10 Tips to Recharge and Super-charge Your Contact Lens Practice

Once contact lens wearers cross the two-year wear-mark, they are highly unlikely to walk away from contact lenses, a recent industry report cites.¹ But from the first fit to this two-year line of demarcation, how can ECPs and their teams best position patients for contact lens wearing success for the long-term, not to mention re-engage dropouts?

Consider these 10 pro tips to bolster both new and existing wearers’ satisfaction in CL wear.

1. Educate. Follow-up. Encourage. This can help elevate a patient’s trust in their ECP’s recommendations and go far with new wearers who may need some extra attention and encouragement to become long-term wearers.^1,2
2. Address cost. Breaking down the annual supply price tag by cost per day can help move the purchase needle.² Additionally, for price-conscious patients, clariti® 1 day offers the benefits of a SiHy daily disposable that transmits more oxygen to wearers' corneas than hydrogel contact lenses ^*3,4 and at a fair price.^†
3. Maximize optical designs. Even patients with low levels of astigmatism experience better vision with toric CLs vs. a spherical equivalent. ^5,6 And for your patients with presbyopia, studies report they prefer multifocal CLs over monovision. ^7,8
4. Empower staff. All practice members influence patients' decisions about CLs, and this sentiment can be even more acute with new wearers.^1,2 From the ECP, to the tech, to the receptionist, get your entire staff on board in talking up contact lenses to pateints.^1,2
5. Embrace technology. Are your patients spending hours on screens? Lean into CL technology to meet their digital lifestyle needs. Of note: Biofinity Energys® and MyDay Energys® combine innovative aspheric design and material technology which may help address both eye tiredness and dryness associated with digital device use.³
6. Offer an Upgrade. What percentage of your patients are in a daily disposable CL? Talk to your patients about the benefits of daily disposables, including better ocular health outcomes vs. reusable CLs, better comfort, and greater convenience.^11-14
7. Pivot to part-time wear. For spectacle lens patients with active lifestyles, bring up the opportunity of part-time CL wear. Daily disposables offer convenience for sports and special occasions and make part-time wear feasible without compliance concerns.¹⁵
8. Spread the word. Almost every patient is a candidate for contact lenses.¹⁶ ECPs and staff can reinforce this message during the eye exam, especially since some patients with conditions like astigmatism or presbyopia may believe they can’t wear contact lenses.¹⁶
9. Build relationships. More than 50% of patients believe that a positive relationship with their ECP and staff significantly influence their decision to purchase their contact lenses directly from the practice.¹ This is especially true with new wearers.¹
10. Champion CLs. Nearly 50% of spectacle lens wearers say they are highly interested in trying contact lenses, yet only a small percent express that their ECP recommended CLs to them.¹⁷ Bridge this gap by being a champion of contact lenses.¹⁷

Read More

If you’re looking for additional tips on how to engage new wearers and reinvigorate interest in CL dropouts, explore these reads and resources:

• A recent story in Vision Monday interviews leading voices in the profession on How to Keep Contact Lens Wearers Satisfied With the CL Experience.
• Dr. Jennifer Stewart shares her insight in this Review of Optometric Business article, Winning Back Contact Lens Dropouts: Daily Disposables as a Retention Strategy.
• Depth of Focus’ inaugural issue is filled with expert insight on how to grow a CL practice.