A 27-year-old male whose last eye examination was seven years earlier in India presented to University of Alabama at Birmingham Eye Care for a comprehensive eye examination.

There is no shortage of new diagnostic technology at optometry’s disposal. It seems every month a new device is available to enhance our practice and patient care. And with each new device, we will have to ask the same questions: Will it pay for itself? How much does it cost? Can I afford it?

Several expensive, complex pieces of equipment are available to eyecare professional for imaging and diagnosis, but are we making the most of our time-honored, low-cost tools? Contact lenses for imaging, diagnosis, and treatment have been around for decades, the first example of which was described by Goldmann in the 1950s.

But it’s not all about us-we reached out to our readers on ODwire and ODs on Facebook to find out what makes eyecare professionals thankful. So, gather ‘round the exam room chair, pass the stuffing, and get ready to feel all warm and fuzzy about good patient communication and point-of-care diagnostic tests.

But my wife was referring to the vitreous in her right eye which started detaching a few days prior, threatening to unravel both her retina and our long-laid trip plans.

If you’ve walked the show floor at a Vision Expo show in the last few years, you might have noticed a small, but growing trend in optical. Among the flashy displays, bright-colored frames in increasingly elaborate designs, you might notice more and more brands are taking on an eco-friendly approach to their fashionable frames.

For years, I have been an advocate of early cataract surgery in any symptomatic patients. As we all know, the progression of cataract development is an unavoidable process, so why delay the inevitable?

Luxottica and Macy’s announced an agreement that will bring LensCrafters to 500 Macy’s department stores over the next three years, a move that drew an uncharacteristically apathetic response from the eyecare community.

I give you my “three cheers for optometry,” a list of ways optometrists can do great things.

I didn’t at all anticipate the challenges I would face at being a clinician in industry. It really comes down to you’re a clinician, you make a decision, there’s a result, it’s either good or bad, and you adjust and adapt. In industry, at least initially, I didn’t know if what I was doing was making a difference.

I made my annual pilgrimage to the American Academy of Optometry meeting, this year in the beautiful crescent city. New Orleans is one of my favorite venues, as my waistline can attest.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals and its subsidiary Bausch + Lomb have come under fire for its recent actions in purchasing competing gas permeable (GP) contact lens manufacturer Paragon Vision Sciences, attempts to purchase independent GP laboratories, price increases, and withdrawal from industry support group Contact Lens Manufacturers Association (CLMA).

“Typically, (Roellinger) listens to the sound of the bread, not the cash register. It’s because he’s a ferocious advocate for the glory of tiny, individually owned and operated producers. The idea that one should-no, must-keep it small.”

I discovered that an employee had been dispensing glasses to her family without collecting payment for the materials. After studying the relevant charts, I was certain that the activity was deliberately hidden from me.

Promotional events are designed to create some sort of focused attention on you and your practice. There are a wide variety of events that can help solidify the brand you are building for your practice.

It is a constant challenge to be able to inspire patients to care meticulously for their lenses when life is easy, but what happens to that care when life gets hard? What happens when their schedules are upside down, and they are on the go? Travel influences how patients wear and care for their lenses-let’s look at the how, why, and most importantly, what we can do about it.

A few months ago, we went over to Twitter and searched both “eye doctor” and “optometrist” just to see what people were saying. We had so much fun the first time that we thought we’d do it again.

Several weeks ago, I learned of a more recent, somewhat concerning trend. Since the Allergan and Actavis merger, sales reps are now promoting Restasis to primary care doctors, internist and allergists.

The American Optometric Association (AOA) has called upon the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to strengthen its Contact Lens Rule to prevent its manipulation by contact lens retailers for their own financial benefits, causing potential harm to patients.

CVS announced that it would work with VSP to begin providing vision care services at five of its stores in the Baltimore and Washington DC areas, raising concerns among independent eyecare providers in Maryland.