For many independent optometrists, branding is the bane of their existence (perhaps one of many!). Defining who you are as a business, then successfully and cost-effectively translating that to your audience, can feel like an insurmountable task. But those in the know are full of tips and tricks to
If Covid-19 has taught us anything, it’s that we should take nothing for granted and we should seize opportunities - to spend time with family and friends, to have the courage to take on a new challenge, or at least to challenge the status quo.
Lifestyle factors can be triggers for the development of dry eye symptoms, with an increasingly common culprit being screen use: blinking becomes less frequent and the quality of the blink is reduced. Evidence shows incomplete blinking is associated with increased levels of meibomian gland dysfuncti
Dry eye disease (DED) can be described as aqueous-deficient and/or evaporative dry eye1, the latter being more common (78%)2. The lipid layer of tears plays an important role in inhibiting tear film evaporation and in spreading the tears across the ocular surface3. This lipid layer stabilises the te
Demodex blepharitis remains an under-diagnosed condition, lacking universally accepted diagnostic and management protocols. Two species, Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis, have been reported to infest humans causing a recurrent chronic form of blepharitis¹,². The former is found in eyelash fol
Social media is always super excited to let me know about clever new technology. The latest recommendation is the Laundry Jet, a domestic revolution in a tube! Tired of walking to the laundry? A vacuum-powered laundry chute whisks away your dirty T-shirts and socks from any room with a Laundry Jet p
A central clinical measure in the diagnosis and evaluation of dry eye disease is the tear film breakup time (BUT). Traditionally, its measurement has relied on the instillation of sodium fluorescein and subjective evaluation of the tear film breakup time using the slit lamp biomicroscope. More recen
Much of the success of healthcare provision is dependent on the quality of the interactions between health professionals and patients. Health communication researcher Associate Professor Maria Stubbe from the University of Otago specialises in interactional sociolinguistics and says eyecare professi
The impact of anticancer drugs on the ocular surface
Auckland University’s Dr Ehsan Vaghefi, CEO and co-founder of Toku Eyes, has just launched the company’s second AI retinal screening product, Oraicle, in the US. The company’s technology saves sight and lives by identifying those most at risk of diabetic retinopathy and cardiovascular events. So why
The New Zealand Optical Wholesalers Association (NZOWA) includes around 30 independent wholesalers who supply everything our industry needs, from ophthalmic equipment and laboratory services to spectacle frames and contact lens products. When I think of NZOWA, I think of conferences and trade displa
After a three-year gap, the Neuro-Ophthalmology Society of Australia (NOSA) held its 36th clinical and scientific meeting in June 2022 in Canberra. Speakers from neuro-ophthalmology, neurology and even optometry backgrounds presented their research to in-person attendees and virtually. The conferenc
