editor's perspective

Some Parting Ideas…and a Look Ahead

BY CARLA J. MACK, OD, MBA, FAAO, EDITOR

It was just over a year ago that I wrote my first editorial for Contact Lens Spectrum, and now I write my last. Roger Zimmer, our publisher, Lisa Starcher, Contact Lens Spectrum managing editor, and Kathy Shafer, Contact Lenses Today managing editor, have been an amazing team to work with and are now great friends. I will miss the day-to-day interaction with them greatly. I also must express heartfelt thanks to my editorial team of Ed Bennett, OD, MSEd, and Greg Nixon, OD, FAAO, who contribute significantly behind the scenes to the quality content that you read each month, as well as to Mary Bekker, Contact Lens Spectrum assistant editor. I cannot articulate what an honor it has been to be a part of the tradition of Contact Lens Spectrum.

I've learned a great deal over the past year and have some parting thoughts and requests I'd like to share.

• Provide value
• Love what you do or do something else
• Seek the right people with the right attitude
• Take time to become more efficient
• Be a lifelong learner because good enough is not good enough
• Understand your practice economics
• Market yourself, your staff, your services and products
• Know what you don't know and do something about it!

My own desire to find innovative ways to contribute to the profession and to personally grow and learn have led me to an exciting new career opportunity with Bausch & Lomb, Inc. I look forward to being a part of the eyecare community in a new capacity.

And now, I'm so pleased to introduce your new editor, Dr. Jason Nichols. I'm confident that Jason's vast experiences as an academic, clinician, researcher and writer as well as his keen understanding of the contact lens industry will raise Contact Lens Spectrum to an even higher level, while continuing to provide the most up-to-date and comprehensive contact lens information. We hope to make this transition as seamless as possible for our readers. Thank you for your support and for your many editorial contributions — please keep them coming in the months ahead!