CLINICAL

  contact lenses

Your CL Policies

How to get your patients to understand the value of your services

JASON R. MILLER, O.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.O.

Perception is everything, as evidenced by the recent pop culture phenomenon known as “Dressgate 2015.” Whether you saw the dress as blue and black or white and gold was dependent upon a variety of factors, such as the device on which you viewed the image, the lighting and, most importantly, how your brain perceives color.

The same can be said for how patients perceive the service they receive when they arrive for a contact lens exam. Though you know the service and care you provide is essential, many patients view it as unnecessary or as a waste of time and/or money.

Here are few common negative perceptions and how you, as their eyecare provider, can change them.

1 “My current contact lenses work just fine; I don’t need another fitting.”

Some patients may not understand the need to have their contact lenses evaluated regularly and the potential medical issues surrounding contact lenses, such as corneal ulcers, infiltrative keratitis and neovascularization. Explaining the importance of a thorough contact lens evaluation and ocular health analysis at prescribed intervals drives success and ensures that your contact lens patients are fit with the proper contact lens to maintain their visual health. For high-risk contact lens wearers, that interval may be every six months, where traditional wearers are every year. Whatever the time frame you deem appropriate, this visit also provides an opportunity to discuss any new technology available in their prescription.

Additionally, communicating the value of regular fittings is even more critical for patients who require specialty contact lenses. Achieving the correct prescription can be difficult, especially for these patients, so be sure to let them know ahead of time that they may require multiple visits in order to achieve the proper fit. For example, multifocal contact lens wearers need to know what to expect with their lenses or their overall satisfaction may be lower than they imagined.

2 “I can fill my contact lens prescription anywhere.”

Most patients have many options when it comes to filling their prescriptions. But ordering their supply through you, their eyecare provider, is always the best option. It’s your job to give them a reason to order from you. This can be done by:

• Being competitive with pricing (without discounting your services or pricing yourself out of making a profit.)

• Making the process easy and efficient.

• Offering home shipping.

• Offering online shopping.

It may be a challenge to capture 100% of contact lens orders, but make it a focus. In my practice, I make it known that ordering contact lenses through us ensures patients receive the best service. I convey this by explaining that they have a resource to go to (me) when something is defective, their prescription changes or if they just decide at a later date that their lenses are just not working for them. That reassurance and perceived value often wins out over the lure of lower prices.

Education is key

Your contact lens policies are designed with your patients’ best interest in mind, but if they don’t understand the value of your services, they may perceive them as unnecessary and costly inconveniences. Educate your patients on the “why” of your services to help them change their view. OM

DR. MILLER IS A PARTNER AT EYECARE PROFESSIONALS OF POWELL, A MEMBER OF VISION SOURCE, IN POWELL, OHIO, AND IS AN ADJUNCT FACULTY MEMBER FOR THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY. TO COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE, VISIT TINYURL.COM/OMCOMMENT.