Admitting 60 students in its first class in 2016, the University of Pikeville-Kentucky College of Optometry becomes the 22nd optometry school in the US.

The Association of School and Colleges of Optometry is accepting applications from optometry students from accredited optometry schools and colleges in the United States and Puerto Rico and optometry residents for its Cultural Competency Case Study Competition for Students and Residents.

The probability of blindness due to the serious eye disease glaucoma has decreased by nearly half since 1980, according to a study recently published in Ophthalmology.

Essilor International announced it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire all of the outstanding common stock of Coastal Contacts (Coastal.com).

The Ocular Nutrition Society (ONS) has announced the schedule for its education symposium, to be held Sunday, March 30, 2014, at the Jacob Javits Conference Center in New York City, in conjunction with Vision Expo East.

Patients will soon be able to undergo a refraction online through Opternative.com in a matter of minutes and for a fraction of the cost of a traditional exam, but the company doesn’t intend for its test to replace a complete eye exam.

Contact lenses are a large part of any general eye care practice. It is one source of great pride and satisfaction when a patient new to contact lenses first sees clearly without his spectacles, and we all enjoy seeing that epiphany. Yet, like with all experiences, the new soon wears off, and those patients who started out with the best of intentions regarding their contact lens wear and care can slip into some not-so-healthy habits.

What are some common questions our patients expect to hear from us? “How is your vision? Which is better, one or two? How many nights out of the average month do you sleep in your contact lenses?” Sure, these are the easy answers, but when is the last time you surprised your patient with a question about their diet?

Although the Demodex mite is not a recent discovery, you might not realize that by the rapid rise of demodex in the ophthalmic professional sphere. From peer-reviewed journal articles to lectures at professional meetings to chatter on the exhibit hall floor to thought-leader informational videos, Demodex has been a popular topic for the past 12-18 months.

Next month in Boston, the American Society of Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) will host optometrists its second Integrated Ophthalmic Managed Delivery Model (IOMED) track at the group’s annual meeting. The format will be similar to last year’s meeting with a half-day symposium as well as courses that will be available for optometrists to earn CE credit.

I readily admit I am from another time, before cell phones and laptops. But not video games. I wore Pong out back in the day. Still, I think I have adapted reasonably well as an old curmudgeon to the available technology.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked healthcare professionals to stop prescribing combination prescription pain relievers that contain more than 325 mg of acetaminophen per tablet, capsule, or other dosage unit, citing the risk for liver damage.

Kelly K. Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO, has been named dean of the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry.

The New Jersey State Legislature recently passed a bill that will require the New Jersey Department of Education to develop an educational fact sheet for parents concerning sports-related eye injuries.

Lenstatin recently introduced its nutritional supplement containing an antioxidant blend of micronutrients with anti-cataractogenic properties.

Volk Optical recently introduced the Pictor Plus, a handheld ophthalmic camera that can provide high-resolution images of the retinal and anterior segment at off-site clinics or during field work.

We give [students] the issues of what's going on in the profession but not to a degree where they're going to become overwhelmed. We try to cover an issue with a proactive and positive voice.

Except for a 6-month stint at an optical more than 20 years ago, I haven’t spent much time in that part of the industry. It’s time I did. Plus, we’re going to step up coverage in our pages and online presence as well. I hope you’ve already noticed the new look of our InDispensable news and product section.

There is significant healing power in the doctor-patient relationship. If we work together in these relationships, significant improvement can occur to our patient’s quality of life and health status.