New This Week
Meeting Patient Needs: Specialized Frame Sizes
Brian Chou, OD, FAAO, of EyeLux Optometry in San Diego, stocks a wide and dynamic range of eyewear that sets his practice apart from the competition. One point of differentiation is that the dispensary features–and his staff is trained to present–collections of frames that suit particular face size and anatomies. He has wider frames for people with large PDs, and he has a collection of adult eyewear for people with small PDs and petite faces–so that these adults need not shop in the kids’ section, as is the case elsewhere. >>READ MORE>>Finances
Getting There: Planning a Successful Optometric Career
By Robert Schultz Success in practice has many definitions. Do you know what it means to you? This is the first in a series of articles that show how to plan for long-term practice success, and how to implement a value-building strategy to ensure that you “get there” in retirement. Includes download: “Optometric Wealth-Building Timeline.”>>READ MORE>>
Marketing
Media Training: Communicate Effectively with Local TV, Radio, Print & Online Media
By D
ale Buettner, OD, Media training equips you to effectively communicate on local TV, radio, print and online media—and to become a regular contributor on health-related stories. Looking confident and authoritative on air or in print is a great way to market your practice in your community.
>>READ MORE>>
Software Solutions
Business Analysis Tools Equip You to Make Informed Decisions About Your Practice
By Joel Kestenbaum, OD, Business analysis tools elevate you to being a data analyzer of your practice–not just a data gatherer. Combine several business tools to make highly informed business decisions.>>READ MORE>>
ADVERTORIAL
Contact Lens Dryness: Patients Aren’t the Only Ones Who Are Suffering. How the Unspoken Issue is Affecting Patients–and Your Practice
More than 50 percent of current contact lens wearers report experiencing feelings of 
dryness, even though they may not tell their optometrists about it. So, how can optometrists get patients to recognize and discuss contact lens dryness? And, how will that impact their practice?
If patients say their lenses are “fine,” chances are they’re not fully satisfied with their lenses–or their optometrists. Optometrists who can turn that “fine” into “great” become the heroes–setting themselves apart from the rest of their peers. >>READ MORE>>
ROB Fast Fact
What is the Best Way to Define Issues Related to Digital Media Use?
Computer vision syndrome is not the way many of your patients would describe the issues they experience after use of digital media, according The Vision Council VisionWatch Digital Eye Fatigue report. Thirty-five percent of respondents preferred the term “computer eye fatigue.” Those using digital media primarily for work selected this option more frequently, as did 45-54-year-olds. It was chosen less frequently by 18-34-year-olds and those not using vision correction. Thirty-one percent said they prefer the term “computer eye strain,” with women selecting this option more frequently than men. Nineteen percent preferred the term “digital eye fatigue” or “digital eye strain.” These options were chosen more frequently by 18-34-year-olds and school-related digital users.
Click HERE to read more from Review of Optometric Business professional editors Carole Burns, OD, FCOVD, and Mark Wright, OD, FCOVD, on talking about computer vision syndrome and related eyewear in terms patients can understand.
In Brief
VSP Vision Care Expands Diabetic Eyecare Program
VSP Vision Care is expanding its Diabetic Eyecare Program to include coverage for services related to glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The managed vision care company has released a 
video to announce the upgrade. While the company has covered diabetic eye disease for patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes since the program was introduced in January 2010, a VSP spokesperson told VMail that the expansion to cover additional services went into effect July 1, 2013.
>>READ MORE>>
Transitions and National Council of Negro Women Increase Education Efforts
With recent research confirming an alarming increase in eye disease among older Americans, the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) and Transitions Optical, Inc. have amplified their efforts to educate at-risk African Americans about the importance of regular eye care. With support from the Transitions Cultural Connections program, NCNW sections across the country have been providing eye health education as part of their ongoing, strategic community outreach efforts.
>>READ MORE>>
Challenge ? Solution
Practice Challenge…
How Can I Help My Optical Staff Sell?
Mark Hinton, of eYeFaciltiate, specializes in training dispensary staff to effectively meet patient needs—and “Power Up” dispensary sales in the process. The following are four video tutorials to view with your staff to achieve a total customer focus. With each video, you can download Staff Meeting Notes and Discussion Points.
…Practice Solution
Recent Articles of Note
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By Kim Castleberry, OD, and Lorie Lippiatt, OD
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In-House Lens Fabrication: Compete Successfully with Large Optical Retailers
By Gordon G. Wong, OD -
Be Positive, and Always Thank Your Patient
An Optometric Minute video with Eric M. White, OD -
Capture Rate Booster: Train Staff to Fill Patient Prescriptions
By Stuart J. Thomas, OD, and Ellen Byrum-Goad, LDO
