News This Week
30 August 2010 Savings available on Ciba contact lenses
From September 2010 through to 31st Janauary 2011 Ciba Vision are offering you, through EyecarePlus Wynyard, up to $155 cashback on certain ranges of their popular disposable contact lenses. The cash back is claimed directly from Ciba after the purchase of a quantity of lens supply. The offer applies to Ciba's Night and Day continous wear lenses together with all the Air Optix and Focus Dailies range.There is an additional offer of $25 back to individuals who have not worn contact lenses previously and would like to be fitted. This offer is available to existing Ciba Vision users and all new contact lens wearers who purchase Ciba Vision products through the offer range. See instore for further details.
23 August 2010 Lindberg, Oga, Tom Ford new arrivals
With the weather getting warmer and days longer we are in the season when people update their wardrobe. For many, that includes a new pair of spectacles or a supply of contact lenses.
At EyecarePlus Wynyard we are now receiving in-store our earlier orders for new season lines. Lately, we have received new arrivals in Lindberg and Tom Ford sunglasses and Oga optical lines. We invite you to call in and view these new additions for yourself.
16 August 2010 9251-1802 for eye test and contact lenses in Sydney CBD
It has been twenty five years since the Australian Government proposed the idea of the "Australia card" as a personal identification number for Australian citizens. The idea did not fly and was abandoned about two years later after, among other concerns, it was considered an intrusion into personal privacy. This was replaced by a tax file number which did not bring together as much information about each of us and seemed more acceptable to the voting populace.
Another twenty five year milestone is our practice telephone number! Indeed, the practice has been providing eyecare in Sydney CBD for 25 years and our practice number, unlike the Australia card, can be easily used by you to get information about all the services we provide at EyecarePlus Wynyard. We proudly offer you eye examinations, contact lens fittings, fashionable and funky spectacle frames combined with lenses made with quality optics at competitive prices. We invite you this week to "pop in" and see for yourself what EyecarePlus Wynyard offers in quality eyewear.
09 August 2010 Are spec deals as good as they look
A telling sign that we are presently in a retail slump is the recent reporting by Harvey Norman Holdings of flat retail sales for the year (Sydney Morning Herald, Business, July 26). Another sign is the prominence of "sale" signs in shops and gimmicky advertising promoting all kinds of unbelievable bargains. Optical retailing hasn't escaped this downturn, evidenced currently by a war in TV and print media advertising between multinationals Luxottica (OPSM) and Specsavers. But are all the "optical" bargains and deals as good as they look?
The consumer magazine Choice recently did a mystery shopping exercise to investigate advertised optical deals (www.choice.com.au July 2010). A mystery shopper took a prescription and a pair of specs to five optical chain stores and purchased from each chain a similar pair. The shadow shopper next visited "five smaller independent specs retailers....and got quotes". Interestingly, the prices from the chains ranged from $125 to $250 whilst the independents ranged from $159 to $250. Choice came to the conclusion... " there was only a small difference in the range of prices between the big chains and smaller independent retailers, it's a good idea to check prices from your neighbourhood optical store, where you may be offered a more personalised service."
This conclusion by Choice implys that when comparing "like for like" in spectacles you can do as well shopping at the "independent" practice as at the "chain". Despite the downturn in retail sales, the optical industry is, and has always been, very competitive and independent practices do it as well, if not better, than the chains. But in such times some optical retailers are attempting to attract you by advertising price claims that, when all is said and done it seems, are not as good as they look.
02 August 2010 3D Tv's sight for sore eyes?
Human 3D perception is an interesting phenomenon and occurs due to the difference in spatial position of our two eyes relative to the object of regard. Each eye, owing to its viewing angle, sees a slightly different aspect of the object and our brains use this disparity of images to create what we call 3D perception. It is not possible to have this type of perception with one eye alone - it is possible to percieve depth with one eye but this is a different perceptual quality. So to see true 3D an individual needs to have two well functioning and co-ordinating eyes.
3D movies and Tv create this perceptual image by presenting a different image to the right and left eye by means of a filtering device worn like a spectacle. As each eye does not see the image seen by the fellow eye there are fewer visual cues that help the eyes to align (point) in the same direction. For individuals with ocular mobility problems, the viewing of 3D cinema or tv may cause discomfort and possibly travel sickness type sensations. Just how many people suffer these effects is yet to be seen as "the 3D experience" moves through our cinemas and retail stores.
26 July 2010 Disposable contact lens prices drop
Disposable soft contact lenses have become the lens of choice (where available parameters permit) for most of our contact lens wearing patients. With daily, two weekly and monthly disposing options to choose from, our patients are preferring to replace their lenses more frequently rather than spend time each day intensively cleaning longer term (conventional soft) contact lenses. This has resulted in better lens hygeine as evidenced by fewer occasions of patients presenting with contact lens cleaning related eye issues. An additional benefit is that as more patients convert to disposable contact lens usage, together with the buying power of the 150 practices in the Eyecare Plus co-operative, our practice has recently been able to reduce our selling price of all brands of disposable contact lens.
19 July 2010 Snow is finally falling
After a slow start to this years ski season owing to a lack of cold fronts and prescipitation, the snow is finally falling. Reports from NSW resorts last week indicate good falls with more to come.
If you are thinking of going this season, or considering travelling abroard later in the year to the northern hemisphere fields, and don't wear contact lenses we remind you of the availability of prescription ski goggles. These goggles from Adidas take a large prescription insert inside and are suitable for most prescriptions. They are available in good boarding and ski styles.
12 July 2010 Cosmetic contact lenses are vision risk
Cosmetic contact lenses are in the news again this time with their popularity being elevated by pop stars such as Lady Gaga (SMH July 10, 2010).
All contact lenses impact on corneal metabolism and if not managed properly can lead to corneal infection and possible scarring with resultant vision loss. Because cosmetic contact lenses do not come under the Therapeutic Goods Act their sale is not regulated and so are a vision risk if carelessly used. If you are tempted to try these lenses you would do well to first read the safety alert brochure available in PDF form at: http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/804931
5 July 2010 New health fund claims year begins
A new claims year has begun for some health societies. So if you have been waiting till your claims year ticks over to update your current pair or get that spare pair of spectacles for reading in bed etc, and your fund's claim period runs July 1st to June 30, now is the time to act. At EyecarePlus - Wynyard we have a range of quality frames and single vision lenses that are covered by the rebate of most funds. Call in and see us or ring 9251-1802 for further details.
28 June 2010 Multifocal contact lenses boon for boomers!
Contact lenses, which achieved popularity in the 1950's, have been well regarded and well used now for over 50 years. The early adopters of contact lenses, many who were born between 1946-1965 (the baby boomer years) are now reaching retirement age - but that has not stopped many from wishing to continue wearing their beloved "contacts".
For the most of the last 50 years, contact lenses have only been reliably available to correct longsight, shortsight and astigmatism. Those wearers with the additional burden of a reading problem still needed to wear reading "overspecs" over their contact lenses for near work. However, for the last 5 years, at EyecarePlus-Wynyard, we have had available a range of bifocal and multifocal soft contact lenses that now allows "baby boomers" to continue to wear their contacts comfortably without overspecs. Indeed, our practice figures this week show, with the now available multifocal contact lens range, we are each year fitting more of our contact lens wearing patients successfully with multifocal contact lenses. Multifocal contact lenses are truly a boon for boomers!
21st June 2010 World Council of Optometry says deregulation is risk to eye health
In the June 2010 edition of the ophthalmic newspaper - Insight - it was reported that:
World Council of Optometry has expresssed serious concern about deregulation of the optical market last month in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The new regulations remove restrictions that permit only optometrists, opticians or those supervised by them, to dispense spectacles or contact lenses, and allow online sales without an eye examination or an optometrists prescription or specification. (Insight June 2010 reporting)
It is a sad fact that NSW seems to be heading down the same path, with notification in the same edition of Insight of the forthcoming abolition of the Optical Dispensers Licensing Board. Indeed, from July 1, 2010 optical dispensing will be deregulated in NSW thus eliminating the need for formal training for those who might prepare your spectacles. To those outside of our industry this might seem an unimportant change.......probably as equally unimportant as knowing your plumber, electrician or motor mechanic is suitably trained to know what he or she is doing! Multinational companies are pushing for these changes simply to save money on staffing costs. As Independent Optometrists pushing for higher rather than lower standards, our views are at odds with these "shortsighted" changes.
14th June 2010 Rudy Project seeks safety approval
For more than 20 years, Rudy Project has been designing technical sunglasses, goggles and accessories for sports. Conceived initially for athletes, Rudy Project glasses rapidly became widespread amongst a vaster clientele, thanks to the combination of aesthetic features and exceptional visual comfort they offer. For those requiring prescription eyewear, Rudy Project sunglasses can now be tailored for your eyes. With the Rudy Project ImpactRX Direct prescription program, the lenses for a number of Rudy Project sunglass models, can be generated with your spectacle prescription included. Further, it is envisaged in the near future that some models will be sufficiently certified to satisfy current Australian safety standards for use as safety eyewear in industrial situations. Keep watching this page for updates on this revolutionary development.
31st May 2010 Cyclists do it for kids
David Bonne, one of our clients at EyecarePlus Wynyard, and his friend Scott Gilbertson are to ride from Cooktown to Sydney in August this year. Through the formation of “Coast to Coast for Kids “ they aim to complete the 3,000 kilometres in 30 days and in the process, David and Scott, are hoping to raise $200,000 for charities close to their hearts – The Tumbatin Clinic and Bonnie Babes Foundation.
EyecarePlus Wynyard congratulates David and Scott on this initiative and is proud to make a contribution toward their $200,000 objective.
Visit www.c2c4kids.com.au for more information.
