Clearly Contacts Named to BC Business Magazine Top 100 Public Companies List

Clearly Contacts Named to BC Business Magazine Top 100 Public Companies List

Clearly Contacts, the world's largest online vision care retailer, announced today that the Company has been named to BC Business Magazines' Top 100 Public Companies list for the fifth consecutive year. Clearly Contacts, under parent company name, Coastal Contacts Inc, appears 59th on the list this year with revenue of $119 million for fiscal 2008.

Vancouver, British Columbia (Vocus) June 30, 2009 -- Clearly Contacts (www.clearlycontacts.ca), the world's largest online vision care retailer, announced today that the Company has been named to BC Business Magazines' Top 100 Public Companies list for the fifth consecutive year. Clearly Contacts, under parent company name, Coastal Contacts Inc, appears 59th on the list this year with revenue of $119 million for fiscal 2008.

The list highlights the largest public companies in British Columbia based on revenue. Clearly Contacts is proud to join the distinguished group, comprised of British Columbia's largest and most successful companies.

"We are gratified to be included among the top 100 public companies in BC. We feel that our expanding customer base, especially in BC, is letting us know on a daily basis that we are moving in the right direction, and being included on the BC Business top 100 list is evidence that our business model works," stated Roger Hardy, Clearly Contacts Co-Founder and CEO.

In a time when many other companies experienced decreases in sales and profits, Clearly Contacts (www.clearlycontacts.ca) experienced unprecedented growth, expanded their product line, customer base, and annual sales. First quarter sales for 2009 are up 24% compared to the same period last year, with $31.3 million in sales.

"Our goal is to become the world's largest vision care provider both online and off, but we are Canadian and our growth in Canada has a very special meaning to us. We want to offer Canadian consumers the best possible vision care products for the most affordable prices, and so far our Canadian support has been overwhelming," added Hardy.

Growth in the first half of 2009 for Clearly Contacts has been record setting for the Vancouver based company, a trend they hope continues.

About Clearly Contacts:

Clearly Contacts (www.clearlycontacts.ca), a subsidiary of Coastal Contacts, is one of the world's fastest growing online vision care suppliers. Providing contact lenses, eyeglasses and other complimentary vision care products to consumers worldwide, Coastal Contacts is proud to provide an affordable, convenient option for high quality vision care products. With its world class operations in North America, Europe and Asia, Coastal Contacts offers a unique blend of private label and branded products to over 150 countries across the globe. Already #1 in many of its markets, Coastal is rapidly advancing toward its goal of becoming the "World's Vision Store."

For Further Information:

Jennifer Harvey

Communications Manager

Clearly Contacts Ltd.

604-669-1555 ext. 322

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Contact Information Jennifer Harvey

Clearly Contacts Ltd.

http://www.clearlycontacts.ca

604-669-1555

The Healthcare Scoop Community Says 'Eye Care'

The Healthcare Scoop Community Says 'Eye Care'

In honor of National Eye Safety Awareness Week, individuals asked to share their perspectives on eye care and safety.

Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) June 29, 2009 -- Stop squinting…proper eye care and safety can help enhance all the sights of summer, including this Fourth of July's fireworks displays in all their brilliance and clarity.

The Healthcare Scoop (http://www.thehealthcarescoop.com/hcs/?utm_source=eyecare&utm_medium=PRwire&utm_campaign=eyecareHCS_first_PR), in recognition of National Eye Safety Awareness Week, June 27-July 5, 2009, is calling on individuals to share their stories, questions and comments on keeping life in focus.

Consumer Story

A woman in St. Paul, Minn. shared her experience (https://www.thehealthcarescoop.com/hcs/storyDetails.do?cmdField=readStory&storyId=1567&stories.currentItem=1&utm_source=eyecare&utm_medium=PRwire&utm_campaign=eyecareReadStory1567_PR) switching optometrists on The Healthcare Scoop: "At my first appointment, Dr. Tanabe asked if I'd ever tried soft lenses. I explained my story, and she basically said that (my last) eye doctor…didn't do it right. I have very poor vision coupled with a strong astigmatism, and apparently that has to be taken into account when prescribing soft contact lenses. … I can see clearly without worrying I'm hurting my eyes. Dr. Tanabe is a no-nonsense, smart professional. And, she makes me laugh too. So often, people trying to be professional try to erase their personality. Not her."

"It is important people receive regular eye exams," said Keith Carlson, MD (http://www.allina.com/ac/homepgs.nsf/amchomepage/240), an ophthalmologist who practices at Claris Eye Care and Surgery, Allina Medical Clinic and the Phillips Eye Institute. "Good eye care is critical to safe driving, focused classrooms and overall quality of life. With summer in full swing, now is a great time to schedule your next appointment and talk to your optometrist. This Fourth of July, I also urge parents to talk to one another about keeping children safe around fireworks and preventing eye injuries."

Share or View Stories on The Healthcare Scoop

* Share an eye care story (https://www.thehealthcarescoop.com/hcs/story/submit/details.do?utm_source=eyecare&utm_medium=PRwire&utm_campaign=eyecareShareStory_PR)

* View eye care stories (https://www.thehealthcarescoop.com/hcs/globalSearch.do?cmdField=search&searchWords=eyecare+eye_doctors+eye_care+lasik+eye_surgery&searchCriteriaId=1&utm_source=eyecare&utm_medium=PRwire&utm_campaign=eyecareViewSearchResults_PR)

About The Healthcare Scoop

The Healthcare Scoop is a free online forum for consumers to share real-life healthcare experiences with other consumers and medical professionals in an effort to help individuals make informed, "best-fit" healthcare decisions. Care Delivery Management, Inc., dba Consumer Aware (http://www.consumeraware.com/?utm_source=eyecare&utm_medium=PRwire&utm_campaign=eyecareCA_PR) based in Eagan, Minn. sponsors The Healthcare Scoop.

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Contact Information Anna Kruchowski

612-372-6459

New Online Vision Assessment Tool Helps Alert Parents to Potential Eye Problems in Children

New Online Vision Assessment Tool Helps Alert Parents to Potential Eye Problems in Children

Online Vision Quiz Highlights the Subtle Signs of Vision Problems in Children as Young as Six Months of Age

Pine Brook, N.J. (PRWEB) June 25 -- According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), vision disorders are the fourth most common disability among children in the United States, yet many vision problems can take years to detect, making treatment more difficult as vital time passes. In an effort to shed light on some of the more subtle warning signs of vision problems in young children, Diopsys, Inc., developer and marketer of the EnfantTM Pediatric VEP Vision Testing System, has created an online vision assessment quiz at www.freevisionquiz.com.

The physician-reviewed, informational quiz, which takes only a few minutes to complete, is comprised of multiple-choice questions covering several areas that can "red flag" signs of a potential vision problem in children of various ages, including such actions as the inability to make steady eye contact, or involuntarily covering one eye to see something better.

According to Sean Donahue, MD, PhD, Chief of Pediatric Ophthalmology at the Vanderbilt Eye Institute at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, this vision quiz can help make parents aware of behaviors and other quiet indicators of vision issues.

"Vision problems can often slip by parents - especially with children who have not yet entered school - because kids born with vision deficits don't really recognize that they aren't seeing well," says Dr. Donahue. "Many parents are surprised to learn that their child is having trouble seeing without them realizing it."

The new quiz does not take the place of a professional vision examination, but it is there to create awareness of a silent problem.

"Children should have routine vision screenings starting at six months of age, according to AAP (http://www.aap.org/) recommendations," adds Dr. Donahue.

The quiz was developed by the vision experts at Diopsys, Inc (http://www.diopsys.com/)., a medical instrumentation company dedicated to delivering high-quality, cost-effective preventative health care. The company specializes in the development and marketing of patient-friendly, non-invasive diagnostic vision testing equipment utilizing Evoked Potential technology. One such device is the EnfantTM Pediatric VEP Vision Testing System, which can test children as young as six months of age for vision problems like amblyopia. It is available in select pediatric practices nationwide.

For additional information about the Enfant, the importance of early vision testing, and to see if a pediatrician in your area offers the test, visit www.enfantvision.com. To fill out the new online vision assessment to see if your child's behavior may indicate a problem, visit www.freevisionquiz.com.

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Contact Information Christina Occhipinti

Diopsys

http://www.diopsys.com/

914-241-0086

Sleep With the Experts Webinar Series Starts July 1, 2009

Sleep With the Experts Webinar Series Starts July 1, 2009

The Bob, Carol, Ted and Alice of Natural Sleep. Free Webinar series on Natural Solutions for Insomnia, commencing July 1, 2009. World experts speak on the following topics: food additives and colorings that keep you awake, and wake you early in the morning. Repatterning neural pathways for sleep. How to use Cognitive Behaviour Therapy to overcome anxiety. How to recognise and remove emotional holding patterns that keep you awake. Seratonin and melatonin. Solutions to stress. How to choose music for brain entrainment, deep listening, mind over pain. Emotional Freedom Technique to help you sleep.

Sydney, NSW (PRWEB) June 25, 2009 -- Are you finding it more difficult lately to fall asleep and stay asleep? Is your stress level the only thing trending up in the bear market? Are you sick and tired of reading about how not drinking coffee is going to solve the problem? Things only getting worse when you read that lack of sleep is effecting your weight, health, liver, heart, cancer, diabetes, depression, anxiety, blood pressure, life span? No wonder we can't sleep.

The use of sleeping pills is controversial, because they're addictive, less effective over time, cause grogginess in the morning, are blamed for some rather bizarre behaviours, are associated with anterograde amnesia, reduce the time it takes to fall asleep by 12.8 minutes compared with fake pills, and increase our sleep time by a rather pathetic 11.4 minutes. In fact, one controversial sleeping pill was the number 1 drug reported to the Adverse Medicine Events Line between September 2007 and February 2009.

Unfortunately, until now, the "natural solutions" have been limited to unpalatable herbs or teas that work for only a limited number of people. In response to this situation, Elizabeth Shannon of Sleepless No More has organised the "Sleep With The Experts" webinar series.

"Everything I've seen lately on sleep has been so negative, it just makes insomniacs more anxious and stressed, worrying about how their health is being affected", Shannon says. "So I've assembled a group of solution-based experts to finally put an end to the noise on insomnia." "It's practically based, and we'll have a bit of fun too", Shannon laughs.

The hour-long webinars will be held weekly on Wednesday nights at 7 pm, commencing July 1. This first series (of approximately 8 webinars) will be free to attend via the internet.

The webinar series will commence with the following experts:

Sue Dengate - Sue Dengate is a psychology graduate and author of the bestselling Fed Up series. Focused on the effects of food chemicals on children's behaviour, health and learning ability, her groundbreaking study on the behavioural effects of a common bread preservative was published in a medical journal in 2002. Together with her husband Dr Howard Dengate, a food scientist, they run the Food Intolerance Network. Dengate was nominated for Australian of the Year in 2005 and 2006.

Andrew Verity - Verity has integrated 35 years of practical experience in a wide range of healing modalities into his international Neuro-training group. He was president of IASK (International Association of Specialized Kinesiologists) for 6 years, and surprisingly has a very simple approach to many aspects of sleep disorders.

Nic Lucas - Practicing osteopath, international lecturer, medical journal founder and editor, presently lecturing at the University of Western Sydney while doing his doctorate. Lucas will talk about how he used Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) to relieve his anxiety disorder.

Domenica Papalia - Pharmacist, researcher, and founder of Your Highest Potential. How emotions effect sleep. Papalia uses non-invasive techniques to recognise the root cause of holding patterns and help people move beyond them.

Angela Sciberras - Therapeutic musician (International Healing Musicians Program USA) and author. How to use rhythm, harmony, melody, brain entrainment and deep listening to bridge the gap between medicine and music.

Geraldine Gallagher - Past president of the NSW Kinesiology Association (5 times), international speaker, and author of the successful programs Creative Nutrition and Essence of Change. Seratonin, melatonin, solutions to stress including essences.

Rod Sherwin - Energy Therapist. Sleep solutions using Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT or tapping).

And thankfully, with Elizabeth as the moderator no-one will get lost in technical jargon and 'medical-speak'.

To be included in the webinars, which are free (for this first series), provide your name and email address at http://www.sleeplessnomore.com - and you will be emailed with the webinar registration details closer to the event. (To attend the webinar you need broadband internet access, preferably with an audio USB headset.)

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Contact Information Elizabeth Shannon

Sleepless No More Pty. Ltd.

http://www.sleeplessnomore.com/blog

+612 9498 6349

Serotek Releases Accessible Event™

Serotek Releases Accessible Event™

New Service Brings Group Meetings, Webinars and Lectures to the Deaf and Blind

Minneapolis, Minn. (PRWEB) June 23, 2009 -- Serotek Corporation (www.serotek.com), the leading provider of internet and digital information accessibility software and services, released Accessible Event (www.accessibleevent.com)™ in a press conference today at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. The accessible, online platform makes group meetings, webinars, lectures and other events accessible to the blind, deaf and blind/deaf. Attendees who do not require assistive technology participate as they normally would; unaware that Accessible Event is running. No installation is required so no trace of use is left on any computer or device.

Accessible Event is ADA compliant (Americans with Disabilities Act) and is available to corporations, schools, and public entertainment forums, as well as online tradeshow and special event sponsors and other organizations. It can be purchased per-incident, on a monthly or annual basis, or as an enterprise server configuration and requires only an internet connection and Adobe Flash to function.

"Whether across the room or across the world, nearly anything a presenter can put on a screen, from documents to web sites, is now accessible to everyone, including those with sight and/or hearing impairments regardless of whether you are presenting to ten or ten thousand," said Mike Calvo, CEO, Serotek Corporation.

Much like a conference bridge, presenters set up an event and a meeting code is provided to invited participants. Attendees who prefer assistive technology simply visit the Accessible Event web site from the browser of any computer or portable device, enter the meeting code, and the meeting becomes instantly accessible.

"Accessible Event is a perfect example of how the digital lifestyle can be accessible," said Dan Hubbell, Technical Evangelist for Microsoft Corporation, "When used alongside services like Microsoft® LiveMeeting, Accessible Event broadens an organization's reach and inclusion efforts with minimal cost or effort."

Accessible Event works with presentations designed in the Microsoft ® Word™, Excel®, and PowerPoint® or Adobe® Acrobat®, with those featuring displays in Microsoft Outlook®, or web pages in Serotek SAMNet™, Microsoft Internet Explorer® 7 or higher, or Mozilla® Firefox®, and with online meeting services such as Cisco WebEx, Citrix® GoToMeeting® and GoToWebinar®, Adobe Acrobat Connect®, Microsoft LiveMeeting, and more.

Presenters determine the date of expiration so events can remain available or limited to a specific timeframe. Accessible Event can run beside any online meeting or webinar service. At the end of the session, a pop-up exit option will notify the host to close the session.

    

"For the first time in history, blind and deaf people can be fully included in online events," said Calvo. "And students can bring Accessible Event codes on a thumb drive to their professors so lectures of any kind are fully accessible for the day or the semester."

For more information, visit www.serotek.com. Patent pending.

Serotek Corporation

Serotek Corporation is a leading technology company that develops software and manufactures accessibility solutions under the System Access brand. Committed to the mission of providing accessibility anywhere, Serotek began with the launch of the first online community specifically designed to meet the needs of people with visual impairment. Since then, Serotek has introduced several powerful, affordable solutions that require minimal training and investment. For more information, visit www.serotek.com.

Editors Note: Product names, brands and other trademarks featured or referred to are the property of their respective trademark holders. These trademark holders are not affiliated with Accessible Event and do not sponsor or endorse these materials

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Contact Information Janelle Schulenberg

Serotek Corporation

http://www.accessibleevent.com

6127201068

Technical Support

Serotek Corporation

http://www.serotek.com

866-202-0520

Leading Eye Care Surgical Center in Utah Broadens its View with New State-of-the-Art Website

Leading Eye Care Surgical Center in Utah Broadens its View with New State-of-the-Art Website

The Eye Institute of Utah, a sprawling 30,000 square-foot Salt Lake City, Utah LASIK (http://www.theeyeinstitute.com/lasik/), cataract (http://www.theeyeinstitute.com/cataracts/) and general eye care facility, opens new virtual doors with a comprehensive website designed to reach out to the millions of people who suffer from vision problems.

(Vocus) June 23, 2009 -- This renowned office-based eye care surgical center in Utah is giving web visitors a virtual tour of its practice with a new website designed to convey a bit of the facility’s history and give patients an idea of what their doctors can do to improve vision. The Eye Institute’s new site is equipped with some of the latest online interactive tools, and is designed to give visitors comprehensive information on the many procedures the facility’s ophthalmologists, optometrists, and eye surgeons provide.

In collaboration with Rosemont Media®, a LASIK website design firm (http://www.rosemontmedia.com/products/website-design-services/lasik-eye-surgery), The Eye Institute includes within the site sections devoted to the rich history of The Eye Institute, as well as detailed biographies and information on its medical and vision care staff. The Eye Institute offers patients procedures such as LASIK, cataract surgery, implantable contact lenses, glaucoma and eye disease treatment all within its sprawling Salt Lake City, Utah vision correction (http://www.theeyeinstitute.com/lasik/lasik-surgery-steps/) facility. Many of these procedures are illustrated in step-by-step guides on the new site, along with video animations to help patients gain a fuller understanding of what they entail. The Eye Institute is also using its new website to educate patients on the new technologies used at its facility - revolutionizing eye care treatment with quicker, safer, and more effective procedures.

While known for its successful outcomes in LASIK surgery - a procedure designed to correct refractive errors such as nearsightedness and farsightedness, reducing one’s need for glasses or contact lenses – The Eye Institute is also using its website to convey the many new and effective technologies it uses in cataract surgery at its Salt Lake City, Utah (http://www.theeyeinstitute.com/cataracts/overview-of-cataract-surgery/) facility. The Eye Institute hopes that the new site will give visitors not only an idea of the comprehensive range of options available to them, but also the information necessary to understand what certain treatments can do and how they can avoid worsening vision conditions that can significantly affect their eyesight.

About The Eye Institute

The Eye Institute of Utah and SurgiCare Center of Utah was established by Dr. W. Andrew Lyle nearly 30 years ago. The facility serves as a fully functional, comprehensive eye care and treatment center, equipped with an outpatient ambulatory surgical center with four operating rooms and an operation viewing area. The Eye Institute also operates a full-service clinic and a research hub concentrating on studies of lasers and lens-based refractive surgery and technologies designed to improve patient care. The facility employs some of the most respected and experienced ophthalmologists and LASIK surgeons in Salt Lake City, Utah (http://www.theeyeinstitute.com/our-doctors/) and the Intermountain West. In addition to its Utah location, The Eye Institute also operates a satellite office in Rock Springs, Wyoming, designed to assist patients with general eye care needs.

For more information on LASIK, cataract surgery, eye disease treatment, and other vision care options, The Eye Institute can be reached at 755 East 3900 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84107 – (800) 760-4171; or at its Wyoming location at 2631 Foothill Blvd., Suite A, Rock Springs, WY 82901 – (800) 360-3937. www.theeyeinstitute.com.

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Contact Information Helen Sikes

The Eye Institute

http://www.theeyeinstitute.com/

(801) 266-2283

Intralase “Bladeless” Lasik Gains Popularity in the Raleigh, NC Area

Intralase “Bladeless” Lasik Gains Popularity in the Raleigh, NC Area

Dr. Dean Dornic of the Laser Eye Center of Carolina has logged nearly 900 Intralase LASIK procedures.

Raleigh, NC (Vocus) June 22, 2009 -- Intralase “Bladeless” Lasik gains popularity in the Raleigh, NC area. Dr. Dean Dornic has performed nearly 900 Intralase “Bladeless” LASIK procedures in the last year. Dr. Dornic of the Laser Eye Center of Carolina has logged nearly 900 Intralase LASIK procedures. The bladeless technology is a relatively recent development in LASIK technology, but has become very popular over the last few years. As LASIK procedures evolve over the years, it is critical for patients to understand their options when considering treatment. Dr. Dean Dornic of the Laser Eye Center of Carolina is at the forefront of advances in LASIK technology and has years of experience in both advising patients and performing surgeries.

A Short History of LASIK: | The LASIK procedure is based on a technology -- originally termed ALK or automated Lamellar Keratoplasty -- that has evolved over the past 50 years. Essentially, LASIK involves using a laser to reshape the cornea. The cornea functions as a lens and changing the shape of the cornea changes the power of the lens. Changes to the lens makes allows a patient to see more clearly, depending on the nature of their his or her eye condition.

It’s no secret that many LASIK patients enjoy a quick recovery time. This quick vision recovery that LASIK patients enjoy is a result of the accelerated healing that occurs by creating a flap which may reduce the risk of certain side effects. Advances that have been incorporated over the years include new devices to make the flap and refinements of the lasers that reshape the cornea.

Thin Flap LASIK: A New Innovation | An exciting new advance in LASIK technology is Sub-Bowmen's Keratomileusis or SBK. Some doctors refer to this as Thin Flap LASIK. The advantage of SBK is that the procedure is less invasive than conventional LASIK. For the patient this means that the cornea is stronger and more structurally sound. This may result in greater safety and less risk of certain side effects such as dry eye.

Of course, thinner flaps require greater precision. This is best accomplished in a blade-free procedure termed IntraLase. Patients who choose to have Sub-Bowman's Keratomileusis will actually go under two different lasers: the IntraLase laser to make the flap and an excimer laser that will reshape the underlying surface to correct vision.

The use of the IntraLase laser is crucial to the success of thin flap LASIK. The IntraLase laser creates a flap by generating a layer of tightly spaced bubbles under the surface of the cornea. The use of the laser to make a flap is the safest and most predictable way to perform thin flap LASIK. After studying the benefits of LASIK performed with a laser flap, NASA has approved IntraLase LASIK with wavefront-guided correction for astronauts.

To learn more about how Dr. Dornic can help you improve your vision through less-invasive, advanced LASIK techniques, contact the Laser Eye Center of Carolina for a free consultation.

Media Contact:    

Becca Glover

3 Dog Agency

O: 202-250-3647

C: 703-626-6028

www.3dogagency.com

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Contact Information Becca Glover

3 Dog Agency

http://www.3dogagency.com

202-250-3647