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Taking the High Road: High End Dispensing |
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How to set up and succeed in high-end dispensing, from A(spheric) to Z(yl). ECPs considering adding or opening a high-end retail component into their practices have many questions. What defines a premium pair of eyewear? What defines a high-end dispensary? How can you create a top-notch experience? And what makes a successful high-end practice truly successful? Take this course to learn the answers to these questions to decide if a high-end practice is for you. |
Understanding PERFAS |
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New Perfas Internal Free-Form progressive addition lens offers eyecare professionals many options for meeting each patient's unique visual and lifestyle needs. Primary features and benefits include patented 100 percent back surface technology produced by the latest in free-form digital surfacing techniques; custom-made PALs; and three advanced offerings with multiple designs and in numerous materials and coating options. |
The Skinny on PAL Technology |
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External progressive addition lens technology dates back to 1907, the year the first external PAL was patented. In 1959, the first externally created PAL was commercialized. Seiko pioneered the development of the first internal PAL in 1996, and Seiko Epson received the U.S. patent for this technology in 2000 |
Understanding Succeed Internal Free-Form |
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Seiko Succeed Internal Free-Form, the newly introduced general-use internal or backside progressive addition lens (PAL), utilizes unique features that answer in-depth lens performance problems by challenging conventional PAL designs. Succeed Internal Free-Form lenses incorporate a patented, advanced design that moves the progressive surface from the front to the back of the lens. This separates the design from conventional external PAL designs and other backside design PALs. |
Meeting Lens Technology Challenges |
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One thing is for certain about the spectacle lens marketplace: It continues to grow at a rapid pace. Advances in anti-reflective lenses, the rollout and advance of freeform produced lenses, and the evolving high-index lens segment mean that eyecare professionals and their patients have options in premium lenses that they've never had before. |
Edging Today's Lenses |
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There's so much to know and do today to keep up on current lens materials and proper lens processing. Lenses and the equipment that edges lenses can be basic to sophisticated, so the knowledge range has to cover simple to high tech. While that creates an ongoing challenge, it also ensures that being a part of the optical industry is never boring! |
AR-Right |
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What's new in AR? Everything! Today's super AR is the AR everyone's always wanted: strong, durable, cleanable, wearable. Today's ECPs have a big opportunity to turn AR into a desired part of eyewear from a visual acuity standpoint. Talking technology about today's AR can pay dividends in satisfied patients, referrals, cutting-edge practice perception, and instant bottom line improvements. |
Retina Forward Design |
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Retina Forward Design uses computerized models of the human eye with analysis of rays from 5,000 points on each lens to produce the best possible imaging at the retina. This process optimizes optical performance in progressive multifocal lenses in several ways, primarily in how people wear their glasses and how that affects the view out of the lenses. There are currently two lens designs utilizing this technology, the AF and AF mini. |
Tailored for Success |
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Freeform is to lenses what hand-tailoring is to clothing. Meeting the day's call of personalization, many ECPs are integrating freeform progressive lenses into their practices. Although the technology was introduced in the U.S. in 1996, and has been utilized overseas for several years, it is now taking hold in progressive practices around the nation. Patients are happy with the improved visual acuity of these personalized progressives, and practitioners are offering their patients the best lens technology available today. |
Ten Ways to Dispense High Index Lenses |
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The use of lens substrates higher than glass (1.52) or CR-39(R) (1.50) has grown tremendously in the past 10 years. Today, the total sales of lenses that have higher index than glass or CR-39 is approaching that of CR-39, the dominant lens material. This rapid growth has increased the need for skill and proficiency in explaining and demonstrating the advantages of higher index lenses. This course will explore 10 ways to help dispensers better serve patient needs and improve their annual profits as well. |
Progressive Dispensing |
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This course will provide simple techniques to help dispensers select the best progressive addition design for each patient. The information provided will also encourage opportunities for dispensing multiple pairs of eyewear. |
Understanding Anti-Reflective Coating |
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We in the United States take pride in leading the world in advanced technology, and in many categories, that is the case. In one component of ophthalmic optics, however, the U.S. lags considerably behind many First World countries. Europe, for example, dispenses more than 60 percent of its eyewear with an AR coating. Canada enjoys a 30 percent market share for AR, and Japan currently has an astounding 90 percent AR usage. In the U.S., a number of factors forecast an increase in the AR market making it more essential to fully understand AR coating. |
Advances in Progressive Lens Design |
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Progressive addition lenses (PALs) represent the most advanced technology used in ophthalmic lenses. The first PAL was patented in 1907, but it would take another 52 years before manufacturers were able to commercially produce them. In the years since their introduction in 1959, there has been a steady progression of design improvements. |
Making Adjustments |
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Current frame materials and styles can require special handling. But any frame for any face needs TLC when adjusting. This CE is a primer and guideline for properly adjusting today's top frames and working with premium lenses on adjustments. |
Reducing Redos and Remakes |
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Time and money are two precious commodities today. Redos and remakes (R&R) hit eyecare professionals, laboratories, both wholesale and in-house, and manufacturers where it hurts most by negatively impacting time and money. Time is lost at the ECP level in corrective appointments, doctor chair time, re-ordering and re-dispensing, causing additional stress on staff, the processing system, and with the patient. The patient may be lost due to error, apparent unprofessionalism, and time wasted in the correction process. Potential patients to whom patients speak may be lost, too. |
Today's Titanium Frames |
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Products made using titanium are commonplace today. Consumers can now purchase titanium bicycle frames, camping equipment, boating items, cups and mugs, lighters, tools, watches, and jewelry, to name a few. In the optical industry, titanium frames are recognized for high quality and durability, and now that color and style applications are highly developed, as a fashion accessory that also delivers wearing comfort. |
Titanium: The Eyewear Solution |
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In 1946, titanium was first produced commercially and since then, many features and benefits have been recognized. Since, there has been a growing number of titanium frames in the market. Therefore, it is essential to be aware of what is on the market and to acknowledge what constitutes a titanium frame. |
Understanding Three-Piece Mountings |
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Frames have come a long way since 1867 when a U.S. frame maker named John Jacob Bausch began making frames out of rubber and would later be the foundation of Baush & Lomb, one of the world's largest optical manufacturers. Today, rimless three-piece mountings have become the most labor-intensive finishing operation in a laboratory. The materials used, drilling equipment, special shapes and dispensing tools are key factors to understand when dealing with three-piece mountings. |
Taking the High Road: High End Dispensing - NEW COURSE! |
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How to set up and succeed in high-end dispensing, from A(spheric) to Z(yl). ECPs considering adding or opening a high-end retail component into their practices have many questions. What defines a premium pair of eyewear? What defines a high-end dispensary? How can you create a top-notch experience? And what makes a successful high-end practice truly successful? |
The Best Employees |
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Hiring, training, and retaining good employees in today's marketplace is a key business challenge. The economy and available job pool, the quirks of the professions, and the nature of optical fashion and function, medical and retail--require diverse personal and professional skills. Developing a useful hiring, training, and retention program is essential to any optical business that wants to do good business with good people in place. |
Your Managed Care Plan |
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The term managed care is used to describe a "variety of techniques intended to reduce the cost of health benefits and improve the quality of care," according to Wikipedia, which adds, "It is also used to describe organizations that use these techniques." |
Whole Optical Dispensing |
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A uniform image or all-for-one, one-for-all operating system can help differentiate your practice. Powerful branding throughout the system maintains key recognition with customers. This continuing education course will show you how to create a working environment that really works, from employee effectiveness to patient interaction and from inventory management to operating systems. Internal and external sales and marketing, appearance and branding, and uniform branding and management practice recommendations illustrate how your practice can operate smoothly, efficiently, and profitably. This is big picture, total solution, practice-encompassing operating the whole optical way. |
Managing Lab-Dispenser Relationships |
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In today's competitive optical industry climate, dispensers and labs have to work harder than ever to not lose touch with the marketplace and each other. With wholesale lab consolidation and acquisition, lab groups mushrooming nationwide, and other internal lab changes, dispensers are concerned about losing a handle on how to best work with labs and need to know how to forge and fix working relationships with their lab. |
Professionalism: Your Best Marketing Tool |
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Brochures, hand-outs, lifestyle questionnaires, newspaper ads, and practice websites are some proven ways to help patients make informed eyecare and eyewear decisions and draw traffic into your practice. But these methods are ineffective without efficient and enthusiastic personnel. Your practice's failure or success rests on the ability of you and your staff to be consummate professionals, imparting knowledge in a friendly, convenient way to your patients consistently and constantly. |
Handling Difficult Patients |
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This course will review the single component that can make or break a practice's customer service. How hard-to-please patients are handled can have a direct effect on the bottom line of a practice or business. In fact, studies have shown that 96 percent of patients dissatisfied with the service they get do not complain, they simply find a different source for the service. Unfortunately, unhappy customers will usually pass on the information about their less than satisfactory experience to between 10 and 20 other people, greatly reducing the chances of those prospective patients ever coming through the door. Eliminating difficult patients is not possible, but this course will show how their dissatisfaction can be handled in a positive way. |
Photochromic Perspective |
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The medical approach to selling, marketing, and dispensing UV-protective eyewear is simple: healthy eyes equal healthy vision, and eyewear designed for optimal visual acuity, comfort, and protection is a must-have for patients. Studies show that photochromic lenses and patient satisfaction go hand-in-hand. Photochromics deliver better patient eyewear compliance, more usage, enjoyment, and better vision care overall. Photochromics are a pivotal way to get patients to think about eye health care via lens technology. |
Effective Publicity for ECPs |
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Many ECPs seem to be skeptical about public relations and if there really are any tangible effects to their efforts. However, a lot of effort and persistence is needed in order to make communications work. This course offers many helpful tips to have effective publicity. |
The Power of Brand Names |
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Brand names have become a dominant factor in consumer marketing of a myriad of products, ranging from potato chips to refrigerators to tennis shoes. In looking at the historical development of brand names, Coca-Cola was one of the first nationally recognized brands to come along. The Coca-Cola Company printed its first consumer calendar in 1891. Another early national brand name was Gillette razor blades. King Gillette invented the first disposable razor blade in 1903 and rapidly set out to tell the world about the benefits of throw-away blades. Vaseline was first used as a name for petroleum jelly in 1899 and registered as a U.S. Trademark in 1925. Those trade names represent major assets for their companies today and have allowed their brand name and products become well-known and recognizable among consumers. |