Insights From Our Editors

How Did Your Patients Begin Wearing Contact Lenses?

January 21, 2015

Many ODs neglect talking to patients about contact lenses, findings from Jobson Optical Research’s 2014 Contact Lens Insight report suggest. Some 72.5 percent of respondents say they were prescribed contacts only after going to their eye doctor and asking about contact lenses. Just 22.1 percent say their eye doctor recommended that they try contact lenses. Some 5.4 percent say they started wearing contacts by some “other” means.

Click HERE to purchase Jobson Optical Research’s 2014 Contact Lens Insight report.

“…72.5 percent of respondents say they were prescribed contacts only after going to their eye doctor and asking about contact lenses.” We are supposed to be the eyecare experts, and 72.5 percent of patients are having to ask us about treatment choices such as contact lenses? That’s terrible! Let’s take this week and fix this. Here are the five steps needed to address this problem.

Step 1: Put a question on your pre-examination history questionnaire that asks: “Are there days or times you would like to go without wearing your glasses?”

Step 2: Put messages up in your office that talk about how healthy, comfortable and convenient new contact lenses are. Put these messages on your web site and in social media, as well.

Step 3: In the exam room, the doctor needs to review with the patient the response to the “Are there days or times you would like to go without wearing your glasses” question.

Step 4: When the patient is a good candidate for contact lenses, then the doctor needs to prescribe them. Don’t wait for patients to ask, use the power of the white coat!

Step 5: Make it easy for the patient to pay. We have more options today than just cash, check, Mastercard and Visa. CareCredit is one example. PayPal is another example.

Don’t let another day go by where patients have to ask you for contact lenses because you didn’t offer them as a treatment choice. Become proactive about offering contact lenses to patients.

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