Practice Tip: Create Optical Packages
“Because several options can be overwhelming for the patient who has already made in-practice decisions, such as picking between one or two at the phoropter, offering optical packages that bundle contact lenses with spectacles may help patients see the value in purchasing more than one refractive product at a time,” writes Jessilin Quint, OD, in her latest “Optical” column. An example of an optical package: A 30% discount on hobby/computer glasses when purchased with an annual supply of contact lenses and full-correction prescription spectacles. For the entire column, visit https://www.optometricmanagement.com/issues/2023/january-february-2023/business-optical.

American Optometric Association Opens Registration for 2023 Meeting
The American Optometric Association (AOA) and the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) announced that registration is now open for Optometry’s Meeting 2023. The meeting will occur June 21 to June 24, under the banner “Voice Your Vision,” in downtown Washington, DC, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Registration is open to both members and nonmembers. Visit https://www.optometrysmeeting.org/?sso=y. 
 
Art Optical Awards Student Travel Grant at GSLS
Art Optical Contact Lens Inc., in partnership with Contamac, awarded a Specialty Contact Lens Student Travel Grant to Janna Pham, BSA, a fourth-year optometry student at the University of Houston College of Optometry. The grant, presented at the annual Global Specialty Lens Symposium in Las Vegas last month, was awarded based on her poster “Highs and Lows: Scleral Lens Fitting on a Patient with Severe Keratoconus and Post Penetrating Keratoplasty,” which she co-authored with Karen Lee, OD. The grant is for $750. 

Bausch + Lomb Social Media Campaign Seeks to Raise Age-Related Macular Degeneration Awareness
Bausch + Lomb announced the social media campaign, “What Sight Inspires You,” which will feature personal stories and sights from Bausch + Lomb’s SightMatters community. This is an online educational resource designed for people living with AMD. The campaign will run on the SightMatters Facebook page throughout the month of February. Visit https://www.sightmatters.com/amd-awareness. 
 
Envision Conference West to Offer Vision Rehabilitation Education
Envision Conference West, occurring March 30 to April 1, 2023, at the Academic Learning and Teaching Center - UT Health, San Antonio, Texas, will offer programs and opportunities, such as showcasing the latest in assistive technology and rehabilitative applications, for professionals in the vision rehabilitation field. See additional information at https://www.envisionuniversityevents.com/event/ad0a610b-0eca-46f9-b0a1-d47441fbef38/summary.
 
Frontera Therapeutics Doses First Patient in Wet AMD Drug Candidate
Frontera Therapeutics dosed the first patient in a clinical trial of its gene therapy product, FT-003, which is being studied for the treatment of neovascular wet AMD. It is the company’s second gene therapy product candidate. 

Hoya, Nidek Enter Strategic Partnership
Hoya Vision Care and Nidek Co. Ltd entered into a global agreement for distribution of the latter company’s optical instruments. As a result, eye care practitioners will now have the ability to access both Hoya and Nidek products immediately, according to the press release.
 
Prevent Blindness Offers Resources for AMD, Low Vision Awareness Month
Prevent Blindness is offering free resources as part of February’s AMD and Low Vision awareness month. Resources, designed with the goal of educating the public and empowering individuals and their care partners, include materials, such as downloadable fact sheets in English and Spanish, a GuideMe app, a series of shareable social media graphics, and a dedicated webpage. Visit https://preventblindness.org/amd-age-related-macular-degeneration/.
 
Valley Contax and Contamac US Announce Next Travel Grant Opportunity
Valley Contax and Contamac US announced their next travel grant award opportunity. Specifically, one student in the graduating classes of 2024 or 2025 will be selected based on a submission of 100 words per student that answers the question: “Why did you choose optometry as your career?” Submissions open Feb. 14, and close April 2. A winner of the travel award to Optometry’s Meeting 2003, occurring June 21 to June 24, 2023, in Washington DC, will be selected on April 17. Apply at https://fs10.formsite.com/MqlEMM/studentgrants/index.html.
 
Visionary Optics Launches Europa Tangent
Europa Tangent, from Visionary Optics, is a scleral lens that combines an optimized, customizable design, and streamlined fitting process, according to the company. This fitting process includes a three-zone step system and customization options. Additionally, the lens includes a landing zone curve and is generally similar to the benefits of a free-form lens design, according to the press release.
  
Vision Expo East 2023 to Host Career Zone on Saturday, March 18
The Career Zone will return to Vision Expo East 2023 Saturday, March 18, from 10 am to 4 pm. The Career Zone is a student lounge designed for optometry and opticianry students and young professionals to network with participating companies, all of which are actively recruiting and seeking new talent. The Career Zone will be at Booth F3162 within the Javits Center. Visit https://east.visionexpo.com/en-us/Experiences/new-grads-students.html.
 
World Council of Optometry and Alcon Announce Next Dry Eye Disease Webinar
The World Council of Optometry (WCO) and Alcon opened registration for “Dry Eye Spotlight 3: Management,” the third in a series of complimentary global dry eye disease education initiative webinars. The March 14 webinar will discuss how management strategies may be adjusted based on a further understanding of mitigating factors and measurements collected from patients. Register at https://oaandgap.eventsair.com/dry-eye-disease-management/reg/Site/Register.
 
World Council of Optometry Garners Myopia Management Pledge From More Than 25,000 Optometrists WorldWide
More than 25,000 optometrists globally have signed on to accept the World Council of Optometry’s (WCO) Myopia Management Standard of Care Pledge challenge. In cooperation with CooperVision, WCO introduced the myopia management standard of care resolution in April 2021. It’s comprised of three components: mitigation, measurement, and management. View the pledge at https://myopia.worldcouncilofoptometry.info/myopia-management-pledge/.

 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.