viewpoint

Realize Your Unique Vision

The care of each patient’s vision presents challenges and opportunities.

FROM THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jim Thomas

If no two sets of eyes are the same and no two brains are the same, then it’s no stretch to conclude that no two people share the exact same vision. A teenager sees his/her first car as a machine that grants unmatched freedom, while his/her parents see a conglomeration of parts that, when running, seem to defy the laws of science.

Millions take this unique gift for granted, as evidenced by the patient who visits his optometrist only after his pair of 10-year-old glasses finally falls apart. It’s not the most logical perspective, considering that what we see, or don’t see, can profoundly impact our occupation, leisure activities and, in some cases, even our health. For example, while researchers find “winter depression” a mystery, they agree that those who suffer from the condition have one thing in common: They are sensitive to a lack of light.

Caring for others’ unique gift

The care of each patient’s unique visual system and how they use it presents challenges and opportunities, some of which we explore in this month’s issue of Optometric Management. From the youngest patients (see page 35) to those whose vision is affected by dry eye disease (page 30) and binocular vision disorders (page 65), patients benefit from the doctor’s unique vision as an investigator, interpreter and educator.

Your vision in practice

When it comes to the business of optometry, a unique vision drives each practice. This is evident from the moment you walk into an office — I can’t recall seeing two reception areas that look quite the same. Some practices invest in comfortable seating, high-definition TVs and tablet computers, refreshments, artwork, etc., while others take a more basic approach.

Your unique vision can drive your decisions on such areas as equipment purchases, décor, staffing and managed care plans. While managed care is an emotional hot button for many, our featured articles this month, beginning on page 18, offer an analytical approach to managed care plans. This objective analysis is the key to discovering how a plan will impact your individual practice.

Such analysis is essential to undertake throughout a practice because what works for one office — its doctors, staff and patients — does not automatically work for another. As an artist might say, “There is no right or wrong concerning brush strokes.” It is up to each artist to decide the approach that best achieves his/her own vision. OM