OAO denies booth to Essilor

**optical maven** · 04-21-2015, 08:30 AM

At the recent Ontario Association of Optometrists annual meeting, Essilor was denied a booth because of their ongoing commitment to promote online eyeglass sales in Ontario through Clearly Contacts. This practice is illegal in Ontario. Are all optometrists going to follow this lead? Is the Ontario Opticians Association and independent opticians also going to follow?

**idispense** · 04-21-2015, 10:45 AM

Here is a link to their web site, it appears to be self explanatory as to who their partners are.

http://www.ontario-opticians.com

it would be easy enough to look up each provincial and national organization to see who they support.

**Lab Insight** · 04-21-2015, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by optical maven

At the recent Ontario Association of Optometrists annual meeting, Essilor was denied a booth because of their ongoing commitment to promote online eyeglass sales in Ontario through Clearly Contacts. This practice is illegal in Ontario. Are all optometrists going to follow this lead? Is the Ontario Opticians Association and independent opticians also going to follow?

Not that I am bias either way, however this statement is without merit and unfounded. Prove it. They have been a platinum level sponsor for many years, so I have to call BS on this. Neither the OAO or OOA can afford to bite the hand that feeds them.

**optical maven** · 04-22-2015, 07:49 AM

I was there and witnessed the fact.
Neither OAO or OOA can afford to not bite the hand that feeds them.
I don't see how you view Essilor as benevolent. It's about time we all bite that hand.

**Golfnorth** · 04-22-2015, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by optical maven

I was there and witnessed the fact.
Neither OAO or OOA can afford to not bite the hand that feeds them.
I don't see how you view Essilor as benevolent. It's about time we all bite that hand.

Congratulations to the Ontario Association of Optometrists for having the balls to take a stand.
The question is why are you in Optiboard land still buying from E?

Regards,
Golfnorth

**optical maven** · 04-22-2015, 12:32 PM

I don't buy from E and have not since acquisition was made. Was the "you" a royal "you" or specifically aimed at me?

**Golfnorth** · 04-22-2015, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by optical maven

I don't buy from E and have not since acquisition was made. Was the "you" a royal "you" or specifically aimed at me?

Maven......I don't know who you deal with and the statement in no way was directed at you. It was a general statement geared to those on this board who are still dealing with them to hopefully give it some serious thought as to why.

Regards,
Golfnorth

**Lab Insight** · 04-23-2015, 06:02 AM

Originally Posted by optical maven

I was there and witnessed the fact.
Neither OAO or OOA can afford to not bite the hand that feeds them.
I don't see how you view Essilor as benevolent. It's about time we all bite that hand.

I said I'm not bias either way, not sure how you perceive that as benevolent.

**Lab Insight** · 04-24-2015, 06:06 AM

Originally Posted by optical maven

I was there and witnessed the fact.
Neither OAO or OOA can afford to not bite the hand that feeds them.
I don't see how you view Essilor as benevolent. It's about time we all bite that hand.

I just got a copy of the email in my inbox - so it is true. Kudos for the OAO President and its board members for finally taking a stand and voicing their concerns and putting business ethics first.

**edKENdance** · 04-24-2015, 07:02 AM

Originally Posted by Lab Insight

I just got a copy of the email in my inbox - so it is true. Kudos for the OAO President and its board members for finally taking a stand and voicing their concerns and putting business ethics first.

Do you have a copy to share? I checked the website and their new&views hasn't been updated since 2013. Ugh

**idispense** · 04-24-2015, 07:46 AM

There comes a critical mass point, when the credibility and cost of Associations and Colleges will be questioned by all their members.

At the moment, without strong leadership , Associations and Colleges have little value.

Perhaps that is about to change.

**optical maven** · 04-24-2015, 12:25 PM

Thanks to everyone and their positive responses. For all the opticians out there, try to lobby your association to follow our example. We have strength in numbers.

**idispense** · 04-24-2015, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by optical maven

Thanks to everyone and their positive responses. For all the opticians out there, try to lobby your association to follow our example. We have strength in numbers.

I would suggest that the Optometry Association also send a copy of that letter to every individual optician so each can see what a proactive association can do. Opticians are constantly cut off from discussing these matters at Associstion and College events that I have attended. Opticians need to know they can stand up to competition and they can stand up to their Associations and Colleges.

**Lab Insight** · 04-25-2015, 06:40 AM

Originally Posted by edKENdance

Do you have a copy to share? I checked the website and their new&views hasn't been updated since 2013. Ugh

I don't want to do that as I'm sure the thread would get closed.

**Lab Insight** · 04-25-2015, 06:41 AM

Originally Posted by optical maven

Thanks to everyone and their positive responses. For all the opticians out there, try to lobby your association to follow our example. We have strength in numbers.

Especially now the 2 O's can legally co-habitate together!

**Robert_S** · 04-25-2015, 07:13 AM

Well done Canada. That probably took a lot of guts.

**Chris Ryser** · 04-26-2015, 06:02 AM

Originally Posted by Lab Insight

I Not that I am bias either way, however this statement is without merit and unfounded. Prove it. They have been a platinum level sponsor for many years, so have to call BS on this. Neither the OAO or OOA can afford to bite the hand that feeds them.

I do not believe that ODs can afford to bite their hand. E has supported schools of Optometry for years in many places.

However Canada is a testing ground for them as this a now a world wide bid for total domination of the optical world. Just another link in the puzzle and we will see what comes out.

**optical maven** · 04-27-2015, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by Chris Ryser

I do not believe that ODs can afford to bite their hand. E has supported schools of Optometry for years in many places.

However Canada is a testing ground for them as this a now a world wide bid for total domination of the optical world. Just another link in the puzzle and we will see what comes out.

Sorry Chris, but I have to disagree. How can we afford to NOT bite the hand. Essilor does not feed us, we feed them, and they bit us first. With friends like them, who needs enemies.

**idispense** · 04-27-2015, 04:13 PM

Well said, Optical Maven.

The Associations should have been self funding and independent all along, anything less is a conflict of interest.

If you sell E premium product and you lose your customer to their 49.00 full page advertisements each night, how can you tell your customer that your E quality lenses are better than the lenses E sells through their wholly owned CC store ? Once the customer knows that they are getting E lenses from either source then you lose !

**Chris Ryser** · 04-28-2015, 04:22 AM

Originally Posted by idispense

If you sell E premium product and you lose your customer to their 49.00 full page advertisements each night, how can you tell your customer that your E quality lenses are better than the lenses E sells through their wholly owned CC store ? Once the customer knows that they are getting E lenses from either source then you lose !

Interesting subject .................

Lens manufacturers have cheated with lens qualities since the days of B&L and American Optical.

It was cheaper to just change the packaging and sell the same lens under 2 or 3 of their brands at different prices.