The Optical Vision Site

Starting Up A Lab- Checklist

Briot Alta Edger

One of the sites we recommend for FREE Optician Training is Opticianworks. John just sent over an article he will soon be uploading on his site on starting up a lab. Because the article is long, I thought I would publish his Checklist of Lab Supplies. (If you cannot read, it’s because I copied and pasted from a PDF and it’s in excel which doesn’t translate well) You can purchase Lab Supplies at, Amcon, Hilco, Fast Grind International, Vision Systems and Equipment at Walmans, Briot, Santinelli,

Here’s what it took to open a working lab from scratch:

Of Course We Can Make That Special Rx- Eyecare Marketing

Marketing Specialty Lenses- Opportunities For Eyecare Professionals

Specialty Lenses

A patient comes in and wants a Rx in a Dive Mask, or to put bifocals in swimming goggles or wants a triple tint, a jeweler comes in and needs that mini telescope put in his eyewear or you have an extremely high plus/minus (+16.00 or -16.00) or need prism put in their bifocals or have a +  and – Rx- What do you do?  These types of Rx’s are up to 5% of the eyewear market and can be an important marketing tool for the eyecare professional. It is important to know where you can get these Rx’s made or to be able to ask a knowledgeable lab person if this can be done.

Due to the amount of handwork, labor  and knowledge, the production of vocational and difficult prescriptions such as the above cannot be made by most optical labs, so they send it to labs such as Quest Specialty Lab an independent lab noted for difficult to do specialty labwork. If any of you have ever worked in a lab, you know what I’m talking about. I started out this business in a lab and we used to do Slab Offs (I hated) it’s tedious, you polish, calibrate, re-polish, calibrate again …. if a lab doesn’t have the right tools or knowledge they have to keep remaking the lenses creating an expense in time and materials. There were times we had to redo a Slab Off 6-7 times. (Ugh, brings back memories)

Michael Walach- Quest Specialty Lab

Based in Largo, Florida, Quest Specialty Lab saw a need for an independent specialty lab to cover 1-5% of the Rx’s and set up their lab in 2003. Their normal jobs are what most optical staff will never see, high minus, strong cylinders, myodiscs, high pluses, lenticular lenses, high prisms, prism’s in bifocals (yes you can do that).

What I think is intriguing is the Vocational and Sport Performance Eyewear products they offer. Musician lenses, Pilot lenses, Diving Lenses, Jeweler Lenses, Swimming Goggles

Eye Bogglers

• 597, 109 Active Certified Pilots in USA  (2006)
• 1.3 Million Active Divers in the USA (estimated 2007)
• 66, 256 Jewelers in the US (Manta)
• 130,000 Professional full Time Musicians - not counting part time etc..
• 3.3 Million Low Vision and Blind people in the US who could use a variety of low vision Rx lenses in creative ways.

Swim Goggles are Rxable

When speaking to Michael Walach at Quest Specialty Lab, I was most impressed with his ‘I Can Do It ‘attitude, meaning, you have a challenge, they will try to find the optimum and most effect solution. What I think- Give Michael a call, find out more about his products and services, put the information into your office brochure, website, blog, make a section in your dispensary on Vocational Eyewear and start letting your patients know the availability of these services from you and try to capture this potentially lucrative market.

FYI- Slab Off Info - A doctor will order a slab-off when a patient has anisometropia, which is a great difference between the prescriptions in each eye, (i.e., right eye -4.50, left eye +0.50), and is wearing lined-style multifocal lenses or progressive addition lenses. When a patient has a large difference between the eyes and wears an addition lens, the resulting prismatic effect can create enough image shift through the combined prisms of distance and near lenses that the wearer has double vision. One eye perceives the object in one place, and the other eye perceives it somewhere else (double vision). Slab-off alters the shape of the prism wedge, bringing the two images back into alignment, reducing the vertical imbalance. Source (opticianonline.com)

Insight Optical Lab In Montana -Eco Friendly And Gives Back

Insight Optical Lab For the Planet

I am impressed! Insight Optical Lab an eco friendly optical surfacing lab in Montana is doing what they can to lessen their environmental impact. In light of the BP-Oil-gate scenario, I personally thank them for reducing our dependancy on oil, eliminating waste and saving water. Read their Give a Damm Statement

The Highlights: From their Website

• Insight Optical Laboratory is the only independent optical laboratory that uses renewable energy sources to run it’s operations (Wind turbines and solar panels)- That means less oil being used.
• Water- It only takes 3oz per pair of eyeglasses to produce a pair of glasses v.s. 48 oz (3 gallons) What a relief as only 20% of the world has access to clean water.
• Waste- All waste is re-purposed and used in other industries – Reduces dependency on oil and landfill space. Did you know that making new landfills cost the taxpayer’s money- It cost from $20 Million to open a new landfill and the taxpayer pays for that.
• Donates- 10% of all profits are donated.

Insight Optical Labs also offers- Vision-Ease Lenses (another Eco Friendly company), Hoya Lenses and Pixel Lenses- 3 of our sponsors

Breaking News-Opticote Coating Lens Lab Signs As Sponsor!

I just love writing Breaking News! Opticote our newest sponsor is a lens coating lab located in Franklin Park, Illinois. They started out initially  in 1971 in color coating eyeglass lenses and filters for military and aerospace applications- so they must know what they are doing! In order to reduce human error they started automating their process in 1994.  If you have ever visited a coating lab, you will know what I am talking about, everything has to be pristine and one little touch can ruin the lens.

Lense coatings have come a long way since 1994 and are not only a huge profit potential for the eyecare professional but provide important eye health preventative measures. Personally, I could not do without my AR coating on the backside, I have my fashionable Gold Flash fashion retro eyewear, I have my mirrored sports performance sunglasses, and I cannot tell you how important it is to have quality coatings on eyewear.

Opticote Merchandising Display

The other thing I really like about Opticote, is the information on their website about lense coatings and how they work, what types of lense materials they will work on. Good stuff to be able to tell your patients and help you sell coatings.

Of course the best way to sell coatings is visual appeal. Opticote has several different merchandising programs available. Let your patients browse through all the samples, you can explain the features and benefits of each type of coating and the performance abilities and sell multiple pair of lenses if not frames.

Plus they offer a rewards program

‘For every mirror coating that you sell, we will provide you with a Certificate of Authenticity (CA). Five registered CA’s will earn you a $20.00 gift certificate from My Choice Gift Cards (www.quickgifts.com). With rewards available from more than 100 retailers, you can choose the reward that appeals most to you.’

Not a bad gig, make money and receive even more money just by offering your patients important eye health options to enhance their visual abilities and comfort levels.

What type of coatings do they offer:

• Anti-Reflective Coatings
• tzAvoRite Info
• tzAvoRite Lens Acceptance
• Illusion
• Illusion HP
• Fog Free
• Glass Coatings:
• Mirror Coatings:
• Mirror Coatings Chart
• Rxtreme
• Maxximus Mirror
• Mirror Collections
• Mirror Cross Reference
• Poker Coating
• Color Coating

I know on time delivery is extremely important to the eyecare professional. Your patients do not want to wait. If you can believe this, on the home page of their website, Opticote has a graph with their on-time delivery, allowing you to make educated promises to your patients.

Opticote Delivery Statistics

I had some questions for Mike Bellamo, Director of Marketing and Sales,

1.) Since you don’t do surfacing, how do they send the lenses to you? Uncut, in the frame? without the frame?  We receive lenses both ways uncut or edged and the preference is always without the frame. Certain coatings require uncuts only, like our Fog Free or tZavoRite hard coat AR.  Rimless applications we suggest uncuts so any clamp marks are certain to cut out.

2.) What is the turnaround time? does it depend on the coating? AR, Solid and Flash mirrors are same day service. Coatings that require several layers are two-three days. To the best of my knowledge we are the only company that publishes a monthly turnaround time. For 2009 we averaged 97% of better on time delivery on work received. By publishing that number it re-enforces the fact we want our customers to be ” Clearly the Best ” in the eyes of their customers.

3.) Should I mention that you do the coating for other labs? Oh yes please do! We do coatings for every major lab in the country along with a great number of independents. OPTICOTE’S position is it’s always the 1% that creates 99% of all headaches and Labs chose to use us for that 1% to eliminate those concerns while they focus on what they do best.

4.) The cost of the equipment, what was your investment? People are always impressed by this. We have been in this location since 1991 and over the years ten of thousands of dollars have been spent on the purchase of state of the art equipment, plus software upgrades and maintenance of all our machines. Maintaining and having the conviction of publishing a monthly  turnaround time  is a testament to the diligence and monies spent on the equipment we use daily.

5.) Do you have any eco-friendly products or equipment?  OPTICOTE follows all EPA guidelines .

My Recommendations: Visit Opticote’s website, take a look around, explore all the information and products available, give them a call and try them out.

The Optical Vision Site Welcomes the iCoat Company

Full Service Lab 24/7:

Many of you probably know the iCoat Company for their superior lens coatings but you may not know that they are also a full service optical lab that operates 24/7 offering some of the fastest customer service in the West.  With their experience in coating technology, efficient and flexible customer service, state-of-the-art engineered products and expert craftsmanship on services, iCoat has been setting standards in the Eyecare industry for many years.  Through technological advances and innovations, the beyond better approach, and trusted relationship with customers and their businesses, iCoat is helping drive the future generation of products and services.

State-of-the-art Lab and Technology:

I was given a tour of the facility and was impressed by the how modern and state-of-the art the lab is. I think it is the first time I have toured a lab and not seen stacks of lens trays. The full service iCoat lab provides, lens surfacing, lens finishing, lens treatments and coatings as well as stock lenses.  The manufacturing is computer controlled with a tracking system  and fully optimized surfacing.  All pertinent lens and shape data is entered into the lens optimization software program and calculations are passed directly to each machine needed in the manufacturing process providing consistency and accuracy.

Lens Vendor Freedom:

As far as lens coatings are concerned iCoat provides lens vendor freedom as the company will PREMIUM anti-reflective coat any vendor’s lens  for example Shamir, KODAK Lens, Younger, Zeiss and Hoya.  Anti-reflective coating technology has really advanced in recent years so it is important to provide the optical consumer the opportunity to purchase the best AR coatings especially if they are purchasing the best in lens technology.

ECP Education:

We are very excited to have iCoat join our blog and we will be working with them to bring ideas and strategies on how to best communicate with optical patients so that they can understand and enjoy the benefits of superior lens performance both optically and cosmetically. iCoat has been an active participant in educating and training through various seminars, Continued Education (CE) programs, ABO approved education seminars, and through several webinars and presentations. Check the website for a list of iCoat sponsored CEs.

Promotions:

iCoat offers various promotional programs throughout the year to help ECPs earn prizes for their efforts to help the Eyecare industry by growing the number of AR sales and performance eyewear. These promotional offers present exciting opportunities for the ECPs to earn rewards simultaneous while they help their patients improve their overall vision. The current one is the  “Stainless Rewards Program” running until December 31, 2009.

The Optical Vision Site welcomes the iCoat Company.

Walman Optical – New Optical Vision Site Sponsor

Walman Optical – New Optical Vision Site Sponsor is a headline to be proud of as this is an optical company we have admired for a long time and we are honored to have them as a sponsor. This is a company known as much for its values as its products. These core values are:

• Customer Focus
• Technical Excellence
• Innovative Solutions
• Lifelong Learning
• Market Agility
• Employee Ownership

It is these values that we like to blog about and one of the main reasons why we are so happy to have Walman Optical our new Optical Vision Site sponsor. Many companies talk about core values but do not “walk the talk”, we know from our years of experience in the optical industry that this company does “walk the talk”. Many of you will know that if you have worked with them but you might not know the history so here it is:

Walman Optical® was founded in 1915 in Minneapolis, Minnesota by Mr. J.A.L. Walman. Mr. Walman was an optometrist, optician and jeweler a fairly common combination of trades in those days. Mr. Walman brought the attention to quality and detail seen in fine jewelry to the world of eyewear. His standards were extremely high, not tolerating even the slightest blemish in a lens or frame. He even modified jewelry tools for use with frames and lenses. This concern for quality and detail became the foundation for the success and growth of the company.

Since then, Walman has grown to become the largest independent ophthalmic company in the United States with 2000 total sales of $135,000,000. While the company origin and headquarters are in Minnesota, Walman is now truly a national company with over 40 branch offices in 19 states. Best of all, Walman is owned by the employees of the company through the employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).

Walman is not just an optical lab but also has many products and services including:

Rx Fabrication – Eyeglass Frames – Safety Eyewear – Contact Lenses – Instrumentation – Eyewear Accessories – ADO Buying Group – Education  Programs – Marketing Programs.

You may be familar with some of Walman’s brands. Here are a few examples:

Breaking News! Hoya Signs as Optical Vision Site Sponsor

Hoya

We love making these announcements! HOYA Signs up with The Optical Vision Site! HOYA Vision Care of the Americas makes and supplies ophthalmic lenses to Eye Care Professionals located within the United States, Canada, and South American countries.

Products Offered :

• Laboratory Services- 17 Dedicated HOYA Labs plus almost every local lab- check them out on the lab locator.
• Lenses Single Vision Lenses to Progressives, Hi-Index
• Coatings- Scratch, AR (Super HiVision)

Personally speaking- I learned the optical business at the HOYA Lab in San Diego- (Actually it was not HOYA Lab then, it was Signet Lab, now Signet- Armorlite, then went to Sierra and now it’s HOYA. OK, many eons ago- but still, I have a special place in my heart for the HOYA Lab in San Diego.

Reference Guide

What’s On the HOYA Site: :

1.) Lab/ Distributor Locator

2.) HOYA Certified Professional

3.) Online CE through Quantum Optics

4.) HOYA Quick Reference Guide (see above)

5.) Giving Back- Each year HOYA provides a Grant and Scholarship program for the 19 optometry schools in in the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico.  Each University will choose a winning case study that prescribes a HOYA product to solve a patient vision problem.  The winner at each school will receive a $1000 grant.  Of the 19 winning case studies, one student will receive a $6,000 scholarship.

What Else is Exciting?: An opportunity to stand out from the crowd and make your practice more visible, more successful and more profitable. Try looking at the  HOYA Certified Technology Expert Program – a program created specifically to reward your commitment to HOYA’s best-of-category lens products and to expand your business. Lots of promotions and incentives to use HOYA Products.

Hoya Honors Program