The Lab Relationship
Your lab is your best resource to discuss the ways to create great looking eyewear, get information on new lens products, and know what lenses have been most successful.
When ordering, be sure that you have all the details needed so the order is placed completely – if anything is missing, the job will be delayed. The lab will call you for the missing data, but a day or more might be lost by the time that you and your lab connect. If you told the patient that the new eyewear would be ready in a week, the patient, of course, has begun counting the days the minute they left your office. A loss of a day or two is critical to meeting the patient’s expectation. So, be clear and complete when placing the order.
Contact your lab representative for practice building and promotional programs. Use them to help set practice and product goals and provide the training, literature and point of sale materials needed to accomplish them.
Online Processing
Electronic online ordering works best – it can ensure that no information is missed and it speeds the process. The benefits of using a web portal like VisionWeb are that orders can be placed 24/7, at your convenience to all of the connected suppliers. Orders go directly to supplier and begin processing sooner than orders that have to be phoned in.
Good laboratories have evolved beyond a mere supplier of goods. The products of today demand close partnerships with manufacturers in order to link the newest technology directly to the practitioner. In addition, labs that provide
practice training, promotion, and marketing, supply the practice with the tools necessary to bring their patients the very latest in eyecare innovation.
Mike Disanto
Lecturer, Teacher, Optician
What Would You Do?
PATIENT SITUATIONEric, a 23 year old competitive mountain biker has a pterygium, a growth on his cornea that the doctor says is irritated by wind, ultraviolet and dust. His Rx is -1.50 sph and -1.75 -0.50 x 90, PD 63. He wears plano wrap sunglasses that he bought at the bike shop but can’t see well enough to ride in competition so wears his regular glasses. However, the wind and dust get around the lenses and into his eyes. He has tried prescription wraps before but they were uncomfortable so he returned them. What would you do?
SOLUTION
Eric needs a pair of
wrap prescription riding glasses. First, he must keep all irritation from his eyes so wrap “seals” best, polycarbonate or Trivex lenses are UV and impact protective. Lens color should be tuned to where he competes most, if through the trees, Transitions may be a more versatile solution. Lastly, the lenses should be made with the correct Rx and prism for the wrap angle. Consider wrap Rx providers like Oakley that correctly compensate for the extreme angles of wrap eyewear.
Add the right coatings; back AR to reduce back surface reflections and consider front mirrors for extreme glare reduction, especially at higher altitudes.