DAILY DISPOSABLE LENSES CONTINUE TO LEAD MARKET SHARE

Daily disposable contact lenses “dominated” the market share of contact lenses from January through September, according to ABB Optical Group data.

Specifically, daily disposables comprise 44% of the market vs. the two-week modality, which makes up 21% of the market share of contact lenses. Further, the dollar growth of soft contact lenses was 7.4%, thanks, in large part, to the daily disposable modality, the company says.

ABB Optical Group Vice President of Sales, Michael Dari, offers the following action steps, based on the data:

• Know your numbers. You should know how your practice measures up against regional and national sales averages. This will show where you have opportunities for growth.
• Set a goal. Once you know where your practice stands, decide where you want to be in terms of dispensing contact lenses, and give yourself a timeline for meeting that sales goal.
• Train your staff. Make sure they understand how a particular lens (for example, daily disposable lenses) benefit both the practice and your patients. Develop sales scripts and talking points that highlight these benefits.
• Identify patient targets. By identifying ideal candidates for a particular lens, you can then target opportunities.
• Review your progress: Regularly review how your sales are measuring against your goals.
• Recognize a job well done: Celebrate with your staff when you achieve a goal. ■

SPECTACLES LEAD, BUT CONTACT LENSES MAKING STRIDES IN VISION MARKET

From June 2016 to June 2017, eye glasses accounted for most of the vision correction market at 55.6%, at a growth of 0.2%, according to The Vision Council’s second quarter VisionWatch market research report. That said, contact lens purchases grew 1.9% vs. last year with a 3.1% increase in revenue.

Specifically, spectacle sales represented $22.32 billion in revenue of the $40.17 billion in total revenue generated by the vision correction market in the second quarter, while contact lenses accounted for $4.89 billion, followed by sunglasses at $4.21 billion.

Further, independent eye care is the, “largest component” of the U.S. vision care industry, amassing $18.3 billion, which includes $4.22 billion in revenue from eye exams, according to the market research report. The total generated from eye exams was $5.99 billion.

The VisionWatch market research report is an ongoing study of a statistically balanced sample of more than 110,000 U.S. adult residents (age 18 and older) representative of the U.S. population and provides insights quarterly. ■

CONTACT LENS-WEARING ATHLETES RANK CLEAR VISION HIGH AMONG KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, ACCORDING TO SURVEY

Athletic ability, strength and stamina don’t mean much without stellar vision, say “everyday” contact lens-wearing athletes age 18 and older who currently play an individual or team sport competitively (intramural or recreation league), according to Alcon’s Invisible Edge survey.

Specifically, 74% of respondents say great, clear vision is important to helping them perform at their best, and rank clear vision above physical strength (68%), speed (63%) and endurance (63%.)

Additionally, contact lens-wearing athletes rank clear vision above quick reflexes (63%) and mental focus (52%) when competing and performing.

“I think [vision] goes overlooked when we think about things we need to do as athletes to feel the most prepared, and nowadays we’re fine-tuning every part of what it means to be an athlete, especially when it comes to gear...” explains Tobin Heath, member of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team and ambassador for Alcon’s Invisible Edge campaign, which includes the role of Alcon DAILIES contact lenses in athletic performance. She says the survey helps get the word out on the importance of vision in sports.

In fact, for Ms. Heath, she says it wasn’t until the Women’s National Team adopted vision testing that she realized her need for contact lenses.

The Invisible Edge survey included 1,000 “everyday” athletes and aimed to uncover attitudes, beliefs and values regarding the role of clear and comfortable vision in competitive settings, and how it can provide athletes with an invisible edge, according to Alcon. ■

VISION EXPO WEST 2017 GARNERS SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ

By the time the show floor closed on Vision Expo West, the trade show reached close to 12 million impressions on social media.

“We’re thrilled that attendees [shared] their excitement about the new collections and latest product launches previewed on the show floor, and [engaged] with the connections they made,” explains Reed Exhibitions Senior Vice President, Melissa Ashley, in a press release.

So, how did the show get so much exposure? To start, Vision Expo West offered more than 320 hours of education with more than 20 hours of sessions occurring on the show floor. Second, the 182,000-square foot exhibit space included more than 60 new fashion brands announcing fall lines and showcasing related accessories and eye wear trends at the show’s fashion pavilions.

“We also saw record attendance at many of the special events taking place in and around the show, including the more than 800 individuals who gathered for the ODs on Facebook event at TAO Nightclub and more than 100 young professionals who participated in the YPC Happy Hour at LAVO,” explains The Vision Council Vice President of Trade Shows and Meetings Mitch Barkley. “The excitement and energy felt across all three days was truly remarkable.”

Vision Expo East will take place March 15 to 18 at the Javits Center in New York City. Visit VisionExpo.com for additional information. ■

SECO CONFERENCE TO MOVE TO NEW ORLEANS IN 2019

Citing a new opportunity to, “elevate show offerings and enhance the attendee and exhibitor experience,” and the Super Bowl’s scheduled Atlanta visit in 2019, SECO International will take place in New Orleans, but return to Atlanta — its venue since 1957 — in 2020, says SECO International’s Executive Director Elizabeth Taylor DeMayo.

“New Orleans offers not only an economical place to do business, but also provides a great environment for learning, discovering, networking and celebrating with the industry,” she explains.

In addition to the conference itself, the New Orleans venue offers competitively-priced area hotels, decreased costs for exhibitors and tourist attractions, such as the French Quarter and the National World War II Museum, according to a SECO International press release.

At the 2018 SECO International in Atlanta from Feb. 28 to March 4, attendees will have the opportunity to book the 2019 event. Ms. DeMayo is available to answer attendee questions at executivedirector@secostaff.com. Exhibitors and suppliers can contact Senior Director of Business Development, Carol Young, at cyoung@secostaff.com. ■

ANNUAL AAO MEETING BREAKS ATTENDANCE RECORDS

Academy 2017, the 96th annual meeting of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO), boasted the largest attendance of any Academy with a total 4,799 optometrists and vision scientists and 1,206 students, according to the AAO. The meeting, held in Chicago on Oct. 11 to 14, engaged attendees through CE, an exhibit hall, the latest in vision research and a host of industry and professional meetings.

The annual press conference showcased 20 rapid-fire presentations, which included scientific papers and posters, as well as industry presentations. The scientific presentations included:

• Investigating Early Detection and Correlation of Infant Farsightedness (Ann Morrison, O.D., OSU College of Optometry, 2017 AAO Foundation Ezell Fellow)
• Effects of Age and Cognitive Distraction on Peripheral Detection at Intersections (Alex Bowers, Ph.D., MCOptom, F.A.A.O., Schepens Eye Research Institute)
• Inhibition of EGFR Signaling is a Novel Approach to Prevention of Posterior Capsular Opacification (Daisy Yao Shu, BOptom, BSc, Save Sight Institute Sydney, Australia)
• Dexamethasone/Povidine-Iopine Ophthalmic Suspension for Treatment of Adenoviral Conjunctivitis — Phase 2 Trial Results (Abhijit Narvekar, M.B.B.S., D.P.M., M.S., Shire)
• Efficacy of a Dual Focus Contact Lens and Factors Influencing Myopia Progression in a Three-Year Trial (Paul Chamberlain, BSc, CooperVision)
• Glaucoma Testing Under the 2014 Medicare Part B Program (Mark S. Swanson, O.D., M.S.P.H., F.A.A.O., UAB School of Optometry)
• The Neuroprotective Role of Lipoxin B4 (John G. Flanigan, O.D., Ph.D., F.A.A.O., Berkeley School of Optometry)
• Pattern Recognition Reveals Unique Sensitivity Patterns Useful for a Hemifield Test Analysis in Glaucoma (Michael Kalloniatis, MScOptom, Ph.D., F.A.A.O., University of South Wales)
• Does a History of Concussion Matter? (Kristine Dalton, O.D., Ph.D., F.A.A.O., University of Waterloo)
• Objective Refractions Outperform Habitual Refractions in Down Syndrome Eyes (Ayeswarya Ravikumar, Ph.D., University of Houston)

Industry presentations were provided by representatives from IrisVision, Zeiss Medical Technology, Heine USA, BostonSight, Keeler, Vivid Vision, DGH Technology, Annidis and Essilor of America.

During the meeting, the Centre for Contact Lens Research, at the University of Waterloo’s School of Optometry & Vision Science, announced a name change to the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE), recognizing the organization’s primary focus on the eye and recent collaborations with academic institutions, the pharmaceutical industry and digital technology companies outside the contact lens realm. The change is effective January 2018.

While the name will change, the organization is not moving away from its core mission of “improving global eye health and vision through advanced biosciences, clinical research and education,” explains CORE’s Director, Lyndon Jones, Ph.D., FCOptom, F.A.A.O., F.B.C.L.A. A mural, co-created by Academy attendees and artist John Park (see below) commemorates the name change and will be permanently installed at the University of Waterloo.

INDUSTRY EVENTS

During Academy, Alcon celebrated the company’s 70 years with “The Alcon Experience,” an event that showcased the company’s innovations and partnerships through interactive stations that included information: on Alcon Surgical (featuring mycataracts.com ); The Alcon Experience Center, a state-of-the-art training center in Fort Worth, Texas; Alcon Innovation and Research, equipped with a virtual reality climb of Mt. Everest; the Howard and the Amazing Eye Exam e-book; and Improving Patient and Practice Outcomes through the Alcon Vision Care Marketing Portal. Other stations included information on Alcon’s partnerships with Think About Your Eyes, the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society and Contact Lens Assessment in Youth.

Johnson & Johnson Vision took an opportunity at AAO to introduce the company’s acquisition of TearScience, a medical device company dedicated to diagnosing and treating meibomian gland dysfunction, and Sightbox, a brand-agnostic contact lens subscription service where customers receive an annual eye exam and a 12-month supply of lenses. Peter J. Menziuso, president of JJV North America, says that the acquisitions represent an opportunity for JJV to expand the company’s presence in the space of eye health and offer solutions that “fundamentally drive better patient outcomes.”

In addition, CooperVision held a media roundtable where the company brought together 2017 Best Practices honorees to share the innovations that helped make these eye care professionals successful. Honorees included Britney Caruso, O.D., F.A.A.O., Caruso Eye Care, Lake Worth, Fla.; Brent Fry, O.D., Premier Eyecare, Knoxville, Tenn.; David Kading, O.D., F.A.A.O., Specialty Eyecare Group, Kirkland Wash.; Mehdi Kazem, O.D., Lawrence Family Eyecare, Lawrence, Ga.; Jason Ortman, O.D., F.A.A.O., Castle Pines Eye Care, Castle Pines, Col.; Katherine Shuetz, O.D., Little Eyes, Carmel, Ind.; Will Tantum, O.D., Blount County Eye Center, Maryville, Tenn.; Shauna Thornhill, O.D., Amarillo Vision Specialists, Amarillo, Texas; Gina Wesley, O.D., F.A.A.O., Complete Eye Care of Medina, Medina Minn.; and Stephanie Woo, O.D., F.A.A.O., Havasu Eye Center, Lake Havasu, Ariz. ■