Insights From Our Editors

How Many Lower-Income Vs. Higher-Income Consumers Opt for No-Line Bifocal/Progressives?

There is a disparity between higher and lower income consumers when it comes to investment in no-line bifocal/progressive lenses, according to the June 2013 Vision Council VisionWatch Member Benefit Report. Sixty-four percent of those surveyed with household incomes of $60,000 and over annually chose to purchase no-line bifocals/progressives, while just 36 percent of those with annual household incomes under $60,000 made the same choice. By contrast, 53.7 percent of those with household incomes under $60,000 chose bifocals/trifocals compared to 46.3 percent of those with household incomes of $60,000 and over.

What are the top three reasons you or your staff give to patients to choose a PAL over a lined multifocal? Here are our reasons:

1. More natural vision–no image jump when going from distance to near and back again.

2. A more youthful image.

3. The newest and best technology.

Even with those great reasons some people still hesitate and do not want to make the move to a PAL. So what works with those people? What works is to take all the risk away. Guarantee the fit.

Your task this week is to do these three things:
1. Check your Lab Rx Analysis Report to see if your actual percentage of PALs ordered is 90 percent of all multifocal lenses.

2. Review how PALs are presented to patients in the examination room and in the optical.

3. Review how you present the spectacle lens fitting guarantee to the patient.

Your goal should always be to provide the best care to every patient who comes through your office. Increasing the number of PALs means that you are providing better technology to your patients, therefore, you are also improving the function and appearance of your patients.

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