Sorry I didn't post last week - optometrists lead busy professional lives! Seeing patients is, of course, the most important part of the job, but there is all the practice administration as well. But I am lucky because, as an NZAO Councillor, I get to do "other stuff" as well. Last week, I was in Auckland at the NZAO student awards' evening, where we got to meet many of our colleagues-to-be, optometrists in training, and to congratulate the winners of academic prizes offered by the NZAO. The next day involved a meeting with the Department of Optometry and Visual Sciences' staff and the Optometrists' and Dispensing Opticians' Board - we meet annually in a round-table meeting so the profession, the training/research institution and the regulation authority all have an idea as to what the others' issues are. In a fortnight, I shall be lucky enough to see another Optometry school...in Puerto Rico. But more of that in about a month! Happy Easter.

CONVERTIBLES Eyewear

Convertibles' fashionable frames are stylish ,comfortable and most importantly they are designed for your convenient. The ingenious magnetic clip-on system lets you change your prescription glasses to sunglasses with polarized and UV protected lenses instantly.

New models in-store now.

With all the sorrow and drama from Christchurch after the earthquake on 22 February, things have been rather odd here lately. Earthquakes - Christchurch's (and our little ones)have replaced the weather as the topic of converstaion when patients come in. At least there was no tsunami warning, unlike that late February 2010 Chilean earthquake with everyone on East Coast beaches on alert - I remember as I was in the garden tidying up before my dad's birthday last year and felt a bit of deja vu this year...

Optometry has lost a great colleague in the Chistchurch quake. Paul Dunlop of Chistchurch was not at work that day - he was helping to dismantle a damaged organ in Durham St Methodist Church when the quake hit. Three of them died in the quake, with five getting out. Paul was a great clinician, a repected colleague and mentor and a really nice guy. He leaves a family, who are in our thoughts and prayers.

It will be a big funeral.

MODA Premium Package

"The Moda range arrives at Visique Kapiti Eyecare!

Visique Kapiti Eyecare, at the Pier building in Howell Road, Paraparaumu Beach, has seldom supplied “package” spectacles. We believe that you are an individual, your eyes are individual, and we enjoy tailoring frames and lenses to suit your prescription, your looks and your purse. But with the support of Essilor (who manufactures lenses in Auckland) and Euro-Optics (a New Zealand-owned frame wholesaler), Visique Kapiti Eyecare is really pleased to introduce the Moda range – frames and premium lenses in men’s, women’s, teens and children’s ranges.

The beauty of the Moda range is that there are models to suit most people, and the ability to provide stock lenses or specially-made lenses into the frames. The children’s and teen ranges are inexpensive enough to be suitable for parents whose children are eligible for the Enable spectacles subsidy, which was developed in conjunction with the NZ Association of Optometrists, which is the professional grouping of optometrists in NZ.

The Moda range for adults all has Crizal anti-reflective coatings included. This reduces annoying glare, especially with night-driving or computer-use, and, in any case, it makes the spectacles look better. The progressive lenses are Essilor X’ion – a great value-for-money lens that performs better than top-of the-range progressive lenses of only 3 or 4 years ago.

So, we at Visique Kapiti Eyecare are pleased that we can offer our patients a great value for money range of frames and lenses, but still catering to each person as an individual. Believe your eyes? You can at Visique!"

This is the article that we are placing in the "Kapiti Observer" to talk about Moda, the new frames and lenses' package. We've had the frames in for a week now, and the range has attracted a lot of interest. Nice styles, good colours, good quality for the price and excellent lenses - what more could you want?

Come in and see them soon!

Back to school 2011

With most schools and colleges starting back this week, it's time to remember that your child's vision is very important in learning. The school screening tests just check distance vision (and colour vision for Year 7 boys) and are really "focussed" :-) on seeing that the two eyes see similarly, so that they both develop in tandem. And of course much of classroom work, and homework, is to do with close vision - reading, writing, drawing, computer-based work. The school screenings do not test for this.

The Visique and NZAO websites explain more about the signs you should look for to see if your child might be having a visual problem - sore eyes, red eyes, rubbing the eyes, heaaches and avoiding using the eyes are the most obvious. But we recommend that every child in the middle school has a full eye exam, and from that we can often predict how well and how comfortably the child will see in most situations as he or she goes through school.

Sports vision is a speciality of some optometrists, so we can refer your budding archer, cricketer or clay pigeon shooter for extra visual training if need be. And sometimes wearing contact lenses rather than glasses means that school is a hppier place to be - many of us were called "four eyes" at school and I know that (unfortunately) this still happens.

Until 28 March, all children's vision exams (for children under 18) gain an extra 30 bonus Fly Buys points. So it is an especially good time to have your child's vision, eye health and eye co-ordination examined at present. Phone to book in soon.

Congratulations to Adrienne Stevens

Adrienne (owner of 180 Degree Cafe & Bistro Paraparaumu) bought a pair of Michael Kors sunglass and entered the competition using her Flybuys card. She is one of the two lucky winner in Kapiti region that won herself a gorgeous Michael Kors Gold Clutch. This clutch is the perfect companion for both formal or informal events. It screams sophistication and simplicity.

Congratulations from Team Visique Kapiti

Transitions XTRActive

To all current Transitions VI wearers that always wanted the extra tint behind the windscreen while driving and the superior darkness outdoors in the brightest conditions , Transitions XTRActive is your answer.

Transitions XTRActive lenses provide: 1. Outstanding visual COMFORT. 2. The CONVENEINCE of wearing the same pair of glasses inside and outside. 3. PROTECTION against UV rays and glares.

Talk to us today.

Are you supporting New Zealand products?

Are you supporting New Zealand made product ? Coz' we are at Visique Kapiti.

The Buy New Zealand campaign began in 1988. Its emphasis has shifted over the years, but the basic aim of encouraging consumers and organisations to buy New Zealand goods and services wherever possible has not changed.

When you buy a New Zealand produced product or service, you’re helping to create jobs, promote growth. As every cricketer knows, a run saved equals a run scored – so you’re giving our country a double whammy benefit when you buy New Zealand rather than from another country.

Essilor is the world's leading manufacturer of spectacle lenses, pioneering the development of a range of lenses and lens coating to cater to a myriad of eyesight problems.

Essilor New Zealand works on the "think globally , act locally" principle. Essilor started its operation in New Zealand in 1998 and since then, has built a solid reputation as one of the leading supplier of lenses to optical retailers around the country.

In addition, Essilor has the technological and financial support of its international parent company based in France. Essilor New Zealand employs over 120 New Zealand staff and has offices in Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington and Christchurch.

Fly Buys Back to School 2011

Ministry of Health vision screening for kindergarten and primary school children is not targeted to pick up those other vision problems that can cause a child’s fine motor skills (needed to read and write) to work incorrectly.

Most children with visual problems are long-sighted and have eye coordination problems. Once given correct glasses, they show significant signs of improvement in their learning. "Once a child wears the correct spectacles there is nearly always a dramatic transformation in their learning performance, behaviour, concentration, comprehension and self belief."

Credit to http://www.diyfather.com/content/eyesight



Purchase a children’s eye exam to receive 30 Fly Buys Bonus Points. This offer is valid even with an Enable card for anyone who is 18 years or younger. This Bonus Point offer cannot be used in combination with any other offer.

Promotion ends 31st March 2011

Transitions Competition Winner 2010

The winner of our recent Transitions competition is Mrs June Burkin from Napier, who entered the competition at Visique Taradale Optometrists.

Lucky Mrs Burkin wins a trip for two to the Cook Islands with $1,500 in spending money. The prize also includes return economy airfares, seven nights bed and breakfast twin share accommodation at a four star rated accommodation, and a glass bottom boat lagoon explorer tour. Mrs Burkin is delighted to be the winner, and we hope she has a fabulous time!