Social-EYEzing

Transitions Vantage Lenses Website Goes Live

Transitions Optical has launched the trade website for its new Transitions Vantage lenses, the first lenses to both darken and polarize upon UV exposure. The site, transitionsvantage.com, is designed to help industry professionals better understand the product and how to recommend it to patients. Visitors can also qualify to receive a Transitions Vantage launch kit which includes patient education and demonstration tools.

"Education has always been a critical component to successfully introducing a new product in our industry. This time, we've not only expanded our family of products with Transitions Vantage lenses but we've also introduced a completely new technology, variable polarization, to the industry making proper education even more critical," says Alexis Cardona, chief marketing officer, Transitions Optical. "By offering a central resource for information, we hope to make it easy for our partners to understand this new technology and how it can offer patients a completely new benefit."

Visitors to the site can access product information, instructional videos, educational tools and marketing materials surrounding Transitions Vantage lenses. After successfully completing a short quiz, eyecare professionals can also sign up to receive a complimentary Transitions Vantage launch kit designed to meet their needs. The launch kit will include a Transitions Vantage lens lorgnette sample, a glare simulator, consumer brochures, a recommendation guide, frequently asked questions and a final inspection guide with film.

Transitions Vantage lenses will officially become available to consumers on May 1 in a variety of materials and exclusively in grey.

LENS MARKETING

Rudy Project Revamps Rx Program For 2012

Rudy Project North America has announced a complete overhaul of its Authentic Sun Rx program for 2012. The new program dubbed, "Making Rx Sports Easy" features Rudy Project's first ever product catalog for eyecare professionals, dedicated solely to prescription sports eyewear, as well as a consumer Rx catalog that explains the features and benefits of Rudy Project's Rx sports line.

"We are a consumer focused company and our customers requested that we simplify our program," remarks Brad Shapiro, co-founder and principal of Rudy Project North America. The Rx Catalog covers everything from A to Z with regard to the Rudy Rx program, including details on how to select the right lens for your patients, special considerations for dispensing 8-base interchangeable Rx lenses, prescription compensation, how to file a VSP claim for Rudy prescription eyewear, a new simplified and condensed price list, and much more.

According to Shapiro, "A unique aspect of Rudy Project's Rx program is that it offers a sport Rx option for every patient, regardless of budget, from two free-form lens designs to Rx clips and Rudy Readers." Rudy Project also announced a number of other key changes to the program, including a full, one-year scratch warranty, a seven-day turnaround guarantee, the availability of online ordering and new online training videos.

To receive a copy of the 2012 Rudy Rx catalog, learn more about the Rudy Project Authentic Sun Rx program or to find out more about how Rudy Project can assist you in creating an incremental revenue stream through the sale of sports eyewear in your practice, please call (888) 860-7597 or visit rudyprojectusa.com.

Mary Engelbreit Presents 'Breit Eyes' Contest Winner with Original Sketch
and Tour Of St. Louis Studi

Airwear, Essilor's lighter, safer and greener brand of polycarbonate lenses, and iconic artist and healthy vision advocate Mary Engelbreit presented Michele Zeblisky of Northwood, N.H., grand prize winner of the "Breit Eyes" Facebook photo contest, with an original, autographed sketch in the likeness of her 11-year-old son, Jack, as well as a tour of Engelbreit's St. Louis studio and a $200 general use gift card.

Fans of Airwear Lenses on Facebook may recall Essilor and Engelbreit asked parents to visit the page to enter the "Breit Eyes" contest last September. By submitting a photo of their child being "lighter, safer or greener"—the key benefits of Airwear lenses—while wearing glasses, parents had a chance to win one-of-a-kind prizes from Engelbreit. One lucky grand prize winner, Zeblisky, received an original sketch by Engelbreit in the likeness of the child in the winning photo plus a trip to tour Engelbreit's St. Louis studio and a $200 gift card. One runner up, Anna Caudill of Franklin, Tenn., received a collection of Ann Estelle children's books authored and signed by Engelbreit.

Like her most beloved and bespectacled character, Ann Estelle, Engelbreit herself got glasses as a young girl and attributes her beginning in art to being able to see details of the world around her clearly for the first time. Engelbreit, who is now presbyopic, is an advocate for healthy vision and yearly eye exams.

"It was a pleasure to meet the Zeblisky family and present them with their very own original sketch of a bespectacled young Jack," says Engelbreit. "The 'Breit Eyes' contest has enabled me to combine my two greatest passions—advocacy for healthy vision and art—and I've truly enjoyed working with Airwear as they continue their efforts to promote seeing the world more clearly through a lens that is lighter, safer and greener."

"Essilor is pleased to have a partner in Mary Engelbreit, an iconic and admired artist, through her support for Airwear lenses and participation in the 'Breit Eyes' contest," says Carl Bracy, senior vice president of marketing and new business, Essilor of America. "We look forward to continuing this relationship in the future."

To learn more about Airwear's commitment to producing lighter, safer and greener eyewear for adults and children, visit lightersafergreener.com. For more information about Airwear lenses, visit facebook.com/airwearlenses or lightersafergreener.com. For more information about Mary Engelbreit, visit maryengelbreit.com or facebook.com/maryengelbreit.

eL&T Tip of the Month

Adults form a deeper connection with accessories since they attach more ideas and experiences to the brands that they have tried. All of us know when a particular product is absolutely made for you. Chances are you'll keep going back to that brand for more. This is classic brand loyalty at work. And such loyalty is vital especially in challenging times. A good, solid brand stands the test of time when it's backed by consumer confidence.

» For more information, and to take this CE course online, visit 2020mag.com.

New Products

Vision Simulator iPad App

Manufacturer: Eyemaginations
Description: New iPad application allows doctors to explain the most of common diseases of the eye.
Features: The new app, known as the Luma Vision Simulator features on-screen drawing functionality and gives the user the ability to markup images as well as view disease progressions and point-of-view scenes side-by-side on one screen. The Luma Vision Simulator enhances patient education by allowing doctors to explain the most common diseases of the eye. In addition, when used with Apple's Airplay, users of the new Luma Vision Simulator are able to share the iPad screen images wirelessly to a television when used with AppleTV.
Availability: All of the Luma Eyecare Apps are available for download in iTunes. They are free to all Eyemaginations Luma clients and as a free demo for all others.
corporate.eyemaginations.com
(877) 321-5481

AIT S-Tracer

Distributor
AIT Industries
Description: WLab tracer with advanced features.
Features: The S-Tracer's unique design eliminates the use of spring tension, gravity and other tracing methods predominant today to deliver the most precise measurements and shape reproduction, according to AIT Technologies. The S-Tracer has advanced features including a high base-curve wrap frame tracing function with a 30 mm vertical strike, a fast trace function, smart trace function for small sharp cornered shapes and a unique manual mode for off-centered frames.

"The quality of finished eyewear starts from the beginning with the trace. The S-Tracer's ability to provide precise measurements will improve productivity in the finishing room and final assembly," says Matthew Vulich, vice president, marketing for AIT Technologies.
aitindustries.com
(800) 729-1959

The EYEvolution of 3D

3D viewing is more popular now than at any other time in history. With its promise of an enhanced and more immersive viewing experience, 3D is trying to capture...

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Andrew Karp
Group Editor, Lenses & Technology
akarp@jobson.com