Author Archives: Envision Magazine

Thierry Lasry: Feeling the Love

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By Paddy Kamen

Is anyone feeling as much love as Thierry Lasry? The list of celebrities wearing his sunglasses is long indeed, and includes Christina Hendricks, Elle MacPherson, Fergie, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Alicia Keys and Anne Hathaway. This is just a taste, and surely new names are added daily because Thierry Lasry is the designer to watch.

But who exactly is Thierry Lasry and what accounts for the spectacular popularity of his designs?

Well, for one thing, he hails from a family known for both design and optical acumen. Born in Paris to a designer mother and an optician father, Lasry was raised in a home bustling with creative and business energies. “My mother designed many different kinds of accessories, including handbags and sunglasses, and my father has an optical store just outside of Paris where he carries the best brands in the market. I knew from an early age that fashion and design were important ways for me to express myself.”

Lasry is a self-taught designer who has been working with his father’s brand, Harry Lary’s (HL), since 2000. I have always wondered about the origins of the name ‘Harry Lary’s’ and Lasry filled me in: “My father launched this brand in reference to his first name, Harry, and he flipped the ‘S’ in  Lasry from the middle to the end. Thus ‘Lasry’  became ‘Lary’s’.”

Harry Lary’s is where Thierry began designing frames in 2002, and in 2006, he launched Thierry Lasry-branded (TL) sunglasses. “I run the Harry Lary’s brand the same way I run TL except that HL is for the optical market only, so it doesn’t have the same exposure. TL is sunglasses only, so the two brands are very complementary for our accounts,” explains Lasry.

Inspiration comes to Lasry from the 1980s. “I was born in 1977, so I’m a kid of the ‘80s. Everything from  that decade inspires me: the music, the fashion and especially the graphic art of that era. I draw on marble, mosaic and confetti patterns which were prominent then.”

Building with Lego was a passion of Lasry’s as a child and he sees this influence showing up in his designs as well. “Lego is so creative and I’ve been fascinated with it all my life. I even kept some photos of things I built with Lego as a kid and display them in my office. I use the Lego reference in the way different pieces of the frame are assembled.”

Thierry Lasry sunglasses are aimed at the kind of woman Lasry is attracted to: “Powerful, bitchy, sexy and elegant,” as he puts it. What can we say, except we hope he’s careful! When asked about his personal life, Lasry (with his movie-star good looks) only says that he’s single, and not wanting to be tied down at the moment. Certainly, women are responding to his sunwear designs in droves. He must be in demand on several levels.

“We are growing very fast, with sales increasing four-fold in the last few years,” says Lasry, who is very much in charge of his brand and intimate with every aspect of the company. “I’m pretty hands on,” he says, “even though I have amazing people working for me, whom I greatly appreciate.”

When asked how he plans on staying ahead of the curve, considering the fickle affections of his target market, Lasry responds: “We are not where we are thanks to fashionistas and celebrities. Celebrities give you exposure in term of communication and create strong brand awareness with the public. What makes the difference is the product. As long as we’re creative and keep this level of quality, I expect our customer base to keep growing worldwide.”

Clearly, success is Lasry’s full-time partner. “I’m ambitious and I work hard,” he allows. “Seeing the main celebrities on the planet wearing TL sunglasses and having the collection sold at the most prestigious stores is indeed very rewarding.” Thierry Lasry and Harry Lary’s are distributed in Canada by Kore Brands.

Protecting Yourself from Fraud

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By JoAnne Sommers

How are you protecting your business against fraud? If you haven’t addressed the issue yet, consider the following:

Credit card fraud in Canada amounted to $440 million in 2012, according to the Canadian Bankers Association.

Internet scams, which were almost unheard of a decade ago, now account for many millions of dollars in fraud annually. Ottawa estimates that these types of incidents have increased 77 per cent since 2005.

Other sources of fraud are the result of poor security across a business, such as inadequate network and computer security and a lack of background checks when hiring employees.

Fraud hurts more than your bottom line – it affects customer confidence and reflects poorly on your business as well as your personal reputation. And because many business owners are embarrassed to admit they’ve been scammed, much of it goes unreported, says Daniel Williams, senior call taker supervisor with the Government of Canada’s Anti-Fraud Centre in North Bay, ON.

Despite the increasing incidence of fraud, it’s important to be aware that there are ways to protect yourself against it, says Mohit Veoli, associate vice president, Fraud Management, TD Canada Trust. Here are some of them:

• Protect Credit Cards and Bank Accounts 

One of the most frequent sources of fraud is credit card abuse – largely because few business owners take the time to carefully review their bills or they mingle business and personal accounts.

Start by separating your personal banking and credit cards from your business accounts. This will also make it easier to track your business expenses and report deductions on your tax return.

Next, make sure you use your card wisely. Don’t hand over credit cards or card numbers to employees or companies with which you aren’t familiar. Change to online bill payments or make sure to store paper bills securely.

The fastest growing fraud is “card not present fraud” for online purchases, says Veoli. “Fraudsters will purchase things online using stolen or lost credit cards because they usually don’t require a PIN number.”

To combat this type of fraud, Visa Canada has created Verified by Visa and MasterCard has instituted SecureCode, he notes. “These programs provide another layer of security by requiring anyone who buys something online through your website to use a password before purchasing. This helps customers to feel secure and provides better protection for merchants.”

• Guard Against Cheque Fraud 

While cheque fraud is declining – thanks to the overall decreased use of cheques – it still accounts for the majority of payments fraud in North America. When accepting cheques, make sure the source is legitimate: check the date, signature, amount and look for any alterations.

Try to use electronic online or credit card payment options rather than cheques and issue individual payments for each expense so everything can be tracked back to specific invoices.

Restrict access to company cheques to those who need it, says Veoli. And put cancelled cheques on a DVD, which is stored carefully. Paper can easily be misplaced and fall into the wrong hands.

• Check Your Bank Accounts 

Get into the habit of reconciling your bank accounts daily and if you see something suspicious, notify the bank immediately. Your chances of recovering the funds are much greater that way.

• Prevent Hacking 

Talk to your financial institution about how to protect your online accounts from hackers and phishing scams. This includes understanding what your institution will and won’t ask for by email, such as password and account information.

Limit access to your bank account data. Install, use and regularly update anti-virus and anti-spyware software and email filters on all of your business computers and encrypt sensitive data, including emails.

Backing-up is a must and will make it much easier to continue working in case of a cyber attack.

Firewalls are another essential for small businesses, especially if customer data and other sensitive information are linked to the Internet.

• Have a Password Policy 

Another way to protect your IT systems is to institute a password policy. Make sure passwords are changed regularly – every 60 to 90 days is good rule.

Ensure that passwords are complex (i.e. they should contain one upper case letter, one number and be a minimum of eight characters) and use different passwords for different online and system accounts.

• Use a Dedicated Computer for Banking

Use a dedicated computer for all your online financial transactions and, ideally, ensure it’s one that isn’t used for other online activity, such as social media, email and web surfing. That makes it much harder for outsiders to gain access to sensitive information.

• Always Report Fraud 

If you experience fraud immediately report it to the local police, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/english/home.html) and your financial institution.

“Businesses don’t want to look vulnerable and, because fraudsters cover their tracks in advance, it’s often difficult to go after them. But the more information we get, the more we can make life difficult for them. And any money you can recover from the bad guys makes it less attractive to them,” advises Williams.

(This is the first of a two-part series about fraud. In the next issue: How to Control Employee Fraud)

Expanding the View

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By Shirley Ha, HBSc., O.D.

A team of Swiss and U.S. researchers has built a revolutionary telescopic contact lens tethered to a pair of liquid crystal eyeglasses that can switch between normal and magnified vision[i].The unprecedented contact lens system, which uses the special eyeglasses as will be explained below, could become a visual aid for those struggling with degenerative eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of irreversible central vision loss and legal blindness in older adults.

Current vision rehabilitation devices, such as external, spectacle-mounted telescopes and the more recent Implantable Miniature Telescope (IMT), magnify images in front of the eye and project them onto the healthy areas of the retina. The problem is that external, spectacle-mounted telescopes are often seen as protrusive and unattractive, while IMTs require invasive eye surgery for implantation.

“For a visual aid to be accepted, it needs to be highly convenient and unobtrusive; a contact lens is an attractive compromise,” says Eric Tremblay at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland[ii].

Together with colleagues from the University of California at San Diego, Tremblay developed the 1-mm centre thickness, 8-mm diameter prototype contact lens. It has a clear central aperture of 2.2-mm for normal, unmagnified vision and an outer ring of 1.17-mm thick optics for the telescopic 2.8x magnification.

The researchers used their “origami” lens design to achieve longer effective focal lengths or zooming power[iii]. They did this by precision diamond-turning a series of tiny, reflective and non-reflective annular concentric aluminum surfaces into the lens periphery. Instead of light moving through a lens system that is several times thicker, the “folded” aspheric reflectors bounce the light internally back and forth in a pre-determined zigzag pattern within the lens periphery before projecting the final magnified image onto the retina.

To make the two independent optical paths switchable, the team applied orthogonal polarization films over the central and annular apertures and modified a pair of Samsung 3D TV glasses with liquid crystal sensors that can electrically toggle on and off the polarization in the contact lens. Instead of seeing the regular and magnified vision simultaneously, the user can selectively switch to or block either the regular, unmagnified stream in the centre or the telescopic stream on the periphery.

In its first round of experimental demonstration, the prototype telescopic contact lens design is still very basic. It is made of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), an outdated contact lens polymer that cannot be worn for any extended period of time because of its oxygen impermeability to the eye. Although diffractive optics are grooved into the PMMA material to fix the axial chromatic aberration that the contact lens curvature creates, the grooves make the contact lens unwearable. While the retinal field of view could be made larger than other magnifiers, the image quality and contrast captured by a life-sized optomechanical eye are degraded by higher-order diffraction from the same diffractive grooves.

The researchers are already working out the bugs. They are currently partnering with contact lens manufacturer Paragon Vision Sciences to develop an upgraded model of the telescopic contact lens using modern, rigid gas-permeable (RGP) materials that can be worn for longer periods of time. The redesign will have improved “all-refractive”, rather than diffractive, optics to enhance contrast and image quality. The team of researchers plans to begin clinical trials to test their new design on AMD patients as early as November.

Other ongoing collaborations include one with Rockwell Collins Inc., a large, U.S.-based international communication solutions company, to develop glasses with additional control and interaction, such as a wink trigger that can switch between normal and magnified vision when the gesture is registered. The researchers also believe they can eventually incorporate the liquid crystal sensors directly into the contact lens with an external remote, like the recently commercialized SENSIMED Triggerfish® system for monitoring glaucoma.

But don’t expect to see variable-focus, high-power zoom anytime soon. It will be some time before these telescopic contact lens systems become readily available to the average consumer. Funded by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the technology could also become the future soldier’s eagle vision, helping to identify allies or enemies at far distances, or as a deadly accurate weapon-target locking device.

Eventually, this innovative breakthrough, which extends functioning vision with a contact lens that can be worn comfortably, will become available to people in the general population who suffer from permanent sight loss such as AMD.

[i] TREMBLAY, Eric J., STAMENOV, Igor, BEER, R. Dirk, ARIANPOUR, Ashkan, FORD, Joseph E. “Switchable telescopic contact lens”, Optics Express, vol. 21, No. 13, July 2013

 

[ii] Business Wire: “A Telescope For Your Eye: New Contact Lens Design May Improve Sight of Patients with Macular Degeneration”, June 27, 2013.

 

[iii] Jacobs School of Engineering, UC San Diego: “Concentric Multi-Reflection Lenses for Ultra-Thin Cameras (aka Origami Optics)”.

The Battle to Understand the Sexes

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There are differences in lens preferences between
men and women – but successful dispensing involves
more than being gender-centric.

By Brian P. Dunleavy

Gisele Klein, optician and owner of Impressive Eyewear in Surrey, B.C., remembers when a male patient came into her shop with a specific frame brand and lens budget in mind – and that he almost walked out when she advised him to change.

“I said, ‘Give me a chance,’” she recalls. “We put him in a completely different frame, and when I explained to him the technology behind the best lens for him, he said, ‘Yeah. Done.’ He came in with a budget of $500 or $600 and left spending $1,500.”

Klein, who has been an optician for almost 30 years, has noticed a marked change in the way men shop for eyewear products – both frames and spectacle lenses—in recent years. Historically, for example, male patients have tended to be more price-conscious than women when it comes to spectacle lens purchases. Now, though, opticians such as Klein have found men who come into their shops or optical departments to be more willing to explore new frame and lens options. Before asking about price, she says, men are asking about specific lens designs for their work and leisure-time activities.

“If they know they have choices, men are much more willing now to get out of their comfort zone,” Klein explains.

Although men are becoming less price-conscious, they still want spectacle lenses that are low maintenance – and that they won’t have to replace in a few months because of scratching. “Men want lenses that are more durable, more scratch-proof, whereas women will ask for thinner lenses, or inquire about what hue an A-R coating might cast,” says Alan R. Boyco, OD, owner of Image Optometry, a 14-location chain of optometry clinics in B.C. In general, though, any gender differences in lens preferences simply serve as a reminder of three core concepts in spectacle dispensing:

1. Be prepared, but don’t pre-judge.

Madelaine Petrin, R.O., B.Sc., professor of opticianry at Seneca College in Toronto, discusses gender differences with her students, but she also advises them to be sure to listen to individual clients. “It is smart to listen to what matters to the client,” she notes. That said, even though she acknowledges that assessing clients based on gender is “stereotypical and simplistic,” it can often be the quickest way to read them. “Sales are done in a short time and it pays to understand what the client thinks is relevant,” Petrin explains.

2. Assess patient personality.

To that end, Klein says she tries to go beyond gender stereotypes and read the personalities of individual patients. As a new business owner, she has been taking management classes, and has learned a system for colour-coding personality types. “Blue” personalities, for example, tend to be more caring and sincere, while “red” personalities wield power and rely on logic. “When selling to different personalities you should try to take on some of those same traits,” Klein explains. In other words, talk technology to “reds” and focus on cosmetics with “blues.”

3. Be timely with your tech talk.

As impressive and important as the latest and greatest lens technology is, not every patient is interested in it. No matter the gender or personality of the patient, opticians and optical staff need to be knowledgeable enough to answer the toughest questions of the tech-savvy, and astute enough to observe when a patient is overwhelmed or bored by discussion of the science behind lenses. With that in mind, Petrin believes all optical shops should have a diverse staff. Male opticians, she says, are generally more comfortable explaining the technology than their female counterparts, who prefer the cosmetic side. She says, “I love the way some male opticians will explain in great detail how digital lenses work – to other males who are equally interested, like guys looking under the hood of a car.”

AMI: Accessible Media for One and All

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By Evra Taylor


Accessibility has become a popular watchword in disability circles, but Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) has ventured beyond clichés, proving itself as a true advocate and pioneer in providing broadcast accessibility services to a growing number of vision-impaired and blind Canadians.

The devoted professionals at AMI provide programming over multiple platforms, including described video for television, audio programs and original media content.

Now in its 21st year, AMI’s mission is to ensure that media content is accessible to persons of all abilities and disabilities. As the organization’s website states, “Inclusion can be achieved when a universal user experience can be provided to the widest possible audience that may wish to consume the media being provided.”

AMI President and CEO David Errington, highlights the fact that AMI is the only television network in the world with open description for television 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Most sight-impaired people need to use the Second Audio Programming (SAP) channel in order to access described video, whereas on AMI, access to described video is automatic. Other stations are mandated by the CRTC to have accessible content for a mere four hours per week. “The majority exceed that, but not by a huge amount,” he states.

All of AMI’s television programming is captioned. In addition to television, the organization provides extensive audio services such as audio files – essentially, an audio “transcript” – on CBC Newsworld’s SAP channels. The AMI website (www.AMI.ca) hosts audio services, and video programming is being planned.

Researchers estimate that more than one million Canadians are living with blindness or a significant loss of vision. What’s more, the total number of visually impaired and blind Canadians is projected to double over the next 25 years, due to a combination of increasing rates of age-related macular degeneration and the greying of the population. “We’re outliving our eyes,” said Errington, a haunting phrase that makes one appreciate the ability to see.

This spirit of inclusiveness is so strong at AMI that it insists on providing meaningful content to individuals without a disability: good content is good for everyone, it maintains. AMI bases its programming choices on carefully thought-out feedback mechanisms like consumer panels, surveys and focus groups, which keep it connected to the public and spark conversations about media-related issues.

The CRTC, which regularly raises the ire of a dissatisfied public, is a friend to AMI. “The CRTC is the reason for our existence,” stated Errington. “Its broadcasting act stipulates that all Canadian cable and satellite companies must pay a monthly fee for accessible television programming. It’s a way of guaranteeing access to media, and this mandate exists only in Canada.”

What does the future hold for AMI? The group has applied for a license for French TV service, and hopes for a response soon. If the license is granted, AMI TV Français would launch in January 2015.

Errington has nothing but praise for the way in which accessibility has been embraced in this country. “The Canadian broadcast system is definitely a world leader in this regard.” As he travels abroad in search of new programming, his continued efforts elevate broadcasting to a level that meets the intellectual and creative expectations of a discerning media-consuming public.

A Real Alternative

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By JoAnne Sommers

It’s probably no coincidence that Paul Storace chose the name Alternative Eyewear for the optical company he launched in 2008. Storace, president and CEO of Alternative and Plan “B” Eyewear, sees his companies as real alternatives to what he decries as the “homogenization” of the global optical industry.

“All the big brands have been taken up and that trend has homogenized the business,” he explains. “At one time, an optical shop was an eclectic mix of eyewear that the owner felt would best suit his or her clientele. Today, many stores look the same with identical offerings. They are competing with the big companies while buying from them at the same time and that does not make sense to me.”

Fortunately, dispensers who want to differentiate themselves can look to Alternative and Plan “B” Eyewear for distinctive optical frames, sunglasses and magnetic clips-ons that combine excellent quality with original styling.

Storace, who designs his own collections and does all of the creative work and marketing for Alternative and Plan “B” Eyewear, takes pride in launching 150 to 200 new styles annually.

He gets his greatest satisfaction from seeing people wear his frames – “I love making people feel happy and beautiful,” he says – as well as from knowing that the opticians and optometrists who sell his products are showing the best he has to offer.

“We’re frame designers, not licensors,” he explains. “Our focus is on the needs of independent opticians and optometrists and we’re well-positioned to help optical stores offer an eclectic product mix. We pride ourselves on always having something new and on it being in stock. It’s not easy but we maintain an extremely high order fill rate.”

Storace’s understanding of the needs of opticians and optometrists stems from his three decades of experience in the optical business, starting in eastern Ontario with Lunette Cartier in 1985.

“I began working as a sales rep and immediately fell in love with the business,” he says. “I was fascinated that I was actually being paid to go around and interact with so many interesting people. The optical bug bit me hard.”

Storace’s success led to his promotion to regional sales manager; he managed Lunette Cartier’s Ontario staff of 15 before leaving in 1995 to join Northern Eyes as a shareholder and partner. He operated that company until 2001 when he sold his share and opened Elite Eyewear Canada, a division of the eponymous U.S.-based firm. In 2006, Storace launched Plan “B” Eyewear, “because I wanted to have my own business.” Two years later, he assumed the assets of Elite Eyewear Canada, forming Alternative Eyewear.

The two sister companies essentially serve the same client base, says Storace, although Alternative Eyewear caters to a broader, more conservative market, while Plan “B” is more eclectic, with a younger product offering.

Between them they offer nine eyewear collections, including Grace, Gridiron, Glacée, Headlines and Ice Cream. The 2008 Canadian launch of the Ice Cream line for Plan “B” was an important milestone, Storace notes.

“The launch was timed very well and it filled a void in an otherwise uncoloured market which, at that time, was very hesitant to take any risks. I decided to mix neon purple with neon lime green and begin offering really crazy colour options that looked good enough to eat but also flattered the woman who was willing to step out of her comfort zone.

When they sold out quickly, Storace knew he was on to something. “That gave me the confidence and the breathing room to work on more designs and more collections.”

Another significant milestone was the creation of the One Sun line in 2009. This high-quality, value-based line, which is completely Rx-able, filled a market void by making it possible to put prescription lenses in sunglasses.

“When we introduced One Sun, there were other low-price, Rx-able offerings but the quality was poor. The industry was trying to catch the market leaders but I knew I couldn’t do that so I played to my strengths: fashion, quality, and problem solving.

“People wanted prescription sunglasses that were reliable and looked great; I delivered that by offering over 150 sku’s of Rx-able sunwear with polarized lenses of reasonable quality, at any one time.”

Proudly Canadian and fiercely independent, Alternative and Plan “B” Eyewear distribute to all of North America from their head office in Ajax, just east of Toronto. The companies’ 30 sales reps and 12 office staff are a major part of its success. Many of them have been with Storace since his time with Northern Eyes and he freely admits he would be lost without them.

In a market dominated by large eyewear companies, many of which are owned or operated by insurance firms, Alternative and Plan “B” Eyewear stand apart.

“We’re not large,” says Storace. “This is a grassroots business and I’m very much a hands-on operator. We haven’t caved in and gone for pseudo-brand names and, unlike many of our larger competitors, who focus on the bottom line, we’re focused on the needs of the end user.”

Alternative and Plan “B” Eyewear made a foray into social media this year with the launch of their Facebook page and the results have been impressive, says Storace.

“We have had a lot of Facebook activity to date – the page is well liked and gets lots of visits. We then used it as a springboard to our very successful OMFG (Oh My Fabulous Glasses) campaign, for which we got a tremendous number of entries.”

The companies’ social media presence has been expanded to include Pinterest and Twitter, thereby fostering a stronger online presence for the company, Storace notes.

“Social media by itself won’t make a business grow but it’s important to have a presence,” he says. “There’s a cost involved in setting it up and managing it but the impact is immediate and it gives you control over the content.”

Alternative and Plan “B” Eyewear made a successful return to Vision Expo East in New York last spring and you can find them at Vision Expo West in Las Vegas this September; they will showing the Glacée line, as well as premiering a new men’s collection in the Galleria.

“Our goal is to continue growing and expanding our business among eyecare professionals and to expand our sales network across North America,” Storace says. “I really believe that the future of our company will be built on the solid foundation we have established, the people we surround ourselves with and the products we deliver.”

Optos: Seeing the Bigger Picture

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By Netan Choudhry, M.D, FRCSC and Jennifer George
In 1851, Hermann von Hemholtz invented the opthalmoscope, making it possible for ophthalmologists to visualize the posterior segment of the eye. Since then, imaging modalities in the eyecare industry have undergone several upgrades. In 1926, Carl Zeiss and J.W. Nordensen unveiled the first reliable fundus camera, allowing the capture of structures in the ocular fundus with a 20-degree field of view. The Carl Zeiss company later released a camera with a 30-degree field of view, permanently raising the bar in ocular fundus photography. With this expanded field of view, imaging of the optic nerve and posterior pole was now possible but one problem still remained: how do we view the peripheral retina? This dilemma is now resolved with the development of Optos Ultra-widefield camera, which has revolutionized ophthalmology.

The Optos camera produces ultra wide-field images with an astounding 200-degree field of view, roughly 82.5 percent of the retinal surface area. Using ellipsoid mirrors, the camera obtains images of the retinal periphery without the need for bright lighting, contact lenses and in some cases, pupil dilation. Although traditional fundus cameras are capable of providing images of the retinal periphery, multiple photographs must be taken and then sewn together into a montage. In order to achieve such a montage, each image must be taken at a different phase in the angiogram. For instance, one image might be taken at 40 seconds, the next at 1 minute, and the next at 5 minutes, etc. This method of imaging makes it impossible to view most of the retinal periphery at a single phase in the angiogram. The new camera, however, provides a 200-degree, full field of view with each capture. This advantage is crucial in the diagnosis and treatment of many eye diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy and peripheral retinal diseases.

Ophthalmologists have been using fluorescein angiography to evaluate the blood vessels and circulation within the eye since 1961. The Optos camera is capable of producing high-resolution fluorescein angiograph images of the retinal periphery. These images provide indispensable clinical use in the treatment diagnosis and monitoring of patients with retinal vascular disease. The equipment is also capable of producing wide-field autofluorescence images, which are helpful with disorders that affect the retinal pigment epithelium. Wide-field angiography has been used to image the anterior retina in patients with diabetic retinopathy and has proven to greatly improve clinical examination. Additionally, this new technology has enhanced the evaluation of diseases such as uveitis and vasculitis, which also present with peripheral vascular changes. Fluorescein angiography can detect vessel incompetence and inflammation that otherwise proves difficult to detect during peripheral retinal evaluation through the use of an indirect ophthalmoscope. Wide-field fluorescein angiography improves the accuracy of this evaluation. Recent reports have also indicated that wide-field imaging was able to image the peripheral retinal vascular pathology in patients with sickle cell retinopathy, something that has never been possible with traditional fundus photography.

The Optos camera also utilizes scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO) technology. Using laser light and the principles of confocal laser scanning microscopy, SLO produces high resolution, high contrast images that are simply unachievable with standard fundus photography. There are also a myriad of other benefits for eyecare providers. The imaging modality decreases time spent on angiograms, sometimes reducing the usual 10-15 minutes to a mere 5 minutes. This greatly increases the patient flow for ophthalmologists and simultaneously results in happier patients. With this system, photographers are also on the same side of the equipment as the patients, facilitating patient alignment. All of these advantages, in addition to its incomparable quality of images making Optos a game changer in eyecare.

The Real Reasons People Shop Online

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By Marianna Tsenglevich

Online shopping is a growing trend. It is estimated that online sales currently make up only 13 per cent of all retail sales globally, but the predicted growth data is staggering. Total sales for the past year reached $142 billion in the U.S.alone, but this figure is expected to double by 2015. Glasses, sunglasses and optical products are becoming popular items to purchase online. Why do people shop for optical products via the Internet? Cost is a factor, but not the only one, as many believe. According to Nielsen Online, a global analytics company, convenience, not price, drives online shopping.

Convenience is however, a broad term. It includes:

  • time savings on travel
  • fast, easy ways of looking through a large selection of products
  • finding a product of interest quickly
  • obtaining detailed information about the product
  • the ability to purchase at any time, any day

According to Invesp, a software consulting company, two-thirds of people choose convenience as the top reason for shopping online compared to one-third who chose price savings.

Busy work schedules for adults in a typical Canadian family leave very little time for shopping. Being able to log on to their computer from the comfort of their homes and get what is needed outweighs the in-person shopping experience for many people. The variety online shopping can offer is another incentive for North Americans. As malls fill with chain stores and small boutique retailers shrink in numbers, consumers are finding it increasingly difficult and time-consuming to locate unique items. And with growing consumer protection measures being implemented by major credit card and payment service companies such as Visa, MasterCard and Pay Pal, consumers’ fears of fraud, identity theft and liability have been effectively reduced.

Not surprisingly, people who buy online use the Internet to research products and retailers. When it comes to eyewear, very little is written about the dangers of purchasing prescription glasses or contact lenses and the health risks that such a purchase can pose. Websites like Facebook are filled with ads for Internet optical stores – consumers are inundated with positive messaging at every turn. After doing research, the shopper may or may not go to an optician for a professional opinion or to make a purchase.

When it comes to choosing which Internet retailer to buy from, there are a multitude of considerations. According to the Boston Consulting Group, good service is the top reason for purchasing from a particular company. And just like convenience, good service may mean different things for different people: free delivery, free returns, website security, and clear contact information are a few examples of good service. When assorted websites provide the same level of service, pricing becomes a key element in the decision-making process. However, experienced online shoppers are aware that a low price may mean a trap. Higher charges may occur later, should the customer have a problem with a purchase or need extended service. Quick order fulfillment is also a priority, especially during holiday seasons. If you have an e-commerce website or are thinking of building one, service factors like these will make you more competitive.

There are also ways within the practice to prevent possible patient-loss to online shopping. Offering added-value services like:

  • drop shipping products directly to customer’s home or office
  • free shipping
  • allowing online and telephone ordering or re-ordering
  • easy returns by mail should a warranty issue arise.

Finally, asking a potential online shopper why he or she is considering Internet shopping could provide an opportunity to address concerns and educate them about the risks inherent in online shopping for optical products.

It’s Time to Celebrate the Leading Men in the Optical Industry!

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By Paddy Kamen


Envision: seeing beyond magazine sent out a call for nominations for men who lead in different sectors of our industry last March. The response was terrific and the nominees were notified in early June. Each one of their stories is truly inspiring. We congratulate these individuals on being nominated by their peers. And the honourees are…..

Category: Designer
Mike Christiansen

Helping people feel great about their appearance is Mike Christiansen’s goal and he achieves that in spades with his optical frame designs.Venus Eye Design is the business founded by Mike and his wife, Brandi, 13 years ago, and he designs all of the company’s eyewear.

“I was working in the industry for other companies and my customers were expressing an interest in frames that no one was creating. I established Venus so I could give them what they wanted. We’ve grown tremendously and six years ago we opened our first eponymous boutique in Edmonton, carrying only Venus brands. We then expanded into Kelowna as a test and, now that we have established the formula with our two stores, we’ll be expanding both nationally and internationally.”

Christiansen must be doing something right to have enjoyed such success. What is his secret?

“I’ve been a strong advocate of colour since I began designing. Once people see what colour can do for them, they love it. Colour makes people happy because it helps to sculpt facial features and enhances eye colour and skin tone. We put our customers in front of the mirror and say ‘look what a bit of colour does for you’.  Invariably they say ‘Wow’.”

There’s a strong emotional component to Christiansen’s design aesthetic. “Our product has more value, I believe, because it is based on how it makes a person feel, rather than relying on a logo or current trends. My designs have stood the test of time for over 13 years and not one has been discontinued. We even have people converting from contacts because Venus glasses improve their appearance.”

Word of mouth is the greatest boost to Christiansen’s success. “We have people travelling from Europe to visit our boutiques, because we have a unique offering. Venus has become an international brand name. It is exclusively distributed and not sold just on price,” he says.

Venus has eight collections, most of which are unisex. The latest is Neutrino, launched in June 2013. “It has a lot of bright translucent colours that let light through,” says Christiansen. “They are softer on the skin tone, with a twist of retro styling, emphasizing the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s.”

It’s a source of pride for Christiansen that anyone can find the perfect eyewear from one of the Venus collections.

“I don’t think there are many other brands that have created an entire spectrum of product with such buzz and forward thinking as we have. Venus collections cover everyone from the six-month-old infant all the way up through the six-foot-eight guy with the 62 eye size. And we do it all in style. I have focused my brands and lines to fill the gaps in the market. That is why we’re so successful with our boutiques: the whole extended family can walk in and find something. I don’t know of another label that has achieved that.”

Mike Christiansen is indeed a designer of note and his ambition knows no bounds: “I only hope I can continue to accelerate the industry and put Canada on the map internationally,” he says.

Category: Entrepreneur
Francis Jean

Francis Jean loves his people: that is the key point he was eager to make when speaking with Envision: seeing beyond magazine about his nomination for this feature. “There are 1,300 people who work very hard every day to build IRIS The Visual Group and I appreciate their effort so much,” says Jean, the company’s president and CEO.

Well he might, as IRIS is the largest eyecare network of optometrists, opticians and ophthalmologists in Canada, all working under the same brand. “Branding is everything today and the best way to compete in this increasingly difficult industry,” says Jean. “People know and trust the IRIS brand and this only gets stronger with time as we increase our presence in the market. When people ask me what I do for a living, I say, I am a brand builder and I am very passionate about my work.”

The story began in 1986, when Jean opened his first optometry practice in his hometown of Baie-Comeau,QC. He then founded a buying group, engaging several like-minded optometrists who adopted the IRIS trademark in 1990. Since then, IRIS has established itself as the most important branded group of optometrists, opticians and ophthalmologists in the country.

Jean decided on a unique business model, one that creates opportunities for independent eyecare professionals to join IRIS and become participating shareholders. “This was one of the best decisions I have ever made,” he says. “I have seen many joint practice groups fail for lack of strong leadership and internal strife. It is much easier to run a successful business of this size with the structure we have created, one where all 110 owner / partners are intimately involved in various committees and decision-making processes. I take advice well and have nine amazing vice-presidents leading this organization with me.

Everyone is very committed to the success of the company and we become better together.”

With 165 locations across Canada, the proof is in the pudding, as they say. The company promotes collaborative eyecare, bringing optometrists, opticians and ophthalmologists together for the good of the patient.

Three simple values motivate Francis Jean and his team at IRIS: passion, honesty and respect. “We have a strong family culture and we are intent on continuous improvement,” he says. “We track everything in great detail and thus can easily see how everyone on the team ranks. There is a focused effort to learn from the best performers in each area of the business.”

Teamwork extends into Jean’s charitable work, which is hard work indeed. Inspired by his brother Remi’s battle with cancer, Jean has cycled thousands of miles to raise money for cancer research. In 2011, the two brothers and a friend cycled across Canada in 58 weeks. When Envision: seeing beyond magazine caught up with him this summer, he was riding from Vancouver to Jasper, AB, and back, a ride of 2,000 km. These trips have raised almost $200,000 for cancer research.

It’s hard to find a more enthusiastic and energetic entrepreneur than Francis Jean. “I feel 22 years old,” he exclaims. “I’m in great shape!” And, just to make sure I didn’t miss his key point, he adds: “I love my people!”

Category: Leader
Ali Khan

One sure sign of a leader is the ability to bring together people who appear to have very different agendas and align them behind a common purpose. Yavar Ali Khan has done this on both a macro and a micro scale. From his own family to his professional life, Khan is truly a leader.

As one of the founders (along with Dr. Murray Hulbert and Dr. Patrick Quaid) of the Canadian Coalition of Eye Care Professionals (CCEPro), Khan devoted countless hours to its inception and ongoing success. Modeled on the Ontario-based government lobby and consultancy group, the Society of Eye Care Professionals, CCEPro has 1,000 members from across Canada, drawn from optometry, opticianry and ophthalmology. The simple existence of this group is remarkable, given the history of conflict between the professions. The coalition works collaboratively on eyecare issues with the goal of upholding high standards of patient-centered eyecare across Canada.

Khan also brings Canadian optometrists and opticians together through The Khan Group’s Academy of Ophthalmic Education and Optifair trade shows. These events bring continuing education to both professions under the same event umbrella.

Living the proverbial immigrant story, Khan arrived in Canada from Hyderabad,India in 1968 with less than $10 in his pocket. He applied for a job in an optical lab, a position for which he had minimal experience. “I arrived on a Thursday and by Monday I had a job,” he explains. He remains grateful to Dr. Sid Faibish who gave him his first job, and who subsequently recommended that Khan undertake opticianry training. Within five years, his leadership skills became obvious.

When Ryerson University needed to revise its opticianry curriculum in 1976, it turned to Ali Khan. When he finished this task, Ryerson president Walter Pitman gave him a lifetime achievement award in teaching and curriculum development. Pitman also recommended Khan to the Ontario health minister, who appointed him to the Board of Ophthalmic Dispensers in 1979. These distinctions and responsibilities came his way after only a few years in Canada.

Doing his best in everything he undertakes has been Khan’s guiding value throughout his life. On the personal front, he had a responsibility to his family in India when he first arrived here at age 24. “My father was a wealthy industrialist who lost everything during the partition of India in 1947. He died when I was 15 and at that point I undertook to work hard and restore the family to a place of security. I worked with diligence to achieve that goal.”

Khan’s example has rubbed off on his two sons, an optometrist and an optician. Both have served as leaders of their professions.

Charitable fundraising is another area in which Khan shows leadership. He has raised over $100,000 for vision-related charities through the Eye Ball Gala, an occasional event held most recently in Toronto in April 2013.

What will Khan’s legacy be? “I want to help achieve the highest standards of practice and the best possible education for ECPs. I also hope that each profession understands the value of its contribution and that they work together collaboratively for the public good.”

Category: Humanitarian
Claude Chagnon 

Claude Chagnon began looking at the world through different coloured glasses about 10 years ago. That’s when he went on his inaugural optical mission to Mexico with a charitable organization called Santa-Cruz. His first big discovery was that he received more than he gave.

“We went to a poverty-stricken region of Mexico. One of my first patients was an old man who was very myopic. He was illiterate and I wondered how improving his vision would help him. He was so excited when he got his new glasses and shared with me that he is a farmer and would now be able to see his cows grazing in the mountains.”

Chagnon, born and raised in Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, was imbued with a helpful spirit from an early age. He credits his parents as an important influence. “I heard my mother say many times, ‘We have to give back what life has given to us.’”

When he was 13, Chagnon needed glasses. His father took him to an ophthalmologist who gave him what Chagnon felt to be a cursory examination. “Then I heard from several of my friends that they went to an optometrist, so I asked my dad if I could go, too,” says Chagnon. “I was impressed with the time the optometrist spent with me, and his explanations of my condition. I decided then and there to become an optometrist and never waivered from that goal.” Studies at the University of Montreal’s School of Optometry led Chagnon to his professional designation at age 23.

The optical mission work began about a decade ago when Chagnon was employed at Costco and the departmental administrator there suggested he consider volunteering. Chagnon says he ‘caught the volunteering virus’ and it has stayed with him ever since. “I saw so many people who, although they were just myopic or hyperopic, could not see, study or read,” he says. “Our work helps them to discover the world. It is like putting on a light in a darkened room.”

The experience transformed him. “I discovered how privileged I am and how easy it is to take our many blessings for granted. Going on an optical mission can really change your values and your perception of modern life. I know I have changed a great deal as a result of this work and I am so thankful for it.”

As Chagnon points out, most poor people in the world don’t have the opportunity to see eyecare professionals. “They can’t afford an eye exam and some people don’t even realize that glasses can help them see better.”

To date, he has travelled to Mexico, Ecuador, Romania ,Morocco, Tunisia and Peru. Like all volunteers with Oeuvre VOSH Santa-Cruz (the organization is now a chapter of VOSH: Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity), he pays his own airfare plus a $300 donation to the organization on each trip.

“It’s the need that keeps us going back,” he says. “And the people appreciate it so much: they hug and kiss you, and often they cry. It’s very dramatic and heart warming.”

Category: Trailblazer
Alan Ulsifer

Trailblazing requires vision, planning and a lot of plain hard work to hack out a new path. But first it requires motivation and Alan Ulsifer has that in spades.

It was a strong sense of motivation and purpose that led the Saskatoon-raised, Waterloo-trained Ulsifer to the Alberta city of Airdrie to join his first practice in 1990. After four years, he moved to Grand Prairie, a city known for its strong entrepreneurial spirit. There he established a partnership with two other optometrists. They thrived and began opening up locations under the name Northern Vision Centre, which developed into one of Canada’s largest independent optometric practices.

That level of success would have been enough for most professionals, but Ulsifer came up with an even better business concept in 2006.

“I was at the Las Vegas Vision Expo show and I came to understand free-form lenses and the software that created them, and I saw the opportunity to vertically integrate the optometric practice and really create value,” says Ulsifer. “I returned home to Alberta and shared the vision with my partners. We then invited 10 other practices to join us in a two-day meeting to talk about market challenges and opportunities. I didn’t have high expectations but I felt we had to try.”

Everyone at that meeting ‘caught the bug’ and agreed to form a new company; thus, FYidoctors was born. It took about two years to set up the infrastructure and plan, says Ulsifer. “We were now one company and we needed common accounting practices, a new lab and a distribution center,” he notes. “We started our own free-form lab in Burnaby, beginning with a 3,000-square-foot facility. Now we have 10 times that amount of space in a fully robotic lab and exclusive Canadian distribution of 15 products.”

As CEO of FYidoctors, Ulsifer led the largest corporate merger in Canadian history, based on the number of companies involved. How’s that for trailblazing? He was awarded the Ernst and Young Emerging Entrepreneur Award for the Prairie Region in 2008 and the overall Canadian Ernst and Young Entrepreneur Award in 2012.

With 107 practices from the Maritimes to B.C. currently in the fold, FYidoctors is now set on a steady and aggressive course of acquisitions. An Internet-based public portal will soon be launched, with an emphasis on serving existing customers with branded frames and lenses, and new technology that will allow Burnaby-based opticians to do virtual measurements and let the patient shop online for the perfect frame for her specific needs. The online option will be supported by the bricks and mortar locations and vice versa.

What does the word ‘trailblazer’ mean to Alan Ulsifer? “Game changer, sh*t disturber,” he says with a laugh. “Any good business needs to rethink itself and adapt to changing times. I think our team has managed to change the game within an industry that was slow to transform. We have found and continue to find opportunities within the eyecare industry, while always putting patient care first. While I may complain from time to time, I find juggling the many aspects of this business really fun and exciting.”

Spoken like a true trailblazer.

In closing, congratulations to our honourees for service, risk-taking, leading others, creating value and inspiring us all to reach our highest potential!

New Technical Approach

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Optika Eyewear launched 12 new exciting styles in the Mizyake Couture collection, a fifty-fifty mix for men and women featuring eight acetates and four metals.

“Acetates are hot for 2013,” says Optika Eyewear VP of Sales Richard Allan. “As per Mizyake Couture 4643 Royal model, we have cut out dark blue outside colour, to see the light blue colour under. This makes a strong statement, while at the same time is fashion forward.”

For the summer season, the company has focused on beautiful colour combinations, such as vintage browns with aqua blue interiors, and rich navy complimented with electric blues.

All optical frames feature super light weight stainless steel, which provides maximum comfort and durability.