All posts by Lorne Kashin

Lorne Kashin, RO

INTERNET DISPENSING & COMPETITION IN THE EYEWEAR INDUSTRY- Nov 2014

From ?Ontario Opticians Association Focus Newsletter November?2014

Trending conversations most certainly include Internet dispensing, and competition for Opticians. The Ontario Opticians Association has received many enquiries as to what our official position is on Internet dispensing. The OOA has a duty to investigate and research all aspects of issues such as Internet dispensing and its possible effect on our profession, business models, jobs and our standards of care. The OOA has not yet articulated a position on the Internet dispensing of eyewear as we are still in the process of consulting with our members, our College, and other relevant stakeholders.

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Lorne Kashin, RO

Where Do We Want To Go?

From ?Ontario Opticians Association Focus Newsletter September?2014

Are opticians stuck in the past? ??Often, I think about what an optician will look like in ten or twenty years. I?ve witnessed the evolution of our profession over the past 42 years and have seen the small, incremental changes, which at times seemed like world changers. I find it very interesting that when talking to some opticians about the security and evolution of our profession the conversation seems to dwell on where we are now. When I move the conversation towards how our profession must provide more services to the eye care buying public to remain relevant, I seem to lose their attention. Maybe I?m now losing your attention!

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Lorne Kashin

Reflections on the Future – Building a Connected Community

From – Ontario Opticians Association Focus Newsletter?July 2014

A few years back, I would have scoffed at the notion that I would be able to connect to others and share professionally just by spending a few minutes a day with a smart phone, tablet or computer. Now, I wake up in morning and check my Facebook and Twitter newsfeed and browse through a collection?of optically related news items from my Google Alerts. I am inspired on my journey to become a connected optician by others and I feel a sense of community as we build a professional network that grows everyday.

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The Eyeglass Factory

Kids In The Sun

Recently I had the pleasure of having lunch on the patio of a local restaurant with my wife Dr. D. We watched ?two young mothers arrive with their gorgeous toddlers. Of course I noticed that the two moms were wearing stylish Tiffany and D&G sunglasses. The two toddlers were not wearing sunglasses. Oh yes, Dr. D was wearing her Prada suns with state of the art Radiance polarized lenses by Nikon.

Fast-forward the weekend. Dr. D and I were doing a?walk on Grand Bend beach where

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Lorne Kashin

Essilor To Purchase Coastal A Good Thing??

Essilor logoMy personal feelings towards the acquisition of Coastal by Essilor are positive. Coastal had outlived its current business model and needed new management. They weren’t making any money and all they were accomplishing was
messing up the eye care market, while providing an incomplete vision care service. ? Continue reading Essilor To Purchase Coastal A Good Thing?? →

Lorne Kashin

A Prismatic Approach To The Reflection Of Professional Practice

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Screen Shot 2013-11-10 at 10.59.14 AMHave we been seeing our profession through a narrow beam of white light? ?We look at things, the same way, day after day. As long as we view them from the same angle under the same lighting conditions, nothing changes. Have we been viewing our profession from a single perspective, in the same light for too long? Continue reading A Prismatic Approach To The Reflection Of Professional Practice →

Lorne Kashin

Bricks & Mortar Optician’s Stores Are Finished – Aren’t They?

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Lux invests $250M

Luxottica To Spend $250M On Bricks & Mortar

“At the company?s Investor Day event on October 8, Luxottica executives announced that over the next three years, the Italian eyewear company will be investing $250 million in North American business units. The company plans to open hundreds of new Lenscrafters stores, triple the size of Target Optical retail businesses, and upgrade Sunglass Hut stores located in Macy?s and shopping malls. Continue reading Bricks & Mortar Optician’s Stores Are Finished – Aren’t They? →

Lorne Kashin

Opticians and the Internet- Use it or Fear it?

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COO screen shotI?ve been thinking about some of the ?threats? to the optical profession that I have witnessed over the forty + years that I?ve been a practicing optician. When the big box stores started opening, the talk amongst eye care professionals (ECPs) was that it was a huge threat to the survival of the optical industry, especially the independent optician and optometrist.
Didn?t happen. Then laser surgery and the talk was that it was the beginning of the end. Didn?t happen. And now we have a new threat to our existence. The Internet. ?Is this the ?Big One?? ECPs have been watching ?the Internet grow at a steady pace for years.

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Lorne Kashin

It’s Not Just The Content, It’s The Process

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image_1157_2-virus-sightAs I continue along my road to becoming ?a well connected professional I am reminded that the journey I’m on is not just about the information and insights I’m gaining but also about the process.The process I’m using is constantly expanding as I am introduced to another on-line tool or site to help me trip over ?fascinating, and sometimes not so fascinating, pieces of information.

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