Practice Tip: Train staff to understand Intense pulsed light
“Understanding how IPL works and why it is effective will allow your staff to answer common patient questions about the treatment,” writes Jessilin M. Quint, OD, MBA, MS, in her latest “Optical” column. One way she accomplishes this is by having her staff experience the treatment themselves, so that they can talk about it with patients on a firsthand basis, she explains. For the entire column, Click here.
American Optometric Association reveals increased productivity/well-being can be gained by OD intervention in screentime symptoms
The American Optometric Association (AOA) released a report on screentime in the United States that reveals increased productivity/well-being can be acquired via OD intervention in screentime symptoms. Titled “The impact of unmanaged excessive screentime in the United States,” the report shows, among other data, that if the average American who is exposed to excessive screen time visited an optometrist once per year, there could be an annual gain of up to $45.5 billion in productivity, and up to $26.3 billion in well-being improvements. For additional information, click here.
Bausch + Lomb’s glaucoma drug eligible for patent extension
Bausch + Lomb's latanoprostene bunod ophthalmic solution 0.024% (Vyzulta) is eligible for a patent-term extension of five years by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, according to a press release. As applications for patent extensions on two other patents covering the drug have been submitted, it must be decided which will be the subject of the patent term extension by the company.
EyeCare partners names new chief executive officer
EyeCare Partners announced that Chris Throckmorton has been named chief executive officer (CEO), succeeding the role held by Ben Breier as interim CEO. This change was made effective Jan. 29, 2024. Most recently, Mr. Throckmorton served as president and CEO of Athletico Physical Therapy, a provider of outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation services.
IDOC names 2024 vendor partners
IDOC announced new partnerships for 2024 with 12 additional vendors to add to its portfolio: CooperVision Specialty Eyecare, Frames Data, Jonas Paul Eyewear, Leonardo Learning, Optical Training Institute, OneSpot Billing, RLVNT, Selin Olmsted Studio, Shamir, Transitions Lenses, Topcon Healthcare, and Younger Optics. IDOC partners with over 60 vendors to provide exclusive pricing discounts, rebate programs, practice support and resources to members. To see full list of IDOC vendor partners, visit https://idoc.net/partners.
Prevent Blindness declares February age-related macular degeneration and low vision awareness month
Prevent Blindness has declared February as age-related macular degeneration and low vision awareness Month. To commemorate this declaration, the organization is offering a variety of free educational resources to the public and professionals, including fact sheets and social media graphics in English and Spanish, dedicated online resources and informative videos, such as “Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision.”
RevCycle Partners announces new member of senior management team
RevCycle Partners named Cindy Braden to its senior management team as vice president of Sales of OneSpot. OneSpot is productivity software that simplifies and organizes complex billing tasks, providing the entire eye care billing team with a clear view of the insurance side of the business, according to a press release. OneSpot will be launching its first two billing modules, Insurance AR Manager and Claim Scrubber, at Vision Expo East in March.
Walmart to launch augmented reality optical try-on platform
This month, Walmart will launch an augmented reality optical try-on platform, called Optical Virtual Try-On, to enable consumers to virtually “try on” frames and purchase prescription eyewear online through the Walmart app or directly on www.Walmart.com. The platform will use 3D data and advanced algorithms to create a digital twin of eyewear frames, resulting in a more realistic virtual try-on (VTO) experience, according to a press release.
World Council of Optometry names World Optometry Week Celebration theme
The World Council of Optometry (WCO) announced the theme for the 2024 World Optometry Week Celebration, occurring March 17 to March 23: “Advancing Optometry’s Commitment to Global Eye Care.” With this theme, WCO seeks to highlight the ongoing work done by optometrists across the globe to improve equitable access to eye care, as well as the profession’s role in promoting the adoption of Integrated People-centered Eye Care (IPEC) in countries’ health systems, as recommended by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2019 World Report on Vision, according to a press release. World Optometry Day is Thursday, March 23.
OD Notebook is published weekly on Fridays. 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.