Progressive lenses are becoming more popular, but are still not the dominant form of eyewear for presbyopes, according to The Vision Council’s 2012 Progressive Lens White Paper Report. Twenty-seven percent of recent prescription lens consumer purchases were progressives with 17 percent of consumers saying that their recent progressive purchases were produced with free form technology. Sixty-four percent of eyecare professionals offer free form lenses to patients, and about 18 percent of progressives dispensed by ECPs are free form. On average, 46 percent of lenses manufactured at labs surveyed are progressives with over 55 percent of labs surveyed reporting that they have free form capabilities.
What is a winning move for the practice now that positions it for a successful future? The answer is specialty testing and specialty lenses. In the near future, patients will be able to get everything else over the internet. Specialty testing and specialty lenses will still require the patient to come into the office.
With that in mind, let’s focus today on specialty spectacle lenses. An easy way to classify spectacle lenses into categories that are easy to communicate to patients is to call them “Standardized” lenses, “Customized” lenses and “Personalized” lenses.
Standardized lenses are the typical lenses you get when you just order typical lenses from your optical laboratory.
Customized lenses involve digital technology on one or both surfaces in the manufacture, however, the technology does not take into consideration specific individual patient differences such as head movement versus eye movement when reading.
Personalized lenses involve digital free form technology in the manufacture plus take into consideration specific individual patient characteristics. Personalized lenses require additional measurements taken with manufacturer specific equipment.
Is your practice set up to deliver “Personalized” lenses to patients? If not, then that is today’s action plan. Follow these steps to make it happen in your practice.
1. Identify the spectacle laboratory that has what you consider to be the best “Personalized” lens.
2. Get any testing equipment needed for use with patients to be able to order “Personalized” lenses.
3. Get staff trained on how to use the new equipment.
4. Create a system for presenting “Personalized” lenses to patients. (Hint: Use the entire office and all staff.)
5. Implement.
6. Measure your results.
7. Make any adjustments needed to maximize your results.
