Building Your Practice with Dry Eye Drops: Harnessing the Convenience of Innovative Drops to Grow your practice.

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By Dr. Maria Sampalis

Exciting developments in the dry eye space! I have made a commitment to help my
patients with the latest in dry eye treatments. My commitment to embracing the latest
innovations in eye care has helped me become a better provider and provide new ways
to approach and treat dry eye.
Want to help your dry eye patients who have tried many options but haven’t had relief?
When I discovered Regener-Eyes® I was thrilled to provide this drop to my patients.
Regener-Eyes is a proven technology that focuses on one of the real causes of dry
eyes, which is now being understood as hyperosmolarity. Regener-Eyes is a hypotonic
solution that helps relieve dryness of the eye. Regener-Eyes’ technology can help
create a balance, that can increase lubrication and hydration. This may help to prevent
further irritation of the eye, thereby promoting eye health.
I have my patients use the drop 2-4 times a day depending on the severity of the dry
eye. Mainly I use the Regener Eyes Lite version for my patients. I have my patients try it
and do a follow-up visit in 4 weeks. At that visit, I utilize slit lamp examination, as well as
close patient monitoring and I see great outcomes which means happy patients.
Regener-Eyes has been a great addition to my practice, and patients continue to stay
on the drop. It is a safe product and compliance is one of the greatest among other
products.
Beyond the clinical aspects of the drop, Regener-Eyes provides a great ROI for your
practice. Patients are only able to get it directly through the company after an eye care
professional’s recommendation or buy it from a stocking eye care professional’s office.
As an OTC product that has great clinical outcomes, it generates great revenue for your
practice and creates patient retention.
Regener-Eyes represents a new way of addressing dry eye. Its proven formula not only
elevates patient care but also serves as a robust business builder for optometry
practices. Embracing Regener-Eyes not only ensures optimal results for our patients but
also positions our practice as a leader in providing cutting-edge solutions and fostering
long-term success.

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5 Qualities You Need to Be a Successful Optopreneur

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Have you been thinking about starting your own optometry business? Building a business from the ground up and running it successfully is no easy feat. As is with every type of industry these days, the competition is intense.

But no obstacle is too big to deter a true entrepreneur from his or her chosen path. You may already have an entrepreneurial spirit. But even if you don’t, it’s possible to develop the qualities of a successful entrepreneur with practice.

1. Do What Others Won’t

Coming up with an idea and sticking with it is the most definitive trait of an entrepreneur. A successful entrepreneur goes with what clicks their mind rather than blindly following other’s opinions and acting on someone’s ideas. You shouldn’t waste your time and energy overthinking matters to the point that taking even the first step becomes too much of a task.

What you need to do is collect your thoughts in a way that allows you to come up with a productive plan for implementing your idea.

2. Say Yes to all opportunities

Being an entrepreneur demands being confident and believing in your skills and abilities. Having confidence in yourself gives you the strength to deal with the hardships that may come up in your way from time to time. True entrepreneurs readily accept every opportunity that comes their way because ‘no’ is not an option for them.

You must learn to be self-sufficient and self-reliant as well.

3. Don’t Let Anyone Put You Down

Entrepreneurs are met with all kinds of opinions and advice, including the helpful as well as the not-so-helpful one. Your friends and family members can particularly have a strong influence on how you perceive the feasibility of your plan. Listen to people who genuinely support you. And meanwhile, ignore and isolate yourself from the environment where you feel negativity towards your business. People may talk you into stay in your comfort zone and avoiding going into unchartered waters. As a true entrepreneur, remember to stay firm on your beliefs and not let anyone put you or your ideas down.

4. Stay Strong and Positive

You have to be fearless to be successful. If you don’t succeed at first, keep trying until you do. Remember that failure is not defined by incurring few losses but only when you stop struggling to achieve the goal that you initially set for yourself. Your so-called mistakes are actually a learning opportunity as they can teach you a lot about where to start from and what not to do the second time. Entrepreneurs stay focused on their goals and never give up as they know that great things happen by doing hard work.

5. Stand Up for What You Believe

When entrepreneurs introduce an idea or launch a startup, there’s always a chance that someone or the other will oppose them. A smart entrepreneur respects the freedom of speech but at the same time knows how to stand up and defend his or her ideas. It’s good to learn the art of how to disagree without being disrespectful to others, while maintaining one’s dignity at the same time.

Reflect on your work attitude and aptitude. You may already have the qualities of a successful entrepreneur but might not have realized it yet. If you can master these skills as an optometrist, rest assured that the world is your oyster.

A Bright Opportunity for Growth

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EXPERIENCE OPTILIGHT BY LUMENIS

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Dry eye disease is a common disorder that causes dry, gritty, burning, tired eyes and fluctuating vision.
About sixteen million Americans have been diagnosed, 1 and twice as many may be undiagnosed with dryeye. MGD is the leading cause of dry eye disease, accounting for about 86% of cases.

The Lumenis multi-center, double-blinded, randomized controlled FDA trial showed that Lumenis IPL
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Experience firsthand, the safe, precise, elegant procedure you want and the comfortable, effective
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“Personally, I don’t think I can practice in a dry eye practice without having OptiLight”, said Dr. Douglas
K. Devries, “Because if you’re missing this level of technology, you will know you’re just not offering
everything for your patients.”

OptiLight is a quick, in-office treatment that can elevate and scale your practice while significantly
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for you and your patients by joining our upcoming webinar with Corporate Optometry featuring Dr.
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Why OptiLight with OPT TM Technology?
We have helped thousands of Optometrists across the country, with OptiLight contributing meaningfully to practice profitability while delivering results for hundreds of thousands of patients suffering from Dry Eye Disease.

We are committed to your success with enhanced clinical training and robust marketing support.
Lumenis, as your partner, is working diligently to raise awareness among patients, driving them to seek
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Citations
1. Farrand et al. Am J Ophthalmol 2017;182:90-98.
2. Lemp MA et al. (2012) Cornea May;31(5):472-8.
3. FDA study sponsored by Lumenis: internal reference LUM-VBU-M22-IPL-17-01. 4. Yan et al. (2020), Eye & Contact Lens 2021, 27(1):45-53.
5. Arita et al. (2019) Ocul Surf 17(1):308-13.
6. Gao et al. (2019) Int J Ophthalmol 12(11):1708-1713.
7. Liu et al. (2017) Am J Ophthalmol 183:81-90.

5 Tips for Improving Your Optometry Practice’s Reputation

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Enhancing your optometry practice’s reputation is vital for attracting new patients and retaining old ones. Outbreak of a pandemic has changed the way optometry is practiced.

It is now more cost-effective and rewarding to invest in digital marketing techniques for building your brand image. Here are top 5 tips to establish your optometry practice as a reliable contender in the market.

1.    Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of enhancing your online presence by improving the quantity and quality of your website traffic. Optimizing your website increases its visibility by helping it rank higher on the search engines results page.

In this day and age, people increasingly use the internet to search for different products and services. Build an efficient website so that people looking for optometry services are able to find it easily. When you have a website that appears higher on the search engine results page, potential customers are automatically going to perceive your practice as a reliable one.

2.    Content Marketing

Producing engaging content is imperative in attracting more potential clients to your optometry practice. Text, info graphics, and videos are all examples of content you can upload to your website.

Blogs are an effective way to market your business. Share engaging and informative content to bring more web users to your website. Upload blogs regarding optometry or related topics to show that you possess sound knowledge regarding your profession.

3.    Ask for Customer Reviews

Get patients to review your practice so that you can display them on your website. Include a link on your website where customers can type in their review.

You can choose quotes from customer reviews and place them throughout your website to improve your optometry practice’s reputation. Reading about positive experiences will encourage people visiting your website to sign up for your products and services.

4.    Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Opt for pay-per-click (PPC) advertisements to get your business noticed when people search for optometry practices online. These ads usually appear at the top of the search engine results page along with organic results, or appear on the sides of search engines.

PPC works like buying visits to your website. You will be charged a small fee every time a web user clicks on your ad. These ad campaigns can be easily targeted towards a local audience to help raise awareness about your practice in your locality.

5.    Email Marketing

Email marketing is the oldest yet one of the most effective forms of digital marketing. When patients sign up with your practice, encourage them to share their email addresses.

Email patients to remind them about their annual exam, and send them follow-up emails if they don’t make an appointment. You can also email newsletters with informational content to engage clients. Email marketing is also an effective way of informing prospective patients about any new offers or discounts that you introduce.

Other than adopting online marketing techniques, you can enhance your optometry practice’s reputation in a number of small ways. Readily offer a refund when a customer is unhappy or lease additional space nearby to help patients park their cars close to your practice. A solid brand image will draw in more patients and encourage older ones to revisit.

CO Analytics: 27% of ODs worked Memorial Day

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One common misconception in corporate optometry is that ODs work most holidays. A recent survey in the Corporate Optometry Facebook Group, asked if ODs were working on Memorial Day. 216 Corporate ODs responded to the survey. 27% of ODs worked memorial day, many were employed ODs. 73% of ODs decided to take the day off.. The ODs that were sublease and worked were usually at Lenscrafters or Visionworks, which are usually in a mall setting and hours are determined by the mall hours of operation.

Using the Business Model Canvas for Optometry Practices

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The Business Model Canvas is a strategic tool used by businesses to visualize, design, and develop their business model. In 2005, a Swiss business theorist Alexander Osterwalder proposed a simple and straightforward technique for drafting a business plan. Called the ‘business model canvas,’ the concept was formalized in his book, Business Model Generation, published in 2010.  

What is the Canvas?

The business model canvas is a one-page planning tool. It consists of nine boxes, each representing one of the core elements of a business.

Optometrists can use the business model canvas as a sheet for brainstorming new ideas for their practice.

The Nine Components

The nine elements of the business model canvas are as follows:

  1. Customer segments – Define your target audience. Who are your most important customers? What are they attracts these customers to your office?
  2. Value propositions – What problem are you solving for your customer? Your unique solutions or the ‘value’ you hope to deliver to the customer segments.
  3. Communication channels – The different modes of communication to interact with your customers.
  4. Customer relationships – How strong is your relationships with your customers?
  5. Revenue streams – The different sources of income for your practice. Does your company have multiple methods of generating revenue? What is the pricing strategy for the products and how do you offer customers to pay for products?
  6. Key resources – these are the main assets and other supplies you require in order to fulfill your value propositions.
  7. Key activities – What specific key activities are necessary to deliver your value proposition? What differentiates you from others? What services do you provide?
  8. Key partnerships –Identify your company’s key partners. This can consist of important suppliers? What resources and duties does the company receive from these partners?
  9. Cost structure – What are major drivers of cost? Fixed vs variable.

Here is a sample of a Business Model Canvas.

Beyond the Podium: Thought Leadership in Optometry is Evolving

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A thought leader is an expert in their field who is actively engaged in promoting their ideas and sharing their knowledge with others. They are often seen as a change-maker or thought- provoking individual, and their aim is to influence and inspire others. They have a vision of what optometry is supposed to be, not what is dictated by others in the industry.

In order to become a thought leader, it is not enough to simply be an expert in your field. You must also be proactive in sharing your ideas and engaging with others. This can be done through writing articles or blogs, giving talks or presentations, or using social media. In the past thought leaders we ODs that lectured at conferences and had busy practices. With the rise of social media this has changed. Different voices are now able to be amplified. Thought leaders aren’t selected by optometry magazines, pharma boards ,companies or conferences anymore. Thought leaders are created from changing the norm and utilizing the different platforms they have to provide a different perspective. Corporate ODs have been underrepresented in the past. Now is the time to seek opportunity to amplify their voice in the industry. Different voices help our industry grow.

However, becoming a thought leader is not without its challenges. It takes time, effort, and dedication. And, once you have established yourself as a thought leader, there is a certain amount of responsibility that comes with it.

Are you up for the challenge? Here are some ways ODs have become thought leaders over the last 10 years.

1. Develop your expertise: To become a thought leader, you need to have in-depth knowledge and expertise in your field. This means staying up-to-date on the latest research, trends, and technologies in optometry. Attend conferences, seminars, and webinars. Read industry publications like Vision Monday and network with other professionals in the field; whether in person or on Facebook groups.

2. Create a platform: Establish a platform for yourself where you can share your ideas and thoughts. This can be in the form of a blog, a podcast, or social media. Create content that is informative, engaging, and provides value to your audience. Don’t be afraid of thinking outside the box and talking about things that others don’t.

3. Network: Networking is a crucial part of becoming a thought leader. Attend events, conferences, and seminars to connect with other professionals in the field. Meeting people face to face has a lot of meaning. You have to attend all the major conferences and add value to those conferences, whether it be cocktail hours, dinners, panel discussions, Facebook live events and podium time. Engage with others online through social media, LinkedIn groups, and forums.

4. Engage with your audience: Engage with your audience by responding to comments, questions, and feedback. Start a conversation and get people talking about your ideas. Encourage debate and be open to different opinions and perspectives. Thought leaders interact with other industry professionals throughout the year, not just at conferences. When you have other ODs asking you your thoughts on topics in optometry and breaking news, you have become a Key Opinion Leader.

5. Be authentic: A thought leader is not someone who pretends to know it all. Be authentic and transparent with your audience. Admit when you don’t know something and be willing to learn. Optometry is an evolving profession, leaders are readers. The more you continue to learn the better you will become and continue to evolve as a thought leader.

6. Seek out opportunities: Look for opportunities to speak at conferences, contribute to publications,provide content on social media and participate in webinars. Use your platform to promote your expertise and showcase your skills. Content is key! The more content you develop the more recognition you will get on the area you are looking to break into. Thought leaders seek out opportunities for exposure, it is never about the money but for the purpose.

7. Be consistent: Consistency is key when it comes to building a following and establishing yourself as a thought leader. It takes time and effort to build a reputation, so be patient and keep working at it. If your competitor is providing 1 content a week look to do 3x-5x more content per week. Over time content development will become part of your routine and won’t take up as much time as it did before.

Becoming a thought leader in optometry is not an easy task, but with dedication, hard work, and a passion for the field, it is achievable. As you establish yourself as a leader, remember to always be humble, open to learning, and eager to share your expertise with others.

The Power of Rejection: How Entrepreneurs Turn No Into Yes

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Rejection is something that we all face at some point in our lives. Whether it’s in our personal or professional lives, rejection is an unavoidable part of the human experience.

For entrepreneurs, rejection is a part of the journey. In fact, some of the most successful entrepreneurs have faced more rejection than anyone else. The key is to use rejection to your advantage and learn from it.

In this article, we’ll explore the power of rejection and how entrepreneurs can use it to their advantage. We’ll also look at the importance of a positive mindset and how it can help you overcome the fear of rejection.

1. Embrace rejection as a learning experience

One of the most important things you can do as an entrepreneur is to embrace rejection as a learning experience. If you can learn from rejection, it can become a powerful tool in your entrepreneurial journey. For example, if a potential investor rejects your business idea, ask for feedback and learn from their perspective. Use their feedback to refine your idea and make it stronger.

2. Don’t take it personally

It’s natural to feel disappointed or frustrated when you face rejection, but it’s important not to take it personally. Remember, rejection is not a reflection of your worth or ability. It simply means that the opportunity wasn’t the right fit for you at that time. Keep that in mind and move forward with a positive attitude.

3. Cultivate a growth mindset

A growth mindset is a powerful tool in overcoming rejection. Instead of seeing rejection as a failure, see it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Believe that your abilities can be developed through hard work and dedication, and that challenges help you reach your potential. Cultivate a growth mindset to help you overcome the fear of rejection and thrive as an entrepreneur.

4. Develop resilience

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and continue moving forward. As an entrepreneur, you will face many setbacks and rejections, but resilience will help you stay motivated and focused on your goals. Develop resilience by focusing on your strengths, setting achievable goals, and building a support network of people who believe in you.

5. Stay persistent Persistence is key to success as an entrepreneur. Don’t let rejection discourage you or make you give up on your dreams. Keep pushing forward, even when it feels like the odds are against you. Remember that every successful entrepreneur has faced rejection at some point, and persistence is what separates the successful from the unsuccessful. In conclusion, rejection is a part of the entrepreneurial journey. However, by embracing rejection as a learning experience, cultivating a growth mindset, developing resilience, and staying persistent, you can use rejection to your advantage and achieve your goals. Remember, rejection is not a reflection of your worth, but rather an opportunity to grow and improve.

ODs want Executives in Optical Stores.

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In recent news,  Starbucks’ new CEO Laxman Narasimhan says he plans to work once a month in one of the company’s stores in an effort to stay close to its culture and customers. He claims that it will help him understand the business by immersing himself in every part of the business.  Many times CEO’s are out of touch on what is going on at the store levels, this includes the optical industry.  As a leader in the organization, they come up with a strategic plan and make decisions on what might be best direction for the company for that time. Hindsight is always 20/20! Many optical leaders are result driven and are nearsighted about decisions that might bring positive numbers now but bigger losses in the future.

Recently, I posted a poll in the Corporate Optometry Facebook group and  I asked,

“Do you think that Executives in Optical should work in stores on a regular basis?”

66% of  Corporate ODs stated YES, they think that upper management should work in the stores. This would provide  realistic expectations on goals created and help upper management understand the customer experience, and employee work culture. Working with the OD on that side of the business would help gain awareness on struggles that ODs face on a daily basis. Working the hours of operations that many do til 7pm or 8pm and weekends, to immerse themselves in this burnout culture that has been created to meet goals.  Eye Care Directors should spend a day leading by example seeing 4 or more patients an hour or doing telemed exams. Having them illustrate policies and procedures that have been created as sales tactics and marketing materials that are out dated.  Getting to know employees and ODs at a personal level will create employee engagement, satisfaction and reduce turnover.

The most alarming stat from the survey was that 28% of the responses stated that they didn’t think the executives could handle working in the stores.  This illustrates that many don’t have confidence in leadership competence, and that expectations are unrealistic. Leadership is so far removed from the ground truth.  

Exercising this idea as an active “role playing” in an organization. This type of leadership can be viewed as servant leadership. This style is based on leaders serving the greater good of the team and organization, than personal growth. With time, it would create new culture in companies and cultivate new ideas for programs to improve customer service, building trust, employee engagement and satisfaction. Image the change our industry could have and evolve if executives rolled up their sleeves and experienced the daily struggles that staff and ODs have!

My Experience with Maternity Leave in Corporate Optometry

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It can be hard to maneuver maternity leaves in optometry clinics, especially the first time around. Both times I took my maternity leave, I was working in a corporate optical. It was my 4th year of practicing optometry, and I felt as though I had plenty to prove. My first maternity leave I was an employee and my second I was a sublease owner and each experience was different.

50 Work Hours a Week

My career path didn’t start out in corporate optometry, really started after I had gotten married and my husband and I were looking to start a family. I had always worked 50 hours a week between different private practices and did some fill in work for corporate opticals. At that time may private practices were not offering full time with benefits. I had chosen to take a full time employed position in corporate optometry because of the security and benefits. I always kept a part time or fill in job for additional income. During the pregnancy I never took any sick time and didn’t complain about being tired or use it as an excuse. When the baby arrived, I had high expectations from myself. I felt as though any sort of perceived failure was not even an option for me. I had continued with the same work ethic as before, but had a new realization of how the hours of operation and the responsibilities that came with the position might not fit with a new born. My husband and I had to work like a team more than ever! It was great to be able to take the time in the morning and prepare for the day. My corporate job started at 10am and gave me plenty of time to drop her off at daycare. In the afternoons my husband would pick her up. The corporate optical was accommodating to my pumping schedule because they had to to be by law, but anything to do with daycare closures or leaving earlier was not accommodated for.

Life does not have a clear roadmap.

Unfortunately, because I was so focused new role as Mom and responsibilities at work, I didn’t account for what was ahead. I have always been a planner, but with a child anything can pop up. I would plan meals and sleeping schedules etc ahead of time. I would work certain days that my husband was off so we didn’t have to put our child in daycare. Many times that meant making the sacrifice to work Sundays in a corporate optical to be able not put our child an extra day in daycare. I was multitasking more then ever at that time in my career. I was determined to not slow down!

New Sublease Opportunity.

While working as an employee in corporate optometry, I started to get confidence in myself and my business skills. I was able to observe optical staff and learn the business aspects of optometry. When that job finally ran its course, I knew it was time to move on and explore the next stage of my career. I always wanted to be a business owner. I was nervous to start my new sublease, knowing that I was going to have another baby in 7 months. When I signed my sublease agreement, it was my little secret that I was pregnant with my 2nd daughter. I honestly believe that if I told the recruiter and regional manager that I was pregnant during my interview, that I would never had gotten the sublease. I had heard stories in the past about female ODs about having their leases terminated when being pregnant and after maternity leave. Unfortunately in corporate optometry many decision makers of a brand are men. They have predisposed notices of young females moms and being a business owner. Many times females are held back to new opportunities because many hiring managers think that females already have to much on their plates to take on an additional task or higher position.

With my second child, I worked up to the day before giving birth. As a sublease owner, I was responsible for finding OD coverage during my maternity leave. With such a large network within this corporate brand, one would think that there would be support with recruiting and helping another sublease OD out. I had reached out multiple times a week to my regional manager to discuss coverage and other business topics, to just be sent to voicemail with no reply back. I had sent numerous emails as well with no response. After months of searching, I finally got another sublease OD to fill in. As a business owner paying an OD to sit there is not the best business strategy. Be mindful as a sublease owner to not loss money paying an OD to sit there just to have hours of coverage. Negotiate hours during maternity leave. I had a C section on my 2nd child and doctor’s recommendation was to take 8 weeks off to heal. After 1 week of maternity leave, I was getting calls 1-2 times as week from my regional manager about when I was scheduled to come back. Those phone calls continued til I came back at 8 weeks, and I did have coverage and it was the slow time of the year in the industry. During my maternity, I would get numerous emails from the regional manager about business topics on my sublease and optical store.

Balancing Work and Life

I immediately headed back to work after my maternity leave doing my regular schedule and took on a second sublease as well. I actually had the happiest time of my career during the early years of my sublease and as a new mom. Everything was new and exciting. I was able to spend plenty of time with my children, and was growing a small business. I look at my business as my 3rd child. I have grown that small business into a 3 location business and never even looked back!

Corporate optometry has its pros and cons. It might be a good place to start a female or not depending on your situation. For me I knew what the goal was in my career and found a way to utilize my time to be able to have a small business when my children needed me the most, and be able to plan out my career to have multiple subleases and different businesses. All those seeds were planted when I gave birth to my 2nd child. I knew exactly where I wanted to go and I gave my “3rd child” all the love and dedication that it needed to flourish and grow up to be a strong passive income business!

Taking the time and planning it out properly can allow you to focus on your family as well as your work. It shouldn’t be an either/or thing but rather a focus on balancing everything together