Archives de l’auteur : Envision Magazine

Dancing with Design: Fabienne Coudray-Meisel and Volte Face

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By Paddy Kamen

DesignerImagine a much-loved little girl waltzing around with her mother’s hats, scarves and stoles. Imagine her mother’s delight in dressing her up for a party. Now imagine that this mother is a couturier designer with one of Spain’s most prestigious houses – Balenciaga.

The little girl grew up to be one of the great talents in the world of eyewear design: Fabienne Coudray-Meisel, creator of the Volte Face brand and a partner with the illustrious J.F. Rey.

Fabienne showed an early interest in art and interior design: “I was always rearranging the furniture and pictures in my bedroom and making all kinds of things from my imagination,” she explains. “And when I was 12, my grandmother gave me a sewing machine and I started to design and make my own apparel, which I do to this day.”

Coudray-Meisel trained as an optician and worked as a buyer in the industry before discovering her true calling as a designer. “I attended the Parsons design school in New York where I obtained my Masters degree. I then started my company, Volte Face, in 1998, growing it slowly and focusing on creating good designs as well as excellent relationships with customers and suppliers. Then, in 2010, I decided to share my skill and philosophy with the J.F. Rey group. They have extensive experience in design and distribution and I am sharing the best of that.”

Audrey Larbot, spokesperson for J.F. Rey, characterizes the relationship between her company and Coudray-Meisel as, “a fortuitous union. With the expertise of Rey’s in-house designers and manufacturers, partner suppliers and the latest technological innovations at her disposal, Fabienne Coudray-Meisel’s creativity is boundless.”

Coudray-Meisel is most assuredly an imaginative designer and her newest collections were turning heads at the 2012 editions of MIDO in Milan, and Vision Expo East (VEE) in New York. Sarah Braida, president of J.F. Rey Canada, is absolutely delighted with the newest work. “Coudray-Meisel’s work and brand is a perfect complement to the J.F. Rey and Boz collections. I see it as appealing to a different customer, perhaps a woman with more discreetly chic or philosophical inclinations. And these frames are designed for a smaller face, which has been lacking in the Canadian market. They’re also deep enough for progressive lenses. Overall, I’d say this collection is very feminine. They’re not for every retailer, nor are they for every customer, yet I know they will be strong sellers.”

The new frame designs draw their inspiration from many sources, notes Coudray-Meisel. From the architectural mobile sculptures of the late American artist Alexander Calder to the ‘witches mirror’ or ‘miroir de sorcière’ of French designer Chaty Vallauris, to industrial panels and glass vases from Murano, Italy, the world is chock-full of designs that speak to Coudray-Meisel who will stop at nothing to translate her dreams into reality. “I want people to say ‘wow’ when they see the frames and ‘wow’ again when they put them on,” she says.

Laser engraving is one outstanding surface finish you’ll see on acetate front temples to dazzling effect, with geographic patterns and criss-crossing lines and circles in the Templa, Tildia, Tyler and Twig models. Sculptural, tiered, petal-like pieces are layered on the Urika for a subtle, elegant effect.

And luxurious jewelry is recalled in the minimalist, yet sophisticated Usuki and similar models, with laser technology leaving slight variations in the acetate.

Fluid lines, structural contract, surprising patinas and astute use of colour all combine to create a je ne sais quoi that is worthy of the ‘wow factor’ Coudray-Meisel aspires to.

Sarah Braida will be rolling out the new Volte Face collection with a Quebec start this spring, to a country-wide hello into the autumn. “We’ll be receiving the models from the MIDO and VEE shows soon. The final pieces will be unveiled at Silmo in September, and Volte Face will be seen at retailers as soon as possible thereafter,” says Braida.

Creativity is nothing without passion and, as Braida says, “Fabienne has a new-found passion that is truly evident in her designs. She’s doing a wonderful job.”

One sad note in the life of Fabienne Coudray-Meisel, is that her beloved mother passed away when Fabienne was still a child. But the positive life force of the child, Fabienne, grew and flourished and she is now an influential designer in her own right.

“My mother’s elegance and her joie de vivre inspired me forever,” says Coudray-Meisel. “In my work I try to give life to my mother’s dreams and to inspire my own daughter to live a creative life as well.”

Now imagine Fabienne Coudray-Meisel living a long and rich life, creating beautiful objects for the world. And dancing with her daughter.

Glorious and Free(-Form)

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By Brian Dunleavy

lensfocusTracey MacLeod believes in free-form lenses – for certain patients, anyway.

“Once you have witnessed the digital surfacing process, it is hard to imagine dispensing anything but free-form,” says the optician and owner of Wizard Optical in Halifax.

But while free-form technology (also known as digital technology, Wavefront technology or high-definition technology) has been the buzz in the eyeglass lens arena in recent years, it’s not for everyone – at least not yet. Most experts agree that the technology – which incorporates multiple measures (including pantoscopic tilt, vertex distance, near viewing distance and panoramic angle), in addition to the patient’s prescription and pupillary distance (PD), into the surfacing process – has greatly improved the optics in progressive lenses, and thus expanded the options for presbyopic patients. Single-vision, however, is a different story – for now.

“The bulk of our patients are 45 to 50 or older; most younger people are having LASIK done now,” notes Michelle Skinner, optician and owner at Cowan Optical in St. John’s. “Our presbyope patients love free-form progressives. With older progressives, you had to remind patients to look through the center of the lens because of the peripheral distortion. With free-form progressives, there’s no peripheral distortion. It’s almost like looking through a single-vision lens.”

Still, although opticians like Skinner and MacLeod agree that free-form progressives are a no-brainer for their presbyopic patients, they are not always an easy sell – particularly if opticians haven’t taken the time to educate themselves on the new technology. The higher price tag associated with these lenses means that opticians must be able to explain the visual benefits to patients who may have a difficult time understanding the technology.

“Manufacturers have spent lots of time and money on information to help the dispenser, and we all need to take advantage of this,” explains David Watson, an instructor at the BC College of Optics in Surrey. “These designs are exceptional products, but opticians need to be educated and skilled in producing the measurements needed. No longer are we merely taking PDs and segment heights with pen and ruler. We now need to measure segment heights, PDs, pantoscopic tilt, face-form or wrap and vertex distance of the frame for patients to receive full custom-lens benefits.”

At Wizard Optical, MacLeod and her staff initiated a formalized free-form education process two years ago in order to get their heads around the new product line. By taking advantage of educational programs offered by lens manufacturers and their wholesale laboratory and doing some research on their own, each member of the staff attempted to immerse themselves in all things free-form. Then, they held regular “think tanks” during staff meetings to share what they had learned.

“We prepared a one-page simplified graphic that depicts a lap and a grinding pad used for ‘conventional’ lenses,” MacLeod explains. “It compares that to the computer-controlled free-form cutting process, where those personal factors can be introduced. I found [the grinding lap] to be the most effective sales tool. It’s bulky appearance and old-fashioned look enhance the concept of the new technology used in free-form lenses.”

But while resourceful sales approaches such as these have made free-form lenses a must for MacLeod’s presbyopic patients – she says 100 percent of her progressive lens sales are now in free-form – she has not taken the same hard-sell approach for single-vision wearers. Skinner agrees. It seems that although free-form technology has revolutionized progressive lenses, it remains a work in progress on the single-vision side, except perhaps for patients with high prescriptions.

“I’m a -4.50 and I tried free-form lenses in single-vision and didn’t see a difference over other single-vision lenses,” notes Skinner. “Believe me, if we tried them and thought, ‘wow!’ we’d be selling them, but we can’t sell something we don’t believe in one hundred percent, especially given the cost. My sense is the technology will only get better, and we will soon see free-form take off in single-vision too.”

Which will mean better vision for patients and higher profits for dispensers.

Binocular Vision Dysfunction: Why 20/20 is not good enough

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By Dr. Patrick Quaid, OD, FCOVD, PhD

Binocular vision (BV) dysfunction, a term generally used to describe problems with teaming and co-ordination of one’s eyes, is often a significant challenge to detect and treat in the eyecare arena. BV disorders are more frequently encountered than glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy combined. Surely a condition that occurs 8.5 – 9.7 times more often than all ocular disease in children aged six months to 18 years1 combined deserves greater attention.

Using U.S. Census Bureau estimates of the prevalence of amblyopia (2-3 percent) and strabismus (3-4 percent) in the general population, in 2010 there were approximately 9.3 million amblyopes and 18 million people with strabismus in the U.S.1 Indeed, published research has indicated that “correctable vision impairment” is the most common “treatable chronic condition in childhood”2,3. Building a Comprehensive Child Vision Care System, published by the National Commission on Vision and Health4, has useful statistics for interested readers.

There is also growing research indicating an association between academic performance and vision. One such study5 looked at 782 first- to fifth-graders and found an association between lower academic achievement and hyperopia of +1.25DS and higher. We looked at this issue in our practice recently and found that students with a reading-based IEP (Individual Educational Plan) had significantly greater hyperopia compared to controls, with the median value being close to +1.25DS. Cycloplegic refractive error was used (i.e. drops) as children often mask significant amounts of hyperopia by virtue of their accommodation. Indeed, over 80 percent of IEP children in this study saw 20/20 without glasses despite significantly greater levels of hyperopia. A worsening trend of reading speed is also observed using the Visagraph III system with increasing levels of uncorrected hyperopia (Figure 1).

binocularfeature

Figure 1: Left: Reading speed (measured objectively with Visagraph III system, which uses infra-red photodetectors to track eye movements in real time) versus refractive error (no significant difference in astigmatism between IEPs and controls). Note the Y-axis shows reading speed below grade level. Thus, a higher number indicates worse performance. Right: Difference in refractive error (DS) between the IEP and controls (in submission, Quaid & Simpson, 2012).

If you don’t think +1.25DS is a big deal, try over-minusing yourself by 1.25 dioptres for a day and get back to me. While we do not doubt that other factors are involved in reading ability, +1.25DS or higher on cycloplegic should also prompt other BV specific tests, such as fusional and accommodative facility and reserve measurement.

Interestingly, published literature shows a three-times-higher incidence of convergence insufficiency (CI) in ADHD-diagnosed children compared to the general population6. Given that five of the nine DSM-IV criteria symptoms for ADHD overlap with CI, the authors advised that any child with suspected ADHD have CI specifically ruled out. CI is important to detect when we consider that the Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial7 (a randomized controlled trial) showed that CI can be effectively treated using vision therapy. Interestingly, patients with known BV issues also score significantly worse on behavioural test batteries (i.e. Connors scale)8, re-enforcing the need to detect BV conditions in “behaviourally challenged” children. In short, 20/20 really is “not good enough”.

We have developed an iPad-specific application (app) called “NuBV”, which is free to download from the App store. This app contains tools for all eyecare professionals to use. There is a BV questionnaire that is quick to administer (0-60 scale). If the patient scores over 20 they should be seen for an eye examination with attention to BV. For more information on BV, we recommend www.covd.org. A great resource for your patients is www.visionhelp.com.

The area of learning disabilities is multi-disciplinary. Collaborative care is the way forward, not just in eyecare. Thus, when dealing with learning disabilities as an ECP, it is important to build rapport with professionals in allied health fields such as psychology and occupational therapy.

Top 5 symptoms of BV dysfunction:

  1. Frontal headaches (forehead and/or around the eyes).
  2. Losing their place while reading or having to use their finger or ruler to track.
  3. Seeing text drifting in and out of focus when reading or writing.
  4. Easily distracted from reading/near point activities.
  5. Rubbing eyes when reading and general agitation/resistance to reading.

Dr. Quaid practiced in the UK hospital eyecare system, specifically dealing with glaucoma co-management and pre- and post-operative care of binocular vision patients (Bradford Royal Infirmary). He attained his PhD in 2005 from the University of Waterloo School of Optometry and started his practice in Guelph with IRIS The Visual Group (a collaborative care model) with specific emphasis on binocular vision. Dr. Quaid serves on the Editorial Board for Optometry & Vision Development, is Adjunct Clinic Faculty at UWSO and serves on the Quality Assurance Committee for the Ontario College of Optometrists. 

References:

  1. Maino, Dm (2010). The Binocular Vision Dysfuntional Pandemic (Ed). Optometry & Vision Development, 41(1), 6-13.
  2. Kemper et al (2004). Patterns of Vision Care Among Medicaid-Enrolled Children. Pediatrics, 113, 190-196.
  3. Kemper et al (2004). Prevalence and Distribution of Corrective Lenses Among School-Aged Children. Optometry & Vision Science, 81(1), 7-10.
  4. National Commission on Vision & Health (June 2009). Building a Comprehensive Child Vision Care System.Prepared by ABT Associated Inc.,55 Wheeler St.,Cambridge,MA.
    1. Rosner J & Rosner J (1997). The relationship between moderate hyperopia and Academic Achievement. How much plus is enough? Journal of the American Optometric Association, 68, 648-650.
    2. Granet et al. (2005). The Relationship Between Convergence Insufficiency and ADHD. Strabismus, 13, 163-168.
    3. CITT Study Group (2005). Convergence Insufficiency Treatment Trial.
    4. Borsting et al (2005). Measuring ADHD Behaviours in Children With Symptomatic Accommodative Dysfunction or Convergence Insufficiency: A Preliminary Study. Optometry, Vol. 76, Issue 10, 588 – 592

Vitamins and the Aging Eye

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By Netan Choudhry M.D and Jennifer George

eyeonhealthMedical research has proven that diet plays an extremely important role in our overall health. While we are aware of the dietary links to diseases like hypertension, heart disease and diabetes, we often overlook the impact of nutrition on eye health. Age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts are known to cause blindness in older adults. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) gradually destroys the macula, the area of the eye responsible for providing sharp central vision. It is the leading cause of vision loss in Canada, surpassing glaucoma, retinopathy and cataracts.

Though the subject of vision loss can be dispiriting, there is still hope. The latest research has shown that a healthy diet and specific high-dose vitamin formulations can help both reduce the risk of developing diseases such as AMD and slow their progression.

The National Eye Institute completed the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) in 2001. It found that supplementing one’s diet with high levels of specific concentrations of the vitamins C, E, Zinc, Cupric Oxide and beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A) decreases the risk of progression of macular degeneration. Lutein and zeaxanthin are two other substances vital to eye health. The Lutein Antioxidant Supplement Trial (LAST) indicated that the nutritional supplementation of lutein together with other nutrients improves visual function. As antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin protect against harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the retina, which result from both normal bodily reactions and environmental factors such as pollution and cigarette smoke. Lutein and zeaxanthin also absorb blue light that can cause damage to the retina.

In addition to AMD, other diseases of the eye can also be affected by nutrition. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) constitutes a group of eye diseases that result in slow but progressive vision loss. Patients with RP suffer from a gradual destruction of the light-sensing cells located in the retina. The National Eye Institute conducted a study indicating that patients suffering from the common forms of RP would benefit from a total intake (capsules + diet) of 18,000 international units (IU) of vitamin A daily. It is important to note that vitamin supplements, while helpful, are not meant to replace a healthy, nutrient-rich diet.

The impact of vitamins on the health of the aging eye is irrefutable. The first line of defense against eye disease is an eye-healthy diet. Certain vitamin-rich foods have been proven to help retard vision loss, particularly those rich in the vitamins C, E, Zinc and carotenoids. An eye-healthy diet would include the following foods:

  • Vitamin C: melons, oranges, grapefruit, broccoli
  • Vitamin E: whole grains, olive oil, almonds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, walnuts, spinach, blueberries, avocados, beans
  • Carotenoids: apples, oranges, grapes, mangoes, kiwis, cantaloupe, grapefruit, melons
  • Zinc: oysters, flounder, sardines, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, beans, dairy products
  • Lutein: dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale, sweet corn, peas, broccoli

It is often difficult to obtain the high concentration of nutrients found in studies like AREDS by means of diet alone. In addition to a diet rich in the aforementioned nutrients, people should consider taking the following nutritional supplements every day for optimized eye health:

  • 500 mg of vitamin C
  • 400 IU of vitamin E
  • 15,000 IU of vitamin A
  • a daily multi-vitamin
  • 15 mg of beta carotene
  • 80 mg of zinc

It is very important that people check with their doctor or pharmacist before beginning any supplement regimen, particularly if they are pregnant, nursing or currently taking other medications. Have them schedule an appointment with you for more information on how vitamins can be used both safely and effectively to improve the health of their eyes.

2012 Vision Expo East Makes a Splash

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2012 Vision Expo East Makes a Splash
ByPaddy Kamen

You’ve got to hand it to Vision Expo East (VEE). The biggest optical show in theU.S., held in the Big Apple every March, does nothing in a small way. But then, why should they? Americans know how to make a splash and VEE did it again this year (March 22-25) at theJavitsCenter. Amazing prizes, cash giveaways, draws, discounts, gifts and…dancing girls (well, no)…made VEE one of the most exciting shows on the planet.

A show record was set with the number of attendees exceeding 16,300. Exhibitors numbered more than 575, including 132 new companies. Together, they presented the latest trends in eyewear and advances in eyecare technology to eyecare professionals (ECPs) and buyers from 23 countries around the world.

And get this: three new luxury car leases were given away over the course of the show to attending eyecare professionals!

“Last year we celebrated our 25th anniversary inNew York with parties, iPad giveaways and contests,” said Deborah Castor, vice president of shows and meetings for The Vision Council, co-sponsor of the show along with Reed Exhibitions. “Now we’re revving up for the next 25 years of unprecedented success and kicking off our show with a luxury car sweepstakes.”

Over the course of three days, 48 ECPs received a $100 instant cash prize. Each day, one lucky cash prizewinner won the ultimate grand prize – a lease on a Mercedes Benz C Class.

“This year’s exhibitors unveiled an unbelievable number of new product lines and technologies, along with enticing show specials, giving attendees even more reasons to stop by their booths,” said Tom Loughran, vice president for Reed Exhibitions. “Each day the list of show specials grew to include even more great offers.”

More than 230 exhibitors offered show specials from their booths, with many of them planning multiple specials.

“The Show Specials Program is an excellent resource for our company and brands, providing coverage and generating traffic to our booth,” said James Shyer, chief operating officer for Zyloware Eyewear. “The exposure it offers is very beneficial in making connections with buyers and targeting our audience.”

The VEE show team gave special support to new exhibitors, helping them to have the best show experience possible. In addition to providing information on important deadlines, free marketing and public relations opportunities, and general tips for a great show, the program offers access to a new exhibitor ambassador and a complimentary “How To” online course.

New exhibitors also had a special decal identifying them on the show floor. It was great to see them in virtually every area of the show, including Eyewear and Accessories, Low Vision, Lenses and Processing Technology, Medical and Scientific, the Galleria and a special section dedicated to the French connection.

It’s no secret that the French have an esteemed past and an exciting present in the eyewear industry, and this year at VEE they were highlighted in a new area, known as the French Loft. Showcasing the latest in French design were 10 high-end exhibitors with unique products. Exhibitors included Pierre Eyewear, Histoire de Voir, Jeremy Tarian, French Vintage Lunetier, Glance of Lens, Bruno Chaussignand, Struktur, Jacques Durand Lunetier, Lotho and Waiting for the Sun.

VEE continues to be the only show to present more than 60 hours of exclusive, business-focused education courses for the optical profession, such as Visionomics™, Boot Camps and E-technology, Frame Buyers Certificate, and Social Media and Internet Marketing. Back by popular demand, these courses are designed to help professionals manage the business end of their practices while increasing efficiency, improving practice management, and providing comprehensive and engaging patient care.

Learning, buying, selling, winning: VEE had it all in a show not to be missed. The 2013 exhibition and conference will take place from March 14-17 inNew York City. Mark your calendars now.

Controversial Contributions to Vision Science

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By Paddy Kamen

discoveringIn the Jan/Feb 2012 issue of Envision: seeing beyond, we touched on the controversial Bates Method of Vision Improvement. You may recall that vision scientist, Laura Sewall, Ph.D., author of Sight and Sensibility: The Ecopsychology of Perception, used a variation of the Bates Method to profound effect. The article, Vision and the Possible Human, while not idealizing Bates, does celebrate his scientific curiosity.

This article will look at the actual variation of the Bates method that Sewell practiced. We will also examine how the profession of developmental optometry views the contributions of W.H. Bates.

The woman who taught Laura Sewell to dramatically improve her vision was the late Janet Goodrich, Ph.D. Her daughter, Carina Goodrich, is herself a vision educator and has taken over her mother’s business, which is based in Queensland, Australia (www.janetgoodrichmethod.com). Carina Goodrich is also an author, having published The Practical Guide to Natural Vision Improvement[i], in 2010.

Carina says Janet wore glasses from age seven to 25, at which point she began to study the Bates Method along with the work of Margaret Corbett (a teacher of the Bates Method who also expanded on the work), in addition to Reichian therapy (emotional/psychological healing based on the work of Wilhelm Reich). At age 27, Janet had the vision-related restriction removed from her driver’s license and never wore glasses again.

Janet Goodrich consolidated the work of Bates, Corbett and Reich into her own method, which emphasized activities designed to decrease stress and increase relaxation in the visual system. She examined stress in the human body and its impact on eyesight. Goodrich trained instructors in her method and authored two books: Natural Vision Improvement[ii] and ‘How to Improve Your Child’s Eyesight Naturally’[iii].

Carina Goodrich notes that in Bates’ era (1860–1931) the prevailing medical model was of the body as a kind of machine, with parts and systems generally considered as separate structures. At that time, the eye was thought to work like a camera. “Bates, an ophthalmologist himself, headed in another direction and dared to suggest that the eyes are nothing like machines and that their ability to capture light and process it into clear images in the brain was dependent on much more than just the physical structure of the eyes. As our knowledge of the human brain, and the effects of stress on every area of our health and wellbeing improves, Bates’ theories about eyesight only increase in their sensibility.”

Bates’ work has been refined a great deal over the past nearly 100 years, according to Carina Goodrich. “Yes he was wrong about some things. Nowadays we certainly wouldn’t suggest Sunning with the eyes open[iv]. It is, however the subsequent use and refinement of his work that helps to sort the wheat from the chaff. While his work still forms the basis of many things vision improvement therapists do today, they are usually quite different from what he originally proposed.”

Bates’ contribution to vision science has also been carefully considered by developmental optometrist, Dr. Leonard J. Press, the American Optometric Association’s vision and learning specialist, and optometric director of The Vision and Learning Center in Fair Lawn, New Jersey (www.pressvision.com).

“Bates definitely made a contribution, primarily in his concept of learning to relax focus,” says Press. “People who do sustained close work definitely have a shift of their resting focus inward. The brain adapts to the fact you are doing extended close work and doesn’t believe that when focus out that you will stay there. So it holds on to extra tonus for near vision, believing you will come back to it. Bates understood that by consciously putting yourself in a position of relaxation or distance focus, however you do it, you are going to limit the progression of nearsightedness. And vision science has proved him correct on this.”

Many of Bates’ original training techniques are crude compared to what is done by developmental optometrists today, notes Press. “That’s where technology comes into play. There are many ways to reset focus to distance. For example, we can do this with accommodative rock lenses where one side stimulates focus and the other relaxes it.”

Press finds that Bates’ work has been elaborated into an holistic approach that is sometimes misleading. “I feel some of it is over extrapolated,” he says. As one example, he points to Dr. Jacob Lieberman’s EyePort system. “We have one here in the office and use it from time to time. While there is some good independent research that backs up its usefulness, it’s not a magic stand-alone tool quite in the way it is presented.”

Press is also eager to point out that vision therapy exercises, such as those that work on near and far accommodation, are only a small part of the work done by developmental optometrists. “Developmental optometry is the umbrella term for the field. And vision therapy is one of the applications within developmental optometry.”

The next article in this series will cover the kinds of vision problems addressed by developmental optometry in more detail.

[i] The Janet Goodrich Method, Australia, 2010. Also available as an e-book: www.janetgoodrichmethod.com

[ii] First published inAustralia 1985 by Greenhouse Publications and in 1989 by Penguin Books. Published in theU.S. by Celestial Arts 10 Speed Press. Now out of print.

[iii] First published in Australia 1996 by Sally Milner Publications. Now published in the U.S. by Inner Traditions (under the title How To Improve Your Child’s Eyesight Naturally).

[iv] Bates initially believed that the eye could be trained to look directly at the sun. He later changed his views and Sunning was defined as exposing the closed eyes to sunlight. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bates_method#Sunning.

Ocular Apps for Every Reason and Every Season

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By Evra Taylor

technologyScarcely 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.

The Perils of Internet Dispensing

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By JoAnne Sommers

specialfeature_perilsCanadians have embraced Internet shopping, spending billions of dollars annually on purchases of everything from winter vacations to new homes. In addition to convenience and time saving, the Internet offers consumers the benefits of greater product selection and lower prices. But at what cost?

In the case of glasses and contact lenses the lack of oversight and accountability can lead to serious problems for people who may wind up using devices that are inappropriate or worse, unsafe for them.

“There is zero oversight of online companies who sell glasses and contact lenses. They are, in essence, answerable to nobody,” says Dr. Patrick Quaid, (Optometrist, PhD), with IRIS The Visual Group in Guelph,ON, and co-chair of CCEPro (Canadian Coalition of Eye Care Professionals).

The potential perils of buying online glasses are highlighted by a study published in the Journal of the American Optometric Association (AOA) in September 2011. The study by Pacific University College of Optometry in Oregon found a 44.8 percent overall failure rate for glasses ordered online. The most common problems were incorrect prescriptions and failure to meet minimum impact-resistance safety standards, meaning the lens can crack or shatter.

In some cases, researchers received single vision lenses instead of multifocals — an unheard of mix-up, said Karl Citek, a professor of optometry at the College and lead author of the study. Lens treatments such as anti-reflection coatings were either incorrectly added or omitted. In nearly one-quarter of the glasses, at least one lens failed impact  testing, which is required because prescription eyeglasses are classified as medical devices by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

It’s not surprising that researchers found problems, given that ophthalmic lenses require  very specific measurements to get the best performance and visual outcome. There are about 15 measurements that are usually done by a licensed optician, optometrist or a staff person under their supervision. These include:

  1. monocular PD (pupillary distance), which takes account of asymmetry between the eyes
  2. segment height (centre of pupil to bottom of frame)
  3. vertex distance (back of lens to front surface of eye)
  4. pantoscopic tilt of frame
  5. wrap angle of frame

If these measurements are not taken properly (or at all), the field of vision is reduced, the wearer may not be able to see properly at various distances, they could develop double vision, eye strain, headaches, or head and neck pain from hyper-extending to look through different areas of the lens not lined up properly to the eyes, says Dr. Daryan Angle, vice president, professional relations with IRIS, The Visual Group.

Such measurements are very difficult to do over the Internet using current technology because the frame must be on the patient’s face for most of them. And the larger the prescription the more vital these measurements are. Yet online glasses are typically dispensed using only binocular PD measurements.

“Focusing on one ophthalmic measurement to the exclusion of others makes no logical sense,” says Dr. Quaid. “There has been significant emphasis on PD, which ensures the horizontal alignment of the optical centre of the lenses to the centre of the pupil, yet many Internet dispensers disregard completely the vertical height of a prescription on progressive lenses by going to a “standard” or average. If only the PD is used they’re missing the bigger picture.”

Moreover, says Dr. Quaid, finished glasses almost always require some adjustment and custom fitting, something the web is ill equipped to provide. Nor is there any verification as to whether an optical prescription has expired for either glasses or contact lenses.

This is a major issue considering that certain patients should never wear contact lenses because of prior eye infections or corneal scarring, for example.

Dr. Quaid cites the example of one Ontario patient he personally saw who was advised to stop wearing contact lenses because of recurrent eye infections. Undaunted, she bought them online anyway, then visited his office three weeks later with another infection which ultimately resulted in corneal scarring. The woman has now lost some vision in the affected eye. “Who is accountable here?” asks Dr. Quaid.

Studies have shown that there is a four to five times greater risk of developing microbial lens keratitis, a condition that can lead to permanent vision loss, among those who wear contact lenses purchased online.

One problem with online contacts is that you don’t know whether the lenses are properly fitted to the eye, says Dr. Angle. A contact lens that is too flat for the cornea moves excessively and will irritate the palpebral conjunctiva, causing irritation and can potentially lead to giant papillary conjunctivitis (GPC). Chronic GPC can lead to scarring and/or permanent contact lens intolerance. A lens that is too steep or fits too tightly to the cornea will trap bacteria, debris and/or toxins between the lens and the cornea, which can lead to microbial keratitis or a sterile ulcer.

There is also a risk that patients who don’t see an eyecare provider regularly may over-wear their lenses, he adds. “Some patients self-adjust the power of their contacts by ordering stronger ones when there may be an underlying health issue not related to the power of their lenses.”

CCEPro also believes that unsupervised Internet dispensing is especially dangerous to children and seniors as they have a higher prevalence of eye conditions, which are important to detect in order to avoid long-term vision damage. Dr. Quaid cites the increased prevalence of binocular vision (BV) anomalies, which, when added together, affect approximately one in 10 children in the general population, with hyperopia more than +1.25DS being associated with lower academic achievement and convergence insufficiency overlapping in terms of symptoms with conditions such as ADHD.

Among seniors there is a risk of missing serious eye pathology such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy.

“The public often thinks that 20/20 vision indicates perfect vision and that their eyes are healthy, but we know that many patients with 20/20 vision can have significant eye disease and that children can have significant long-sightedness. This makes the need for regular eye exams imperative, especially among children and seniors.”

Dr. Quaid predicts that problems arising from the sale of online glasses and contact lenses will lead to long-term health care costs for government by reducing the incidence of eye exams, ultimately resulting in missed pathology in adults, and pediatric problems like amblyopia and strabismus in children.

“Who will take responsibility for problems when they occur?” he asks. “The online company who sold the appliance? That seems unlikely given that there are no safety precautions or controls in place.”

Dr. Quaid says that CCEPro does not oppose online dispensing per se. “We support consumer choice in eyewear dispensing as long as it is a regulated practice, meaning there are safeguards (i.e., a valid prescription and a regulated provider) in place to ensure patients’ eye health and that the entire process is directly overseen by a licensed eyecare professional. Our key message to consumers is: don’t sacrifice safety for convenience and cost savings.”

Answering the Challenge

specialfeature_answeringThere is increasing recognition that ECPs must adapt to the growing challenge of Internet sales or fall by the wayside.

Online sales of glasses and contact lenses now represent about 2.3 percent of the U.S.optical market, a figure that is expected to double to 5 percent over the next two to three years, says Daniel Beaulieu, president and CEO of DirectLab International Network and a member of the Vision Council of America.

“Within 18 months, U.S. Internet sales will pass $1 billion annually (the total U.S.market is now worth $30 billion a year). It’s happening gradually but the Internet is changing the industry forever.”

While there are no comparable figures for Canada, Coastal Contacts, the country’s top online seller, saw sales of both eyeglasses and contact lenses increase in the first fiscal quarter of 2012, compared to the same period a year earlier. In the quarter ended Jan. 31, 2012, Coastal’s eyeglass sales increased 63 percent to $10.3 million, while total contact lens sales rose 7 percent to $36.6 million.

There are ways for eyecare professionals (ECPs) to embrace the Internet safely, says Dr. Patrick Quaid. “It’s not a bad thing if it’s regulated properly. The question is, are checks and balances in place to ensure that proper measurements are taken? That the prescription is checked to ensure its accuracy? That glasses are dispensed to the right person? That there’s follow-up to ensure the appliance works as intended and that the patient has somewhere to go with problems?”

Dr. Quaid says ECPs must also start charging realistic fees for their services and Dr. Michael Chaiken, O.D., agrees. Dr. Chaiken, the past-president of the Quebec College of Optometrists and current vice president of professional affairs with IRIS the Visual Group, says opticians and optometrists have long worked for free in the hope that people will buy from them in the future.

“That diminishes the perceived value of what they’re doing,” he says. “If we want people to value what we do, we must start charging reasonable fees for it. Otherwise, it creates the impression that our services are worthless.”

People don’t understand the real reasons Internet dispensers can sell so cheaply, says Dr. Chaiken. “For one thing they don’t have to pay staff to do the necessary follow-up. Online companies want people who have problems with their products to take them to an ECP for adjustment.”

Optometrists must also purchase expensive diagnostic equipment, which is used to conduct eye exams and diagnose vision problems, he notes.

“When customers compare our prices to those on the Internet we need to point out that the cost of caring for their eyes is incorporated into the charges for their glasses. Our fees will have to rise if we lose business on the glasses side; otherwise the quality of care will decline. My advice to ECPs is, start charging for your services and explain the reasons to your patients. Otherwise, you’ll go out of business.”

Instead of fighting the Internet, Dr. Daryan Angle suggests that ECPs use it to help educate their patients and improve service delivery.

“The public’s understanding of proper eyecare is poor,” he says. “Online companies talk only about price, reducing glasses and contact lenses to the level of commodities. But a strong web presence can help us explain the benefits of professional advice in choosing lenses based on the patient’s lifestyle, prescription and other needs. We can also use social media, including Facebook, twitter and blogs to convey the message that there’s much more to glasses and contact lenses than price.”

Another way to respond to the Internet challenge is to create your own website and retail products in a way that combines brick and mortar with the Internet. This model, which is gaining popularity in the U.S., is starting to make inroads into Canada.

IRIS plans to start selling contact lenses online to its own patients by early summer, joining other independent Canadian optometrists and some optical stores.

“Patients must have received proper in-person, up-to-date eye health examinations, contact lens fittings or progress checks at one of our locations by IRIS Doctors of Optometry and/or contact lens fitters,” says Dr. Angle.

A New Business Model

The development of increasingly sophisticated software is about to revolutionize the Internet dispensing of eyeglasses, says Daniel Beaulieu, president and CEO of DirectLab Network.

“Programmers have already developed software that can measure pupillary distance (PD) online and it is just a matter of months until it will be possible to measure fitting height, which is necessary for dispensing progressives. That means more sales on the web and fewer for eyecare professionals (ECPs).”

Beaulieu believes that because the Internet has changed the rules of the game,Canada’s ECPs must now change the way they do business. “They need to start selling to the public online in order to compete successfully with Internet dispensers,” he says.

Consumers can save more than 50 percent on the cost of glasses and contact lenses by buying them through an Internet dispenser, says Beaulieu, adding that in Canada, the average online cost of a single vision package, including frame and lens, is just $69.

“ECPs need to offer products of similar quality at comparable prices or they will lose sales.”

To that end, DirectLab plans to launch a web development package in support of ECPs later this year. “We will offer a complete website management service, including frames and lenses, at a price that will enable ECPs to compete with online companies,” says Beaulieu.

One significant advantage of the new model is that while customers will make their purchases online, they will have full access to local eyecare service for fittings and adjustments. And ECPs will be able to charge a fee for those services.

The new business model is similar to MyOnlineOptical, which Essilor launched in the U.S.two years ago. It combines the convenience of shopping online for eyeglasses, contact lenses, frames and sunglasses with the services available from an ECP’s practice. MyOnlineOptical.com now services about 1,100 practices in the U.S.

Daily Disposable Contact Lenses: The Good, the Bad and the Reasons Why

Publié le par

By Evra Taylor

makingcontact

There is no doubt that we live in a disposable society. In contrast to earlier times when excellent craftsmanship meant product durability, nowadays our first response when something has served its purpose is to get rid of it. This is true for a diverse range of products from personal razors to computers, whose built-in obsolescence boosts manufacturers’ profits.

While some people would describe the phenomenon of “disposability versus longevity” as negative, in some instances, modern technology has led to manufacturing breakthroughs that translate into greater consumer convenience. Daily disposable contact lenses are one example of this.

Overview

In 1994, Johnson & Johnson introduced ACUVUE® – the first daily disposable contact lenses in the U.S. Contact lens technology has progressed significantly since then. Now, even toric lenses for the correction of astigmatism as well as bifocals are available in daily disposable format.

Daily disposable contact lenses are ideal for occasional use such as playing sports or for special events involving one-time use – like a wedding – where replacing eyeglasses with contact lenses is an important cosmetic consideration. These lenses are also a good choice for people who combine contact lens wear with spectacle use. Some of today’s disposable lenses are made of the same materials as traditional lenses; other disposables are made from new materials developed specially for this purpose.

An important advance in the technology of these lenses is that they are now offered in a broader sphere power range than ever before, from +8.00D to -12.00D. In addition, some lenses offer diameters surpassing 14 mm, which makes them available to a greater number of patients.

Advantages

Daily disposable contact lenses provide several advantages, the chief of which is convenience. Since contact care, cleaning and disinfection are not required with daily disposables they provide a measure of ease of wear.

Daily disposables also offer a number of key “ingredients” that practitioners look for in a high-performance lens, including low rotation (which is of value with toric lenses), lens stability and high oxygen transmissibility.

Daily disposables are thought to reduce the risk of protein deposits, eye infections caused by the lenses or the solutions used to clean them – including fungal keratitis and Acanthamoeba keratitis – and eye ulcers. Since they are replaced daily, the time for deposits like proteins and allergens to build up on the lenses is reduced. Moreover, many of these lenses offer some protection from UV rays, which is particularly relevant for patients who play sports. However, it should be noted that the UV protection does not protect the bulbar conjunctiva which means that daily disposables do not eliminate the need for the eye protection afforded by proper sunglasses.

Although toss-away lenses are perceived as expensive, they eliminate the need for contact lens solution and, more importantly, the contact lens case, which is a significant risk if not disposed of at least once every two to three months.

Some practitioners maintain that the difference in the cost of disposable contacts compared to that of traditional contact lenses is minimal and is offset, at least in part, by the reduced need for cleaning products.

Disadvantages 

Daily disposable lenses might not be available for certain uncommon prescriptions, and certain specialty soft contact lenses, such as color contacts and theatrical contact lenses, are not available in daily disposable form.

Complications due to contact lens wear are estimated at five percent of contact lens wearers each year.Most of these situations arise from non-compliance with the prescribed wear schedule, not using solutions properly, improper maintenance of lens cases or failing to dispose of cases at least every three months. It is crucial that eyecare practitioners discuss the importance of compliance when counselling patients on contact lens wear.

Daily disposable contact lenses represent a positive advance in terms of patient convenience and comfort and may, in fact, constitute a large portion of your practice. However, they are not without drawbacks and patients should be presented with “the whole truth and nothing but the truth” when it comes to their use.

Kids Eyewear: Children Know Best

Publié le par

By JoAnne Sommers

featureWhen it comes to eyewear, today’s children are both seen and heard. Kids know what they want and they’re not shy about expressing it. And if they’re smart, parents and eyecare professionals (ECPs) are paying close attention.

“Children have much more influence on eyewear purchasing decisions than ever before,” says Beverly Suliteanu, creative director and vice president of product development for WestGroupe.

Durability used to be the primary focus of kids’ eyewear but fashion has become a much more important consideration in the past two years, she says.

“Children are adamant about wanting what their peers and idols have and if they dislike their glasses they simply won’t wear them.”

Kids are often the pickiest consumers because they’re highly trend-conscious and want to look like adults, especially their parents, says Josh Wyman, marketing coordinator with Ogi Eyewear.

“The Ogi Kid’s collection bridges the gap between fun and functional with frames that emulate those worn by adults. Today’s children are the fashion enthusiasts of tomorrow and Ogi is looking to give them a head start.”

Tastes have changed a lot in recent years. Gone are teddy bears, balloons and happy faces; in their place are cool, trendy-looking frames with an emphasis on fun colours and shapes.

V. Design’s Kids collection from Concept Eyewear has taken children’s eyewear to a whole new level with multi-dimensional frames that kids are excited to wear, says President Pille Annist. “They have the “cool” factor and the ability to express the child’s individuality,” she says.

The collection combines unexpected, unique shapes and extravagant temple details with bright, fun colours, such as white with bright purple and turquoise with orange.

“This assertive, upscale eyewear line mimics V.Design adult frames,” says Annist, who believes there’s a growing market for unique, non-mainstream children’s frames. “They’re perfect for a child or parents who are looking for something playful, fresh and stylish.”

The frames are also very sturdy, which is essential with children’s eyewear, she adds. “Quality is key because kids are so hard on their glasses.”

Children’s optical eyewear poses a major challenge for eyewear producers because the fit, weight and performance must be right to ensure that it fulfills its medical purpose while withstanding great stress. It must also look good to persuade children to wear it.

adidas kids’ eyewear offers visual appeal combined with convincing functional performance. Very light, yet robust, it adjusts to the wearer’s face thanks to soft nosepads that prevent pressure points and ensure a comfortable fit. Flexible temples always return to the correct starting position and a non-slip rubber coating on the inside of the temples ensures a secure grip.

Lafont pour les enfants from Lafont Co. offers glasses specifically designed for children’s faces, says Brand Manager Kristin Calimlim. That’s important because children’s faces are shaped differently than those of adults.

“Lafont frames enable the eyecare professional to fit each one to the specific morphology of the child,” she explains. “Our glasses are the most optically sound for kids because they’re designed for a child’s view of the world. The lens area is above the eyebrow because kids are always looking up.”

Thanks to growing awareness of the importance of protecting children’s eyes, kids’ eyewear is becoming an increasingly lucrative market, says Amanda Grant, communications director with Rudy Project.

“Consumers understand that eyewear is not just for looks,” she notes. “It provides protection against cataracts and growths on the eye, including cancer, which is why it’s so important to start protecting the eyes with sunglasses early in life. Rudy Project understands this and we’ve designed our ROB sunglass specifically to fit the faces of children and smaller-faced adults.”

The ROB is a very lightweight sunglass designed to fit small faces, making it ideal for children and smaller women. “Comfort is key with sunwear – whether for children or adults,” says Grant. And weighing in weighing at less than 0.78 oz., “the ROB is so comfortable you barely know it’s there.”

It is also fully Rx-able and comes in a variety of bright, fun colours that appeal to even the most discerning young customer.

Tips for ECPs

Here are some suggestions for ECPs who want to grow their children’s eyewear practices:

• Don’t talk down to kids, says WestGroupe’s Bev Suliteanu. Involve them in the buying process by asking about their favorite colours and find out what they like or dislike about particular frames. Be guided by their answers.

• Create a kid-friendly environment. Roberts & Brown recently renovated, adding a large, colourful, interactive kids’ rug, rainbow-coloured frame bars and vanity mirrors shaped like giant pairs of kids’ glasses.

• Take time to explain things to parents and answer their questions, says Sheena Taff, manager of Roberts & Brown Opticians in Vancouver. “They’re often worried and overwhelmed when they come in so we want to reassure them by answering all their questions and providing support.”

• Good warranties are essential with kids’ frames because they undergo so much wear and tear. Make sure the frames you sell are covered by solid warranties and instruct staff not to ask what happened to a pair of broken glasses if they’re returned. You don’t want to make either kids or parents feel bad about it.

• Discuss the importance of proper sunwear and sports goggles with parents. “Some kids lose their vision due to injuries,” Taff warns. “That’s why it’s important to educate parents about the benefits of protective eyewear.”

• Ask your adult patients whether they have children and if so, ask if their child’s eyes have been examined within the last year. Children should have their first eye examination by six months of age and every year thereafter.

WHAT’S NEW IN KIDS EYEWEAR:

Canadian Optical Supply (COS)

Collection: Lite Fit from adidas eyewear

Ages: children and teens

Features: Colourful, sporty, full-rim models; very light and robust; adjust perfectly to the wearer’s face. Flexible soft nosepads prevent pressure points and ensure comfortable fit. Flexible temples always return to correct starting position. Non-slip rubber coating on the inside of temples ensures a secure grip.

Key Models: Youth metal models a001 and a002 in brown, grey mat/black, cherry, blue jeans.

Warranty: guaranteed against manufacturer’s defects for 2 years from date of purchase.

Concept Eyewear Inc.

Collection: V. Design Kids

Ages: from 4 up; also suitable for smaller adults

Colours: white with bright purple, turquoise with bright orange, lime green

Materials: 22 stainless steel models, 2 acetate models with metal temples

Shapes: multi-dimensional with different layers; unique temple details

Special features: adjustable nosepads, durable construction

Warranty: 1 year on manufacturer’s defects.

J.F. REY

Collection: J.F. Rey Kids & Teens

Ages: 6-15

Materials: Irwin, Ibizza, Indy, Izza and Idol: acetate on the front with stainless steel on temples. Icone and Ideal: stainless steel. Impala & Iguane: nylor, with rich, refined work on the temples. Highly coloured resins on girls’ models adopt mirror effects.

Shapes: Indy, Izza and Idol: fresh, flowery designs, round or butterfly shapes.

Irwin andIbiza: modern shapes with a double bridge for boys. A wide range of colours and two-tone colours.

Warranty: 1 year from date of purchase on manufacturer’s defects.

Lafont

Collection: Lafont pour les enfants

Ages: babies to tweens

Features: babies-only styles have silicon inside, very soft and non-allergenic.

Material: acetate and silicon for babies, combination acetate and stainless steel for kids 2-12.

Features: end tips are customizable; temples have 5 mm increments and can be shortened up to 15 mm.

Silicon-based nosepads; most models have spring hinges.

Colours: bright pinks, purples, blue, green, red, tortoise, black.

Shapes: cat eyes for girls, rectangular for boys. All have a higher lens area above the eye for a children’s view of the world.

Warranty: 1 year on manufacturer’s defects.

Modo Eyewear

Collection: Eco Kids

Ages: 7-12

Features: non-toxic and hypoallergenic, featuring round temple tips and spring hinges. All made of 95 percent recycled material.

Key Models:

515: narrow retro rectangle in plastic; in brown, navy.

514: subtle, sculpted look in plastic featuring complimentary interior and exterior colours. In red, tortoise.

513: Potter-like specs with complimentary coloured rims made of stainless steel and temples in plastic. In brown, navy.

512: butterfly frames; front is stainless steel, temples are plastic and come in super-chic patterns. Topped off with the Eco icon inlaid at the temple. In brown, purple.

Warranty: 2 years from purchase date against defects in workmanship or materials.

Ogi Eyewear

Collection: Ogi Kids

Ages: 3-12

Key Models:

OK300: perfectly resembles a scaled-down version of the adult 3101. A playful cat-eye with delicate feminine flair made from Italian acetate; unique colour palette of blue, purple, red, or amber marble.

OK301: scaled-down version of adult model 9606. The keyhole bridge and neutral colour palette reflect conservative fashion. Italian acetate unites with spring hinges for long-lasting durability.

Colour: crystal/grey demi, blue demi/blue, amber demi/brown, green demi/green.

Warranty: 1 year

Optik Innovision Canada

Collection: Allegro Junior

Ages: 12-16

Shapes: square to classic ovals.

Materials: most are metal, 2 acetate.

Key Models:

474: unisex plastic frame with some texture on the front. In black and candy pink; deep purple and tangerine; evergreen and blue; navy blue and bright yellow; teal and bright purple.

473: metal with fun embellishments on the temple. In two tones of purple; black and white; chocolate and pink; dark burgundy and turquoise.

Warranty: 2-year warranty from purchase date.

Rudy Project

Collection: children’s sunwear collection consists of five models.

Ages: from 5 and up

Key model: weighing just under 0.78 oz., ROB 2.0 is the newest addition to the casual line. For those with vision correction needs, ROB 2.0 offers a highly refined RX option and broad parameters.

Warranty: Lifetime replacement lens guarantee and 3-year frame warranty.

Sunoptic

Collection: Zoobug sunwear

Ages: 4-12

Features: 100 percent UV protection.

Key Models:

DaisyChain: features a flexible temple design and robust but soft side, integrated into the temple for excellent comfort and ease-of-wear. In pink, pink/white, dark pink or lilac.

SUPER A: new interpretation of the classic Aviator in six colours: pink or purple for girls, transparent or black for boys. Slightly oversized at the front, features classic double bridge. They offer a snug fit on the sides and around the ears. In lilac/flower, pink/flower, red/flower, blue/stripe, clear/stripe or black/stripe.

BUZZBLING: in purple, pink, black and transparent. Decorated with crystals on either side of the front. Has Zoobug’s ultra-comfortable flexible temple joint.

ZB 9 WAYFARER: in lilac, black, red, red/white, pink, dark blue or lilac.

Warranty: 24-month full replacement.

Tekā Eyewear

Collection: Huveli Milano

Ages: 10-16, also fit smaller women.

Material: newest, most popular models are full plastic, adjustable, durable and lightweight.

Shapes: round, square and rectangular.

Mainly unisex, some exclusively for boys or girls.

Warranty: 1 year

Viva International

Collection: SKECHERS

Ages: 5-10, 11-16

Key Models:

SK 1030 and SK 1031: boys’ styles; SK 1030 has a metal rectangular front; SK 1031 an acetate rectangular front.

Both feature recessed horizontal detail; the raised metal SKECHERS “SKX” logo is etched on each temple.

Colours:

SK 1030: matte black/blue, satin brown, satin gunmetal/green

SK 1031: black/blue stripes, brown on orange, grey on black

Girls/Tweens

Colours: pink, magenta, purple

Material: rubber

Shapes: stars, hearts and flowers with glitter and sparkle

Boys/Tweens

Colours: black, gunmetal, blue

Shapes: Metal in half rimless shapes

Warranty: 1 year

Westgroupe

Collection: Superflex Kids

Ages: 5-12

Materials: stainless steel and acetate.

Styling direction: fun, funky and bold.

Colours: two-toned fronts and temples. Boys: navy, grey, brown, black. Girls: fuschia, teal, turquoise, red, purple, citrus.

Shapes: for boys softened rectangles and sporty ovals; for girls softened rectangles, cat eyes, modified ovals.

Features: spring hinges and lightweight material.

Warranty: 2 years for manufacturer’s defects.