By Mark Wright, OD, FCOVD
and Carole Burns, OD, FCOVD
March 22, 2017
Customized and personalized progressives are gaining traction in popularity, results of Jobson Optical Research’s 2017 Premium Lens MarketPulse study suggest. More than two-thirds (71 percent) of retailers said that customized or personalized progressives lenses made up a greater proportion of their total lens sales in 2016 than they had versus three years ago, and 48 percent said computer/variable focus sales had increased over the last three years, while 38 percent said that sales of standard progressives had decreased as a percentage of total lens sales over the last three years respectively.
Why do people line up around the block for the newest iPhone? Because they want the newest technology. No one goes to get a new phone and asks for one that is two or three versions back. So, it should make sense that when people are asked “What do you want from your eye doctor?” “The newest technology” is a common answer. The results from Jobson Optical Research’s 2017 Premium Lens MarketPulse study confirms that this is, indeed, what patients want.
How do we make sure this is happening in our practices?
Start with your Practice Lens Analysis Report. Every optical lab creates this report for your practice. Make sure you look at this report every month. It gives you valuable information about what patients are actually purchasing from your practice. It also tells you about your performance compared to a composite of other practices that use the same lab as you, and often it will also compare your performance to national benchmarks.
As you look at your performance, are you in the top tier of practices providing the newest technology to your patients? Here are three steps to take to get there.
STEP 1: The doctor must prescribe the newest technology in the exam room. Prescribing goes beyond suggesting, recommending and offering. Prescribing is what doctors do. Recommending is what everyone else does. Embrace the power of the white coat and prescribe the newest technology.
STEP 2: Explain, in easy-to-understand terms, how the patient will benefit from the newest technology. Your lab reps are very helpful resources to help you find the best words.
STEP 3: Make sure your optical staff is on board. One of the most painful experiences to us is when we hear a doctor prescribe in the exam room what is best for the patient to then hear the optical staff talk the patient out of it.
We all want the best for every patient we see. Let’s take this week and make sure our patients are receiving the best.
