By Staff
Thursday, July 16, 2020 12:25 AM
Essilor’s social impact fund, Vision for Life, announced a €300,000 financial support scheme to help over 1,800 vulnerable primary vision care providers, whose livelihoods are at risk due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
By Staff
Thursday, July 16, 2020 12:24 AM
GREEN BAY, Wis.—
Shopko Optical, the 80-location optical retailer based here, has named Richard Chapman to its leadership team as vice president of sales. Chapman joins the company with more than 20 years of experience in both multi-store retail leadership and optical retail. As vice president of sales, Chapman will lead the retail sales efforts of Shopko Optical’s centers to deliver excellent customer service and patient care, according to an announcement this week from the company.
By Staff
Thursday, July 16, 2020 12:18 AM
AIRPORT CITY, Israel—
NovaSight, an Israeli start-up specializing in vision care solutions based on AI and eye tracking technology, announced Tuesday that it has finalized its round A financing totaling $8 million. The round was led by Rimonci Capital and joined by strategic investors from both pharmaceutical and medical device industries. Prior to this round the company raised $8 million for a total of $16 million. NovaSight said the funds will be used to advance research in a large multi-center randomized pivotal study that will support FDA 510(k) clearance for its lazy eye treatment device and for the development of future eyecare products such as eye-tracking based active glasses for myopia control.
By Staff
Thursday, July 16, 2020 12:15 AM
VM brings you the latest information from optical companies and organizations responding to the coronavirus. LensCrafters has launched
LensCrafters Cares, an eight-week dedicated initiative in partnership with
OneSight. The program officially began on July 13, and is designed to directly support communities affected by COVID-19 by providing complimentary comprehensive eye exams and glasses to recipients with limited means. The exams will take place at LensCrafters core stores across the U.S. and Canada. Through the program, OneSight will partner with local non-profits, including
Prevent Blindness, to identify people in need of vision care.
By Staff
Wednesday, July 15, 2020 12:54 PM
WASHINGTON—Consumers tentatively plan to spend a record amount to prepare students for school and college this year as they buy more laptops and computer accessories in anticipation that at least some classes will take place online because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the
annual survey released this week by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.
“By any measure, this is an unprecedented year with great uncertainty, including how students will get their education this fall whether they are in kindergarten or college,” NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Most parents don’t know whether their children will be sitting in a classroom or in front of a computer in the dining room, or a combination of the two. But they do know the value of an education and are navigating uncertainty and unknowns so that students are prepared.”
Parents with children in elementary school through high school say they plan to spend an average $789.49 per family, topping the previous record of $696.70 they said they would spend last year. Spending is expected to total $33.9 billion, up from $26.2 billion last year and breaking the record of $30.3 billion set in 2012.
College students and their families expect to spend an average $1,059.20 per family, which would top last year’s record of $976.78. College spending is expected to total $67.7 billion, up from $54.5 billion last year and breaking the record of $55.3 billion set in 2018.
By Staff
Wednesday, July 15, 2020 12:30 AM
GENEVA—
Alcon (SIX/NYSE: ALC), a global leader in eyecare, announced that Pataday Once Daily Relief Extra Strength (olopatadine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution 0.7%), formerly prescribed as Pazeo, has been approved by the FDA for sale over-the-counter.
By Staff
Wednesday, July 15, 2020 12:27 AM
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—The
American Academy of Ophthalmology has announced that its
annual meeting will be a virtual-only event in 2020. Those who have already registered for the meeting will receive additional information by Wednesday, Aug. 12.
By Staff
Wednesday, July 15, 2020 12:25 AM
Italia Independent stands up to the challenge of the Covid-19 health crisis by expanding its product line while remaining faithful to its company roots. The #Beyond The Mask project emerges from a desire to create protective face masks and visors bearing iconic designs that can communicate the brand’s creativity and style while fully respecting current health legislation.
By Staff
Wednesday, July 15, 2020 12:24 AM
BATH, England—
Inspecs Group plc (LSE: SPEC), a designer, manufacturer and distributor of eyewear frames to independent and global retail chains, announced that it has completed the acquisition of the manufacturing operations of
The Norville Group Ltd from the administrator, BDO LLP, for £2.4 million in cash.
By Staff
Wednesday, July 15, 2020 12:18 AM
PORT CHESTER, N.Y.—The
Business Council of Westchester honored
Zyloware Eyewearwith the Small Business Success Award at the 2020 Hall of Fame Awards, on Tuesday, July 14. The Small Business Success Award celebrates the extraordinary achievements of local small business leaders in Westchester County. This year, the Hall of Fame Awards focused on “2020 Vision: Seeing the Future of Business.” Since its inception, the Business Council of Westchester’s Hall of Fame Awards has inducted over 95 business leaders. The BCW is honoring Zyloware’s accomplishments as a small business, as well as its commitment to the future success of the company, industry and local economy.
By Staff
Tuesday, July 14, 2020 12:30 AM
CALGARY, Alberta—
FYidoctors, a leading optometrist-controlled eyecare company based here, has added Innisfil Eye Care to its operating group, according to an announcement Monday. The practice is operated by Dr. Morrie Sher, who received his Doctor of Optometry at the University of Waterloo in 1985. Privately held, FYidoctors is optometrist-owned and operated, and now has more than 500 optometrists, 250 locations and 2,700 employees as part of its portfolio. “Now with over 40 locations across the province, Ontario continues to be an important market for FYi and it’s expansion,” chairman and chief executive officer Dr. Alan Ulsifer said in the announcement.
By Staff
Tuesday, July 14, 2020 12:25 AM
CooperVision is encouraging the optometry, ophthalmology, vision science and public health communities to participate in the 9th annual Focus on Eye Health National Summit, which will be presented by Prevent Blindness on Wednesday, July 15.
By Staff
Tuesday, July 14, 2020 12:24 AM
NEW YORK—Tech website
SlashGear reported last week that Apple’s smart glass lenses have reportedly gone into trial production, as one of the key components for its upcoming AR products apparently makes it past the prototype stage. “Based on technology expected to be used first in an augmented reality headset, and then a pair of sunglasses-style Apple Glasses, the lenses will presumably allow apps to project digital graphics into the wearer’s line of sight,” SlashGear said.
By Staff
Monday, July 13, 2020 2:52 PM
A
new survey provides a detailed update on consumer behavior and sentiment amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis. According to the survey, which was fielded on July 8, safety and hygiene are top of mind for consumers for the upcoming back-to-school season. A little over four in 10 back-to-school shoppers said they will buy face masks and/or other hygiene products/personal protective equipment for their children.
Online remains the preferred shopping channel for clothing and footwear.
By Marjorie Axelrad
Monday, July 13, 2020 10:18 AM
NEW YORK—Uprise by
VisionWeb continues to offer a range of different resources for ECPs to access to help make their practices more efficient and streamlined. The company has just released a new, free e-book, "Building an Adaptable Practice — How to Reset, Fortify and Grow in Any Environment," certainly a topic that resonates with so many independents right now. The new e-book offers advice and stories from ODs with experience handling abrupt change, practice closures, lease changes and demotivated staff, among others. VisionWeb compiled this useful advice for fortifying your practice with communication plans, interviews, and possible growth opportunities into one resource.