In the good old days, or at least when I was younger, the dog days of summer were a welcome respite in August for winding down, sneaking in a last-minute summer vacation or just listening to a baseball game on the radio. Wouldn’t it be nice to have those dog days back?

Thanks to business innovation and new technology—and plenty of other things—it seems there’s no time in our crowded schedules these days for slowing down or taking a break, even in the dog days of August. Business rolls on, regardless of the calendar.

Here are a few recent industry headlines:

• Essilor, in the midst of finalizing a proposed merger with Luxottica, announced partnerships with two companies that provide dispensing services to ECPs, Partners in Vision and Vision Associates.

• Warby Parker, aiming to rollout 25 new locations this year, opened its first stores in Colorado and Kentucky.

• Chicago-based private equity firm Shore Capital Partners, through its portfolio company EyeSouthPartners, completed a partnership with Georgia Retina. This was just one of three private equity-led deals within the eyecare sector this summer.

This is just a sampling of what’s happening in optical, while general business news focused on even bigger stories. The fact is that life is busier. And we’re all looking for the next new technology fix that will simplify the daily grind.

This is true even in the practice of optometry, where new technology is the remedy many ECPs are calling upon as an ally in their battle against shrinking margins, new competition and a finicky patient base. For this issue’s cover story, we asked several ODs what software or new technologies they employ to bring efficiency to their office. Their answers are quite interesting, and it’s clear these ECPs are prepared for success with or without the dog days of summer.