Dr. Osvaldo Diaz’s in-office stock of Alcon contact lenses. Photo courtesy of Dr. Diaz.
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Delivering contact lens and OTC products directly to patients’ doors
By Osvaldo Diaz, OD*
Nov. 15, 2025
When I opened Seascape Eyecare Associates in Virginia Beach, Virginia, eighteen months ago, I was confronted with a persistent obstacle: an inefficient supply chain that consumed staff hours and hindered patient care.
Today, thanks to Alcon’s MARLO, my practice enjoys a web-based portal to order contact lenses, trials and select over-the-counter (OCT) eye care products**—with free shipping for Alcon contact lenses with our MARLO Basic membership, plus no order minimums. The result? Streamlined operations, convenience for my patients and orders kept in the practice.
I graduated from Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry in 2013, then I moved to Virginia, where I’ve spent 12 years serving patients in commercial and private practices. In mid-2022, I got the opportunity to buy a practice locally, and I knew it was the smart financial move for me.
As a new practice owner, I faced a fresh operational challenge: managing contact lens and eye care product logistics without eating into precious chair time or overburdening my staff.
THE PRE-MARLO BOTTLENECK
Before MARLO, every order—whether a handful of trial lenses or a year’s supply—shipped to my office. And that was just the first of many steps. My staff then had to:
- Confirm shipment accuracy
- Assign lenses to the correct patient
- Store the shipment in a dedicated area
- Call patients to schedule pickups
We had to babysit the lenses. This process often introduced week-long delays, especially when patients couldn’t return immediately. When I explored alternate vendors, I found that they didn’t offer rebates and charged shipping fees on orders smaller than a three-month supply. Why would I bother going through them? I knew I could find a better option.
MARLO’S CONSOLIDATION AND CONVENIENCE FOR PATIENTS
That’s when I started using MARLO, replacing multiple vendor portals with one interface. Now, my staff simply log into MARLO’s centralized ordering portal, select patient-specific orders from a user-friendly menu and choose delivery to the office or directly to the patient’s home—always at no shipping cost, with no minimum order size.
For patients, convenience is the primary reason they choose MARLO. According to Alcon, 99% agree they were satisfied with ordering through MARLO, and 91% of patients agree they would order their contact lenses from their doctor because MARLO is available 24/71.
DRIVING EFFICIENCY
When we got MARLO up and running, I invited an Alcon specialist for an on-site training session. Because the portal follows familiar e-commerce conventions, my staff mastered it in no time. It’s very intuitive—once you order a few lenses, you’ll get the hang of it. And now I no longer have to rely on my rep because I can order what I want and when I want it with MARLO.
Since implementing MARLO, my team and I have reclaimed hours formerly spent on inventory management and patient callbacks. Financially, the practice benefits from cross-selling OTC products and earning consistent rebates.
My patients are seeing the benefits of MARLO too: Alcon found that 87% of patients agree they are more likely to order their contact lenses from their doctor because of MARLO1. Since implementing MARLO, my team and I have reclaimed hours formerly spent on inventory management and patient callbacks. The practice also benefits with added revenue opportunities by offering OTC products** and earning consistent rebates.
STAY CONNECTED TO PATIENTS
MARLO reinforces the doctor-patient relationship. When patients purchase directly through Seascape Eyecare Associates, they remain within my trusted care ecosystem. And by restoring the convenience and loyalty, my practice strengthens its clinical recommendations for patients. Alcon’s MARLO transforms contact lens and eye care product fulfillment from a cumbersome chore into a practice differentiator. By consolidating orders, enabling direct-to-patient delivery and automated reminders, MARLO helps optometry practices deliver exceptional care and modernize your practice. Practices still juggling multiple vendors and manual processes owe it to themselves and their patients to explore MARLO.
*Paid Alcon Consultant
**Alcon over-the-counter eye care products available with a basic membership. Subject to a $1.00 transaction fee per order. Included with MARLO Pro or ProPlus membership.
References
- Alcon Data on File, 2024.
Read more on contact lenses from ROB here.
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Osvaldo Diaz, OD, is the owner of and lead optometrist at Seascape Eyecare Associates in Virginia Beach, Virginia. To contact him: info@seaeyedoc.com |
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