This article originally appeared in the January 2015 edition of INVISION.
INFANTSEE GETS A BIG BOOST
CareCredit’s Caring Communities Program has made a $25,000 grant to the InfantSEE program run by Optometry Cares. The money will expand awareness of the InfantSEE program among new parents through print advertising, brochures, signage and online efforts. A directory at infantsee.org helps parents find participating optometrists who offer early screenings for babies 6 to 12 months old to identify, treat and prevent developing eye conditions and diseases.
SEE YOUR NAME IN HALL OF FAME
Nominations are due Jan. 15 for the 2015 National Optometry Hall of Fame, which will induct new members at Optometry’s Meeting in June. Optometrists with significant contributions and at least 30 years of service are eligible. Get details and the nomination forms at invmag.us/1152.
BIZ GROUP OFFERS YOUTUBE PERK
Need fresh video content for your website or reception-area TV? Block Business Group is offering a custom YouTube channel with co-branded videos from Shamir for its members with participating lab billing agreements. Content is updated regularly and linked to your website and social media channels. See an example from Van Buskirk Opticians in Naples, FL, at invmag.us/1156. Information: blockbg.com
EUROPA TEAMS WITH FRAME LINES
Europa International has teamed up with Frieze Frames and Anvi Frieze (along with Full Spectrum Global and American Eyes Manufacturing). All will combine to form Independent Eyewear Manufacturing, based at Europa’s Chicago-area headquarters. “We’ll be able to make more frames and make them accessible to more people,” says Scott Shapiro, Europa COO. The eyewear collections will be rebranded and redesigned by Europa for an anticipated 3Q 2015 release. Information: europaeye.com
MOSCOT MARKS 100
Five generations strong, Moscot kicks off its centennial year this month with events at its New York City stores and special edition frames. “We are extremely excited and very humbled to share this anniversary with friends, family and fans worldwide,” says Dr. Harvey Moscot, who adds that at its heart — and despite selling its frames worldwide — Moscot remains a neighborhood optical shop. Information: moscot.com
TRANSITIONS NAMES FINALISTS
Transitions Optical will honor its annual awards finalists at the Transitions Academy Jan. 25-28 in Orlando, FL. The finalists for Lab of the Year are Expert Optics, Optical Prescription Lab and Walman Optical; for National Retailer of the Year: Costco Optical and Visionworks; for Regional Retailer of the Year: Henry Ford OptimEyes and SVS Vision; and for Eyecare Practice of the Year: Dumas Vision Source, Southern Eye Specialists and VisionArts Eyecare Center.
APP HELPS YOU SHOW AND TELL
The new Hoya Vision Consultant Viewer includes interactive Augmented Reality modules to help you demonstrate the visual effects of different lenses in real-life situations. The HVC Viewer app is available for $129.99 on the iTunes Store.