spectacle lens focus

For Profitability and Patient Satisfaction

Two lens lines offer benefits to both the practice and “problem” patients.

SAMUEL SINGLETON, O.D.

In 2008, I was so frustrated with fitting some of my patients in progressive lenses, I considered limiting my practice to healthy 23-year-old low myopes. It would be boring, but my profits were being seriously jeopardized. Sixty percent of my patients were either presbyopes or high prescriptions. With non-adapts or remakes, my profit margin had reduced to 0% on some of these patients. Often, I felt my only options were to not service them or deny them the features they needed in their lenses. I credit Optimus High Definition Optics with solving this dilemma.

The problem solvers

My introduction to Optimus lenses was their UltraClear&Lite single vision finished lenses. I stock 1.49, 1.59 and 1.67. I found my average single vision patient prescriptions were all easily handled from a standard stock of these high-tech oleophobic AR lenses, which I inventoried at a low cost. The lenses allowed me the double whammy of immediate delivery and cost savings. Patient referrals increased.

Briot USA offers a starter package of the Optimus lenses with its state-of-the-art edging equipment.

The UltraClear&Lite line is an ultra-slick, no smudge, no fog oleophobic lens. Its clear, non-slip coating ensures no losses due to lenses slipping off axis. This coating washes off after edging.

Using the lenses, my remake rate dropped to 3% regardless of prescription, and I had the satisfaction of knowing I was providing lenses with outstanding features. Briot USA (www.briot-usa.com) offers a starter package of these lenses — a natural companion for their state-of-the-art edging equipment.

Next, I added Optimus Intuition FreeForm progressive and single-vision lenses. They are optimized using a simulation of the human visual system and the realities of how the eyewear fits your specific patient. This allows for precise calculation of the wavefront refraction through the lens to calculate the virtually distortion-free retinal image. Benefits include:

► Distortion and aberrations from the face form angle or pantascopic tilt can be easily removed.
► The effects of the ocular anatomy are considered.
► Oblique axis induced astigmatism is reduced or eliminated.
► Induced aniseikonia and many other subtle factors are considered as well.

Since I started using these lenses, the difficulties I encountered with my 60% problem patients have virtually been eliminated.

I am providing lenses that generate great patient satisfaction, while simultaneously reducing my costs and raising my profit margin. I devised my profit calculator (a computerized tool you can access at www.OptimusLens.com) to see what profits I was leaving on the table. True to the profit calculator's prediction, by doing all my own edging, I have added over $100,000 to my bottom line. Edging in house is profitable — even vital in tough economic times. OM