Dr. Noh in one of her exam rooms. Dr. Noh successfully transitioned from primary care optometry to specialized care with a dry eye-focused practice.
Transitioning to a dry eye-only optometry practice
By Ada Noh, OD
Oct. 16, 2024
After seven years of primary care optometry, I felt frustrated and unhappy. I spent so much time to become an optometrist, only to despise the daily grind.
I made a bold decision to open a dry eye-only practice. There would be no refractions, phoropters or optical.
The only service provided would be dry eye-based. The departure from primary care optometry practice to a specialty-only practice was one of the hardest and scariest, yet best, decisions I made in my career.
It comes with ups and downs.
Two years into practice, here is what I learned about making a success of a new specialty care optometry practice.
Be Mindful of Expenses: Spend Money Strategically
Everyone wants a brand new, beautiful office bursting with the newest technology. Unfortunately, this comes with costs that should be considered.
I carefully reviewed “must-haves” versus “nice-to-haves.”
Other Articles to Explore
I prioritized investing in technology instead of trying to create the perfect office space. I was able to find a 1,000 sq. ft. office space that was previously used as a doctor’s office. The walls and plumbing were already in place.
I was able to rent the space “as-is” and make minor cosmetic upgrades. This made my build-out cost essentially nothing. This is a stark contrast to other optometry business owners who start with a $500,000 build-out loan.
That being said, I did invest in technology, which I believe was a wise choice. The space is more than sufficient in its current state.
Interestingly, patients comment daily on how nice of an office it is. As the lease comes to an end, and with more capital now, I will carefully consider renovating, moving, or continuing to keep rental/build-out costs low.
Build a Strong Referral Network
Being a specialty-only practice (dry eye in my case) takes putting yourself out there. The needed patient care and experience is straightforward, but the work required to build trusting referral relationships can take multiple encounters and requires patience.
In the early days of my practice, I searched for eyecare providers in a 45-minute radius. I went, boots on the ground, to these offices to introduce my office, services and myself.
I then expanded my targets to include estheticians, OBGYNs, med spas and primary care doctors. I went to multiple networking events every week. Being present to the doctors in these settings significantly increased my exposure in the community.
Give it Time
The first several months of practice, I had same-day appointment availability. Some weeks left me disheartened with sparse appointment schedules.
Looking back, the slower appointment times gave me the ability to spend significant time with each patient and build strong doctor-patient relationships.
These days, I’m booked six weeks out.
I encourage you to explore optometry in ways that work best for you, even if it may be a modality that you weren’t taught in school.
With a little grit and perseverance, I was able to build a lucrative practice in 18 months.
Ada Noh, OD, is the owner of Noh Eyes, a dry eye specialty practice in Little Rock, Ark. To connect with Dr. Noh on Instagram: @noh_eyes. To contact her: dr.adanoh@gmail.com
