By Staff
Wednesday, February 27, 2019 12:15 AM
RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.—
VSP Global and
Heart of America Eye Care Congress have partnered to launch a new optometry scholarship in honor of Frank Fontana, OD, affectionately known to all as “Uncle Frank,” according to an announcement from the two organizations. After a
storied career as a doctor of optometry for nearly 70 years, Dr. Fontana passed away last fall at the age of 96, leaving behind an unmatched legacy as a colleague, mentor and friend to so many. The Fontana Scholarship will be awarded annually, beginning in 2020.
By Staff
Wednesday, February 20, 2019 12:18 AM
MEMPHIS, Tenn.—The
Southern College of Optometry (SCO) has announced two additions to their board of trustees. James Sandefur, OD, will be stepping into the role of board chair, while Jennifer Lyerly, OD, will become the board’s newest member. Dr. Sandefur has served on the board of trustees at SCO, his alma mater, for several years, and officially assumed the chair position in January. He has spent more than 30 years in private practice in Oakdale, Louisiana, and was one of the first optometrists to serve on a hospital staff in the state.
By Staff
Tuesday, February 19, 2019 9:15 AM
CINCINNATI—
Total Eye Care Partners (Total ECP), a group of medically focused optometry practices founded in 2017 and based here, has named Dr. Ben Gaddie as president of the organization, according to an announcement Tuesday morning. Dr. Gaddie previously served as chief medical officer of Total ECP.
By Staff
Wednesday, February 6, 2019 12:30 AM
ORLANDO, Fla.—
Transitions Optical honored Dr. Amanda Rights of
Blue Ridge Vision in Boone, N.C., with the 2018 Transitions Brand Ambassador title, one of the categories of the Transitions Innovation Awards program, during a recognition ceremony Tuesday evening as the 23rd annual Transitions Academy drew to a close. Dr. Rights is the author of the
OptomEyesLife blog.
By Stephanie Sengwe, Contributing Editor
Monday, January 21, 2019 12:32 AM
The end of the year always seems to bring an atmosphere of reflection with it. We tend to look back on what we could have done better, what we wish we would have done and above all what we’ve learned and how those lessons can usher us into the coming year. On social media, people use the end of the year as an opportunity to connect a bit more by sharing personal anecdotes.
By Staff
Wednesday, January 16, 2019 12:24 AM
MADISON, Wis.—
Rev360, a practice software and business services company for ECPs, began the new year with a new chief executive officer. Longtime health care IT executive Scott Filion assumed the title from company founder Scott Jens, OD, FAAO, at the beginning of this month. The challenge for Filion, who had joined Rev360 in September 2018 as president and chief operating officer, is to deftly build upon past successes and to drive further growth by helping the company’s ECP customer base operate more successfully.
By Staff
Tuesday, January 8, 2019 7:40 AM
DALLAS—
Riata Capital Group announced this morning that its portfolio company
Acuity Eyecare Group has acquired two regional eyecare businesses, ABBA Eye Care in Colorado and EyeCare Specialties in Nebraska.
By Staff
Tuesday, January 8, 2019 12:21 AM
SAN FRANCISCO—
EyeQue, which develops at-home vision tests for smartphones, said this week that its PDCheck tool, a convenient method for measuring pupillary distance (PD), is now available on
Kickstarter.
By Staff
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 12:24 AM
CALGARY, Alberta—
FYidoctors/
Visique, the optometrist-owned eyecare company based here, has added the Quebec practice Optique Le Cartier to its holdings and is moving to get “back on our growth path,” according to an announcement this week. “After a brief hiatus in the Quebec market [while] launching our Visique brand and building needed infrastructure, we are back on our growth path and are thrilled to welcome Optique Le Cartier to our growing organization,” FYIdoctors chairman and chief executive officer Dr. Alan Ulsifer said in the announcement this week.
By Ted Gioia
Monday, December 17, 2018 12:30 AM
Hollywood needed something exciting in the 1950s to compete with the newfangled home entertainment gadgets, from television to hi-fi record players, keeping people out of movie theaters. In an unprecedented move, studios turned to a vision care company for help—specifically to American Optical (now part of Carl Zeiss Vision). The result of this unusual partnership would change the course of cinema history.
By Staff
Wednesday, December 12, 2018 12:24 AM
LINCOLN, Neb.—
Williams Group, a business consulting and practice management firm, has expanded its services to include a new “Total Freedom” program offering a complete practice management solution for optometrists, according to an announcement. Total Freedom is an “optometrist-requested, comprehensive service that allows optometrists to continue to own their practices and see patients while leaving the day-to-day management to Williams Group experts,” the announcement noted. “Many of our colleagues have expressed concern regarding the value of their practices over the course of their careers, as well as the emotional and financial investment they have made,” Williams Group chief executive officer Gilan Cockrell said in the announcement.
By Staff
Monday, December 10, 2018 12:24 AM
TEMPE, Ariz.—
American Vision Partners, a private-equity backed practice management organization, and
Southwestern Eye Center, an affiliate of American Vision Partners, said late last week they have established a “strategic partnership” with Mesa, Ariz.-based McDougal Eye Center. “The affiliation of the two businesses will improve the quality of care for patients in the Mesa area by bringing more comprehensive vision care services to the community,” American Vision said in its announcement. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
By Staff
Wednesday, December 5, 2018 12:18 AM
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—
Vision Expo, has announced the first ever “7 Days of Giveaways” holiday contest. For a week straight starting Dec. 5, Vision Expo will reveal a new giveaway item each day on their
Instagram, in collaboration with various merchandise and exhibiting companies. According to Vison Expo, the week of giving, “features frames, plus eye-related and eye-inspired items available for participants to win.” To enter the contest, individuals must follow both the participating company and Vision Expo on Instagram plus comment on the image based on the rules for the day. Winners will be announced by 10 a.m. EST the following day.
By Staff
Wednesday, December 5, 2018 12:15 AM
WICHITA, Kan.—For the first time since its inception in 2006,
Envision Conference will be split into two events in 2019, according to an announcement from the organization. The format change will expand the reach of Envision Conference, making accredited continuing education more accessible to a greater number of students and professionals around the country, Envision said. Envision Conference East is slated for March 22 to 23, 2019, at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, Ala.; and Envision Conference West is scheduled for Oct. 5 to 6, 2019, at the College of Optometry at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Calif.
By Staff
Tuesday, December 4, 2018 12:24 AM
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—
Registration for Vision Expo East 2019 is now open and for the first time ever, Vision Expo is waiving all attendee Exhibit Hall registration fees, a total savings of $150 off the on-site fee, until Dec. 31, 2018.