LEADING OFF

TIPS, TRENDS & NEWS YOU CAN USE

O.D.s REVEAL BRIGHT IDEAS FOR DISPENSING SUNWEAR

Sunglass sales is an area where most private practice O.D.s can make significant improvements.

Here, O.D.s explain how:

■ Involve staff. Have front desk staff tell patients to bring all current eyewear to their appointment, explains kirk Smick, of Clayton Eye Center, in Morrow, Ga.

“This way, if one or more patients don’t have sunglasses, they’ll think they should, making them more likely to buy a pair,” he explains.

■ Provide a “Welcome to the office” packet. “The packet provides brochures about sun lenses and other lens features,” explains optometrist Peter Shaw-McMinn, of Sun City Vision Clinic, in Sun City, Calif. “Patients want advice on what will help maintain good vision,” he says.

■ Focus on attributes. “Telling patients that wearing sunglasses now will protect them from cataracts in the future has value to some people, but usually that is not enough to convince them to purchase prescription sunglasses,” explains optometrist Dave Ziegler, of Ziegler Leffingwell Eyecare, in West Allis, Wisc. “The immediate benefits of sunwear, however, are fashion and comfort, and patients recognize this.”

■ Hand off the patient. Pass patients to an optician at the exam’s end, so you can review your sunwear recommendations with the patient, says Dr. Ziegler. When the optician demonstrates how polarizing lenses work, it helps confirm the importance of what has been discussed, he says.

■ Offer a free 30-day trial. “Often ECPs are reluctant to offer free trials because they think there will be a lot of returns,” Dr. Ziegler explains. “The return rate is miniscule, thanks to the endowment principle, which makes patients reluctant to give it back■”

ALDEN “NORMAN” HAFFNER ORGANIZER OF THE FAMED LAGUARDIA MEETING

Alden “Norman” Haffner, O.D., organizer of the famed 1968 “LaGuardia meeting,” which was the catalyst for optometry going from a vision care profession to a health care profession, died June 22, at age 87.

“ . . . During the second half of the 20th century, Dr. Norman Haffner was responsible for more ideas and more movements in organized optometry added education than any other single person I can think of,” commented Paul Farkas, O.D., during an ODwire.org radio segment with Dr. Haffner. “Anyone who is in education today, and optometric leaders today, stand on the shoulders of Dr. Norman Haffner.”

A 1952 graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Dr. Haffner earned his MPA and Ph.D in public administration from New York University, became the founding president of the SUNY College of Optometry, president of the Public Health Association of New York City, founding chair of New York City’s Community Family Planning Council (a health care access organization for low-income and uninsured individuals) and chair of the AAO’s Optometry Section on Public Health and Environmental Optometry. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan appointed him to the Subcommittee Medical Advisory Group in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Further, Dr. Haffner wrote almost 200 papers on health care and optometric education and received several awards, including the Henry B. Peters Memorial Award in Public Health and Environmental Vision. In 2000, he was inducted into the National Optometry Hall of Fame.■

O.D. PROVIDES TIPS FOR ACHIEVING CL ANNUAL SUPPLY SALES

Roughly 85% of optometrist Thomas P. Arnold’s monthly contact lens wearers purchase annual supplies, and almost 40% of his patients purchase annual supplies for daily disposable contact lenses. Given that roughly 20% of all contact lens wearers buy annual supplies, according to industry data, Dr. Arnold’s achievement is impressive. So, how does the Sugar Land, Texas, O.D. do it?

■ He focuses patients on his expertise. “I carefully assess the patient’s history, vision, ocular surface health, inquire about any needs, wants and concerns the patient may have and perform trial fitting to show that I not only have the skill set to determine the best lens for the patient, but that I genuinely care, too,” he explains. “This translates to patient trust which, in turn, results in less patient pushback toward annual supply sales.”

■ He “prescribes.” “From the moment the patient presents to the practice, there is no asking him or her to choose, and I never send patients home with two different brands and ask them to compare the lenses,” he explains. “I convey, from the start, ‘I’m the doctor, and I am prescribing these for you.’ I never am trying to convince the patient because my actions and wording instills confidence in them.”

■ He makes it easy for the patient. “It’s difficult for patients to push away a full plate [the prescribed contact lens boxes],” Dr. Arnold explains. “Also, if we don’t have the lens in stock, we direct ship the annual supply to the patient’s home at no charge.”

■ He allows returns. “Some doctors say, ‘but that’s a waste of $20 to $30!’ My answer to this is if you do your due diligence — always selecting the best lens — this won’t add up,” Dr. Arnold explains.

“We don’t fight or argue with patients,” he adds. “The larger view is that every patient, his or her family and referrals are an annuity. Benefits accrue over time. It’s much easier (and cheaper) to keep existing patients happy than try to attract new ones■”

VICTOR J. CONNORS TPA PIONEER AND PHILANTHROPIST

Victor J. Connors, O.D., died at age 68 in early June. Dr. Connors, a native of Wonewoc, Wisc., is credited with helping to achieve prescribing rights for optometrists and launching Optometry Giving Sight in the United States.

“I had the opportunity of working with Victor for over 20 years, including 10 years at the AOA and two years on the World Council of Optometry,” says Esley E. Pittman, O.D. “I saw first hand what a ambassador for our profession he was. . . I have seen him represent our profession in many countries, including Europe, Africa, South America, China and, of course, North America, and he was always working to advance our profession for the visual well being of our patients.”

Dr. Connors graduated from the Illinois College of Optometry in 1971 and opened a private practice in Middleton, Wisc., that same year. In 1987, he became president of the Wisconsin Optometric Association (WOA) and in 1990, received the WOA Optometrist of the Year Award. In 1997, Dr. Connors became a member of the AOA’s Board of Trustees and was elected AOA president in 2003. Between 2005 and 2010, he served as CEO of Optometry Giving Sight. In 2006, he became president of the World Council of Optometry, where he helped member organizations represent more than 250,000 optometrists. His last appointment was president of the World Optometry Foundation.

Dr. Connors is survived by his wife Ginny, children Sara, Colleen and Colin Connors (also an O.D.); children by marriage Dr. Ian Buchli, Sam Corwin and John Corwin; and grandchildren Nyla, Declan, Maeve, Zane, Annika, and William■