Practice Tip: Identifying the work your team members are good at can help ensure they stay in the practice. In the April article, “Retain Staff by Improving Practice Culture,” Ted McElroy, OD, PC, writes that he uses an assessment tool (The Six Types of Working Genius) to evaluate the kind of work employees enjoy doing and what tasks they find draining. Dr. McElroy notes that he recently used it to successfully move someone from the optical team to the clinic team. For the full article, see https://www.optometricmanagement.com/issues/2023/april-2023/retain-staff-by-improving-practice-culture.
 
Alcon’s Dr. Rick Weisbarth Announces Retirement 
After more than four decades in the optometric industry, Rick Weisbarth, OD, Alcon’s vice president of professional affairs, announced his retirement, which became effective at the end of March. Dr. Weisbarth began his career with Alcon in 1982, when he joined CIBA Vision as a clinical research optometrist. Dr. Weisbarth will continue to serve as president of the Alcon Children’s Vision Center, according to the press release. 
 
AOA Issues Consumer Health Alert for Contaminated Eye Drops
The American Optometric Association issued an alert to consumers to stop using EzriCare and Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Tears products, both from Global Pharma Healthcare. The eye drops were recalled after they were linked to a potential bacterial contamination. A PDF version of the alert can be found at https://www.aoa.org/AOA/Documents/Advocacy/AOA_Consumer%20Health%20Alert_Eye%20drops.pdf. In related news, after visiting Global Pharma’s India-based plant several weeks after the recall of the drops, an FDA inspection resulted in observations, including a “manufacturing process that lacked assurance of product sterility,” according to the report (see https://www.fda.gov/media/166739/download).
 
Contamac Names Director of Strategic Projects
Contamac appointed John Clamp as director, Strategic Projects. In this role, Mr. Clamp will drive long-term strategic initiatives for the business in partnership with the company’s Research and Development group and operations team, according to the press release. Mr. Clamp has developed software ranging from full system-wide applications, through to full contact lens 3D design and creation of machining files.
 
Euclid Vision Corp Expands Team
Euclid Vision Corp. added Jon R. Hudson, ABOC, NCLEC, as an account executive for Texas, and central and southern U.S. territories. Mr. Hudson brings 24 years of industry experience. 
 
Johnson & Johnson Vision Appoints Executives
Johnson & Johnson Vision named Lori Tierney as president, Americas; Jacqueline Henderson as president; and Christoph Vonwiller as president Asia Pacific. The three executives will lead the end-to-end vision business in their respective regions, driving strategy, commercial excellence, and organizational alignment of the vision care and surgical vision businesses, according to the press release. 
 
Lumata Health and Prevent Blindness Join Forces to Address Barriers to Care
Lumata Health partnered with Prevent Blindness to collaborate on several initiatives to address barriers to care for patients who have vision loss, starting with a strong focus on mental health resources for when patients lose their vision. Of the seven million Americans who have vision impairment, one in four adults experience anxiety, according to the Centers for Disease Control. This partnership will help Lumata’s team of care coordinators to connect their low vision patients with various resources in any given geographical area. The first training program will take place in the spring of 2023, according to the press release. 
 
Myopia Action Month Planned for September
Myopia Action Month, from Myopia Profile, is an awareness campaign occurring in September. The inaugural event will bring four-weeks of global education, industry collaboration, and encouragement to eye care providers to empower them to take effective action against the disease. The initiative is sponsored by CooperVision, EssilorLuxotica, and Johnson & Johnson Vision. 
 
OD Notebook is published weekly on Wednesdays. Unless otherwise noted, the information presented is based on press releases and/or announcements by the respective organizations. Find earlier editions here. To submit a press release to be considered for publication, click here.