By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, June 20, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—On June 6, members of the eyecare and eyewear communities celebrated the ninth annual National Eyewear Day, a day founded by Zyloware Eyewear that is dedicated to bringing awareness to comprehensive eye exams and overall eye health. As
reported in
VMAIL, Zyloware kicked off National Eyewear Day with a number of resources to help everyone get involved, and partnered with Optical Academy to provide free eye exams and eyewear as part of a community event. In addition, many ECPs across the country took part in National Eyewear Day in their own communities, through fundraising, special events and more. Here, we’re taking a look at how some indies celebrated eyewear this June 6.
By Staff
Thursday, June 20, 2024 8:20 AM
NEW YORK—Summer has arrived, bringing warmer weather, longer days, kids out of school, and, of course, new eyewear. As we head into these hot days of July, August and some of September, there’s no better time than now to start thinking about how to refresh your practice or online presence to welcome in the new season. There are countless ways to bring some summer energy into your work life, from special sales to in-store décor and everything in between—so, we’re taking a look at how some indies are celebrating the start of summer. Get inspired—and stay cool out there.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, June 6, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—Prevent Blindness has again declared June as Cataract Awareness Month. In recognition of the month, Prevent Blindness offers a variety of free informational resources in English and Spanish including fact sheets, social media graphics and a listing of vision care financial assistance programs. The group also offers a dedicated
web resource, and the “Understanding Cataract” episode in the “Focus on Eye Health Expert Series,” featuring Albert Cheung, MD, cataract, cornea and anterior segment specialist with Virginia Eye Consultants and assistant professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology.
By Staff
Thursday, June 6, 2024 8:20 AM
NEW YORK—This month, seven eyewear designers, many of which are independent, united to launch the third annual edCFDA Pride Eyewear Initiative. The designers Blake Kuwahara (Blake Kuwahara Eyewear), Christian Roth (Christian Roth Eyewear), Gai Gherardi and Barbara McReynolds (l.a.Eyeworks), Jeff Press (PRESS), Patty Perreira (Barton Perreira), Selima Salaun (Selima Optique) and Stirling Barrett (KREWE), are each offering a limited edition sunglass design, with a portion of the proceeds collectively benefiting
Bring Change to Mind (BC2M), an organization dedicated to ending stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health.
By Staff
Wednesday, May 29, 2024 11:30 AM
I have been in the eyecare field for over 20 years now, while practicing myopia management for nearly a decade. I have two practices in Manhattan with my business partner and classmate, Dr. Traci Goldstein, and our practice stresses the importance of empathetic patient care while embracing new treatments and technology. Metropolitan Vision has served the community for over 45 years, and I am very proud of that. In late 2018, we cold-started a myopia and specialty lens practice in lower Manhattan, steps from Chinatown, the Financial District and Tribeca. As an active member of this community, I noticed the impact of myopia on the quality of life of children.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, May 16, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—This week, May 13 through 19, 2024, is Myopia Awareness Week, a global event that aims to raise awareness about juvenile-onset myopia and encourage eyecare professionals to take necessary actions. The week has been marked by a number of myopia awareness related initiatives, both big and small, as
reported in
VMAIL Weekend. In addition, ECPs have been putting in the extra work this week to educate their patients about myopia, both online and in person. Here, we’re taking a look at how some indies are approaching Myopia Awareness Week.
By Staff
Thursday, May 16, 2024 8:20 AM
NEW YORK—May is Small Business Month, an important marker for many independent ECPs who juggle life as both doctors and small business owners. While celebrating yourself and supporting other small business owners this May, it’s also a great moment to reflect on your business, where you’ve been, how far you’ve come and what your next steps might look like. In celebration of Small Business Month, the
U.S. Chamber of Commerce put together a list of 11 critical areas for business development, including a number of action items to help business owners get started.
By Staff
Thursday, May 9, 2024 8:30 AM
RICHMOND, Va.—When Brian Spittle, OD, founder of The Eye Place, a multi-optometrist group practice located here, took a trip to Central America to learn more about contact lens manufacturing, he did not expect to return to the United States with a newfound look at sustainability in the industry. Dr. Spittle, who is also president of ECP Fastlane, a boutique consultancy, never thought that the trip would eventually lead to his practice becoming 99 percent solar powered. But sometimes the best changes come in the most unexpected ways.
By Staff
Thursday, May 2, 2024 8:20 AM
NEW YORK—May is Healthy Vision Month. This year, because it overlaps with Mental Health Awareness Month, the
National Eye Institute (NEI) has dedicated Healthy Vision Month to “shining a light on vision loss and mental health—and sharing steps people with a visual impairment can take to thrive in their daily lives.” The NEI noted, “The United States is facing an
epidemic of loneliness and isolation with half of adults saying they feel lonely. That’s why Healthy Vision Month 2024 is focused on helping people with a visual impairment know how to access vision rehabilitation services, mental health support and social connection.”
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, April 25, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—This week, billions around the world celebrated Earth Day. There are, of course, countless ways to celebrate our planet, from heading outside for some time in nature to dedicating yourself to pushing for legislative change that will protect our home. Big or small, every little action makes an important difference in keeping the earth as healthy as possible. For ECPs, Earth Day provides a great opportunity to discuss how we can keep sustainable practices at the forefront of our minds every day, through recycling programs, eco-conscious eyewear choices and so much more. This week, we take a look at how some ECPs celebrated.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, April 18, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—Last week, millions of North Americans turned their eyes to the skies for a solar eclipse—total for some, partial for others, but special for all. Leading up to the big day, ECPs spent months educating their communities on how to
watch the eclipse safely, and when the eclipse finally arrived, they were able to enjoy watching the astronomical phenomenon with proper eye protection. Here, we’re taking a look back at how indies watched the solar eclipse.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, April 4, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—The week of March 17–23, 2024 was World Optometry Week, culminating in World Optometry Day on March 23. With the theme “Advancing Optometry’s Commitment to Global Eye Care,” World Optometry Day aims to shine an annual spotlight on the profession of optometry and the contribution of optometrists worldwide to increasing access to eye health care as a human right, as
reported in
VMAIL. Here, we’re recapping how some independent optometrists across the country celebrated their profession’s special day.
By Staff
Thursday, April 4, 2024 8:15 AM
Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S.
Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice of more than 33 million U.S. small businesses, has announced the selection of 17 new
Women’s Business Centers (WBCs), 13 of which will be hosted by established Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) across 10 states. “We have seen a historic Small Business Boom, with women, especially women of color, filing new business applications at double the rates of men,” said administrator Guzman.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, March 28, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—There is less than a month to go until Earth Day, April 22, giving us all plenty of time to prepare for the holiday. This year, the official
Earth Day theme is “Planet vs. Plastics,” an initiative dedicated to demanding a 60 percent reduction in the production of all plastics by 2040. This goal is something the eyewear industry is already getting on board with, as more and more eyewear manufacturers switch to bio-acetates and other natural materials in place of traditional plastics.
By Gwendolyn Plummer
Thursday, March 21, 2024 8:30 AM
NEW YORK—Last week, the optical community descended on New York City for Vision Expo East, the show’s final edition in the Big Apple before it heads to Orlando beginning in 2025. In addition to the thousands of ECPs, buyers, students and sellers, Vision Expo East 2024 showcased the second annual NOW Awards, over 450 exhibitors and more than 200 education sessions. As
reported in
VMAIL, Fran Pennella, vice president, Vision Expo at RX, said, “We could not be happier to close out our final show in New York City on such a high note." As we set our sights on Las Vegas for Vision Expo West in September, and Orlando for 2025, let’s take a look back at how some Indies spent their last Vision Expo East in New York.