In what has become a something of a September tradition, Alcon invited members of the eye care press to their headquarters in Ft. Worth to update everyone on the most important developments at the company, and what you might see in the coming year.  I decided to take the trip to check out what was going on.


(this group of people is responsible for most of what you read about your chosen profession.. scary thought!)

Sergio Duplan, the President of Alcon North America, kicked off the presentations, and was followed by: the GM of Alcon US Vision Care, Sean Clark; the GM of Alcon US Surgical business, Jim Di Filippo; and a VP from their Medical Affairs division, Dr. Roee Lazebnik.

Here are my notes from the talks I thought ODwire folks would be most interested in. These are my totally biased opinions, mixed with some actual facts.

(Disclosure -- Alcon provided a buffet lunch for all attendees, and invited everyone who stayed in Ft. Worth after the event to dinner.  Other than that, the trip was on our own dime...)

In this InSight Studio interview from Optometry's Meeting 2019 in St. Louis, Dr. Ben Chudner sits down with us to discuss private equity in optometry. He hits on:

* What private equity is
* The differences between different private equity groups
* Where companies are looking to invest
* What makes a practice an attractive target for private equity
* Should your practice be acquired by private equity?

Leave any comments or questions for Dr. Chudner in this thread.

We'd like to invite you to an upcoming, free online event that we're holding in conjunction with ZEISS:
This two-day complimentary program offers live sessions and an interactive product showcase—all within a virtual exhibit hall—designed to provide you with the latest technology innovations and clinical solutions for your practice.

In this episode, Dr. Casey Hogan of Oak Lawn, IL, a CooperVision Best Practices honoree, talks to us about Sjogren's Syndrome, and how she used her passion for treating the disease (and her personal experience with the condition) to help build her practice.

She also shares tips on how docs can identify and manage these patients and how to send & receive referrals from other specialists, such as rheumatologists.
Weigh in with your feedback here on ODwire.org.

And for more info about the Best Practices program, watch this intro video with Dr. Michele Andrews.

In this episode, Dr. Stephen Cohen, a 2018 CooperVision Best Practices honoree shares how critical it is for practices to balance modern technology and patient care.

We will be putting up videos over the next several weeks and months where each of the Best Practices will be sharing tips.

Weigh in with your feedback here on ODwire.org.

And for more info about the Best Practices program, watch this intro video with Dr. Michele Andrews.

In this InSight Studio interview from SECO2019, we speak with Dr. Richard Madonna from SUNY Optometry, where he explains why hypertension is a risk factor for glaucoma. (surprisingly, the answer has part to do with hypotension!)

Registered ODwire.org members can discuss this video & ask Dr. Madonna questions in this thread

CooperVision has announced their Best Practices Honorees for 2019!

Now in it’s fourth year, the CooperVision Best Practices Program recognizes and celebrates practices in the U.S. that elevate the profession through innovation, industry leadership and patient experience.

In this ODwire TV episode, Dr. Michele Andrews, Senior Director of Professional & Academic Affairs at CooperVision announces the 2019 Best Practices honorees and talks about the genesis of the program.

Watch the video and discuss with your peers.

At SECO 2019, we got a first look at Alcon's new iLux MGD treatment.

(That's Gretchyn Bailey of Optometry Times asking all the questions & demoing the device!)

Its big calling-card is that it is substantially cheaper than alternative devices, while being therapeutically equivalent.

Read all about it in this thread, and discuss with your peers.

I'm happy to announce the launch of a new product (and a new ODwire.org site sponsor), the AB Max!

It is the latest instrument designed to treat anterior blepharitis.

I got a first-look at the devicee at SECO, and spoke with the device's inventor, John Choate.

The comparison with the BlephEx is natural and obvious (John was one of the designers of the original), the big differences that I could see:

1) the device has a patent-pending "pulse mode", which is more comfortable for the patients and...

2) the cost -- the device itself is billed as 1/3rd the cost, and the consumables (ie, the tips) are priced at about 50% of other devices.

They are running a SECO special including the device, tips, patient literature, an i-Chek and a cute little demodex mite toy to show to patients.

If you have any questions, post them in this thread, or visit their web site, www.AB-Max.com, or call them at 1-800-721-8006.

Discussion:
https://www.odwire.org/community/threads/ab-max-the-newest-instrument-for-treating-anterior-blepharitis.118919/

Refresh PM disappeared from store shelves last fall, much to the dismay of people with severe dry eye.

In this interview, we speak with Dave Gibson, Associate VP of Consumer Eyecare at Allergan and ask him:

* What happened?
* What alternatives are available?
* When will Refresh PM will be back on store shelves?!


ODwire.org members can comment in this thread.