Author Archives: Envision Magazine

Wrapping It Up

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By Brian P. Dunleavy

LensFocus

When your optical shop sells sunwear to 100 per cent of its clients, you’re bound to see more than a few requests for prescription wrap sunlenses.

And that’s the challenge Gina Kay, optician and co-manager of the Toronto location of Cristall Opticians, faces daily. As many as 10 per cent of the lenses dispensed at her store are prescription wraps, and she has seen a significant increase in demand for the product over the past couple of years, particularly among presbyopes who prefer progressive lenses.

“I used to say ‘no’ a lot,” says Kay, whose family has owned Cristall, which has three locations in southern Ontario, for more than 50 years. “No to prescription wraps. No to progressive wraps. Clients would beg me, and say, ‘But I’ll pay more,’ and I’d have to tell them, ‘Sorry. We just don’t feel confident in the lens technology available.’ That was especially the case if they had an unusual frame preference. Now I don’t have to say ‘no’ anymore.”

Historically, eyecare professionals (ECPs) seeking prescription wrap sunlenses for their clients had to rely on sunglass manufacturers for supply. Unfortunately, many of these lenses were characterized by spotty optical performance, particularly in the periphery – or, as optician Paul Boyko, Jr. says, “from the curve out”. These problems were even more common in progressive lenses or bifocals.

“We always had issues with wrap lenses and distortion was the biggest problem,” explains Boyko, owner of Windsor-based Visions of Canada.

Now, several spectacle lens and sunglass manufacturers are offering enhanced prescription wrap technology, and the biggest improvements are being made in progressive lens designs. Boyko is taking advantage of what he calls “the evolution” of prescription wrap lens design to develop his own line of golfing eyewear called Visions for Golfing. Kay says Cristall uses wrap lenses from a handful of manufacturers but the shop also has an exclusive distributorship arrangement with a high-performance prescription sports sunwear line.

“We can now offer a progressive wrap lens with confidence,” Kay notes. “This opens up a lot of opportunities for us, and for our clients.”

Still, there are important things to consider when dispensing lens designs that incorporate new wrap technology:

Finish what you start

Boyko says his high-performance edger is key to his success dispensing new prescription wrap lenses; if you finish in-house—or use an outside lab—make sure the edger being used to cut your wrap lenses is equipped to do so.

Manage client expectations

Even with improvements to wrap technology, clients should expect to pay more, especially in progressive designs. Eyewear with prescription progressive wrap lenses can fetch as much as $1,000 at retail—great for ECPs seeking to maximize profits but, perhaps, difficult to swallow for some clients. Make sure you explain the technology and the enhanced vision it promises and remind clients that they will be wearing a high-performance product.

“And even the best of the best will have some peripheral distortion,” Kay emphasizes. “But if you tell clients what to expect with the product, they’ll be happy.”

Adds Boyko: “I’ve had clients wearing new progressive wraps rate their lenses a 20 on a scale of one to 10. But we take a lot of time educating them on what this eyewear can and can’t do for them.”

Research the right wrap

Kay and Boyko both note that, as with all spectacle lenses, some wrap designs are better than others. While there is some parity in single-vision, the differences in quality are very apparent in progressives. Before pushing wraps, make sure you are using designs patients will be happy with.

“You can’t do wraps on the cheap,” advises Kay. “With the prices clients will be paying, expectations will be high and that’s where you can get into trouble. The best way to make sure clients are happy is to make sure you are selling the best product.”

Dean and Dan Caten Live the Dream in London and Milan

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By Paddy Kamen

Dean and Dan Caten

Identical twin boys were born to an English mother and an Italian father in a suburb of Toronto. The boys, Dean and Dan Caten, were the youngest of nine children. They were also exceptionally good-looking and highly creative.

“Even as kids we knew that creativity was going to be our calling,” say Dean and Dan (I’ll have to call them D&D: they do everything together, including responding to my questions). “We loved fashion from the very beginning.”

They loved fashion so much that the boys bucked the gender trend of the day and insisted on being admitted to the home economics class at school so they could learn to sew. What an adventure their lives have been, from a short stint at Parsons The New School for Design in New York to an apprenticeship and eventual design leadership at Ports International in Toronto, then on to Milan, Paris and London. Dean and Dan Caten now head a mega-successful and outstandingly creative design house known as Dsquared2, based in Milan.

Designer2

The Caten boys didn’t grow up rich but they have a no shortage of moxie: one way they raised money for their fashion business was by working as drag queens. They explain: “In 1991, we moved to Italy where we really wanted to create and launch our brand but didn’t have enough money. Fashion is an expensive business, especially at the beginning, so we performed as drag queens in the clubs to raise money. We’re not ashamed of our past and we want to send a positive message to all young designers: the sky is the limit! If you truly believe in your dreams, nothing is impossible. And in 1995, we launched our first Dsquared2 men’s apparel collection in Paris.”

The theatrical bent that made D&D successful as performers is much in evidence in their renowned cat walk events that more resemble a mini Cirque du Soleil than anything the fashion business had seen to that point. It’s clear that their many talents would have been wasted had they not created their own business in which they enjoy full artistic control. Musicians and other artistic types have gravitated to their circle. They began by creating costumes for Madonna’s 2003 world tour and have gone on to dress other famous performers, including Rihanna, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake and Lenny Kravitz.

While living in London, U.K. and designing in Milan, D&D have not forgotten their Canadian roots. “We visit family in Canada regularly and our homeland is always a great source of inspiration for us. We like to mix our Canadian origins, sense of humour and irony with the expertise of Italian tailoring and the attitude and edge of London. We design pieces that embody a fusion of ideas from North America and Europe. Being Canadian means the world to us and it is the founding base of our brand. A slogan for our company is: Born in Canada, Living in London, Made in Italy.”

Designer3

Jeans and T’s were the initial garments that made a name for Dsquared2. They used that success as a springboard into men’s and women’s fashion apparel, while always making their statements in clothes that are easy to wear. The brand has diversified into footwear, and fragrances. In 2008, Dean and Dan signed a licensing agreement with Marcolin Group for the production and worldwide distribution of sunwear and ophthalmic eyewear under the Dsquared2 brand. “Marcolin is one of the global leaders in the eyewear industry and we’re very happy to collaborate with them,” say D&D. “The eyewear collection completely reflects our brand identity and completes the Dsquared2 lifestyle.”

Self-identified ‘workaholics’, D&D are intimately involved with every aspect of their business and the same goes for their eyewear collections. “We are 100 per cent involved. An optical or sun frame today is used as a fashionable, trend-setting object, a key accessory to show your personality and style. The frame’s design, style and aesthetics are just as important as its quality and we leave nothing to chance.”

When asked to pick just one of their favourite frame designs D&D point to the runway style, oversized Jackie ‘O style sunglasses from the FW 14 ready-to-wear collection. This model, currently in the design phase, is defined by clip-on jewelry over the brow.

Like many people in their early 40s, Dean and Dan now wear optical frames. For themselves, they prefer a strong black frame, saying: “It gives us an intellectual, chic touch!”

Très chic, I’d say! Dean and Dan Caten are still young, always creative and, I’m sure, have plenty of surprises still to come. They do Canada proud!

Under New Anti-Spam Law

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By JoAnne Sommers

ManagingYourBusiness

Canada’s Anti-Spam Law (CASL), which took effect on July 1, has wide-ranging implications for every business that uses email, social media or instant messaging to promote its products or services.

The legislation applies to messages sent electronically that have a business purpose and covers one-to-one communication as well as mass emails, says Chad Finkelstein, partner, Dale & Lessmann LLP in Toronto. “It applies to all customers, prospective customers, suppliers and vendors with whom you communicate electronically,” he notes.

CASL targets any electronic communication that could be considered to “encourage participation in a commercial activity.” Emails, text messages, instant messages and messages sent through social networks that have a commercial aspect will be considered commercial electronic messages (CEMs), and require express or implied consent, unless they are covered by an exemption.

Express consent means that someone has given their verbal or written approval to receive emails from you. However, the onus is on the sender (i.e. the business owner) to prove they have that consent. Express consent is considered valid if it was obtained before July 1, 2014. After July 1, if you want to continue sending electronic communications to people who have not given you their express consent, you must first contact them by phone or regular mail to obtain it.

Implied consent means you have a personal or family relationship with someone, or an existing business relationship. That means you have conducted some sort of business transaction with the email recipient (i.e. the recipient bought a product or service from you) at some point in the previous two years, says Finkelstein.

“There will be a one-year grace period for existing business relationships so the two-year period is effectively extended to three years,” he notes. “You should maintain a database showing the last time a person bought something from you and, as the two-year window for implied consent closes, ask them to opt-in so you can continue sending them CEMs.”

Implied consent also exists if someone makes their contact information conspicuously available, such as on their website, without stipulating that they don’t want to receive electronic communications.

An exemption exists if someone requests a quote from you or you are communicating factual information about a service or warranty. Registered charities have an exemption for CEMs that are sent to raise money and political parties and candidates are exempt if the message’s primary purpose is to solicit contributions.

Penalties for violating CASL range from $1 million to $10 million; there will only be regulatory enforcement until July 1, 2017, after which spam recipients can sue the sender.

Noting that the statute has a due diligence defense, Joanna Fine, a lawyer in privacy and data management with Toronto-based Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, says you should do everything possible to establish that you have assessed your email lists and updated your electronic mailing processes. Fine recommends reviewing your existing database to determine how you obtained each email address it contains. Is it for a current patient? Did it come from a business card? If you’re unsure how you got the address seek the person’s express consent.

“It’s a very technical statute and there’s lots of uncertainty about how the provisions will be interpreted,” she says. “Legal advice can help to ensure that your interpretation is correct.”

Preparing for CASL

There are several steps you can take to ensure that your business complies with Canada’s new Anti-Spam Law (CASL), says the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). They recommend the following:

  • Review your current mailing list. Assess whether you have implied consent from those on it to continue contacting them electronically and whether you can rely on that consent under the new legislation. If you rely on implied consent, create a system to alert you when the implied consent period has lapsed. Otherwise, you will require express consent.
  • Develop a records system to keep updated lists of those who have given you consent to send them electronic messages and a list of those who haven’t.
  • All electronic messages must include:
  • specific information that identifies the sender, such as a mailing address, phone and email information or a website address;
  • an unsubscribe option that allows the recipient to stop receiving your emails. Unsubscribed recipients must be removed from your mailing list within 10 business days of their opting out.

o       Employers are responsible for spam sent by their employees. Educate your staff so they know and comply with the new rules.

o       CASL also imposes new standards for electronic messages to comply with Canada’s truth-in-advertising laws. Previously, to assess whether an email was misleading, you had to look at the entire email. With CASL, each of its elements – the subject line, for instance – must be assessed independently.

o       CASL also affects how you contact referrals. You are only allowed to send a single message to a prospective client. It must include the full name of the individual who gave you the referral, and the identification and unsubscribe requirements mentioned above.

There are many other clauses in CASL that could impact your business, says CFIB. For example:

  • if your company installs computer software remotely;
  • if you have an e-newsletter or use promotional/contest emails;
  • if you use email lists from third parties.

For additional information, contact CFIB’s Business Resource Department at 1 888 234-2232. While its counsellors are well informed about the statute, CFIB cannot provide legal advice. To ensure your business is compliant, they recommend you seek advice from your lawyers.

Frameless Marketing

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By Shirley Ha, HBSc., O.D.

MakingContact

Nowadays, it makes less sense than in the past to focus marketing dollars on direct mail, newspaper advertising, newsletters, etc., in an effort to gain or influence patients when social media is creating new practice spaces and online voices free of charge. Patients use the Internet and social media to research, gossip and exchange information about eyecare products and professionals. They could be shopping online for the exact products you sell, in particular contact lenses, while they’re getting their eyes examined. Unfortunately, eyecare professionals often fail to recognize the marketing they can do through their own practices, efforts such as inbound (online) and internal marketing that support patient relationships leading to sales.

Branding is Key

Ever heard of Disney, Starbucks and McDonald’s? If you don’t have a brand, you need to develop one and you should use it on everything, all the time and everywhere – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Google+, to name a few. Not only does a brand help to ensure that patients have the image of you that you want them to have, it also sets the foundation for future patient engagement and accessibility. Patients need to buy WHO you are and WHAT you do before they buy products and services from you. Your uniqueness trumps that of your competitors, particularly if you fit specialty lenses. This is especially true in the case of companies like Clearly Contacts when it comes to specialty services, such as Keratoconic fits, and orthokeratology.

Constructing a social networking profile is key and should include having a blog to brand your human personality. The content you deliver should be relatable, honest and genuine, while educational content should be useful for your target patients. Keep current and post timely information about contact lenses and any other products you sell. If you are not a good writer consider hiring someone to ghost write for you.

Arrange to have neighboring businesses hyperlink to some of your social media channels and offer to do the same for them. This will create instant free advertising for both parties. As Rand Fishkin (@Moz), co-founder and CEO of Moz, an inbound marketing company, said, “The best way to sell something: don’t sell anything. Earn the awareness, respect and trust of those who might buy.”

Office Culture/Environment

Meeting and exceeding patient expectations all the time begins with investing and employing the right people and cultivating positive attitudes and effectiveness under your leadership. Contact lens (CL) promotion should be cross-pollinated internally, from the original contact (phone, Internet) to pretesting, to exam room, to dispensary, where sales of peripherals, such as sunglasses, backup glasses, comfort drops, and contact lens solutions, can also be made. Your office should visually shout, “We do contact lenses!” the moment people walk through the door. The décor should be changed periodically to create the sense that there is always “more to see”; this will encourage people to visit more often and to bring in their families and friends. The office should look busy to convey the message that others recognize you as the “go-to” service provider. Reserve hard-to-book times during the day for continuing education, creative activity and the development of new marketing ideas (not rules) for further experimentation.

Taking Care of Business

Your business is your patients. Be proactive – don’t wait for a query about CLs, offer everyone the opportunity to discuss how contact lenses can benefit them (no glasses, less peripheral distortion with high prescriptions, a wider field of view). As the late Steve Jobs said: “People don’t know what they want until you show it to them.”

Understanding and thinking like your patients as well as matching your marketing efforts with the way they shop and buy contact lenses are important. Stay one step ahead of them. Anticipate and meet patients’ needs and have their next supply of CLs, a new case and solution ready for pickup before they run out. Give your busy patients same-day fitting and training instead of allowing their interest or enthusiasm to wane by scheduling another appointment. Surprise former CL wearers with a “free” trial pair of newer-technology lenses to show that you are modern and up-to-date.

Don’t pre-judge what patients can afford. Reduce their risk in buying from you with value-added service, make it attractive to buy by pricing your lenses reasonably and offering discounts for bulk orders. Give patients a “one-stop shopping/buying” experience by getting advance permission to sell to them with an effective recall system.

Happy patients are your greatest and most powerful assets. What better marketing is there than patient testimonials displayed everywhere in your office?

In short, don’t underestimate the power of social media and inbound marketing to attract, engage and retain patients. Equally important is a solid internal marketing plan designed to build long-term patient loyalty and prevent loss of income by eliminating avoidable walkouts.

Of Mice and Men: New Research Breakthrough in Aniridia

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By Briar Sexton, MD

Dr. Cheryl Gregory-EvansUniversity of British Columbia researcher Dr. Cheryl Gregory-Evans and her scientific team have made a landmark breakthrough in the treatment of aniridia.

Aniridia is a genetic eye disease that is present at birth. It is a panocular condition causing lack of or poor development of the cornea, fovea, iris and optic nerve. It also causes glaucoma, nystagmus, dry eye and cataracts. Individuals born with aniridia generally have vision between 20/80 and 20/200.

The genetic fault in aniridia is a nonsense mutation: effectively there is a stop sign or “stop codon” where there should be a green light. The result is a shortened protein that doesn’t function properly and leads to abnormal development of the eye in utero.

Ataluren is a commercially available drug that identifies the false stop sign and enables manufacture of the complete protein. It is already being used for diseases like muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis. Dr. Gregory-Evans posited that if Ataluren could be delivered to the eye it might help the eyes of newborn mice to develop more normally.

Her lab’s initial attempts were unsuccessful. The Ataluren drops did not dissolve and reach the back of the eye and they irritated the eyes of the mice. Her lab then pioneered a special formulation of Ataluren that dissolved and did not irritate. Mice that were born with abnormally developed eyes experienced a reversal of the damage with Ataluren treatment.

Recruitment for the first clinical trial in humans is currently underway. If successful, this treatment may help with other retinal diseases including Retinitis Pigmentosa and even some types of macular degeneration. The global scientific community is watching with keen interest to see the results of the Canadian trial and Canada’s philanthropic community is interested as well. Both CNIB and the Foundation Fighting Blindness fund Dr. Gregory-Evans’ laboratory.

Revealing the “Silent Thief”

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By Netan Choudhry, M.D, FRCSC and Jennifer George

Glaucoma affects nearly 65 million people worldwide. Sometimes called the “silent thief,” it often causes irreversible damage before one experiences any symptoms. As a result, nearly half of those suffering with the disease are unaware of it. Although glaucoma has been identifiable for centuries, its cause is unknown in most cases. Currently, there is no cure for the disease, making it one of the leading causes of blindness around the world.

Glaucoma damages the optic nerve, the part of the eye that carries the images we see from the retina to the brain. There are many different kinds of glaucoma and a variety of treatment options for each. In the healthy eye, a clear liquid known as aqueous humor circulates inside the front portion of the eye. In order to maintain a constant healthy eye pressure, the eye continually produces a small amount of aqueous humor. An equal amount of this fluid flows out of the eye through a microscopic drain called the trabecular meshwork in the drainage angle. In glaucoma, the aqueous humor does not flow through the drainage angle correctly. As a result, fluid pressure in the eye increases. This extra force puts pressure on the optic nerve in the back of the eye, causing damage to the nerve fibres and peripheral visual field loss.

EyeOnHealth2Glaucoma comes in various forms. It is generally divided into three classes: open angle glaucoma, narrow angle glaucoma, and secondary glaucoma. Open angle glaucomas occur when the access to the drainage angle is open. While it is important to note that not all people with elevated intraocular pressures will develop glaucoma, it is well-established that elevated intraocular pressures are a risk factor for glaucoma development. A form of open angle glaucoma without elevated intraocular pressures is known as low-tension or normal-tension glaucoma. This form may be associated with poor blood flow to the optic nerve. Narrow angle glaucoma can occur when access to the drainage angle is blocked by adjacent structures inside the eye. This type of glaucoma can result in an acutely elevated eye pressure, which is a painful event known as acute angle closure. Often, a laser procedure called a peripheral iridotomy is necessary to prevent this acute event from occurring in at-risk eyes. Lastly, secondary glaucomas can result from a variety of intraocular or systemic diseases, from diabetes to retinal detachments to intraocular inflammation or uveitis.

There are various treatment options for glaucoma. The mainstay of glaucoma management today includes eye drops that serve to either reduce the amount of fluid produced by the eye or aid in fluid drainage through the pathways that already exist in the eye. In some instances, laser therapy can be utilized to help remodel the trabecular meshwork and facilitate improved outflow. The goal of glaucoma management is to reduce the intraocular pressure, thereby reducing the stress on the optic nerve and preventing visual field loss. It is important to note that once injury to the nerve fibres has occurred, it is impossible to reverse it.

As a last resort, ophthalmologists may turn to surgical options to lower the eye pressure. Trabeculectomy is a surgery in which the eye’s natural drainage system is bypassed by creating a natural filter through the eye wall. Other surgical approaches involve utilizing a glaucoma drainage device that can shunt fluid from inside the eye to a reservoir that is implanted under the conjunctiva.

In recent years, ophthalmologists have pioneered new forms of surgical interventions and implants that may improve outflow through minimally invasive means. The proliferation of MIGS, or minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries, aims to lower intraocular pressures through less aggressive surgical interventions like those mentioned above. While varied, these forms of surgery often attempt to manipulate the eye’s natural drainage system, as opposed to creating a bypass, to achieve results. Time will tell if these new surgical modalities will be effective in minimizing the progression of vision loss from glaucoma in the long term.

It is important to note that glaucoma usually presents with no symptoms in its early stages. Visual field loss from glaucoma is often peripheral, so even patients with advanced glaucoma may not be aware that their optic nerves have been damaged. Proper treatment can often delay or slow further vision loss that might result. It is particularly important for certain individuals to be evaluated for glaucoma. This includes those over the age of 60, the relatives of people with glaucoma, people of African descent and anyone with elevated eye pressure. While optic nerve damage is currently irreversible and there is no cure for glaucoma, vision loss can usually be prevented if the disease is detected in its early stages.

Silmo: A Story of Innovation

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By Paddy Kamen

Philippe LafontSilmo President Philippe Lafont took time to speak with Envision: seeing beyond magazine about the upcoming show and how his team is responding to new ways of doing business. Here is our interview: 

ESB: What changes have you made for 2014 and how will they improve the experience of exhibitors and visitors?

Philippe Lafont: Every year, we make adjustments to the exhibition, some of them minor but others more substantial and highly visible. Our goal is to respond to market changes and meet both exhibitors’ and visitors’ expectations. Our thinking, for this and for future editions, is to simplify the visitor pathway, the “customer experience” by reconfiguring the exhibition’s offering using a more refined segmentation. We believe there is a need to showcase dynamic growth sectors such as sport, luxury goods and new technologies. This segmentation is also a major commercial strategy for exhibitors seeking greater visibility, a guaranteed means of meeting the buyers and opticians attending the four-day exhibition.

ESB: The optical trade show world is becoming more competitive at the same time as the economic realities are sobering. What is Silmo doing this year to improve its competitive edge with exhibitors and visitors? In what ways is Silmo ahead of the competition?

PL: It is true that in a still uncertain economic climate, companies are seeking to optimise, or even reduce their investment in trade shows. We need to integrate this into our own sales strategy by offering solutions tailored to this specific context. For example, companies may not necessarily wish to exhibit at an individual booth, but rather in a showroom setting. Our role is to be open and creative, which will enable us to provide the most wide-ranging and comprehensive offering possible within a flexible exhibition package. Our competitive advantages lie in a desire not to set the event in stone, but rather to shape its development by prioritizing innovation… and above all by remembering that we are much more than just a commercial exhibition rolled out once a year; we are also a forum for debate, knowledge, discovery and promotion of the optics and eyewear sector throughout the entire year.

ESB: Would you agree that the role of the trade show is being rapidly redefined by changes in communications technology? If so, how does Silmo respond to that?

PL: Several years ago, people were talking of the decline or even demise of the trade fair format, but in fact the very opposite has happened – there have never been so many events taking place across the world! The virtual world has crossed over into the real world, placing people at the heart of the agenda. The opening up of new markets globally cannot be achieved from a distance; it relies on meeting stakeholders in person. The more the business environment expands, the greater the need to maximize its presence across every continent. As far as Silmo is concerned, it has long been an active member of the digital community, with a vocal presence in every social media outlet, an interactive website packed with information, and a digital trends magazine (Mo by Silmo).

ESB: The 2014 edition of Silmo – from September 26 to 29, 2014 – in Paris, promises to be a stimulating and educational forum for everyone in the optical industry. 

Positive Reviews for OAO Symposium and InfoMart

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By Nicky Fambios

Event

Niagara Falls, ON is a world-renowned tourist attraction and popular honeymoon destination. This past April, it was also the site of the Ontario Association of Optometrists (OAO) Annual Symposium and InfoMart.

Over 500 optometrists and optometric staff gathered for the comprehensive event, which included nearly 50 hours of continuing education seminars. Among the group of prominent speakers was Dr. Harry Quigley, a distinguished glaucoma specialist with JohnsHopkinsUniversity, who marked his Canadian optometric debut by co-presenting Management of Glaucoma with Dr. Mike Patella.

Dr. Laurie Capogna gave a well-attended talk to optometric assistants entitled Eyefoods: Create a Food Plan for Healthy Eyes. Aside from lecturing, Dr. Capogna, along with her partner and co-author Dr. Barbara Pelletier, were among the more than 100 exhibitors at the InfoMart trade show.

The duo sponsored an interactive cooking demonstration with celebrity chef, Anna Olson, who created two recipes based on recommendations from the books Eyefoods™: A Food Plan For Healthy Eyes and Eyefoods for Kids. And the outcome? “Our goal was to engage the attendees and inspire them to discuss ocular nutrition with their patients,” stated the doctors. “We were very happy with the response.”

It was a sentiment shared by others. Territory Manager Doug Hart, agreed the show was a positive experience for Briot/Weco and its sister company Visionix, with visitors to the booth actively participating in demonstrations.

Visionix used the OAO show as a platform to launch their newest innovation, the VX 55 phoropter technology and were rewarded with enthusiastic feedback from professionals. “Overall attendance was quite good,” Hart noted. “And we were pleased to make several new contacts.”

The TearScience booth enjoyed a steady stream of visitors which Frank Hackett, sales manager eastern Canada, attributes to optometrists’ eagerness for information on products that allow them to improve the quality of life for their patients while differentiating their practices from the competition.

Hackett proclaimed the event a solid success as well as a reflection of a current industry shift: “We’re finding that dry eye awareness and the desire to accurately diagnose as well as effectively treat Meibomian gland dysfunction is at an all-time high.”

Other highlights of the three-day event included a prize hunt, the President’s Honours and Awards luncheon, a town hall meeting and an evening comedy show followed by a musical performance by the Juno-nominated band, God Made Me Funky.

The next OAO Symposium and InfoMart is scheduled for April 17 – 19, 2015 in Toronto.

Put Online in its Place: Own Your Digital Neighbourhood

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By Grant Larsen

DigitalMarketing

How consumers buy eyecare products has changed dramatically in recent years.  They are inundated with information about deals, technology and eyewear fashion from multiple channels. The reality is, if you don’t reach them with relevant information and reminders from multiple trusted sources, you’re not part of their community. Adopting and implementing a small arsenal of digital marketing tools and habits will build your reputation with those most likely to buy in your neighbourhood.

Many of the following tips are designed for small businesses with limited marketing budgets who need to build and protect their businesses in the face of competition from chains and online mega-retailers.

Tips for Winning Your Neighbourhood

Get a Little Help from Your Friends

The major fuel that drives referrals and practice growth is your digital presence and how you ask your best, most vocal customers to promote your business. Local papers, magazines, meet-ups and community bulletins are just some of the great vehicles that provide both digital and word of mouth referrals. Whether you just show up, advertise, write content, donate money or your time, participating in multiple events has a combined marketing effect that generates both immediate sales and long-term trust in your community.

Video

Website research has shown that video content increases both consumer engagement and purchasing decisions. Improvements in video search, consumer time pressures, and smartphone technology are driving consumers to demand to see who they buy from. Being a trusted part of your community means showing up – if not in person then on multiple devices, via email or social media. A $99 camera, in the right light, has video capability that’s good enough for all these applications. Consumers don’t expect professionally produced video – in fact they prefer and trust amateur video directly from you.

Professional Partnering

No longer does being in a high-traffic plaza or medical building guarantee an implied referral from neighboring professionals. Referral networks and word of mouth communications in the digital age are not confined to physical locations. Know your customers, where they work and what they do. Search online for local professionals or businesses that attract your ideal customer profile. Prioritize them based on proximity to your store. Communities are built on reaching out and giving. A personal visit, email, phone call or meeting is all it takes for you to start a meet-up group or professional network.

Quality not Quantity

In a Pew Research 2013 tracking study, 90 per cent of adults included searching the Internet and reading email as a daily activity. Even the 50+ crowd is now approaching 80 per cent usage of search engines and email on a daily basis. Digital media is a huge opportunity to communicate with your community. If your business has an older clientele, and maintaining loyalty is a primary marketing objective, focus on these two media channels. Make sure your business has a Google+ account. For an investment of a few hundred dollars, you can position your business at or near the top of the list for eyewear searches in your neighbourhood. Shared links with local professionals, video on your website and small changes to keywords on your web landing page are all it takes to make your business front page news.

Small business marketing doesn’t have to be expensive to be effective. Borrow some creative ideas from professionals who also deal with heavy competition. Dentists, physiotherapists and real estate agents are great sources for creative local marketing ideas. The best and most successful small businesses have adapted to changing consumers needs. By consistently delivering just some of these ideas and catering to those consumer needs, you can own your eyecare neighbourhood.

Another Way of Winning

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By James Ahola

Spark

“Hurriedly, I ventured out onto the frozen lake trying to calm my fears, listening to my skiis swoosh through the glistening white snow. I was half way across the lake when my greatest fear became a reality. In the distance I heard a warplane clearing the trees.  Hopefully they wouldn’t see me, but not taking any chances, I sprinted for the shoreline to seek cover under the trees. I could hear the engine roar as the plane changed course and started pursuit. I’d been spotted. Sprinting hard, I could see the shoreline approaching, but not fast enough. The machine gun opened fire, and the noise ricocheted off the distant hill as bullets began to track closer to me. The bullets sprayed past me as I fell violently to the ground gasping for breath. I lay still and motionless, as my heart slowed and breaths quickly became untraceable. The plane circled, inspecting for movement, but found none. Conserving bullets, the plane silenced its machine gun and roared away over the tree line in search of my comrades. With the plane gone I quickly rose to my feet, fixed my skis, and sprinted for the trees. The bullets, which were too close for comfort, had in fact whizzed past me, allowing me to effectively play possum. Through cunning and luck, I got to live another day.”  

This story, recounted to me as a child, is one of my grandfather’s wartime experiences.  He lived well into his eighties, when a different, insurmountable battle took him away. This was one of many stories where difficult odds seemed to be miraculously overcome, however each encounter did leave scars. Cancer had taken one of his lungs, and fighting in two wars left inoperable shrapnel in his legs and demons in his mind that he would battle for years to come. But he lived on, becoming a loving family man, an example of healthy living to his peers, and a very good artist. My grandfather created many landscape paintings that gave joy to others. Where odds would have favored a life destroyed, he changed step, and thrived instead. 

In life, we will come across battles that are not fair, with the odds stacked against us. Though some situations can and will be bleak, I firmly believe they can be overcome.

While I wish the story of my grandfather on the ice had him turning around, firing one shot that kills the pilot and sends the plane crashing onto the frozen lake in a ball of flames, I know that this scenario is unrealistic. In reality, fighting unevenly matched battles head to head is foolish. Rather, to survive we must fight using cunning, resilience, and all our resources, capitalizing on our strengths and our opponent’s weaknesses to foil plans and overturn an expected outcome. 

Powerful opponents can overshadow us, rain on us, and deliver unrelenting blows, but they are not omnipotent. They would have us believe they will totally consume and dominate us, but the truth is, they cannot. Instead we can fight, side step, and thrive where they have limited or no power. If anything, this is what heroes show us, be they public ones like Terri Fox and Stevie Wonder, or private like my grandfather. They demonstrate for us what another form of winning looks like. The point is to fight, and never give up. Play up your strengths, attack your opponent’s weaknesses and fight on ground where they have no footing. When facing powerful unrelenting enemies, be they in health, business, or war, never give up, never give in, then thrive and dance wherever you can.