Company Name: Bausch + Lomb
Company Description: Bausch + Lomb, a Bausch Health Companies Inc. company, is a leading global eye health organization that is solely focused on helping people see better to live better. Its core businesses include over-the-counter products, dietary supplements, eye care products, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, contact lenses, lens care products, ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments. Bausch + Lomb develops, manufactures and markets one of the most comprehensive product portfolios in the industry, which is available in more than 100 countries. For more information, visit www.bausch.com.
Author: Dr. Jill Saxon is the Senior Director of Professional Strategy at Bausch + Lomb and is part of the leadership team for U.S. Vision Care. Prior to joining Bausch + Lomb, Dr. Saxon worked as an optometrist for more than five years at Randolph Eyecare Center in Randolph, N.J., where she provided both adult and pediatric eye care. Earlier in her career, Dr. Saxon served as an optometrist at the National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) in Bethesda, M.D., as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy.
I’m often asked by students for advice as they begin their career. My answer is simple and consistent—never lose sight of why you chose to be an Optometrist.
I remember, early on in my career, I was taking care of a patient who had just returned from the war in Iraq. He was only 20 years old and had recently lost all his limbs following an IED explosion. Despite needing visual correction, with the physical limitations he was experiencing, he craved the freedom of not needing to continually ensure spectacles remained on. My desire was to give this young soldier, who gave us all so much through his sacrifice, the gift of sight.
A simple gesture, I fitted him with contact lenses. I also worked with his wife to teach her how to insert and remove his lenses for him, knowing he was unable to do so. He shared with me how wearing contact lenses completely changed his life. Through their use, and the independence they provided him, he shared that he was able to find strength and confidence. Most importantly, he was proud to be able to see his wife deliver their first child.
As optometrists, we don’t just help people see better; we can play a crucial role in their overall well-being. By providing outstanding patient care and offering them the latest innovations in eye health, we can help improve their vision.
We also have the rare opportunity in today’s world, dominated by digital devices, to still be able to build personal relationships with our patients and use this to educate them on vision care options they may not think of—or even think they need!
In recent years, the competitive landscape of our industry has changed significantly; the emergence of new channels has led to the increasing importance of health practitioners becoming educators and the need for advancements in vision care that address more patient needs than ever before. It is important for students to recognize the shifting paradigms in this field and identify some of the trends that will impact tomorrow’s practices.
Today’s patients are online, informed, and influencing tomorrow’s referrals
In the 21st century, the internet and social media are playing an increasingly influential role in patient behavior. Online health resources are becoming virtual office experiences for patients and presenting a new type of competition for the private practitioner. Years ago, word-of-mouth referrals and physician finder websites were useful tools for patients to identify local eye care practices. Today’s patients are walking into doctors’ offices more informed than ever before, having conducted thorough research online that includes reading user reviews.
With the rise of popular search engines, crowd-sourced business review sites and mobile-apps, practices are competing with “Dr. Internet”. Not only can a single online review influence public opinion and referrals, but patients are also less likely to make in-office purchases due to the availability of competitive pricing online. While they may still walk into “brick and mortar” practices to receive eye exams and even shop around for eyeglass frames and contact lenses, patients are increasingly making their final purchasing decisions online.
Optometrists must stand out in the hearts and minds of patients by fostering personal connections. As informative as the internet may be, it cannot replace the critical, two-way conversations between the patient and doctor.
The Patient’s Experience – what they’re telling us, and what they aren’t
Cut through today’s digital dominance and distinguish your expertise through meaningful conversations with patients to help improve their outcomes. The doctor-patient relationship is an invaluable and irreplaceable experience that no amount of technology can compete with. Forging relationships based on honesty and open communication can continue to grow and build trust over time.
For example, did you know that 35% of soft contact lens wearers experience blurry vision? And two-thirds of them aren’t telling their eye care providers about the problems they are having? Worse still, many of these patients are likely to blame themselves for their blurry vision rather than the contact lenses they are wearing, which may be the wrong option for them.
Let’s talk to our patients about options specifically designed for their needs.
Innovative options you may not be considering
We have an incredible opportunity to educate—and engage—our patients in conversations focused on identifying the best long-term solutions for them, providing innovative technologies that are designed to meet their needs today and tomorrow.
There are also a variety of reasons why patients may not be wearing contact lenses. In fact, current data indicates that the majority of patients with astigmatism and presbyopia are currently corrected with only with spectacles1.
In recent years, innovations in contact lens technology offer patients both clear vision and all-day comfort, addressing traditional perceived barriers to wearing contact lenses. These innovations open up new opportunities for patients and eye care professionals alike.
However, despite innovation in contact lenses, only 25% of eyeglass only wearers said their eye care professional presented contact lenses as an option during their last eye exam2. As providers, we need to expand the conversation with patients and talk about the benefits these innovative technologies can provide them.
Today’s contact lens options no longer carry some of the traditional limitations of preceding lens generations. Contact lenses have become accessible options to more patients than ever before. But are we talking to our patients about all the options available to them?
Here’s something to think about:
– There are more than 73 million vision-corrected astigmatic patients in the U.S., yet only 24 million wear contact lenses1.
– About 70% of eyeglass-only wearing astigmatic patients believe it is their astigmatism that is the barrier to wearing contact lenses1.
Furthermore, patients in need of multifocals may not consider contact lenses as an option for vision correction. But maybe that is simply because the possibility has yet to be offered to them.
We have the opportunity to inform these patients that not only may contact lenses be suitable for them, but with the innovations in lens designs, materials and expanded parameter ranges3, lenses can provide the comfort they want as well as the performance they need.
Above all else, always remember why you chose to become an Optometrist, and the opportunity you have to make an impact on every patient you treat. You can be an exceptional eye care professional by offering support, education and heartfelt counsel. The decisions we make in our practices can alleviate patients’ concerns and make them more comfortable beyond the simple act of fitting them with contact lenses. By embracing and delivering the latest innovations to meet evolving patient needs and forging a closer doctor-patient relationship, we can truly impact the lives of those we care for. After all, the commitment to the happiness and well-being of others is at the heart of why we do what we do. Don’t ever lose sight of that.
References
1. The 2016 Multi-sponsor Surveys, Inc. Target Report on the Market for Toric Contact Lenses.
2. The 2017 Multi-sponsor Surveys, Inc. Study of the U.S. Consumer Contact Lens Market.
2. CONTACT LENSES 2017. Continuing upward trends in daily disposable prescribing and other key segments maintained a healthy industry. Contact Lens Spectrum. https://www.clspectrum.com/issues/2018/january-2018/contact-lenses-2017
NPR.0187.USA.18
Company Description: CooperVision’s dedication to prescription contact lens design, materials and manufacturing excellence enhances the wearing experience of contact lens patients the world over. CooperVision concentrates on all day wearing comfort in the widest variety of lens designs, materials and wearing options.
Micaela Crowley, O.D., a former student ambassador from Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry described the impact that the student ambassador experience had as she entered her optometry career. “It was an excellent opportunity to learn about contact lenses in a way I would have never learned without this position,” said Dr. Crowley. “It provided insight as to how the industry side of optometry approaches patient care. I was pleasantly surprised!”
Lacie went on to describe the relationship-building opportunities that the program has already provided her as she enters the next stage of her education. “Being a student ambassador for CooperVision has helped me to build relationships with other faculty and doctors at my school,” said Spagnola. “I work with the faculty to keep contact lenses stocked in our contact lens room, so it has allowed me to lay the groundwork for a good relationship with them when I enter into clinic this summer.” In addition to building relationships within her own school, Dr. Crowley reflected on how the program also allowed her to meet and develop relationships with key opinion leaders (KOLs) and CooperVision team members. “At the KOL dinners, I learned from many top contact lens clinicians in the country who fit CooperVision contact lenses on a regular basis. I also learned that CooperVision has an incredibly knowledgeable and fun team who care about their profession,” said Crowley.
Company Description: As the world leader in modern visual electrophysiology, Diopsys, Inc. has done more than any other company to advance the use of electroretinography (ERG) and visual evoked potential (VEP) in the eye care practice. The company’s unique, patented technology provides eye care professionals with objective, functional information about the health of the vision system to aid in the early detection of vision disorders, and post-treatment tracking for enhanced patient management.
Independently, each of the aforementioned applications of flicker ERG help build an impression about the health of the retina that is applicable to a variety of common pathologies seen by eye care experts. Armed with this knowledge, the clinician gains confidence in his or her treatment decision making process. Objective, quantifiable data is an invaluable asset when tracking progression and response to treatment in all types of cases, and especially so when results of other diagnostics and clinical tests are inconclusive.
Company Name: Volk Optical
In the VR lab, we were equipped with a virtual BIO headset, virtual lens, and virtual patient. In one exercise, we searched for various shapes hidden in different parts of the eye, another offered the opportunity to diagnose pathologies. The simulated real-life experience helped us build confidence in our BIO exam skills.
For me as a relatively new Volk employee, I found this weekend to be invaluable. In speaking to my Volk colleagues, even those who have been with the company for years felt they were seeing the products from a whole new perspective.
For Sales Manager Paul Koopman, it was the detailed training in anatomy that struck him. “The lectures went into so much detail of the pathology of various disease states and what our lenses were used for. The hands-on was amazing to then literally see into the eye and see all the structures we’d learned about in the classroom. All of the insight gained will be great to take back to distributors and help in training.”
Company Name: 
Along with the excitement of going into business for yourself, there’s often a bit of apprehension. Sound guidance and tips from someone who’s already successfully traveled the journey of business start-up and ownership can be an invaluable resource. In this brief article, I share my own experience to answer some of the most common questions asked by doctors just starting out in practice. I hope you find this information helpful and I wish you the best in your new endeavor!
As a student working toward her Doctor of Optometry degree, Brittney Schieber looked forward to the time when she could start applying everything she had been learning to real-world patient care. In August 2017, during her third year at the University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry, she began her rotations through different types of eyecare clinics, seeing patients alongside supervising optometrists. Her very first contact lens case turned out to be, pardon the pun, an eye-opener.
Diabetes can take a toll on the entire body, including the eyes. “Joyce,” who has type 1 diabetes, the type that manifests at an early age, knows this all too well. Now 34, she has experienced many diabetes-related ocular complications and undergone multiple types of treatments, all of which have reduced her vision over the years. It was a more sudden worsening of her eyesight over several months, however, that led her to the William Feinbloom Vision Rehabilitation Center at Salus University. Patients come to the Feinbloom Center to learn how to live with decreased vision and to be prescribed and taught to use devices for what’s known as low vision: poor eyesight that is no longer correctable with glasses, contact lenses, medicine or surgery.
It’s usually not a concern if shortly after birth a baby’s eyes occasionally seem to not be working together. For example, one eye may sometimes point more inward or outward. However, when little Finn was about 18 months old, his mom noticed something more than that. She noticed that both of his eyes were tending to drift outward frequently. Wisely, she brought him to see pediatric vision specialists Elizabeth Knighton, OD, FAAO, and Nathan Bonilla-Warford, OD, FAAO, FCOVD, who have two offices in Florida, one dedicated to family vision care and one just for kids. With a thorough initial exam, Dr. Knighton (“Dr. Beth” to her patients) determined that Finn had exotropia ― an outward drifting of the eyes. She also found that he had significant hyperopia (farsightedness) as well as astigmatism. All three cause blurry vision, a definite threat to proper vision development.
A patient at the New England College of Optometry (NECO) Center for Eye Care – Roslindale, André had been experiencing bouts of double vision for about four years. After reading or using the computer for 5 or 10 minutes, whatever he was looking at would split into two images. The situation was annoying but didn’t happen very often, so he hadn’t wanted to take any steps to fix it. That changed when it started happening more frequently. It reached a point where it was adversely affecting his work as a quantitative analyst, which relies heavily on close-up work like reading and online research, which was precisely when his issues occurred. He was making errors and his performance reviews at his Boston financial firm were slipping. The 44-year-old decided it was time to seek a solution.
As a Los Angeles-area optometrist who works in a private practice and serves as an adjunct faculty member with the Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University, Brett Nagatani, OD, treats all types of patients. He finds that providing care for those with low vision ― poor eyesight due to ocular disease or injury that can’t be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, medicine or surgery ― can be especially rewarding. “Many people feel that without perfect vision they can’t do anything,” he says. “However, in reality, they can still work, travel, date, use the computer, and do most things sighted people do. Low vision optometrists and the devices they prescribe open up that world of possibilities.”
One of several people at the local homeless shelter who agreed to a free eye exam, “Joe” didn’t really have any symptoms to report. He sat down with The Ohio State University College of Optometry faculty member Joan Nerderman, RN, OD, and a student extern who were at the shelter as part of the college’s ongoing community outreach program. He asked for a pair of sunglasses, explaining that he was a little sensitive to light, which wasn’t an uncommon request. He answered the questions he was asked, revealing that he was unemployed, abused alcohol, and had a “dispute” with his wife, who had kicked him out of the house where they had lived with their young daughter.
Not much, it seemed, was able to keep little “Tate” from being his bright and active 6-year-old self. Not Goldenhar syndrome, the rare condition that leads to underdeveloped structures like the nose, lips, soft palate, jaw and ears. And not Duane’s retraction syndrome or the palsy that make it difficult for him to close his right eye or move either eye outward normally. Despite all of this, with the help of cochlear implants for hearing, Tate was communicating well and going about his life. By the time he was 7, however, some vision-related issues began to threaten his well-being. His difficulty with eye movement as well as some farsightedness were making it difficult to see up close and holding him back in his ability to read. Tate needed glasses to correct the farsightedness, but he doesn’t have ears to hold them up.
For her first visit to the University Eye Center of the State University of New York College of Optometry (SUNY), “Jane” wasn’t able to come alone. She had to be accompanied by her daughter. She couldn’t be in the room with more than a few people at a time. The lights had to be off. “She was clearly extremely uncomfortable,” says Katherine Lai, OD, a resident and assistant clinical instructor at SUNY, who is part of the team that has been working with Jane. As Dr. Lai explains, Jane, a 56-year-old artist, had been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury after she took a disastrous fall down an open sidewalk grate and down some stairs while walking in the city. As part of her medical care, she was referred to SUNY for neuro-optometric rehabilitation. During her initial visits, Jane told the SUNY optometrists how she was struggling to do just about everything every day. Her problems included having trouble reading, feeling overwhelmed in crowded environments and feeling unsteady on her feet.
When people hear Jacob Green tell the story of his long, arduous journey of recovery from a traumatic brain injury (TBI), they feel inspired. Jacob, too, has drawn hope and optimism from his experience, in particular when he thinks about the optometrists and researchers who helped him get his life back. At the Eye Care Institute at Western University of Health Sciences, Valerie Quan, OD, FAAO, used her expertise in vision and neuroscience, along with persistence, to solve a problem Jacob had suffered with for a long time.
Many optometrists positively influence lives beyond the walls of their own practices. Naureen M. Haroon, OD, FAAO, an assistant professor at Midwestern University Chicago College of Optometry, has been instrumental in helping a group of people halfway around the world. Last year, while she was visiting a rural town in the Kashmir valley of India, a peaceful political protest turned deadly when local police and military forces indiscriminately fired pellet guns into the crowd. The incident was one of many during a 2016-2017 period of unrest in the area. Hundreds of people who survived had injuries that resulted in loss of vision in one or both eyes. Dr. Haroon, feeling compelled to help, returned to the United States and began to figure out how. She identified a nonprofit organization that does work in India and submitted a proposal for assistance. The organization accepted the proposal, and Project Noor (Noor means light in Arabic) was born.
Author: Dr. Amber G. Dunn, O.D
Just little over a year ago I realized becoming a part of the U.S. Navy could be my reality. This reality was never fathomed or appreciated before I learned of the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP).
Not only would the Navy pay tuition in full, but they would provide a monthly stipend, reimbursement for school equipment, and provide you with a job straight out of school.
If you feel apprehensive at all about joining the military, maybe I can give you some peace of mind (at least if you’re becoming a Naval Optometrist like myself). As a Naval optometrist, once I’m on active duty, I will serve on bases, I will never be stationed on a ship and I will never have to hold a gun or do anything other than my job as an optometrist. There may be other requirements as far as deployment in other branches or health professions, but I can attest to my own specialty.
Most academic institutions require optometrists to have a minimum number of years of experience (often five years) or to have completed a residency or earned a master’s or doctoral degree in addition to the optometry degree in order to qualify for a faculty position. Completing a residency can also be a preview of academia that can help you decide whether an academic career is right for you. During residency, new ODs have opportunities to lecture as well as oversee students in clinics and labs. “I can’t emphasize this enough: Students who want to pursue an academic career should do a residency,” says Robert Chun, OD, FAAO, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Chun continues, “If you’re going to recognize a drive and excitement for all of the factors associated with working in an academic institution, the best way to experience this is through a residency.”
It was during her residency that Vinita Allee Henry, OD, FAAO, Clinical Professor and Director of Clinical Operations at the University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry, realized how much she enjoys working in clinic and labs with students. “I discovered I had a passion for the variety of academia, be it teaching, research, writing, speaking or patient care,” she says. Dr. Henry, a co-author of several contact lens-related books, has also held several administrative/leadership roles, including her current one, which she credits to having “some natural leadership characteristics and organizational skills, which made me a good fit.” Dr. Chun had a similar experience, realizing during his low vision residency and research fellowship (with the Pangere Center for Inherited Retinal Diseases) that he wanted to pursue a career in academia. As he explains, “I liked the fact that I could take advantage of all the resources of an academic institution, such as high-quality imaging tools, research funding and the opportunity to collaborate with other experts. In addition, I was very excited by the idea of producing research that could potentially change the way care was delivered in my field. Ultimately, it was the variety of opportunities available and the potential to directly impact the lives of my patients that convinced me to continue on the academic path.”
