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.

By Paddy Kamen

There’s little doubt that Google Glass is amazing, but does it place the wearer and those around her at risk?

What is it? 

Google Glass is a wearable computer system: an eyeglass-style frame with a wireless computer attached, complete with camera and microphone. It was recently released in beta version to a select group of people. It can be worn without lenses or with them, and Google is apparently in discussion with several eyeglass manufacturers about models for people with vision correction needs. The computer sits on the right temple and the visual display and camera on the right upper lens area.

What’s Amazing About it?

Glass provides a translucent viewing screen just above the wearer’s field of vision, so you can see data and visuals projected, while still being able to see through it. So, for example, the screen could act as a GPS while you are driving, it can project information about your flight departure time while you’re on the way to the airport, or let you know where you can find a grocery store nearby.

The device is voice activated. In the video released by Google[1], wearers say to the device, ‘O.K. Glass… what is the temperature?’ or ‘take a picture’, or ‘where am I?’ But, like a smart phone, Google Glass also pushes data that it thinks you want.

Glass can also be used as a camera that films whatever is in front of you so you can participate in the action, while sharing it live with friends and also recording it for later viewing.

How is it Scary? 

Steve Mann is known as the father of computer vision systems. The University of Toronto professor of electrical and computer engineering created his first computerized vision system when he was still in high school back in the 1970s. He has continued to invent in the field and wears his own device, which is more sophisticated than Google Glass, most of the time.

Mann has some interesting things to say about Glass in an article on the IEEE Spectrum site.[2] He writes:

My concern comes from direct experience. The very first wearable computer system I put together showed me real-time video on a helmet-mounted display. The camera was situated close to one eye, but it didn’t have quite the same viewpoint. The slight misalignment seemed unimportant at the time, but it produced some strange and unpleasant results.  

And those troubling effects persisted long after I took the gear off. That’s because my brain had adjusted to an unnatural view, so it took a while to readjust to normal vision.

He goes on to identify other possible effects on vision:

These systems all contain lenses that make the display appear to hover in space, farther away than it really is. That’s because the human eye can’t focus on something that’s only a couple of centimeters away, so an optical correction is needed. But what Google and other companies are doing – using fixed-focus lenses to make the display appear farther away – is not good.

Using lenses in this way forces one eye to remain focused at some set distance while the focus of the other eye shifts according to whatever the wearer is looking at, near or far. Doing this leads to severe eyestrain, which again can be harmful, especially to children.

Dr. Ralph Chou, Professor Emeritus at the University of Waterloo’s School of Optometry, has concerns about the attentional capacity of Google Glass wearers.

“I wonder if you would have the same kind of attention deficit using this device when driving as you would when texting or phoning. Also, if you are locked into looking at an image within part of your field of view, will you be paying attention to whatever else is in front of you? Under the best conditions most will have difficulty attending to what they are doing while accessing extraneous information on the fly. I can see this as a useful device for certain things but the big ‘but’ is, how safe would you be to navigate a car, walk, or ride a bicycle where you have to be aware of your surroundings.”

And, while not exactly scary, there’s also the question of how plugged in a person really needs to be. When asked if he would like to try Glass, Chou responded: “Personally it holds no attraction for me, as I don’t feel the need to be plugged in all day long. But I can think of some more tech-savvy friends who might love it.”

By Evra Taylor

Scarcely a day goes by that we don’t hear of another smart phone application (app) being developed for every industry – and seemingly for every market and demographic. With this sudden influx of technology that promises to make our lives easier and better, have we reached the saturation point in what these new programs can do for us? Not by a long shot.

Apps relating to eyecare and eyewear are emerging left, right and centre for eyecare practitioners as well as for consumers. A host of apps are available for every type of smart phone, encompassing a myriad of topics such as eye health, eye exams, dispensing, medical education, and contact lens wear and care. As for eyewear consumers, they can also enjoy techno-forward apps that offer such services as try-on eyewear and vision enhancement.

So how does the iPhone, for example, become the “eye phone”? The following is a sampling of apps that highlight the important ways in which technology has revolutionized the eyecare industry.

For eyecare practitioners

Eye Exams

A fascinating example of an eye exam tool that “outsmarts” the smartest patient is the Random Eye Chart app made by Dok LLC. Knowing that patients who frequently visit their optometrist may become habituated to the Snellen eye chart and memorize the chart’s letter order, techno-designers developed an app that scrambles the chart, randomizing the letter order.

NETRA cell phone-based optometry solutions offers an interactive platform for measuring refractive errors and focal range, featuring a lenticular view-dependent display for use with the human eye at close range. The platform measures eye parameters such as refractive errors, focal range and lens opacity. 

Dispensing

Offering your patients the “at your fingertips” convenience of a professional dispensing video is a novel value-added service. EyeDispense HD is an iPad app, a “virtual video” that can help patients visualize what they’ll look like in a particular eyeglass frame. A simple panning shot captures video in 40 seconds, to a maximum of four frames. Patients can also compare one frame with the other. A convenient “pause” feature allows the patient to view any given angle. The final touch is being able to send photos by email or post them on Facebook for sharing purposes.

Reference

The focus of EyeDock, another app created by an optometrist, is contact lens fitting and ophthalmic medication searches. It is a companion app to eyedock.com, a website for eyecare professionals.

The Eye Handbook app is a comprehensive reference and diagnostic tool that includes calculators, equipment, as well as medication and treatment information.

Optical Tool, developed by an optician, is designed to provide students, faculty and opticians with quick access to optical information. It currently has seven formulas (back vertex, compensated power, oblique meridian, Prentice’s Rule, resultant prism (resolving prism and thickness), and includes detailed information about each formula.

Consumer apps that you can recommend to your patients

Eye Exams

At-home eye exams have become increasingly popular as consumers become proactive in testing and maintaining their health. EyeXam is an example of an itunes app that combines several features such as tests for astigmatism and eye dominance.  Perhaps its utilitarian design stems from the fact that it was developed by two optometrists.

Vision enhancement

iCanSee packages the old-fashioned magnifying glass in a high-tech format. Simple magnification allows users to see in difficult situations, including low light. The app offers various degrees of magnification.

Dispensing

A number of eyeglass frame manufacturers – including Silhouette with its iMirror – have launched apps that simplify the process of trying on glasses, making the frame selection process easier and faster – and an experience that can be shared digitally via Facebook, for example.

No matter what your choice of app, there’s no doubt that this advanced smart phone technology has revolutionized the optical industry by allowing much more sophisticated medical information gathering and eye health assessment than previously existed. The now-famous adage, “There’s an app for that” holds as true for the optical industry as for any other.

The advances in technology that these apps represent have, in some cases, blurred the line between the professional and consumer spaces. They have allowed consumers the opportunity to “enter the optometrist’s world” via at-home eye exams, for example. While sheer convenience makes this option an extremely attractive one, opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists alike are aware of the fact that face-to-face contact with patients – and building lasting relationships with them – are cornerstones of creating and maintaining a successful optical practice. Devices, platforms and digital tools are best used when they are combined with a personal approach that patients will never forget.

An Audacious Clip-On System from Audace Lunettes

Audace Lunettes introduces a revolutionary system for ECPs, enabling them to design custom clip-ons for their clients. They receive the tailor-made product in 48 hours.

The clip-on system, called COLOR clip, comes with a work station installation at the eyecare professional’s office. The ECP takes a digital image of the frame, then designs the clip-on and sends the information to the lab. The clip-on is made from the specifications within 48 hours, ready to be delivered to the patient.

The clip-on system allows the professional to completely respect the shape of the frame, while allowing unique design elements that makes it funny and funky. All lenses are made from triacetate material. There is a choice of 5 different colours with polarized treatment at no extra cost. The clip, a full mask of cellulose triacetate, has no bridge and no metal bare.

The new system guarantees that wearing the clip will not damage the frame’s paint or scratch the lens, thanks to a hook made of a soft material.

“The eyecare professional appreciates the system for the flexibility in its design, the rapid delivery and the unique services they provide,” says Audace Lunettes President Alain Lachambre. “The digital imaging system also allows the ECP to sell a clip to a walk-in customer since there is no need to keep the frame. You digitalize the frame in 20 seconds and the work is on its way. With such ease and simplicity, many clients see this as an opportunity to offer products that will increase revenue and service distinction,” he adds.

It is clear that this new service will change the landscape of clip offering. Lachambre believes that in a highly competitive market, where consumers have a multitude of options, it is more important than ever to embrace technology that provides a unique, quick, value-added service.

EyeDispense, the First Apple iPad2 App for ECPs

EyeDispense, a portable ophthalmic dispensing application, has been launched through the Apple App Store. Designed by Edinburgh, Scotland-based optometrist David Crystal, this application is a fast, professional tool for successful video dispensing, giving clients with poor vision an easy and enjoyable way to select a frame.

Utilizing iPad 2’s rear camera, the App allows the operator to take four different three-second video clips for the client to compare their frame choices at a glance. The choices can be emailed or uploaded to Facebook, should they want to ask for their friends’ or family’s opinion.

Designed for iPad 2, the new App is a versatile solution for video dispensing, allowing the operator to move around the practice.

Developer and owner of independent optical store Eyecare Plus, David Crystal commented: “I have developed this App especially for optical professionals, to make the purchase of spectacles an easier experience for clients without their optical correction. The hi-tech design of EyeDispense used in conjunction with iPad 2 will impress customers. We are delighted with the results in our store. As well as adding to our image as a leading practice with the latest technology, our clients are pleased that they can make a confident frame choice. It’s a truly cost-effective way to improve patient care.”