Problem-Solving Practice

Arian Fartash, O.D., purchased Corona Vision Center, located in the heart of Southern California, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in July 2020.

“I had to problem-solve the long wait times from outside labs, so we started to take advantage of our lab more,” she says.

Here, Dr. Fartash shares how the practice reaps the rewards of its in-house lab.

EB: What does the in-house lab help offer patients?

Arian Fartash, O.D.: Having an in-house lab has opened opportunities for my practice and my patients. [We’re] able to get jobs done faster—on average seven days, unless it is a rush job—offer quality and Zeiss lenses at a lower cost, and capitalize on the VSP and EyeMed IOF [in-house finishing] programs.

EB: How has in-house surfacing affected your revenue?

Dr. Fartash: I have been able to triple our revenue since utilizing our in-house surfacing lab. Because we are able to get uncut lenses from Zeiss at a better cost, our patients receive trusted lenses with AR or blue light at a much lower cost than if we were to send them to an outside lab. I also created packages, which include frame, lens, and coating, to boost second- and third-pair sales.

Our lab also has a tinting station, so we can make prescription, UV-protected sunglasses at the office. By doing this, we are able to give patients a pair of prescription glasses for $150, making eye care affordable for those who may not be able to splurge on designer sunglasses but still value the importance of UV protection.

EB: Did your lab influence business during Covid-19?

Dr. Fartash: We enrolled in the VSP and EyeMed IOF programs, allowing patients to receive their glasses faster and giving our office better revenue from insurance companies. By creating the in-house packages, Medi-Cal patients no longer had to wait three to four months for their glasses to arrive; we were able to make them glasses in about seven days. Not only did this make the patients happier, but it also helped create a new stream of revenue for the office.