I'M JUST SAYING... By Robert Dalton, CAE, LO, OAC Executive Director
Again, we opticians find ourselves receiving bad press. We can’t seem to catch a break. If we are not deemed to be protecting our market from the online players through the court system or preventing the consumer from buying glasses online then we are accused of charging exorbitant prices for our products and services, inflating prices and now giving false or misleading information about Blue Light.
We are most certainly losing the battle in the public forum. That said, I do believe that overall the public trusts their local optician to have their best interest at heart. We need only look at the number of eye care consumers who choose to use the services of Licensed Opticians when purchasing eyewear to prove this point. The consumer these days is so well educated. They come into the shop and are already knowledgeable on products and even their own eye conditions. They have "GOOGLE" searched all and everything to do with them and their needs.
Eventually though we will have to address the possible erosion of trust between us and the general public. How many times will we allow ourselves to be painted with one brush. The brush of politics and litigation between players of industry and regulation or the brush of gorilla journalism that seeks out the rare few circumstances where perhaps the interaction of the optician is not optimal. We have to get ahead of this stuff. We need to get a new brush and paint ourselves as EDUCATED and KNOWLEDGABLE and OBJECTIVE. We need to have, and present, a 360-degree perspective on all issues, products and services.
The OAC released a statement to Market Place which of course they never used as it was not controversial … read here. Our role is to support all opticians in Canada, we are not here to throw anyone under the bus. Continue Reading...
ATLANTIC CONFERENCE: WHERE VISION AND EAST COAST MEET
We are so excited to launch the Atlantic Conference’s new logo which reflects the spirit of the East Coast and our passion, vision. Follow this logo as it will give you hints of what will happen on May 2 & 3, 2020 in Amherst, Nova Scotia. More information will be regularly posted on oaclive.ca.
We asked Jennifer Bishop, OAC Vice president and NB Director, to tell us a few words about the Atlantic Conference: “ As a New Brunswick Optician, I’m excited to be a part of bringing the OAC’s First ever Atlantic Conference to Amherst, NS. Such a great opportunity to meet with Opticians from all the Atlantic provinces and be able to discuss trends, ideas and obstacles facing our profession today. An excellent opportunity for great education, networking and of course fun through some social events. It’s an event you won’t want to miss, I know I don’t!”
Atlantic Conference registration will open on January 15, 2020
NEW DIRECTOR ELECTED IN ONTARIO TO THE OAC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The OAC is delighted to announce Thomas Weissberger as our newest Board member.
On October 28th to November 3rd, the OAC held an election for a Provincial Director representing Ontario. It was an extremely close election with Thomas Weissberger as the successful candidate for the provincial representative. We look forward to working with him.
Congratulations Thomas and thank you to all who put their names forward for this position.
STARTING YOUR BUSINESS By Eric Milot, B.A.A., M.Sc., O.O.D.
Starting a business can seem time-consuming and complicated, but those who have done it will assure you that it’s worth the effort.
Everyone who goes into business does so for their own reasons. In recent years, I have devoted my efforts to optical-related business projects in order to leverage my own ideas and take on new challenges.
Being at the head of a company or business comes with its share of responsibility, but it also allows you to highlight your talent. For those who would like to give it a try, here are a few important things to consider in your planning.
YOUR THOUGHTS ON MYOPIA CONTROL? TELL US AND WIN $100.
What is your perspective on myopia control therapies? How do you see myopia control unfolding in your practice environment? Which therapeutic options do you prefer?
Complete the Myopia Control Survey for a chance to participate in the $500 Giveaway Myopia survey contest. Five $100 will be awarded to eligible participants.
Contact Lens Spectrum Magazine - November 2019 - Page 21 EVIDENCE-BASED CONTACT LENS RECOMMENDATION “Modern frequent replacement soft contact lenses (CLs) are available in a wide choice of designs, materials, and replacement frequencies. Soft lens fitting data from 33 countries in 2018 showed that, on average, silicone hydrogel (SiHy) was the material of choice three-quarters of the time (76%), and for modality, daily disposables accounted for 32% of fits. Given the choice of CLs available, the question remains: How are these fittings decisions reached?" Continue Reading...
NEW OAC ONLINE CONTINUING EDUCATION VIDEOS AVAILABLE Renew your 2020 OAC membership today and select as many continuing education modules as you want and all for FREE.
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