Differentiate a Practice Through Specialty Contact Lens Fits
For David Vinci, OD, having a knowledgeable consultation team comes in extra handy when he’s fitting patients with specialty contact lenses, including made-to-order (MTO) lenses in his practices in Rome and Boonville, New York. He relies on his team at ABB Optical Group to not only help him identify which lenses might have the best advantages for a particular patient but then also to deliver those lenses quickly.
Dr. Vinci joined EyeCare Center of Rome about 15 years ago, becoming its solo owner about five years ago when the previous owner retired. He is one of a partnership of owners at Adirondack Eyecare Center in Boonville; both are Vision Source member practices.
The practices have built their reputation as specialty providers. Each of the three doctors has areas of particular interest, but they appreciate the satisfaction that comes with fitting patients with higher prescriptions and irregular corneas. “A specialty practice builds on itself,” says Dr. Vinci.
Definitive custom specialty contact lenses are silicone hydrogel lenses with an exclusive blend of fluorosilicone and hydrophilic monomer, offering a high level of oxygen permeability. The lenses are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in spherical, toric, multifocal and multifocal toric designs for use with patients with irregular corneas. The Concise Custom lenses provide an alternative HEMA-based lens for patients with these demanding prescriptions.
That means that Dr. Vinci can deliver these patients specialty lenses that provide them with excellent optical performance and extraordinary on-eye comfort. Plus, his ABB consultants make it easy. “I can call when I have a rigid gas permeable lens or keratoconus lens patient in the office and give the consultant the parameters and some details, such as how the lens I have on the patient’s eye is moving, and they help me come up with a plan,” he says.
Fast Delivery, Low Risk
Dr. Vinci says that the level of customer service he receives helps him deliver a great experience to his patients. “Definitive lenses are fully customizable. So if I need a MTO lens, this is a great option. The lenses ship out quickly and come with a 90-day warranty. I can tell patients that if it doesn’t work, just come back in.” That’s a nice level of reassurance that he can provide.
Patient Gratitude
Dr. Vinci says that the patients who are fit successfully with specialty contact lenses become some of the greatest ambassadors for a practice. “These are the patients who have been told that they cannot wear contact lenses,” he says. Imagine their gratitude when he tells them that he can order customized contact lenses for them so that they can wear them – or that they can leave behind contact lenses that were not helping them achieve the vision and comfort they deserve.
“So many of these patients are wearing standard lenses that are subpar in terms of performance for them. But they believe that this option is the best that they can get,” Dr. Vinci says. “Other practitioners have told them that contact lenses don’t come in their powers or in a design that works for them, and here we are able to say, ‘We are going to do everything to help you get vision and comfort. No more compromising.’”
Indeed, there’s no reason not to fit custom and MTO soft lenses, Dr. Vinci says. “If you want to provide contact lenses for your patients who want to wear contacts or could benefit from them, then this is a great option to have. It’s far better than telling them you’ve done all you could – and still have them leave your office not seeing clearly.”
Learn More
ABB Optical Group offers its customers a variety of helpful resources and tools to make custom lens fits easier and more predictable. These include quarterly webinars, staff training on specialty products and a team of consultants who can help with identifying the best design and finalizing the order.
