Right before I started writing this “Viewpoint,” I created an email on Optometric Management’s (OM) Top 10 articles for 2024. No. 1 was “Contact Lenses: Upgrading patients,” by Dr. Susan Resnick. In it, she provided four related action steps (Click here ), I was reminded of the many action steps provided in this, OM’s Annual Contact Lenses issue. Here’s a sampling:

Optimize the ocular surface
In the cover feature, “Deterring contact lens dropout,” Dr. Erin Rueff recommends proactive lubrication with artificial tears, products that are appropriate for the patient’s lens brand and modality, and proper lid hygiene for meibomian gland support, among other interventions. This is because “incompatibility between the ocular surface and a contact lens plays a primary role in a wearer’s comfort.”

Determine whether you’re the right fit
Intrigued by the many specialty contact lens options, though not sure about becoming a specialty fitter yourself? In “Should I fit specialty contact lenses?,” Dr. Denise Burns-LeGros poses five specific questions to aid in making this decision.

Offer a patient education center
In “Marketing contact lenses,” Dr. Clarke D. Newman suggests turning the waiting room into a patient education center. This means placing up-to-date, point-of-purchase materials in the waiting area, so patients will browse and inquire about contact lens wear during their appointment.

Online exclusives await
Four online exclusives are also rife with action steps. These articles are “Contact lenses: Utilizing staff influence,” by Dr. Jason E. Compton; “Creating an inventory-less contact lens practice,” by Dr. Melissa Tada; “The First steps in scleral lens prescribing,” by Dr. Brooke Messer; and “How contact lenses built our practice,” by Dr. Resnick. Could these, among the other contact lens-related articles, appear in next year’s top 10? That’s up to you. OM

If you would like to comment on this, among other issues of OM, please do so at Jennifer.Kirby@conexiant.com.