Next denies move into prescription eyewear
Retailer Next has denied that it will start selling prescription spectacles through its Next Directory when the next version of its catalogue is published.
A posting that Next was to start selling spectacles was recently made in a chatroom on the College of Optometrists' website Monoptica. One chatroom user said Next planned to make available corrective spectacles with corrections up to five dioptres following the retailer's success with ready readers.
Reading glasses first appeared in the Next Spring Summer Directory 2005, published this January. The directory is backed up by a high profile and professional website.
A spokeswoman for Next said; 'To the best of our knowledge it is not happening. We do not have any information.' She suggested the rumour may be as a result of reading glasses making it into the latest copy of the directory. 'It is quite a technical looking page,' she added.
Reactions from other users of the chatroom have been of anger and resignation. One said the move was terrible news for the profession while others suggested optical practices should refuse to give out PDs or to start charging for PDs.
Others suggested that retailers would continue to cream off sales if practices carried on doing eye examinations so cheaply.
When quizzed on the rumour, the user who made the original posting replied that his brother worked for Next and was involved in setting up the scheme. He wrote that the scheme was definitely going ahead, that dispensing opticians had been employed for verification work and the legal implications had been checked out by Next.
Next currently sells a wide range of men's and women's sunglasses through Next Directory. Fashion styles for men and women start below £10.
In its latest financial report Next said its directory business was a fast growing contributor. As of January 2005 there were 1.9 million active Next Directory users. As well as offering clothing and homeware it has expanded into flowers, wine, gifts and watches.
CL practice at the crossroads
In the next two years practitioners will polarise into two groups to promote contact lenses on the basis of either modality or benefits.
This was the prediction of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care's managing director for the UK and Ireland Rob Hollin, at a J&J Acuvue Centre of Excellence meeting last week. 'In America contact lenses are promoted on the basis of benefits rather than modality,' he said. 'But I think in the UK we currently have a culture of promoting contact lenses based on price.
'I really think over the next couple of years the market is set to polarise with professionals who will continue to promote lenses on the basis of price and those who are prepared to go after benefits and value.'
Over 200 people attended the pre-launch of J&J's latest Ultra Comfort Series contact lens in Glasgow, Manchester and a final meeting in London on March 23.
Acuvue Oasys with Hydraclear Plus is billed as the ultimate comfort lens for patients with dry eyes. J&J claimed that the Hydraclear Plus next generation of proprietary technology created a more wettable, ultra-smooth contact lens that provided exceptional comfort even in the most challenging environments.
The new contact lens, recommended for one week extended wear or two weeks' daily wear, will be available to Acuvue Centre of Excellence customers from May 2 and to all opticians from May 16.
Contact lens market grows
The latest figures from the Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers show that 3.21 million people in the UK now wear contact lenses, a 16 per cent increase since 2001 when its market growth initiative started.
The value of the contact lens market in 2004 was £160.8m according to the ACLM and the number of lenses sold more than 424 million; 6.5 per cent of adults now wear contact lenses.
The majority of the market is made up of daily disposable lenses which command a 55 per cent share by value and are worn by 34 per cent of contact lens wearing patients.
The number of silicone hydrogel wearers has grown to 6 per cent of wearers or 180,000 people and these lenses make up 8 per cent of the market value.
Rigid contact lens wearers make up 11 per cent of users and rigid lenses account for a 6 per cent value of the market. Traditional soft lenses make up just 5 per cent of the market.