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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 Repor ter Alice Thébault alice.thebault@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 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 www.markallengroup.com Par t of 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 25 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 problems, and practice environment. Among those surveyed, 98% rated independents’ eye tests as ‘good’ and 95% said they would recommend independent opticians for buying glasses. 100% Optical attendees Media 10 sells 100% Optical Independent event organiser Media 10 has announced the sale of the 100% Optical trade show to CloserStill Media. Media 10 CEO Lee Newton said: ‘We never plan to sell any of our events, but sometimes there are offers that, as a business, we can’t refuse. ‘100% Optical is a fantastic event, a world-leading B2B trade show; it makes us all proud. We are delighted that a company with the pedigree of CloserStill is the new owner.’ Matthew Butler, group managing director at CloserStill Media, said the company was delighted to welcome 100% Optical to its healthcare portfolio and looked forward to continuing the show’s legacy while exploring new growth and diversification opportunities. Independents top consumer sur vey A recent Which? survey of more than 10,000 people revealed independent opticians were rated as the top choice for eye care. The survey gathered opinions from eye test patients and eyewear customers in the past two years, asking them to rate various brands on a range of measures. Independents emerged as the highest rated overall, scoring 88% and achieving top marks for customer service, thoroughness of eye tests, addressing eye health Obituar y: Christina Myers Optician sadly reports the passing of Christina Myers, the ‘Roche’ of Myers La Roche, after a 13-year battle with multiple myeloma. Myers’ daughter, Georgina, wrote to her LinkedIn network announcing the loss of her ‘extremely brave and lovely mum’ and sharing that she would be taking time out of the business while the family navigated their way through this time. Patrick Myers, Christina’s husband, started the business consultancy firm for optical professionals in 1985 while Myers was on maternity leave. It was named after the couple, who used their combined skills to assist independent practice owners. Seiko moves manufacturing to UK Seiko Optical has announced plans to move much of its spectacle lens production to Wrexham as part of a multi-million pound investment programme. As well as UK manufacturing, the plans included the opening of a new Seiko training academy at Wrexham in October. The academy will build on Seiko’s existing professional development programme by hosting eye care professionals from across the country and showcasing technology. Seiko said the move demonstrated its commitment to sustainability, with a reduction in shipping miles as well as water and energy consumption thanks to Seiko’s Wrexham centre more efficient manufacturing technology. Jonathan Cohen, commercial manager at Seiko, said: ‘This major investment at Wrexham marks a huge leap forward for the business.’ TRL begins road glare trials TRL and the Department for Transport (DfT) have begun practical trials to understand the factors contributing to glare and explore ways to address them. Running from October 2024 to Spring 2025, the project modified a car, using it to assess light levels experienced by drivers during real driving on UK roads. The trials have so far measured factors such as surrounding vehicles, weather conditions and general lighting to understand the conditions most likely to lead to high brightness levels and glare. To ensure complete understanding of glare on the roads, TRL has said it will review scientific evidence and consult with various stakeholders. According to TRL, the findings will be used to generate recommendations for the DfT to action in international working groups related to the issue. Dangerous TikTok trend debunked A new TikTok trend has caught the attention of health professionals and social media users alike with young people experimenting with opticianonline.net
page 5
Follow us on X @opticianonline NEWS IN BRIEF Ray-Ban adds AI feature to Meta frames Meta Platforms and EssilorLuxottica hosted an event in Shoreditch to showcase their new generation Ray-Ban Meta frames alongside Meta VR technology. The event showcased the smar t glasses, with employees of the two companies on hand to demonstrate how the glasses worked, as well as different areas to trial features of the vir tual reality (VR) headset. Until recently, Meta AI was only available to Ray-Ban Meta wearers in the US or Canada but the feature has now made its way to the UK, Optician was told. The frames have a privacy light that let other people know if a person is recording. When asked about the possibility of the privacy light being manipulated, a brand representative explained that the camera was equipped with anti-tampering technology. This meant that it would detect if the light was covered or if it had been tampered with, in which case the camera would not take a photo or record a video. Additionally, the companies announced their par tnership with Be My Eyes, an access technology provider for individuals who were blind or had low vision. The app connected users with sighted volunteers and companies who, through the Ray-Ban Meta glasses’ point of view, could see a person’s surroundings and provide real-time hands-free assistance for otherwise inaccessible tasks. highly unregulated eye drops. The eye drops, often sold online, claimed to alter eye colour by changing the amount of melanin in the iris. The trend gained momentum as viral videos showed the colour transformation. Ali Mearza, a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at OCL Vision, has warned that the practice could lead to infections, corneal damage, and in extreme cases, vision loss. ‘The allure of changing one’s eye colour may seem harmless, but these eye drops can contain harmful ingredients that are not approved for such use,’ he cautioned. Christoph Schoess wins Theodor Leber medal Founder and managing director of Heidelberg Engineering, Christoph Schoess, has been awarded the Theodor Leber medal by the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG). The accolade was presented to individuals who are not ophthal- Christoph Schoess mologists but have made significant contributions to scientific ophthalmology or the DOG. Presenting the award, Frank Holz, professor and chair of the department of ophthalmology at the University of Bohn, Germany, said: ‘Under the leadership of Christoph Schoess and his team, Heidelberg Engineering has become one of the global market leaders in the field of high-resolution ophthalmological imaging and associated software.’ Schoess attributed the company’s success to a collective effort, recognising the contributions of Heidelberg’s nearly 700 employees. Morans Opticians marks milestone 40th Leg warmers, punk wigs and double denim were just some of the 1980s throwback styles worn by an optical practice team to celebrate 40 years in business. Morans Opticians in New Mills, Derbyshire, was transformed into a tribute to the decade it first opened, with staff and customers decked out in brightly coloured clothing and dancing to classic ’80s hits. Hannah Coram, the longestserving staff member and practice partner, said: ‘It was great to offer Morans Opticians brought 1980s back opticianonline.net our customers a fun-filled day to celebrate this special occasion as we look back on the last 40 years and what has been achieved.’ Bid for Bausch + Lomb TPG Inc and Blackstone have partnered to bid for Bausch + Lomb Corporation, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. If successful, the transaction could become one of the largest private equity buyouts of the year, with Bausch + Lomb’s enterprise value, including debt, totalling $11.5 bn as of market close on October 11, 2024. Several other private equity firms that evaluated the bids have since exited the process, leaving TPG and Blackstone as the frontrunners. Sources familiar with the bidding process estimated that offers would likely value Bausch + Lomb at an enterprise value between $13 bn and $14 bn, or up to $25 per share, reported the FT. 25 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 Repor ter Alice Thébault alice.thebault@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 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

www.markallengroup.com Par t of

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 25 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 problems, and practice environment.

Among those surveyed, 98% rated independents’ eye tests as ‘good’ and 95% said they would recommend independent opticians for buying glasses.

100% Optical attendees

Media 10 sells 100% Optical Independent event organiser Media 10 has announced the sale of the 100% Optical trade show to CloserStill Media. Media 10 CEO Lee Newton said: ‘We never plan to sell any of our events, but sometimes there are offers that, as a business, we can’t refuse.

‘100% Optical is a fantastic event, a world-leading B2B trade show; it makes us all proud. We are delighted that a company with the pedigree of CloserStill is the new owner.’ Matthew Butler, group managing director at CloserStill Media, said the company was delighted to welcome 100% Optical to its healthcare portfolio and looked forward to continuing the show’s legacy while exploring new growth and diversification opportunities.

Independents top consumer sur vey A recent Which? survey of more than 10,000 people revealed independent opticians were rated as the top choice for eye care.

The survey gathered opinions from eye test patients and eyewear customers in the past two years, asking them to rate various brands on a range of measures.

Independents emerged as the highest rated overall, scoring 88% and achieving top marks for customer service, thoroughness of eye tests, addressing eye health

Obituar y: Christina Myers Optician sadly reports the passing of Christina Myers, the ‘Roche’ of Myers La Roche, after a 13-year battle with multiple myeloma. Myers’ daughter, Georgina, wrote to her LinkedIn network announcing the loss of her ‘extremely brave and lovely mum’ and sharing that she would be taking time out of the business while the family navigated their way through this time.

Patrick Myers, Christina’s husband, started the business consultancy firm for optical professionals in 1985 while Myers was on maternity leave. It was named after the couple, who used their combined skills to assist independent practice owners.

Seiko moves manufacturing to UK Seiko Optical has announced plans to move much of its spectacle lens production to Wrexham as part of a multi-million pound investment programme.

As well as UK manufacturing, the plans included the opening of a new Seiko training academy at Wrexham in October.

The academy will build on Seiko’s existing professional development programme by hosting eye care professionals from across the country and showcasing technology.

Seiko said the move demonstrated its commitment to sustainability, with a reduction in shipping miles as well as water and energy consumption thanks to

Seiko’s Wrexham centre more efficient manufacturing technology.

Jonathan Cohen, commercial manager at Seiko, said: ‘This major investment at Wrexham marks a huge leap forward for the business.’

TRL begins road glare trials TRL and the Department for Transport (DfT) have begun practical trials to understand the factors contributing to glare and explore ways to address them.

Running from October 2024 to Spring 2025, the project modified a car, using it to assess light levels experienced by drivers during real driving on UK roads.

The trials have so far measured factors such as surrounding vehicles, weather conditions and general lighting to understand the conditions most likely to lead to high brightness levels and glare.

To ensure complete understanding of glare on the roads, TRL has said it will review scientific evidence and consult with various stakeholders.

According to TRL, the findings will be used to generate recommendations for the DfT to action in international working groups related to the issue.

Dangerous TikTok trend debunked A new TikTok trend has caught the attention of health professionals and social media users alike with young people experimenting with opticianonline.net

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