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AAO PLANS TO ARM ODS, EDUCATE PUBLIC
Annual Meeting Focuses on Diabetes

This month's annual meeting of the American Academy of Optometry in San Diego focuses on diabetes and explains what optometrists can do to better server their patients. It has even added a community component, which will provide the public with information that's critical to recognizing the warning signs of diabetes and preventing its onset.

The Academy-sponsored public forum will take place on December 14 between 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the National City Boys and Girls Club. In San Diego and in surrounding communities, December 14 is being proclaim-ed "Healthy Vision and Diabetes Awareness Day" by Mayors Dick Murphy (San Diego) and George Waters (National City). More than 4,000 optom-etrists, representing research, practice and education, are expected to attend.

EYES THAT SPARKLE
CIBA Introduces New Glitter CLs

CIBA Vision launched Glitter Eyes contact lenses, now available in the United States and in Canada. It expects the lenses to appeal to teens and young women. Glitter Eyes are designed for both light- and dark-eyed patients and are available in three colors: Crystal Splash, Orchid Ice and Beach Bronze.

According to the company, the look of each Glitter Eyes color depends on the wearer's natural eye color. CIBA says that practitioners may prescribe the lenses for daily wear, but recommends that patients replace them annually. Glitter Eyes are available from plano to -6.00D in steps of 0.25D with a base curve of 8.6 mm and a diameter of 13.8 mm. They're manufactured by encapsulating the glitter within the lens so that it never touches the eye.

OM Honors a Dedicated Friend

The award-winning artwork of Anthony Cericola has graced the covers and pages of Optometric Management for five years. We were deeply saddened to learn of his untimely death last month, the result of a motorcycle accident. Anthony worked closely with OM Art Director Kim Crean to translate practice management subjects, which are often complex and abstract, into compelling visuals.

The staff of OM extends our condolences to his family and loved ones. 

ICO Honors Special Dean

In continuing with the theme of this month's cover story, the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) recently unveiled an artist's portrait of its dean and vice president for academic affairs, Dr. Janice Emigh Scharre, honoring the first female dean of any optometry school in the nation. Dr. Scharre has held the two positions at ICO since 1997 and is also a professor of optometry.

QUICK FACT:

According to the Association of School and Colleges of Optometry, on average, only 35% of faculty members at optometry schools are female and only 4.1% of those have received full professor status.

TWO GOOD COMPANIES
Forbes Names OSI, Cooper, to List

In this year's Forbes' 200 Best Small Companies list, health-care-related companies make up 25% of the list. Specifically, Cooper Companies ranked 76 overall and Ocular Sciences ranked 92 overall. Visit www.forbes.com and click on the link for additional information.

O.D. NOTEBOOK

 PEOPLE & PROMOTIONS

l Ophthalmic products company names new sales and marketing executives. Optical Dynamics Corporation appointed Tom Squeglia to vice president of sales, Brian Cullather to director of marketing and Dick Fulmer to director of sales, eastern region.

Lorell Stewart, former director of worldwide marketing for Corning Ophthalmic, joins Optical Dynamics as vice president of channel development.

l Zeiss announces new executive. Carl Zeiss Optical, Inc. promoted Grady Culbreth, former director of public and professional relations, to director of business development.

l Prio adds regional manager. Prio Corporation recently hired Nikki Clark as its southwestern regional manager. Her territory includes Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Louisiana.

l Nachbar joins B&L. Bausch & Lomb welcomed David R. Nachbar as its new vice president of human resources. In addition to his new position, Mr. Nachbar will also serve as a member of B&L's Corporate Strategy Board.

l ARBO selects new executive. The Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry (ARBO) recently named Thomas E. Eichhorst as its new executive director. Mr. Eichhorst comes to ARBO after serving as legal counsel for the American Optometric Association for nearly 37 years.

COMPANY NEWS

l InSite sponsors AAO lecture. InSite Vision will sponsor "Pearls and Perils of Glaucoma Genetics" on Thursday, Dec. 12 at 7 a.m. during the American Academy of Optometry meeting in San Diego. Speakers include Murray Fingeret, O.D., and John Polansky, M.D. If you'd like additional information on this lecture, call (800) 728-7483.

l VCA welcomes new member. Santinelli International recently joined the Lens Processing Technology Division of the Vision Council of America (VCA). Santinelli showed its support for VCA's Check Yearly. See Clearly. program with a link to the Check Yearly Web site on its own site.

l Corning restructures management team. In support of a new strategy to diversify its business, Corning Ophthalmic reorganized its management team, which is headed by Vivian Gernand as vice president. Other team members include Patrick Gautier as director of sales and marketing and Xavier Lafosse, worldwide business-technology manager.

l Lighthouse sponsors low vision CE. Lighthouse International will present the CE "Low Vision Reimbursement and Practice Management" on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2003. The course covers Medicare provisions and low vision practice management issues including staff utilization, user-friendly facilities, scheduling, staff education, marketing and patient education tools. Call (800) 829-0500 or visit www.lighthouse.org for information.

SCHOOLS & UNIVERSITIES

l Sullins and Adema recognized with Lifetime Achievement Awards. Southern College of Optometry (SCO) recently honored W. David Sullins, Jr., O.D., and Joyce Russo Adema, O.D., with Lifetime Achievement Awards. The awards distinguish alumni who have demonstrated exemplary leadership skills and have made outstanding contributions to the profession of optometry and/or to SCO.

l ICO dedicates conference room to recent contributor. The Illinois College of Optometry dedicated a new alumni conference room after 1963 alumnus Dr. Donovan Crouch, who recently contributed $30,000. A plaque outside the room recognizes the gift in honor of the Dr. Donovan Crouch family.

THE NEW ELTON
Elton John Without His Wacky Glasses?

According to London newspaper The Evening Standard, Sir Elton John plans to take on a different view of the world -- without his signature spectacles. The singer plans to undergo laser eye surgery in February. The article reports that Sir Elton admitted to purchasing approximately 20,000 pairs of glasses over the years. Ironically, in 2000, he also admitted that he hadn't had his eyes examined in six years.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Glaucoma Activist Offers Screening, CE at AAO Meeting

Glaucoma activist Roger W. Martin says that he has provided free screenings to nearly 60,000 people over the past six years with the help of Allergan, Inc. Mr. Martin watched his mother and grand-mother lose their sight to open-angle glaucoma and has been diagnosed with the disease himself. Because he had no health insurance, his doctor treated him for free but challenged him to make a difference for others.

Mr. Martin did, and conducted screenings with the Connecticut Lions Eye Health Program screening initiative. The program was used as the basis for the American Optometric Association (AOA) screening in New Orleans last June.

More than 138 people were screened there with the help of the Louisiana Optometric Association, Mr. Martin reports, and 22 were referred for further evaluation. Allergan co-sponsored the event. Allergan hired Mr. Martin as an activist after he wrote a letter crediting Lumigan with being the only medication that could control his IOP.

Mr. Martin says he'll conduct another screening with Allergan and the California Optometric Association at the American Academy of Optometry meeting in San Diego this month. Additionally, he and Dr. Murray Fingeret will offer a CE course titled "Getting Started with Glaucoma" that will teach O.D.s how to perform their own glaucoma screenings.

For more information about the class, contact Dr. Fingeret at (718) 526-1000 x 2435 or Murrayf@optonline.net. Anyone interested serving San Diego's inner city population with a screening can contact Mr. Martin at lehpmartin@juno.com.

CONTACT LENS LAWSUIT
CIBA Challenges OSI in California

CIBA Vision has filed a patent infringement lawsuit on behalf of Wesley Jessen Corporation, its wholly owned subsidiary, against Ocular Sciences, Inc. The suit claims that OSI's Biomedics Colors contact lenses infringe five patents that protect CIBA's color technology used in its FreshLook brand of lenses. CIBA is seeking to have the Federal District Court for the Northern District of California prohibit the sale of the OSI Biomedics Colors lenses.

WEB SITE INFORMS CONSUMERS
Vistakon Reaches out to U.S. Latinos

In September, Vistakon, a division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc., announced a new campaign aimed at the U.S. Latino population. Included in the outreach are a new Spanish-language Web site, www.acuvue.com/Espanol/, to inform consumers about eye health and the Acuvue line of contact lens products. A grassroots educational campaign, Viviendo con Ojos Saludables, will also target Latino eyecare professionals.

In other promotions, the company is sponsoring Grammy-winner Enrique Iglesias's 2002 U.S. tour. It says the partnership between Iglesias and Acuvue contact lenses marks the first time the brand has developed a program of this scope, integrating advertising, marketing and promotions to reach youth and Latino audiences.

CLARIFICATION: In the October 2002 issue of OM, "A Lesson in Managing Dry Eye" states that Allergan's Refresh Endura treats the aqueous and mucin layers of tear film. It also treats the lipid layer making it a treatment option in the meibomian gland dysfunction area for patients that have evaporative dry eye.