Practice tip: “Scleral lenses can dramatically improve quality of life by restoring the ability to drive and work for patients who have advanced keratoconus, and ease pain for those who have debilitating ocular surface diseases, such as dry eye disease,” writes Brooke M. Messer, OD, FSLS, in “The first steps in scleral lens fitting.” Because fitting these lenses can bring some ODs trepidation, she provides these strategies to facilitate scleral lens prescribing: Seek resources, identify best candidates, schedule strategically, use technology, and recruit interested staff to help. Read more
CooperVision appoints president, Americas
CooperVision named Steven Robins as its president, Americas, effective immediately. Robins is a three-decade healthcare veteran, with several previous corporate leadership and consulting roles in the vision care industry, according to a press release. Specifically, he has served as chief marketing officer and president of North American Vision Care for Bausch + Lomb, general manager of Johnson & Johnson’s Consumer Healthcare business in Canada, and group marketing director for Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. In other news, CooperVision has implemented a Patient Emergency Relief Program to assist eye care professionals and their patients impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires. Specifically, practitioners can request up to two complimentary boxes of contact lenses for affected patients by contacting the sales representative or emailing CVcares@coopervision.com.
Marshall B. Ketchum University OD receives awards for impact on optometry
Marshall B. Ketchum University’s Susan Cotter, OD, MS, FAAO, was awarded the Optometrist of the Year Award by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya Faculty of Optics and Optometry of Terrassa (FOOT), and the 2024 University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Optometry’s Springer Lecturer award. The former recognizes exceptional contributions to the field of optometry. The latter celebrates influential optometric leaders who have significantly advanced the profession, according to a press release.
New England College of Optometry names Distinguished Alumni recipients
The New England College of Optometry (NECO) announced the names of graduates to be titled Distinguished Alumni. They are Dr. Karen G. Carrasquillo ’05, Dr. Charles F. Mullen ’69, and Dr. Eli Peli ’83. The title is bestowed on those graduates who have exemplified excellence, embraced their role as compassionate caregivers, exhibited an unwavering dedication to the field of optometry, and made a profound impact on their communities, according to a press release.
Norlase indirect ophthalmoscope gets FDA 510(k) clearance
Norlase announced the immediate commercial launch and FDA 510(k) clearance and CE Mark for Norlase Lynx, a pattern-scanning laser indirect ophthalmoscope. Lynx features: laser, scanner, and delivery system fully integrated in the headset; battery-powered for portability and treatment flexibility; 2x2 to 5x5 grids, triple arcs, and circles; safety filters for enhanced visualization; and multilingual voice control of patterns and parameters, according to a press release. Visit https://norlase.com/lynx/ for additional information.
Prevent Blindness declares February as Age-related Macular Degeneration and Low Vision Awareness Month
Prevent Blindness has once again declared February as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision Awareness Month. To help educate the public, patients and their care partners, and allied health professionals, the organization is offering a variety of free educational resources, including fact sheets and social media graphics in English and Spanish, a free guide from the AMD GuideMe app, “Living Well With Low Vision,” and dedicated episodes in the Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health Expert Series.
The Vision Council’s Executive Summit includes discussion on artificial intelligence
The Vision Council’s 2025 Executive Summit, which occurred last week in Santa Barbara, Calif., included a presentation on the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI). The presentation was provided by Eugene Shatsman, managing partner of National Strategic Group, in Ohio, who outlined practical AI measures for day-to-day business operations and conducted an AI note-taking experiment that provided attendees with personalized notes based on their unique preferences and goals. Other highlights included discussions on wellness and mindfulness, cybersecurity, generational differences in the workplace, and preparing businesses and personal finances for 2025 and beyond. OM