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Congratulations to Dr. Kevin Stratton!

NHOA is proud to recognize Dr. Kevin Stratton, who was honored as part of the 2026 New Hampshire Preceptor Recognition Awards, celebrating health professionals who give their time and expertise to educate and mentor the next generation of providers.

Dr. Stratton, an NHOA member and longtime clinical preceptor, has helped provide future optometrists with valuable real-world clinical experience while demonstrating the important role optometry plays in New Hampshire’s health care workforce.

Thank you, Dr. Stratton, for investing in the future of our profession and representing New Hampshire optometry so well in the community!

WEEKLY UPDATE

Planning is well underway, and this will be your go-to spot in Friday Focus for the latest event information and updates.

We’ll post weekly updates here for registered attendees and those still considering joining us, including schedule highlights, important deadlines, special announcements, and other details to help you plan for the weekend.

Members of the NHOA team conducted a site visit yesterday, and we’re happy to report that Wentworth by the Sea will absolutely live up to its billing as the setting for this special weekend.

We are also very pleased with the number of ODs already registered and the tremendous support we are seeing from our industry partners. The pieces are coming together for a memorable 125th Anniversary celebration.

A few important updates:

• Para Program Registration: If your staff plans to attend, please register today or next week. The easiest way is to email the NHOA with the name, email address, and cell phone number for each staff member. Please send everyone at once so your practice can take advantage of the multiple-registration discount.

• COPE Program: Final touches are being made to the COPE-approved education schedule. This is shaping up to be a very strong program!

• Schedule of Events: A complete Schedule of Events / What to Expect documented will be posted on the NHOA website next week!

REMINDER - The NHOA's Annual Meeting will take place during brunch on Sunday.

• At this time, doctors interested in registering for FRIDAY-, SATURDAY-, or SUNDAY-only should use registration links above.

• Click here to register for the Saturday night celebration only.

Help Us Celebrate 125 Years of NHOA History!

Calling all NHOA members!

As we prepare a special newsletter celebrating NHOA’s 125th anniversary, we want to hear from you and help preserve the stories, photos, and memories that have shaped our association and the profession.

Do you have something to share? Please email photos, stories, or information to Jeanne Thurber, NHOA Secretary, by September 18. And don’t worry if you miss the deadline—please keep sending items through the end of September!

We’re especially looking for:
Historic NHOA Photos

• Photos from the 2001 NHOA meetings in Bermuda and Mt. Washington
• NHOA photos from 2001 and earlier

Multigenerational Optometry Families

Was one of your parents, an aunt or uncle, a grandparent, or another other family member also an optometrist? Tell us about your family’s optometry legacy, including where and when each of you practiced and your optometry school and graduation year. Family photos are especially welcome!

Longstanding Practices

Is your practice 25 years old or more? Share its history—including the practice name, original and subsequent owners, important dates, and any photos you may have.

How Optometry Has Changed

For our senior members: How has optometry changed since you graduated? Share your perspective and memories of the profession over the years.

Your NHOA Memories

Do you have a favorite NHOA meeting, colleague, event, accomplishment, or special memory? We’d love to hear it!

Help us celebrate 125 years of NHOA by sharing a piece of its history. Your photos, stories, and memories can help bring our past to life for the next generation of New Hampshire optometrists.

Please send your contributions to Jeanne Thurber, NHOA Secretary, by September 18—or continue forwarding items through the end of September.

Thank you for helping us make this 125th anniversary celebration special!

Jeanne Thurber

NHOA Secretary

ThurberFamily@comcast.net

603-860-4647

A QUICK CYBERSECURITY REMINDER

Phishing and scam attempts increasingly target health care providers, professional associations, nonprofits, youth organizations, and other trusted community groups.

With the growing use of AI, fraudulent emails, texts, invoices, and requests for payment or information can look and sound increasingly legitimate. The data used to do so is often publicly available data.

Please remain vigilant. Pause before clicking links, opening unexpected attachments, sending sensitive information, or responding to unusual payment requests, even when the message appears to come from someone you know.

When something feels unusual, verify the request through a separate, trusted method of communication. A quick phone call or fresh email can prevent a costly mistake.

Stay alert. Verify first. Protect yourself, your practice, and your patients.

Employee Retention Begins with Hiring – Identifying OD Candidates Who Will Stay Long-Term

Hiring a new OD is one of the most significant investments a practice owner can make. Bringing a new OD into the practice impacts staff dynamics, patient care, and practice growth. Finding someone who will stick with the practice for the long haul is key to the stability of the practice, and employee retention begins before the candidate has even signed the offer. Here are some tips to identify ODs who are likely to thrive in your practice long-term.

Assess Culture Fit – Every practice has a unique workflow, patient demographic, and team dynamic. A candidate who is a spectacular doctor but not a great culture fit may cause friction within the practice or end up pursuing other opportunities. During interviews, discuss:

• What does their ideal patient load and appointment flow look like?
• What are their experiences collaborating with staff and handling complex cases or difficult patients?
• How would they respond to high-volume days or urgent patient needs?

Discuss Career Goals – Candidates whose goals align with the goals of your practice are far more likely to commit for the long term. Further, taking the time to learn about their career goals demonstrates that you are invested in their success, as well. Ask OD candidates:

• How do they plan to build their patient base?
• What specialty training, if any, would they like to pursue?
• Do they have any interest in receiving mentorship or acting as a mentor themselves?
• What are their motivations for practicing optometry long-term?

Determine Adaptability and Problem-Solving – Optometric practices are fast-paced and optometry is an ever-evolving field. Candidates who embrace change and demonstrate problem-solving skills are more likely to navigate challenges successfully and remain engaged within the practice. Consider asking:

• How does the candidate stay current with new optometric technologies or changes in clinical best practices?
• Has the candidate ever identified an inefficiency in their workflow? If so, what steps were taken to improve?
• How would they adapt to a major change in practice operations, like a new EHR or scheduling system?

Read Between the Lines of the Resume – A candidate’s career trajectory can demonstrate as much about their future commitment as their clinical abilities. Focus on the bigger picture by assessing:



• Consistency in prior roles – Did the OD build a patient base and facilitate those relationships over multiple years?
• Professional growth – Does the candidate demonstrate ambition by pursuing continuing education, developing a specialty, or taking on leadership roles?
• Stability – Frequent short-term roles may indicate a need for a deeper conversation surrounding career goals and expectations.

Hiring the right optometrist isn’t just about filling a role, it’s about investing in someone who will grow with your practice, strengthen patient relationships, and contribute to the practice’s long-term success. Practices that hire thoughtfully save time, resources, and stress, while building a loyal, high-performing team.

Learn more about how AOA members can take advantage of the AOAExcel Career Center to implement retention-centered hiring strategies. 

SILVER SPONSOR

Nikon Optical Introduces Z Series Progressive Lenses to VSP Portfolio

Nikon Optical US has announced the introduction of its new Z Series Progressive Lenses to the VSP™ Portfolio, beginning September 16, 2026.

Building on more than 100 years of expertise in precision optics, Nikon has adapted its proprietary camera-lens contrast evaluation methodology to progressive lens design. The new Z Series is designed to optimize the visual field within the progression corridor, with the goal of providing wearers with a more natural, comfortable, and seamless visual experience—particularly at near and intermediate distances.

The Z Series portfolio includes:

• Nikon SeeMax™ Ultimate Z – N Category
• Nikon Presio Power Z – O Category
• Nikon Presio Balance Z – F Category

The premium SeeMax Ultimate Z also features Personalized Contrast Perception. Using measurements available through Nikon Apps*, the progression zone can be personalized to enhance contrast performance while reducing lens aberrations.

For additional information about the new technology, Nikon Apps, or ordering Z Series Progressive Lenses through VSP™, members are encouraged to contact their Nikon Optical US Territory Manager.

Silka Medina

Business Development Partner

Nikon Optical US Inc

860-282-0082 - silka.medina@nikonlenswear.com

We’re building a great 4-hour Game Day CE program for Sunday, November 8 for those looking to have a productive day before settling in for the NFL action!

We’re excited to welcome Dr. Andrew Rixon, OD, FAAO, Diplomate (Glaucoma) as our featured speaker and our CE Committee has finalized the topics. The full lineup is below.

GAME PLAN:

• Done well before the 1:00 p.m. games!
• ZOOM Platform Credentials will be emailed on Friday and will be resent one hour prior to the start of GameDay CE.
• 4 hours COPE accreditation CE - pending

About Our Speaker - Dr. Andrew Rixon OD, FAAO, Diplomate (Glaucoma) - Originally from Hartford, CT, Dr. Rixon received his Doctor of Optometry degree from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. He completed a postgraduate residency in Family Practice at West Tennessee Eye. Dr. Rixon is currently an attending optometrist at the Memphis VAMC, as well as consulting faculty at SCO. Dr. Rixon is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, an AAO diplomate in Glaucoma, member of the Optometric Glaucoma Society, on the executive committee of the AAO Glaucoma Section, frequent lecturer, author of many posters and articles, peer reviewer for multiple optometric journals and on the editorial boards of Clinical & Refractive Optometry, Canadian Journal of Optometry and Clinical Insight in Eyecare. 

WHAT TO EXPECT:

KICKOFF - 8:00 a.m. - Time Certain

Optic Nerve and Retinal Rounds: From Nerve-Racking to Nuanced - This course will discuss a wide variety of optic nerve and retinal conditions, specifically reinforcing the necessity of multimodal imaging in the diagnostic process. A multitude of cases will be presented in order to highlight how these imaging principles benefit the practitioner in streamlining diagnosis. (Rixon, XXXXX-TD, 2 hours)

"HALF-TIME" - State Affiliate Reports

Glaucoma: A technology guided, doctor driven and patient centered approach - The management of patients with various forms of glaucoma has been greatly enhanced by the emergence of various technologies. However, the interpretation of that technology still requires diligence on the part of the clinician. Multiple technologies and an honest depiction of their limitations will be discussed, with an emphasis on diagnosis and longitudinal management employing holistic patient care. Rixon, XXXXX-GL, 2 hours)

POST - GAME 

New from AOA: Billing & Coding Help Desk

We’re very excited to share a new AOA member resource launched this week: the AOA Billing & Coding Help Desk™.

The Help Desk gives doctors of optometry a streamlined way to access trusted guidance on coding, reimbursement, billing questions, and related practice issues.

Members can submit questions and receive support from AOA volunteers and the Help Desk team, with an expected response time of approximately 3 to 4 business days.

For practices trying to navigate increasingly complicated coding and reimbursement requirements, having a reliable place to turn can save time, reduce uncertainty, and help support more accurate billing.

This is another tangible example of AOA membership at work, providing practical resources designed specifically for optometric practices.

Have a billing or coding question? Explore the AOA Billing & Coding Help Desk and put this new member benefit to work.

AOA Member Benefit: Patient & Community Education Downloads Library

AOA members now have free access to a library of professionally designed patient and community education materials — previously sold individually. The library includes:

• Patient education materials — infographics, flyers, and handouts covering common eye conditions and patient concerns
• Interactive activity sheets and books — great for pediatric care, school visits, and health fairs
• Community outreach content — ready-to-use social media posts, presentations, press releases, and campaign materials

Topics range from children's vision, diabetes, glaucoma, and digital eyestrain to timely subjects like GLP-1s and the solar eclipse — with new resources added regularly.

Also available:

• A 2026 Calendar of Eye and Vision Observances to help plan outreach around key awareness dates
• A monthly social media calendar with ready-made posts and images, updated each month

Questions about public education and campaign materials can be directed to Yakesha Cooper, AOA's associate director of public relations, at ycooper@aoa.org.

NHOA is pleased to announce the relaunch of the Friday Focus Archive, giving members a convenient, one-stop resource to revisit previous editions.

We appreciate everyone’s patience while we worked through the best and most efficient way to organize and maintain the archive. The goal was not simply to post old newsletters, but to create a resource members could actually use.

The newly refreshed archive features a searchable page with quick, convenient links to previous Friday Focus editions, making it easier to find an announcement, advocacy update, event information or other item you may remember seeing along the way. The intent is to update the archives at the end of each month (at minimum).

Missed a Friday Focus? Looking for something from a previous edition? Start with the FF Archive!

ABOUT THE NHOA: The Mission of the New Hampshire Optometric Association is to advance and protect the practice of Optometry to ensure the health and vision of the public.

The New Hampshire Optometric Association (NHOA) is the professional association representing the vast majority of New Hampshire’s practicing Doctors of Optometry. We have served our members and the citizens of NH since founded over 110 years ago. We are affiliated with the American Optometric Association.

Friday Focus is a weekly email newsletter dedicated to communicating important Association- and member-related news, industry updates and matters relating to practicing optometry in New Hampshire. It is a members-only weekly communication.

Member submissions for publication in Friday Focus are welcomed and appreciated. Kindly email us.