The Transitions Innovation Awards program recognizes and celebrates partners and individual optical industry professionals from Canada and the U.S. who have shown the highest level of commitment to innovating their business.
Independent eyecare professionals and practices
Optical industry professionals and educators
National and regional retailers
Optical laboratories
Managed Vision Care companies
Lens manufacturers and buying groups
2023 Transitions Healthy Sight Ambassador
This award goes to the individual who best showcases their dedication to being an influential advocate of healthy sight by embodying one or more of Transitions brand values: quality, education, service, and innovation. This can include amplifying peer-to-peer conversations, social media, patient interactions, training efforts or promotion of healthy vision in their community.
Best in Training
Presented to an organization that has shown creativity in developing or offering training and education opportunities that include dispensing photochromics. This could include integrating Transitions Optical’s education resources into staff or industry training efforts, or helping to increase participation in training events that include Transitions Optical (such as CE training seminars, education and other training offered through lab and/or lens manufacturer partners).
Please submit for one category that best applies to your business.
Canadian Retailer of the Year
Awarded to a retailer for actively supporting Transitions’ values and demonstrating a commitment to enhancing the vision of their customers and communities. The award will be presented to one Canadian retailer with 20 or more locations.
U.S. Retailer of the Year
Awarded to a retailer for actively supporting Transitions’ values and demonstrating a commitment to enhancing the vision of their customers and communities. The award will be presented to one U.S. retailer with 20 or more locations.
Eyecare Practice of the Year U.S.
The Eyecare Practice of the Year Award recognizes independent eyecare practices and retailers with less than 20 locations in the U.S. that are actively promoting healthy sight to their patients and within their local communities, and who have demonstrated excellence in supporting Transitions’ values.
Eyecare Practice of the Year Canada
The Eyecare Practice of the Year Award recognizes independent eyecare practices and retailers with less than 20 locations in Canada that are actively promoting healthy sight to their patients and within their local communities, and who have demonstrated excellence in supporting Transitions’ values.
Channel Partner of the Year
Awarded to an optical laboratory, Managed Vision Care company, lens manufacturer or buying group that are actively promoting healthy sight to their customers and within their local communities, and who have demonstrated excellence in supporting Transitions' values.
Show us your Transitions achievements in 2023! Using the evaluation areas provided below, create your entry in a PowerPoint or Word document using the templates below. Include any supporting materials, such as images and links to examples, to help tell your story.
Nominees are welcome to enter more than one category if eligible and can self-enter, or can be nominated by a lab, lens manufacturer, industry colleague or other industry organization representative. Please create a separate entry for each category that you are entering.
We are not currently accepting submissions; however, you can start creating your submission(s) by logging your efforts, today! Check back in Q4 for more updates on when submissions will be open.
Commitment and Inspiration
What prompted your dedication to Transitions’ brand values this year? What was the inspiration behind your work? Was it in response to an existing problem or was it a new objective?
Goals
What did you hope to achieve? Who were you trying to reach and how did their needs, preferences, opinions play a role?
Plan and Creativity
How did you plan to achieve your goals? What innovative approaches did you use to help you succeed? Did you use a completely new approach, a tried-and-true tactic or a mix of both? How was the Transitions brand or products included in your plans? Be sure to take pictures along the way and include them in your entry!
Impact and Results
How did things turn out? How did you evaluate your success? Did you meet - or exceed - your goals? How will you build on your success?
Nominees will be evaluated solely on the criteria listed for each Transitions Innovation Award. In evaluating nominees, Transitions will give no consideration to the volume or value of past, current, or anticipated business generated by the nominee for Transitions or any of its affiliates. Similarly, selection as a Transitions Innovation Award finalist or winner does not impose any obligation to purchase, order, arrange for, or recommend any products or services from Transitions or any of its affiliates.
For additional information and questions, please contact Transitions Customer Service at CService@Transitions.com.
Harvey & Lewis Opticians is a fourth-generation family-owned business with eight locations across Connecticut. In 2022, Harvey & Lewis Opticians decided to bring the Transitions Academy experience to their staff to share the knowledge, tools and excitement from the event into their training.
They hosted their Transitions Academy-inspired event that featured trainings on the Transitions® lens portfolio, product demonstrations, trivia and prizes. They also created and trained an employee “Transitions Team” that were charged with making sure that all their stores are trained on the full Transitions lens portfolio, are Transitions Certified Specialists, and have the tools to properly present products that can protect, preserve, and enhance their patients’ vision.
These efforts resulted in 15 total trainings being held for their eight locations throughout the year.
The Optical Retail Group is a think tank consisting of 26 opticians, optometrists, ophthalmologists, retail optical companies, optical humanitarian organizations, and individual professional ophthalmic consultants. In 2022, The Optical Retail Group engaged with Transitions through education, leveraging Transitions tools and other campaigns.
For training, members of The Optical Retail Group attended Transitions Academy, hosted training events for their members, and encouraged members to become Transitions Certified Specialists. Their members have also implemented Transitions tools like the Transitions® Virtual Mirror and the Transitions® Light Sensitivity test in their practices and on their websites. They’ve also created campaigns for showcasing Transitions lenses on social media and with in-store displays.
Their efforts resulted in over 160 Transitions Certified Specialists, and 175 training classes across the country with their members.
This esteemed group of leaders is led and owned by Donna M August and Prof. Edward C. August who have been inspiring creativity for over 40 years. “Transitions has been an inspiration and partner from the beginning.”
Sterling Optical U.S. Virgin Islands is an independently owned practice with two locations - in St. Croix and St. Thomas. They were inspired by the vibrant Transitions® lens colors they saw at Transitions Academy, and in 2022 they decided to create a campaign around the Annual St. Croix Three Kings Day Parade – Eye Healthcare (Transitions) Fusion with Culture.
During the 70th Anniversary, St. Croix Three Kings Day Parade, Sterling Optical paired Transitions lenses with elaborate costumes worn by members of the carnival troupe to showcase the products available at Sterling Optical. In addition to the event, Sterling Optical also had their team members complete the Transitions Certification Program, distributed brochures to every patient during dispensing, and featured Transitions in their advertising. The Three Kings Day Parade event was broadcast live on PBS and was covered in newspapers and on social media, resulting in thousands of impressions locally and millions globally. 3,000 Transitions lens brochures were also distributed during the event.
Sterling Optical is a socially responsible company contributing to many non-profits in the environment, specifically to those that help children and women. The highlight of the socially responsible program is their scholarship fund, created in 2002 that has awarded 223 scholarships in the excess of $500,000 over the last 21 years.
LOPTICIEN.CA is an eyecare practice with two locations in Canada owned by optician Raouf Hakim. In 2022, LOPTICIEN.CA continued their long-time collaboration with Transitions through trainings, personalized promotions, and implementation of Transitions marketing tools.
For training, LOPTICIEN.CA participated in the Transitions Certification Program and attended the Transitions Studio event. They held several promotions in 2022, including a kids package, and featured Transitions® lenses on social media and in their consumer newsletter. They also implemented several Transitions in-store displays and marketing tools, including the Lumino Bar, a wall banner, window displays, a back-lit display cube, and Transitions lens glorifiers.
The arrival of new marketing tools and a focus on employee certification helped them achieve their goals. 100% of LOPTICIEN.CA team members are Transitions Certified Specialists, and both of their offices are Transitions Certified Providers.
National Vision is the second largest optical retail company in the U.S. with over 1,300 stores in 44 states and Puerto Rico. National Vision continued their partnership with Transitions in 2022 through innovative ideas, training and education, engaging associate contests, and marketing opportunities.
One of National Vision’s training initiatives in 2022 was to offer Virtual Continuing Education on Transitions for 10,000+ associates. They also developed several in-store and online displays, including an in-store Digital Transitions Lens Center, a Feature Fixture highlighting Transitions® lenses in their 900 America’s Best locations, and an update to their website to showcase Transitions lenses.
National Vision also partnered with Transitions for a co-branded event during the PGA tournament in Atlanta.
Lunetterie New Look Eyewear was founded in 1986 and now has a network of over 400 opticians and optometrists serving 92 stores in 4 provinces. They focused on Transitions® lenses in 2022 through education and training, marketing initiatives, and promotions.
The Lunetterie New Look Eyewear team attended Transitions Academy and the Transitions Studio event in 2022, and offered their own trainings throughout the year on Transitions lens technology and light management for their team. Additionally, they leveraged Transitions marketing assets and displays to develop creative content with local influencers to launch their new Transitions lens collection which featured lenses and frames curated by their team member and Transitions Ambassador, Camelia Hammiche.
Their efforts resulted in over 430 employees trained on the Transitions lens products and light management combined, plus an increase of Transitions Certified Specialists (55% increase) and Transitions Certified Providers (46% increase) in 2022 compared to the previous year.
Camelia Hammiche is an optician and district manager for Lunetterie New Look Eyewear in Montréal, Quebec. In 2022, Camelia decided to focus on trainings and on the perception of the Transitions brand amongst her fellow employees and customers.
Camelia’s big initiative for 2022 was the launch of a collection she created with Lunetterie New Look Eyewear. The collection showcased the style aspect of Transitions® lenses by pairing Lunetterie New Look Eyewear frames with Transitions lenses curated by Camelia. To promote the campaign, in-store displays, social media content, and even new training materials were created. Camelia created short video clips to demonstrate how to use different Transitions tools and excite team members about the product. She also created a new "specific needs chart" to engage with customers and help them select the right Transitions lens product for their lifestyle and needs. Three different in-store events were also hosted by Camelia to connect with customers and her team.
Camelia’s efforts helped reach younger wearers and changed the perceptions of her team members, many of which now adopt Transitions lenses in their annual glasses.
