January
Vision Express sets itself a target of 100 more joint venture outlets in the next five years A Wirral-based business, Spectacle Warehouse, wins thousands of pounds from a DTI scheme to develop a rimless spectacle frame French frame firm Airess folds Record crowds attend Opti Munich Scotland's Eyecare 3000 event offers participants more choice New GOS regulations are to be amended, say the optical bodies Boots plc axes 900 head office jobs, including Boots Opticians boss Norman Usher who will leave the company in March
February
Bausch & Lomb launches a six-month drivers' vision awareness campaign with the British School of Motoring MP Dr Ashok Kumar questions refractive surgery prices in the UK at the House of Commons, and points out that the National Care Standards Commission had claimed regulations and guidelines of inspection of clinics were 'loose, woolly and open to interpretation' Another MP, Frank Cook, aims to 'highlight the cowboy behaviour of some clinics' before a parliamentary public forum on the safety of refractive surgery ABDO presses health secretary Dr John Reid on the lack of financial support dispensing opticians are to receive when CET becomes compulsory in 2005
March
Optometric profession bodies claim a landmark victory after negotiating a CET funding package for optometrists, though it remains unclear what, if anything, DOs will get for CET The profession mourns the death of Professor Gordon Ruskell Financial figures show that Specsavers Opticians continues to grow at a relentless pace The first Weco 'superstore' practice opens at Stepneyes Opticians in East London Warnings are given over counterfeit contact lenses Following its impressive financial figures, Specsavers Opticians expands further, this time into Sweden with the purchase of the Blic chain of practices Devon-based daily disposable contact lens business VisionTec is bought by US giant 1-800 Contacts Scotland's deputy minister for health signals a review of NHS eye care north of the border
April
The Government's much-heralded eye care plan is launched at a series of events around the country In a separate development, the health minister John Hutton tells ABDO he recognises the contribution of DOs to the profession, but there is nothing on the vexed question of CET funding A complaint to broadcasting regulator Ofcom about Vision Express' '100 different ways to assess how well your eyes are working' TV claim is rejected England football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson opens the first Capio Eye Clinic in London A Key Note report claims the market will grow by 40 per cent over the next five years optician research finds internet contact lens prices below cost Practices could be visited by anti-fraud officers in future to crack down on fraudulent claims by patients Asda's George brand is to launch an eyewear collection Optical courier Hays DX wins a Queens Award for Enterprise A study shows the extent of the diabetes epidemic, and claims one in 12 sufferers over 40 has sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy Meanwhile the developer of the Panoramic 200 retinal examination system, Optos plc, is reported to be working with the Government in a 800,000 project which aims to enhance laser technology to deliver earlier warning of eye disease Optrafair organisers promise to broaden the appeal of next year's show 12 months before it is held Corporate contractors are allowed to join LOCs following a long struggle
May
Misconduct is proven in the GOC disciplinary case of optometrist Nicole Threlfall. She will fight the verdict later in the year Health minister Rosie Winterton announces the winning tenders for the 4m eye care pathway pilot scheme from 89 proposals One of Britain's best loved comedians, Harry Hill, presents the 2004 optician awards Doubts over retail pricing in high street practices are raised by a new DTI report on the benefits of competition The BCLA's annual conference is attended by over 1,000 people Specsavers Opticians opens its 600th outlet and confirms it has opened in 100 towns in less than 12 months
June
Clinical examinations for the European Diploma take place in Cologne New DoH figures confirm there is a glut of optometrists entering the sector, potentially holding back improvements in salaries Mintel's latest report on the profession says retail opticians should improve their communication with the public to boost customer loyalty The skills of support staff are recognised with new NVQ qualifications A London-based optical show organised by Optrafair bosses is rumoured to be planned again, this time for 2006 An independent optometrist calls for dishonest practice staff to be charged, after he discovered an employee had stolen over 2,000 from the till during a four-month employment with him Boots Opticians 'core' business is reported to have enjoyed a 65 per cent improvement in the year to March 31, but its laser eye surgery offer continues to haemorrhage cash Optometrists are a vital part of the DoH's modernisation agenda, an associate director of the NHS implementation team tells an optical conference on macular degeneration
July
Optical Express expands into the Netherlands, and also buys Pagan Eyecare in the north east Specsavers Opticians snaps up a second business in Scandinavia, this time Tva Bla for 9m Efforts to find a 'hard-working' receptionist for Millican Opticians in the north west fall foul of politically correct Job Centre bosses David Clulow opens its first joint venture practice MPs studying the laser eye surgery sector are said to be 'shocked and dismayed' at what they have found The managing director of Rodenstock UK highlights an 'acute skills shortage' in the technical side of the industry, and wants a review of technical training ABDO bosses again meet with DoH officials to put the case for CET funding for DOs
August
Online entrepreneur James Murray Wells offers complete spectacles for 15 FODO warns its members not to allow users of cut-price internet suppliers to be given free service when they request frame adjustments Ocular Sciences is bought by the US parent of CooperVision, Cooper Companies Welsh contact lens optician Tracey Morris runs for Great Britain in the Athens Olympics. The D&A practitioner completes the marathon in two hours and 41 minutes, finishing 29th
September
The laser eye surgery sector suffers more adverse publicity as The Times claims equipment used by Boots Opticians was faulty Seven out 10 parents in the UK are neglecting their children's vision, National Eye Week statistics claim Cambridge Optical is bought by Israel-based company Shamir Optical Andy Ferguson becomes D&A boss as Russell Hardy leaves the company to work in another industry Laser lights used by nightclubs and in domestic disco equipment risk eyesight, claims an expert from the National Radiological Protection Board ABDO gets the green light to streamline its council
October
Optometrist Nicole Threlfall goes to the High Court to appeal against her GOC disciplinary case A European fashion eyewear business, planning to open 70 outlets across Europe, has targeted Britain for a 2005 launch FODO reveals a sharp drop in liability claims Dolce & Gabbana and D&G eyewear will be made and distributed by Luxottica from 2006 Optical Express buys Boots Opticians' laser eye business Organisers of Scottish conference Eyecare 3000 say they will expand the event into Wales with a Cardiff venue Nova Contact Lenses closes its Hemel Hempstead facility and merges with David Thomas Contact Lenses at Northampton US optical groups clash on the best way forward for children's eye care in the run-up to the Bush versus Kerry election
November
Practitioners are warned to urgently check their eligibility to provide GOS as forthcoming regulation changes are publicised Boots Opticians reports that its profits were almost halved in the six months to September. And a month after it sold its laser eye business the company was found to be in breach of the profession's publicity rules in its refractive surgery advertising A government medicines authority approves a prescription-only medicines list to be sold and administered by optometrists 325 people are to lose their jobs in Ireland as contact lens care producer Allergan transfers jobs to America New findings reveal that the busy lifestyles of British people leave little time for attending sight tests and pose a risk to eye health An optometrist is barred from taking part in company management for four years after his collapsed business ran up debts of over 180,000
December
Nicole Threlfall wins her appeal at the High Court The deadline for GOS lists is now delayed into 2005 Research on the domiciliary sector claims that 700,000 elderly people go without eye care. An associated campaign, which is backed by the DoH, is launched by FODO/AOP Eye care is highlighted in new National Institute for Clinical Excellence falls guidance Carl Zeiss and Sola International merge their lens businesses Optical Revolution, the high street opticians business established by ex-Tempo Electrical boss Michael Kraftman, claims it has raised 1m to buy a London based chain A group of MPs produce a scathing report on the laser eye surgery sector, and urges the Government to make the Healthcare Commission take on the role of the sector's regulator Fashion eyewear house Silhouette wins more than $300,000 in its battle against counterfeit internet sales, in this case on the eBay website Members of the profession are involved in the devastating tsunami disaster in south-east Asia
