Recently, I was streaming some cartoons with my toddler when the colorful animations were interrupted by an advertisement from an online contact lens retailer. While it wasn’t in the style of something my 3-year-old might be enticed by, it certainly caught my attention.
The ad described a contact lens ordering process that was simple and streamlined—without the perceived hassles of ordering from a doctor.
Features that would entice any consumer were highlighted:
- Free shipping
- Easy returns/exchanges
- Competitive prices
- Options to renew a prescription online
If I weren’t an eyecare provider (ECP) myself, I might have concluded that the services provided by this retailer were perhaps better than what a doctor could provide for me.
But, I know better.
Never underestimate the value of in-person fittings
I know that the purchase of a contact lens supply is the last step in a successful contact lens fitting process. It’s obviously an important step, but the steps that precede it determine if that last step will occur at all. A successful contact lens fitting involves thoughtful consideration of the patient’s unique refractive, ocular health, and lifestyle needs.
It may involve trial and error with various brands and parameters, especially for patients with more complex prescriptions (i.e., astigmats or presbyopes). If this process isn’t performed well, patients may discontinue contact lens wear or experience a complication that prevents them from ever getting to that purchasing step.
In a world where convenience is prioritized and much of our lives have become automated and can be controlled with a few computer clicks or phone taps, it can be easy for an ECP to admit defeat when trying to compete for sales with online contact lens retailers. When it comes to the contact lens fitting, prescribing, and purchasing process, however, an ECP might be surprised to learn how impactful their influence can be.
Contrary to popular belief, ECPs have incredible influence on how their patients pursue, purchase, and comply with contact lens wear. It has been reported that, compared to other factors, patients recall that their ECP played the biggest role in determining if they upgraded their current contact lenses or if they trialed contact lenses in the first place.1
Even more importantly, patients are less likely to experience contact lens-related complications when they purchase from an ECP compared to an online retailer,2,3 presumably because of their proximity to regular health checks, reminders on proper hygiene, and ability to have access to the best options for their eyes.
Steps to optimize your influence as an optometrist
Instead of claiming defeat, the eyecare community can rethink how we optimize our influence to impact our patients’ contact lens satisfaction, purchasing habits, and overall ocular health.
Read on to learn how to use your influence to better serve your contact lens wearers and your practice.
1. Focus on new wearers.
Neophyte contact lens wearers are a particularly vulnerable population for contact lens dropout. It’s been reported that up to about 50% of neophytes drop out of contact lens wear in the first month of wear and about 25% discontinue wear within the first year, with visual complaints, discomfort, and handling issues being the top reasons for drop out.4 We also know, however, that once a neophyte reaches 2 years of wear, they are unlikely to discontinue CL wear in the future.5
These statistics underscore the importance of following up with new wearers in the weeks and months following the initial fit. Ask thoughtful questions about vision quality, comfort, and wear time goals in order to determine if the lenses are meeting their expectations.
This is a great opportunity to showcase the many benefits of seeking care in your practice by allowing them to trial more than one brand, explaining the differences between the different options you present, and providing enough trial lenses to allow enough time for them to decide on a lens.
This follow-up period is a great time to trial more than one brand. This could mean allowing the patient to compare two premium daily disposables or trialing a monthly replacement and comparing it to a daily disposable. By giving the new wearer the option to test products in their everyday life, they can determine for themselves what lens brand, modality, and price point is best for them. This process re-emphasizes the value of trialing lenses at your practice. When their first contact lens prescribing experience is personalized, they will be more likely to return in subsequent years.
A recent survey of contact lens wearers reported that new wearers cite the role of doctors and staff in their overall satisfaction 30% more than established wearers.5 This means that neophytes are eager to hear your lens recommendations and are more likely to purchase their lens supply from your practice if you can present the option in a compelling way.
New wearers are new to the contact lens-wearing experience, from fit to purchase to returning for an annual exam. Be intentional and thoughtful about modeling best practices so they return to you for future care and material purchases.
2. Highlight cost savings and customer service.
Online retailers can offer great prices and policies—but so can you. Spend some time each year comparing your contact lens prices to those of popular contact lens retailers. For many brands, you can price your lenses competitively with these retailers. For some brands, you may feel at an initial glance that there is no way to compete with their price and still be profitable, but don’t be discouraged.
In those instances, consider the tools and options you have in your practice that a website does not. In many cases, patients are able to utilize manufacturer’s rebates and/or insurance benefits in an ECP’s office, but not online. Highlighting these cost savings and factoring them into the annual or biannual cost of lenses reveals the cost similarities between your practice and the online option.
If you can then highlight the other benefits the patient receives by purchasing from you (returns/exchanges, quick pick up or at-home shipment, ability to access trial lenses if they run out, etc.), the patient can easily see the value and convenience in ordering with you.
Pro tip: Training staff members to highlight these facts and discuss them with patients can make for seamless, easy transactions for everyone involved.
3. Establish loyalty.
Despite options and opportunities to acquire contact lenses elsewhere, contact lenses wearers tend to be a particularly loyal group of consumers. It was recently reported that 95% of contact lens wearers visit their eyecare providers at least every 2 years.5 While we would ideally like to see these patients annually, an opportunity every other year to touch base with and refine our patient’s contact lens experience is extremely valuable.
When you get an opportunity to evaluate a patient and their contact lenses, make sure the experience they have emphasizes the value of visiting your practice on a regular basis by making their exam feel exclusive to their needs. If the patient has a specific complaint, you will obviously address that by adjusting their power, brand, or modality.
For those patients who report they are “fine” with their lenses, make sure to also offer them the option to try something new. The contact lens market is ever-evolving. For most patients, there will always be a product or option available to them that wasn’t last year.
Further, patients—regardless of their satisfaction level with their current lens brand—will always appreciate recommendations for options that feel tailored to them or offered based on their distinctive needs. Offering personalized suggestions each year helps patients feel seen and appreciated and will foster practice loyalty over time.
Final thoughts
Competition is a part of any business. With a contact lens practice, however, the ECP has the unique responsibility of needing to serve the patient to optimize ocular health and vision, while also serving them as a consumer.
Most contact lens wearers want to hear the recommendations and suggestions of their ECP, so we need to make sure we are creating exam and practice experiences that allow them to receive those recommendations and complete the experience with a purchase and return the next year. That can be initiated by systems like exam recall and annual renewal notifications, but ECP’s can optimize their ability to retain patients and lens purchases by using their unique understanding of lens products and patient preferences.
By harnessing your influence as an ECP, you can create loyal patients who enthusiastically return to your practice for contact lenses instead of the internet.
