12
November
Heavy lifting a risk factor for retinal detachment
in myopic patients
For people with myopia, heavy occupational lifting and being overweight appear
to be risk factors for retinal detachment, according to a brief report from Italy
in the November issue of Epidemiology. Based on this finding, the research
team, headed by Dr Stefano Mattioli from Universita di Bologna, concludes that
further studies are warranted to determine if heavy lifting and overweight status
also increase the risk of retinal detachment in people without myopia.
11
November
Vision-screening law associated with lower fatality
rates in car crashes
A vision screening law targeting Florida, USA, drivers age 80 and older appears
to be associated with lower death rates from motor vehicle collisions in this
age group, despite little evidence of an association between vision and car crashes,
according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.
“Older drivers represent the fastest-growing segment of the driving population,” the
authors write as background information in the article. “As this segment
of the population expands, so too have public safety concerns, given older drivers’ increased
rate of motor vehicle collision involvement per mile driven. Research has suggested
that this increase may be partly attributed to medical, functional and cognitive
impairments.”
10 November
New director for Vision Group Holdings
Vision Group Holdings Limited has announced the appointment
of Dr David Kitchen as a director of the company.
Company chairman Mr Shane Tanner said Dr Kitchen,44, “brings
important attributes to the board .... represents the younger
generation of doctors in Vision Group … has operational
expertise in establishing and growing practices, having built
the Central Queensland business from one doctor partner to
its current complement of six doctor partners in just two
years.”
6
October
Cambodia awards top medal to Fred Hollows Foundation
The Cambodian Government has awarded The Fred Hollows
Foundation with a rare medal of honour, acknowledging
the Australian organisation’s contribution
to preventing unnecessary blindness in the country.
The National Development Medal was presented to The Fred Hollows Foundation’s
CEO, Brian Doolan, at the official opening of a new eye clinic in Prey Veng
Province in south western Cambodia on 5 November. The medal has only ever been
awarded
to a handful of international non-government organisations.
5
October
Retinopathy could mirror cardiac problems: Australian
research
Eyes might be the window to the soul but new Australian research shows they're
also a way to the heart and clues to how healthy it is, according to results
of research published in the British Medical Journal. Researchers in
Sydney have discovered that people with the eye abnormality retinopathy are more
likely to die from heart disease than those without the vision problem, the researchers
found.
3 October
‘
Same bloke. Different hat’ campaign to promote generics
‘
Same bloke. Different hat’ is the theme of a television
campaign to promote generic medicines which commenced on
27 October.
The commercials, developed by the National Prescribing Service,
aim to get the message across that generic medicines are
bioequivalent to their innovator competitors and are an extension
of last
year’s ‘Generic medicines are an equal choice’ campaign.
31
October
New CEO for Vision Group
Vision Group Holdings, Australia’s largest provider
of private ophthalmological services, has appointed a
new chief executive officer, Mr Craig Stamp, an optometrist
be training.
Mr Stamp, who has been running the Asia-Pacific (excluding India, China and Japan)
commercial operations of Bausch & Lomb, will take up his new position on
8 December
28
October
Luxottica Group’s 3Q sales up 5.3%, net income
down 7%
Mr Andrea Guerra, chief executive officer of Luxottica
Group on 28 October described the current uncertain worldwide
economic period as a time “to stay calm,
not to find shortcuts.”
In such a period, Mr Guerra said, “people back off from going to the malls
and the stores, and stores start to de-stock” their inventories. To combat
that trend, Luxottica will need to “leverage as much as possible on our
unbeatable vertical business model.”
In this year’s third quarter, Luxottica’s consolidated net sales
rose 5.3 percent at current exchange rates (up 12.8 percent at constant currency
rates) to €1,212 million. However, the company’s net income was down
7 percent in the quarter, to €104.6 million.
24
October
Intake
of antioxidants may protect eyes from UV: study in UK
Because a combination of low plasma levels of antioxidants and blue light exposure
from the sun is associated with certain forms of age-related macular degeneration.
increasing intake of antioxidants may protect the eyes, according to the results
of a study reported in Archives of Ophthalmology.
“ Animal and laboratory studies have shown that blue light damages the
retinal pigment epithelium and choriocapillaris through generation of reactive
oxygen species and may be a factor in the pathogenesis of AMD,” the report
on the study says.
23 October
Survey in US indicates more eye-care education needed 235
The American Optometric Association’s third-annual Eye-Q
survey of consumers’ attitudes toward and awareness
of eye-care issues indicates that more education is still
needed
on the importance of regular eye exams and other vision-related
issues. According to the survey, most Americans are unaware
that comprehensive eye examinations can detect more than
just vision problems.
22 October
Vision Group withdraws resolution and director resigns
Publicly-listed ophthalmology practice company Vision Group
Holdings Limited has withdrawn Resolution 5 ‘Approval
of issue of ordinary shares to Dr Lawless’ from the agenda
for the company’s annual general meeting to be held on
29 October.
Dr Michael Lawless has written to the chairman, Mr Shane Tanner,
requesting resolution 5 be withdrawn from the AGM, noting in
his letter that the role of medical director is an unpaid position,
and performed in addition to his normal clinical duties.
In August the company offered Dr Lawless $50,000 worth of the
company’s ordinary shares in recognition of the effort
he had put into the role as medical director, but he considers
that, given the current share price, the proposed new issue
to him is not the correct signal to send to VGH shareholders.
21 October
Big exhibitor pulls out of Silmo
Although a ‘historical’ exhibitor at the annual
Silmo exhibition in Paris in October, Bushnell Outdoor Products
will not take part in this year’s edition. The decision
was made because of the date (30 October-2 November), which
the company says is too late for market expectations, but primarily
because it coincides with the All-Saints vacation weekend when
family gatherings take place throughout most of Europe. 20
October
Two studies link thyroid disorders and glaucoma
The findings of a study in the United States announced on 16
October show a link between thyroid disorders and the risk
of glaucoma, backing up the findings of a study in Australia
open-angle glaucoma was more common in study participants who
used thyroxine and had a history of thyroid surgery.
17
October
Funds warned over premium rises
Private health insurance funds have been warned by the federal heath minister,
Ms Nicola Roxon, about increasing their premiums.
Ms Roxon was commenting after the Senate passed compromise-deal legislation
on the government’s Medicare tax breaks for middle-income earners.
16
October
493 exhibitors at IOFT
A record 493 exhibitors from 22 countries/regions participated in the 2008 International
Optical Trade Fair (IOFT) in Tokyo, Japan, on 1-3 October.
The organisers report a slight increase in visitors from Japan, Asia and other
parts of the world. There were 15,811 buyers at the 21st edition of the exhibition,
compared to 15,717 last year.
15
October
Generic medicines campaign wins national PR award
The National Prescribing Service has won the Public Relations
Institute of Australia’s ‘National
Golden Target Award for Health Organisations’ with its multi-audience
campaign that focused on better understanding of medicines choices.
The NPS became a national finalist for its Get to know your medicines and Generic
medicines are an equal choice campaigns after winning the NSW state competition
last month. Earlier this year the campaigns also won the international 2008
International Association of Business Communicators’ Gold Quill Award for Excellence
in Communication and are a national finalist in the Australian Marketing Institute’s
Awards for Marketing Excellence.
8
October
Warning on topical ophthalmic medications
Topical ophthalmic medications have potential to cause significant side effects
and to seriously interact with oral medications, according to three researchers
in Sydney, as reported in The Medical Journal of Australia.
3
October
New Specsavers stores average $25,000 a week
New optometry/dispensing stores opened by Specsavers in Australia averaged $25,000
turnover in the week ended 25 September, according to the co-founder of Specsavers,
Doug Perkins. Converted stores have had growth in turnover of 40%-plus since
they converted. Since February, the company has opened 130 practices, with more
to come.
3 October
Eyecare Partners adds 5 for $3.5m, now has 38 optometry practices
Eyecare Partners Limited on 1 October finalised agreements
to purchase five optometry practices – one in Western
Australia, one in Victoria and three in New South Wales.
The practices in aggregate are expected to add annual revenues
in excess of $3.8 million to the group. The acquisitions are
expected to be cash-flow and earnings-per-share positive. The
total acquisition cost is $3.5 million and was settled in combination
of convertible notes and cash.
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