DrFirst and My Vision Express recently partnered to integrate Rcopia e-prescribing into My Vision Express Electronic Health Record and Practice Management system for eyecare practitioners (ECPs).

A 26-year-old man from Qingdao, China suffered a retinal detachment after using his smartphone non-stop, according to Qingdao Daily.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Ophthalmic Devices Advisory Panel recently determined that the benefits of AcuFocus’ Kamra inlay outweigh the risks for presbyopic patients.

A study from the University of Michigan, which was recently published in Health Affairs, found that if all eyecare practitioners (ECPs) prescribed Avastin (bevacizumab, Genentech) instead of the more-expensive Lucentis (ranibizumab, Genentech) for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME), Medicare plans could save $18 billion over a 10-year period.

The British Contact Lens Association recently welcomed Susan Bowers as its president for 2014-15. The new president elect is Brian Tompkins.

In honor of Cataract Awareness Month in June, the American Academy of Ophthalmology has provided answers to 250 commonly asked questions about cataracts.

Recently, the Ophthalmic Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) met to discuss recommendations for guidance documents for contact lenses and care solutions.

A study of more than 46,000 online physician reviews finds patients in the San Francisco and Oakland, CA, area are happiest with their health care, while patients in Bakersfield, CA, are the least satisfied with their health care, according to Vanguard Communications.

Whether you’re looking to implement your first EHR system or you’re thinking of moving to a different one, you need to do some research to discover which system best fits your needs. You need to keep the big picture of health care in mind as well.

Allergan says it will “carefully review and consider” a revised proposal from Valeant of $53.8 billion bid-while Pershing Square, the hedge fund that owns 9.7 percent of Allergan is calling to replace the company’s board.

The American Optometric Association’s 2014 American Eye-Q survey finds only 19 percent of parents know that a child should have his first comprehensive eye assessment between six and 12 months of age.

Chinese authorities fined Johnson & Johnson, Baush + Lomb, Essilor International, Nikon, and Carl Zeiss Vision Guangzhou a combined total of 19.6 million yuan, or $3 million, for price fixing in the country’s contact lens and eyeglasses market.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Omeros’ phenylephrine and ketorolac injection, Omidria, for use during cataract surgery and intraocular lens (IOL) replacement to maintain pupil size by preventing intraoperative miosis and to reduce postoperative pain.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal recently signed into law a bill that will allow optometrists to perform certain surgeries. Louisiana is the third state in the nation to pass such a law.

You’re dating yourself if the song from The Who is going through your head after reading the headline of this editorial. Hmmm…maybe I am dating myself with the reference!

Recently, I had a patient return to my office shortly after his yearly exam. This gentleman has advanced glaucoma, and after my initial diagnosis, he has undergone several surgical procedures by the comanaging ophthalmologist that has stabilized his condition. He was back in the office complaining of distance blur through his new spectacles. His exact words: “Thanks for helping me with my glaucoma, doc, but I can’t see a thing outta these new glasses you gave me.”

SECO International has a nearly 100-year history of providing optometric meetings of the highest caliber. SECO 2014 was no different. Lectures by our most esteemed colleagues were plentiful, and the knowledge base which was available to attendees was impactful. The exhibit hall provided the opportunity to demo many of the new technologies mentioned in the lectures. One such piece of equipment was AdaptDx by MacuLogix.

The treatment choices presented to presbyopic patients will depend on many factors, including lifestyle, profession, general attitude toward vision, and levels of disposable income. The first step is ascertaining which two of the three visual acuities are most important to them: near, intermediate, or distance vision. For example, you probably wouldn't recommend a multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) to a professional airline pilot because those lenses may compromise nighttime distance vision.

Do you spend time wondering why employees no-show or resign? Do you think about how employee retention and turnover affects your bottom line? Today’s employees leave jobs for reasons other than just compensation and benefits, and tend to leave managers/co-workers than actual companies. Owners should provide vision, empowerment, empathy, motivation, teamwork, fun, and incentives so employees feel they have an ownership in the business.