What better way to salute a successful year than to ring in a new one with top ratings? The high-profile advertising messages for ACUVUE®2 Brand Contact Lenses, ACUVUE® Brand BIFOCAL Contact Lenses and "See the World" Sweepstakes were aired during ABC's 24-hour news coverage of New Year's Eve celebrations worldwide. The advertising partnership proved to be a smart decision, as the broadcast anchored by Peter Jennings earned the network an estimated 175 million viewers. The audience for ABC's program was larger than that of NBC and CBS combined. This level of viewership nearly doubled the expected consumer reach for this program. "We are pleased that ABC attracted so many viewers," said Bob Maiolo, Vice President, Marketing. "Eye Care Professionals should be, too. Our advertising during the broadcast was just one part of a media strategy aimed at promoting the benefits of the ACUVUE® Brand Family of Products."

Vistakon® used television, radio, print, and electronic media to draw viewers to the broadcast and sweepstakes entry forms in People Magazine, TV Guide and on the Vistakon® web site. The forms required viewers to write down key words from the broadcast to complete their entries. Seven grand prize winners selected on January 30 received travel prizes, and the first 2,000 entrants were awarded free eye exams. All contest entrants received certificates for a free trial pair of any ACUVUE® Brand product.

"Eye Care Professionals are already beginning to see new patients as a result of the positive attention generated by the millennium tie-in," said Maiolo. AN

An Exiting New Millennium

The past 13 years have been outstanding years for Vistakon®. Thanks to you, we have grown from a small regional contact lens manufacturer in 1987, to the #1 contact lens manufacturer in the world with the #1 (ACUVUE®), #2 (1•DAY ACUVUE®) and #3 (SUREVUE®) global contact lens brands. Our ACUVUE® BIFOCAL and ACUVUE®2 contact lenses are the current new fit leaders in their respective categories.

As we move forward in this exciting new millennium, our plan is to eliminate any "gaps" in our family of products. We have a rich research and development pipeline that holds a lot of promise of new products to better meet the needs of your patients.

We will be accelerating our efforts to highlight the importance of you, the Eye Care Professional, in the eyes and minds of your patients. Our plan is to stress the importance of complying with your advice and instructions about the wear and care of contact lenses. We also plan to stress the importance of ongoing, regular eye examinations which may help in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular and systemic disorders at the earliest stages.

"The ACUVUE® BIFOCAL is the contact lens we present first to all of our presbyopic patients. These patients want to have the best, the newest and the most convenient way to see at both distance and near while maintaining their binocular vision. By presenting cutting edge technology every time they come in for care, your patients will keep coming back year after year. We have over 600 happy patients wearing the ACUVUE® BIFOCAL contact lens in our practice."

Robert A. Davis, O.D.
The Eye Center
Pembroke Pines, Florida

"The ACUVUE® BIFOCAL contact lens is a remarkable product and represents an enormous opportunity for all Eye Care Professionals to meet the needs of their patients and at the same time, increase their gross revenues. From January 1 through December 31, 1999, we successfully fit 495 patients with ACUVUE® BIFOCAL contact lenses. These patients are very happy with the way in which they are able to see at far and near! We increased our ACUVUE® BIFOCAL contact lens sales by over $200,000!"

Joseph S. Thoma, FCLSA
Thoma & Sutton Eyecare
Cincinnati, Ohio

"We all realize the upside potential for a disposable soft bifocal contact lens. The question has always been, "Can we get one that really works?" The ACUVUE® BIFOCAL contact lens works for a surprisingly large number of patients! The key is patient selection, presentation to the patient and addressing the patient's visual needs with a disciplined fitting approach, using the full gamut of prescription options. I've never had a patient unhappy with me because we tried bifocal contact lenses and they were unsuccessful. I welcome the ACUVUE® BIFOCAL contact lens as an additional tool in my contact lens armamentarium."

Carl R. Golightly, O.D., F.A.A.O.
Michigan City, Indiana

A new ACUVUE® Brand product finder on the new version of the Vistakon® web site will help consumers locate Eye Care Professionals who carry specific ACUVUE® Brand products. "The goal is to help consumers interested in trying one of the ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses easily find an Eye Care Professional near their home or office who fits and prescribes the products," stated Ed Rastrelli, Product Director, New Products & Technologies.

Multiple benefits are expected when this interactive product finder feature is activated. Consumers with Internet access will find the process of locating products and Eye Care Professionals simplified. They will be able to find information about the full line of ACUVUE® products, learn of the importance of regular visits to their Eye Care Professional and learn more about how the eye works. They will also be able to pinpoint the location of the closest Eye Care Professional who can prescribe the ACUVUE® products in which they are interested. The site may even minimize the amount of time staff members spend giving directions over the phone, as prospective patients will be able to view and print out street maps and driving directions. The locator feature will be updated regularly in order to provide consumers with the most accurate information.

It is critical for all of the information included in the product locator to be as current as possible so that the consumers can easily find the fitting location. Therefore, to be included in the online product locator database, Eye Care Professionals must download an enrollment form from the Eye Care Professional section of the Vistakon® web site www.acuvue.com, fill it out, and send it via fax to Vistakon® (800) 615-5883. Practitioners with multiple offices should submit a separate form for each office that fits ACUVUE® products. Changes can also be submitted using the same form.

Vistakon® will provide additional information about the online product locator service when it has been activated on the web site. Activation is expected to occur in late May. AN

Can contact lenses make people feel more romantic? That's what researchers found in a recent poll sponsored by ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses and conducted by Roper Starch Worldwide, Inc. Eighty percent of the 1,000 Americans polled said good things happened to them as a result of wearing contact lenses. Better relationships, receiving compliments and more romance were cited as some of the benefits. Sixty-three percent of those surveyed also said they know someone who wears eyeglasses that they would like to see without them. The results of the survey prompted Vistakon® to capitalize on the "Cupid factor" with the goal of getting more people to visit their Eye Care Professionals.

A new feature on the www.acuvue.com, introduced before Valentine's Day, gives love and friendship a little boost while it promotes ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses via ACUVUE® "Eye-Mail." The service lets people send an electronic post card with a colorful photograph and a greeting that encourages the recipient to try contact lenses. "You'd look good in contact lenses," says one message option. "Your special day is approaching…see yourself in contact lenses and look and feel your best," says another. In addition to the electronic message, the recipient also receives a certificate for a free trial pair of ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lenses.

"ACUVUE® Eye-Mail helps people tell their friends and relatives about the benefits of contact lenses, and it encourages eyeglass wearers to consider the benefits of our disposable contact lenses. It also helps emphasize the importance of regular visits to an Eye Care Professional," stated Carlos Navarro, Product Director, ACUVUE®2 Contact Lenses. AN

Vistakon® received FDA clearance on February 23 for an addition to product labeling that allows Vistakon® to claim the following:

"When ACUVUE® Brand UV-blocking* Contact Lenses are replaced at intervals ranging from 1 day to 2 weeks, the risk of developing giant papillary conjunctivitis may be reduced."

The basis for this approval was the article "Giant papillary conjunctivitis in frequent replacement contact lens wearers: a retrospective study" by A.D.

Porazinksi and P.C. Donshik in the July 1999, issue of the CLAO JOURNAL (volume 25, number 3, pages 142-147).

"It is hoped that this additional statement will help drive patient compliance as we continue to believe that more frequent replacement of contact lenses is healthier for patients," stated Stanley J. Rogaski, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs & Quality Assurance. AN

*WARNING: UV-absorbing contact lenses are NOT substitutes for protective UV-absorbing eyewear such as UV-absorbing goggles or sunglasses because they do not completely cover the eye and surrounding area. You should continue to use UV-absorbing eyewear as directed. NOTE: Long term exposure to UV radiation is one of the risk factors associated with cataracts. Exposure is based on a number of factors such as environmental conditions (altitude, geography, cloud cover) and personal factors (extent and nature of outdoor activities). UV-blocking contact lenses help provide protection against harmful UV radiation. However, clinical studies have not been done to demonstrate that wearing UV-blocking contact lenses reduces the risk of developing cataracts or other eye disorders. Consult your eye care practitioner for more information.

"Where do I fit in?" It's what every new practice employee is thinking that first morning on the job. We all want to be part of a group. To be accepted. To belong. In our teens, we are driven by our peers and long to be a part of the "in crowd." It's not much different when we're adults; we're still looking for acceptance, especially in the workplace, where we spend most of our waking hours.

But whose job is it to be sure the new person learns the ropes? It's not just the Eye Care Professional's or the office manager's job. It's really the whole staff's responsibility to help the new employee settle into his or her role as quickly as possible.

The practice in which I worked for several years had the policy of presenting a welcome gift during the new employee's first day. Attached to the gift was a card signed by the entire staff. This simple gesture is a great way to make the new employee feel welcome.

We also made sure the newcomer was invited to lunch during the second week of employment. We wanted to give the new employee a chance to ask questions about the job and give the rest of us a chance to get to know him/her better. It was the manager's job to ensure the new team member was provided with an accurate job description and an outline of his or her duties. The manager would sit down one-on-one to clarify the job responsibilities.

Even experienced employees can feel tremendous frustration when they're unsure about who is supposed to do what. Given this, you can imagine the level of frustration a new person may experience. It's just not fair to hire new employees and then create their responsibilities "on the fly." Operating haphazardly is a good way to push new employees toward the door. It's sometimes easy to overlook the obvious. Where is the coat rack? May I receive personal calls? What about my lunch break? When do we get paid? An easy way to answer these questions is through an up-to-date office manual. Most offices have some form of office or policy manual but many are outdated, which adds to the confusion regarding policies and procedures. Do everyone in the office a favor. Review and revise the manual at least annually.

One of the biggest mistakes made in hiring employees is to ignore their suggestions. You may be thinking, "They've only been here a few weeks. What can they know about our office?" Actually, the new employee brings a valuable asset to the table: a fresh perspective. New employees can see things as they really are, not the way we think they are.

Too often, we dismiss the new employee's ideas or comments. Some long-term employees can feel threatened and defensive when new employee's ask challenging questions such as "Why?" or "Why do we do it that way?" or "What would happen if we did it this way?" Ask your new employees for their ideas and opinions.

Remember, new employees have many obstacles to overcome. They are expected to learn their job quickly and carry out their responsibilities. They are expected to become fully productive and contribute to the overall success of the organization. And, they are trying to meet everyone's expectations and are faced with the challenge of being accepted as part of the team.

Do you want to see new staff members become valuable in the shortest possible time? Let them know they are welcome to the practice and the team. Reassure them that they don't have to worry about peer pressure. Welcome their ideas and suggestions, and ask for more.

Now, you're set to begin benefiting from your new employees. AN

Gale Stoner is President of MileStone Advisory Group, a practice management consultation firm located near Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach him at: www.galestoner.com.

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Vistakon® continues to sponsor programs for Eye Care Professionals to build their expertise and earn continuing education credits. The company was one of the sponsors for "The Practice of the Future, Part I & Part II," presented at the SECO meeting in Atlanta in February.

The program, led by New Mexico State University professor, futurist, and consultant Lowell Catlett, Ph.D., explored changes and challenges faced by practitioners. Catlett provided insights on how the practice of the future will require Eye Care Professionals to go far beyond eye charts and eyeglasses.

"Continued success will depend on your ability to capitalize on the new frontiers of optometry, "said Catlett. "Some will practice like they've always practiced, hoping the profession doesn't pass them by. Others are in a 'change mode,' willing to become pathfinders and setting the pace for the profession."

"Watch for more Vistakon® sponsored seminars designed to keep Eye Care Professionals at the forefront of technology, trends and practice management," stated Howard B. Purcell, O.D., F.A.A.O., Director of Professional Affairs.

The ACUVUE® Brand BIFOCAL Contact Lens has achieved outstanding acceptance since it was launched nationally in December of 1998. Soft bifocal new fits, led largely by the ACUVUE® BIFOCAL contact lens, were up by more than 245% for the 12 months ending 4Q99 vs 4Q98!

Since that time, it has been observed that a growing number of accounts are having great success with the product, while others are still struggling to achieve success. In discussions with those who are having outstanding success, they have commented on how important setting the right expectations is in presenting to the patient. They have also shared three "Fitting Pearls" that are making a significant difference in achieving their success.

1. When establishing the vertex-adjusted, spherical-equivalent distance lens prescription, add the following to the distance sphere power:

IF CYLINDER POWER IS:	ADD TO THE DISTANCE SPHERE POWER:
-0.25D	-0.25D
-0.50D	-0.25D
-0.75D	-0.50D

e.g.: Spectacle Rx: -2.50D -0.75D X 180; Using the advice above = -2.50D + (-0.50D) ACUVUE® BIFOCAL initial lens = -3.00D

NOTE: Some who are struggling are not including the spherical-equivalent and, therefore, are over-plussing their patients resulting in distance blur.

2. Determine the initial ADD selection from your exam. Then, compare it with the expected ADD power below which is based on age*. Use the lower ADD power:

AGE	ACUVUE® BIFOCAL ADD POWER
40-46	+1.00D
47-52	+1.50D
53-59	+2.00D
60+	+2.50D

*These nominal ADD powers are matched with material presented on pages 338-9 and 803-7 in Benjamin WJ (ed); Borish's CLINICAL REFRACTION (1998), W.B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia. A patient's individual characteristics should be considered, as well, when the ADD power is determined.

NOTE: Some who are struggling are using too high an ADD power, which results in distance blur.