CONTACT LENSES

  contact lens action steps

Build Your CL Practice

Focus on these four areas to achieve success

ANN REA MILLER, O.D., LIMA, OHIO

Having strategies and goals on how to grow the different parts of practice are essential for success.

Given that contact lens services make up roughly 10% of an optometrist’s practice revenue and that big box retail and online sales continue to threaten this important segment of our practices, I decided to focus on the following four areas to ensure a healthy contact lens practice.

1 Patient education

In my practice, all contact lens candidates hear “contact lenses” four times throughout the patient experience. The first time they hear about them is when they call to schedule an appointment. Specifically, my staff asks each patient whether he or she currently wears contact lenses or whether the patient is interested in contact lens wear.

Next, patients hear about contact lenses on the medical history form where the question, “Are you interested in contact lenses?” is listed.

Third, my pre-test assistant brings up contact lens wear as she talks with each patient.

Finally, I personally ask patients because I’ve found that many times patients tell the doctor something different than what they tell the staff.

By creating contact lens awareness through repetition, you plant the seed in patients’ minds that contact lens wear is something they should consider.

2 Patient convenience

As we all live busy lives, we place a lot of value on convenience. With regard to contact lenses, I have found that keeping a stock of lenses in practice has increased my yearly supply sales and has dissuaded patients from taking their prescriptions elsewhere because they appreciate the one-stop-shopping.

In addition, I make it a point to offer daily disposable contact lenses because patients love the convenience of not having to clean their lenses.

Another patient convenience factor I’ve tried to incorporate into my practice is having any new contact lens patient trained on insertion and removal on the day of his or her comprehensive exam. This usually gets patients very excited about receiving their contact lenses the same day, and it also eliminates the patient from having to return to the office multiple times.

3 Differentiating myself

I go above and beyond what patients expect, in terms of trying to help them achieve successful contact lens wear, and I show them that my prices are worth it based on the unparalleled exceptional service I provide.

Some practitioners may choose to move past the option of contact lenses for patients because they may be difficult fits, take a little extra time, etc. This is a perfect opportunity to differentiate your practice from others in the area.

The optometrist who practiced at my location prior to me had many patients fit in GP lenses. When I examine those returning patients, many tell me that they had been to other offices in the area and were told that they were not able to wear contact lenses, but were able to be fit successfully with the O.D. who had been at my location. This is what makes them return.

Also, keep in mind that ocular dryness is often a cause for contact lens dropout. Instead of accepting this as a reason patients should no longer wear their contact lenses, focus on treating the underlying dry eye first.

Properly educating my patients about their dry eye and the impact it has on wearing contact lenses has increased patient compliance to my treatment regimen and, therefore, increased patients’ success in getting back into their contact lenses — something for which they are grateful.

In terms of price, don’t set your prices to compete with big box retailers and online suppliers. Yes, some people will buy solely on price, but our job is to be educators. So, sell yourself on the unique set of services you provide to your patients when they buy their contact lenses from your practice.

Recently, the head of a local bank and I discussed some of the challenges small businesses face in competing with big box stores and online suppliers. During our discussion, he told me that the reason he buys his contact lenses from me (even though he knows my prices are higher than other vendors) is that if he gets a red eye, those other vendors can’t check his eye. If he rips a contact lens, I, not them, can get him an extra lens at no additional charge. If his prescription changes throughout the year, I, not them, can switch out unopened boxes to his new prescription.

Letting patients know about all the services that differentiate my practice has helped to decrease those who fill their prescriptions elsewhere.

4 Patient trust

Opening my own practice this year, I have been pleasantly surprised by how many of my previous patients followed me. I recently examined one of my previous patients who is a surgeon at a local hospital. I told her that I appreciated her transitioning to my new office. She said that she came to my new office because I was her doctor, she likes me, and she trusts what I tell her about her eyes.

When patients know that you care, they become loyal to you. Whether it be your recommendation on which contact lenses are best for them, compliance to proper replacement frequency, which contact lens solution to use or scheduling yearly exams, patients are much more likely to follow your recommendations when they trust you.

The crux

To accomplish the above goals, keep in mind that we want patients for life. So, provide patient education in the form of repetition, make buying contact lenses from you easy so patients buy on the day of their exam vs. walking with their prescription, be different from your competitors, and show patients that you genuinely care to garner patient trust and loyalty to your practice. OM

Dr. Miller practices at Visual Eyes in Lima, Ohio, where she specializes in primary eye care for all ages. In 2008, she received the Alcon Case Study Award for her report on Corneal Infiltrates vs. Corneal Ulcers. She is a member of the AOA and the Ohio Optometric Association. E-mail Dr. Miller at drmiller@wcoil.com, or send comments to optometricmanagement@gmail.com.