Laurie Pierce joined us in 2019 to share optical advice with a dash of whimsy in the Ms. Specs in the City column. Linda Conlin, our contact lens guru and writer extraordinaire, raised our awareness of early eye development, therapeutic contact lenses and the myopia epidemic. Maryann Santos tackled the delicate topic of optical hygiene. Johnna Dukes shared her systematic approach to troubleshooting progressive lenses. Tina Lahti spoke of the homogenization of optical products and retail, and the desire of consumers for something special and not just “more of the same.” As the VP of marketing for IOT, Tina Lahti lent her expertise on progressive lens design and technology in the article “Drop, It May Not Mean What You Think It Means.” I leaned on her technical insight for the Younger sponsored CE “Merging of Complex Curves,” a course sure to rouse your inner optical nerd. Charmant took us on a deep dive into the beauty of titanium and the special features this rare material imparts to eyeglass frames. Alessandro Baronti, president of De Rigo REM, an admired voice in our industry shared his experience and knowledge on visual merchandising to “Creating an Experience.” HOYA’s CE on their PHOENIX material taught me things about this proprietary Trivex material that I had not known before, and their “Triple Defense” course covers polarized lens technology in great depth. We covered the complexities of making Rx sport-wrap eyewear and the essential need for sports safety eyewear for kids when we told the story of Wiley X in the “Born on the Battlefield” CE. ZEISS launched a UV awareness campaign with multiple CEs that informed us that 7 out of 10 ophthalmic lens materials do not have UV400 protection. We learned the need to prioritize UV over device blue light emitted from screens. They made invisible UV visible with a tablet-based tool to demonstrate the UV transmitting through a lens. We addressed every topic relative to UV exposure and protection this year including some surprising facts about UV transmission levels through window glass and the potential contribution to photo-aging and oxidative damage to skin and eyes. Check it out in this education dedicated December edition.
Thank you all! Have a wonderful holiday season. And when you ring in the New Year 2020, raise a toast to the gift of sight!
• Deborah Kotob
Pro to Pro Director
[email protected]
