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Diversify Your OSD Message

Don’t forget to discuss visual outcomes with patients

JEFFRY D. GERSON, O.D., F.A.A.O.

Many of us are laser-focused on educating patients about the medical affects of ocular surface disease (OSD). For instance, if a patient presents with complaints of tearing, we discuss how this symptom is related to dry eye disease. The relationship between ocular surface health and quality of vision is just as important to discuss with patients, but this often gets forgotten.

Here, I explain why you should diversify your OSD message to include a discussion on the link between OSD and quality of vision.

Use this side-by-side image to show patients the difference in vision between a healthy ocular surface (left) and one with ocular surface disease (right).

1 It prevents frustration and cost

You are less likely to irritate patients with the need for eyewear remakes or extra contact lens fitting visits and unnecessary material and solution changes if you can obtain a refraction sans a compromised ocular surface.

If patients present for new glasses due to fluctuating vision and overall blur, and we discover OSD, an easy way to demonstrate this to patients is to have them look through the phoropter, stare and show them how quickly images become blurred. You can then explain, “I haven’t changed the lens; your eye is making the image blurry as a result of your ocular surface disease. This is why we need to address this condition first before refracting you.”

For your part, you’ll decrease the need for remakes and prevent nonrevenue-generating chair time to re-refract. The follow-up visit is a billable medical visit.

2 It creates value for patients

We are constantly trying to show our patients the importance of medical care in eye care and that we provide it. By illustrating how visual quality is dependent on ocular surface health, we reinforce this association, prompting patients to seek us out for other types of medical eye care, such as AMD and glaucoma, and tell their friends and family about the excellent care we provide.

The contingency

Make sure patients understand that correcting vision is not always a simple or quick fix. Visual performance depends on ocular health. Diversify your message to include that a better ocular surface leads to better vision. OM

DR. GERSON PRACTICES AT GRIN EYECARE IN OLATHE, KAN., A FULL-SCOPE COMBINED O.D./M.D. PRACTICE. E-MAIL HIM AT JGERSON@HOTMAIL.COM OR VISIT TINYURL.COM/OMCOMMENT TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE.