California Legislature have recently passed AC 2236, a bill relating to optometric surgery. This means that optometrist’s scope of practice in California has been expanded to include some scalpel and laser eye surgeries, along with medication injections. An #optometrist that’s already been certified to treat glaucoma to obtain certification to perform specified advanced procedures on meeting certain education, training, examination, and other requirements. 

Advanced procedures to include:

👁️‍🗨️Laser trabeculoplasty
👁️‍🗨️Laser peripheral iridotomy for the prophylactic treatment of a clinically significant narrow drainage angle of the anterior chamber of the eye
👁️‍🗨️Laser posterior capsulotomy after #cataract surgery
👁️‍🗨️Excision or drainage of nonrecurrent lesions of the adnexa evaluated consistent determined by the optometrist to be noncancerous, not involving the eyelid margin, lacrimal supply, or drainage systems
👁️‍🗨️Injections for the treatment of chalazia
👁️‍🗨️Corneal crosslinking

We're keen to hear your thoughts on our recent LinkedIn poll, follow the link to share your views - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6976188658605297664/​

Whether you’ve recently moved into your position or have been in your job for a while, you may have noticed that your motivation is lacking. We’ve put together some steps to help you distinguish between when you need a break and when it’s time to start seriously looking for your next move.   
Consider the following questions:

• When thinking about going to the office after the weekend, do you experience thoughts of dread?
• Does the idea of being back in the office fill you with stress and anxiety?
• Are you valued for your contributions to the organisation?
• Do you often complain to co-workers, friends, and family about your job?

 
You often think about leaving 
 
Are you always thinking of greener pastures? It’s totally normal for those who are content in their job to have fantasies about winning the lottery and quitting. However, when you’re regularly visualising handing in your notice at work, then it may be more than just a fantasy. 
 
On a Sunday, you may find yourself dreading going into work, dreading speaking to your colleagues, attending those meetings, or carrying out even the simplest of tasks. Work is such a huge part of our lives, it’s not worth thinking about leaving daily and not acting on it. 
 
Your physical and mental wellbeing is affected
 
Do you often crave a sick day or use holiday days just to avoid going into the office or to get your general life admin tasks done?
 
Being unable to find that work life balance can quickly affect your wellbeing. If you’re unable to fit your day’s work into your assigned hours and you’re unable to enjoy life outside of work, then it’s probably time to look for something new. 
 
Workplace wellbeing has become popular news, with many employers investing in improving the work life balance of their employees. However, it’s still common for people to feel burnt out. When working a stressful, high-pressure job, mixed with a difficult working environment can commonly lead to exhaustion and stress. This is key reason people start looking for something new. 
 
There is no opportunity for progression or development
 
You may start to experience feelings of boredom or that you could do your work with your eyes closed and still do them well then you may start to quickly resent your job. Speak to your employer and find out if there are opportunities for progression into a more senior role, or a different role first. If nothing changes then it could be worth taking your experience to another organisation.
 
Were you promised training and development when you took the role, and you’ve still not received it? Mention this to your upline. There could be some genuine reasons behind this, so give them an opportunity first. It’s entirely normal to feel disappointed for the lack of development in your career. When it reaches the point where you don’t feel you’re reaching your full potential in your role, it might be time to seek out something new. It could be useful to research into training and development you could do on your own outside of work or find courses and sessions you could join to assist in your current job and those you could add to your CV to make it more attractive for future employers. 
 
It could be worthwhile to look at other roles that are more senior than yours, or in a different area of the business. Understand the responsibilities and the requirements for the position and see if these align with what you’re looking for. 
 
You don’t feel appreciated  
 
Linking progression and appreciation is important. If you’re not being acknowledged or appreciated for the role you hold within an organisation, then progression opportunities may be limited. If you’ve been in the same role for some time, without receiving additional responsibilities, promotion opportunities or extra pay, you may start to feel underappreciated. We often suggest that you take these issues to your manager and explain how this is making you feel. Appraisals are a great time to do this! If after discussing with them you’re still without a clear path for progression and continue to feel underappreciated, then now is a great time to seek out your new challenge.
 
On the other hand, if you’re struggling with your workload, require training and aren’t receiving the necessary support, you may find that an organisation who provide solid training, resources and support could suit you better. 
 
This is a good time to make a list of desires for your new role. Include the things that would make you feel valued and appreciated, what would challenge you and perhaps even list companies you like the ethos of. 
 
Toxic work environment 
 
A toxic working environment can not only be detrimental to your mental health, but physical also. A toxic environment could make you feel like you can’t be yourself at work or around your colleagues. We’re not saying you need to gel with everyone at work, temporary blips are common and something we can usually handle
 
Here are some of the red flags that you’re in a toxic work environment:

• Management is poor - you may be micromanaged or completely without support 
• Communication is lacking - you’ve got no idea what the plans for the company are
• Bullying is tolerated - major no no!
• The workforce is unmotivated - people regularly gossip about the negatives of the business
• There’s rapid employee turnover – this is a key sign!
• There is little to no forward movement 
• You’re feeling stressed and anxious doing your job

 
Alongside this, the ethics of the company may not align with yours. There may be specific things that are niggling at you, or it could be the general culture of the business that you don’t feel comfortable with. 
 
Your pay isn’t competitive 
 
It’s no secret that employees from different companies discuss their salaries, they’re often regularly available online too. There are a few things to consider when thinking about your pay:

• Is your pay competitive compared with the same role at other companies?
• Do you receive additional benefits?
• Are you paid the same as your counter parts / co-workers?
• Is your pay representative of the work you do or your position in the company?
• Have your responsibilities changed or increased, whilst your salary has remained the same?
• When was the last time you were offered a pay rise?

 
To find out if you’re being underpaid, you could use online average salary data, an online salary calculator or chat to your co-workers to find out more about their salaries and benefits. Our team here at Vision Executives can also provide some salary benchmarks for salaries in the Ophthalmology industry based on our experience on a wide variety of roles we have worked on. 
 
There’s little flexibility 
 
One thing that the pandemic has taught us is that people and organisations can operate even more effectively when working flexibly. Obviously, we appreciate that some people can’t carry out their role from home and this is worth considering before demanding more flexibility in your position. Flexible working makes a path for meeting employee needs, having more flexible start, finish and lunchtimes and working from home to suit their diary. 
 
Some of the key benefits of flexible working are that it can reduce absence rates and allows employees to manage their personal health conditions, alongside supporting their mental health and stress. Perhaps you could do some research into the benefits and bring these to the table at your next meeting. 
 
You’re seeking a career change 
 
Although what we have discussed above is generally in a negative tone. Finding a new job doesn’t always have to be because of something you’re disappointed with at in your current role. It’s common that you may have just reached the end of the road with your current job and feel that it’s time to move on. Leave on a high and get a great recommendation from your current employer. Take some time to update your CV and start applying for roles that excite you!
 
 
If after reading this article, you’re in a position to look for your next role in the Ophthalmology space, then please reach out to us and we can start searching together for your next position. 

August has seen some HUGE announcements in the field of Ophthalmology which includes some amazing movements in terms of technology, but also a massive acquisition that’s set to take place this year.  ​

​Visibly becomes the First FDA Cleared Online Vision Test in the US 
 
Visibly have been developing an at-home digital vision testing platform. This month they have announced that they have received clearance from the FDA for their Visibly Digital Acuity Product (VDAP). Visibly said it is the first FDA-cleared online visual acuity test on the US market.
 
This telemedical platform has been created to expand affordable access to vision care from across the US. The platform will allow consumers to access Visibly’s on demand, self-administered visual acuity test through their phones or computers. The test takes around 6 minutes, and the results can be made visible to eye care professionals immediately. Designed for individuals between the ages of 22 – 40, this will bring able huge changes to the eye care space in the US. 
 
Alcon to acquire Aerie in 2022
 
A huge announcement was made this month to reveal that Alcon are to acquire Aerie Pharmaceuticals on another move to boost its glaucoma portfolio and significantly expand its pharmaceuticals offer. Alcon’s acquisition of Aerie Pharmaceuticals will cost $770, $15.25 per share – a premium of 37% of Aerie’s latest closing price. Since this has been approved at the highest level the acquisition is anticipated to complete by the end of 2022.
 
BVI installs first Beyeonics One System 
 
BVI have recently announced that they have installed the first Beyeonics One System at Holzman Solomon Vision Partners in Virginia. On August 17, Jonathon Solomon, MD, was the first US surgeon to offer ophthalmic surgery with the Beyeonics One platform in private practice. Since the first practice went well, Holzman Solomon Partners will be integrating this as their primary imaging platform for all ophthalmic surgery moving forward. 
 
The features of this device enable surgeons to visualise the surgical field with enhanced clarity and detail, along with performing surgery without being constrained or limited in physical movement. 
 
“The partnership with Holzman Solomon Vision Partners marks a great milestone. As the first exoscope deploying all digital imaging during surgery, Beyeonics One advances visualization during ophthalmic surgery to the next level. Digital imaging technology has become standard in many industries and we are excited to bring that to ophthalmology. This furthers BVI’s mission to drive innovation and improve patient outcomes," said Shervin Korangy, President and CEO, BVI.
 
Lensar’s ALLY Adaptive Cataract Treatment System treated first patients
 
August has seen Lensar announced that the first commercial cases have been performed using the ALLY Adaptive Cataract Treatment System in Florida, USA. Robert Winestock performed 15 laser-assisted cataract surgery cases following the recent installation of the ALLY system at his eye institute. ALLY is the next generation of eyecare surgery, leading a huge shift in practice for cataract surgeons. 
 
Over the past months, Lensar has partnered with a select few cataract surgeons and surgery facilities to integrate the system. ALLY’s size and ergonomics are dedicated to facilitate completing the entire cataract surgery procedure in a single, sterile setting—reducing the overall time and improving the experience for the patient and surgeon. Along with increased efficiencies, ALLY is designed to enable surgeons to provide improved clinical outcomes too. Its Augmented Reality and Cataract Density Imaging will provide surgeons with a new level of guidance and confidence while performing surgery.
 
Staar Collaborates with Joe Jonas to Introduce New EVO ICL 
 
For the music fans out there, you’ll be pleased to hear that Staar Surgical have announced its partnership with Joe Jonas (singer, songwriter and actor) to raise awareness of its EVO Visian Implantable Collamer Lenses. EVO is FDA approved to provide vision corrector lenses that are intended for the correction and reduction of myopia and astigmatism. 
 
You may not be aware that Joe Jonas has had myopia since childhood and it’s one of the most common vision disorders worldwide, with prevalence rapidly increasing. This month, he had the EVO lenses implemented and is now living free from contact lenses and glasses. EVO claims to provide details sharp, clear vision at all times, doesn’t induce dry eye syndrome and preserves the cornea. 
 
FDA 510(K) Clearance for Glaukos’s iStent Infinite 
 
Glaukos have announced that the iStent infinite Trabecular Micro-Bypass System has received FDA 510(k) clearance this month. The system is indicated for use as a standalone procedure to reduce elevated IOP in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma uncontrolled by prior medical and surgical therapy. 
 
The surgeon carrying out the procedure will preloade an auto-injection system with three heparin-coatin titanium stents and inject the stents across a span of 6 hours around Schlemm’s canal. After being placed, they’re designed to lower IOP through restoring the natural outflow of aqueous humor. Later this year they intend to launch activities for the iStent.

We’re anticipating that September will be a huge month for new technology, developments and equipment in the space as there are several conference, so keep your eyes peeled on our company page and turn ON those notifications to find out the latest details as soon as their release!

Comment below to share your views on the most recent news stories in the eyecare space. 

As you’re probably already aware, it’s not typically the “done” thing in recruitment to be discussing your clients, roles you’ve worked on and positions you’ve filled and we’re not sure why that is. We’re passionate about our client and candidate services and we want to exemplify those more commonly, sharing some of our candidate and client experiences with you. 
 
When we partnered with Kowa a few years ago, they were looking for a Sales Representative in the Ophthalmology space to join their growing team in Germany. We interviewed and screened several candidates and put them forward for the position in a timely manner. After their several in-house interview stages, we were successful in placing Sales Rep Camilla Wirthel in the role. 
 
Since then, Camilla has been a great asset to the business. She’s been promoted three times since she joined them just three years ago and has since been looking to grow her own team. We have stayed in touch on a regular basis and when the time came for her to hire someone into her team, we were delighted to be able to assist her with the position. Several interview stages later, we placed her now colleague into the position. 
 
Here's the review Camilla left us:
 
“I first spoke with James several years ago as I had just relocated to Germany and needed some support in my job search, so I could continue working in the ophthalmic industry. James specialised in international eyecare recruitment, so he utilised his network and was able to match me with my perfect position, at an exciting company. Fast forward a few years and I have earned three promotions, in as many years and Vision Executives have already placed a top performing sales executive in my team who is thriving and helping us grow to new levels. I would highly recommend the Vision Executives team if you are looking for a new position or hiring for your business!”
Camilla Wirthel,  Commercial Director, IOL Business Europe, Kowa
 
The reason for sharing this is that what comes from a great candidate experience can lead to excellent client relationships too. We are big believers in we’re not only providing recruitment services but providing a helping hand through what can be a hugely daunting recruitment process too. 
 
Our Candidate Relationship Manager, Natasha shared a recent article about working with recruiters to find your next position and it sums up why we do what we do and how we can assist you in finding your next role and we hope you’ll keep us in mind when you’re growing your own teams too!

For more information on how we can assist you, reach out to: james.pickering@visionexecutives.com 

It’s now more important than ever to retain your employees within your organisation due to the current labour shortage. Hiring the right people in your business is the starting point and keeping them is just as important. It’s a topic I often discuss with my clients since each organisation is different. I’ve put together my Top 5 Ways to Retain Your Staff which are appropriate for all organisations, no matter on the size or structure. 

1. Pay them appropriately  

Regular review of your existing employee’s compensation is essential to ensure that it’s not only fair but competitive. When it comes to retaining employees, offering better than average salaries and excellent benefits is a no-brainer. Encouraging employees to stay for the pay as perks alone is a good place to start. It’s beneficial to be aware of the salary averages for the type of position, company, and responsibilities, along with knowing what other organisations pay. 
 
When it comes to retaining your internal teams, compensation, benefits, work environment and rewards all impact their decision to stay. It’s worthwhile paying someone currently within your organisation more than your competitors, since the time and financial costs of hiring someone new can be not only expensive, but detrimental to the organisation. 
 
2. Create an open, inclusive workspace 

Expectations are important here. Being aware of your employees’ expectations and comparing that to what you’re willing to offer as an organisation is useful to understand whether it’s compatible. People are looking for organisations where they are supported in sharing their ideas and speaking freely in their teams and within the wider organisation. 
 
Encouraging staff to provide their input and feedback shows them that you’re really listening and hearing them. Surveys, forums and openness of upper management are some ways you can incorporate this within your organisation. Transparency is also important companywide when it comes to employees wanting to share their opinions, some employees feel they may not be able to speak out due to fear of retribution, so it’s important to instil a culture of openness and inclusivity. 

3. Provide transparency into decision making  

When looking to retain your workforce’s top employees, providing transparency and openness about the company’s pathways and movements is important. People want to feel that they are part of something bigger than their day-to-day jobs and are working towards something. Hidden agendas, conditions and lack of full information and resources can make individuals feel like they’re “just a number” and that they aren’t positively impacting an organisation. 
 
Building a culture of transparency where individuals are encouraged to collaborate and contribute and having them personally involved in decision making processes can encourage them to stay within the organisation as they feel integrated. Not only does this improve workplace morale, but it helps to avoid misalignment within the wider organisation.  
 
4. Give clear progression paths  

Retaining great staff members begins at the application and interviewing process. It’s essential to identify what cultural and strategic aspects of the company you’re looking for within your staff members and seeking those out from the beginning. 
 
Promoting from within doesn’t just provide clear progression paths, compensation and responsibility, it ensures that your staff members feel they’re valued and crucial to the organisation’s success. 
 
 
5. Training & development 

From the very beginning, identifying candidates who will stay the course is paramount, those who are invested in the recruitment process, interviews, and the organisation itself are great indicators. Their loyalty is important to ensure that training and development is not wasted. Once identifying this, the benefits of providing effective training and development to your employees is an essential way to train them. 
 
In the current hiring climate, people crave career and professional development, several studies have suggested that over 80% of individuals would leave a company that doesn’t offer development. Training and development not only makes employees feel invested in, but the investment of proven training methods will also benefit your business massively. opportunities.
 
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​
Retaining staff does not come down to one factor alone, it’s important to consider the five individual aspects mentioned about, but collectively to improve the working environment for your teams. When it comes to rounding out your employee retention programmes, consider whether you’ve successfully implemented the key areas mentioned above to retain your staff members effectively. 
 
If you’re needing support or advice on hiring and retaining great staff members, feel free to reach out to me on james.pickering@visionexecutives.com

We’ve been a little quiet recently! The reason for this is that we’re working on improving things. Our candidates and clients are the heartbeat of our business, so we’ve been analysing our content to make it better for our readers. 
 
Having recently brought on board a Marketing Consultant, @Alexandra Jones we’ll be working together to provide you with content that you want to see. Here’s what you can expect:
 
Updated LinkedIn content  

We'll be sharing updates on LinkedIn and the company website to discuss all thins Ophthalmology and eyesore. 

Weekly job posts 

Our weekly job posts have been popular over the last year, we're going to continue the trend of posting these on a weekly basis to ensure our candidates are aware of the roles we're currently recruiting for. This also gives our clients roles visibility within the sector. 

Informative blog posts for candidates and clients

We will share some of our more recent blogs on LinkedIn and our company website which will give you insight into some of our hiring processes, how we support clients and candidates, industry updates and company information.  

News banks from well-known organisations in the Ophthalmology space

We're constantly updated with Ophthalmology news and we'll be making an effort to share some of the most exciting news stories and updates with our followers. We'll also be sharing updates of companies to look out for in the space, along with new information surrounding them. 

Reporting on some in-house case studies  

At Vision Executives, we often discuss our recruitment processes and provide examples when speaking to both candidates and clients over the phone and we wanted to share these with our network too. 

We’re also keen to hear from you! What advice can we give to assist you in the recruitment process? Is there any other eye care related content you would like to see or find out about?

Comment below!

For more information, head over to our LinkedIn. 

​FDA Clearance of Lensar’s ALLY Adaptive Cataract Treatment System

In the last week, LENSAR, Inc. have announced their #FDA clearance for ALLY Adaptive Cataract Treatment System. This is the first FDA-cleared platform to enable cataract surgeons to complete femtosecond-laser assisted cataract surgery procedure in a single environment. ALLY is the first cataract surgery platform to provide ‘Adaptive Intelligence’ to determine cataract density, optimise fragmentation patterns as well as energy settings.

"ALLY is really going to be unique in many, many ways. The system is a fraction of the size of current femtosecond lasers. In fact, it’s just slightly larger than phacoemulsification systems are today in most of the facilities." Nick Curtis, CEO of Lensar. Phacoemulsification is the most commonly performed cataract technique, it is hoped femtosecond-laser assisted cataract surgery will overtake this.

The FDA clearance is for system’s femtosecond laser capabilities. It is in the first stage of its commercial release, first to a controlled targeted audience of surgeons in the third quarter of 2022. In 2023, Lensar intend to make ALLY widely available to cataract surgeons.

Myopia Drug Licencing Agreement Entered

Vyluma and Laboratoires Théa have entered a licencing agreement for the registration and commercialisation of childhood myopia drug NVK002 in Canada, Mexico and some South American countries, expanding the previous agreement for Europe and other select countries.

NVK002 is an investigational, preservative-free eye drop to use nightly and intended for slowing the progression of myopia in children ages 3 to 17. It is currently under late-stage clinical evaluation in the Childhood Atropine for Myopia Progression study being carried out in the US and Europe.

“Théa has been an acknowledged pioneer in preservative-free eye care treatments, and by expanding the scope of the agreement signed in 2021, more patients will now have access to this important new therapeutic.” Raul Trillo, MD, MBA and CCO Vyluma.
 
Follow Vision Executives to stay up to date with the latest #eyecare news and vacancies!

Imagine waking up, reaching out for your book, opening it at your bookmark and realising you can’t make out the words on the page. This is the reality for people with presbyopia. Presbyopia is the gradual loss of the eyes ability to focus on nearby objects due to the loss of elasticity of the eye’s natural lens.

Presbyopia affects over 120 million people in the US alone, and 2.1 billion people globally. Currently it can only be treated through the wearing of contact lenses of reading glasses. Fortunately, a new treatment is on its way to the market – Eyedrops. As a treatment, eyedrops are believed to offer more freedom to patients. We spoke to Marjan Farid, Director of Cornea, Cataract, and Refractive Surgery at the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, UC-Irvine who believes these products could quickly become a core solution offered by optometrists as they easily be prescribed.
​
Eyedrops as an alternative treatment to contact lenses and reading glasses is an increasingly promising development. Allergan were first to post with their treatment Vuity. They received FDA approval of their eyedrops in October 2021, however being first to the market does not necessarily mean it is the most effective product. We at Vision Executives have kept a close eye on the development of presbyopia eyedrops from several other companies: Lenz Therapeutics, Eyenovia, Ocuphire Pharma and Orasis Pharmaceuticals. Their exciting developments can be found in our newest article – The Presbyopia Revolution If you wish to read the full article please click here

In the last 30 years, concerted effort has been made to improve eyecare systems globally, yet there remain significant challenges which World Health Organization believe need to be urgently addressed.

Approximately 2.2 billion people globally have a visual impairment, half of which is treatable or preventable. According to Sightsavers, the number of people who are blind could triple by 2050 if we don’t urgently act and fund eye care effectively.

The latest world report on vision seeks to stimulate action in countries to address the significant challenges to eyecare by proposing integrated people-centred eye care (IPEC) as an approach to health system strengthening. It will build the foundation for service delivery to address the needs of a country.

“Eye health is an often-forgotten element of health and wellbeing, and this has led to a mounting global crisis. The ‘Eye care in health systems: Guide for action’ is a vital step to addressing this" Sumrana Yasmin, Senior Global Technical Lead: Eye Health URE at SightSavers.

Some of the recommendations by WHO are to:
✅Make eye care an integral part of universal health coverage
✅Implement integrated people-centred eye care in health systems
✅Promote high-quality research
✅Monitor trends and evaluate progress
✅Raise awareness and engage and empower people and communities

It is hoped that with these recommendations, urgent resource, funding, and efforts, we can fight our way out of the growing eye health crisis.

Link to the full report: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241516570