Insight with Dr. Michael Nelson

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Dr. Michael Nelson was born and raised in Wetaskiwin, Alberta

After graduation from UW School of Optometry in 1994 he completed a residency in family practice and low vision at the University of Alabama School of Optometry.

He was past president of the Manitoba Association of Optometrists and
current president of the Canadian Association of Optometrists.

Dr. Michael Nelson

Doctorate of Optometry from the University Of Waterloo (1994)

Co-awarded the Manitoba Optometrist of the Year.  (2014)

Current President of the Canadian Association of Optometrists (2019 – 2021)

 

Why did you choose your field?
I have a couple reasons.

I grew up on a hog farm in a small town in Alberta called Wetaskiwin. While I loved growing up on a farm one thing shoveling manure and castrating piglets taught me was that I wanted to be someone who grew up on a farm, not someone who lives on a farm.  So I was highly motivated to find a professional career. My dad encouraged me and said that he didn’t care what I did but he hoped that I would one day become a doctor….be it an MD, PhD or, I guess, an OD.

If you ask most ODs why they became an OD, they often have an inspirational eye story; like I had really strong prescription and my OD helped me or something like that.  Me, not so much, and it’s a little more superficial.  In Wetaskiwin, the optometrist was a guy named Dr. Don Martin. If you ask anyone my age or older if they knew who Dr. Martin was, they would say yes because he was the most eligible bachelor in town for 2 reasons. He made a very good income and he looked exactly like Mel Gibson!  I know Mel has had some PR issues lately but he was the Ryan Reynolds of the 80’s …..So, I thought, I got to be an eye doctor. LOL!

Where do you see your practice / eye care in 10 years?
I practice with my wife, Selena Friesen.  There are lots of optometry couples but I think most of them don’t work in the same practice. We work hard at it and we have different strengths, so it has worked well. Selena is awesome at planning and this is one question she always asks me and I sometimes have trouble with it. In 10 years I know I will still be practicing and hopefully still trying to challenge myself. Our daughter is in optometry right now and I don’t know what her plans are but that would be interesting to practice with your kid.

What is currently the most exciting thing in your field to help patients?
Myopia control:  The most common thing that optometrists deal with is refractive error. Optometrists are really good at prescribing for refractive error but we haven’t really had any options to affect it. Myopia control allows us the opportunity not only to correct refractive error, but also to slow it down that is an exciting thing.

What is something you have done in your practice to set you apart.
Primary Care: We do everything.

I know there is lots of talk of specialties in optometry and I think there is a place for that. It is great to be an expert in a particular area like VT or dry eye. However, sometimes, I hear optometrists say, “Oh, I only do this and so I don’t know how to do that anymore”,  and it makes me a little sad.

I think all of us studied like crazy to learn everything there is about the eyes and visual a system, but nobody studies more about optics/vision/the visual system and eye disease than optometrists. There are some that know more about a specific topic like the glaucoma specialists that can tell you everything about glaucoma but they don’t feel comfortable talking about a retina problem.

There is something that I admire about an expert in generalities. Why can’t an OD be proficient in dry eye, vision therapy, scleral lenses, glaucoma…..you knew it all for your boards…so why can’t we keep that up?   An optometrist that is an expert in everything impresses me. That is what I aspire to be; an expert generalist.

So along these lines I have a motto:  Know the best. Recommend the Best.   We try to pass that on to our patients. We try to tell them what is new in treatments, eye wear, contacts…etc.

What is your most effective marketing tool/platform?
Word of mouth….we always tell new staff or new students that come work with us that almost every single patient has come to see us because they feel some personal connection to us… perhaps from our street, sports teams, kid’s school, church, or golf course..

What is your favorite TV show / Netflix series?
Reality TV: I love reality TV! Survivor, Big Brother, Amazing Race.
Probably Survivor is my favourite…in all the years it has been on I don’t think Selena and I have missed an episode.

Last time you laughed?
I laugh all the time. I am not the class clown or the life of the party but I absolutely do not take things too seriously. In school, I think there was more than one occasion that teachers told me to stop smiling so much. I am thinking it made them think I was up to something.

Favourite past-time/hobby?
I really enjoy golf…just wish I was better at it.

YouTube.  People sometimes talk about their COVID hobby, and since we didn’t stop working throughout the pandemic I always said I didn’t have one. One thing I did start during the pandemic was an optometry YouTube channel –  Good Optometry Morning.

Tell me something few people know about you?
I am pretty sure I am one of the luckiest guys in the world.There are a couple of things a lot of people don’t know about me.

One I’m a cancer survivor. About 10 years ago I developed testicular cancer and went through chemotherapy.  I don’t like to share a lot of personal stuff with people so some people still comment…hey remember that summer you shaved your head?  I consider myself lucky because if someone was diagnosed with this is the 1980’s the 5 year survival rate was less than 5%…but now the 5 year survival rate is over 95%.

Another thing is that I have a rare eye condition called Birdshot Retinopathy… It is pretty rare…like maybe one in 30,000 have it. Many people that have this are really scared and confused about it but I’m lucky because I have trained for all my life to learn about the eyes and so I understand it better than most that have it. And, like testicular cancer, the prognosis with Birdshot used to be pretty grim, but with current treatments they are actually pretty good.

I mentioned earlier that many eye doctors talk about having an eye condition that inspired them to become an optometrist;  I got an eye condition when was an eye doctor that inspired me to become a better optometrist.

Listen to Dr. Nelson discuss the national role that the Canadian Association of Optometry (CAO) plays in advocating for the profession on our Eyes Wide Open Podcast. 

 

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Becoming an Independent Practice Owner – My Story

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Growing an Independent optometry pPractice Toronto

Jaclyn Chang graduated from UW School of Optometry in 2018. In 2019, less than two years after graduating, she took the plunge and purchased an existing independent practice in an urban setting with plans to grow. She shares her story below.

 

By Jaclyn Chang, OD

I bought the practice in the middle of November, 2019. It was not a decision I made lightly.

The owner of one of the clinics that I was working at as an associate, in mid-town Toronto, was ready to retire and offered me the opportunity to buy the practice from him.

He had been working as an optometrist for over 38 years and had been in the office’s current location for the last 18 of them.

The equipment was original to the practice’s current location and was in need of an update; this meant that I would essentially be taking over an existing patient base, paying one lump sum for the patient records.

The office sold contact lenses but there was no dispensary or any auxiliary testing available.

Considerations
With a deadline, I had to consider my options and get back to the owner with my decision.

Because I had been working in the practice a few days per week over the previous year, I knew the patient demographic, staff, schedule, and location very well – a huge advantage as I was making my decision.

I liked the idea of building on a smaller existing practice as opposed to starting from scratch or paying a higher price for a larger practice.

There would be patients walking through the door on day one but I would still be able to put my stamp on the practice and really make it my own.

Ideally, I wanted to provide patients with more technology, including a retinal camera, OCT, and visual field. With this equipment, I would be able to continue to grow my skills as a practitioner in treating and managing disease.

Difficulties
Eventually, I would also want to give patients the convenience of having access to a dispensary in my own clinic – something which would not be possible at the current location.

As a newer practitioner, I was also limited financially and by the amount of business knowledge and experience I had.

I would have to figure out what equipment to purchase, how to finance it, and decide on the new fee structure for patients.

I would have to go through the process of creating a dispensary and hiring and training staff.

By adding new revenue streams that previously did not exist for this practice, there was no reference as to how the patient base would respond.

I worried about how long it would take to get to the stage I wanted and whether or not I would be able to afford it.

An Opportunity
Then, another opportunity came up for me to move the practice into a nearby clinic with the technology and dispensary that I was looking for.

As with any practice purchase, patients would experience a doctor change, but if we moved, we would also be putting patients through a physical location change and switching to a very different way of practicing suddenly.

However, it would also mean that I would be able to practice the way that I wanted to, with the equipment I wanted, immediately.

My Decision
I knew there was extensive work to be done on the practice and a steep learning curve to becoming a practice owner, but this was an opportunity that I could not turn down.

By December 2nd, 2019, I had moved the practice into the new office and had officially seen my first patients as a new independent practice owner.

This process did not happen the way I would have ever imagined, but now that one year has passed, I look back on it proud of the progress we have made and am excited to continue sharing my story with you!

JACLYN CHANG, OD

Editor NewOptometrist.ca

Dr. Jaclyn Chang graduated from the University of Waterloo (UW) with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences before continuing at Waterloo to complete her Doctor of Optometry degree. She is currently a practicing optometrist in Toronto.

Dr. Chang is committed to sharing information and bringing new resources to her colleagues. As a student, she sat on the Board of Trustees for the American Optometric Student Association, organizing events to connect students with industry. She was the Co-Founder/Co-President of the award-winning UW Advancement of Independent Optometry Club, the first club at UW dedicated to private practice optometry. Dr. Chang is also a passionate writer, who aims to make information accessible and easily digestible to her colleagues. She has published in Optometry & Vision Science and Foresight magazine and contributed to Optik magazine. She is excited to bring valuable resources to Canada’s next generation of optometrists with NewOptometrist.ca.

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A CE Primer for new Ontario ODs

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By Jaclyn Chang, OD

One of the mandatory requirements of maintaining your membership with the College of Optometrists of Ontario is completing a specific number of continuing education (CE) hours every three-year period.

The new three-year cycle begins on January 1, 2021.

There is an auditing process following each three-year cycle, so it is important to make sure you complete your hours and receive credit for them. Keep reading for a quick summary and visit the College website for more information (Members -> Quality Assurance -> Continuing Education).

For New Registrants (New Graduates)
If you just graduated, you first need to register with the College as you can only claim continuing education hours completed after registration.

Then, you can set up your online account with the Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry (ARBO), using this link: https://www.arbo.org/. ARBO will assign you an OE Tracker number; OE Tracker is the system the College uses to store CE data for optometrists.

The subscription for ARBO was paid for by the College for the previous cycle (To clarify, once you have paid your College fees, you do NOT need to pay anything additional).

When you get your OE Tracker number, you are ready to start uploading your CE certificates to ensure you receive credit for the hours you have completed.

Some CE providers will upload the certificate for you and will ask for your OE Tracker number (sometimes this can take a while to show up in your account!).

Certificates can be uploaded using one of the following methods (~5 business days to show up in your account):
-Mobile App: https://www.arbo.org/oet_app.php
-Website:  https://www.arbo.org/oetracker_login.php
-Email: arbo@arbo.org – ARBO is usually pretty responsive and it is easy to email in your certificate!
-Fax: 1-888-703-4848

For more information, visit:
https://www.collegeoptom.on.ca/members/quality-assurance/continuing-education/oe-tracker/

For new registrants, the number of CE hours required are prorated based on the number of complete years left in the cycle following the year registered.

Here are the number of CE hours required based on your graduation year/year of registration:

-1st year of the cycle (2021) – 47 total hours, 34 COPE (14 disease), 13 other
-2nd year of the cycle (2022) – 24 total hours, 17 COPE (7 disease), 7 other
-3rd year of the cycle (2023) – 0 hours

After Initial Registration – 70 Credit Hours/Cycle
Members of the College are required to complete at least 70 credit hours of continuing education every three-year cycle. *There have been changes since the last three-year cycle in which CE hours were previously classified as Category A and B. Please see the new information below.

Of the 70 hours, 50 hours must be Council on Optometric Practitioner Education (COPE) accredited.

Of the 50 required COPE accredited hours, a minimum of 20 hours must be lecture-based in ocular disease and management or related systemic disease. Fellowship or Diplomate in the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO) or Fellowship in the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (FCOVD) counts as 30 COPE accredited hours.

Members need a participation verification certificate for COPE accredited CE. This is to be submitted to OE Tracker by the member or CE provider.

The other 20 hours can be COPE accredited or other learning activities.

Other learning activities can include organized events and distance learning activities that are not COPE accredited, graduate studies, residency, publication in a refereed journal, clinical supervision, CPR certification, and others.

Members are required to complete the ‘Continuing Education: Other Learning Opportunities’ form to claim credit for other learning activities. This is to be submitted to OE Tracker.

Members are required to report their CE hours in their Annual Report to the College. This is then verified through OE Tracker.

For more information, visit:
https://www.collegeoptom.on.ca/members/quality-assurance/continuing-education/

Click here to view the new 2021-2023 COO Policy on Continuing Education. 

CRO (Clinical & Refractive Optometry)  Journal (www.CROJournal.com)  will provide  one free COPE credit for any new OD signing up to the NewOptometrist.ca e-newsletter before  Feb 5th, 2021.  The free credit can be applied to any course in the CRO Catalogue.

Click Here to Sign up Now.

 

JACLYN CHANG, OD

Editor NewOptometrist.ca

Dr. Jaclyn Chang graduated from the University of Waterloo (UW) with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences before continuing at Waterloo to complete her Doctor of Optometry degree. She is currently a practicing optometrist in Toronto.

Dr. Chang is committed to sharing information and bringing new resources to her colleagues. As a student, she sat on the Board of Trustees for the American Optometric Student Association, organizing events to connect students with industry. She was the Co-Founder/Co-President of the award-winning UW Advancement of Independent Optometry Club, the first club at UW dedicated to private practice optometry. Dr. Chang is also a passionate writer, who aims to make information accessible and easily digestible to her colleagues. She has published in Optometry & Vision Science and Foresight magazine and contributed to Optik magazine. She is excited to bring valuable resources to Canada’s next generation of optometrists with NewOptometrist.ca.

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Be Prepared for the Future: A Resource for New Optometrists

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EyeCareBusiness Canada is pleased to introduce a new contributor. Dr. Jaclyn Chang, a UW School of Optometry 2018 grad, will be providing contributions within the “NewOptometrist” section of the website. Dr. Chang’s introductory post follows below.

by Jaclyn Chang, OD

I have always wanted to be well prepared for the future. I chose my career at an early age and have known since then that I wanted to become an optometrist.

Throughout high school and my undergraduate studies, I researched the application process, programs across North America, and even the cost of tuition.

Later on, when I was in professional school, I spoke with practicing optometrists at various events to find out more about what my immediate future had in store.

I often received the same unprompted comment: The first five years after graduation were the most challenging – there were clinical uncertainties, employment issues, and questions about the future.

After Graduation
I graduated from the University of Waterloo just over two years ago. According to many experienced optometrists, I am right in the middle of the most challenging time that I will go through as a practitioner.

When I first graduated, I realized how different being my own doctor was from having clinical supervision.

After my first day of work, I walked my boss through every single thing that happened that day over the phone. She assured me that I would be fine…and that this was probably unnecessary to do after every day of work.

As I continued practicing, I started seeing repeat patients – a very different situation to having several short rotations as a student, where I was not always able to find out the results of a particular treatment.  Now, if there was ever a problem, I would be the one to hear about it.

Staying Connected
As I continued to adjust to the clinical differences between being a student and a practicing optometrist, I was simultaneously attempting to figure out other aspects of being part of the profession from administrative responsibilities to taxes as a self-employed person.

I heavily relied and continue to rely on my friends and colleagues to get the latest information and reminders. I discuss interesting cases, variations in practice management, and my everyday frustrations and excitements in these small circles.

I have been lucky enough to get guidance from truly great optometrists that have made it past this initial difficult period in all our careers. Additionally, I did seek online resources and support from our College and Association.

I am sure that many new optometrists have their own small circles, mentors, and use the same resources I did. With my support system, I navigated through my first two years of optometric practice mostly unscathed.

I worked as an associate at various private practices in Toronto and became a practice owner. However, as prepared as I had tried to be, there were still things that I could have done better, and it is these details and subtleties in my experiences that I would like to share amongst our demographic.

Our Unique Challenges & Opportunities
We have unique challenges as a distinct group. As a new graduate, I was an idealist. In school, I was given access to the latest in technology and a wide selection of equipment. I was given lectures by doctors and researchers aware of the latest clinical developments in every optometric specialty.

I was taught to go above and beyond to treat every one of my patients as a family member, sometimes over a three-hour appointment. Two years later, my appointments are a little bit shorter, but I still want to provide that same high level of care.

I want to soak up as much information as I can. I am open to new brands, products, and ideas, and the next few years will be critical in determining my individual practice style and ultimate career path.

Your Invitation to Engage
I hope that you can relate to some of the experiences I have shared, and with that, I welcome you to NewOptometrist.ca: a platform dedicated to the unique challenges and experiences new optometrists in the first five years of practice across Canada face. This website is a place where we can collect relevant materials for reference and share our stories.

We are the next generation of optometrists that will grow to become seasoned practitioners, loyal associates, practice owners, and leaders in the eye care industry.

The way I see it, the more prepared we are, the better.

 

New ODs, in their first five years of practice, are invited to join the New OD e-newsletter.


Click here to sign up now.

JACLYN CHANG, OD

Editor NewOptometrist.ca

Dr. Jaclyn Chang graduated from the University of Waterloo (UW) with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences before continuing at Waterloo to complete her Doctor of Optometry degree. She is currently a practicing optometrist in Toronto.

Dr. Chang is committed to sharing information and bringing new resources to her colleagues. As a student, she sat on the Board of Trustees for the American Optometric Student Association, organizing events to connect students with industry. She was the Co-Founder/Co-President of the award-winning UW Advancement of Independent Optometry Club, the first club at UW dedicated to private practice optometry. Dr. Chang is also a passionate writer, who aims to make information accessible and easily digestible to her colleagues. She has published in Optometry & Vision Science and Foresight magazine and contributed to Optik magazine. She is excited to bring valuable resources to Canada’s next generation of optometrists with NewOptometrist.ca.

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Looking Forward to 2021

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”I know what I have to do now, I’ve got to keep breathing because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?” Chuck Noland (Tom Hank’s character in Castaway)

 

I have become very attached to the above quote. This year has certainly been different on so many levels. It was easy to become overwhelmed so often and I believe many, like myself, are happy to see 2020 come to an end.

Usually, as the year comes to a close, we look back to evaluate the year as we plan for the upcoming one. But what type of goals can we set for ourselves in 2021? Setting goals is hard enough when there is not a global pandemic going on. But despite wearing our masks and continuing to practice social distancing, we still need to be positive looking forward. We should never forget to consider the ways in which we can do more to improve ourselves or our lives. We have, despite all the challenges of 2020, been given the gift of extra time.

At the best of times, it is never wise to put too much pressure on yourself when setting goals, so why start now when we are living through an unprecedented pandemic? There is still opportunity to consider tackling one or two new goals. Another thought could also be to revisit the goals originally set for 2020. It is likely they were put aside as the world changed earlier in the year. There is nothing wrong in re-evaluating your plan and updating it to use now.

As owners of a small business, because after all a practice is one, owners are in a fortunate position that people will continue to require healthcare. The pandemic has shown that healthcare offices are recession and pandemic resilient. However, as a business owner, the stress levels of owning and operating during a pandemic could never have been imagined let alone planned for.

Perhaps the goals for 2021 need to be more along the lines of small operational ones that will not only help in the immediate period of time but serve you well in the long run. There is always a tendency to make an ambitious plan. But the bigger the plan, the bigger the demands and unfortunately, the constraints of a pandemic can make it hard to keep up. Therefore, perhaps the first goal of 2021 should be to make smaller but more meaningful goals. It is so important to remember that little successes will add up to something big.

Examples of smaller goals could be to improve communication with patients, schedule more comprehensive exams, embark on social media or improve your online presence overall. The opportunity to educate patients via Zoom calls is definitely a possibility we would not have considered pre-pandemic. There is absolutely no downside in making a greater effort to reach and engage your patients. In fact, you will be creating loyal patients and increasing the value of your goodwill.

Most people know how to set goals. There is a plethora of information available. My intention is to encourage you look forward positively. Do not set goals that are beyond reach, as this is likely to cause discouragement and demotivation. Basically, you are setting yourself up for failure from the beginning. Ideally, you want to choose goals which test you and require commitment but are reachable in practice.

It is so important to remember to be patient. Begin by determining not only what the goal is but why you want it. Challenge yourself about the emotion behind the goal. Why do you want it and what will you receive when you achieve it?

I believe what will be critical in 2021 is to think about the journey in achieving the goals you set. Remember to create achievable steppingstones so that you find happiness in the now. We must find ways to still find joy and enjoy the present. Perhaps another goal for 2021 should be to accept that we do not know what the future holds but rather be curious about what it could hold. If 2020 has taught us anything it is that we must learn to adapt as we have had to face an enormous amount of uncertainty. This will help put you in a positive mindset as you undertake goal setting.

The best any of us can do going into 2021 is to simply keep going one day at a time. Accomplishing big goals is a marathon, not a sprint. If you do not achieve some of your smaller tasks or expectations, do not be discouraged, you may occasionally get derailed from your goals. Be sure to maintain a well-rounded schedule by practicing habits that will energize and sustain you. Take time to consider and strengthen your physical and mental health and keep connected with others. Staying healthy and balanced will prove invaluable in having the stamina and drive to push to achieve your goals.

Before you know it, 2021 will be here. We must all step back a moment and be grateful for the blessings we have. 2020 certainly challenged us but it also gave us the ability to bring out the best in ourselves. For the upcoming new year, let us turn our current circumstances into a strategic opportunity to position ourselves for success. Until now, goal setting was always about the future. So instead of worrying about creating the perfect five-year plan or tackling the list of things you want to accomplish by a certain age, perhaps a good place to start is to figure out what you need to create a more comfortable and enjoyable life for yourself right now.

Jackie Joachim, COO ROI Corp

JACKIE JOACHIM

Jackie has 30 years of experience in the industry as a former banker and now the Chief Operating Officer of ROI Corporation. Please contact her at Jackie.joachim@roicorp.com or 1-844-764-2020.

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Episode 17: What’s New at the CAO? President Dr. Michael Nelson Reports

Eyes Wide Open, Podcasts

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Dr. Michael Nelson, is the current President of the Canadian Association of Optometry (CAO). He’s in the second year of his two-year term.  He is in private practice in Winnipeg Manitoba.

Dr. Michael Nelsen

About the Guest

Dr. Michael Nelson received his Optometry degree in Waterloo, ON and completed a family practice & low vision residency at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. He is currently the president of the Canadian Association of Optometry (CAO). Previously he has served as the continuing education chair for the Manitoba Association of Optometrists (MAO), and was the president of the MAO from 2000-2003. His clinical  interests lie in low vision, contact lenses and management of ocular diseases.

 

Episode Notes

Dr. Michael Nelson outlines the national role that Canadian Association of Optometry (CAO) plays in advocating for the profession.  He explains several of the major initiatives being pursued, including modernization of vision plans offered by third-party private insurance providers. He advises listeners on the importance of gaining a “Vision Desk” at Health Canada; a project that the CAO is pursuing in collaboration with other vision stakeholder groups including the Canadian Ophthalmological Society, Diabetes Canada, Fighting Blindness Canada and others . As an avid social media practitioner himself, he discusses how the CAO is using specific social media networks to bring awareness to the value of optometry to key stakeholders. Finally,  he response to issue of annual association fees, he takes the opportunity to remind members about the great work the dedicated CAO staff perform everyday to advocate on behalf of the profession.

Resources

 

Dr. Glen Chiasson

Dr. Glen Chiasson

Dr. Glen Chiasson is a 1995 graduate of the University of Waterloo School of Optometry. He owns and manages two practices in Toronto. In 2009, he co-hosted a podcast produced for colleagues in eye care, the “International Optometry Podcast”. He is a moderator of the Canadian Optometry Group, an email forum for Canadian optometrists. As  a host of  “Eyes Wide Open”, Glenn  looks forward to exploring new new technologies and services for eye care professionals.

Dr. Chiasson enjoys tennis, hockey, and reading. He lives in Toronto with his wife and two sons.

Dr. Chiasson splits EWO podcast hosting duties with Roxanne Arnal.

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New Virtual Try-On Solution To Accelerate Digital Transformation

Digital Marketing, Marketing, Practice, Technology, The Patient Journey

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PlanetVA (https://planetva.com), a Belgium-based provider of virtual try-on (VTO) solutions for eyewear, announced the debut of  vmLIVE, for optical retailers and eyewear companies.

vmLIVE enables shoppers to virtually try on eyewear live in 3D. The solution runs within the modern browser. Users can see precisely how the selected eyewear looks appears without going into a physical store or downloading a a specific mobile phone app.

This breakthrough web-based try-on experience ensures that PlanetVA and its clients are at the forefront of retail’s transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Following the acquisition of VanKeel Solutions (https://vankeelsolutions.com) earlier this year,  PlanetVA significally improved VanKeel Solutions’ live 3D VTO eyewear web app VTOLive and have renamed vmLIVE.

“We are excited to launch the latest VTO solution, vmLIVE, that complements our current offerings,” said Ludwig Heymbeeck, founder of PlanetVA. “Unlike competing solutions vmLIVE processes all camera live streams and pictures in the browser and therefore user privacy is fully guaranteed.”

PlanetVA’s proprietary solution, vmLIVE, runs on smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. The solution makes it suitable to deploy in the dispensary area of the optical retail shop as well as on the website.

“PlanetVA is always on the lookout to complement its offerings,” said Heymbeeck. “We are especially interested in partnering with independent optical labs and optical service providers.

Recently, we have set up an exclusive distribution agreement in North America with OpticalNearMe.com which provides turnkey e-commerce solutions to independent optical retailers.”

For more information:
https://planetva.com
https://vankeelsolutions.com

For a demo of vmLIVE:
https://planetva.net/demo/vmLIVE

ABOUT PLANETVA
PlanetVA is a private company registered in Australia and Europe with a 16-year footprint in the virtual eyewear try-on arena. PlanetVA provides leading-edge virtual eyewear try-on solutions based on advanced in-house developed AI and AR technologies.

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8 Tips for Doing Competitor Analysis in Optometry

Advertising & Promotion, Differentiation | Business Strategy, Marketing, Practice

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You might think that competitive snooping is uncomfortable, but it is one of the smartest and most effective ways to grow and develop your optometry practice. You need to to research your competition.

Keeping tabs on what other market players are doing helps you identify their strengths and weaknesses. This, in turn, can help you create a unique value proposition that makes your own services stand out.

Here are ten easy ways to perform competitor analysis in your optometry space:

  1. Go to Professional Conferences (SOON We hope we can!!)  

Attending trade shows, professional conventions, and conferences is an excellent way to stay up to date with what your competitors are doing. Interact with their representatives to learn about their services and product offerings. Meet your competitors socially and get to know them.

  1. Read Industry Reports

This can help you gain insight into the current market conditions and the latest advancements in the industry. Corporate and even privately held optometry firms have to file certain reports with various regulatory authorities on a regular basis. These might be available directly on the local planning commissions’ website, or you may get access on request. If the company is publicly traded on a stock exchange, a lot of information is available.

  1. Check Out Your Competitor’s Online Marketing Strategy

Every business in the modern world has an online presence. Browsing your competitor’s website can tell you a lot about their services and how they operate. If you have a basic know-how of SEO, you can use tools Google Trends to identify how other optometrists are attracting visitors. Take note of social media platforms they are using, how they post and what content they post. Engagement is key, how are they engaging their audience?

  1. Email Strategy

You can subscribe to your competitor’s newsletter on their website. This will keep you in the loop in regards to how they communicate with their customers. You will get insist information on new topics or products in your inbox!

  1. Secret Shopper

This is hands down the most comprehensive strategy for doing a competitor analysis in optometry. Getting someone to get information on employees, supplies price points and how patients view the practice is critical.

  1. Partnerships

Look out for any advertisements and job openings that other players in the industry may post from time to time. Pay attention what they are looking for in a candidate and who they partner with for their business. You should be thinking big picture long term.

MARIA SAMPALIS

is the founder of Corporate Optometry, a peer-to-peer web resource for ODs interested to learn more about opportunities in corporate optometry. Canadian ODs and optometry students can visit www.corporateoptometry.com to learn more.

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Insight with Dr. Devan Trischuk

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Dr. Devan Trischuk was born and raised in Yorkton, Saskatchewan

Interest in optometry started from a young age with yearly visits to his OD for stronger glasses due to rapidly progressing myopia

Lectures across Canada to other ODs and health care professionals on myopia management

Dr. Devan Trischuk

Doctorate of Optometry from the University Of Waterloo.

He received the Michael Gutwein Memorial Award for his graduating class at Waterloo (2011)

Selected as one of the top “40 Under 40” optometrists in Canada by Johnson and Johnson Vision (2018)

 

Why did you choose your field?

I was a young, rapidly progressing myope. From age 7 I needed a bump in Rx every ~6 months before eventually plateau-ing in my early 20’s. My childhood optometrist, Dr. Ron Rogoza, always brought such positive energy, laughter and smiles to my appointments that I always looked forward to them. (I also looked forward to more minus, like all good myopes 😉 )

These fond memories paired with an interest in math/science/healthcare directed me towards optometry as a career.

What changes to eye care do you see coming down the pipe?

I see myopia management becoming the standard of care for myopic children. I look forward to the day when the awareness in the general population of this specialty area results in parents/guardians expecting myopia management for their child.

Hopefully this increased awareness also results in preventative measures being taken – time outdoors, appropriate amounts of near work, future preventative treatments (?) – so that there is an improvement in the global projections of increasing myopia and severity.

What is something you have done in your practice to set you apart.

Offering a wide range of myopia treatment options.
The ability to tailor a treatment plan to each child’s exam findings/visual needs/family dynamic coupled with the constantly increasing number of evidence-based, effective treatment options has allowed more families to access myopia management than ever before.

What business books would you recommend other ECPs read?

‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ – Dale Carnegie.
A great book for anyone to read – improve your work and personal life.

What advice would you give a new grad today?

Shadow more senior practitioners – there is an immense amount that can be learned from observing those years of experience in action.

Last time you laughed?

Being a human jungle gym for my kids.
Listening to my 4.5 year old daughter describe her perception of the world around her.

What’s your Favorite food?

My wife’s Prime Rib with a nice red wine.

Favorite past-time/hobby?

Previously it was taking in outdoors/sports for my own enjoyment, but it has now shifted to instilling (forcing?) a love of outdoors/active lifestyle in my children.

You can listen to Dr. Trischuk discuss his perspective on myopia control on our Eyes Wide Open Podcast. 

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FYidoctors Announces VP of Digital and Brand

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FYidoctors, announced  the appointment of Elara Verret to its leadership team in the role of Vice President, Digital and Brand responsible to lead digital strategy and online business initiatives for all of the FYydoctors’ banners.

Ms. Verret is an award-winning marketing and ecommerce leader with over 15 years of progressively responsible experience in notable Canadian and international multi-brand platforms.

“Given our Omni-Channel and Digital strategic growth opportunities, we are delighted to welcome Elara to our team,” said Dr. Al Ulsifer, CEO and Founder of FYidoctors. “Her years of experience and proven track record will be an additional asset to the highly skilled FYi team.”

Ms Verret hails from the retail fashion world, where she most recently served as Vice President, Marketing, Ecommerce & Visual Presentation for Reitmans Canada Ltee/Ltd.

Prior to that, she was Vice President, Marketing & Ecommerce for Psycho Bunny, a US menswear brand, where she was responsible for developing the marketing platform to drive growth in both sales and awareness across the US and global markets for ecommerce, wholesale and retail operations.

Her team’s accomplishments at Psycho Bunny were recognized with the Innovation Award for Visual Merchandising from the Retail Design Institute in 2019. Previous ecommerce and digital marketing leadership experience with brands such as La Senza and ALDO provide Ms. Verret with valuable depth and breadth in areas of key importance to FYi’s continued rapid growth strategy.

Ms. Verret has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biochemistry from Bishop’s University and completed her MBA in marketing and strategy at the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University.

“FYidoctors is a world-class organization and I couldn’t be more excited to join a such a strong and dedicated team,” said Ms. Verret. “While health and wellbeing have been always top-of-mind, the pandemic has underscored their importance and I’m proud to support FYidoctors in fulfilling their mission to enhance lives through eye care. The work my colleagues and I have the privilege to do has an impact beyond clinic doors and I’m looking forward to supporting with my expertise.”

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