Steven Bernstein at Arlington Eye Physicians in the Chicago area believes that the senior population he serves belongs in progressives rather than lined bifocals–more often than not. “The Optical Dynamics 2100 and its AR unit allow me to make patients a premium product in the progressives category and eliminate the lines that interrupt vision. A progressive is nothing more than a trifocal without lines.” He averages about 7 or so pairs a day in-house with the tabletop lens production system, which generates about $500,000 a year. Optical Dynamics offers the only technology that can cut your lab related lens and AR expense by 50% to 70% immediately.
And, he adds, “Photochromics are another recommended item for everybody that wears glasses.” His shop has added the ultraSUN sunglass photo and sunSmart brown to its lineup of product. “I love the new ultraSUN! They go 3x to 5x darker than other photochromics and any form of anti-glare enhances vision. It gives us another avenue of something new to offer and this marketplace is so competitive, we’ve got to stay ahead.” The response? “People either love ‘em or leave ‘ em, I ask every single patient to try the photochromics.” The downside, as with all photochromics, remains that behind the wheel they do not get as dark, as if you were outside, since most car windows are tinted, but the new ultraSUN does have moderate activation behind a windshield.
Bernstein says he solved the pricing differential by keeping photochromics and progressives at the same fee structure. “We offer the patient the better product at the same pricing as a progressive, and this pushes people to try it—you bet. I’ve thought about charging extra, but the same price gives the option to the patient, and our practice would like our patients to be in the best product for them.” He has determined that there is still margin, a nice markup, even with this approach.
At least once or twice a day, a patient comes in that has had a real emergency, and needs a new pair of eyeglasses now, he says. “This is where the Optical Dynamics system really holds value—we’ve got to get these patients into a new pair of glasses in the same day. I designed my lab myself and it’s like a gourmet kitchen. One whole wall is the Optical Dynamics product line.” The entire process allows Optical Dynamics in-house lens production setups to make a complete pair of lenses in as little as 25 minutes. AR lenses in a little over an hour.
Posted on 04/29/2014 at 12:00 AM
