Dispensing Optics - ABDO

dispensingoptics
July 2009
Dispensing Optics
PO Box 233, Crowborough TN6 9BD
Telephone: 01892 667626
Fax: 01892 667626
Email: do@abdo.uk.com
Website: www.abdo.org.uk

3 dispensingoptics
ABDO meets with the GOC
On Thursday 11 June the President
and I had the opportunity to address
all members of the GOC and to
answer questions.
It was in many ways an historic
occasion. We were allocated an hourand-a-quarter
to make our points and
argue our case. I regard this as a great
step forward for both the GOC and
the profession and I hope we will be
given this opportunity at regular
intervals.
We covered a wide range of subjects
but we were particularly focused on
the following.
We very strongly argued the case for
CLOs and the punitive expectations
that the GOC have regarding CET
points. We certainly had some
sympathy from GOC members on this
issue but it is clear that some in the
GOC are still caught up in the detail of
the system of specialist lists rather than
ABDO actively works in
conjunction with:
The Worshipful Company
of Spectacle Makers
Cover point
the need to have a fair and equitable
programme which is both fair and
consistent as regards public
protection.
We put considerable emphasis on the
fact that the GOC was not policing
the issue of dispensing to children and
that this was regularly being
undertaken by unqualified staff.
Similarly we made the point that many
low vision patients were not getting
the level of professional service that
they need and deserve.
Barry Duncan, the President, very
strongly emphasised that our members
needed to be reassured that the GOC
intended to enforce existing
regulations, otherwise the Council
could not blame registrants from
questioning the value of registration in
the first place.
Our presentation ended with the
President talking about the future of
the profession. In particular he raised
the issue of gaining refraction rights for
opticians, as one way of moving the
profession forward. Needless to say this
provoked some detailed but not
overly hostile questioning.
The President intends to concentrate
on issues intended to develop the
profession when we meet at this year’s
conference in Brighton and following
on from this ground breaking meeting
with the GOC we should be able to
have a healthy and lively debate.
Tony Garrett ■
C O N T E N T S
July 2009
3 Cover point
by Tony Garrett
4 Continuing Education
and Training
A drop of the wet stuff - part two
by Angela McNamee
10 ABDO Conference and
Exhibition 3-5 October
Once, more unto the beach; Essilor
Challenge Trophy; 50 years of Varilux
and still progressing; Well organised
and value for money
by Ann Johnson
16 Children’s frames
In the kids zone
by Nicky Collinson
18 Health and safety part four
An inspector calls
by Mike Hall
20 President’s Consultative
Meeting with the Areas
Goals, aspirations and opportunities
26 National Schools
Partnership
A prime opportunity
by Elaine Grisdale
28 Optician Index
March 2009 summary
29 Newsbrief: BCLA news
31 Points from the President
34 Letter to the Editor
36 Disjointed jottings from a
DO’S desk . . .
What’s in a name?
by Jim Gordon
37 Book review
Ocular Anatomy and Histology
38 CET answers
Multifocal contact lenses - from
opportunity to success
39 Diary of Events

4 dispensingoptics July 2009
A drop of the wet stuff -
part two
CompetencIes covered: Ocular abnormalities for dispensing opticians,
ocular abnormalities for optometrists
Target groups: Dispensing opticians, optometrists
In part one of this article, the causes
and types of dry eye were discussed,
as well as some of the ways in which it
might be avoided or alleviated. Part
two takes an in-depth look at the
various drops, gels and sprays which
are available for its treatment.
INGREDIENTS OF DRY EYE
PREPARATIONS
In theory, the ideal ocular lubricant
should be preservative-free, contain
potassium, bicarbonate, and other
electrolytes and have a polymeric
system to increase its retention time 4 .
Preservatives
These may be classified into two types:
detergent and oxidative.
Detergent
Detergent preservatives may be toxic
to the ocular surface, particularly if
that surface is already compromised,
as in a dry eye. Benzalkonium chloride
is potentially the most toxic, with
In this two part article, Angela McNamee MCOptom
BSc(Hons) FBDO(Hons)CL FBCLA Cert Ed, attempts to
demystify the increasingly complex world of dry eye
preparations
polyhexanide , polyquaternium-1
(polidronium chloride/Polyquad) and
polyquaternium-42 (Polixetonium)
being less so.
Oxidative
Oxidative (or ‘vanishing’) preservatives
preserve the product in the bottle but
are not present in the eye. They
include: sodium perborate, which
transforms into water and oxygen in
the eye; stabilised oxychloro complex
(Ocupure, Purite), which breaks down
into water and sodium chloride when
exposed to light; and Oxyd, which
turns to water, oxygen and sodium
chloride on contact with the eye.
Phenoxyethanol is another vanishing
preservative; used in liposomal sprays,
it evaporates from the aerosol state
(Figure 1).
Non-preserved preparations are either
unit-dose (Figure 2), or have a
dispensing system which will not allow
contamination of the contents
This article has been approved for 1 CET point by the GOC. It is open to all FBDO members, including
associate member optometrists. Insert your answers to the six multiple choice questions (MCQs) on the
answer sheet inserted in this issue and return by 13 August 2009 to ABDO CET, Courtyard Suite 6, Braxted
Park, Great Braxted, Witham CM8 3GA OR fax to 01621 890203, or complete online at www.abdo.org.uk.
Notification of your mark and the correct answers will be sent to you. If you complete online, please
ensure that your email address and GOC number are up-to-date. The pass mark is 60 per cent. The
answers will appear in our September 2009 issue.
(Hycosan, Hyabak, Vismed Multi)
(Figure 3).
Polymers
These are the main ingredients in dry
eye preparations and, in general, the
more viscous they are the longer they
will stay in the eye, and hence the less
frequently they will need to be instilled.
However highly viscous agents are
likely to blur the vision.
Low viscosity
Low-viscosity polymers include: the
cellulose derivatives hydroxypropyl
methylcellulose (Hypromellose/HPMC)
and carboxymethylcellulose, both with
very short residence times; and the
hydrophilic polymers polyvinyl alcohol
(PVA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone
(PVP/Povidone), which enhance the
wettability of the ocular surface and
remain in the eye for slightly longer.
Carboxymethylcellulose may also
have properties which help it to bind
to epithelial cells, like mucin.
C-11583

Figure 1: Application of liposomal spray
(Photograph courtesy of Optrex)
High viscosity
High-viscosity polymers are generally
petroleum derivatives such as white
soft paraffin or liquid paraffin. These
reduce friction and remain in the eye
for the longest time but, because they
cause blurred vision, they are usually
reserved for overnight use. They are
generally unsuitable for use in contact
lens wearers.
Figure 2: Unit dose containers
Viscoelastics
Viscoelastics decrease in viscosity with
agitation. This means that during
blinking they become less viscous and
better able to spread over the
epithelium, whilst between blinks,
when the eyes are open, they
become more viscous and are better
able to stabilise the tear film. These
include carbomer, hydroxypropyl guar
Figure 4: Hyaluronic acid becomes more viscous when the eye is open (Photograph courtesy of Mid-Optic)
Connttinuuinngg Eduucationn and Trainninng
Figure 3: Hycosan employs a valve system
and sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic
acid ).
Carbomer (polyacrylic acid)
Products containing carbomer
generally have a thick consistency
and are found in a tube (Viscotears,
Clinitas Hydrate). They may be used
Continued overleaf

6 dispensingoptics July 2009
Figure 5: Hyaluronic acid used as a lip plumper
for severe dry eye or at night, and are
not suitable for contact lens wearers.
Hydroxypropyl guar (HP-Guar)
HP-Guar, found in Systane, claims to
bind to the damaged ocular surface,
Dry eye preparations
which may be lacking its natural gelforming
mucins. It is pH sensitive, and
becomes more viscous when exposed
to the pH of the ocular surface,
forming a gel-like network, and
enabling the tears to adhere again. It
may also reduce the friction of lid
wiper epitheliopathy.
Sodium hyaluronate (Hyaluronic acid)
Hyaluronic acid (HA) occurs naturally
in skin, synovial joints, aqueous humour
and vitreous humour. For years it has
been used by ophthalmologists in
cataract and other ocular surgery. It is
used as a ‘wrinkle-filler’ or ‘plumper’
Figure 5 in minor cosmetic facial
procedures, and can be found in antiwrinkle
cosmetic creams. It has also
been incorporated into contact lenses
(Safegel). It is now available in several
dry eye preparations (see Table below
and on page 7).
When the eye is open, the HA
molecules are randomly tangled and
very viscous. They act as a sponge,
and delay tear evaporation and
drainage. With the agitation of
blinking, the HA molecules align,
making it less viscous and more elastic,
and enabling it to spread over the
surface of the eye and lubricate it
(Figure 4 see page 5).
Phospholipids
Phospholipids attempt to stabilise the
lipid layer of the tears. Present in
Clarymist and Optrex ActiMist,
phosphatidylcholine, derived from soy
lecithin, is also the most common
phospholipid in healthy tears. These
products are applied as a spray to the
closed eye, eventually finding their
way to the lid margins where they will
be distributed by blinking. Clinitas
Ultra 3 also contains lecithin
PRODUCT LUBRICANT PRESERVATIVE CL USE P/GSL DISCARD NOTES
AFTER
Aquify Sodium hyaluronate 0.1% Sodium perborate Yes GSL 8 weeks Aqueous/General
deficiency
Avizor Comfort Drops Povidone 1% Polyhexanide 0.0002% Yes GSL 60 days Cl rewetting drop
Avizor Moisture Sodium hyaluronate 0.1% Polyhexanide 0.0001% Yes GSL 60 days Aqueous/General
Drops deficiency
Avizor Moisture Sodium hyaluronate 0.1% None Yes GSL N/A Aqueous/General
Drops Unit Dose deficiency
Blink Contacts Sodium hyaluronate 0.15% None Yes GSL N/A Aqueous/General
Unit Dose deficiency
Blink Contacts Sodium hyaluronate 0.15% Ocupure 0.005% (1) Yes GSL 45 days Aqueous/General
Multi-Dose deficiency
Blink Intensive Sodium hyaluronate 0.2%, None Yes GSL N/A Aqueous/Mucous
Tears Unit Dose Polyethylene glycol 400 0.25% deficiency
Blink Intensive Sodium hyaluronate 0.2%, Ocupure 0.005% (1) Yes GSL 45 days Aqueous/Mucous
Tears Multi-Dose Polyethylene glycol 400 deficiency
Blink Refreshing Polyvinyl alcohol 1.4% None Yes GSL N/A For mild dry eye
Unit Dose symptoms
Blink Refreshing Polyvinyl alcohol 1.4% Ocupure 0.005% (1) Yes GSL 45 days For mild dry eye
Multi-Dose symptoms
Clarymist Soy lecithin 1.0% Phenoxyethanol 0.5% (1) Yes GSL 3 years Lipid deficiency
(MGD)
Clinitas Hydrate Carbomer 980 0.2% Cetrimide No GSL 4 weeks More severe dry
eye or night use
Clinitas Soothe Sodium hyaluronate 0.4% None Yes GSL N/A Highest HA
content
Clinitas Ultra 3 PVA, Povidone, Amisol Polyquaternium 42 Yes GSL 28 days Augments all 3
phases
Hyabak Sodium hyaluronate 0.15% None (2) Yes GSL 8 weeks Aqueous/General
deficiency
Hycosan Sodium hyaluronate 0.1% None (2) Yes GSL 12 weeks Aqueous/General
deficiency
Ocusan Unit Sodium hyaluronate 0.2% None Yes GSL N/A Aqueous/General
Dose deficiency
Optive Sodiumcarboxy-methyl- Purite (1) Yes GSL 6 months Mucous/Aqueous
cellulose 0.5%, Glycerin 0.9% deficiency

phospholipid in its ingredient Amisol, as
well as PVP and PVA, and claims to
enhance all three phases of the tear
film.
Electrolytes
Many dry eye preparations, rather
than simply diluting the tears to
reduce osmolarity, also include
naturally-occurring electrolytes, such
as sodium, chloride, potassium and
bicarbonate. Some aim exactly to
mimic the electrolyte composition of
normal tears, matching the osmolarity
and thereby preventing further
damage and helping to promote
healing (eg TheraTears).
Availability
In the UK, drugs may be classed as
either: POM (prescription only
medicines); P (available without
prescription at a pharmacy); or GSL
(general sales list, available in nonpharmaceutical
outlets such as
optical practices and supermarkets).
Pharmacy (P) dry eye preparations
are also available to optometrists to
supply but not at present to dispensing
opticians or contact lens opticians.
Most of the products listed in the table
are general sales list (GSL) and hence
freely available.
Which are the best products to
stock?
Unless a practice is specialising in dry
eye and its management, it may be
best to avoid duplication. One
approach might be to carry one of
the products containing sodium
hyaluronate or, if space allows,
perhaps two, in differing
concentrations. These products
represent good, general purpose dry
eye preparations.
Connttinuuinngg Eduucationn and Trainninng
Applying eye drops (Photograph courtesy of
TheraTears)
One of the liposomal sprays
(containing soy lecithin) would be
useful for those patients in whom the
problem is obviously evaporative in
nature, eg in meibomian gland
Continued overleaf
PRODUCT LUBRICANT PRESERVATIVE CL USE P/GSL DISCARD
AFTER
NOTES
Optrex Dry Eye Sodium hyaluronate 0.15% Oxyd (1) Yes GSL 4 weeks Aqueous/General
Drops deficiency
Optrex Actimist Soy lecithin 1.0% Phenoxyethanol 0.5% (1) Yes GSL 3 years Lipid deficiency
(mgd)
Oxyal Sodium hyaluronate 0.1% Oxyd (1) Yes GSL 4 weeks Aqueous/General
deficiency
Refresh Contacts Sodiumcarboxymethylcellulose
0.5%
Purite (1) Yes GSL 45 days Cl rewetting drop
Refresh Contacts Sodiumcarboxy- None Yes GSL N/A Cl rewetting drop
Unit Dose methylcellulose 0.5%
Refresh Soothe and Sodiumcarboxy- None Yes GSL N/A Mucous/Aqueous
Protect Unit Dose methylcellulose 1% deficiency
Systane Hydroxpropyl guar, Poly- Polidronium chloride 0.001% Yes (3) GSL 6 months Mucous/Aqueous
ethylene glycol 400 0.4%,
Propylene glycol 0.3%
deficiency
Systane Unit Dose Hydroxpropyl guar, Poly- None Yes (3) GSL N/A Mucous/Aqueous
ethylene glycol 400 0.4%,
Propylene glycol 0.3%
deficiency
Tears Naturale Dextran 70 0.1% Benzalkonium chloride No P 1 month General purpose
Hypromellose 0.3% 0.01% lubricant
Theratears Eye Sodiumcarboxy- None Yes GSL N/A Electrolyte-
Drops Unit Dose methylcellulose 0.25% balanced
Theratears Liquid Sodiumcarboxy- None Yes GSL N/A Electrolyte-
Gel Unit Dose methylcellulose 1% balanced
Viscotears Carbomer 980 0.2% Cetrimide 0.1mg/g No P 1 month More severe dry
eye or night use
Vislube Unit Dose Sodium hyaluronate 0.18% None Yes GSL N/A Aqueous/General
deficiency
Vismed Light Sodium hyaluronate 0.1% Polyhexanide Yes GSL 4 weeks Aqueous/General
deficiency
Vismed Multi Sodium hyaluronate 0.18% None (2) Yes GSL 3 months Aqueous/General
deficiency
Vismed Unit Dose Sodium hyaluronate 0.18% None Yes GSL N/A Aqueous/General
deficiency
Vismed Gel Unit Dose Sodium hyaluronate 0.3% None Yes GSL N/A High HA content
(1) Vanishing preservative (2) Dispensing system prevents contamination of contents (3) Use before insertion and after removal

8 dispensingoptics July 2009
Figure 6: Rebound congestion
dysfunction or for VDU users. One of
the carbomer preparations would be
helpful for severe dry eye patients who
don’t wear contact lenses.
It is also worth looking at those
products with unique ingredients, such
as HP-Guar; or those which claim to
contain a specific electrolyte balance;
or with a combination of ingredients so
that all three tear film layers are
addressed. These products may work
where others have failed, or may
Multiple choice questions (MCQs):
A drop of the wet stuff - part two
1. Which statement is true?
a. Stabilised oxychloro complex is a detergent-type
preservative
b. Benzalkonium chloride is less toxic than polyquaternium-
42
c. Ideally all ocular lubricants should contain a
preservative
d. Sodium perborate is an oxidative preservative
2. Which statement is true?
a. Products containing liquid paraffin are ideal for daytime
use
b. Polyvinyl alcohol is a high viscosity polymer
c. Carboxymethylcellulose is a low viscosity polymer
d. Products containing high viscosity polymers need to be
instilled very frequently
3. Which one of the following is not true?
a. Viscoelastics become less viscous during blinking
b. HP-Guar is pH sensitive
c. Carbomer products are ideal for contact lens wearers
d. Sodium hyaluronate is a viscoelastic
sometimes be seen as a first choice.
Where possible, preservative-free
preparations, or those with vanishing
preservatives, should be first choice.
Patients who worry about the waste
with unit dose containers may be
reminded of their convenience and
portability. Although these single use
vials often have a cap which may
be replaced after it has been
twisted off, there is no published
data to confirm that any remaining
contents may be used, even on the
same day.
Products sold as ‘whitening’ or
‘brightening’ eye drops have no
place on the dry eye shelf, although
they can often seem very appealing
to the patient, who is troubled by the
redness which often accompanies
dry eye. These preparations usually
contain a vasoconstrictor, such as
naphazoline, which may lead to
rebound congestion Figure 6 after
prolonged and frequent use. Patients
are left with a chronic red eye, and
become dependent upon the drops.
Summary
Just as there are many causes of dry
eye, so there are many approaches to
its treatment. For some patients,
advice on dietary, environmental, or
other lifestyle changes may be all
that’s required. Others may have so
severe a problem that referral to a
hospital eye department is warranted.
Many more may benefit from the use
of dry eye preparations, but these are
numerous and varied. Patients should
be given the right advice, so that an
informed choice may be made, but
expectations should be managed.
There is no ‘magic bullet’ for dry eye,
and it may be necessary to try more
than one product before achieving a
successful outcome.
References appear in part one of this
article.
The author has no commercial interest
in any of the products mentioned.
Information on products has been
obtained from the manufacturers or
suppliers and is reproduced in good
faith.
4. Which one of the following is not true?
a. Phosphatidylcholine is found in healthy tears
b. Phospholipid sprays must be applied with the lids held
apart
c. Hyaluronic acid is found in the skin
d. Hyaluronic acid acts as a sponge when the eye is open
5. Which one of the following is true in the UK?
a. Dry eye drops classed as (P) may only be supplied by
GPs and pharmacists
b. Dry eye drops classed as (GSL) are available in the
supermarket
c. Drugs classed as (P) may be sold by a receptionist
d. Drugs classed as (POM) may be supplied by dispensing
opticians
6. Which statement is true?
a. The use of whitening eye drops should be encouraged in
dry eye patients
b. Phenoxyethanol is a viscoelastic polymer
c. Soy lecithin is a source of phospholipids
d. Products which dilute the tears will increase their osmolarity
The deadline for posted or faxed response is 13 August 2009 to the address on page 4. The module code is C-11583
Online completion - www.abdo.org.uk - after member log-in go to ‘CET online’
Occasionally, printing errors are spotted after the journal has gone to print. Notifications can be viewed at www.abdo.org.uk
on the CET Online page

10 dispensingoptics July 2009
Once more,
unto the beach
When Areas were consulted
about the 2009 venue for
ABDO’s Conference and
Exhibition, the south coast
city of Brighton came top of
the list. This October, the
Hilton Brighton Metropole
will serve as an impressive
seafront venue for an
exciting line-up of recessionbusting
educational and
social events. Ann Johnson
reports
Once again ABDO has come up trumps – returning to a location that is
entirely right for the current business climate. Brighton’s robust retail and
social culture exemplifies edgy innovation, grass-roots initiative, tenacity, risk
and focus - and good, old-fashioned, spirit-lifting fun. Although home to many
high profile global chains, Brighton’s home-grown, independent business
community remains ahead of the game in all areas of retail.
Within this, vibrant, battery-charging
community is the splendid and
elegant Hilton Brighton Metropole, the
venue for this year’s conference, the
theme of which is ‘We have a brighter
vision’, with the emphasis on UV
protection.
Conference and educational
events
The ABDO Conference CET lecture
and seminar programme will run
throughout Sunday 4 and Monday 5
October and will feature keynote
speakers and ABDO updates. This will
introduce the first-ever opening
general session, where all delegates
will be welcome. International and UKbased
speakers will include Prof John
Marshall who will open the
proceedings, Prof Mo Jalie, Peter
Charlesworth, Stephen Freeman, Dr
Scott Mackie, Kate McMahon, Dr
Caradee Wright (from South Africa),
Andy Hepworth, Keith Cavaye, Angela
McNamee and motivational business
speaker Johnny Apples. Low Vision
workshops will also be held on Sunday.
The comprehensive series of CETapproved
lectures are particularly
important for those members looking
to complete their points before the
end of the present three-year CET
cycle in December 2009. A total of 7.5
CET points have been applied for, plus
2 additional CET points via CD,
produced in conjunction with Replay
Learning.
One of the most successful events
launched in Manchester last year was
Optical Question Time and this will
take place again on Sunday morning
with representatives from the optical
bodies. The highly popular SpecTech
forum, which will feature new
manufacturing innovations and how
they can be applied to retail optics,
will also be held on Sunday in the
general session. Keynote speakers are:
Frédéric Lefranc (PPG Industries), Gilles
LeSaux (Essilor), Peter Zieman (Pixel
Optics) and Andrea Dorigo
(Luxottica).
The Association’s new Strategic
Marketing Approach will be launched
at the weekend and ABDO’s Annual
General Meeting will be held on
Saturday 3 October. The agenda this
year will include discussion on the
proposed name change for
‘dispensing opticians’.
The exhibition
Double the number of companies
showing at Brighton this year means
the event has expanded to fill five
interlinked exhibition halls spread over
two floors. The exhibition, which runs
over all three days, will showcase a
wide range of products, services and
new initiatives covering frames,

sunglasses, lenses, practice
management software, instruments
and equipment and featuring leading
names from the UK and abroad,
including a number of specialist, niche
market companies.
A highlight of the show will include: an
artificial beach, around which most of
the frame companies will be showing.
This ‘Life’s a beach’ zone, sponsored
by Luxottica, will also feature the very
latest in sunglass designs. Main sponsor
Silhouette will run its Style Clinic and
development classes throughout the
weekend. There will also be a Designer
Gallery with Lafont, ProDesign, Tom
Davies plus many others already
confirmed to attend.
The show has already attracted a
number of major sponsors, including
international names, which underlines
the enthusiastic support and
commitment for what promises to be
a major new event in UK Optics.
Social networking
events
This year, a new pre-conference
President’s Golf Tournament will be
held on Friday 2 October. This is in
response to last year’s informal golf
day that attracted far more interest
than anticipated. Barry Duncan is also
hopeful he will be able to captain a
five-a-side ABDO football team
against a rival team the following
morning.
On Saturday a sparkling cocktail
reception evening hosted by Essilor, is
an event not to be missed if last year’s
party is anything to go by. If there’s
one thing the Association does to
superlative levels it’s gala dinners. On
Sunday 4 October a fabulous
Celebration Dinner will take place in
the hotel, featuring live music from a
spectacular ten-piece band. The
event is sponsored by Transitions
Optical. After the dinner delegates
can enjoy a host of after dinner
surprises. Monday morning sees a
‘Hangover Breakfast’ with reviving
Oxygen Bar, sponsored by See 20/20.
Delegates can book online at
www.abdoconference.co.uk or they
can contact the ABDO Conference
Office (Event Exchange) on 01225
969000. ■
ABDO Connferrencce anndd EExxhhibittioonn 33--5 October
Brighton: home of
niche marketing
This year’s bigger and better exhibition will include leading names from the
UK and abroad, including a number of specialist, niche market companies.
When you visit Brighton, take a little time out to explore the North Laine (or
North Lanes) area and enjoy a living masterclass in niche marketing. In the
mile between the Royal Pavilion and Brighton station nestle 300 shops, 37
cafes, 22 pubs, four theatres, a world-class museum and a state-of-the-art
library. North Laine shops are mostly run by their owners who source
individual ranges. And you couldn’t get much more ‘niche’ than a
vegetarian shoe shop, another specialising in kites, or the inimitable
Komedia live entertainment venue (Jo Brand, Bootleg Abba and Born Bad ‘…
a wild and sexy night of delinquent rhythms and red hot rockabilly…’)
Alongside vegan chocolates, vintage rock ‘n roll fashion, an organic
supermarket and holistic treatments is the more mundane but totally
necessary DIY treasure trove of Brighton’s cherished Dockerills ironmongers in
Church Street. Part of the city’s business community for as long as most
Brightonians can recall, the shop was established over 90 years ago by
Walter Dockerill and continues to thrive under the ownership of grandson
Malcolm.
Moving south to The Lanes, you will find goodies of the slightly more
‘mainstream fashion’ kind. Shops, both independents and multiples, offer
brands such as Dolce et Gabana, Armani, Paul Smith, Karen Millen, Hobbs,
East and Monsoon. According to his website, Jamie Oliver opened his new
Italian restaurant in Black Lion Street because he wanted to be located ‘right
in the middle of the action’. Which is what he certainly got. When Jamie’s
Italian opened for business, a woman stripped off outside and engaged in a
little direct action on behalf of animal rights. For Brighton also has a thriving
history of protest and counterculture. The local Argus newspaper successfully
campaigned to free an innocent Brighton resident from Guantanamo, and
the city is home to SchNEWS, an on-line paper born in ‘94 as part of
Brighton’s campaign against the Criminal Justice Act. You can even sign up
for an evening class in ‘direct action and civil disobedience training’.
Brighton is as strong on fair trade and environmental issues as it is on arts,
entertainment and generally having a fun time. Brightonians are nothing if
not imaginative, not least in the area of ‘inclusiveness’. Pride, for example,
“…promotes equality and diversity, and advances education to eliminate
discrimination against the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT)
community.” Pride’s calendar of events includes this month’s Pride
Companion Dog Show. This Kennel Club registered event - ‘a celebration of
dogs and their owners’ – boasts the endearing ‘Best Oldie Non-Pedigree (7+
years)’ in its Best Condition category. Thereby expanding inclusiveness to
animals and ‘grey power’ in one go. For more information on what the
original and unexpected city of Brighton has to offer visit:
www.uniquebrighton.com ■
Continued overleaf

12 dispensingoptics July 2009
The ABDO College team: Michelle Briggs, Andrew Moss and Neil Walker. The rules of the Challenge allow only three team members to take part in the finals
therefore fourth heats winner Chris Blake will attend the event to support his team mates
Essilor Challenge Trophy 2009
2008 saw the launch of the first Essilor
Challenge Trophy and the memorable
win by ABDO College. This quiz-based
event, which encourages competition
between teams of dispensing students
from UK colleges and universities, will
take place on ‘Student day’ - Saturday
3 October at 2.30pm. Students from
ABDO College, Anglia Ruskin University,
Bradford College, City & Islington
College and Glasgow Caledonian
University all took part in the heats,
50 Years
of Varilux -
and still
progressing
‘Living legend’ Bernard Maitenaz, inventor of the
first Varilux lens fifty years ago will be making his
only UK appearance at the conference
organised by Essilor’s Andy Hepworth.
The winning teams will travel to the
Hilton Brighton Metropole for the finals.
Victory at ABDO’s conference will
result in an all expenses paid trip to Las
Vegas in June 2010 to attend the
Student Optometry Superbowl.
Essilor and ABDO have joined forces to
provide all dispensing students with
free return transport to and from their
college to the Brighton conference.
This provides students with a terrific
opportunity to join the audience at the
Challenge Trophy final where, whilst
enjoying complimentary ‘student’
cocktails, they will have the chance to
win some fantastic spot prizes including
iPod touches.
Reduced rate hotel accommodation
will be offered along with free entry to
the conference exhibition on Saturday
afternoon. ■
To mark the 50th anniversary of Varilux, Essilor will be welcoming a very special
guest to this year’s Conference – none other than Bernard Maitenaz, the inventor
of the first PPL. The first Varilux lens design was launched in 1959 - the only
progressive lens available on the market. It was the brainchild of Bernard
Maitenaz, then a young optical and manufacturing engineer. Since the launch
of this ground-breaking invention, considerable evolution in optics, mathematics
and manufacturing has made possible
many new generations of Varilux
designs.
The lenses of today are, of course, very
different to how they were in the 1950s.
In 1959, Varilux enabled wearers with
presbyopia to see comfortably at any
distance. In 1972 the second
generation Varilux 2 mono-design
progressive lens appeared. The new
surface provided increased comfort
and ease of adaptation and new
manufacturing processes meant the
overall quality of the lens increased.
Many more generations of Varilux
were to follow and, today, the Varilux
Physio, Varilux Physio f-360° and Varilux
Physio Short family makes it possible
for everyone to benefit from highresolution
vision regardless of frame
choice. The most recent addition is
Varilux Physio Short, a patented design
launched in January this year. This lens
has been designed specifically for the
smallest frames on the market,
allowing a minimum fitting height of
just 14mm, while providing the best
quality vision. ■
ABDO Conference and Exhibition 3-5
October
Special lenses for
Special Olympians
Essilor is the official supplier of
ophthalmic lenses to The Special
Olympics National Summer Games
2009 in Leicester, 26-30 July. The
company is also sponsor of the
Opening Eyes program. The Special
Olympics provides year round sports
training and athletic competition for
all children and adults with
intellectual disability. This year the
event is set to attract over 2,500
participating athletes, almost 1,000
coaches and 3,000 families, friends
and supporters.
In addition to donating Airwear 1.59
lenses to each athlete, several
qualified members of Essilor’s sales
and marketing teams have
volunteered their services to help
with the dispensing at the event. ■
Continued overleaf

14 dispensingoptics July 2009
Well organised
and value for
money
Optometrist Michelle Beach BSc
(hons) Dip SV MASVP MCOptom,
director of Park Vision Eye
Professionals in Nottingham, was an
impressed visitor to last year’s
Conference and Exhibition in
Manchester. She says, “I attend many
conferences throughout the year but
ABDO was a first for me. I decided to
go to increase my dispensing skills
and product knowledge. I probably
took more from this conference than
any of the others and came back to
Park Vision full of confidence.”
Michelle says she found the lectures
particularly informative: “I learned
about all the innovative products that
were being launched and the
exhibition enabled me to speak to
reps and spot areas of potential where
Park Vision was lacking.”
Michelle was able to speak with her
patients about the conference,
describe new developments and she
found them receptive to the idea that
they had a ‘latest product’. “I was also
surprised at how I could use the
information when I worked as a locum
at other practices with an in-house
DO. I think the DOs are relieved to
finally get an OO who speaks their
language. Optometrists often forget
just how valuable DOs are. The
patients love the smooth transition
between OO and DO.”
Michelle set up Park Vision, a Nikon
lens practice, a year ago. She had
previously worked for multiples,
independents and within the eye clinic
at her local hospital. She also enlisted
the help of practice management
and software solutions company See
20/20: “They held my hand throughout
my first year and I now use every
aspect of their product on a daily
basis. My stock is all barcoded and
audited, my patient information is
current and safe and I love the fact
that I can contact my patients via
email or text from my laptop at any
time. It is also amazingly useful when
things go wrong. During the arctic
conditions in February I was able to
contact them all to say I was snowed
in and wouldn’t be at the practice -
all from my kitchen table!”
On the dispensing side, the system
works with built-in product catalogues
and integrated stock - fundamental
for keeping up-to-date with new
products. It keeps mistakes to a
minimum and produces an order and
till receipt that is accurate.
The patients can see where their
money is going, stock can be
monitored, the order progress can be
tracked and, at the end of each day,
reports can be run to see exactly what
the practice is achieving.
ABDO Conference and Exhibition 3-5
October
Optometrist Michelle Beach: looking forward to
attend the conference
“As a new practice I have had to start
from scratch with no patient
database. It has been tough opening
and generating new business through
2008/9 but I have found See20/20’s
marketing tool Flourish completely
invaluable. The KPI dashboard enables
me to look at patient demographics
and then target an area or hit a
patient group with a particular offer.”
Michelle has spent the last five months
working with See20/20 as a consultant.
“Together we have produced their
new software on all clinical aspects.
The eye examination or contact lens
visit can be accurately recorded with
extra visual prompts for the patient
using clinical diagrams and Captiv8
videos. The ocular examination is
therefore safe and thorough, the
dispensing team have marketing tools
to back up their recommendations -
and the patients go away feeling
impressed and informed.”
Michelle says the social aspect of
ABDO deserves a special mention: “I
met some really great people, all
offering their help and support, and
had some terrific nights out! The whole
thing was extremely well organised
and excellent value for money. I will
definitely attend the conference
again this year – and look forward to
it!” ■

16 dispensingoptics July 2009
Nothing says ‘welcoming family practice’ more than
a bright, attractive display of children’s eyewear.
Nicky Collinson looks at some of the latest offerings
in this burgeoning dispensing zone
In the kids’ zone
Continental Eyewear has spent the
past 12 months rapidly developing
its Lazer collection of frames for
younger children. “As kids are more
frequent visitors to practices than
adults, we need to continually offer
new designs,” says Neal Grimason,
Continental Eyewear sales director. “It
is more important than ever to offer
the very latest designs in the latest
colours. Gone are the days when
children – or rather their parents –
would accept any frame. Fashion is
very much to the forefront with
children wanting smaller versions of
adult frames. The Lazer collection
offers metal and acetate frames, and
combinations of both, produced in
New Bratz sunglasses from
International Eyewear
superb colour mixes and fabulous
modern shapes. As always, delivery on
all Lazer frames is from stock.”
For the teen market, Continental has
the popular Zenith collection. Mindful
as ever of the need to maintain a
fashion focus, the company recently
launched a diffusion range, Zenith
Zest, at Optrafair 2009. “Modern, stylish
and colourful are the best words to
describe these frames,” says Mr
Grimason. “Again, we have an
extensive choice in both plastic and
metal and, as a result of the initial
success, we are planning several new
releases for the summer.”
Walking away with third prize in the
Children’s Ophthalmic category at this
year’s Optra Awards for its Flexibug
Charlie 44A model, Zoobug recently
launched its second generation
Flexibug collection. Each model in the
28-piece optical and sunglass
collection, for five to 12-year-olds,
features a special temple design
made from TR90, a unique memoryplastic
that is ultra light and strong. As
well as ensuring high levels of comfort
with a special rubberised temple
coating, designer Dr Julie Diem Le has
added new fashion-forward design
elements featuring great colours and
shapes.
Dr Le says: “The new frame styles in our
second generation Flexibug collection
offer exciting choices for that verydifficult-to-please
tweens sector. Our
designs are bold and contemporary
but with a retro twist to suit the style
and fashion taste of today’s youth. It

also offers a point of differentiation for
the retailer who is looking for
something special in order to stand
out and be different from the
competition.”
Available exclusively from
independent opticians, Orange
Eyewear recently unveiled a new
collection of baby frames. There are
two ranges in the collection, with
models designed to achieve a perfect
fit on a baby’s face. Features include
assorted sizes of fixed silicon bridges
and silicon or cable end tips. Both
ranges come in sizes 34 to 42 and
showcase a beautiful selection of
colours, some of which have hand
painted finishes. A spring hinge cover
for an even smoother touch is also
available on request and will be
matched to the frame colour. Hanna
Nussbaum, managing director at
Orange Eyewear, comments: “The
models in this new collection have
some really practical design features
that make them as comfortable as
possible for babies, while still looking
great.”
Colourful characters
Showcasing its new designs for
children at Optrafair recently was the
Brulimar Optical Group. There are new
models across the company’s entire
children’s brand portfolio including
Barbie, Action Man, Spiderman,
Superman, Batman, Supergirl and
Beano. The new designs all feature
original artwork from the characters’
creators, transferred in full-colour onto
the temple of the frames using
innovative photographic lamination
technology. “We want to capture the
feel and spirit of these much-loved
characters in all their glory,” says
Brulimar managing director, Howard
Librae.
“Traditionally, we have incorporated a
logo or part of the branding into our
designs, but now we are going
beyond that and using the original
graphics that have made these some
of the most iconic children’s brands of
the last five decades. The result is a
collection of fun, colourful, fashionable
designs that are comfortable, robust
and as childproof as we can make
them. We began marketing these
designs in January 2009 and are
thrilled by the excellent reaction we’re
receiving from retailers and opticians,”
adds Mr Librae.
The girls with a ‘Passion for Fashion’ are
back as International Eyewear
launches four fashion-savvy Bratz
sunglasses. Both models come in two
colours, offer sun protection with girly
temple designs and sparkling gems.
Bratz Sunflower is available in ‘punky
pink’ or ‘rockin’ red’. The temples are
embellished with an eye-catching
floral design, which is embedded with
glistening diamantes. Bratz Sun-Kissed
features a trendy butterfly eye shape,
and the temples are decorated with
the Bratz logo as well as a cheeky kiss.
All Bratz sunglasses feature CR39 lenses
and come with a glossy handbag
case.
For the boys, International Eyewear
has launched four new models in its
Star Wars sunglass range. Inspired by
the No 1 boy’s brand, the collection
includes Clone Captain Rex featuring
temples in the iconic white and black
of the Storm Troopers, and Republic
with its futuristic front. All models are
branded with the signature Star Wars
logo on the temples and nose pads
and feature either Republic/Jedi cogs
or Clone Trooper helmets on the tips.
Star Wars sunglasses feature CR39,
UV400 lenses and are suitable for
prescription lenses.
Another new launch at Optrafair was
Hello Kitty Eyewear, now available in
the UK from Caseco. The cute,
Japanese cartoon character created
in 1974 adorns two eyewear ranges,
one for children and one for teens. The
range offers a variety of funky frame
shapes and colours alongside the
Hello Kitty logo. A striking range of
point-of-sale materials is available to
support the range. Caseco believes
the Hello Kitty Eyewear collection
offers an exciting new choice for
children and teens, who are already
fans of this highly collectable
worldwide brand.
With so many choices in children’s
eyewear, offering complete sun
protection, prescription lenses as well
as the latest brands, fashion and
styling, there is no better opportunity to
promote healthy sight in young
patients. ■
Model from Continental Eyewear’s Zenith
collection
Award-winning Flexibug Charlie 44A from Zoobug
Brulimar’s comic book brands for boys
Hello Kitty, available from Caseco
Chhilddren’s frames
Something for baby from Orange Eyewear

18 dispensingoptics July 2009
In Part 4 a comparison
between a large ophthalmic
manufacturing facility and a
small independent dispensing
optician was promised. By
using two separate scenarios,
Mike Hall provides an outline
of what could happen when
H & S measures break down
An inspector calls
Scenario 1
An accident has occurred at
‘Lenstastic Optics International,’ a
major player in the optical world with
several large manufacturing facilities
throughout the UK and abroad. In the
bulk storage area of the Preston plant,
a worker has been struck by a
reversing forklift truck and has
sustained serious crush injuries to his
lower torso and legs. An HSE inspector
comes on site and is met by the plant
manager. What happens now? What
does the plant manager do?
The first thing he should do is to cooperate
fully with the inspector. Being
truculent or obstructive will not help his
case, whereas a helpful attitude might
just aid the creation of a sensible
working environment. Additionally, he
should be aware that to contravene
any requirement made by the
inspector would constitute an offence.
In the case of a serious accident such
as this, it might be useful for him to
have the company legal advisor
present, or at least have them
manning a telephone to deal with
matters of law.
Inspectors have available to them a
number of options to deal with these
breaches of legislation and unsafe
situations such as:
Informal
• Simply ask for something to be put
right
• They may confirm their requirement
in a letter to the person in control.
Formal
• They may issue an Improvement
Notice (IN) if there is a breach of
legislation. Warning will be given of the
intention to issue an IN to give
employers an opportunity to put things
right. Once issued, an IN comes into
effect after 21 days inclusive of the
day of issue. During this period an
employer can appeal to an Industrial
Tribunal which has the effect of
suspending the notice until the appeal
is heard.
• If the inspector believes that there is
an immediate risk of serious injury to
personnel he may issue a Prohibition
Notice (PN). This requires the activity to
be put to an immediate stop -
machine(s) not to be used, area not
to be entered etc - until matters are
put right. It is an imprisonable offence
to contravene a PN and the 21 day
leeway does not apply.
• A deferred PN can be issued at the
inspector’s discretion, if the risk is not
immediate.
• The inspector may decide to
prosecute. This can be done instead
of, or as well as, any of the above
actions.
If prosecution is the chosen path,
minor breaches of H & S can be tried
summarily, in the Magistrates’ Court.
With a serious offence, such as the
accident at Lenstastic the HSE would
expect the magistrate to commit the
defendant for trial on indictment to
the Crown Court. The defendant
would also have been given the
opportunity to elect for trial before a
jury in the Crown Court of his own
volition. Magistrates have recently
been given more sentencing teeth;
where before 16 January 2009 they
had the power to impose fines of up
to £20,000 for breaches of Sections 2 -
6 of the Act but were restricted to a
maximum fine of £5000 for breaches of
any other sections and/or associated
H & S legislation, from 16 January 2009,
breaches of any section of the Act or
other delegated legislation will carry a
maximum fine of £20,000. Magistrates
are also now empowered to impose
up to twelve months imprisonment for

failing to comply with a PN, IN or Court
Order. Such Court Orders may be
imposed by a court when someone
has been convicted of an offence but
they will be given a time limit by which
matters must be put right. If indicted to
the Crown Court, there is no limit on
the level of fine that can be imposed.
(Witness the recent case of Balfour
Beatty, fined £10m for the Hatfield Rail
Disaster – subsequently reduced on
appeal to £7.5m). For other serious
offences, such as carrying out work for
which a licence is required without a
licence etc, the Crown Court can
impose up to two years imprisonment.
The investigation at Lenstastic reveals
that no policy or practice existed for
the marking and segregation of
vehicle and pedestrian routes.
Furthermore, the driver of the forklift
had not received any official training
and no risk assessments had been
carried out. A criminal offence had
been committed by Lenstastic Optics
under Section 2(1) of the Act by not
‘. . . ensuring the health, safety and
welfare at work of all its employees’.
Also under Regulation 3 of MHSWR by
not conducting suitable and sufficient
risk assessments and Regulation 17 of
the Workplace (Health, Safety &
Welfare) Regulations 1992 (W(HS&W)R)
which deals with the organisation,
segregation and marking of
pedestrian and vehicle traffic routes.
Faced with prosecution, Lenstastic
Optics pleaded guilty to all three
charges during the initial hearing at
Preston Magistrates’ Court on 3
December 2006. At Preston Crown
Court on the 18 June 2007, they were
fined £150,000 for the ‘. . . flagrant
and cynical breaches of H & S
legislation . . .’ and were ordered to
pay the HSE £10,000 in Costs. A
separate civil action seeking damages
by the injured employee, who is now
unable to work, is pending. Given the
level of injury sustained, this could run
into tens of thousands of pounds.
NB: An assessment of costings involved
for the creation of segregated foot
and vehicular routes at Lenstastic are
estimated at £3,000 to £4,000. Forklift
driver training would have cost in the
region of between £750 to £1,000 for a
three to five day in-house training
course. This totals £5,750 instead of the
£172.000 in fines, compensation and
lost production, the latter category yet
to be evaluated. A very seductive
argument in favour of H & S
measures.
Scenario 2
Specorama is a single shop optical
practice situated in the High Street at
Piddlington on Sea, West Sussex. Apart
from the owner, a qualified dispensing
optician of some years experience,
there are two employees: Mrs Bendix,
Level 3 Certificate in Optical Practice
Support (OPS) gained through the
Spectacle Makers Company (SMC)
and Tracey Finn, a trainee who is
currently studying for her OPS 2
qualification, also through the SMC.
On Mondays and Thursdays an
optometrist is in residence to conduct
clinics.
The practice is accessed from the High
Street via a glass panelled door. The
practice is on two levels. On the
ground floor there is a reception desk,
three consulting tables with
appropriate chairs and one further
desk set up as a computer
workstation. Also on the ground floor
are two fully equipped clinical rooms.
The upper floor is accessed via a flight
of stairs with single hand rail on the
right ascending. The front room
overlooking the High Street, houses the
central business computer, patient
administrative database and clinical
files, the main computer being linked
to the computer terminal downstairs.
There are four further rooms: one for
stationery/office supplies, one for
various ophthalmic items and trading
stock, a staff toilet facility and a small
box-room which houses the coffee
making and microwave oven facilities
On Monday the 17 September 2007 at
about 11.00, Tracey, having made the
morning coffee which she is carrying
on a tray, begins her descent of the
stairway. On the fourth step down
Tracey catches her right heel on a
loose edge of the stair carpet, causing
her to overbalance and fall heavily
down the remaining ten stairs,
breaking her left upper arm,
dislocating her right shoulder and
sustaining multiple bruising. Tracey is
off work for over twelve weeks.
HHealtthh annd ssafety part five
Following the accident an inspector
from the Local Authority comes on site.
He will have similar powers to those
afforded to the HSC inspector cited in
the Lenstastic scenario.
The investigation at Specorama
reveals that a known and agreed
policy for H & S existed but as there
were fewer than five employees, this
was not produced in writing. Likewise,
general risk assessments had been
conducted in the practice but again,
with fewer than five employees, the
known and agreed risk assessments
were not fully recorded in writing.
Apart from general knowledge
regarding the unsafe carpet on the
stairs, no formal risk reassessment had
been conducted for this latest
additional hazard. The employer was
prosecuted under Section 2(1) of the
Act by failing to exercise a duty of
care to his employee (Tracey) and
Regulation 3 of MHSWR by not
carrying out a suitable and sufficient
reassessment of the risks involved
concerning the loose edge strip and
carpet and for not taking appropriate
action to eliminate or reduce those
risks. Specorama was fined £6,000 and
ordered to pay Costs to the HSE of
£3,000.
In this case Civil proceedings were
initiated, with compensation for
damages in the case of Tracey being
in the order of £7,800. This civil action
was dealt with and agreed out of
court, which is quite usual. In addition,
there could be other costs running to
several thousands of pounds. How
many High Street DOs could afford
that kind of expenditure? For the want
of a nail a shoe was lost….
This sobering note brings Part 5 to a
close. Part 6 will explain the ‘Fewer
than five’ caveat, explore the two
scenarios given and have a very brief
look at Common Law and Statute
Law, and introduce ‘RIDDOR’. Until
then - ‘stay safe’.
Should anyone have a specific
problem or query on health and
safety matters, contact Mike Hall,
health and safety advisor to the
Worshipful Company of Spectacle
Makers on (telephone and fax) 01825
764801 or email
michael.hall21@btinternet.com ■

20 dispensingoptics July 2009
Representatives from the Areas
Goals, aspirations and
opportunities
ABDO President Barry
Duncan welcomed 14 Area
representatives from nine
Areas, to the President’s
Consultative Meeting on 20
May. He took the
opportunity to stress the
importance of the event as
a means of conveying
information from ABDO to
the Areas, and from the
Areas to local members
Barry Duncan opened the meeting
by reporting that he had written to
all members in England, Scotland and
Wales seeking permission to include
their details in local lists of dispensing
opticians to be sent to Local and Area
Optical Committees, and Primary Care
Trusts (PCTs). Out of the total
membership, only 60 or so members
had asked not to be included, of
whom a number were not in day-today
practice. Subsequent feedback
from the lists had indicated a
willingness by PCTs to involve
dispensing opticians and ABDO would
be developing this interest.
The President also reported on a
meeting with the new GOC
Chairman, Geoff Harris. He noted that
on 11 June 2009, ABDO would be
making a presentation to the new
GOC Board, setting out ABDO’s
aspirations for the profession. In
addition, Barry updated Area
representatives on the collaborative
working partnership between the
optical bodies, describing how ABDO
would take the lead on the newlyformed
joint committees for contact
lenses and low vision.
Earlier difficulties
largely resolved
General Secretary Tony Garrett began
his report by formally introducing Jane
Burnand, assistant PA working in
conjunction with Barbara Doris. He
then updated Area reps on current
initiatives being developed by ABDO
for its members. Tony explained how a
large majority of LOCs had now joined
the LOC Support Unit (LOCSU). He
acknowledged earlier difficulties but
felt these had largely been resolved
and that positive local results were
being achieved. Tony urged all
members to take advantage of
current opportunities by standing for
election to LOCs, thus ensuring proper
dispensing optician representation. He
felt that PCTs had generally welcomed
dispensing optician involvement,
although there had been cases where
PCTs were openly hostile and had
specifically excluded DOs from
submitting tenders for enhanced
services. In these cases, ABDO had
challenged the PCTs directly and
some of the projects had
consequently been withdrawn. He
stressed the importance of informing
the Association of any local difficulties
with PCTs in order for ABDO to take
action if necessary.
Regarding the Association’s
forthcoming meeting with the GOC
Board on 11 June, as well as the
chance to set out ABDO’s goals and
aspirations, this meeting would enable
current issues of concern to be raised,
such as the additional CET points
requirement for contact lens opticians.

General Secretary Tony Garrett and President Barry Duncan
Another issue for discussion would be
the protected areas of practice such
as children’s dispensing, which led to
the much wider concern that half of
all optical practices did not employ
any dispensing opticians, thus raising
questions about the services that they
provided.
While acknowledging apprehensions
by some members about
collaborative working with the other
optical bodies, the General Secretary
emphasised the importance of a joint
approach in discussions with the
Department of Health (DH) and the
GOC. This meant that ABDO was no
longer excluded from DH consultations
and initiatives, and had also resulted in
ABDO representation on the Optical
Fees Review Committee - a major
benefit for members. He stressed the
value of collaborative working as a
means of increasing ABDO’s influence
and underlined the need to expand
the profession.
Tony paid tribute to the improvements
made to Dispensing Optics, which was
now published monthly. He then
reported on developments within
ABDO College, noting that the
foundation degree course had begun
and that the College was now
undertaking the validation process for
the BSc Hons degree in partnership
with Canterbury Christchurch
University. A new body had been
established in place of the
Qualifications and Curriculum
Authority, which meant that ABDO
had to reapply for recognition of its
qualifications at levels 6 and 7.
Although it was understood this would
ultimately be granted, completion of
the relevant documentation would
take a considerable amount of time.
Form of recognition
Head of membership Katie Docker
reported to Area officers her
department’s current work in
supporting members. She noted
ongoing work on allocating every
member to a LOC area by postcode.
In answer to a query, Katie reported
on the current status of the website
locum list which, it was hoped, would
‘go live’ very shortly. In this
connection, Katie explained that
development costs were being shared
with the AOP, since the latter
organisation had, coincidentally,
selected the same software company
as that chosen by ABDO, thus
providing opportunities for joint
development of optics-specific
programmes.
In the context of membership services,
the President indicated that action
would be taken against any member
who submitted inappropriate or
unacceptable material to the
electronic bulletin board. He asked
Area reps to take that message back
to their local members and stressed
the purpose of the bulletin board as a
means of sharing views and learning
from each other’s experiences.
Exhibition space almost double
Updating the meeting on this year’s
conference and exhibition at the
Hilton Brighton Metropole in October,
head of professional services Elaine
Grisdale began by explaining how the
conference logo underlined the UV
theme of the event. She then stressed
the need to pay for conference
events from sponsorship and not from
members’ subscription income.
Social networking events would
include an official President’s golf
PPrresidenntt’s Connsuulttattivve MMeettinngg withh Areas
Elaine Grisdale
tournament, a cocktail reception
hosted by Essilor, a celebration dinner
sponsored by Transitions, a ‘hangover’
breakfast sponsored by See 20/20,
and the grand final of the Essilor
student challenge trophy.
Elaine summarised the lecture and
seminar programme for each day,
noting how, for the first time, there
would be plenary sessions for all
delegates before separating into CET
sessions. In the latter connection, 7.5
CET points would be available from
the conference, with a further two
points achievable from a distance
learning CD to be given away to
delegates. The number of streams had
been reduced to two, following
comment at last year’s conference
that too much choice had been
provided. Optical Question Time
would be run as a plenary session.
Keynote speakers would include
Professor John Marshall, and Johnny
Apples, a motivational business
speaker who had very much
impressed Area meetings. The
conference would also be attended
by Bernard Maitenaz, inventor of the
first Varilux lens fifty years ago (see
page 12). This would be his only
attendance in the UK in 2009 and
Elaine expressed her great pleasure
that he had agreed to attend.
This year’s exhibition would be almost
double that of the previous year and
would include old and new partners, a
wide range of products and the
Silhouette Style Clinic. Elaine expressed
disappointment that contact lens
companies would not be represented
but understood their reservations, since
past conferences had resulted in poor
attendance at their stands and lectures.
Continued overleaf

22 dispensingoptics July 2009
The gathering at the President’s Consultative Meeting with the Areas
Although every effort had been made
to keep delegate package prices as
low as possible, inevitably they were
slightly higher since the venue was in
the South East. Cost for the single
delegate package would be £405, for
one delegate and one non-delegate,
£495, and the two-delegate package
would cost £720. Attendance at the
conference and exhibition would cost
£155, and the exhibition alone would
be free of charge. These costs
represented the on-line booking prices
and would be higher for bookings
made by other means.
It was suggested there should be a
lower rate for students and the head
of professional services agreed to
consider this. Areas would be
encouraged to fund a delegate
package as a raffle prize and a letter
suggesting this would shortly be sent to
Areas. The President urged Area
officers not only to attend the
conference, but also to encourage
their colleagues to do so.
Greater awareness of
role and skills
Marketing manager Michael Potter
presented initial steps in a new
strategic marketing approach from
ABDO. This was based on one-to-one
communication between members
and their patients, supported by a
range of materials. The strategy would
depend on the unique relationship
between practitioners and their
individual patients, whereby patients
were provided with a range of
products and services specifically for
them. This contrasted with the mass
marketing approach adopted by
large commercial companies, which
relied on selling a single product to as
many people as possible. Michael
explained how the mass marketing
approach was very costly and had
been proven to be ineffective. ABDO’s
resources were limited and the
strategy would seek to utilise the
strengths of members’ existing or future
contacts with patients. The aim was to
create greater awareness of the role
and skills of DOs among patients and
professional colleagues on an
individual basis, differentiating
themselves from other personnel
involved in retail optics.
Michael then described in more detail
some of the communication tools.
Posters would explain the roles of
dispensing opticians and optometrists,
the wording of which had been
agreed by the GOC and the College
of Optometrists; a large high quality
microfibre cloth was for members to
use professionally; an A5 near vision
test chart, coasters and window
stickers would all bear the ABDO logo.
These would be in addition to items
already available such as mugs and
lapel badges. An information sheet to
stimulate personal involvement at
LOC, AOC or PCT level would be sent
to all UK members with a future issue of
Dispensing Optics. Work was also
under way on a referral flowchart for
members in Scotland. Consideration
would be given to the production of
patient leaflets, and separate show
cards for contact lens practice, low
vision and children’s dispensing,
although care would have to be
taken to avoid duplication of effort
and costs, in the light of current GOC
plans for promoting the professions.
Michael urged Area reps to embrace
the strategy and promote it to
colleagues. Comment was made that
Michael Potter
since half of all practices employed no
dispensing opticians at all, it would be
more effective to promote the
profession to the wider public rather
than on a one-to-one basis. Michael
stressed the power of one-to-one
marketing, since every patient could
potentially pass on the message to a
whole range of relatives and other
contacts.
It was questioned whether it was
necessary to include the optometrist’s
role in a poster that was aimed at
promoting dispensing opticians. In
reply, Michael said that in discussions
with colleagues, inclusion had been
felt appropriate as the two professions
worked closely together and in many
cases were partners in business. The
key factor was to differentiate
dispensing opticians as qualified
professionals. Since the general public
did not understand the difference
between the two professions,
comparisons had to be made.
Refined, updated and improved
IT manager Mark Smith provided an
update on the current situation and
longer term projects in terms of elearning
and IT facilities. ABDO
currently offered five CD-ROM titles;
these generated positive feedback
from members and were constantly
being refined by the CET department.
The website was also continuously
updated and improved, and the enewsletter
for members provided
direct links to items of interest on the
site. Mark then reported on the
development of an advice and
guidelines USB wafer, which was the
first of its kind. This would allow the
advice and guidelines to be
completely portable and would
Continued overleaf

24 dispensingoptics July 2009
Discussions about the Areas - front row: Richard Shaw and Lorraine Wallbank from Area 3, Brenda
Rennie from Area 12, back row: Katie Docker, Sheila Hope and Nicky Collinson
enable members to update the
information at any location without the
need for internet access. The project
was currently at the prototype stage.
Work-in-progress focused on an
e-learning management system which
would provide a one-stop portal for all
educational needs across the whole
organisation, accessed through the
website. This would offer centric
access to all relevant materials
specific for each user while allowing
their learning to be tracked and
managed. Work-in-progress also
included revisions to the CD-ROMS
and the content of the standardisation
of contact lens supervision.
Regarding emerging technologies,
Mark reported how he had been
reviewing a number of different
initiatives as examples of future trends.
These included one-stop portals for all
information in an organisation; mashup,
which was an online tool with the
ability to combine information from a
variety of sources; and Linked-In,
which was a Facebook-type site that
would facilitate professional, rather
than social, links with colleagues within
the sector. Computing Paradigm Shift
brought multiple devices together to
enable the user to undertake a whole
range of tasks and obtain a range of
services. Ways had to be found to
maximise the potential for CET and
other services in the light of the
increasing number of home computers.
Change of title
During question time, support was
expressed for the marketing strategy
but there was concern at recent
editorial in Dispensing Optics
suggesting a change of title from
‘dispensing optician’ to ‘optician’. This
would mean much time and effort
would have been spent on a strategy
that would cease to be relevant. Tony
Garrett said he understood that a
motion was likely to be put forward at
the next ABDO AGM asking the Board
to consider proposals for a change of
title. In this event, the Board would
have to deliberate on the issue and
put it to a vote at the 2010 AGM. If
the proposal found favour, much work
would then have to be undertaken
and it would also be wise at that stage
to consult with the GOC and the DH,
since a change of title could impact
on the relevant legislation. He stressed
that ABDO would be prepared for
whatever decision the membership
might take.
There followed a discussion on the
new promotional materials and
possible postage charges. There was
the potential for practices to use the
material as part of their in-house
promotions and the marketing
manager expressed his willingness to
work with members in this regard. It
was suggested that if patient leaflets
were produced, these could be
distributed by ABDO to GP and dental
surgeries. Michael stressed the merits
of one-to-one contact suggesting it
would be more effective for members
to make their own approaches to
local GPs and other healthcare
professionals.
The view was expressed that it would
be useful to reinstate the one-day
meetings previously held for Area
Chairmen and Secretaries specifically
to discuss CET provision. Elaine Grisdale
agreed to consider this possibility.
Reference was made to recent
comment by the GOC suggesting that
ABDO College trustee Kevin Gutsell and Ian
Anderson from Area 11
not all contact lens opticians (CLOs)
achieved their specialist CET points.
The General Secretary pointed out
that some CLOs did not practise as
such - for example if they held
managerial posts. He nevertheless
considered it unacceptable for any
practising CLO not to undertake the
requisite CET and if any CLO members
were deliberately ignoring the
requirements, ABDO would take
action against them. Even though the
Association might consider the current
regulations unfair, as a professional
body it had a duty to uphold the
regulations and would not support
CLOs fitting contact lenses when they
had not fulfilled the legal
requirements.
Positive comment was made about
the usefulness of the meeting and the
interest in learning about new
initiatives. It was felt, however, that the
workshop sessions would be more
productive if they could be allocated
more time. It was suggested that a
separate day be held solely for
workshop activity, to enable Areas to
make a more active contribution. All
agreed that the present two
information-giving meetings per year
should stand and consideration would
be given to an additional day solely
for workshop discussions.
In closing, Barry Duncan thanked Area
representatives for their efforts in
supporting and promoting ABDO at a
local level, and expressed his thanks to
all Committee members. The next
President’s Consultative meeting with
Areas will be on Wednesday 18
November 2009.
● Round table discussions and Area
reports – see page 30

26 dispensingoptics July 2009
This month Transitions Optical launches a working relationship initiative with the
National Schools Partnership Key Stage 2 curriculum, endorsed for all 7 to 11
year-olds in the UK. Members of ABDO are the first optical professionals to be
invited to become involved in this exciting and challenging scheme which is
endorsed by the Association. Details of this significant opportunity for members
are outlined here by Elaine Grisdale, ABDO’s head of professional services
A prime
opportunity
Arthur Dark 4306
Dispensing opticians have key skills
and responsibilities in the supply of
correctly fitting, accurately measured
and carefully chosen spectacle
frames and lenses for children. Now a
prime opportunity has arisen for DOs to
become involved in an exciting new
scheme for eyecare professionals
organised by Transitions Optical.
Children comprise a patient group
who, all too often, miss having their
vision assessed due to financial issues.
Added to this, many schools in the UK
do not have schemes to assess the
vision of school age children; if
necessary, they send them to an
optical practice for an eye
examination. It is hard to believe that,
today, a staggering one in three
school age children has a visual
problem and a large proportion of
these remain undetected. Many
children present with difficulties at
school because of hidden visual
problems, rather than a lack of
intelligence as is often assumed. And
these children are missing
developing their potential because of
poor vision.
Most children (92 per cent) will have
been to the dentist on a regular basis
by the age of seven, but few will have
been anywhere near an optical
practice for a vision assessment.
Ironically, they will have been visiting
the dentist regularly and learning how
to look after their teeth for the first
seven years of their life – primarily for
teeth which they are going to lose
anyway. However, any visual anomaly
not corrected before the age of seven
risks posing problems for the child in
later years. Many parents are still
unaware that their children’s eye

examination is free of charge under
NHS provisions.
A properly resourced and
inventive campaign
I have been fortunate to be part of a
European Working Group for the
Transitions Healthy Sight Institute
looking into childrens’ vision initiatives.
This month (July) Transitions Optical is
launching such an initiative in the UK
and members of ABDO are the first
optical professionals to be invited to
become involved. ABDO is endorsing
the scheme, with the ABDO logo
appearing on the
eyeknoweyecare.com website.
Educating and changing habits
The Transitions campaign is unique in
that the company has cleverly
entered into a working relationship
with the National Schools Partnership
(NSP) to reach right into the heart of
the Key Stage 2 (KS2) curriculum. This is
the curriculum endorsed for all 7 to 11
year olds in the UK .
Children are taught about the health
of teeth in the KS2 curriculum but until
now there have been no resources for
teachers to talk about vision, eye
health or spectacles. Transitions has
invested time, tangible materials and
expertise from both educators and
optical professionals to give teachers
these valuable tools.
From September 2009, educators in
over 24,000 primary schools across
Britain will be able to access
information across the curriculum
pertaining to vision and its correction.
A few of the strategies under
development are:
• Art – designing magic glasses
• Science – lessons on shadows,
Arthur Clear 4576
teaching about the sun and how it
affects the eyes, glare and quality
of vision
• English – writing a newspaper article.
Children can study and write about
why it is important to have a regular
eye examination. This is followed by
a letter to their parents explaining
the benefits of such an examination
• Maths – study of statistics and
percentages using eye-related data.
Schools will be contacted by the NSP
and invited to sign up for these
resources. The schools will then be
entered into a database.
From classroom to home
The scheme will not work effectively
unless dispensing opticians and
eventually other optical professionals
engage with the programme. Schools
traditionally have visits from
professionals such as those working in
the police or fire service and other
public walks of life. These people give
presentations, often at extended
assembly times, about what they do
and how this benefits the community.
We now have the chance to hook up
with schools registered on the scheme
and go in and talk to the children and
staff. Transitions will make available to
any optician registered on the scheme
a selection of items such as window
stickers, leaflets, guidance for
communicating with parents and
children and presentation materials to
tie in with the materials children will be
exposed to in the classroom revolving
around healthy sight and magic
glasses.
Schools will send home information
with the children to parents. This
information will direct the family to
Nattionnal Schhools Partnnershhip
Gabrielle Clear 4720
have their eyes examined at
participating opticians. You will have
the chance to leave your practice
details as being one of these special
opticians with the school. Transitions
Optical has also developed the
website of eye facts and fun eye
exercises called
eyeknoweyecare.com, goes live this
month. It will be a valuable resource
for children, parents and teachers.
Showcase for dispensing
opticians
So far, when childrens’ vision has been
discussed or vision screening
mentioned we, as a profession, have
all too often been ignored. Transitions
have given us the opportunity to be
the first of the eyecare professionals to
sign up for the scheme and register
our interest. This is especially significant
for us, since childrens’ vision is a unique
area where we have a real chance to
highlight and demonstrate our skills to
the public.
This is a great opportunity for
dispensing opticians to be in the
driving seat promoting the correction
of childrens’ vision in practice. The
extended opportunities to win over
family members and build loyalty
through our professionalism cannot be
under-estimated.
Transitions, as ABDO conference and
strategic partners, will be showcasing
the scheme and giving members an
update at the Brighton conference in
October.
What happens when you register?
When you register, your details will be
added to the database which houses
Continued overleaf

28 dispensingoptics July 2009
Gabrielle Dark 4248
the schools’ data. You will be
contacted later to pick a school in
your area to visit ( or schools if there
are more than one ). If there are no
participating schools in your area, you
will still have the facilities available in
order to go in and speak to the
children and staff. You will be able to
contact your local school and
Optician Index
April 2009 summary
encourage them to participate and
sign up for the teaching resources.
Registering couldn’t be easier
All you need to do to register is:
1. Contact the ABDO membership
department by phone on
01227 733922/912/902
2. Email: membership@abdo.org.uk
3. Register your interest online by going
to the online survey section of the
online secure area
To avoid Data Protection issues, when
you register your interest, you must
give:
• Your name
• Practice details, including postcode
• Please also mention that you agree
to us passing on your details to the
scheme provider so that they can
contact you with further information
once schools who have requested
a pack have been identified. They
will also want to put your details on
a special website so that schools
April was a better month overall as most figures improve over March’s results.
However, the general picture compared to last year is of lower value sales
and less activity, except for new contact lens fits which have improved a little.
Although the number of eye examinations (primarily NHS) are holding up well,
the volume of dispensing is still falling, resulting in a drop in dispensing rate
from last year. Progressive lenses take the biggest tumble, accounting for 19%
of all dispensing in April 2007, now just 16%.
• Almost a 1% on average increase in the total number of eye examinations
over the last year
• Compared to last spring there is a slight increase in the proportion of NHS
tests from 70% to nearer 72%
• Dispensing is down by 9% over the year, though single vision sales remain
steady
• Since eye examinations are holding well, and dispensing has declined,
dispensing rate can be seen to fall from 67% to 59% this April
• AR coats are down 10% on average over the year, but have improved
from March by 18%
• Proportion of dispensing which are a re-glaze is 12%, on average across the
sample
• New contact lens fits improve by 7% from March, and 3% from last April
• Average sales value per eye examination has fallen £6 this month to
£132.60
• Total turnover is down from last April by 14%, though up by 2% from March;
overall growth over the year is negligible
The full March 2009 Optician Index report was
published in the 29 May issue of Optician.
and parents can identify
participating pratices in their areas.
Should you wish to participate but find
that no school has registered in your
area, then you will still be given the
information so that you can contact
your local school and encourage
them to join the scheme and invite
you in!
Roland Allen, business director for
Northern Europe at Transitions Optical,
says: “Research that we have carried
out recently shows that only 38 per
cent of children visit the optometrist
once every two years, whereas 92 per
cent would visit the dentist over the
same time period. This is an alarmingly
low figure and that is why Transitions
Optical is committed to spreading the
word about the need for healthy sight,
starting from school age children right
up to their parents. We are very
excited about the Transitions schools
programme run in conjunction with
the National Schools Partnership which
will raise awareness of the importance
of healthy sight as well as highlighting
the dangers of UV exposure to the
eyes. These issues will be brought into
classes as diverse as Science, PSHE,
English, History and D&T and via
interactive content available on
eyeknoweyecare.com. This is a
dedicated website that Transitions is
developing aimed at educating
children aged 7 to 11 years about eye
facts, the eye’s anatomy and visual
impairments. It also includes fun eye
exercises and explains what happens
during an eye examination for both
children and parents.
“We hope that ABDO members will
add value to this programme by
signing up to present in schools to ‘demystify
the eye test’ and encourage
children to go and visit their local
optician on a regular basis.“
ABDO President Barry Duncan has
already sent a letter via email to
members encouraging participation.
We hope as many of you as possible
will sign up in advance of August.
Then, when the new term begins in
September, we can allocate opticians
to those schools who would like an
optician to visit and present to the
whole assembly about the importance
of healthy sight. ■

Dr Sarah Janikoun (left) with Kate
Johnson
BCLA news
This year’s BCLA Conference set a new record for
attendance, as Vivien Freeman reports
Record numbers of
delegates made this year’s
BCLA Clinical Conference
and Exhibition the largest in
its 33-year history. A total of
1073 delegates registered
over the four days of the
conference, held in
Manchester from 28–31
May. This is the third
successive year that the
event has attracted more
than 1000 delegates.
Forty five companies had
stands in the
manufacturers’ exhibition,
which this year moved to a
larger area in the main hall
of the Manchester Central
complex. Including those
who only attended the
exhibition, there were an
estimated 1500 visitors in
total.
The BCLA Conference is
now established as the
premier event for contact
lens professionals in the UK
and worldwide. Just over
half (54 per cent) of those
registered this year were
from overseas. Delegates
came from 45 countries,
and the largest overseas
delegations were from the
USA and Denmark,
New BCLA President William Thomas Delegates enjoying this year’s BCLA Conference
followed by Germany and
France.
At Saturday evening’s Gala
Dinner, the Glitter Ball,
outgoing President Dr Sarah
Janikoun handed her chain
of office to William Thomas,
who told delegates that his
focus for the coming year
would be to promote the
benefits of BCLA membership
to a wider audience.
“We run the most successful
and prestigious annual
contact lens conference
that regularly attracts the
best speakers, and
delegate numbers
continue to break records
year on year. We need to
inform people of the
benefits and opportunities
that are available to them
throughout the year by
joining the BCLA,” he said.
One example of these
benefits is BCLA Pioneers
Conference, which is free
of charge and exclusive to
members, and has already
become a major event in
its own right. A selection of
lectures from this year’s
Clinical Conference, as well
as from previous years, is
also available for members
to watch online via the
BCLA website.
Awarded at the Gala
Dinner were 21 new BCLA
Fellowships, a mark of
esteem in the field of
contact lenses which allows
recipients to use the letters
FBCLA after their names.
Former BCLA President
Nigel Burnett Hodd, who
organises the annual BCLA
Pioneers events, received
honorary life membership
of the BCLA in recognition
of his significant
contribution to the
Association.
The BCLA’s annual general
meeting was also held at
the Conference, where it
was announced that Keith
Tempany and Keith
Cavaye have been
elected to the BCLA
Council as contact lens
optician representatives.
The Association’s
dispensing section will now
be known as the contact
lens optician (dispensing
optician) section. CLO
Shelly Bansal, previously
meetings secretary,
becomes this year’s
President Elect.
The next evening meeting
will be the Presidential
Newsbrief
Address in London on 16
September, when William
Thomas’s topic will be,
‘What have the
manufacturers done for
us?!’ with apologies to
Monty Python and the
Romans’. The lecture will be
presented at events around
the country during his year
of office.
The 2009 BCLA Pioneers
Conference takes place in
London on 26 November,
where the 6th Pioneers
Lecturer will be Dr Alan Saks
(New Zealand). All BCLA
members and new
members joining before the
event are welcome to
attend.
The 2010 BCLA Clinical
Conference and Exhibition
will be held in Birmingham
from 27-30 May. Keynote
speakers will be David
Anderson (UK), Dr Suzi
Fleiszig (USA) and Dr Cristina
Kenney (USA). Dr Donald
Korb (USA) will be the BCLA
Medal Speaker and Dr
Panagiotis Kallinikos
(Greece) will deliver the
Irving Fatt Memorial Lecture.
For more information on
BCLA events and how to
join, visit www.bcla.org.uk,
email jkelly@bcla.org.uk
call +44 (0)207 580 6661. ■

30 dispensingoptics July 2009
Representatives from the Areas listen to the updates from colleagues Jo Holmes from Area 7 Keith Dickinson from Area 2
Areas get together
at President’s Day
Representatives from most of ABDO’s 12 Areas attended the recent President’s Day at
199 Gloucester Terrace. Updates were given on the latest Area events that had taken
place around the UK, while members were given the chance to feed back their thoughts
on a variety of issues during round-table discussions.
Area 2 reported on a
successful, free CET day it
ran in April (a deposit of
£25 had been refundable
on attendance). Feedback
had been positive and
thanks were expressed to
the organisers. Twenty-three
students had attended a
student revision day in May,
while plans were moving
forward for the Area 2 AGM
in November, which would
probably coincide with a
social event.
A highly successful CET day
had taken place in Area 3
in March, though the
committee had suffered a
small financial loss. A tour of
the Hoya factory had been
arranged in June, with a
further evening event
planned in September and
the AGM in December
2009 – which would
hopefully see the
committee break even
financially. Area 3 had, as
previously agreed, returned
surplus funds to ABDO and
was operating on a smaller
budget. It was felt that this
new system was working
well.
Area 4 had recently held its
first meeting for four years,
after the previous
resignation of most of the
officers. The event had
been successful and it was
hoped that other members
would become involved in
arranging further meetings.
Area 5 was pleased to
report that it had
continued to run twiceyearly
CET days; the last
one in March was
attended by 90 members
and the next one was in
the diary for 14 September.
A decision had been made
to restrict numbers to 100
per meeting. In previous
ABDO Benevolent Fund
If you know of a dispensing optician, or a dependant
of a dispensing optician, who might benefit from the
ABDO Benevolent Fund, please get in touch with
Barbara Doris on 020 7298 5102 or email
bdoris@abdolondon.org.uk or write to her at ABDO,
199 Gloucester Terrace, London W2 6LD. ■
years, the same content
had been used for both
CET days, which took place
in different geographical
areas. In future the content
would be different for each
meeting, so that members
would be able to obtain 25
CET points per year simply
by attending the two Area
meetings. The AGM in the
autumn of 2008 had been
poorly attended and in
future, the AGM would be
incorporated into a CET day.
The next Area 6 CET day
would take place in
September, attracting 6.5
CET points.
Area 7 was busy preparing
for its CET day which would
take place on 11 June,
attracting 7 CET points and
sponsorship for most of the
sessions. The Area
Secretary expressed her
thanks to ABDO’s head of
membership for her support
in emailing all Area
members. She noted that
the Area had been
volunteered to trial an
ABDO roadshow on frame
repairs. She paid tribute to
very active and
participatory committee
members.
No activities had taken
place in Area 9, although
the AGM would be held in
June and a few members
had expressed interest in
joining the committee. It
was hoped that a more
positive report could be
given at the next
President’s Day in
November.
In Area 11, the Committee
had two new members,
including a student
member. Thanks were
expressed, again, to the
head of membership for
her help with the CET event
that was due to take place
on 28 June.
Area 12 reported it had
held three meetings so far
this year – one at Eyecare
3000 in January, one in
February and one in May.
A CET day was planned for
14 June for practitioners in
Aberdeen and another
event was scheduled for
November.
Area online forums
During the day, ABDO
president Barry Duncan
raised the issue of the Area
forums provided on the
ABDO website being underutilised
by members. Mr
Duncan emphasised that
the forums allowed
members to exchange
views in their own localities
and he urged Area
representatives to use them.
Visit the ABDO Area forums
at www.abdo.org.uk ■

Bodies herald joint
AGM a turning point
Over 150 members of both
FODO and the AOP, and
their guests, gathered at the
Old Liberal Club at One
Whitehall Place on 12 May
for a buffet lunch and the
organisations’ joint AGM.
Following a welcome by
Don Grocott, president of
both the AOP and FODO,
the two chairmen Michael
Charlton (AOP) and Paul
Carroll (FODO) gave a ‘twohanded’
address
emphasising the benefits
and achievements won by
all the optical bodies
working more closely
together, and the
opportunities for developing
this further in the coming
year. As they made clear
FODO and the AOP were
not alone in this. The ACLM,
FMO and ABDO had all
been calling for closer
working between the
optical bodies at their AGMs
over the past year.
The event saw colleagues
bidding a sad farewell to
Michael Bateman who,
following a year when he
was awarded Life Fellowship
of the College of
Optometrists and a CBE by
the Queen in the birthday
honours, had decided after
46 years in FODO (and its
predecessor body the
Society of Opticians) to
stand down from the FODO
council. Mr Bateman will
remain as OFRC chairman
to continue to lead the
professions through the
current three-year fees deal.
He was awarded Life
Membership of FODO for his
long and outstanding
service to the professions.
Department of Health
director of primary care,
Ben Dyson CBE, gave the
keynote address, outlining
how World Class
Commissioning might apply
to optics. He emphasised
the Department’s support for
the UK Vision Strategy –
which places great
emphasis on regular sight
testing for all as the public
health intervention to
prevent blindness and visual
impairment – and PCTs’ roles
in helping the professions
extend their roles. He also
spoke about the possible
development of ‘hub and
spoke’ models with
community optometrists in
clinical networks (like the
new cancer networks)
supporting clinical hubs.
Commenting on the joint
event, Don Grocott said:
“Combining forces wherever
appropriate is clearly the
way to get optics on the
map and noticed by those
who matter. I am delighted
to see all the optical bodies
turning away from the paths
of isolation which have so
bedevilled us in the past.” ■
Points from the
President
In previous issues of
Dispensing Optics, I have
made reference to our
relationship with the AOP
and FODO. Over the past
few months we have
discussed at greater length
how we might work more
closely on certain issues and
share ideas. Clearly, it
makes perfect sense to
move that to the next level
and, since the early
discussions last year, we
have had further input from
the FMO and ACLM. In
doing so, I have no doubt
that we have created a
strong working group that
will be beneficial for the
profession in years to come.
In the early autumn we will
hold the first joint committee
meetings for Contact Lenses
and Low Vision, which I am
pleased to confirm that
ABDO will lead on. This
presents a fantastic
opportunity for our members,
and one which we must
embrace and work hard at.
On 19 May, we held our
latest Area Consultation
Day. As usual, the day was
well attended and I hope
that those who came felt it
was beneficial and
informative. These events
provide the Association with
the opportunity to convey
information to members,
and give the area
representatives the chance
to discuss any issues they
have at a local level.
Newsbrief
Barry Duncan
Additionally, it is an
opportunity to learn from
each other during round
table discussions – and as a
direct result the format will
most probably change a
little bit for next time
allowing more time for more
in-depth discussion.
At the time of going to
press, the general secretary
and I were preparing to go
the GOC to make a
presentation on behalf of
the members of ABDO.
There are many things to be
discussed and I hope that
we can offer a presentation
that is fair and reflective of
the feelings and aspirations
of our membership.
Finally, on 10 May in
amongst the heavy
schedule of work and ABDO
business, I managed to run
the Dunfermline Half
Marathon. Graeme
Stevenson, another ABDO
member, and I completed
the course in just over two
hours and 30 minutes. I have
to say it was one of the
hardest things I have done
and the time reflects that.
However, it was for an
extremely worthwhile cause
and may I thank all those
who very kindly sponsored
us. It is important to point
out that Graeme might
have won the race if he
had not actually run with me!
Barry Duncan
barry@erskineopticians.co.uk

32 dispensingoptics July 2009
Appeal to help homeless Get points with ABDO’s CET CDs
Urgent call-out for
optical volunteers
Dispensing opticians are
urgently required by the
charity, Vision Care for
Homeless People, to work at
its London and Birmingham
centres. According to
charity founder, optometrist
Harinder Paul, London’s
homeless people are
struggling to function with
prescriptions of up to
-16.00D.
Housed within The Crisis
Centre, near London’s
Liverpool Street Station in a
converted Victorian textile
warehouse, the complete
optician’s practice is kitted
out with equipment donated
by many UK companies. A
second London practice
operates in Victoria, while
the charity’s Birmingham
centre is located within the
Salvation Army’s William
Booth Centre, in Snow Hill.
To find out more, contact
mike@visioncarecharity.org
or call 020 7017 2026. ■
Winter 2009
contact lens examinations
Those planning to sit the Winter 2009 practical
examinations for the Certificate in Contact Lens Practice
should note that the closing date for registering supervisors
and practices for provisional approval is 31 July 2009.
Registration documents are available upon request from
the Examinations and Registration Department on 01227
732921 or email examinations@abdo.org.uk
Seven year ruling
Those with partial success in the examinations for the
Certificate in Contact Lens Practice qualification should
note that from 1 March 2009, candidates will be required
to retake any element/s of the Contact Lens Certificate
examinations which were passed seven years or more
years previously.
This ruling has been introduced in the light of the ever
advancing status of contact lens practice and relates to
theory examinations or sections of the practical
examination.
This change does not affect those who already hold the
CL Certificate or Advanced CL Diploma.
Rosemary Bailey, Chief Examiner, Contact Lens Practice
ABDO e-learning CDs offer
up to 16 CET points
If you are still looking to
acquire CET points as the
end of the current CET
cycle draws near, why not
take the hassle-free route to
gain 16 CET points? ABDO’s
CET department has four
CET e-learning CDs
available that are
approved for the current
CET cycle by the General
Optical Council (GOC).
They carry multiple-choice
questions (MCQs) and can
provide CET points for either
dispensing opticians or
optometrists.
The current titles in the
ABDO e-learning CD series
are:
• Frame and Facial
Measurements: eligible for
six CET points and available
at a cost of £65 per CD for
ABDO members, and £85
per CD for non-members.
This title is also available in a
non-CET Student edition
costing £50 per CD.
• Frame Adjustments:
eligible for four CET points
and costing £35 per CD.
• Steps to Effective
Communication: eligible for
three CET points at £25 per
CD.
• The Rimless Renaissance:
eligible for three CET points,
also at £25 per CD.
All prices are inclusive of
postage and packaging
and VAT. These extremely
useful CDs can be obtained
by contacting Justin Hall at
the ABDO College
Bookshop by telephone on
01227 733904 or email at
jhall@abdocollege.org.uk. ■
Consumers warned against
cutting CL corners
The British Contact Lens
Association (BCLA) and the
General Optical Council
(GOC) have urged Britain’s
3.5 million contact lens
wearers not to endanger their
eye health and comfort
during the recession through
risky contact lens practices.
The warning followed a
YouGov poll, jointly
commissioned by the BCLA
and the GOC, that revealed
nearly one in four contact
lens wearers would consider
switching their contact lens
brand to save money, and
more than one in 10 wearers
would consider having less
frequent check-ups.
The BCLA and GOC have
produced a leaflet on
‘Buying Contact Lenses’ to
encourage safe practice
among consumers. The
leaflet and further advice are
available on the GOC
website, www.optical.org or
the BCLA website,
www.bcla.org.uk ■

ABDO Cup Challenge
is a breeze
Participants at this year’s
ABDO Challenge Cup,
sponsored by ABDO and
Lenstec, were greeted with
a bright sunny day with a
very gentle breeze.
Triumphantly bringing home
the trophy, which has been
contested since 1937, was
Chris Horrell.
In second place was Julian
Gunn and in third place,
Major General Malcolm
Hunt. The guest prizes were
won by Brian Bowles (first),
Bill Hatton (second) and
Andrew Dewhurst (third).
Andrew Dewhurst also took
home the Blakes Net 3s
Claret Jug along with a £30
sweep for having the most
points on the Par 3s. Arther
Swain won the longest drive
trophy and Kevin Blake won
Chris Horrell is presented with the
Cup by Kevin Blake
Vision Conference warns
of sight loss costs
The number of people with
partial sight and blindness in
the UK could more than
double to four million by
2050, if the right measures
are not put in place. The
prediction emerged during
the launch of a new study on
the prevalence and costs of
sight loss at the UK Vision
Strategy conference.
The Royal National Institute of
Blind People (RNIB) report,
Future Sight Loss UK,
comprises two pieces of
the trophy for nearest the
pin.
A three-course feast,
featuring steak and ale pie
and treacle sponge and
custard pudding,
replenished the energy
expelled on the course.
The next meeting is the
Stercks Martin Salver on 8
September at Olton Golf
Club in Solihull, West
Midlands. All dispensing
opticians and their guests
are welcome to play, no
matter what level they are
at and whether male or
female. Anyone interested
in playing the next
competition should contact
Kevin Blake on 0788 1711093
or Mike Stokes on 0781
3501637. ■
research undertaken by
Access Economics and
EpiVision, and will support
and inform the UK Vision
Strategy and RNIB’s strategic
goals. Research by Access
Economics estimated that 1.8
million people with partial
sight and blindness lived in
the UK in 2008.
The research briefing on
Future Sight Loss UK is
available from
www.rnib.org.uk/futuresightlo
ssuk ■
Newsbrief
Marcia Baldry from the Postgraduate Medical Institute at Anglia Ruskin
University with Professor Rupert Bourne, Professor of Ophthalmology at the
university
University commemorates
historic trials day
The Postgraduate Medical Institute at Anglia Ruskin University
(ARU) helped celebrate International Clinical Trials Day on 20
May with a special display at the university. The
commemorative event was supported by members of the
Vision and Eye Researcher Unit (VERU).
It was on 20 May 1747 that James Lind, surgeon on HMS
Salisbury, started to compare the effect of six oral treatments
on six pairs of sailors with scurvy. All received the same diet,
and in addition each pair was given either cider, elixir of
vitriol (sulphuric acid), vinegar, seawater, spices and barley
water, or oranges and lemons. Within six days, one of the
sailors given oranges and lemons was fit for duty and the
other was able to nurse the sailors in the other groups. It was
not until 40 years later that an Admiralty Order was issued on
the supply of lemon juice to ships, but with this, scurvy
disappeared almost completely from the Royal Navy.
The Postgraduate Medical Institute of ARU celebrated the
day with a display in the main entrance of the Cambridge
campus. This gave individuals interested in NHS research the
opportunity to meet and find out about the principles of
clinical trials. Information was provided on how they are
conducted and specifically how research projects within
ARU can be matched with NHS research funding to sponsor
trials in partner hospitals and primary care trusts. Members of
VERU, which is one of the priority areas of the Institute,
promoted the event. ■
Expiry of CET on ABDO CDs
The CET available on all ABDO's CDs will expire in
December 2009 in line with the end of the current CET
period. The date of expiry will be 12 December, to allow
results to be uploaded before 31 December. Updated
versions of each title will be released in
January/February 2010 in a new CD format. ■
Advertise on the ABDO website
If you have a job vacancy in your practice, please
remember that the Situations Vacant section in the
Bulletin Board area of the ABDO website provides you
with a quick and easy facility to advertise completely
free of charge. ■

34 dispensingoptics July 2009
Huntly Taylor and Simon Adlam
New chairman of
SMC Society
Huntly Taylor FBDO recently became chairman of the
Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers Society at their
dinner which this year took place on board HMS Warrior
1860 in Portsmouth Harbour. Outgoing chairman, Simon
Adlam, installed Huntly after the dinner.
Huntly is a trustee of ABDO College and was a member of
ABDOs Council for 12 years and runs his own independent
practice in Brighton - the home of this year’s ABDO
Conference and Exhibition October 3-5. ■
Letter to the Editor
Stop wasting time and money
It’s not the name of our Association
that is the problem, but the lack of
public awareness of the worth of a
dispensing optician. If we all
conducted a survey asking the
public what an optometrist, optician
and dispensing optician all did,
some would know the optometrist
tested eyes, all would know an
optician tested eyes and few would
know what a dispensing optician
did! And there lies our problem.
We could consider changing our
Association name to the British
Association of Opticians. We would
then all become opticians and the
public would understand our
function. Right? No, I don’t think so;
they would all assume we tested
eyes!
We have all done it when asked
what we do for a living. We reply,
“I’m a dispensing optician”, and
then receive a blank look and
spend the next five minutes
describing our function. But when we
really cannot be bothered, we say
we are an optician. This is
automatically followed up with
Eyewear look-book
Directory brings
ranges together
Norville’s new 82-page frame
directory brings together a
host of new designer names
and some firm favourites. It
features the latest fashion
frames for young women
from Bebe, elegantly
sparkling jewel looks from
Laura Ashley and a host of
exciting designer names
questions about the health of the
eye, assuming we examine eyes.
Why go to all the trouble and
considerable expense of changing
our name when the public would be
no better informed? Some could
argue they are being deceived.
What our Association should be
doing, and should have done for
years, is to embark on a sustained
public relations campaign to raise
the public awareness of a
dispensing optician and our worth.
This would be a long, slow process
and we would all need to
participate at a local level. It would
need constant press releases to the
national and local media, produced
by professional journalists on any
aspect eyewear and eyecare and
always promoting the benefit of a
dispensing optician. We would also
need to engage the support of the
optical manufactures, especially our
frame and lens suppliers,
encouraging them when advertising
and promoting in the public domain
to seek the advice of a dispensing
optician. The support of contact lens
including Jeff Banks and posh
frock designer, Vera Wang.
Also in the spotlight are
details of the latest Polaroid
sun collection, further
additions to the Columbia
range and new styles in the
Norville Collection. For a
copy of the directory, call
01452 510332. ■
suppliers could also be sought in a
similar manner – after all, more
contact lenses are fitted in the UK
by dispensing opticians than by
optometrists.
We would in due time see the
public asking and expecting to be
dispensed by a dispensing optician
and not an optical assistant. This
would create a demand for our
services. Multiples that currently
have the shortsighted policy of
employing optical assistants instead
of dispensing opticians would be
persuaded by public demand to
reconsider. We would be in demand
and valued by the public and our
employers, and finally we would
see our salaries increase.
So come on our elected directors –
stop wasting time and our
subscriptions talking about name
changes. Let’s get on with the job of
promoting to the public the value of
having your spectacles dispensed
by a dispensing optician. A title I’m
very proud to hold.
Clive Marchant FBDO, Walsall ■

Optical supply chain
link expanded
FMO chief executive Malcolm Polley
got a taste of life in the parcel lane
when he attended the recent opening
of DX’s new north London facility. He
saw first hand how the operation
handles thousands of optical parcels
every day.
DX is the UK and Ireland’s leading
independent mail and courier
company, and offers FMO members
preferential rates. The latest addition to
the DX network, near Staples Corner,
represents an investment of £750,000
and was officially opened by three of
DX’s long standing customers –
Malcolm Polley of the FMO, Jeremy
Dawe of the US Embassy and
Newsbrief
Malcolm Polley scans some parcels
Jonathan King from Mailsource UK.
Malcolm Polley said: “DX serves the
large retail chains as well as providing
the vital link in the supply chain
between laboratories and
independent retailers. This new centre
represents a significant investment by
DX in the relationship they have with
the optical sector.” ■

36 dispensingoptics July 2009
Disjointed jottings from a DO’s desk . . .
“Ultimately, our name change will be a decision which you will have to make. When
asked to do so, please use your democratic right and vote” - Jim Gordon
What’s in a name?
Since I last contributed to ‘Disjointed
jottings’ the world of dispensing optics
has changed in many ways. We’ve
had the introduction of freeform lens
design, high index material available
in almost any lens form and the
introduction of Transitions. Then there
are all the new frame materials, new
glazing technology and, of course,
CET was not compulsory then. ABDO,
too, continues to evolve in many
ways; but one issue has re-emerged.
At the Chepstow conference a few
years back members were asked to
vote on a proposal to drop the word
‘dispensing’ from our name. In the end
only 160 or so members voted. I was
astonished at such apathy. Now I read
on the bulletin boards that this is being
proposed again. At the recent
members’ meeting with the Board this
was mooted as being a very
important issue. I have no strong
feelings either way, although I did vote
in favour at the time – I, as many
others do, hate the term dispenser. This
term seems to have evolved from
within the profession. I never hear
patients refer to me as a dispenser,
though many reps and workshop
personnel do. I have also heard the
word used in multiples. Ultimately, our
name change will be a decision which
you will have to make and, when
asked to do so, please use your
democratic right and vote.
Talking of dispensers, we have a water
cooler in the waiting area. Did you
know that water was magnetic?
Almost every child entering the
practise heads straight for the water
cooler and fills a cup to overflowing as
if they had not had a drink for months,
and then leaves it half drunk. On one
memorable occasion an elderly gent
asked if he could have some water. A
couple of minutes later my optical
assistant asked me to come round to
reception to watch what the gent was
up to. He was at this point filling his
second two-litre bottle from the cooler.
Bless!
Yes I have an optical assistant, SMC
certificated, and that is what she is, an
assistant. She does not dispense. I see
many patients from elsewhere with
mainly progressive problems and
badly fitting frames. Nine times out of
ten the problem could have been
prevented through a good quality
dispensing of both suitable lens design
and carefully chosen frame. These
patients tell me that the person who
attended to them after the sight test
did not seem to know what they were
doing. Not a quote you would expect
to hear had they been attended to by
a dispensing optician. Well, hopefully
not. I suspect optical assistant
dispensing is the problem. The depth
of knowledge of an optical assistant is
definitely not enough to cope with
anything other than the norm and, in
my practice, not even then.
As I write this, the committee of Area 7
(South West) are finalising the annual
CET day details; it promises to be an
excellent event with some 70 people
booked in. We have been able to
provide this day free of charge thanks
to sponsorship from many companies
and the hard work of a very
enthusiastic committee. It is so
annoying that we cannot obtain
funding for CET - after all, the
government made it compulsory, so
they should help fund it. ABDO
provides plenty of free CET for
Jim Gordon
members but to do so costs a lot of
money and time. When I first started in
Area 7 we used to have many social
events such as bowling nights, treasure
hunts and BBQs. Try and organise one
now and no one wants to come; such
a shame. The Vice President is
heading a working group looking at
Area structure and function and I look
forward to her report.
Could it be that we spend too much
time on computers? I certainly do.
Mind you, I don’t know what I would
do without email. Since I have been
on the Board most communication is
done by email, I hate to think how
much it would have cost had it all
been posted. My practice is member
of the Sight Care Group and recently
they introduced an email-based
discussion group, called dialogue. This
is fantastic and is used for info, queries,
frame searches etc from members.
You post an email and it is sent to all
members and normally replies arrive
quite quickly. It is a bit like ABDO
bulletin boards but much more
proactive and reactive. I have asked
ABDO to look into the viability setting
up something similar.

We had a bit of a laugh at my
expense the other day, although it
was not funny at the time. It was a
particularly busy day with many
dispensings and fittings, so the jobs to
be ordered were pushed to the side.
When we came to order one
particular reglaze - a nice expensive
designer titanium supra - the frame
was nowhere to be found. I searched
high and low because I knew the
frame had been left with me. We
checked our appointment list and
phoned all the patients I had seen
around the same time to see if they
had inadvertently picked up the
frame; but no. We phoned the patient
to see if she had taken them with her
but then remembered she was going
away for a fortnight. About ten days
later I saw a patient who was
complaining that his two year-old
lenses had become mottled, but
when I looked at them they appeared
perfectly okay. He told me they were
fine indoors but when he went
outdoors they became mottled. Ah - a
case of transition breakdown, so I lifted
up my photochromic demonstrator to
put them underneath, only to find the
lost frame. Don’t say it, I know, and I
am only 55.
I can hardly believe I have been
serving on the Board for nearly three
years. I am enjoying it very much and
feel that ABDO is now moving forward
in a very positive and professional
manner. The question of
communication, or lack of it, remains
high on my and the Board’s agenda.
This is gradually being addressed, but I
would remind members that
communication is two-way. We have
made it easier for you to contact us,
so please do so. I don’t like hearing
about problems, complaints or
dissatisfaction through the grape vine.
Please let me know directly, I will
always endeavour to help. I said this
three years ago, and I still mean it.
Jim Gordon FBDO, owns and runs the
independent practice Reid and
Gordon Opticians situated in Truro,
Cornwall, in partnership with
optometrist Grant Reid. He is an ABDO
board member, Vice Chairman of the
CET committee, Treasurer of Area 7
and Vice Chairman of Cornwall and
Isles of Scilly LOC. ■
Book review
Ocular Anatomy and Histology
by David Pipe and Linda Rapley, published by the Association
of British Dispensing Opticians, ISBN 0900099224
I am sure you are reading this and
thinking, “Not another book review by
Gill Elstub, surely she has better things
to do with her time!” However when I
saw the new edition of ‘Ocular
Anatomy and Histology’ not only did I
want a copy immediately, I also felt
the need to tell the optical world how
brilliant it is.
Fundamentally, the content and
format of the publication remains
unchanged with the book broken into
18 manageable chapters covering
general anatomy and ocular
anatomy. The area where the
changes occur relate to the
diagrams: every diagram has been
enhanced with colour, making the
book easier to read and easier to
understand.
Anatomy can be a difficult subject to
learn, and many students liken it to
learning another language. The
colour animation is carefully chosen
to represent a particular structure. For
example, pigmented layers are dark
in appearance and blood is
highlighted red. This automatically
enables students to visually recognise
the area and also, where applicable,
can help students identify the
function.
Not only do I use the new edition for
my own reference in planning
lectures, I have introduced it
alongside the old edition in exercise
classes and the students who have
used the colour version find it
extremely helpful.
To conclude, this book is essential
reading for anyone who is new to
studying anatomy. If you find the
topics difficult to understand and
prefer learning visually, the diagrams
bring anatomy to life.
Reviewed by Gill Elstub FBDO CL Cert
Ed, lecturer at ABDO College,
Godmersham ■
ABDO COLLEGE BOOKSHOP
This book, plus numerous other titles, can be purchased from the ABDO
College Bookshop at www.abdo.org.uk or by contacting Justin Hall on
01227 733904, email jhall@abdo.org.uk

38 dispensingoptics July 2009
Answers:
Multifocal contact lenses - from opportunity to success
by Jayne Schofield FBDO(Hons)CL FBCLA
1. Who invented the split bifocal?
a. Andy Franklin b. Benjamin Franklin
c. Benjamin Britten d. Mo Jalie
b is the correct answer. Although a,c,and d are highly esteemed
and creative individuals, it was Benjamin Franklin who is credited
with the invention of the split bifocal.
2. In a survey of 1400 presbyopes in seven European countries,
how many struggle to read medicine labels?
a. 80% b. 60%
c. 40% d. 20%
a is the correct answer. A Bausch & Lomb publication by Dr Phil
Morgan called ‘Sight over Forty’ highlighted many lifestyle
challenges for presbyopes in seven European countries. Dr Morgan
reported that 80% of those surveyed struggle to read medicine
and food labels.
3. According to National Statistics, what percentage of the UK
population is over 40 years of age?
a. 30% b. The majority
c. Almost half d. 60%
c is the correct answer. National Statistics show that almost half
the population is over 40 years of age.
4. If we could avoid contact lens drop-outs and the percentage
of vision corrected people wearing contact lenses could be
maintained into presbyopia, this would mean
a. An additional 3 million contact lens wearers in the UK
b. 32% growth of the total optical market
c. An incremental £33,000 for the average practice
d. All of the above
d is the correct answer. If the percentage of vision corrected
people wearing contact lenses in the younger age group could
be maintained into presbyopia, it would mean an additional three
million contact lens wearers in the UK. This equates to an additional
£840m or 32% growth of the total optical market (assuming an
average wearer with monthly lenses, spends £30 per month,
wearing for 2/3 years).
5. According to a recent study in five European countries, which
statement is not true?
a. 50% of women in their 40’s felt that contact lenses would have
a positive effect on their quality of life
b 90% had never heard of multifocal contact lenses
c. 41% said they would try multifocal contact lenses if their eye
care practitioner recommended them
d. 22% said that contact lenses would be their first choice of vision
correction
b is the correct answer. Researchers felt that lack of awareness of
the vision correction options available was a key factor in the
cause of under-correction with seven out of ten reporting that they
had not heard of the term ‘presbyopia’ and only 59 per cent
aware of associated symptoms.
6. 'Which of the following is NOT commonly cited as a barrier to
fitting multifocal contact lenses?
a. There’s no demand
b. There are no daily disposable options available
c. They take too much chair time
d. There’s too much compromise of vision
b is the correct answer. There is a daily disposable multifocal soft
lens available, so this reason cannot be a barrier to fitting multifocals
7. When emmetropes become presbyopic they draw many
conclusions. Which one is true?
a. They will need near vision correction for the rest of their lives
b. Their distance vision will also be affected
c. This process can be managed by lifestyle changes
d. This process doesn’t happen to short sighted people
a is the correct answer. After the onset of presbyopia, emmetropes
will need near vision correction for the rest of their lives – assuming
they want to see near objects! This will not affect their distance
vision, cannot be avoided by lifestyle changes and will affect
myopes too.
8. Subjective scoring of vision can be helpful when assessing a
patient wearing multifocals. Which statement is true?
a. Scores over 7 may indicate acceptance of simultaneous vision
b. Patients must indicate at least one score of 10 to be successful
c. The scores must be equal for distance and near vision
d. They do not help to determine a prescription change
a is the correct answer. Subjective scoring of distance and near
vision is a good indicator of whether a patient will be happy with
simultaneous vision. Scores over 7 are very encouraging, scores of
10 are quite rare. The scores do not need to be equal for the
patient to be successful and they can help to determine what
power change is required.
9. There are some recommended tips to best gauge success with
multifocals. Which is not recommended?
a. Use real life materials to check near vision
b. Always check vision in the consulting room
c. Have the patient evaluate their vision whilst going about their
daily tasks
d. Use a system of subjective scoring of vision
b is the correct answer. When assessing vision it is advisable for a
patient to trial multifocals in their normal environment, natural
lighting and real life objects are more relevant than a high contrast
chart in a consulting room.
10. The EASE study assessed the role of contact lenses in spectacle
dispensing. Which of the following statements isn’t true?
a. EASE stands for Enhancing the Approach to Selecting Eyewear
b. 38% of patients who participated in the study went ahead and
ordered contact lenses
c. The study was shown to increase the revenue from spectacle
sales
d. The study was conducted at Manchester University
d is the correct answer. The study was conducted by several eye
care practitioners in practice.
11. Staff training is key to promote multifocal contact lenses. Which
statement is incorrect?
a. Well trained staff are better able to answer patients’ questions
b. Keen staff may notice symptoms of presbyopia in their patients
c. Well trained staff are less proactive
d. Staff who feel poorly informed will be less likely to initiate
discussion with browsing patients
c is the correct answer. Knowledgeable staff are key to answering
patients’ questions about contact lenses, or even better, to initiate
the discussion. The really keen staff will even notice the symptoms
of presbyopes such as pushing near objects away to focus and will
be well placed to make appropriate recommendations. So, well
trained staff will therefore handle questions properly, generate
patient interest by proactive discussion and have a higher level of
job satisfaction due to higher self esteem.
12. Practices have a number of tools with which to promote
multifocal contact lenses. Which of the following will not achieve
this?
a. Patient questionnaire b. Posters and display materials
c. Electronic displays d. Appointment diary
d is the correct answer. A questionnaire is an excellent way to
stimulate the patient’s interest in multifocal lenses as these
questions often create discussion about the multifocal contact lens
products.
The answers to ‘A drop of the wet stuff - part one’ will appear in our August 2009 issue

Diary of events
September 8
ABDO Golf Society - Stercks Martin
Salver, Olton Golf Club, Solihull,
Birmingham. For more information,
and for anyone wishing to join the
ABDO Golf Society, contact Mike
Stokes 01204 411722 or email
m.stokes67@ntlworld.com
September 13
Area 6 (West Wales) - CET Day, Village
Hotel, Coryton, Cardiff 6.5 CET points,
further details to follow. For further
details contact Kevin Milsom by email
milsomkevin@yahoo.co.uk
September 14
Area 5 (Midlands) - CET Day, the
Arden Hotel, Birmingham. For further
details telephone Ian Hardwick on
07814 558343 or email
ian@ihardwick.orangehome.co.uk
September 16
BCLA - Presidential Address, Royal
Society of Medicine, London. For
further details visit www.bcla.org.uk or
contact Vivien Freeman on 020 7580
6661 or email vfreeman@bcla.org.uk
September 17-20
Silmo 2009 - Paris. For further details
contact Michele Jackson at
Promosalons (UK) on 020 8216 3109 or
email michele@promosalons.co.uk
October 3-5
ABDO - 2009 ABDO Conference and
Exhibition, Hilton Brighton Metropole,
Brighton. For further details contact the
ABDO Conference Office (Event
Exchange Ltd) on 01225 869 000 or
email rsvp@eventexchange.co.uk or
visit www.abdoconference.co.uk
November 11
Area 12 (Scotland) - CET Day,
sponsored by Scotlens, Two Bridges,
South Queensferry. For further details
email Brenda Rennie
brendarennie@f2s.com
November 26
BCLA - BCLA Pioneers Conference and
6th BCLA Pioneers Lecture, Royal
Society of Medicine, London. For
further details visit www.bcla.org.uk or
phone 020 7580 6661 or email
vfreeman@bcla.org.uk ■
ABDO members are welcome to attend Area meetings in any area they wish
ABDO College courses
Foundation Degree in Ophthalmic
Dispensing and the Fellowship
Dispensing Diploma
ABDO College now offers two distance
learning pathway options on the route
to becoming a Dispensing Optician;
applications for September 2009 must
be received by 14 August.
Theory Revision Courses
ABDO College are running twelve week
correspondence courses for theory
revision. The cost of each course is
£360 and the deadline for applications
is 23 July.
Getting Started on practical
exam preparation
Are you ready to start working towards
your practicals but not sure quite what
to do? This two day course, held at
ABDO College on 2-3 September, is
designed to help you. The course costs
£210 and the application deadline is
21 August.
Contact Lens Certificate
This course will provide you with the
knowledge you need to back up
experience you gain in practice and
help you prepare for the ABDO contact
lens exams. The next course starts in
September and the deadline for
applications is 26 August.
For more information and an application
form contact ABDO College on 01227
733921, email info@abdocollege.org.uk,
or visit www.abdo.org.uk and follow the
link to the ABDO College website
dispensingoptics
The Professional Journal of the Association
of British Dispensing Opticians
Volume 24 Number 7 of 12
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor Sir Anthony Garrett CBE
Assistant Editors Jane Burnand and Barbara
Doris BSc
Production Editor Sheila Hope
Email shope@abdo.uk.com
Features Editor Ann Johnson
Email ajohnson@abdo.uk.com
News Editor Nicky Collinson
Email ncollinson@abdo.uk.com
Administration Manager Deanne Gray
Email dgray@abdo.uk.com
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SUBSCRIPTIONS
Apply to Tom Veti
ABDO, Godmersham Park, Godmersham
Kent CT4 7DT
Telephone 01227 733922
Email tomv@abdo.org.uk
ABDO CET
CET Coordinator Paula Stevens MA ODE BSc
(Hons) MCOptom FBDO CL (Hons) AD SMC(Tech)
ABDO CET, Courtyard Suite 6, Braxted Park,
Great Braxted, Essex CM8 3GA
Telephone 01621 890202
Fax 01621 890203
Email pstevens@abdocet.infoman.org.uk
Email pstevens@abdo.org.uk
CONTINUING EDUCATION REVIEW PANEL
Jennifer Brower FBDO (Hons) LVA Cert Ed
Andrew Cripps FBDO (Hons)
Richard Harsant FBDO (Hons) CL (Hons) LVA
Angela McNamee BSc (Hons) MCOptom
FBDO (Hons) CL FBCLA Cert Ed
Elvin Montlake FADO (Hons) CL LVA FFDO
Linda Rapley BSc (Hons) FCOptom Cert Ed
Alicia Thompson FBDO (Hons) SLD SMC(Tech)
JOURNAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Nick Atkins FBDO (Hons) CL
Richard Crook FBDO
David Goad FBDO (Hons) CL
Kevin Gutsell FBDO
Ros Kirk FBDO
Angela McNamee BSc (Hons) MCOptom
FBDO (Hons) CL FBCLA Cert Ed
Gillian Twyning FBDO
Dispensing Optics is published by
ABDO, 199 Gloucester Terrace, London W2 6LD
Dispensing Optics is printed by
Lavenham Press, Lavenham, Suffolk CO10 9RN
© ABDO No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means whatever without the
written prior permission of the publishers
Dispensing Optics welcomes contributions for
possible editorial publication. However,
contributors warrant to the publishers that they
own all rights to illustrations, artwork or
photographs submitted and also to copy which
is factually accurate and does not infringe any
other party’s rights
ISSN 0954 3201
Average circulation 2008: 8654 per issue - ABDO
Board certification
www.abdo.org.uk