According to an AOA Third-Party/Managed Care Survey, “the typical OD patient profile includes 50.5% of patients covered by private insurance plans.” Although managed care acceptance does help increase patient traffic, it may not always help increase practice profits. As this trend continues to expand, creating your own discount plan for local employers can help you compete and profit in the growing managed care market.

As a Q-2100 system owner you have a unique advantage in creating your own discount vision plan. By promoting the clearLIGHT, sunSMART, ultraSUN and nanoCLEAR AR products you produce in office, you have a very controlled cost of goods. For Rx orders that are outside of your production range, you can supplement at Q-owner prices through Vision Dynamics Lab. By utilizing your proprietary products, you don’t have to guess or spend countless hours trying to figure out how a discount plan will affect your profits. You can be confident that the program will help grow your business.

Set up a program that gives a certain percentage or dollar amount off the services and eyewear you provide. Offer the program to small and medium sized local employers who do not currently offer a vision care plan to their employees.  Offer the program at no cost to the employers and your program becomes a value added benefit they can offer their staff and families.

Create the collateral material that explains your program with what is included and what is not. Assign an identification code to each business you are going to solicit. Create a membership card with the identification code that explains the discount program that can be handed out to their employees. Track the visits via the identification code to track your success.

Did you know Optical Dynamics’ partner lab Vision Dynamics Laboratory is the largest independent glass lens processor in the U.S.?

Read a Q&A on dispensing glass as shared in Eyecare Business

Question: Are there restrictions on using glass lenses?

Answer: In general, most people benefit from the superior visual clarity provided by glass lenses. In higher prescriptions, the dispense and customer must manage the frame dimensions. Glass lenses are usually contra-indicated for children, those patients participating in high-impact activities or anyone who has limited vision in one eye. Mike Yager, Vision Dynamics Lab.

Question: Does dispensing glass lenses present any particular challenges in fitting or processing?

Answer: Processing glass lenses presents some interesting challenges for labs. As a glass lens processor yo must have specific equipment dedicated to only processing glass. The lab mus also have people experienced in processing glass which is quite different than plastic. Each index has its own characteristics and nuances including how lenses are chem-hardened at the end of the process. Because of this only a handful of labs are comfortable or skilled in processing glass. Mike Yager, Vision Dynamics Lab