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Exactly what to do to sell more plano sunwear
By Mark Hinton,
President and CEO of eYeFacilitate
July 23, 2025
I’d guess most optometric practices don’t actually track how many pairs of plano sunwear they’re selling each week or month. It’s surprisingly common for doctors to watch a pinguecula but skip discussing sunglasses altogether.
Yet, by not tracking and not talking about it, we’re leaving both patient protection and office revenue on the table.
Are Plano Sunwear Sales an Untapped Goldmine?
Most offices simply “offer” plano sunglasses, but that means passively waiting for patients to pick them up on their own.
Take Ideal Optics Suntrends sunwear, for example. You can buy them for around $20 and retail them for $119 and sell them for $59.50. Do not Rx them.
These are entry level, very good quality sunglasses, perfect when patients don’t want to spend for your premium sunglasses.
That doesn’t even scratch the surface for premium brands like Maui Jim, Kaenan, Costa or my favorite, Bajio. When sunglass sales are intentional, not passive, they become a meaningful revenue generator.
Timing Is Everything: When to Start the Conversation
At my practice, the pre-test technician asks every emmetrope and every contact lens wearer what brand of sunglass they use now. That information gets passed to the doctor before the exam even starts. It sets the stage for a natural, doctor-driven discussion about sun protection and eyewear.
Where to Display Your Sunwear for Maximum Effect
If patients walk through your front door and can’t miss the sunwear, you’re already on the right track.
We keep all our plano sunglasses together in one place—except for branded models, which sit alongside their matching ophthalmic frames. A devoted, high-traffic display works best.
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Make Sunwear the Star in Your Optical Shop’s Window
Foot traffic counts and curiosity sells. Putting plano sunwear in your shop window draws attention and can bring in new patients who might not otherwise consider you for non-prescription eyewear.
Promotions That Work—And Why We Don’t Focus on Price
We run promotions—20 percent off, for example, or $50 off plano for contact lens wearers—but our messaging never fixates on price.
Instead, we keep it doctor-driven, centered on patient health. The result? The patient feels cared for rather than sold to.
Doctor and Optician: A Coordinated Sunwear Message
We use a simple exam-to-optical checklist.
If the doctor checks “plano sun” in the exam, our optical experts already know the patient confirmed its importance. Their script is: “In your exam, you determined sunglasses are important, so let’s choose your favorites.”
If price is a concern, we show entry-level options, but also premium models. Thirty-seven percent of U.S. adults said they would not be able to cover a $400 emergency expense using cash, savings or a credit card paid off at the next statement, according to the 2023 Federal Reserve’s Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households.1
For that reason, offering a six-month payment plans also makes premium sunwear more accessible and desirable.
Handling the “I’ll Shop Around” Objection
When a patient says they’ll shop elsewhere, the doctor explains the risk. Counterfeit sunglasses are common, often with misleading labeling on UV protection. The doctor shows the patient images of pinguecula and pterygium to reinforce why trusted sunwear matters—if you care about your eyes, you can’t risk getting the wrong protection.
How Many Sunwear Brands? Go Deep, Not Wide
Don’t just dabble. Choose two brands, commit and stock deep. Patients need to see you believe in the category and have real options. This is especially crucial for contact lens patients, who are already more exposed to dry eye risk.
Year-Round Marketing: Tailoring Your Message for the Season
There’s no one-color-fits-all sunglass for every sport or season. On bright days, gray lenses work best. Overcast days call for brown or high-contrast lenses.
For patients with emerging cataracts or AMD, brown “suncloud” lenses can help with contrast as vision changes. Our office regularly changes displays and point-of-sale messaging to match the outdoor season and patient needs.
The Clinic Flow: Plan, Prescribe and Follow Through
Every step counts—from the tech’s open-ended questions to the doctor’s clinical prescription to the optician’s follow-through. We don’t hope for a “yes”—we prescribe the best protection and make following through easy for patients.
Plano sunwear sales might be one of the easiest ways to add revenue and improve patient care if you shift from passive to proactive.
If you’re not already tracking your numbers, now is the time to start—then set a goal to double what you find. Your patients’ eyes and your bottom line will thank you.
References
1. 2023 Federal Reserve’s Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households
Read another article by Mark Hinton
Mark Hinton is Chief Executive Officer and President of eYeFacilitate, an advisory firm based in Bristol, Va. To contact him: mark@eyefacilitate.com
