Staying in Contact

With unforeseen stresses arising for patients due to the Covid-19 pandemic, now is the perfect time to ensure that your practice’s contact lens services are seamless.

How can you supply excellent customer service and supreme vision care? Experts say that efficiency is crucial—for both you and your patients.

With the pandemic top of mind, we query two O.D.s on their current contact lens selling tips.

TIP #1: CONVENIENCE IS KEY.

“While the office was closed for three months due to Covid-19, we had lots of patients who needed lenses,” says Jessica Crooker, O.D., of Scituate Harbor Vision Source in Scituate, MA. “I had so many patients calling and emailing me directly that it became a bit overwhelming.”

The fix? Implement an online ordering platform, which allows patients to easily pay, enter their address, and submit an order directly. Dr. Crooker turned to Marlo, a digital platform available through Alcon.

“Marlo allowed my office to keep that practice-patient connection and remain my patients’ trusted source for contact lenses even during shutdown,” she says. “It allowed me to seamlessly and conveniently continue to deliver on the eyecare and contact lens needs of my patients.”

TIP #2: DESIRES FOR DAILIES.

According to EB’s 2020 Contact Lens Virtual Focus Group study, daily disposable lenses make up the largest component of prescribed CLs, up nearly 10 percentage points from 2017.

And, what may be a factor in increasing this trend moving forward? Covid-conscious consumers.

“Conversions to one-day contacts has grown tremendously since Covid-19,” shares Jennifer Zolman, O.D., of Draisin Vision Group in Charleston, SC. “Our patients are hyperaware right now of germs and hygiene. With one-day contacts, they are putting a new, fresh, clean lens in their eye every day. This helps to reduce the risk of contamination. Patients really appreciate you expressing these benefits and keeping them safe during this unprecedented time.”

TIP #3: DIGITAL DEVICE ADVICE.

As the pandemic has forced classrooms to go virtual and work meetings to go Zoom-ward nationwide, digital eye strain is a genuine concern for patients right now, and childhood myopia may be top of mind for parents.

“[CooperVision’s] MiSight is going to be a great addition in our toolbox for our myopia control program, especially with the concern of myopia progression on the rise after the massive increase of digital device use resulting from the Covid-19 virtual/distance learning,” says Dr. Zolman.

As the world works and learns in this new normal, keep your patients informed about digital device usage and eye health—and their options for combating the negative effects of both via CLs.