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7 DAYS facebook.com/opticianonline shown on the Tube platform and escalators at Old Street station, as well an animation on a digital screen at the ticket office. Moorfields Eye Charity will celebrate the anniversary with a street party, featuring food, kids’ activities and live music at the start and finish point of the walk. Pinder & Moore changes hands Pinder & Moore Opticians in Kingswinford is now under the direction of optometrist Nilesh Patel, who took over from Amit Sharma and Mark Tuffin. The outgoing directors led the practice for more than four and 25 years, respectively, and worked closely with Patel over the past few years. ‘Nilesh has brought a wealth of knowledge to the team and I’m really looking forward to seeing the practice thrive under his leadership,’ Tuffin told Stourbridge News. Tuffin will remain at the practice as a dispensing optician for two days a week to ensure a smooth transition for patients while Sharma will leave the practice. Patel said his priority was to continue delivering the high standard of care and clinical excellence that Pinder & Moore already provided while exploring ways to elevate the practice. IbisVision and UCLan refraction collaboration Remote eye care technology developer IbisVision partnered with the University of Central Lancashire on research to fine tune its processes for remote refractive eye tests. Some 30 students would undertake the role of clinicians and IbisVision and UCLan team up ABDO celebrates future of profession Future dispensing opticians and contact lens opticians graduated at Canterbur y Cathedral on April 24 during the Association of British Dispensing Opticians’ (ABDO) annual ceremony. addressed the graduands and their families and suppor ters. Newsome said it was an honour to meet some of the family and friends who suppor ted graduates on their journey to qualification. During the ceremony, a handshake indicated the moment graduands became graduates and a full par t of the profession of dispensing optics. ABDO president Dar yl Newsome, and Elizabeth Shilling, master of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers, both ‘I want to wish each and ever y graduate well on this, the first step on their professional careers. I would encourage ever yone to be the best dispensing opticians they can be and to commit to improving their offering year on year as they maintain their journey into lifelong learning,’ Newsome added. patients under the supervision of a registered optometrist to help them gain a deeper understanding of the mechanics of refraction. In return, IbisVision aimed to refine its remote eye test, involving an internet connection and computer screen, in order to support patients across the world who lack access to eye care. The programme would experiment with different targets and visual backgrounds to relax the eyes and encourage patients to look further into the distance. Glaucoma UK opens research applications Glaucoma UK was accepting applications from clinical and nonclinical researchers for the Open Call Research Award 2024, which offers up to £50,000 in funding for glaucoma-related projects. Applications were welcomed by June 25 from established and new investigators, including those from fields outside of vision research, with the aim of enhancing understanding and combatting glaucoma. Joanne Creighton, chief executive of Glaucoma UK, said: ‘We hope this award will also encourage and diversify the range of glaucoma-related research projects. We’re looking forward to seeing the positive impact that the successful projects will have on the field and wellbeing of those living with glaucoma.’ Children in focus for World Sight Day 2024 World Sight Day 2024 returns on October 10 with a focus on child eye health, under the #LoveYourEyes campaign banner, organised by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). Parents, caregivers and schools were encouraged to pledge an eye test on behalf of every young person and access resources to raise awareness about the 450 million children globally with eye conditions requiring treatment. Peter Holland, IAPB CEO, said: ‘We all know that in children an uncorrected vision impairment can severely impact their education. Research tells us that children with access to, and being prescribed spectacles can reduce failing rates by 44%. It is knowledge like this that has led us to make World Sight Day 2024 one for children around the world.’ 6 OPTICIAN 3 May 2024 opticianonline.net
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Follow us on X @opticianonline IN FOCUS Eye care initiative supports people with learning difficulties Emma White reports on how a scheme in South East London has benefitted patients with extra needs SeeAbility and Sight Centre in Deptford hosted MP and shadow minister for disabled people, Vicky Foxcroft, to showcase their joint efforts to improve eye care for people with learning difficulties and autism. Sight Centre was one of the accredited South East London practices taking part in the Easy Eye Care Service, funded by the NHS, offering longer or multiple appointments and other adjustments to support patients with extra needs. Optometrist Gus Sidhu showed Foxcroft how the practice made adjustments to support patients, demonstrating that anyone can have an eye test, even if they are unable to read or verbally express what they can see. Sidhu said he was very proud of the services that Sight Centre offered to the local community: ‘Taking part in the Easy Eye Care pathway is our most recent venture in supporting the NHS locally to make better use of opticians. ‘We spot things early that can actually save a person’s sight – for people with learning disabilities who might not be able to say there’s a problem, it’s just one of the reasons this service is so vital.’ SeeAbility London eye care champions, Lance Campbell and Grace McGill, also discussed how people with learning disabilities were more likely to have sight problems and shared their personal experiences of facing barriers to having eye tests. EYE CARE CHAMPIONS Foxcroft commented that it was interesting to learn more about the opticianonline.net MP Vicky Foxcroft with SeeAbility Eye Care Champions Lance Campbell and Grace McGill Easy Eye Care Service and added she was thrilled it was available in the constituency. ‘As shadow minister for disabled people, I am only too aware that many people with disabilities can struggle to find the right eye care. SeeAbility is doing a fantastic job in raising awareness and ensuring appropriate adjustments are implemented in their partner opticians,’ she said. McGill said she enjoyed talking about the efforts of eye care champions to make eye care more accessible: ‘Not many people know that people with learning disabilities, like myself, are 10 times more likely to have a sight “Many people with disabilities can struggle to find the right eye care.” problem than other people. So having easy read information and appointments with opticians who have had additional training is really important.’ Campbell added it was great to share with Foxcroft his experience of finding his way in work as a person with a disability: ‘I explained how I share information about eye care and how I recently have been talking to children in special schools about the world of work. ‘My message is please do come and use the service – there are only a few in the country, so we really want to see more areas adopt what South East London is doing, as it is great for people with learning disabilities and autism.’ CREATING ACCESS Latest figures revealed that approximately 9,000 people in South East London had a learning disability and some 21,000 were autistic. These patients could face significant health inequalities compared to the rest of the population and often experienced poorer access to healthcare. The NHS South East London Integrated Care Board (ICB) was the first ICB to commission an Easy Eye Care Service, which was supported and arranged through Primary Ophthalmic Solutions. Anyone with a learning disability or autism could self-refer or be referred by a carer or family member, their GP, hospital eye service, advocacy group, local learning disability team, mainstream special educational needs and disability provision or community eye care clinic. Based on the Local Optical Committee Support Unity learning disability eye care pathway, the service was available across the South East London ICB area to people with a GP in the boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham or Southwark. • ABDO VIEW FROM I rang a hotel recently and wanted to ask about the nearest railway station, but the phone system gave me several choices. I could talk to someone in reservations, or make an enquir y regarding existing reser vations or make enquiries without adjusting the reser vation. When I finally managed to speak to Charles in reser vations, I asked, ‘Which is the closest railway station?’ ‘Oh,’ says Charles, ‘I am in central reser vations, let me transfer you.’ Twenty minutes later I hung up. I looked up the number for the small café across the road from the hotel. I rang them and they told me, which took less than 30 seconds. In this ever more globalised world I am taking stock, multinational corporations are bidding to buy big frame manufacturers, corporate empires keep growing, supermarket chains are buying up their competition. Independent companies must be at the top of their game to sur vive. If we don’t support independent businesses, they will start to disappear. The optical market is not immune to this. The best independent labs are still in business because they are working hard to be the best. If we don’t use them, are we prepared to lose them? There are new products coming to the market, new processes in the manufacturing of lenses, new improved coatings and new information about the performance of the coatings. Our suppliers are a hugely underused resource of fantastic information – we should be talking to them more. Think carefully about where you spend your money. It is not just a purchase but also an economic vote for the future of the countr y. Dar yl Newsome, president, ABDO 3 May 2024 OPTICIAN 7

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7 DAYS

facebook.com/opticianonline shown on the Tube platform and escalators at Old Street station, as well an animation on a digital screen at the ticket office. Moorfields Eye Charity will celebrate the anniversary with a street party, featuring food, kids’ activities and live music at the start and finish point of the walk.

Pinder & Moore changes hands Pinder & Moore Opticians in Kingswinford is now under the direction of optometrist Nilesh Patel, who took over from Amit Sharma and Mark Tuffin.

The outgoing directors led the practice for more than four and 25 years, respectively, and worked closely with Patel over the past few years.

‘Nilesh has brought a wealth of knowledge to the team and I’m really looking forward to seeing the practice thrive under his leadership,’ Tuffin told Stourbridge News.

Tuffin will remain at the practice as a dispensing optician for two days a week to ensure a smooth transition for patients while Sharma will leave the practice.

Patel said his priority was to continue delivering the high standard of care and clinical excellence that Pinder & Moore already provided while exploring ways to elevate the practice.

IbisVision and UCLan refraction collaboration Remote eye care technology developer IbisVision partnered with the University of Central Lancashire on research to fine tune its processes for remote refractive eye tests.

Some 30 students would undertake the role of clinicians and

IbisVision and UCLan team up

ABDO celebrates future of profession Future dispensing opticians and contact lens opticians graduated at Canterbur y Cathedral on April 24 during the Association of British Dispensing Opticians’ (ABDO) annual ceremony.

addressed the graduands and their families and suppor ters.

Newsome said it was an honour to meet some of the family and friends who suppor ted graduates on their journey to qualification.

During the ceremony, a handshake indicated the moment graduands became graduates and a full par t of the profession of dispensing optics.

ABDO president Dar yl Newsome, and Elizabeth Shilling, master of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers, both

‘I want to wish each and ever y graduate well on this, the first step on their professional careers. I would encourage ever yone to be the best dispensing opticians they can be and to commit to improving their offering year on year as they maintain their journey into lifelong learning,’ Newsome added.

patients under the supervision of a registered optometrist to help them gain a deeper understanding of the mechanics of refraction.

In return, IbisVision aimed to refine its remote eye test, involving an internet connection and computer screen, in order to support patients across the world who lack access to eye care.

The programme would experiment with different targets and visual backgrounds to relax the eyes and encourage patients to look further into the distance.

Glaucoma UK opens research applications Glaucoma UK was accepting applications from clinical and nonclinical researchers for the Open Call Research Award 2024, which offers up to £50,000 in funding for glaucoma-related projects.

Applications were welcomed by June 25 from established and new investigators, including those from fields outside of vision research, with the aim of enhancing understanding and combatting glaucoma.

Joanne Creighton, chief executive of Glaucoma UK, said: ‘We hope this award will also encourage and diversify the range of glaucoma-related research projects. We’re looking forward to seeing the positive impact that the successful projects will have on the field and wellbeing of those living with glaucoma.’

Children in focus for World Sight Day 2024 World Sight Day 2024 returns on October 10 with a focus on child eye health, under the #LoveYourEyes campaign banner, organised by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).

Parents, caregivers and schools were encouraged to pledge an eye test on behalf of every young person and access resources to raise awareness about the 450 million children globally with eye conditions requiring treatment.

Peter Holland, IAPB CEO, said: ‘We all know that in children an uncorrected vision impairment can severely impact their education. Research tells us that children with access to, and being prescribed spectacles can reduce failing rates by 44%. It is knowledge like this that has led us to make World Sight Day 2024 one for children around the world.’

6 OPTICIAN 3 May 2024

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