This article was originally published in a sponsored newsletter.
As an optometrist, my commitment to patient care extends beyond treating vision problems as they arise. I firmly believe that prevention is the cornerstone of maintaining optimal eye health. By educating my patients and offering them services and products that support preventive care, I can help them achieve and maintain healthy vision throughout their lives. This approach has aligned me with a patient base that shares my values. My patients are active participants in treatment plans and products that support this long-term strategy.
General Eye Health and Vision Education
Educating every patient at each visit is a critical component of my preventive care approach. I make time to discuss the importance of regular eye care, emphasizing that these exams are not just for updating prescriptions, but also for early detection of eye conditions that could have negative outcomes on their day-to-day comfort and visual performance, or lead to vision loss, if we don’t address them. By identifying glaucoma, cataracts, dry eye, discomfort, and other issues early, we can implement treatment plans that prevent progression, preserve vision, and enhance daily visual comfort.
“Of course,” you say, “I do this too.” But I take it to the next level with the following areas.
Prevention and Management of Dry Eye
Dry eye is a common issue that can significantly impact quality of life. I educate my patients about the importance of maintaining a healthy ocular surface and recommend a variety of preventive measures. Most importantly, I screen for gland function and ocular surface abnormalities, regardless of patient-reported issues. Beginning the conversation before symptoms arise gives patients the opportunity to be proactive. If they do have issues later, they’re already familiar with the conversation, so their trust in my knowledge and recommendations is established and getting their buy-in is often much more successful.
Enhancing Performance with Specialized Glasses
It sometimes seems glamorous to buy the next shiny medical device that will diagnose, manage and treat our patients’ issues (trust me, I have several!). However, we cannot forget the impact of the optical portion of eye care. Prescription lenses for glasses are medical solutions, and with today’s design and technology options for advanced alignment and digital measurements that can accomplish the greatest accuracy, we have all the tools we need to find the right prescription for each patient. Post-COVID, my conversations with patients about better quality eyewear have increased. Due to remote work, vision issues often became problematic to the point of annoyance, even when they could see throughout the day. Patients don’t know what they don’t know, and that’s an opportunity for us to present options that enhance their daily quality of life with clarity and comfort.
Lifestyle Recommendations
Many of the issues I see when my patients present in my chair are a manifestation of lifestyle. I’m not an expert in nutrition, but I know enough to be able to counsel them about diet and habits. Because of the focus on prevention, my clinic has established referral relationships with several clinics and doctors, both traditional and functional/holistic, with whom we create synergistic outcomes to improve our patients’ ocular and systemic health. In return, we get many referrals from those clinics, further strengthening our preventive care approach and bottom line.
Conclusion
Preventive eye care is about more than just treating problems as they arise. It's about empowering patients with the knowledge and tools they need to protect their vision. Through regular eye exams, patient education and personalized recommendations for products and lifestyle changes, we can work together to ensure lifelong eye health. My goal is to help my patients understand that taking proactive steps today can lead to better vision and quality of life tomorrow.
Is it always easy? No, it takes consistent grit and dedication. But, ultimately, what’s good for our patients is good for the long-term success of our practices.
