The Optical Vision Site

Moody Eyes Musings – Independent Optometrist

I interviewed Dr. Penn Moody, owner of Moody Eyes, last September (Penn Moody, OD talks about …..) mainly to ask him about his experience with atLast by Pixel Optics. I did not make it through all my questions so I thought it would be good to continue our interview a few months later and get some more Moody Eyes Musings…..

One of the questions I still had was: “Does this product help distinguish an independent optical retailer from optical chains?” Dr. Moody had several  comments about this question and we had quite a discussion about it as follows:

“Product alone is not a silver bullet” Dr. Moody believes what distinguishes a vision care practice is not just products recommended and dispensed, but a total patient service viewpoint. Most competitors have access to the same or similar products. What really makes one’s optical business stand out is how you use your product mix to solve your optical patient’s problems. Certainly atLast! fills an important place in this mix.

“The devil is in the details” I thought this was a great comment as there are so many details to get right:  off axis, PD, seg height, frame choice and fitting, to name just a few.  “If only one of these is being wrong it can diminish the whole experience for our optical patients”
“The staff and the optometrist have to have a shared vision about patient care from start to finish”

It is often said one can tell most about a business or person by how they handle problems.  At Moody Eyes Dr. Moody personally calls patients with problems or issues that the staff have problems solving.  The goal is to demonstrate to the patient a total commitment to their satisfaction and to teach them how they should view the practice.  Specifically, after he has resolved their issues, Dr. Moody gives them the assignment of recommending Moody Eyes to their friends and family members.  Many optical patients follow through on this, which is one way of turning a problem into an opportunity.

As many people like to look up information on the internet, it is important to have a good website and I think Moody Eyes has an excellent one. It is very easy to search for information and user friendly.

I asked Dr. Moody for an update on his atLast experience and recommendations. As he has developed a better method of qualifying patients he is fitting more progressive lens patients with Pixel.  The first question he asks is what the patient likes and doesn’t like about their current lenses.  This usually leads to a discussion of visual demands and activities.  One of the most common complaints is of a narrow field of view, particularly when using a computer of for other intermediate distance tasks.  Since atLast! is specifically designed to provide a wide field at this distance it will typically be the lens of first choice. Another aspect of this lens patients like is atLast!’s clear distance and peripheral vision. Dr. Moody has also found a minimum seg height of 15mm works well, but 16 works better.  He believes this type of lens is a whole new category and well worth exploring to satisfy optical patients’ ever changing needs.

The Vision Council Working For The Eyecare Professional

Shirley and I believe The Vision Council is one of the best eycare organizations in the optical industry today. They tirelessly work to provide consumers and eyecare professionals information on optical vendors, eyewear fashions, training and education, they lobby for good laws. They run marketing campaigns such as Check Yearly See Clearly, Eyecessorize and have a FREE Doctor locator on their site. The latest news from The Vision Council:

A special vision report was issued in The Wall Street Journal’s December 5 Weekend Edition featuring The Vision Council. A front page advertisement on the report will direct readers to The Vision Council’s online Doctor Locator.

As a result of placing this advertisement, The Vision Council was also allotted editorial space within the report. Tom Abbott, optician and chair of The Vision Council’s Better Vision Institute, was interviewed for the “Ask the Expert” column on the topic of preventive vision care. Additional information from The Vision Council will also be featured throughout the report.

Nearly 800,000 copies of the report hit newsstands on December 5 in the East Coast Edition. The report will also be posted on The Vision Council’s website.

Both Shirley and I will be attending the VCA meeting this week in Florida. What do they do at this meeting. The main focus with all the optical vendors is how to help the eyecare professional. Discussions range from anything from statistics, Vision Expo, reporting and testing such as country of original (keeping vendors honest) lead content in eyewear and testing, education for the eyecare professional, consumer education (huge), all which benefit the optical industry.

Stay tuned for more information live from Florida and the VCA meeting

Tags: Business, Consumers, Education, News, Vision
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Setting Goals 2010

It is never too late to set goals but if you haven’t set your goals for 2010 yet, the year will be gone before you know it so NOW would be good.

It will be here before you know it!

Kelly Gornick from Signet Armorlite submitted this post about setting goals for the new year that you might find helpful if you have been a procrastinator.

A New Year, A New You – So what’s your New Year’s resolution?

At the start of each year, many people make resolutions or set goals. While they have good intentions of achieving these goals, only a few ever make things happen. Why? No plan and no action! Developing an action plan is an important first step on the road to success. Without it, procrastination will delay what needs to be done and prevent you from getting it done.

1. List what you want to achieve (your goal) for yourself and/or your optical practice.

2. List what action items are needed to get you there. If you don’t know, do some research! You must break down that goal into several achievable steps.

3. Create a timeline for each action item. List if this a one-time action item with a deadline or an ongoing daily, weekly or month action item.

4. Keep track of your progress and outcomes by listing successes, failures and improvements. Encourage yourself by celebrating successes throughout the year.

5. Keep your action plan visible so you stay focused on the end-result and committed to accomplishing the goal. Let others know about your goal – the support helps to keep you on track.

There are three types of people in this world:

• Those who make things happen

• Those who watch things happen

• Those who wonder what happened

Which are you?

See Inside the Box! The OD Next to Walmart Talks to OVS

This is our second Walmart OD interview, the first one was with Robert D. Gentile, O.D. who has his practice in the San Marcos, CA Walmart location. This time we interviewed Dr. Haleh Guilak in Temecula, CA who has been with the company one year. Both are independent O.D.’s who contract with FirstSight Vision Services.

Haleh Guilak, O.D.

Dr. Guilak has been in practice for 16 years and is the mother of three young children, aged six, seven and eight! As you can imagine, she is a very busy person with lots of equally important responsibilities to juggle. As more and more women are graduating from Optometry school I really wanted to interview a female OD with a family and working full time in order to get a glimpse of what the choices and challenges might be. Dr Guilak graduated from UCSD with a degree in Biology and Psychology then went on to SCCO to study optometry in 1995.

I first spoke to Dr. Guilak on the phone but after talking to her, I really wanted to meet her so I went to her office in Temecula. It was well worth the five hour round trip. She was as welcoming to me as she was to her patients. I heard her speak in at least three languages and discovered that as well as English she speaks Farsi, French and Spanish. The latter she picked up from talking with her patients. Here are some of the questions and answers from our discussion:

1. What attracted you to FirstSight?

I was in my 15th year of working for the same optical company. It was an excellent first foray into my optical career for many reasons including building a vast array of experience as well as providing job security, benefits and financial leverage. But, most importantly, it helped to define what I ultimately did and did not want in a practice. I was looking for independence and more control of my future, creatively and financially.

I had been contacted several times in the previous four years to work at the Temecula Walmart but the fit was not quite right as I would have come in as and employee which is what I was at my previous location. One of the career upgrades I desired was to sub lease so as to give me more independence and control. That opportunity occurred about a year ago when FirstSight Vision Services approached me directly. An optical space at the Temecula Walmart opened up and I would be able to sub lease. Finally, the right fit! I found the people of FirstSight to be very welcoming and helpful and I liked the business model. Now, I do not have major overhead and my office is only 10 minutes from my home! Another major benefit is that I am able to design my office schedule to fit the needs of my patients as well as my own. And I can choose my own staff!

2. What are you provided with as a tenant of Walmart’s?

Waiting area complete with fireplace

I am provided with all the latest equipment needed for screening, contact lenses, eye exam, reception, and patient waiting rooms. Everything else is up to me. I hire my own staff, buy my own supplies, and I designed my office. I changed the office from a very bare clinical environment to one that is warm and welcoming; suits my vision and personality.Dr. Guilak’s office waiting area complete with fireplace and music DVD playing. The paintings on the wall are originals, painted by her mother, Lila Guilak!

3. What are the positives of being a FirstSight doctor provider?

I like the independence of being self-employed. I am able to take advantage of the foot traffic from Walmart and build an optical patient base quickly without a lot of overhead. As I don’t have to attend to a lot on the business or selling side, I can devote most of my time examining, counseling, and educating patients. This is very important to me as I like to develop a relationship with my patients and focus on their health and eye care needs. I like being able to provide quality eye care at a value price particularly for those without insurance.

4. What are the challenges?

There are some challenges. For example I have no control of what goes on outside my office, such as the newly placed existence of an ice machine right outside of my office door. I have to build the business by doing my own advertising and promotions but there are some limitations and restrictions on what I can do because of the corporate side of Walmart. It takes a long time to get approvals if you want to make changes. I only just received approval to put a permanent sign over the entry door that says “Optometry”, it took a long time but I did get it. I have to work within the confines of a low cost provider which means working harder in some areas but I do not have a problem with that as I feel good about the services I can provide to people who need a low cost provider for their eye care.

5. What do you do personally as far as making sure your patients’ vision care is a positive experience for them?

I enjoy listening to my patients, educating them and making their eye exam and vision care a positive experience. Making a personal connection and building a good rapport is my #1 goal. My optical office is like my home, a warm

Karmen greeting patients

and welcoming environment. I have a great love of music and I am able to share that with my patients. My receptionist Karmen is the best and she is a major part of making sure that the patients’ vision care is a positive experience. I know it is working as a lot of new patients are referrals from existing patients. This is good as I am building the practice and hope that soon I can expand the number of days we are open so that we are available every day.

6. Tell me a favorite patient story if you have one.

I have so many stories, you name it, I have seen it! I love children, I have three of my own and I relate to them. I remember a 9 or 10 year old girl who was shopping in Walmart with her mother while I was passing out flyers. The mother told me that her daughter had constant headaches but their regular doctor had not been able to help so I said let’s do an eye exam. All she needed was prism in her glasses and to see that child smile when she knew there was an answer was very rewarding.

7. What are your career aspirations and how is FirstSight Vision Care helping you achieve them?

I love to stay busy and be constantly achieving and moving forward. I want to be open 7 days and week and open a second location as we build the patient base. I enjoy being part of FirstSight Vision Care, attending the quarterly meetings, sharing information with each other and staying updated. I see a great future with the company. I can recommend it to others who are looking for independence and flexibility but don’t want to deal with the overhead and sales needs of an independent optometric practice.

Win $5,000 With Transitions Optical New Contest For Eyecare Professionals

Transitions Sight Action and Camera Contest

I love contests and Transitions has a New SIGHT,. CAMERA, ACTION CONTEST, giving away $5,000!

PINELLAS PARK, Fla., Dec. 2, 2009 – Transitions Optical, Inc. is launching the “Sight, Camera, Action” video contest for eyecare professionals, allowing participants to share their unique ideas for dispensing Transitions^® lenses and win $5,000.

Now through Feb. 15, 2010, eyecare professionals can enter the contest by creating a video in one of three categories: a 30-second commercial for Transitions lenses, a video of 60 seconds or less about Transitions lenses or a video explaining why they prefer Transitions lenses to ordinary, clear lenses.  Videos can be funny, serious, silly or inspirational.  Entries can be submitted online at Transitions.com/Action for a chance to win the $5,000 cash grand prize.  Submissions will be judged on the video’s concept or idea and creativity.

More information about the Sight, Camera, Action contest is available at Transitions.com/Action or through Transitions Optical Customer Service at (800) 848-1506.

Interview With Lens Chic of Eye Overheard

Lens Chic of Eye Overheard

There has been much talk about Eye Overheard, a gossip, rumor, irreverent, optical blog. In fact many people have thought we are Lens Chic. We are not. Our commonalities are we 1.) Started blogging about the same time 2.) We are both on each other’s blog rolls. 3.) We email each other. 4.) We have different focuses, they want to wake up the optical industry in a impudent way, we want to wake up the industry in an ‘out of the box’ way. 5.) We both blog about some of the same topics. Other than that, we do not know who the people behind Eye Overheard and have not spoken to any of them. Quite frankly, we don’t want to know. We like the fact we don’t know, we want to keep them secret, we don’t want to have to lie to people when they ask us.

Do we agree with everything they say- No! Do we laugh- Yes! Do we get information- Yes! Do we like all their pictures- Yes and No! Do we think they have gone too far- Sometimes! Do we log on everyday- Yes! Have they ‘out-scooped’ us- Yes! Do we like them- Yes, we consider them our friends!

That said, we asked Lens Chic if we could do an interview (only online, because we do not want to know who they are) Lens Chic said yes and below is the very first interview with Lens Chic of Eye Overheard!

What gave you the idea for Eye OverHeard?

EOH is a culmination of industry people who have grown sick and tired of waiting to be listened to. We have some very insightful participants on the site that I honestly feel intimidate the current “brain-trusts” that are in charge of the big companies. Whether people like or dis-like EOH is irrelevant…we’re here to provide a forum that elicits honest opinions without the fear of retribution.( at least to date)

The purpose of EOH?

To open the proverbial closed box that is the optical industry. We don’t have a set agenda to bash anyone in particular but we do enjoy a good banter. We’re an equal opportunist ”commenter” to the whole optical industry. Besides, most of the companies do a well-enough job on their own embarrassing themselves. We just make sure the fire doesn’t go out too quicky.

How long have you been in the optical industry and in what capacity?

You can’t ask women that question! Let’s just say I’ve seen it all and remember the late 70’s very well. Although, DWO says the 80’s we’re much better for her but then agian she was in Florida. Go figure.

Your favorite posts?

One of my favorites is an oldie- when we first received word Essilor was going to mount Signet Armorlite, we ran with it. It’s a favorite mostly because it was our first “real”controversial post and what we heard back from our “friends” inside Essilor and Signet was overwhelming. Mostly curse words.. There are so many other posts that I love too. DWO’s submarine stories are pretty damn funny too.

What do you do besides EOH and work? Any hobbies?

The details of my life are quite inconsequential”- Dr. Evil.

How seriously do you take yourself?

VERY!!  Nah I kid. Life is very short, enjoy it while you can.

What satisfaction are you deriving from your blog?

I love this industry, so writing about things that may or may not matter in this optical community is quite fun. We also like the creativity of our anonymous users and their names they give themselves. Speaks alot about a person. There are quite a few people posting comments who if you knew their real identify, you might be shocked!

Where do you get your pictures?

The Internet, is a very big place, just ask Al Gore. We search high and low on the net for pictures we just think are plain funny. Then we screw them up with dumb captions

Best Credit Cards By Money Watch

Black Credit Card

I don’t know about you, but this whole credit card thing has really got to me. Every time I turn around, I am getting an email and mail about the updated changes to my credit card (s). Please note- I cannot read or decipher what those changes are. I pay my bill off every month in full and all I want to know, is are they going to start penalizing or charging for paying off our bills every month? Then you read things like this:

Bank of America, for instance, is socking some customers with $29 to $99 annual fees if they don’t charge enough or if their credit has deteriorated. Citigroup is “testing” $30 to $90 annual fees for some of its cardholders spending less than $2,400 a year (money watch)

I really don’t get this at all, first they are in financial trouble with people who don’t pay their bills and then they want to charge us for paying our bills. There is something definitely wrong with this picture. To top this off, I tried to cancel one of my credit cards and they wouldn’t let me, if you can believe that!

Enough of my rant- But I ran across this great article from Money Watch about the best credit cards and the charges and the fees. Thought I would pass it on for those who are as confused as I am as to what’s the best deal in credit cards. The video gives a brief recap on credit cards but the full info is on the website.

Talking to a “Big Box” Optometrist

There are many O.D.’s working in Big Box stores and since FirstSight is one our sponsors I thought I would take the opportunity to talk to an independent optometrist who contracts with FirstSight and get some scoop! I interviewed Robert D. Gentile, O.D. who has his practice in the San Marcos, CA Walmart location. He has been the “Big Box” optometrist in this location since they opened in 2004.

Dr. Gentile is a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the Medical Service Corps of the U.S. Army. I have his curriculum vita in front of me; it is very impressive which I did not really know until reading it after I returned from the interview. I didn’t need the CV to be impressed though as I could tell from talking to Dr. Gentile that he is a dedicated and knowledgeable optometrist with some unique experience and I feel pretty privileged to have spent time talking to him. I especially liked hearing about his experience of being in Berlin when the Wall came down.

Here are some of the questions and answers from our discussion;
1. What attracted you to FirstSight?

Having spent my early years in the military and middle years in nutrition counseling and sales, FirstSight Vision Services allowed me to start earning an income immediately, without having to build a practice from scratch. At this point in my life, the investment in time and money to start my own practice would have required a longer time horizon than I wanted to work. I did not have much business experience, but I had a lot of patient care and counseling experience, some unique and more broad than most O.D.s. These experiences were a good fit for FirstSight. So with lots of walk-in patients, I could start earning an income while I slowly built a solid referral patient base.

2. What are you provided with as a tenant of Walmart’s?

I am provided with all the latest, basic equipment I need for screening, contact lens, exam, reception, and patient waiting rooms. Everything else is up to me. I hire my own staff, buy my own supplies, and decorate my office to suit my needs.

3. What are the positives of being a FirstSight doctor provider?

I like the independence of being self-employed. I select office hours to accommodate the needs of my patients. I find that working evenings and weekends allows my patients to attend to their eye care and vision needs, while still being able to work a full day. As I don’t have to attend to a lot on the business side, I can devote most of my time examining,counseling, and educating patients.

4. What are the challenges?

Working inside a Wal-Mart makes one feel a bit “generic” at times. I have no control of what goes on outside my office, such an ice machine and a drink machine on either side of my office door. Another challenge might be labeled “impulse eye care”, in parallel with “impulse buying”. Many of my patients come to Wal-Mart on a shopping trip and only think of getting eyecare that day because they see the optical display or optometry sign. If there is little time available to squeeze these walk-ins into the schedule, they may be disinclined to make an appointment or, if they do book one, not keep it. On the other hand, many of these people would not receive eyecare without this kind of affordable, walk-in availability.
5. What do you do personally as far as making sure your patients’ vision care is a positive experience for them?

I enjoy educating my patients and making their eye exam and vision care a fun experience. Having dealt with many “vision emergencies” in my previous career in the military in such places as Berlin, Germany and Seoul, Korea, I am comfortable treating patients with anterior segment disease and injuries. I spend a good portion of my exam making sure my patients understand their health and visual problems, as well as their treatment modality. I also spend time counseling patients about nutrition and overall health. This pays off when patients routinely return and refer others, many of whom have never before considered coming to an optometrist, located in a Wal-Mart, for an eye exam.

6. What advice might you give to current or future O.D.s about working as a “Big Box” optometrist?

I feel this type of working environment provides great experience and an opportunity for instant income for someone newly out of optometry school, transferring from one job or state to another, wanting to work part-time, or wanting more control of the number of hours they work.
If you show proper respect and provide quality personal care, your patients will feel confident in your diagnosis and treatment plan. This increases the probability of the patient’s compliance with your suggestions, whether the exam fee is higher or lower or the venue “big box” or private office.

Theopticalvisionsite.com Blog readers I would be interested to receive your comments and questions about this interview – “Talking to a Big Box Optometrist”. What else would you like to know? Who else should we interview?

Previous Optical Vision Site Optometrist interviews: Eric M. White, OD, Joseph C. Mallinger, OD Vision West