Do you work with your patients to create a multi-pair “plan” that covers their primary pair, specialized pair, and sunglasses?
Technology improvements have created the opportunity for specialized pairs of glasses that help patients see better at work, during their hobbies, and in life. How a primary pair is defined needs to evolve, depending on the patient and their needs the primary pair could be sun or computer glasses, let's discuss:
Why Do Patients Need Multiple Pairs?
Patients will likely ask you why they need multiple pairs. Specialized lenses will keep their eyes more comfortable and able to see better. Multiple pairs provide different levels of correction or features to support your eye health for the situation in front of your patients. It’s impossible to cover every possibility in a single set of lenses.
This is why we recommend building a multi-pair plan that lays out a timeline for purchasing each pair of glasses.
The multi-pair plan should also include sunwear.
Creating a multi-pair plan allows you to focus on your patients’ lifestyle and makes it easier to accept that they now need more than one pair. It incentivizes them to return to your practice for their annual exams and allows you to be consultative with them along the entire process, expanding your value and leveraging your expertise.
Redefine “Primary Pair”
When discussing multiple pairs with patients explain to them that no pair is their “primary” pair, because they don’t follow the exact same routine every day, their passions are different than what you do for work, and they probably want to go outside from time-to-time. Instead of the best pair, there is a best pair for each situation.
Specializing Your Glasses
Part of the difficulty of creating a multi-glasses plan for your patients is that they’ll likely be resistant to the idea. After all, it’s a big shift to go from one pair to multiple. Sometimes it is about reframing expectations.
One way to reframe the conversation is to compare it to other products your patients use. For example, you wouldn’t expect your phone to do everything, would you? It’s great for talking to people, browsing the internet, and it’s decent for watching some videos, but it can’t replicate the experience of watching a movie on your big screen TV. The same is true for glasses. Every person’s individual eye care needs are different, so focus on what you WANT to get out of your glasses.
When you want to specialize there are three common categories you can ease patients into:
General Use - Most people have a general use pair of glasses when they only have one pair. These are pretty self-explanatory, these are the go-to pair for your everyday use. Just because you are specializing with patients doesn’t mean you should leave general use glasses behind. This is the pair for hanging out around the house, driving at night, and a broad variety of tasks.
Sunwear - Whether it’s a pair of sunglasses that block all UV light or photochromics that change from light to dark depending on where you go, a prescription pair of sunglasses are often absent from most people’s glasses toolkit. It’s easy for patients to feel like a pair of cheapos from a mall kiosk will be enough, so teach them that a dedicated prescription pair of sunglasses will keep eyes healthier and less fatigued after a day in the sun.
Computer Glasses - There’s no getting away from it, we live in front of screens. Digital pairs like Sync III are specialized to keep eyes feeling more energized after a work day in front of a computer. Educate patients on digital eye strain symptoms if they are spending more than a couple of hours in front of a computer a day.
Refresh yourself on the symptoms and solutions for digital eye strain.
While there are other categories, like safety and sports pairs, these will cover people working in an office setting or in front of a computer most of the day. Work with your patients to determine the lenses and features that will help their eyes the best.
Build a Multi-Pair Plan with Your Patients
Start focusing on multiple pairs with your patients. We recommend starting the conversation early and suggesting building out a plan. By working on a short or long-term plan with patients you’ll encourage them to come for their annual exams and remove the sticker shock.
The most important thing to do is educate patients on why multiple pairs of glasses will keep their eyes healthier and more comfortable.
We have spectacle wearer version of this article you can share online or directly with your patients. You can access it here.
If you are looking for more resources you can use to grow your practice, head over to our new Hoya+You= Resource Center.
