Dr. Ed Bennett to Retire as Executive Director of the GP Lens Institute
contributed by Tom Quinn, OD, MS
After nearly 36 years at the helm, Ed Bennett, OD, MSEd, will be retiring from serving as both executive director and president of the GP Lens Institute (GPLI). Originally formed as the RGPLI in 1984, Dr. Bennett took on the role of executive director four years after its inception.
Dr. Bennett has spearheaded numerous innovative programs and resources throughout his tenure. In 1996, the organization began conducting GP Lens Fitting Workshops at schools and colleges of optometry throughout the U.S. In 1999, the first RGPLI (now GPLI) Cornea and Contact Lens Resident Symposium was held. This program has served as a launchpad for many of today’s contact lens leaders and continues to be offered each August. Increasing demand has prompted Dr. Bennett and his GPLI team to launch a second symposium scheduled to take place in Glendale, AZ, in October of this year.
With the development of the internet, Dr. Bennett began hosting an online chat in 2000, which evolved into today’s popular monthly GPLI webinar series. Under Dr. Bennett’s guidance, the RGPLI was renamed the GPLI in 2003 and in 2019 became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
In 2021, Dr. Bennett began developing several GPLI volunteer committees. These have grown to include nearly a hundred experts in specialty contact lens care in 15 committees who willingly share their knowledge and experience with the GPLI and its audience.
Dr. Bennett is also a professor emeritus at the University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry and has earned numerous accolades, including induction to both the National Optometry Hall of Fame and the American Academy of Optometry Hall of Fame.
Dr. Bennett plans to step down from his current position by the end of 2024. A search for a new executive director will be forthcoming soon.
Bausch + Lomb Launches Blink NutriTears
Bausch + Lomb Corporation announced the U.S. launch of Blink NutriTears. According to the company, this over-the-counter supplement targets the key root causes of dry eyes, promotes healthy tear production, and provides noticeable relief of eye dryness symptoms in as little as two to four weeks.
Blink NutriTears is formulated with a proprietary blend of ingredients, including lutein, zeaxanthin, curcumin, and vitamin D, which were shown to improve ocular symptom severity and tear film homeostasis, according to Bausch + Lomb.
Blink NutriTears will be available in the eyecare aisle or online at most major retailers nationwide by the end of July.
AAOF Announces 2024 Ezell Fellows
The American Academy of Optometry Foundation (AAOF) announced the 16 recipients of the 2024 William C. Ezell Fellowships. Named for founding AAOF president, William C. Ezell, OD, this fellowship seeks to assist full-time students in their pursuit of advanced degrees in optometric research and education. This year’s recipients will receive $8,000 for the year-long fellowship. They will also be awarded two travel grants of $750 to attend the Academy’s annual meeting and the Association for Research and Vision in Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting. This year’s Ezell Fellows will be honored during Academy 2024 Indianapolis, Nov. 6-9.
American Academy of Optometry (AAO) Ezell Fellowship: Lauren V. Schneider, OD, MS
American Academy of Optometry Centennial Ezell Fellowship: Sourav Datta
American Academy of Optometry Centennial Ezell Fellowship: Eric Lortie-Milner
American Academy of Optometry Foundation (AAOF) Ezell Fellowship: Nicole Ross
AAO Section on Cornea, Contact Lenses, and Refractive Technologies (CCLRT) Ezell Fellowship: Viven Tse, OD
Bert C. & Lydia M. Corwin Ezell Fellowship: Ebenezer Owusu, OD
Danne Ventura Ezell Fellowship: Pabita Dhungel, BOptom, MS (Fellowship funded by an educational grant from EssilorLuxottica)
Irvin Borish Ezell Fellowship: Vamsi Parimi (Fellowship funded by an educational grant from EssilorLuxottica)
John N. Schoen Ezell Fellowship: Samrat Sarkar
Merton C. Flom Leadership Ezell Fellowship: David A. Semp
Meta Reality Labs Ezell Fellowship: Mahmoud T. KhalafAllah
Michael G. Harris Ezell Fellowship: Bismark Owusu-Afriyie, OD, MS
Mike Daley Ezell Fellowship: Subashree Murugan, OD (Fellowship funded by an educational grant from EssilorLuxottica)
Optometric Glaucoma Society (OGS) Ezell Fellowship: Matthew Keller, OD
Rod Tahran Ezell Fellowship: Rehana Khan, TMA (Fellowship funded by an educational grant from EssilorLuxottica)
Stan Yamane Family Contact Lens Ezell Fellowship: Antoinette Antwi, OD
Latinos en Optometry Announces Appointment of Dr. Sandra Juarez Fortenberry to Board of Directors
Latinos en Optometry announced the appointment of Sandra Juarez Fortenberry, OD, to the Latinos en Optometry board of directors. Dr. Fortenberry is part of the founding faculty at the Rosenberg School of Optometry (RSO) and has served as director of continuing education, director of professional relations, and assistant dean for professional advancement during her time at RSO. On June 1, 2022, she became the first female Hispanic Dean of an optometry school in the nation.
Eaglet Eye Expands Technological Footprint in Mexico
Eaglet Eye announced its strategic partnership with Opti Representaciones. This collaboration represents the first of several strategic partnerships in the region, aimed at providing access to Eaglet Eye's advanced technology throughout Latin America. Opti Representaciones will now serve as the exclusive distributor in the region for Eaglet Eye's corneoscleral topographer, the Eye Surface Profiler (ESP).
WCO and Alcon Extend Global Partnership for Dry Eye Disease Education
The World Council of Optometry (WCO) and Alcon are extending their education initiative to advance global, evidence-based dry eye disease education.
As part of the renewed collaboration, an update to the existing WCO Alcon Dry Eye Wheel is now available. Now expanded to include content surrounding diet/dietary supplements, in-office and complex treatments, the latest version provides multifaceted, evidence-based knowledge that can be used in nearly all eyecare environments.
A dedicated website at dryeye.worldcouncilofoptometry.info includes a series of dry eye webinars recorded with world-renowned opinion leaders and also provides a robust collection of resources that can be used in clinical and educational settings.
Visibly Launches a Simplified Contact Lens Prescription Verification Solution
Visibly launched Visibly Verification, their newest platform feature that simplifies the process of contact lens prescription verification while automating the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act (FCLCA) compliance process. Visibly Verification expands its existing product portfolio, which includes the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration-cleared visual acuity test, real-time ECP video consultations, and remote vision consultations.
Evolution Optiks Receives U.S. FDA 510(k) Clearance for Breakthrough Eye Examination Device
Evolution Optiks Limited announced the receipt of 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the LFR-260, a light field-powered subjective tele-refractor. This is the second regulatory clearance for the device after obtaining the European CE mark in March 2024.
The LFR-260 is a compact, portable, fully digital device that can be operated remotely from anywhere in the world via tablet, which makes it ideal for telemedicine, according to the company. Its integrated microlens arrays and ultra-high pixel density displays enable it to generate ray-traced, multifocal optotypes in real-time, making dedicated refraction rooms, wall charts, and back-and-forth changing of physical lenses a thing of the past. The proprietary QuadView technology can show multiple slightly different prescriptions at the same time, allowing patients to make a purely vision-based subjective decision, without interference or influence from the practitioner.
BioTissue Introduces CAM360 AmnioGraft
Marking a significant advancement in regenerative therapy for the treatment of ocular surface disease and disorders, BioTissue has unveiled CAM360 AmnioGraft (CAM360 AG), a new, hydrated, shelf-stable Cryopreserved Amniotic Membrane (CAM) solution. The company has begun initial shipments of the product, with nationwide availability expected by the end of June.
CAM360 AG is a ringless CAM that does not require refrigeration, making storage simple and convenient for all practices, according to the company. BioTissue also notes that the product’s adhesive propertiesensure that the CAM stays in place under a bandage contact lens (BCL), increasing patient comfort and treatment efficacy while patients go on with their normal daily lives.