Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com April 10, 2017 • Hartford Business Journal 5 REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK Telemedicine eye-test businesses face CT opposition By now, most web-savvy individuals with less than perfect vision know they can get an eye exam and prescription from a local pro- vider, then use that prescription to purchase cheaper glasses or contact lenses online. That's been a threat to brick-and-mortar eye doctors for years. Two major retailers, Warby Parker and 1-800-CONTACTS have poached at least 59,000 potential sales from Connecticut eye doctors, according to the companies' own numbers. Now, local doctors face another challenge. The more recent advent of companies offer- ing refractive eye tests through websites or kiosks threatens another key revenue source for optometry and ophthalmology practices. Companies offering such telemedicine eye tests include Opternative, which part- ners with in-state doctors who issue the actual prescription to the patient, as well as EyeNetra, Blink and MyVisionPOD. But a bill progressing through the state legislature could throw a wrench into the at-home eye exam business model. House Bill 6012, which was approved by the Public Health Committee late last month, would forbid optometrists and ophthalmolo- gists from issuing a prescription without first performing an in-person eye exam — a service for which patients would have to pay. Proponents of the bill — mostly eye doc- tors — argue that refraction tests alone are not enough to assess eye health and that the technologies are unproven — something online retailers dispute. However, even sup- porters of the bill admit that the risk of harm from incorrect prescriptions is rare. Meanwhile, internet companies and sev- eral out-of-state eye doctors testified that telemedicine eye exams are safe and that the bill would limit innovation and could deprive low-income residents of lower-cost options. Connecticut wouldn't be the first state to restrict online ocular exams. Just last year, Indiana, Georgia, South Carolina and Oklahoma all passed laws with similar provisions. In addition, Michigan banned refraction kiosks in 2014. – Matt Pilon CT analysis: CT Inc. still offers plenty Much of the economic news about Con- necticut of late has focused on the nega- tives, but the state's own latest analysis spotlights some of its positives. The 2017 edition of the Connecticut Economic Review was produced jointly by the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), which paid for it, and the Connecticut Economic Resource Center Inc. (CERC). DECDs' ad agency Adams & Knight, too, lent a hand. According to DECD and CERC officials, whose joint aims are to promote the state and its assets, the review contains facts about the state's economy that in- and out- of-state employers and others can contrast to other states and nations in such areas as talent, location, innovation, industries, resources and quality of life. "It ultimately places Connecticut at the forefront for attracting investment and poten- tial new business growth, which is consistent with the missions of CERC and the state of Connecticut," said CERC CEO Robert Santy. Among the 2017 review's highlights about Connecticut, the state ranks: No. 1 in share of insurance employees across the U.S. No. 2 in most assets managed by state- headquartered hedge funds No. 3 in the U.S. for percentage of employees with advanced degrees No. 3 for national economic out- put per job No. 4 in the U.S. for private research and development investment per capita No. 4 in the nation for bioscience patents per capita No. 5 for quality of life in the U.S. – Gregory Seay PDS has been meeting the needs of the construction industry since 1965. Our dedicated team of design and construction professionals welcomes the challenge of serving its past and future customers on their most demanding projects. Hartford Regional Fire School | Windsor Locks, CT PDS Engineering & Construction served as General Contractor for the construction of a new maintenance facility and three-story burn building at the Hartford Regional Fire School. The facility offers up to date, safe training and serves as a coordination point for all county training activities. Project Features: - 7,000 SF maintenance facility - 5,300 SF burn building - Heavy concrete Total Project Size: 12,300 SF 107 Old Windsor Road, Bloomfield, CT 06002 (860) 242-8586 | Fax (860) 242-8587 www.pdsec.com DESIGN BUILDERS • GENERAL CONTRACTORS • CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS SPOTLIGHT ON: Health & Safety PDS ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION, INC. THINK • PLAN • BUILD Business Loans & Lines of Credit Checking & Savings Solutions • Cash Management Services Visit chelseagroton.com/growthatbusiness or call 860-448-4203 to learn how we can grow that business of yours together. 273 Hebron Avenue, Glastonbury, CT and locations throughout New London County When you have the right bank for your business, you'll never have to grow alone. BY THE NUMBERS CT's U.S. Rankings & Stats 3rd In U.S. for advanced degrees per capita 16.6% Of CT adults over the age of 25 have a master's degree 6th In the U.S. for scientists and engineering doctorates 573 Science and engineering doctorates per 100,000 workers in CT 5th In the U.S. for patents per capita 2,158 Patents issued in CT in 2015 S O U R C E : C O N N E C T I C U T E C O N O M I C R E V I E W Dr. David McCullough, a Connecticut ophthalmologist, testing out Opternative's eye test in 2015. P H O T O | H B J F I L E

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