The theme of the doctor/patient relationship echoes throughout the pages of this, the annual contact lens (CL) issue of Optometric Management. One effective way to strengthen this relationship, as several articles in this issue emphasize, is to initiate a conversation with the patient that ultimately reveals solutions for the patient’s unique combination of health, vision, and lifestyle needs. The combination of patient relationships, your clinical expertise, and the array of CL options available can help create opportunities for the CL segment of your practice — a great way to kick off 2022.

BUILDING A REWARDING PRACTICE

In this issue of OM, our contributors discuss a number of ideas to help you develop a rewarding CL practice, including:

• Practice building. In “Build a Contact Lens Practice” (p.16), Dr. Susan Resnick lists seven action steps for creating a contact lens strategy, from mining your patient base to networking with providers. Business issues are also discussed in Dr. Jessilin Quint’s “Optical” column, and “Coding Strategies."
• Orthokeratology. “It’s a great time to start fitting ortho-k,” writes Dr. Dwight Barnes in “Get Started in Orthokeratology." Dr. Barnes provides a practical beginner’s guide to ortho-k.
• Dropouts. Dr. Melanie Dombrowski has found that by offering solutions to common complaints about CL wear, such as discomfort and vision issues, practices can decrease dropout dramatically. Dr. Dombrowski explains this approach in “Prevent Contact Lens Dropout." Additionally, Dr. Cecelia Koetting’s “Dry Eye” column discusses solutions to dropout when Demodex is the culprit.
• Multifocal CLs. In “Ease Into the Presbyopia Conversation," four optometrists — Drs. Christopher Wolfe, Jessilin Quint, Kriti Bhagat, and Walter O. Whitley — offer advice on when and how to initiate the presbyopia conversation, which can go a long way toward establishing satisfaction with multifocal CLs and other treatments.
• Patient insights. In “How Has COVID-19 Affected Your Patients?” Drs. Christopher W. Lievens and Pamela A. Lowe present findings from a recent survey, commissioned by the Contact Lens Institute, which “reveal myriad implications and actions to deepen patient relationships and drive clinical and business success.” OM