Knowing your market-key to practice growth
September 1st 2009Marketing is highly effective when done right, but many optometrists think they either must spend a fortune or spend very little. Developing an accurate profile of a practice's existing patient base is an important first step in creating a marketing campaign that delivers a strong return on investment.
Acanthamoeba keratitis: high index of suspicion is key
September 1st 2009Acanthamoeba keratitis can be challenging to diagnose, but early detection is critical to prevent severe vision loss. High index of suspicion and use of confocal microscopy are important tools for evaluating patients with keratitis of unexplained origin.
Contact lens wearers with dry eye need multimodal treatment plan
July 1st 2009Dry eye can compromise comfort of contact lens wear. Maintaining patients in their lenses requires management of the dry eye disease and proper lens fitting. Good selection of lens materials and care solutions are important, as is patient compliance with recommendations on lens wear and care.
Editorial: The patient's ideal eye-care practice
July 1st 2009Although the patient's ideal eye-care practice might not actually exist, something very close to the ideal practice does exist in many optometry practices throughout the world, much of the time in areas being best-served by optometry, rural America. And it is much more achievable than one might think.
Fluoroquinolone is developed expressly for ophthalmic use
July 1st 2009Modern fluoroquinolones have evolved over more than 4 decades, from the parent quinolone compound, nalidixic acid (NegGram, Sanofi-Aventis US), patented in 1962. Since then, more than 10,000 derivatives have been patented, all with structural modifications that added features to improve systemic absorption, extend spectrum of action to include Gram-positive microorganisms, and reduce systemic toxicity.
Vision-Ease Lens and the Skin Cancer Foundation promote eye protection
July 1st 2009With sun safety a growing concern and the sun season in full swing, Vision-Ease Lens (VEL) and the Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF) are working together to educate consumers about the importance of sun protection for the eyes.
Operational efficiency keeps OD focused on patient care
July 1st 2009Demands for increased efficiency from doctors will intensify as vision plans and medical insurance plans drive reimbursement downward. To meet these demands, doctors need to train staff members to handle more responsibilities and keep the doctor focused on taking care of patients.
Optical coherence tomography aids retinal diagnosis, treatment
July 1st 2009Optical coherence tomography (OCT) can be an effective diagnostic tool that enables optometrists to examine the retina layer by layer. It also can offer quantitative data about the retinal nerve fiber layer. Some doctors believe that the biggest advantage of OCT is what it reveals about the vitreomacular interface.
Winning new patients depends on your value proposition
July 1st 2009Increasing market share for your practice includes an honest assessment of the benefits your practice brings to prospective patients. Consider their needs and preferences carefully to help you devise a value proposition that will make your practice their top choice.
Women's eye-health education needed
July 1st 2009Results of a survey conducted by Transitions Optical reveal that women are significantly more likely than men to experience various eye conditions and vision problems and more likely to identify certain health and environmental factors as negatively affecting vision.