Optician news in brief

Researchers at the University of Bristol have confirmed what some have always suspected: women and men have different ways of looking at things. The study, published in the journal PLoS One (November 30), had male and female volunteers view still images and found that although women made fewer eye movements than men, movements were longer and to more varied locations. In viewing images of people, women tended to be more exploratory, making more fixations to 'non-face locations'.

Optimax founder Russell Ambrose has confirmed the company's plans for the Ultralase chain it brought out of voluntary administration last week (News 07.12.12). Fourteen clinics would be upgraded and kept open, with 110 jobs retained. Ambrose, who said he was going to make a major investment in the company, added : 'Whoever bought Ultralase would have had to restructure the company, and we are in the best position to do so. This is a far better outcome than closing the company which could have happened.'