An investigation into the success of free eye care in Scotland has been commissioned to the University of Aberdeen. Starting in July, the study will be conducted by a team of economists from the university and led by Alexandros Zangelidis to establish if the policy has meant an increase in the number of people going […]

Bristol born businesswoman Dame Mary Perkins and her husband Douglas revolutionised the way Britains buy glasses, by making fashionable frames affordable, after the Government relaxed advertising regulations in 1984. The success of this has created a £1.15bn family fortune and has boosted their Sunday Times Rich List position from 73 to 56. Despite her fortune […]

Optometry and dispensing students can now renew their GOC registration online. All students must complete the renewal process by 15th July or face being removed from registers. It is a legal requirement to be registered with the GOC. To renew their retention students must complete an online application and pay £20 by the July deadline. […]

Flame Health attended Optrafair at the weekend and had a great time meeting everyone who came to say hello. Even Darth Vader’s Storm Troopers came to enquire about a change of career! The optical team enjoyed speaking to new and existing contacts throughout the weekend. Our stand was decked out in Flame Health artwork and […]

Flame Health are delighted to be attending Optrafair this year at the NEC Birmingham. Come and see us and have a chat about our exclusive optical opportunities. Our team will be there all weekend to help and advise you on your future within the Optical industry.  Our Optometry division consistently provides innovative, cost saving and […]

Following on from last weeks GOC retention deadline, 203 practitioners have been removed from the optical registers. This number is from those who failed to complete the online registration on time. Those who wish to continue practising must now pay £340 to have their registration restored. Samantha Peters, chief executive and registrar had said, “We’re […]

National sun awareness week starts on 3rd May and provides an opportunity for practitioners to promote eye health issues relating to UV in their local community. It is run by the British Association of Dermatologists to promote the protection of the skin against UV rays. It could also be used by professionals to highlight eye […]

Retail analyst Verdict has predicted that supermarkets offering instore opticians could more than triple their market share in the optical industry this year. Market share could rise to 4.7% in 2011 compared to 1.7% in 2005. Flame Health work alongside several independent opticians and retail multiples and recruit for Specialist Optometrists, Senior Optometrists, Hospital Optometrists, […]

A novel non surgical and removable hearing aid that transmits sound via the teeth to help with single sided deafness has been approved for use in Europe. The Soundbite hearing system is a nearly ‘visible’ digital audio device and relies on a principle called bone conduction that can deliver clear, high quality sound. A small […]

A leading specialist provider of ophthalmic services in the UK has opened a new private eye hospital as part of its continuing nationwide expansion plans. Former presenter of Channel 4’s 10 Years Younger,  Nicky Hambleton-Jones, launched the opening, promoting the message that improving your eyesight can make you look and feel younger and more confident. The […]

If funding from the optical profession is secured then a new scheme could be rolled out to highlight optometry as a future career option for 14-17 year olds. Pilots were put in place in 7 schools last year which proved to be a success. The scheme would cost £75,000 to reach around 2,000 schools across […]

The No Smoking Day charity has asked optical professionals for help in emphasising the health concerns to smokers and those who come into contact with smoking. They have asked optical professionals to support their work by ordering free campaign packs to place in their practices. The campaigners also hope that optical professionals can highlight the […]

Flame Health will be again attending Optrafair from 9th – 11th April 2011 at the NEC in Birmingham. Optrafair is the biggest optical showcase of optical business opportunities in the UK. This year Optrafair owners have even opened up more floor space to accommodate a larger number of suppliers who wish to reach out to […]

Recruitment has begun for the first UK trial of a bionic eye which can restore sight to blind people. The microchip implant has been tested in Germany, where it allowed patients to read letters and recognise objects. The chip fits under the retina and works like a digital film camera. A 3mm sq array of […]

GOC retention fees will be reduced and a low income discount introduced for 2011-2012. The annual retention fee will be reduced to £270 for all fully qualified registrants. A low income fee of £170 will be applicable to all registrants earning less than £12,000. These reduced fees will be in place for a minimum of […]