When the COVID-19 crisis disrupted the vision care industry, many O.D.s had to find ways to adapt and change with the new normal.

In some cases, corporate optometry provided a safety net. What are the key, crisis-ready benefits that corporate optometry serves up to its practitioners? Here, interviewed O.D.s outline three.

CRISIS-READY BENEFIT NO. 1
» JOB SECURITY.

Many corporate optical companies have continued to grow, even in the face of the pandemic, and in many cases, corporate optometry is still hiring. Additionally, many O.D.s were paid during the shutdown and still others were not laid off.

“I have great job security,” shares Kathryn Smith-Carpenter, O.D., who works at a National Vision, Inc., vision center at Walmart in Fishkill, N.Y. “We continue to care for our patients while following CDC guidelines and taking all necessary precautions to reduce the spread of germs. During this time, practices are more conscientious about cleaning and scheduling to keep staff and patients healthy.”

Other corporate O.D.s echo this sense of security.

“[I had] a reduced but steady paycheck during the store closing,” says Neha Feipel, O.D., of Eyeglass World in Noblesville, Ind. “Staff has become more diligent at checking the schedule before taking walk-ins. Late patients are asked to reschedule. Staff screen anti-mask patients at the door, so I don’t ever have to deal with it.”

For those optometrists with a corporate optometry sublease, the SBA Paycheck Protection Program offered a route and incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on payroll, even during closures and even if staff tested positive for COVID-19.

“The pandemic and the closures were very stressful for many business owners,” says Michelle Kwon, O.D., of Walmart Vision in Pewaukee, Wisc. “When it came to overhead, it was a bit of a relief amongst the concerns that at least I didn’t have to worry about staff salary. Our corporate lease allowed the practice to lean in during the tough times—and it continues to benefit us as we recover financially after the year we have had.”

CRISIS-READY BENEFIT NO. 2
» WORKFLOW AND EFFICIENCY.

During the pandemic, corporate optometry offered a steady workflow and more time with each patient to meet their needs. When O.D.s are seeing one patient at a time, it reduces the stress of having to tend to multiple patients’ needs in a period.

In today’s challenging environment, corporate O.D.s have been able to create a workflow where one patient is being seen while another is in the dispensary, and no one is forgotten. In this situation, patients can come in for an annual exam with the confidence that they will not be interacting with other patients. In this scenario, the staff also feel safe and secure.

Jeff Filandro, O.D., a sublease owner at Walmart in Aberdeen, Md., follows “exact” scheduling and “checking in” for Covid-19. “Patients do not expect to be seen without an appointment, and are grateful when we can work them in,” says Dr. Filandro.

CRISIS-READY BENEFIT NO. 3
» PPE AND PROTOCOLS.

A corporate optical that has your back with access to safe and appropriate PPE and up-to-date safety procedures and protocols delivers a truly invaluable benefit for corporate optometrists. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the protocols that have been established have helped corporate O.D.s keep their focus keenly on patient care—and getting their practice up and running again—instead of having to worry about additional tasks.

“The main positive, in my opinion, is that they have been very consistent with their safety protocol, making it easy for me to practice during this time inside of the store,” says Dr. Kwon. “I know some optometrists are complaining that the rent is not adjusted when they are seeing fewer patients. For me, I reduced the patient flow because I want to. I feel that they are supportive in letting me see fewer patients—and not just worrying about the bottom line.” OM

DR. SAMPALIS is the founder of the Corporate Optometry group on Facebook (which now has more than 30,000 members) and corporateoptometry.com . Currently, she is owner of Sampalis Eye Care in Cranston, R.I., and has a sublease at Warby Parker in Providence, R.I.