Practice Tip: Provide a Training Schedule
“Without a plan, it is easy for both new hires and me to feel overwhelmed regarding the training that needs to take place and when,” writes Dr. Kevin Semma in the April issue article, “Best Practices for Staff Training.” As a result, Dr. Semma says he now provides a structured training schedule that maps out a new hire’s first few weeks. An example: The first week of training for all new hires focuses on learning practice policies, such as handling patient greetings. For the full article, Read here.

American Optometric Association Foundation Names Scholarship Recipients
The American Optometric Association shard the 2025 scholarships recipients of the Dr. Larry J. Alexander Scholarship for Education, Dr. Seymour Galina Scholarship and Dr. Stanley Pearle Scholarship. The winners: Malia McDowell, a 3rd-year student at University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry; Joel Cardenas, a 3rd-year student at Rocky Mountain University College of Optometry; and Elizabeth Pham and Faye Nie, respectively. Pham is a 3rd-year student at the University of Incarnate Word Rosenberg School of Optometry, and Nie is a 4th-year student at Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University. The 2026 scholarship applications and criteria will soon be posted on The AOA Foundation website.

Contact Lens Institute Launches Video Series on Wear and Care for New Wearers
The Contact Lens Institute (CLI) launched a 3-part video series that provides tips to better educate new soft contact lens wearers about healthy wear and care behaviors, according to a press release. The series offers professional perspectives on best practices and calls attention to The Eyes, Awareness, Safety & You (EASY) program. All videos are available on the CLI YouTube channel at https://bit.ly/CLIEASY.

Eye Designs Makes Available Catalog and Resource Guide  
Eye Designs released its latest Orvos Exam Room Catalog and Resource Guide. Specifically, the periodical provides 130-plus pages of exam lane products and solutions to make the clinical side of practice efficient, ergonomic, and aesthetically beautiful, according to a press release. Additionally, the Orvos Exam Room Catalog and Resource Guide shows a collection of exam lane configurations, and wall organization systems. Browse the catalog online at https://www.eyedesigns.com/examguide. 

Hoya Launches Lens for Presbyopia 
Hoya made available its VisuPro All Day and VisuPro Flex advanced focus spectacle lenses for people starting to experience presbyopia, according to a press release. Specifically, the lenses use Hoya’s Binocular Harmonization Technology and Focus Max Optimization. The former calculates and harmonizes the prescription in the lenses for focusing, stability, and enhanced depth of vision. The latter provides additional vision support at close distance, allowing for sharp and comfortable focus during near distance activities and digital usage, says Hoya. For more information on the HOYA VisuPro advanced focus lenses, visit here. 

Lighthouse Guild Names Chief Operating Officer
The Lighthouse Guild appointed Maura Sweeney as its chief operating officer. The appointment went into effect on April 1, according to a press release. Sweeney has been with the Lighthouse Guild for 15 years, most recently serving as chief program and services officer. Sweeney is the president of the New York Vision Rehabilitation Association, a member of the New York State Commission for the Blind Executive Board and the Statewide Rehabilitation Council. 

Menicon Appoints President of Menicon America
Menicon Co., Ltd. named James Gardner president of Menicon America, Inc. Gardner will be responsible for leading the company’s U.S. operations, expanding its market presence, and driving strategic growth, according to a press release. Prior to joining Menicon America, Garner held key executive leadership positions at CooperVision, including vice president of Sales, vice president of Americas Marketing, and vice president of Global Myopia Management. For more information, visit www.meniconamerica.com.

Miracles in Sight to Establish Location in Lubbock, Texas
Miracles in Sight (MIS), a nonprofit eye bank, is establishing a new location in Lubbock, Texas, to serve the 48 counties in the Lubbock and Amarillo areas, according to a press release. MIS works closely with nurses, physicians, and medical professionals to ensure they are well-informed about eye donations. Based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, MIS also has offices in South Carolina and serves most of North and South Carolina, in addition to Central Texas, and helps restore sight for approximately 3,800 patients each year. For more information about Miracles In Sight visit, miraclesinsight.org, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

New England College of Optometry to Offer New Scholarship 
The New England College of Optometry (NECO) announced plans to endow a scholarship to honor Maureen Hanley, OD, Class of 1981, according to a press release. Dr. Hanley spent more than four decades passing on her expertise to students before her passing on March 8, 2025, at the age of 69. Called The Dr. Maureen Hanley Memorial Scholarship Fund, it will support students who share her unique passion and commitment, keeping her legacy alive among future generations of optometrists and carrying forward the compassion, dedication, and love Dr. Hanley shared with everyone she met, according to the press release. Those wishing to contribute to the Fund may do so through this form or by contacting Lindsay Allen, director of Development and Alumni Relations, at allenl@neco.edu.

Virtual Field Launches Extraocular Motility Exam
Virtual Field has made available its Extraocular Motility (EOM) exam to assist providers and technicians in evaluating eye movement and muscle function, according to a press release. Exclusively available to Virtual Field Pro subscribers, the EOM captures video recordings and still images of a patient’s eye movements, helping eyecare providers to monitor changes over time. For more information about the EOM exam and other Virtual Field solutions, visit https://go.virtualfield.io/eom. OM