Dr. Corte in the contact lens area of his office. Dr. Corte says that he and his staff are proactive in addressing patients’ cost concerns.
Addressing contact lens patients’ cost concerns in optometry practices
By Ryan Corte, OD
Oct. 2, 2024
Cost is often at the forefront of my conversations with patients during the contact lens fitting process. While consistent technological innovation brings us newer and better soft contact lens options, these improvements can mean higher costs to patients.
I find that, by prioritizing my patients’ eye health and vision care needs, I can help them fairly assess the value of their contact lens options and make informed decisions.
Understanding the Patient Journey
To understand what represents a good value proposition for my patients, I need to gain a detailed understanding of their needs.
For those already using contact lenses, I want to know how happy they are with their comfort, vision and convenience. I often ask, “If you could change one thing, what would that be?”
If they are already thrilled with their lenses, with healthy eyes and good vision, I may not offer alternatives, but I will still let them know if I think better options are available.
If they are an established wearer using lenses made of an older, frequent-replacement material, I may discuss upgrading them to an “entry-level” daily disposable lens and detail the potential impact on comfort and cost.
If a patient’s lenses are not performing to their liking, I often try to shift them into a premium daily silicone hydrogel contact lens, such as those in the INFUSE (kalifilcon A, Bausch + Lomb) or DAILIES TOTAL1 (delefilcon A, Alcon) contact lens portfolios.
I let them know that, though premium lenses may come with a different price point, these lenses often offer better comfort, wetting and breathability than the older technology or entry-level options.
I encourage my patients to try out a new product and let them know they can always return to their existing lenses if they prefer.
Weighing the Cost of Sub-Optimal Lens Practices
Proper lens care is an important, but under-discussed, aspect of the contact lens cost conversation. Patients may try to minimize the cost of monthly or two-week lenses by using a generic contact lens solution, but may be unaware of important differences in the ingredients of these solutions that could potentially affect their lenses.
Another common way patients may try to extend their contact lens use is by over-wearing or even sleeping in them; I have seen patients using a monthly or two-week disposable increase their wear by an extra 1-2 weeks.
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We must help patients understand the potential consequences of improper lens hygiene. This can be a part of the overarching cost conversation.
The cost of maintaining proper lens care is quickly outweighed by the costs of an eye infection, which may require several office visits and eye drops, not to mention the potential disruptions to their routine and quality of life.
If patients using two-week or monthly lenses develop a pattern of infectious or inflammatory ocular surface issues, I believe switching them to daily disposable lenses is often the best option, as the need for adherence to cleaning routines is minimized.1 They may also experience improvements in their wearing experience, due to the improved materials and hydration available in newer daily disposable lens materials.2
Many wearers want to be able to comfortably wear their contact lenses from the moment they wake up until right before they go to bed. If my patients are using a monthly or two-week disposable lens, they may not be as comfortable toward the middle or end of the wear cycle, and even some daily disposable lenses may not have optimal comfort near the end of the day.3
If a patient comes to me complaining of discomfort, they may be open to better solutions, and this can be a good opportunity to start a discussion on the end-of day comfort you can get from a premium lens, such as INFUSE with its ProBalance Technology or OAYSYS MAX (Acuvue) with its TearStable Technology.
Strategies to Reduce Cost
If patients are dissatisfied with the cost of their lenses and begin purchasing them elsewhere, they may also stop returning to our clinic for their eye health and vision care evaluations. It is therefore critical to be mindful of how we price these products and to make sure we are doing everything possible to help our patients afford their lenses.
One great way to help patients reduce their contact lens costs is by helping them maximize rebate use.
For example, if I am changing a patient from a monthly to a daily disposable lens, I can help them offset the increased price by letting them know that the daily disposable options often have higher rebate values, whether they are considering entry-level hydrogels or premium daily-disposable options.
For instance, patients can receive up to $300 dollars back when purchasing an annual supply of Bausch + Lomb INFUSE or $200 back when purchasing an annual supply of Alcon DAILIES TOTAL1 lenses, which can represent roughly 20-40 percent of the total cost for an annual supply.
By maintaining a current understanding of different products’ costs and their associated rebates, I can be as transparent as possible with my patients throughout the entire conversation, and they can feel like I am a trusted source who knows how to best help them navigate the landscape of contact lens offerings.
In addition to using rebates, it is important to price our contact lenses in a way that encourages healthy lens wear.
In my practice, we offer a percentage discount on an annual supply; not only does this help patients financially, but by scheduling a once-a-year lens reordering, we also help our patients maintain their schedule for annual eye exams.
I also noticed that adherence to lens care and replacement often improves for my patients when they do not need to reorder their lenses as frequently.
Focusing on Patient Care
It can be challenging to discuss costs with patients, but by developing a thorough understanding of your patients’ needs, and helping them understand the true value of their lenses, you can create an environment where patients trust your guidance and will want to return to your practice.
Addressing patients’ cost concerns also can help the business of your practice.
Our practice, Northlake Eye, hovers between a 50-70 percent monthly annual supply rate (based on location) and approximately 35 percent of our net receipts are from fitting and selling contact lenses.
By prioritizing the health of your patients, you are also prioritizing the health of your practice.
References
- Tsatsos M, Athanasiadis I, MacGregor C, Sharma SK, Anderson D, Hossain P. Contact lens use advice-risks and outcomes: are patients drowning in information but starved for knowledge? Turk J Ophthalmol. 2023;53(3):136-141.
- Wan K, Mashouf J, Hall B. Comfort after refitting symptomatic habitual reusable toric lens wearers with a new daily disposable contact lens for astigmatism. Clin Ophthalmol. 2023;17:3235-3241.
- Sapkota K, Franco S, Lira M. Daily versus monthly disposable contact lens: Which is better for ocular surface physiology and comfort? Contact Lens Anterior Eye. 2018;41(3):252-257.
Ryan Corte, OD, is an optometrist and a co-owner of Northlake Eye in Asheville and Charlotte, N.C. He is a member of the American Optometric Association, North Carolina Optometric Society and Mountain District Optometric Society, where he currently serves as president. To contact him: ryan.corte1@gmail.com
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
