A patient is examined using Visionix Eye Refract. Dr. Hutchins says the technology is invaluable in boosting both accuracy in refraction and office efficiency.
Refraction technology that maintains quality while skyrocketing efficiency.
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Taylor Hutchins, OD
August 7, 2024
When you can add technology to your practice that enhances the patient experience while improving efficiency, and by extension, profitability, you do it.
Here are the details on a technology, Visionix Eye Refract, that I found is capable of doing both of those things while enabling me to provide better care of my patients.
I have been using Eye Refract for a little over two years. I currently work on a contract basis in a private practice and as the eye clinic doctor at a federal prison. I was looking for something with a small footprint that could minimize exam time by improving exam flow. I also wanted something that I could grow with as technology continues to advance.
In addition, tele-optometry compatibility was important in my decision. I do not have the luxury of patients getting a refraction and coming back for a dilated exam on another day. Providing refractive results with an already dilated patient can be frustrating at times. It is great to be able to do the refraction and then dilate and still finish within 30 minutes, max.
Think five-minute refraction, 15-minute dilation, five-minute retinal evaluation, and done. That may seem like a lot of time for some doctors and super-efficient for others. I wanted something that would allow me to see more patients efficiently and minimize wear and tear on my shoulders throughout the rest of my career.
Preserving Accuracy While Reducing Needed Time
Accuracy of refraction is something that is now consistent for me regardless. The key difference is the time it takes to get the job done correctly.
Eye Refract allows me to see 12-18 patients for full comprehensive exams (OCT/VF and refraction when necessary) comfortably by myself without any assistance, and that includes charting and prescribing with my current electronic medical record systems and referring as needed to other providers.
And that’s for a seven-hour day with a lunch break. I have been in clinic days where the schedule shows 24 patients in the morning and another 24 in the afternoon (and no, 20 of them are not post-ops). I can take a patient from start to finish of refraction in 4-6 minutes, on average, which allows me time to dilate and finish the rest of my evaluation without rushing.
It really is all about time without sacrificing quality. I can see more patients without increasing the number of glasses rechecks and remakes.
User-Friendly Technology that Makes Delegation Easy
I would trust delegation of refraction to support staff using the Eye Refract, but then use my clinical judgement on when to make adjustments prior to the final Rx being sent to the optical.
The technology is super-intuitive and easy to learn to use. I feel confident that people of all ages and tech skill levels could handle Eye Refract with minimal effort, which is important when delegating its use to staff.
You can use Eye Refract like a normal phoropter and just hit the buttons to increase plus to blur, etc., or you can just toggle between the options it comes up with and roll with it. I did both for a few weeks and looked for repeatability.
I have the good fortune of a captive patient base that has time to allow me to double-check refractions. In the end, I realized the results were within 0.25 diopter most of the time and now I only do that when I see a red flag, i.e. amblyopes where you possibly use a balance lens or a reduced Rx in one eye. You still need to use your clinical judgement to avoid remakes in those situations.
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It’s also worth noting that the Visionix VX 40 lensometer is outstanding, and effortlessly records lensometry readings and sends them to the Eye Refract with accuracy. If I could take it to every clinic I work at, I definitely would.
Enhance the Patient Experience
Technology like Eye Refract yields confidence from patients that they are being well taken care of and receiving the highest standard of care. It seems to yield less complaints about eyecare, which helps the interdisciplinary team of healthcare providers I work with to focus on complaints regarding their respective areas of expertise.
This kind of technology also sends a message to patients that your practice is forward thinking in its approach to eyecare delivery, and willing to strive to improve inefficiencies without sacrificing quality of care.
When you can improve efficiency and quality at the same time, it is a win for everyone involved.
Taylor Hutchins, OD, is an optometrist who works on a contract basis in a private practice and as the eye clinic doctor at a federal prison. He also is the director of neuro-visual performance for Eyezone Training. To contact him: eyezonetraining@gmail.com
