I’m fortunate to have gone to Japan last month and was struck by two major issues in eyecare and eyewear. First, the concern about the increasing incidence of myopia is quite real. I was struck by what seemed like the number of very high minus lenses being worn. In fact, a Jan. 10, 2017 Japan Times article reported that a third of elementary school children are myopic and by high school, that has increased to two-thirds. In Japan and East Asia where myopia is at record levels, there is ongoing research and new programs being implemented. Visible are messages that more sunlight exposure for the young eye is needed, less time on digital devices is better and more time looking up from that smartphone is a must. Like the U.S., almost everyone on the trains were looking at their smartphones, and you had to watch out for texters when walking or crossing streets… In fact, there were many signs posted about no texting while walking.

Noticeable also was the difficulty of the fit of eyeglasses and was recently highlighted in the September 15 CE, “There’s a Hole in Your Frame Board” by Preston Fassel. Frame fit for a lower, flatter bridge was of course apparent in both the number of frames used with adjustable nosepads or those with extended nosepads on plastic frames (see photo). Clearly, that suggests two requirements. First, have the right types of frames in inventory for those that need them. For your office, look to TC Charton, Oakley TruBridge, Prada and others for solutions for your patients. In addition, many have thought to create heavier acetate eyewires to help hide lens thickness if required. Next, one must improve one’s adjusting capabilities among the opticians in your office since getting to a comfortable fit with these requirements is critical.

This month’s CE is based on the new precision possible with free-form lenses. Titled “The Care and Feeding of Your Digital Measurement System, Part 2” by Jeff Hopkins, this course teaches ways to ensure success with digital measuring systems and describes how to know the telltale signs of poor implementation, which is of critical importance. Then it goes on to define the usage protocol for measurements and how to demonstrate other lens attribute benefits on behalf of the customer.

Mark Mattison-Shupnick, ABOM
[email protected]
2020mag.com/education