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EDITORIAL 020 7501 6745 Editor-in-chief Chris Bennett 020 7501 6660 chris.bennett@markallengroup.com Editor Simon Jones 020 7501 6667 simon.jones@markallengroup.com Deputy editor Mike Hale 020 7501 6670 mike.hale@markallengroup.com Clinical editor (Optometr y) Dr Manbir Nagra manbir.nagra@markallengroup.com Clinical editor (Dispensing) Tina Arbon Black tina.arbonblack@markallengroup.com Content editor Andrew McCarthy-McClean 020 7501 6788 andrew.mcclean@markallengroup.com Online editor Lucy Patchett 020 7501 6663 lucy.patchett@markallengroup.com Production editor Gar y O’Connell 020 7501 6706 gar y.oconnell@markallengroup.com Ar t editor Sara Challinor 020 7501 6666 sara.challinor@markallengroup.com ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIP Associate publisher Darren Ward 020 7501 6668 darren.ward@markallengroup.com Key account manager Joseph Lever 020 7501 6708 joseph.lever@markallengroup.com RECRUITMENT & CLASSIFIED Recruitment solutions manager Daniel Doherty 020 7501 6686 daniel.doherty@markallengroup.com Managing director Anthony Kerr 020 7501 6726 anthony.kerr@markallengroup.com Group production manager Kyri Apostolou 020 7501 6779 kyri.apostolou@markallengroup.com Production director Richard Hamshere Chief executive officer Ben Allen Chairman Mark Allen EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Will Ayliffe PhD FRCS FRCOphth DO; Sally Bates FBDO; Dr Frank Eperjesi PhD BSc MCOptom FAAO; Professor Bernard Gilmartin PhD FCOptom FAAO; Graham Hutchison MBA; Professor Mo Jalie SMSA FBDO FCGI MIMgt; Dr Lyndon Jones PhD FCOptom DCLP DOrth FAAO; Geoff Roberson BSc FCOptom; Dr Steve Taylor PhD MSc FCOptom; Graeme Young MPhil FCOptom DCLP FAAO SUBSCRIPTIONS 0800 137201 Subscribe or renew 01722 716997 subscriptions@markallengroup.com BACK ISSUES 01722 716997 REPRINTS 020 7501 6790 ISSN 0030.3968 Par t of www.markallengroup.com Optician is published ever y Friday © 2024 MA Healthcare Ltd St Judes Church, Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PB. Telephone 020 7738 5454 Website: www.opticianonline.net ISSN 0030.3968 Printed in Britain by Pensord Press, Tram Road, Pontllanfraith, Gwent, NP12 2YA Please read our privacy policy at privacypolicy.markallengroup.com. This will explain how we process, use and safeguard your data 4 OPTICIAN 4 October 2024 facebook.com/opticianonline 7 DAYS To read the full stories and keep up to date on the latest news and views visit opticianonline.net GOC updates standards Updates to standards of practice and a business regulation consultation were approved at the third General Optical Council meeting of the year on September 24-25. Updates to standards for optometrists, dispensing opticians, optical students and optical businesses will come into effect on January 1, 2025. Following a period of consultation, the council said it improved the clarity, brevity and legal alignment of the updated standards. A consultation on draft reforms to regulation of optical businesses was also approved by Council at the meeting after identifying gaps in the current system that could risk public protection. Prevalence of myopia increases A study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology has found the global prevalence of childhood myopia was substantial and affected one-third of children and adolescents. Researchers identified notable variations in prevalence across different demographic groups and anticipated that the global incidence of myopia would exceed 740m cases by 2050. The study was an analysis of 276 studies, involving a total of 5,410,945 participants from 50 countries across all six continents. The findings revealed a gradual increase in pooled prevalence of myopia, ranging from 24.3% to 35.8% observed from 1990 to 2023, and projections indicated that this prevalence could reach 36.6% in 2040 and 39.8% in 2050. People living in East Asia (35.2%) or in urban areas (28.6%), females (33.6%), adolescents (47.0%), and high school students (45.7%) showed a higher proportion of myopia prevalence. Eilidh Thomson, chair of Optometr y Scotland Scotland gets 6% GOS uplift A 6% increase in general ophthalmic services (GOS) fees proposed by the Scottish Government has been welcomed by Optometry Scotland. The professional body said it would not consult with its membership on the proposed fee uplift, which would be backdated to April 1, 2024. Eilidh Thomson, the new chair of Optometry Scotland, said: ‘We welcome the proposed fee increase and feel incredibly encouraged by the Scottish Government’s re-iterated commitment to supporting community health services, despite notable financial constraints. By ensuring universal access to NHS funded eye exams, we can continue to offer preventative care, which ultimately reduces the burden on our precious NHS resources.’ Eye care on agenda at Labour conference Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting and primary care minister Stephen Kinnock both highlighted during the Labour Party conference how optometrists could improve the NHS. During a New Statesman fringe event, Streeting said: ‘I think that we should work with the independent sector on the high street to improve access to health care and, crucially, we have got to speed up some of the referral pathways.’ Kinnock noted referral pathways as an area for action during a Specsavers fringe event and set out a vision for neighbourhood health care networks. Giles Edmonds, clinical services director at Specsavers, added that the sector was ready and able to do more to improve access to care for patients. OSA teases e-health announcement A major announcement about e-health has been promised by the Optical Suppliers Association (OSA) ahead of its meeting in London on October 16. Roy Stoner, chair of the OSA, said: ‘We are positioning UK companies to drive e-health forwards in optometry and ophthalmology and are aiming to ensure standards exist for businesses, the healthcare providers and patients to gain the greatest benefit. Any optical business that needs to know what is coming down the line should attend the meeting.’ Also on the agenda at the meeting is sustainability, as the OSA will present information on the four stages of its green charter, plus its plans for 100% Optical 2025. Leightons CEO completes charity cycling challenge CEO of Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care, Ryan Leighton, completed an adventurous cycling challenge for charity from Geneva Ryan Leighton in the Alps opticianonline.net
page 5
Follow us on X @opticianonline NEWS IN BRIEF Dominic Tunnell Opticians celebrates 50th anniversar y Worcester-based independent Dominic Tunnell Opticians celebrated the practice’s 50th anniversar y with 240 guests at a par ty, pictured, on September 4. in, has some new specs from us for the first time and is amazed at the quality of vision they now have. Among the guests of honour were the original founders, Diane and Giles Tunnell, as well as representatives from industr y suppliers, such as Essilor, Tom Davies and Cutler & Gross. ‘They can see more clearly, they look and feel better, and are more comfor table. It really can make the customer feel great and it makes all of us feel great as well. We tr y to replicate that feeling, ever y time, to you, our existing customers,’ he said. Dominic Tunnell, director and dispensing optician at the practice, gave a speech at the event thanking patients for their suppor t. ‘The greatest thing about this business is the people we all meet. It’s difficult to describe how it makes us feel when a customer comes Tunnell added the practice’s way of helping patients was set out by his father and his team had been fine-tuning it ever since. ‘Thank you again for giving up your time to celebrate this milestone with us and for being our cherished customers,’ Tunnell told guests. to Milan over four days. The challenge covered 355 miles over the Alps and Nufenen Pass, with a total of 16,992ft of climbing. The challenge, organised by Ride25, saw 75 business leaders take to the roads to raise money for 1moreChild, a charity that empowered vulnerable children in Jinja, Uganda. Leighton commented: ‘Sharing an adventure while raising funds for a brilliant charity has been such a privilege, although challenging.’ Ride25 was created to connect business leaders while sharing a cycling adventure around the opticianonline.net world and raising vital funds for charity. SightCare wins ser vice accolade SightCare has won the Service Excellence Award at the Inspire Business Awards 2024 for ‘pushing the boundaries’ and for their marked consideration of their client base. The judges noted that SightCare ‘were trying to move the business in various directions for the benefit of their client base as much as for themselves.’ Outgoing SightCare chief executive John French SightCare said it was adapting to its independent optician members’ and optical suppliers’ needs, working hard to keep them informed and competitive as the ‘big chains’ start to dominate. Outgoing chief executive John French said: ‘For a small not-forprofit business this means a lot to us. We’re deeply grateful for our amazing staff, supportive partners, and wonderful members who inspire us every day to strive for excellence, and who leave us such brilliant feedback.’ Body Doctor products menopause-friendly The Body Doctor has partnered with menopause campaigner, GenM, and secured MTick menopause-friendly accreditation for nine of its dry eye products. In a report by GenM, menopausal women in the UK have described feeling invisible and their specific demands have often been overlooked by retailers and brands. Sam Wymer, The Body Doctor’s sales and marketing director, said: ‘There’s a significant lack of awareness that dry eye is one of the 48 symptoms that women can experience during perimenopause and menopause.’ Research by The Body Doctor showed that dry eye affected close to 61% of perimenopausal and menopausal women. College connects members on app update An update to the College of Optometrists’ app aimed to connect its members for sharing knowledge and collaborating while keeping up with industry trends. Dr Gillian Rudduck, president at the College, said: ‘We recognised a need for a dedicated space where optometrists can easily connect and learn from each other. It’s more than just a forum; it’s a comprehensive tool that brings the optometry community together, enabling instant peer to peer conversation and support, and fostering both professional growth and innovation.’ Features included discussion forums, clinical guidance, jobs board and sharable patient resources. 4 October 2024 OPTICIAN 5

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EDITORIAL 020 7501 6745 Editor-in-chief Chris Bennett 020 7501 6660 chris.bennett@markallengroup.com Editor Simon Jones 020 7501 6667 simon.jones@markallengroup.com Deputy editor Mike Hale 020 7501 6670 mike.hale@markallengroup.com Clinical editor (Optometr y) Dr Manbir Nagra manbir.nagra@markallengroup.com Clinical editor (Dispensing) Tina Arbon Black tina.arbonblack@markallengroup.com Content editor Andrew McCarthy-McClean 020 7501 6788 andrew.mcclean@markallengroup.com Online editor Lucy Patchett 020 7501 6663 lucy.patchett@markallengroup.com Production editor Gar y O’Connell 020 7501 6706 gar y.oconnell@markallengroup.com Ar t editor Sara Challinor 020 7501 6666 sara.challinor@markallengroup.com ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIP Associate publisher Darren Ward 020 7501 6668 darren.ward@markallengroup.com Key account manager Joseph Lever 020 7501 6708 joseph.lever@markallengroup.com RECRUITMENT & CLASSIFIED Recruitment solutions manager Daniel Doherty 020 7501 6686 daniel.doherty@markallengroup.com Managing director Anthony Kerr 020 7501 6726 anthony.kerr@markallengroup.com Group production manager Kyri Apostolou 020 7501 6779 kyri.apostolou@markallengroup.com Production director Richard Hamshere Chief executive officer Ben Allen Chairman Mark Allen EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Will Ayliffe PhD FRCS FRCOphth DO; Sally Bates FBDO; Dr Frank Eperjesi PhD BSc MCOptom FAAO; Professor Bernard Gilmartin PhD FCOptom FAAO; Graham Hutchison MBA; Professor Mo Jalie SMSA FBDO FCGI MIMgt; Dr Lyndon Jones PhD FCOptom DCLP DOrth FAAO; Geoff Roberson BSc FCOptom; Dr Steve Taylor PhD MSc FCOptom; Graeme Young MPhil FCOptom DCLP FAAO SUBSCRIPTIONS 0800 137201 Subscribe or renew 01722 716997 subscriptions@markallengroup.com BACK ISSUES 01722 716997 REPRINTS 020 7501 6790 ISSN 0030.3968

Par t of www.markallengroup.com

Optician is published ever y Friday © 2024 MA Healthcare Ltd St Judes Church, Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PB. Telephone 020 7738 5454 Website: www.opticianonline.net ISSN 0030.3968 Printed in Britain by Pensord Press, Tram Road, Pontllanfraith, Gwent, NP12 2YA Please read our privacy policy at privacypolicy.markallengroup.com. This will explain how we process, use and safeguard your data

4 OPTICIAN 4 October 2024

facebook.com/opticianonline

7 DAYS

To read the full stories and keep up to date on the latest news and views visit opticianonline.net

GOC updates standards

Updates to standards of practice and a business regulation consultation were approved at the third General Optical Council meeting of the year on September 24-25.

Updates to standards for optometrists, dispensing opticians, optical students and optical businesses will come into effect on January 1, 2025.

Following a period of consultation, the council said it improved the clarity, brevity and legal alignment of the updated standards.

A consultation on draft reforms to regulation of optical businesses was also approved by Council at the meeting after identifying gaps in the current system that could risk public protection.

Prevalence of myopia increases A study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology has found the global prevalence of childhood myopia was substantial and affected one-third of children and adolescents.

Researchers identified notable variations in prevalence across different demographic groups and anticipated that the global incidence of myopia would exceed 740m cases by 2050.

The study was an analysis of 276 studies, involving a total of 5,410,945 participants from 50 countries across all six continents.

The findings revealed a gradual increase in pooled prevalence of myopia, ranging from 24.3% to 35.8% observed from 1990 to 2023, and projections indicated that this prevalence could reach 36.6% in 2040 and 39.8% in 2050.

People living in East Asia (35.2%) or in urban areas (28.6%), females (33.6%), adolescents (47.0%), and high school students (45.7%) showed a higher proportion of myopia prevalence.

Eilidh Thomson, chair of Optometr y Scotland

Scotland gets 6% GOS uplift A 6% increase in general ophthalmic services (GOS) fees proposed by the Scottish Government has been welcomed by Optometry Scotland.

The professional body said it would not consult with its membership on the proposed fee uplift, which would be backdated to April 1, 2024.

Eilidh Thomson, the new chair of Optometry Scotland, said: ‘We welcome the proposed fee increase and feel incredibly encouraged by the Scottish Government’s re-iterated commitment to supporting community health services, despite notable financial constraints. By ensuring universal access to NHS funded eye exams, we can continue to offer preventative care, which ultimately reduces the burden on our precious NHS resources.’

Eye care on agenda at Labour conference Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting and primary care minister Stephen Kinnock both highlighted during the Labour Party conference how optometrists could improve the NHS.

During a New Statesman fringe event, Streeting said: ‘I think that we should work with the independent sector on the high street to improve access to health care and, crucially, we have got to speed up some of the referral pathways.’

Kinnock noted referral pathways as an area for action during a Specsavers fringe event and set out a vision for neighbourhood health care networks.

Giles Edmonds, clinical services director at Specsavers, added that the sector was ready and able to do more to improve access to care for patients.

OSA teases e-health announcement A major announcement about e-health has been promised by the Optical Suppliers Association (OSA) ahead of its meeting in London on October 16.

Roy Stoner, chair of the OSA, said: ‘We are positioning UK companies to drive e-health forwards in optometry and ophthalmology and are aiming to ensure standards exist for businesses, the healthcare providers and patients to gain the greatest benefit. Any optical business that needs to know what is coming down the line should attend the meeting.’

Also on the agenda at the meeting is sustainability, as the OSA will present information on the four stages of its green charter, plus its plans for 100% Optical 2025.

Leightons CEO completes charity cycling challenge CEO of Leightons Opticians & Hearing Care, Ryan Leighton, completed an adventurous cycling challenge for charity from Geneva

Ryan Leighton in the Alps opticianonline.net

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