Photo courtesy of Dr. Ryan LeBlanc. Dr. LeBlanc says his retinal camera was an ideal investment for his medical eye care-focused practice. It helps facilitate diagnoses and significantly boosted profitability.
By Ryan LeBlanc, OD
May 14, 2025
As an optometric practice owner, I have learned that making strategic investments is crucial for both patient care and profitability.
Here are three significant investments I made in my practice: a retinal camera, OCT and visual field units and the investment of getting on all major medical plans.
Each of these investments played a vital role in enhancing our services and boosting our bottom line.
Investment #1: Retinal Camera
Why This Investment?
In our modality, located next to Walmart stores, we cannot sell materials like glasses or contacts, so we must find ways to maximize each exam while providing valuable services. A retinal camera checks both of these boxes. It offers a detailed look at the back of patients’ eyes, aids in diagnoses, allows us to follow pathology over time and helps financially maximize each exam.
Cost and Financing
These cameras cost around $18,000 each. I purchased them in bulk for several offices, financing them to make the final cost more manageable.
For every four cameras, my monthly payment was approximately $1,600.
Break-Even and Profit Timeline
The break-even point for this investment typically falls around one to 1.5 years, with profits starting to roll in around the two-year mark.
Enhancing Patient Care
Being able to review retinal images with patients significantly enhances their experience. For instance, showing a diabetic patient the difference between a healthy retina and their own can be a powerful motivator for them to take action regarding their health. As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”
Financial Impact
These retinal cameras generate approximately $35,000 to $40,000 in revenue annually, depending on the office’s conversion rates. The increased revenue helps cover doctors’ salaries, staff, lease and general overhead while providing a more thorough exam for patients.
Tips for Other Practice Owners
When making this purchase, I recommend getting quotes from competing brands like ZEISS and Topcon Healthcare. Make them compete for your business; you might be surprised at the deals you can negotiate!
Investment #2: OCT and Visual Field Units
Why This Investment?
We had a couple of offices where the doctors wanted to do more medical optometry. We also needed a quicker, more affordable option for our medical patients (diabetic retinopathy, AMD, glaucoma, etc.). These two offices became our “medical hubs,” allowing us to offer patients timely care without long waits for specialists.
Cost and Financing
The OCT units cost around $40,000, while the visual field headsets were about $6,000. I financed the OCT units and purchased the visual field headsets outright.
The monthly payment for the two OCTs is around $1,400.
Break-Even and Profit Timeline
Due to lower reimbursement rates on OCT testing, the break-even point is typically around 2.5 to three years, with profits expected around 3.5 to four years.
Enhancing Patient Care
In our area, retinal specialists are often booked out for one to three months and charge three to four times more than what we can offer. By having these medically oriented units, we can provide timely care and save patients from high specialist fees.
Financial Impact
These units generate an additional $20,000 in revenue annually, diversifying the types of exams we can perform and allowing us to retain patients who might otherwise seek care elsewhere.
Tips for Other Practice Owners
If you have multiple offices, consider buying in bulk to lower the cost per unit. These are significant investments, so explore every avenue for discounts.
Investment #3: Getting on All Major Medical Plans
Why This Investment?
This investment was essential because offices cannot function properly on vision plans alone. Vision plans limit what you can do and who you can see, which can stagnate growth. By being on medical plans, we expanded how we could use our equipment and saved patients money on necessary tests.
Cost and Financing
There was no direct financial cost, but the mental toll of working with various medical insurances and navigating the process was significant. This was the biggest “sweat equity” I invested in my offices.
Break-Even and Profit Timeline
The break-even point is immediate, with profits realized right away. Using a patient’s medical plan instead of their vision plan can increase reimbursements by three to four times.
Enhancing Patient Care
Having these plans allows us to provide necessary tests at a fraction of the cost, giving patients options and encouraging them to stay with our practice for their care.
Financial Impact
By turning a $50 vision plan reimbursement into a $200 medical plan reimbursement, the profitability becomes clear.
On a per-office basis, incorporating medical plans has generated an additional $50,000+ annually.
Tips for Other Practice Owners
I wish someone had told me how significant medical insurance plans are for practice profitability. This foundational move has been a game changer. Apply for all major medical plans, find a point of contact and be persistent in following up on your applications.
Conclusion: Patient Care AND Profitability Enhancers
These three investments—retinal cameras, OCT and visual field units and getting on major medical plans—transformed my practice. They not only enhance patient care but significantly boost profitability.
If you’re considering similar investments, I hope my experiences and insights help guide your decisions.
Read about more practice growth strategies here.
Ryan LeBlanc, OD, is the owner of 16 subleased offices by Walmart in North Carolina. To contact him:: ryan@seewellvisionnc.com
