By Staff
Tuesday, July 2, 2024 12:24 AM
HAMBURG, Germany, GREEN BAY, Wis. and DETROIT—The
Fielmann Group, a global eyewear provider, announced yesterday that it had closed on its acquisition of Green Bay, Wis.-based retailer
Shopko Optical. In the announcement, the company also upgraded its 2024 sales outlook and announced an addition to its executive team. The transaction was first signed on June 10, 2024, and calls for the group's U.S. subsidiary, Fielmann USA, to acquire 100 percent equity ownership in Shopko Optical from
Monarch Alternative Capital LP, as
reported in
VMAIL last month.
By Staff
Tuesday, July 2, 2024 12:21 AM
GENEVA—Global eyecare company
Alcon has announced the closing of a deal to acquire Israel-based
Belkin Vision, developer of a first-line glaucoma laser treatment, with a total upfront consideration of $81 million, including a cash payment of approximately $65 million.
By Staff
Tuesday, July 2, 2024 12:18 AM
PARIS—
Silmo 2024 organizers are preparing for this year’s edition, which will feature over 900 exhibitors and 1,500 brands from 144 countries, according to an announcement from show organizers.
By Staff
Tuesday, July 2, 2024 12:15 AM
EMERYVILLE, Calif. and NEW YORK—
NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a developer of eyecare, skin care and wound care products, and
Eyenovia, Inc., a commercial-stage ophthalmic technology company with two FDA-approved products and a late-stage asset in pediatric progressive myopia, have commenced co-promotion activities under an agreement that was
first announced in March.
By Staff
Monday, July 1, 2024 12:24 AM
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Last week, as
reported in
VMAIL, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced final updates to its 10-year
Ophthalmic Practice Rules, known as the Eyeglass Rule. According to the FTC, the updates, which are scheduled to take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, are designed to increase compliance with the rule’s long-standing requirement that ophthalmologists and optometrists who have a financial interest in selling prescription eyewear provide patients with a free copy of their prescription following a refractive eye exam. In addition, they will also be required to undertake the following:
By Staff
Monday, July 1, 2024 12:21 AM
LONGARONE, Italy—De Rigo Group S.p.A. announced on Friday changes in its North American leadership. Alessandro Baronti, who has served as president of
De Rigo Rem for the past six and a half years, will leave the organization at the end of July. On July 8, Jeff Fitzhugh will step into the role of president of De Rigo Rem.
By Staff
Monday, July 1, 2024 12:18 AM
CHICAGO—
Prevent Blindness has announced that it is joining in support of July as Dry Eye Awareness Month to help educate the public and health care professionals on an eye disease that the
National Eye Institute estimates affects nearly 16 million Americans.
By Staff
Monday, July 1, 2024 12:15 AM
PADUA—Safilo S.p.A., a subsidiary of
Safilo Group S.p.A., has announced that, as per the authorization granted by the Shareholders’ Meeting held on April 24, 2024, it has engaged Kepler Cheuvreux, as a qualified third-party broker, to launch the Safilo Group S.p.A. share (the “Shares”) purchase program.
By Staff
Friday, June 28, 2024 12:24 AM
DULUTH, Ga.—
National Vision Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: EYE), one of the nation’s largest optical retailers, hosted more than 1,000 optometrists across two weekends for its Annual Continuing Education (CE) Symposium in Phoenix, Ariz., from June 1-4 and in Orlando from June 8-11. The conference was designed to empower doctors through education and camaraderie, giving them the tools they need to foster successful optometry careers, according to the company. “We are committed to empowering our network of optometrists to lead and innovate in their field," said National Vision chief medical officer Priti Patel, OD.
By Staff
Friday, June 28, 2024 12:21 AM
COLUMBIA, Md.—The
Foundation Fighting Blindness, an organization committed to driving the research for treatments and cures for blinding retinal diseases, has announced the appointment of Karen Petrou as board chair, effective July 1, 2024.
By Staff
Friday, June 28, 2024 12:18 AM
BOCA RATON, Fla.—
WhiteSpace Health, a company that works to transform data into intelligence and improve profitability of health care organizations, has announced the signing of
US Eye to a three-year partnership for its revenue cycle and practice management analytics platform.
By Staff
Friday, June 28, 2024 12:15 AM
NEWARK, N.J.—Despite a somewhat cautionary approach, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) appears to be gaining traction both among eyecare professionals and optical companies. In the June issue of
Vision Monday, we
take a look at the impact AI is making in the everyday professional lives of ECPs and among optical retailers. A growing number of optical businesses, including frame and lens manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, are employing AI for a variety of tasks.
By Staff
Thursday, June 27, 2024 1:15 PM
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Concluding a comprehensive multi-year review, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced final updates to its
Ophthalmic Practice Rules, known as the Eyeglass Rule, aimed at promoting competition and consumer choice. According to the FTC, the updates are designed to increase compliance with the rule’s long-standing requirement that ophthalmologists and optometrists provide patients with a free copy of their prescription immediately following a refractive eye exam. The changes announced on Thursday require that prescribers, after providing the prescription, request that their patients sign a statement confirming they received their prescription and keep a record of such confirmation for at least three years.
By Staff
Thursday, June 27, 2024 12:24 AM
NEW YORK—The national average for gross revenue at ECP locations decreased last week, June 17–23, when compared with the previous week, at a rate of -1 index point. That places gross revenue at a level 11 index points above where it was at this point in time (Week 25) when compared with last year (2023), 18 points above the same period in 2022, 22 points above 2021, 21 points above 2020 and 28 points above 2019, according to Jobson’s most recent Practice Performance Tracker.
By Staff
Thursday, June 27, 2024 12:21 AM
CHICAGO—
Prevent Blindness, a nonprofit eye health and safety organization, has declared June 28 to July 4, 2024, as the Fourth Annual Fireworks Safety Awareness Week in an effort to educate the public on the dangers of fireworks.