• Lighthouse International acquired the National Association for Visually Handicapped (NAVH). Both organizations share a mission of helping visually impaired New Yorkers through a wide range of programs, from low vision services, to assistive devices, to support groups. Lighthouse will continue this service and create a new program to help clients through counseling, support groups, educational materials and referrals to other services. The program is expected to begin in the spring.

• eyeVIP, a new web-based patient education and retention communication program from Alcon, Inc., provides eye care professionals with a tool to service their patients’ eye care needs. The goal of this program is to make it easier for eye care professionals to reach out to their patients with helpful information on eye health. It also aims to help doctors improve patient compliance with their lens care while building relationships with their patients. The eyeVIP program reminds patients to care for their contact lenses and glasses properly, notifies patients of physician practice promotions—including valuable coupons and special offers—and serves as an appointment reminder. This program is available to all eye care professional offices with no cost to the practice.

• SynergEyes, Inc., has launched a new staff training program on www.FitSynergEyes.com, a website dedicated to practitioner and staff education and training. The new staff training section includes five modules: overview of SynergEyes lenses, talking to patients about hybrid lenses, integrating hybrid technology into your practice, training your patients to handle and care for hybrid lenses and working with patients with irregular corneas (keratoconus).