:TOP STORY  
1-800 CONTACTS Partners with Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and 1-800 CONTACTS will create efficiencies across their call centers, Web sites, purchasing, and distribution efforts—resulting in customer savings the companies estimate could reach $400 million over the next three years, according to Vision Monday. The alliance also aims to make it easier to replace lenses according to a schedule doctors recommend, a practice that may result in better eye health. According to a 2004 Federal Trade Commission report, a McKinsey & Company survey showed that contact lens wearers use lenses longer than their doctor prescribed. Some consumers in that same survey specifically cited cost and “purchasing them is inconvenient” as reasons for over-wearing their lenses, the companies pointed out in their joint statement. 1-800 CONTACTS officials said the majority of contact lens wearers experience high prices and limited service, and that they expect this alliance will save customers nearly 20 percent on their contact lenses while also offering more convenience.

:FINANCIAL NOTES
Shamir Optical Industry Ltd. announced its board of directors had declared a dividend distribution in an aggregate amount of $4 million per ordinary share based on the number of outstanding shares of Shamir as of the date hereof. The dividend will be payable on or about Feb. 25 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on Feb. 11.

:CONFERENCE CALLS
Advanced Medical Optics (NYSE: EYE) announces an updated date and time for its investor presentation at the 2008 Wachovia Healthcare Conference in Boston. The new date is Jan. 30 at 2 p.m. ET. Access is at www.amo-inc.com.

Alcon (NYSE: ACL) will report on its fourth quarter financial results for the period ended December 31, 2007 at 8:30 a.m. ET Feb. 7. Access is at www.alcon.com.

Allergan (NYSE: AGN) will discuss the company's fourth quarter and full year 2007 results on Jan. 30 at 8 a.m. PT. Access is at 1-800-308-6785 or www.allergan.com.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) will host an analyst meeting at 8:30 a.m. ET Jan. 22 to review fourth quarter and full year 2007 financial results. Access is at http://www.investor.jnj.com.

:COMPANY NEWS
VSP Vision Care has signed an agreement with Essilor of America to produce Crizal coatings at VSP’s facilities, according to Vision Monday. Although VSP has long been a distributor of Varilux and other Essilor lens products, the move represents a new level of cooperation between two of the industry’s leading companies. The coating center, adjacent to the VSP optical lab, will have the onsite capability to apply Essilor’s Crizal lens products: Crizal, Crizal Alizé, Crizal Alizé with Clear Guard, and the newly-launched Crizal Avancé with Scotchgard Protector. It will be one of a select number of U.S. optical labs producing Crizal lenses in-house.