONTACT LENSES

Figure 2: Example of a scleral lens fitting guide

Figure 1: The ideal fit of ascleral lens

The subject of scleral lenses seems to divide eyecare practitioners more than just about any other type of contact lens,writes Pauline Bradford FBDO CL


to achieve a good fit whilst minimisingchair time.

STEP 1: DIAMETERThe trial set should come with a fittingguide (Figure 2) which will tell you whereto begin. Remember: these lenses are fittedby sag rather than BCOR, which involves aslight alteration to your approach.

Start with a trial lens with a diameter ofaround 4-5mm larger than the horizontalvisible iris diameter (HVID). The ideal lenswill have no limbal touch – seen in Figure 3

as a darkercrescent onthe left ofthe cornea.If this isobserved,the overalldiameter ofthe lens mayneed to beincreased –but do referto the fittingguide for thelens designbeing used.Generally,normalcorneas orcases of

early keratoconus will require starting witha lens with a lower sag, whereas moreprotruding or more irregular corneas willrequire a larger sag to enable it to vaultover and totally clear the cornea.

There should also be a 1mm complete ringof limbal clearance visible as a bright bandsurrounding the cornea. This ensures nointerference with the function of the limbalstem cells (Figure 4).

STEP 2: SAG AND VAULT (CORNEAL CLEARANCE)Clearance should be a minimum of around250-300 microns initially, settling back toaround 150 after about 30 minutes. Thecornea is around 500 microns thick so you canuse this as a guide, but if the thickness of thetrial lens is known (for example, the Bausch +Lomb Maxim CV is 250 microns) this can makecomparing the thickness of the liquid layerwith something of a known thickness moreaccurate, as the values will be more similar.

The back surface of the cornea – just visiblein Figure 5 – can be seen to be roughly the same thickness as the liquid layer. Thiswould imply it measures around 500microns, so is too thick4; it should be closer

to half thisvalue. Thismeans thesag needs tobe smaller.Excessclearance, orvault, mayalso result inbubbles ordry areas onthe back

surface of the lens visible with the slitlamp, and can also make the lens lesscomfortable. This would indicate a smallersag is required (Figure 6).

Central touch (too little vault or cornealclearance) is sometimes easier to see when

new tofitting theselenses so itcan behelpful to erron the sideof smallersag to beginwith. Forevery 1mmof touch

observed, you will need to increase the sagby around 0.10mm (Figure 7).

STEP 3: EDGEThe edge should sit flat across the scleraand should not cause impingement/blanching or compression of the conjunctival

vessels. If it does, then it is too tight andthe solution is to request a looser edge fromthe manufacturer (Figure 8). Bubbles shouldnot bevisible underthe edge,nor shouldany liftingbe observed.These aresigns theedge is tooloose (Figure9). Figure 10 shows a well-fitting edge.

STEP 4: OVER REFRACTIONOver refraction is essentially the same aswith any other lens – sphere first, cyl ifneeded – but do be careful not to overminus and remember to compensate forback vertex diameter. The over refractionsyou are dealing with here may be largerthan usual, so this can be more significant.

Manufacturers provide excellent technicalsupport to assist you when you are gettingstarted with scleral lenses – and practical,CET-accredited training is available to helpbuild your confidence if required.

REFERENCES1. Young G, Sully A, Hunt C (2011) Prevalence of astigmatism in relation to soft contact lens fitting. Eye & Contact Lens 37: 20-25. 2. Multifocals: the new standard of care. A supplement to Contact Lens Spectrum June 2012. 3. Alipour F, Kheirkhah A, Jabarvand Behrouz M (2012) Use of mini scleral contact lenses in moderate to severe dry eye. Contact Lens & Anterior Eye 35 (6): 272-6. 4. Schendowich B (2014) Mini-scleral lens fitting and problem solving. Contact Lens Spectrum 29: 34-36, 38, 40, 55.

Images courtesy of Scleral Lens EducationSociety, Bausch + Lomb, AllAboutVision.com.

Pauline Bradford is professional servicesconsultant at Bausch + Lomb. This articleis based on a workshop she presented atthe 2016 Independents Day.

Figure 3: The ideal lens willhave no limbal touch

CONTACT LENSES

Figure 4: Good limbal clearance

Figure 5: Excessive vault/centralclearance in section

Figure 6: Excessive vault/clearance showingbubbles and deposits forming on the back

surface of the lens due to dryness

Figure 7: Central touch

Figure 8: A tightly fitting edge

Figure 9: A loose edge

Figure 10: A well-fitting edge


NEG/IDAY REPORT

Digital lifestyles and retail excellence were the core respective themesof the NEG and Independents Day (iDay) annual conferences on 6 and 7November at the Hilton Metropole Birmingham. Held concurrently for thefirst time, both events drew a combined audience of more than 260independent practitioners and their practice teams from across the UK,eager to hear from some of the top names in their respective fields, bothwithin and outside of optics.

The two-day business summit, offering up to 15 CET points, included a well-supported iShow exhibition encompassing the entire spectrum of opticalproducts, as well as workshops on topics such as window dressing, mini-sclerals, OCT and digital eye fatigue. At the iNight dinner on the Sundayevening, delegates listened to some marketing and communications tipsfrom the Practice Buddy before being entertained by ‘king of the one-liners’and Mock the Week star, Gary Delaney

TIME BOMB TICKINGThe annual NEG Building for Success Conference was this year themed, ‘Adigital response to a digital age’ and focused on strategies to help NEGmembers and their staff meet changing patient demands and behaviours.In the first CET lecture of the day, Katie Harrop of No7 Contact Lenses asked,‘Can we afford to ignore myopia?’ The short answer was a resounding, No.Despite no myopia control products being available on the UK market asyet, there was still much the eyecare practitioner (ECP) could do to helpminimise the risks associated with pathological myopia, which includedretinal detachment and the development of choroidal neovascularisationand/or myopia maculopathy.

Katie outlined the results of a No7 practice survey, which found that mostECPs categorised pathological myopia as -6.00D despite there being noevidence that this was the cut-off. Studies in Japan had shown the risk ofretinal detachment increased 80-fold for myopes of -15.00D. “All levelsincrease the risk of glaucoma,” Katie told delegates, noting the increasinguse of the term ‘a ticking time bomb’ to describe myopia maculopathy.“There is no safe level of myopia and so any reduction is worthwhile,” sheadded, urging ECPs to view myopia holistically.

It was important, Katie said, to provide patients with as much informationas possible about myopia control and prevention, via leaflets or the practicewebsite, but all information should be evidence-based. She highlighted thephrase ‘Done at one’, meaning that -1.00D should be the target level atwhich to maintain all myopic patients. She suggested ECPs Google whatpatients might Google, i.e. ‘Can I stop my short-sight getting worse?’ to seewhat information patients were being fed online, before suggesting someuseful consumer information websites, such as AllAboutVision.com.

Concluding, Katie said that whilst atropine was currently the most effectivetreatment, it wasn’t available in the UK – so ECPs needed to look towardsorthokeratology and multifocals. “We need long-term studies to see if theeffects last and to find out the optimal length of treatment”, said Katie,

Digital lifestyles andsteps to retail successNicky Collinson reports on the 2016 NEG Conferenceand Independents Day in Birmingham

NEG’s Phil Mullins welcomes delegates

Drinks reception at the iShow

Delegates in the iShow exhibition hall


NEG/IDAY REPORT

noting persistent concerns about thepossibility of a post-treatment reboundeffect. Some final thoughts for delegateswere: get up-to-date on research; make adecision about whether to offer myopiacontrol or not but make sure it’s evidence-based and reviewed regularly; and havegood information at the ready for patients.

PROGRESS WITH PALSA potted history of progressive additionlenses (PALs) was next provided by PaulWalden of Lenstec, looking at the impact ofrecent changes in progressive lens designand manufacturing platforms and theireffects on dispensing. Paul also exploredhow the new world of digital and freeformlens manufacturing was changing patients’view of the world, and explained somecommon dispensing pitfalls and how to getthe best out of the latest design technologyto create custom solutions for lifestyle andoccupational based challenges.

“The ideal position of wear doesn’t reallyexist anymore,” Paul told delegates,“because we can now deal with almostanything.” Describing the ‘digital revolution’that had taken place in lens design, Pauldeclared: “For the first time in 40 years weare fitting products to the patient’s lifestyle.”Freeform manufacturing now enabled bettercontrol of the lens surface to give the mostaccurate single vision lenses ever made. Theentire design of inner surface freeformlenses was now worked on the bask surfaceof a spherical lens, which effectivelyprovided a blank canvas for each lens to becustom-designed, explained Paul.

Now was the time to consider howdispensing could catch up with design, Paultold the audience. “We are in the final throesof what manufacturers can deliver in termsof refinement so over the next year or sothe momentum will move back towardsdispensing and redefining the prescription”,Paul predicted. “We are now in a position todeliver the best in manufacturing optics sowe need to make hay. Can we get past ‘good,better, best’ to just ‘best’?” Paul asked.

As a final take-home message, Paul askedwhether any problems with adaptation toPALs could now only really be down to theincorrect prescribing of distance and/or nearaddition powers, or to poor fitting and/or measuring.

FINANCE AND FRAUDThe next presentation of the day was byMike Ockenden, chairman of the Associationfor Independent Dispensing Opticians andOptometrists (AIO), who outlined the AIO’snew ‘all-risks’ insurance policy, which dealtwith the thorny issue of vicarious liability.Available to all ECPs, not just AIO members,the insurance is the latest initiative from theAssociation following its recent launch of anIndependents Code of Practice.

Staying in the field of finance, delegateswere next treated to some startling factsand stats on fraud from Chris Fawcett, fraud risk manager at Lloyds Bank. Citing the annual cost of fraud to UK businesses as being in the region of £144bn, Chrischarted the financial and emotional impactthat fraud could have on small businesses,before explaining some of the newer types of business crime that have emergedsuch as Vishing, smishing, malware andransomware.

Chris advised delegates of a number ofsimple practical steps to protect theirbusiness: always authenticate phone calls;

install high security software; think beforeyou click; never disclose; have strongpasswords and online banking securitysystems; and back-up critical data regularly.It was also important to have a layeredapproach to security and staff awareness ofsystems in place, and to access the wealthof information available from banks, thepolice and government on businesssecurity. Delegates were reminded thatOptinet users and non-users could useOptiSafe to back-up their practice servers.

DIGITAL DEVICE LEARNINGSMoving back to digital lifestyles, the nextpresentation was a dual-hander by KrupaPatel and Shail Patel of CooperVision, whoexplored how the use of digital technologyhas impacted the everyday lives of yourpatients and how ECPs could best meet theirneeds. Explaining that more than 90 per centof adults now spent at least two hours ondigital devices every day, Shail highlightedthe increasing prevalence and risks of digitaleye fatigue (DEF). Using voting padtechnology, delegates were asked toconsider how digital devices impacted theirlifestyles, before considering how this insightmight apply to their patients.

Defining DEF as ocular discomfort or stressafter two hours of digital device use, Krupatold delegates that research had shownthat 86 per cent of ‘millennials’ suffered DEF,and that 90 per cent of adults didn’t discusstheir digital device use with their ECP. Thethree areas of DEF symptomatology were:vision-related; digital screen-related; andocular surface-related. She suggested that DEFwas caused by the increased accommodativeburden associated with digital device use,squinting and a reduction in blink rate.

ECPs needed now more than ever to relieveaccommodative stress, said Shail, as well asdryness associated with digital device use.Contact lens wearers needed more

A conference selfie Catching up with friends and colleagues

Comedian Gary Delaney with David Goad and Nick Atkins, organisers of iDay


NEG/IDAY REPORT

moisture and comfort in their lenses tomake the tear film as stable as possible.

One of the ways to support patients,suggested Krupa, was the ’20-20-20’ rule,where patients are advised to have ascreen break every 20 minutes and look atsomething 20ft away for 20 seconds.Patients should also be advised to increasetheir font size, and blink more frequently.With spectacle manufacturers havingalready addressed the issue of DEF, it wasnow time for the contact lens industry tocatch up, said Krupa, listing all the newcontact lenses now available to address thedemands of a digital lifestyle.

ECPs were also urged to modify thelanguage they used during consultations, tospeak more about digital device screen use,to update patients’ contact lenses and findout about their lifestyle more regularly,review history and symptoms and utilise apre-screening support team. Krupa finishedby informing delegates that a plano versionof CooperVision’s Biofinity Energys lenswould be launched in 2017.

The final presentation of the day looked athow the integration of vision and hearing careservices could be a powerful tool for creatingadditional revenue streams. Discussing thepossibilities was Karen Redfern, director ofUnitron UK and Ireland, who said theindependent optical sector was ideally placedto harness the private hearing care market.

“Independent practices appeal to the

retired patient who is more likely to haveregular eye examinations and hearing losschecks,” said Karen. “So you are alreadyserving the same customers as hearing careproviders.” She also cited the risks of notgetting involved in the market as large andmedium-sized optical chains were alreadyinvolved and patients would be more likelyto go for their eyecare and hearing care atthe same practice. Karen finished byexplaining Unitron’s five steps to fullyintegrating hearing care services into anoptical practice, which she said wouldrequire “lots of time and energy”.

STEPS TO RETAIL SUCCESSKicking off Independents Day 2016, themed‘How to be a retail champion’, was keynotespeaker Clare Bailey, business owner, retailexpert and best-selling author. Over thecourse of the day, with input from otherspeakers, Clare took delegates through the10 steps to retail success: goal and mission;positioning; ideal customer; range planning;pricing and promotion; channel and location;customer engagement; supply chain;planning and controlling; and back office.

With regards to goal and mission, Clareadvised delegates to set personal andbusiness goals that were not the same, butthat were linked. “Your mission statementshould clearly state what you offer, who to,your service proposition and the outcomefor your customer,” she said. Positioningshould always be realistic about the localsetting and competition, with product,price, presentation and service all aligned.

Clare suggested creating an ideal customer,or “imaginary friend”, and focusing on themthrough the rest of the 10 steps; selectproducts and prices for them and thinkabout how to engage with them.

In terms of range planning, product wascrucial. “Ask yourself if you are a specialistor a general wares practice,” said Clare, “andif you’re niche, who do you want to attract?”Pricing and promotion were key aspects ofpositioning and linked to the range plan.Clare advised delegates not to devalue theirbrand or confuse their customer base.

Channel and location had to be right for theideal customer – with multi-channelcustomers, i.e. those who you market to viaseveral channels both indirectly and directly,were worth 150 per cent of single channelcustomers, Clare revealed. Customerengagement should be about: attraction,conversion, retention and referral. “Treatevery customer as your ideal customer,” Clareadvised. “Consider loyalty rewards, capturedata and keep your promises. Referral onlyhappens when your customer trusts you.”

MEGA-TRENDS AND MULTIPLICATIONSPicking up the mantle, next was ImranHakim, CEO of the Hakim Group, whodiscussed the future of optical retail.Looking at ‘mega-trends’ such as massmarket, direct-consumer digital eyecare,Imran asked delegates where they sawtheir businesses in 10 years’ time. Hehighlighted that multiples were nowmoving away from price and more towardseye health. “Clinical services were the lastbastion of the independent,” he said, “soyour key drivers now should be technologyand digitisation, internally and externally.”

Looking at emerging trends, Imran citedomni-channel consumerism, mobilepayments and Geo-targeting, i.e. marketingtargeted to a person’s location. He predictedthat in the next 10 years, Amazon would beselling contact lenses, biometrics would bein greater use, and we’d be using driverlesscars. “If you stand still you are playing adangerous game,” Imran warned theaudience. “Change has to be part of theculture of any independent practice.”

Expounding on the concept of the idealcustomer, optometrist and business owner,Ian Cameron, called on the audience to “berepulsive”. What he was trying to get acrosswas the fact that by focusing on an idealcustomer, a practice would always berepelling a different/opposite type ofcustomer – but to embrace thisKrupa Patel and Shail Patel from CooperVision Retail champion and keynote speaker, Clare Bailey

Enjoying the iNight dinner


NEG/IDAY REPORT

phenomenon. “Begin with your corecustomers and build upon what’s goodabout your business,” advised Ian. “Alignyour business around your best patient;don’t be dull and middle ground. Chooseyour target market and create anappropriate user experience. Ruthlesslynarrow down your focus and move yourbusiness towards it.”

Range plan and stock mastery was thefocus of the next talk by business ownerConor Heaney, director of the OpticalSuccess Academy. Admitting that most ECPswere not trained in retail, Conor began bysuggesting that “if you are an independentpractitioner who has not mastered stockthen you have a unclaimed lottery ticket inyour back pocket and you’re not gettingpaid what you should.” Conor alsosuggested doing ‘dispense maths’, i.e.understand the relationship between thedispensing process and the stock process,and tap into the multiplications rather thanthe additions.

Conor’s quick strategies for stock masteryincluded: differentiate with niche eyewear;optimise your price points; use the Contrastprinciple to influence perceptions ofproducts by how you present them; hideyour cheaper frames (out of sight, out ofmind); and use the Options Principle, i.e.have fewer eyewear collections but withmore choices of colour.

A taste of Scandinavian Simplicity camenext with a presentation by Søren Møller,founder of the CrossEyes eyewear conceptand chain that has now spread to UKshores. Explaining how the concept focuseson transparency of prices, retail andatmosphere, Søren highlighted the benefitsof presenting customers with the completeframe and lens package, having controlover the supply chain, the practice ITsystems and interiors, and having fun withthe customer journey.

“Build relationships from the consultingroom outwards,” suggested Søren. “The

future if focused on the ‘feel good factor’,craftsmanship and technology. Be strongabout your concept and your niche and findyour place in the market. Don’t be afraid tostand out and do something different.”

PLANNING AND PROMOTIONHow to implement your pricing andpromotional policy was the remit of thenext speaker, optometrist Andy Clark. “Alignyour message with your target market,decide on what your offer will be – ordinary,‘orrible or outstanding – and then set yourpricing and promotional policy accordingly,”began Andy. Andy urged delegates to maketheir practices stand out, to step outsidethe practice and look at the people walkingby, as they will define your practice model.“Premium practices don’t happen byaccident,” he reminded the audience.

Andy also reminded the audience that retailprices had nothing to do with cost prices,with the former being a reflection of theattitude of the person on the street. Andyencouraged delegates to work on an

ongoing demonstration of ‘desirabledifferences’, with ongoing strategicmessages – and to always remember the‘when’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ of your offering.

How to design your customer engagementprocess was then discussed by dispensingand contact lens optician, David Samuel,who urged delegates to: define yourpurpose; wow your customers; engage yourteam; and make sure you listen and modify.“You are selling yourself and your services,”said David, “so defining your purpose iscritical. Small things make all the difference.Word of mouth recommendations are crucial,and messing up can be as important asgetting things right, because you have thechance to put things right.”

David suggested that loyalty was driven byproviding a better experience to everypatient, reminding delegates that it washarder to retain a patient than to attract anew one. He also urged business owners tokeep staff in the loop with away days, one-to-one meetings and appraisals, and to usecustomer feedback systems such as the NetPromoter Score. “Customer loyalty is notunconditional,” he finished.

There then followed a panel discussion todraw further thoughts and questions fromthe floor, before Clare Bailey returned to thepodium to run through the final three stepsto retail success. So, with regards to thesupply chain, Clare suggested delegatesthink about managing relationships andlogistics when selecting suppliers. “Defineyour criteria for selecting a supplier beyondthe right place and right price,” she said.

For planning and controlling Clare urgeddelegates to “get passionate about dataabout your business”; “get under the bonnetto see what’s going on.” It was alsoworthwhile investing in back office functions,such as IT, legal and finance, to make thebusiness more efficient.

Summing up, Clare said: “The biggest threatto your business is not seeing ideasthrough. The 10 steps to retail success arerelevant no matter what the maturity ofyour business. Create an action plan basedon these steps and see where you are – andwhere you want to get to next.”

The 2017 NEG Conference andIndependents Day will take place on 5 and 6 November respectively, at theHilton Metropole Birmingham. Early birdbookings will open on 12 April. Find outmore at www.independentsday.co.uk

Quick tips on stock mastery from Conor Heaney “Is your offer ‘orrible?” asked Andy Clark

Søren Møller gave an insight into Scandinavian simplicity


STYLE SPOTLIGHT

Impressive collections of dramatic andstriking sunglasses will bring delightto opticians – as well as satisfyenthusiastic clients awaiting thelatest innovations. Sunglasses are nolonger just for summer. In this age ofjet travel and being able to follow thesun as it orbits the globe, distinctivesunglasses now make a year-round,personal statement.

Choices abound in the latest sunwearcollections. One of the top trends to look foris tinted lenses in colourations of yellow,blue, rose and a delicate bronze. Ultra-darklenses suggest even more allure andintrigue. Voluminous shapes continue toenchant – as well as the classic aviatordesigns. Round shapes with vintagepedigree bring new vitality and energy tocontemporary frames. Pure unclutteredlines, unique textures and beautifulmaterials offer numerous alternatives totempt customers. Designers also take theplunge with daring, imaginative forms –and mirrored lenses.

Sunglasses with a double bridge highlightthe collections, with both classic and trendyvariations. Acetate, titanium and sleekcombinations are fresh and vibrant. Coloursinclude familiar favourites – tortoiseshell inparticular – plus beautiful interpretations inblack, with colour accents. Café au laittones through to vivid, illuminating hues,provide customers with a unique opportunityto experience many different looks.

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVETravel inspires designers as they visit far-flung destinations for a mix of beauty,culture and intuition. Exotic sites oftenfeature in sunglass campaigns, and theamazing natural beauty of La Muralla Roja – rising from the rocky cliffs of Calpe,nestled in the Alicante region of Spain –captivated Fleye from Denmark. Thetranquil setting was ideal to introduceFleye’s elegant frame silhouettes. Thecontemporary cool Fuchs has timelessappeal in beta-titanium with itscombination of a rectangular and circularvoluminous shape. The double bridge – a

prominent trend – adds further distinction.Round shapes excel this season, with retroheritage and in beautiful colours. Karmoieis a bespoke Norwegian brand thatspecialises in streamlined designs, craftedwith artisan techniques in remarkablecolours. The Rise frame displays the finesseof the round shape, in rich grey acetatecalled Storm, contrasted with Storm andCoffee temples.

Before turning her numerous talents toeyewear, Danish designer Birgitte Falvincreated exclusive jewellery. Now her luxuriouseyewear in precious materials – includingtitanium, 24-carat gold, and diamonds –combines her fashion and technical skills insunglasses (and optical frames) withindividuality and unique character. FalvinShade is a customised frame with Subsolarmirrored lenses for dramatic effect.

GLAMOROUS EYEWEAR SILHOUETTESGlimmer and shine is on the horizon forsummer fashions, and sunglasses followthe trend. Eyespace has launched the

Vintage homage – Rise by Karmoie in Norway

What’s new and freshunder the sun for 2017?

Sunglasses thatlift the spirits

Danish Flair with Fuchs by Fleye Copenhagen

By Joan Grady

Falvin Shade by Brigitte Falvin in titanium and 24-carat gold

perfect accessory frame in their Cocoa Mintcollection, with sunglasses featuringgenuine Swarovski crystal fabric thatencases the temples. With tortoiseshell oneof the top influences for summersunglasses, Eyespace is spot on with thesleek shape in honey coloured Havana.

At Esprit by Charmant, the focus is onstrong bold shapes for men. Always afavourite, the aviator frame is emboldenedin black acetate with very dark lenses for anelement of mystery. Elle sunglasses – alsofrom Charmant – embrace the Parisian spiritwith a strong design in red Havana.Tortoiseshell and its many incarnations arecoveted for both men and women.

Just over 80 years ago, special frames forpilots were introduced, and became knownas aviator glasses. Many decades later, the

style continues to have enormous appeal,and the 21st century variations are modernadventures incorporating this captivatingshape. Salt Optics translates the aviator intoa sleek model: Paragon in honey gold andoiled bark tortoiseshell and titaniumaccents. The Californian brand is deeplyinspired by nature and the relaxed,comfortable aura of timeless shapes.

Finest Seven, created by New Zealanderswho now reside between London andBarcelona, designs sunglasses with dashingflair and striking colours. Zero 12 is a uniquemix of vintage and modern, and theirversion of the beloved aviator shape isdelightfully exaggerated with ocean bluelenses and a double bridge.

COLOURFUL SERENADEVibrations of beautiful colour pulsatethroughout the eyewear collections. Fromsoft pianissimo colourations to vibrantfortissimo shades, sun styles blossom withoriginal inspiration. Fashion designer VeraWang translates her exquisite taste intoeyewear, and her new luxurious framesinclude Clarette – a voluminous shape in aluxurious Sky Blue. For additional glamour,the frame is adorned with glitteringSwarovski crystals.

In France, Jérémy Tarian expresses hiscreative talents in sunglasses that are

crafted with artisan precision in the Jura –an area of France respected for skilledcraftspeople who make the finest qualityframes. Bastille is a signature Tarian design,a contemporary shape in Sea Blue acetatewith bevelled details on the temples. Hisbold shapes are equally at home in urbansurroundings or sun-kissed destinations.

Vivid colour highlights the Kirk & Kirkcollection. Jason and Karen Kirk designframes in acrylic, a material that radiateswith luminosity, and brings a glow to thewearer’s face. Amanda reveals a generoussilhouette – yet is lightweight and apleasure to wear.

Sunglasses are the quintessence of fashionaccessories – a personalised expression ofoneself, and an immediate boost andenhancement to the wearer and theirwardrobe. For independent opticians,sunglasses are the ideal way to introduce customers to beautiful styles,fluid silhouettes, quality materials and gorgeous colours.

Creative displays and imaginative practicewindows offer an excellent opportunity toattract existing and potential customers.What’s new and fresh under the sun for2017? Superlative, stunning sunglasses thatcan lift sales, profits – and your spirits.

Vision Now FEBRUARY 2017 29

STYLE SPOTLIGHT

Bold and beautiful Bastille by Jérémy Tarian

California chic with Paragon by Salt Optics

Zero 12 sunglasses – dash and daring from Finest Seven

Timeless tortoiseshell from Cocoa Mint by Eyespace

Parisian attitude from Elle by Charmant

Clarette by Vera Wang

Nuria from the Spanish site laespejuelos.comwears Amanda by Kirk & Kirk

Men’s aviator from Esprit by Charmant


Preferred Suppliers’ Directory

ACCEPT CARDS Tel: 01422 [email protected]

ARENA EYEWEAR Tel: 01952 820408www.arena-eyewear.co.uk

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Preferred Suppliers are suppliers who, by prior arrangement, offer members of the PK National Eyecare Group preferential terms.For full details and terms offered to the membership, please call 01580 713698

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1. Brennan NA: Beyond Flux: Total Corneal Oxygen Consumption as an Index of Corneal Oxygenation during Contact Lens Wear. Optom Vis Sci 2005. * Warning: UV-absorbing contact lenses are not substitutes for protective UV-absorbing eyewear, such

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VVV - nationaleyecare.co.uk · Julbo has developed a range of technical lenses adapted to the needs of each type of user, regardless of the conditions encountered. With photochromic,