Schepens Eye Research Institute has joined forces with the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary to form the world’s largest clinical ophthalmology research enterprise. Both facilities are Harvard Medical School teaching affiliates and will be located on one campus in downtown Boston. “Joining forces into a single entity will no doubt deepen collaborations across the basic and clinical sciences, ultimately opening up new doors for attacking diseases that cause blindness,” says Jeffrey S. Flier, M.D., dean of Harvard Medical School.

1-800 Contacts launched a new website to sell prescription eyeglasses: www.glasses.com. Currently, the site offers 11 women’s frame brands and eight men’s brands. Glasses.com includes a “virtual try-on” feature as well as a printable pupil distance ruler so that consumers can take their own measurements. Although 1-800 Contacts has an ongoing relationship with Wal-Mart for contact lens sales, Wal-Mart is not affiliated with
Glasses.com.

Arkansas senator, John Boozman, O.D., was recognized as the American Optometric Association’s Optometrist of the Year during the opening session of Optometry’s Meeting in Salt Lake City. Dr. Boozman was directly involved in the fight against illegal contact lens sales during his time as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He also helped secure House passage of the Vision Care for Kids Act and was instrumental in the creation of a national Vision Center of Excellence for American military personnel.  

California bill AB 778 has been put on hold by the bill’s author, Assemblymember Toni Atkins. It is known as the “LensCrafters’ bill” because it would have allowed businesses, such as LensCrafters, to own a health service plan that provides vision care services.