EYE ON EQUIPMENT

Is it Time?

Surfacing your own lenses in-house is a reality…but how do you know you’re big enough?

Image courtesy of Schneider Optical Machines, Inc.

as retail finishing equipment did before it, in-house surfacing equipment is advancing to a size and scope that allows eyecare professionals to install their own complete labs. Schneider Optical Machines, Satisloh, Coburn Technologies, Augen Optics, and Chemalux have launched systems designed to bring wholesale lab operations to the practice. Many of these systems need little more than 20 square feet and one operator, making them ideal for a multi-doctor or multiple-location practice.

But how does a practice know it’s doing enough volume to warrant such an investment of money and staff? We asked some experts for advice.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

LAB BILLS. According to Kevin Cross, North American sales director for Schneider Optical Machines, Inc., the most common point at which to begin considering in-office surfacing is when a lab bill consistently exceeds $5,000 monthly.

VOLUME. Another benchmark is often when practices are averaging 20 jobs per day, Cross notes.

LENS JOBS. As important as the number of jobs is the type of jobs being sent to the wholesale lab. With digital lenses driving up lab costs, a practice needs to analyze how many of those lens jobs it’s doing and how much it can save by still offering digital lenses, but through its own lab, the experts note. Such a profit analysis can be done with the help of any equipment company representative.

ROI. Though installing a surfacing lab is certainly more expensive than a finishing lab, it can also have an immediate return on investment. Most surfacing labs that are designed for a practice can be brought in-house for around $5,000 per month over five years, equipment experts report.

“I have seen many types of practices benefit from bringing surfacing in-house, primarily the ones that thought they couldn’t afford it,” says Cross.

INFRASTRUCTURE. The category is evolving to a point where infrastructure is simply not a big concern anymore.

“We’re developing complete lab solutions that make optimum use of the space available in optical offices and eliminate the need for ancillary items that drive up cost and space requirements, like water management and reclamation,” says Jason Smith, sales director of Coburn Technologies.

EQUIPMENT. After analyzing all of the above, it’s time to decide exactly what equipment to install. Here, your best bet is to bring in equipment companies and ask plenty of questions.

“Typically, they have great tools and have met with similar practices as you and can share real-world experience that can allow for a good comparative discussion,” advises Cross.

— Susan Tarrant