I sometimes wonder why, in the rush to build the medical model, so many of my colleagues seemingly abandon the retail aspects of our profession. Many ODs seem to want to forget or diminish that our historical contribution to vision has been mainly centered around the correction, refractive, and binocular vision function and development.

Leisure Society Eyewear recently released a retro-inspired sunglass collection. The frames are cast out of 12 k, 18 k, and 24 k gold-plated titanium and feature metal and buffalo horn accents, VS1 diamond insets, and CR-39 polarized lenses.

Most dispensing optometric practices are fielding frequent requests from their patient base to provide pupillary distance (PD) measurements along with a copy of a prescription for eyeglasses. There are varied responses among doctors, the eyecare professionals (ECPs), and other staff members as to how to handle this request.

This is a critical time for private practitioners. There is more competition from commercial retail chains, lower reimbursements from managed vision care (MVC) plans, confusion still lingers regarding the Affordable Care Act, and the economy is not back to pre-recession levels. The average OD chose the profession for the clinical aspects and to help patients, not to be a CEO.

Optometry Times’ Chief Optometric Editor Ernest Bowling, OD, FAAO, joins the National Academies of Practice and the Optometry Academy as a Distinguished Practitioner and Fellow.

When asked which is the safest mode of contact lens wear, most doctors reply, “daily disposables.” When asked which is the most convenient mode of lens wear, most doctors reply, “daily disposables.” When asked which is the most comfortable mode of lens wear, most doctors reply, “daily disposables.”

Like a lot of folks, I suffer from seasonal allergies. While the red, watery eyes do spring up (no pun intended), this time of year I am much more bothered by the constant, unrelenting runny nose accompanying my seasonal allergy attacks. Which shouldn’t be surprising. -42% of patients suffering from allergic conjunctivitis also experience symptoms of allergic rhinitis (AR).

Last week I attended the National Academies of Practice annual forum in Alexandria, VA. This year's theme was "One Health. One Team."

After more than 2 years of work, the American Optometric Association (AOA) has released Eye Care of the Patient with Diabetes Mellitus, an evidence-based guideline to help ODs care for patients with diabetes.

The University of Utah’s John A. Moran Eye Center has published a research paper originating from the center examining the role of erythropoietin (EPO) signaling in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in the American Journal of Pathology.

LVR Technology LLC recently launched its illuminated, high-powered prismatic readers built specifically for those with low vision.

My son, a recent graduate of the University of Alabama’s film school, does freelance video work. It is a cool way to pay his bills, and a fella has to start somewhere. On occasion I get to be his unpaid production assistant, which is to say I stand in the background and hold the microphone.

The next time I see a patient with diabetic retinopathy who seems to be nonchalant or blasé regarding his condition, I’m going to say something along the lines of this: “Mr._______, this leaking of your blood vessels is going on elsewhere in your body, but your eyes just happen to be the only place we can see it without being invasive.”

Those opticians who have studied the retail-selling process know there are seven specific parts to a retail sales presentation. Each part or step is important for a different reason.

Scientists at Trinity College Dublin have found that a component of the immune system suppresses the production of damaging blood vessels behind the retina, which could aid in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration, according to research recently published in Science Translational Medicine.

The University of Pikeville has appointed of Andrew Buzzelli, OD, MS, as the founding dean of the Kentucky College of Optometry.

An Internet-based screening approach performs well in identifying patients with treatable diabetic eye disease, according to a study in Optometry and Vision Science.

EnChroma has designed digital lenses that correct for colorblindness.

Optovue announced the launch of The Optometric Medical Model Initiative (TOMMI), an optometric-focused educational program intended to help physicians successfully integrate the medical model into their practice.

Long-term daily multivitamin supplement use may lower cataract risk in men, according to a study of nearly 15,000 male physicians published in Ophthalmology.