Feb 2017

Specialist practice for BOP
Ortho-k advocate and specialist contact lens
optometrist Alex Petty has opened his own
practice in Tauranga. Based in the medical
suites of Promed House in Tauranga town centre,
Bay Eye Care will function as a standard clinical
optometry practice, but without the retail.
“I decided to move away from the traditional retail
aspect of the business. I won’t be selling frames or
spectacle lenses,” says Petty. “I believe we are rare in
New Zealand in that sense.”
Petty, who returned from Australia a year ago,
says he’d originally been looking for a strong
independent practice to buy in to, but when no
opportunity arose he and his fiancé shifted to
Tauranga for the lifestyle. He was encouraged by
friends and colleagues to go it alone, so decided to
focus on what he does
best, he says.
“I haven’t worked
full-time for a year, so
I’ve had a lot of time
to think. This for me is
a long-term plan. I’m
passionate about the
clinical side of optometry
and the way optometry
is going, with an
increase in prescribing
Alex Petty
rights and a shift in
focus to shared care of patients
with diseases like glaucoma. It
makes me feel there is a role for
a strong, specialist, secondary
care model.”
Petty’s practice will focus on general diagnosis,
the management of conditions like dry eye,
keratoconus, blepharitis and the use of ortho-k
for myopia control and other ocular diseases.
Petty is working toward accreditation as a
glaucoma prescriber and negotiating shared
care arrangements with ophthalmologists in the
area. He’s already had a lot of support from local
clinicians which he says is reassuring.
“The success of my business hinges on
collaborative care. I will be dependent on referrals
from ophthalmologists, optometrists and GPs. No
one loses out. If a patient is referred to me from a
traditional high street optometrist because they
require some specialist care, I will send them back
to the primary referrer when their eye glasses need
updating.”
Petty’s practice will be entrenched among other
medical practitioners, with laser eye correction,
dentistry, GPs, radiology and physiotherapy among
the other services available in the suites.
Look out for more from Petty in his quarterly NZ
Optics’ column ‘Speciality CL Forum’ in March. ▀
Luxottica and Essilor join forces
Luxottica’s executive chair, Leonardo Del
Vecchio, will control the new giant global
eyewear entity
Italy’s Luxottica and France’s Essilor have agreed to
merge in a 46 billion euro (NZ$68.7 billion) deal.
The all share deal is one of Europe’s largest crossborder
tie-ups and will result in a new global eyewear
giant, EssilorLuxottica, headquartered and listed in France
and majority-owned by Leonardo Del Vecchio, Luxottica’s
81-year-old billionaire founder and executive chairman.
Del Vecchio will hold about a third of the newly merged
company through Delfin, the Luxembourg-based holding
company of the Del Vecchio family, which currently owns
62% of Luxottica.
In a combined statement, Del Vecchio said the merger
is a dream come true. “With this agreement my dream to
create a major global player in the eyewear industry, fully
integrated and excellent in all its parts, comes finally true.
University recognises
“outstanding work”
The Department of Ophthalmology at
Auckland University has announced three
new promotions: Professor Trevor Sherwin,
Associate Professor Andrea Vincent and Dr Ilva
Rupenthal, director of the Buchanan Ocular
Therapeutics Unit, who’s been made senior
lecturer above the bar.
The new Professor Sherwin says it’s very rewarding
to attain the professor title as it requires both
international recognition of your work as well as
recognition from peers closer to home. Part of the
reason for Professor Sherwin’s promotion is the
exciting work him and his team have been doing
Professor Tevor Sherwin Dr Ilva Rupenthal Asoociate professor Andrea
Vincent
It was some time now that we knew that this was the
right solution but only today are there the right conditions
to make it possible. …Finally, after 50 years, two products
which are naturally complementary, namely frames and
lenses, will be designed, manufactured and distributed
under the same roof.”
The merged entity will have revenues of more than 15
billion euros (NZ$22.4 billion), combined net EBITDA of
approximately €3.5 billion (NZ$5.2 billion) and more than
140,000 employees. It will be co-run by Del Vecchio and
Hubert Sagnières, Essilor’s chair and CEO, as executive
chair and vice-chair respectively, though the companies
said the two will have “equal powers”.
The transaction will “allow the combined group to
better seize growth opportunities resulting from strong
on regenerative medicine in the battle against
keratoconus and myopia (see NZ Optics’ September
2016). Professors Sherwin and Colin Green and
research fellow Dr Carol Greene are in the last phase
before clinical trials of a new eye drop which can
reshape, stablise and, potentially, rebuild the cornea.
“If successful, it could be ground-breaking, a huge
advance in the treatment of eye disorders,” said
Prof. Sherwin. The results of a large animal trial are
expected towards the end of this year or early 2018.
Associate Professor Andrea Vincent, a specialist
in the genetics of eye diseases, says her promotion
is a recognition of her teaching, research and
services to the university and the
ophthalmic community. Although
the promotion doesn’t really
change what she does or how
she’ll do her work on a day-to-day
basis, including current research
modelling retinal diseases in
zebrafish models, A/Prof Vincent
says it will signal her credibility in
the international ocular genetic
field, with current and future
collaborations. ▀
demand in the eyewear market, driven by the increasing
need for corrective and protective eyewear and the
appetite for strong brands,” continued the companies in
the statement.
“The strategic rationale is strong,” said JPMorgan
Cazenove analysts in a note, adding the deal defuses the
risk of growing competition between the two companies
as both fight slowing sales because of a weakening North
American market, rising competition from cheaper rivals
and the challenges of online distribution.
Though the deal is still subject to Essilor shareholder
approval and clearance from the relevant anti-trust
authorities, it is expected to close by the end of the year.
Del Vecchio said he’s confident there will be no problems
gaining approval from competition authorities. ▀
It’s easy to see why
we love our new
rooms in the heart
of Christchurch.
Dr James Borthwick
MB ChB, FRANZCO
Disease and surgery of the retina and macula, cataract
Dr Sean Every
MB ChB, MMedSci (Distinction), FRANZCO
Disease and surgery of the retina and macula, cataract
Dr Jo-Anne Pon
MB ChB, FRANZCO
Oculoplastics, cataract, neuro-ophthalmology, strabismus,
general ophthalmology
Dr John Rawstron
MB ChB, MPH, GDipM (Refract Surg), FRANZCO
Cataract, LASIK, corneal transplant
For the specialist treatment of all eye conditions the new space provides an increase
in consulting and treatment rooms, state of the art technology, an innovative new layout
to increase comfort and plenty of free and easily available parking.
Most importantly, it also provides the home for a proudly local team. As the number one
South Island provider of specialist ophthalmic care our surgeons are fellowship and New Zealand
trained sub-specialists. They are the best in their respective fields. They are excited to be
part of our new city, to be the care behind the change, the insight behind the vision.
Dr Rebecca Stack
MB ChB (Distinction), MMedSci, FRANZCO
Cataract, oculoplastic and reconstructive surgeon
Dr Allan Simpson
MB ChB, FRANZCO
Cataract, glaucoma
Dr Robert Weatherhead
MB ChB, FRCS, FRACS, FRANZCO
Oculoplastic and reconstructive surgeon
Dr Logan Robinson
MB Chb, PG Dip Ophth BS (Distinction), FRANZCO
Vitreoretinal surgery, diseases of the retina and macula,
refractive cataract surgery
128 Kilmore Street, Christchurch ı P: 03 355 6397 ı W: www.southerneye.co.nz
6 NEW ZEALAND OPTICS February 2017