Freeform progressives are commanding top dollar at many optometric practices, according to The Vision Council November 2012 Eye Care Professional Report. The most expensive progressive lenses being dispensed were free form progressives which sold on average for $413.14. Free form progressives were less expensive at smaller practices. Practices with only one location sold free form progressives for an average of $402.93, while practices with more than five locations sold free forms for $436.82 on average–over $30 more per pair. Free forms were also more expensive in the Midwest region of the US than other regions ($431.60 in the Midwest vs. $382.39 in the Mountain-Pacific region.
Let’s measure to see how freeform progressive lenses are doing in your practice.
If you have an average practice, you are seeing 2,200 patients for exams with refractions per year per doctor. Approximately 60 percent are getting eyeglasses–that would be 1,320 people (eg: .6 x 2,200 = 1,320). Of the 1,320 people who get glasses, approximately 50 percent are single vision and 50 percent are multifocals. That means 660 potential pairs of freeform progressive lenses per year could be sold in your practice.
Now the numbers get interesting because they tell us how you are doing in your practice. Answer the following two questions about your practice. Your laboratory Rx Mix Analysis Report will help with the first question.
1. What percentage of your 660 potential pairs of freeform progressive lenses do you actually sell versus other lenses (eg: lined lenses, no-lined bifocals, basic progressive lenses)?
2. What is your fee for freeform progressive lenses? Compare your answer to the data collected in The Vision Council November 2012 Eye Care Professional Report.
Let’s dig a little deeper and see if the practice has a few areas where it can be improved. Answer these questions about your practice.
1. Does the doctor prescribe freeform progressive lenses in the exam room?
2. Are all of your optical staff equally effective in helping patients choose freeform progressive lenses?
3. Do you have a system for presenting freeform progressive lenses to every appropriate patient?
OK, now that we’ve measured and know more about the practice, here’s a three-step action plan for this week.
1. Have the doctor prescribe freeform progressive lenses in the exam room.
2. Create a system for presenting freeform progressive lenses to every appropriate patient. Use a best practices approach and learn from your optical staff who are most effective in helping patients choose freeform progressive lenses.
3. Review your pricing structure for freeform progressive lenses. Price lenses fairly, but don’t give away fees unnecessarily.
Go through this exercise, make these changes in your practice and you will find improvement in the care you deliver to patients in your practice.
