Hello, optometry family! As the co-founder of Eyecare Republic, I’m thrilled to share the real-life stories that inspired Dr. Justin Weigel and me to launch an alliance group built for optometrists, by optometrists. Many of you have faced the same frustrations we have — moments that spark a chuckle, a sigh, or even a tear. These experiences, drawn from the trenches of clinical practice, highlight the need for a new approach to collaboration in optometry.
Welcome to the first chapter of our journey, where we expose the absurdities of corporate optometry and invite you to join us in rewriting the narrative.
Chapter 1: The Contact Lens Rebate Rollercoaster; Share-Based vs. Growth
We’ve all danced to the tune of share-based contact lens rebate programs. You know the drill: Boost one manufacturer’s fitting percentage to unlock their “exclusive” deal. The pitch is simple — fit X percent of their lenses, and a juicy rebate lands in your pocket. It’s a tantalizing promise, right? But what about those near misses when you fall short by 5 percent, 1 percent, or even a razor-thin 0.1 percent? The brutal truth is that the house comes out ahead every single time.
A Tale of Two Optometrists (Names Changed to Protect the Innocent)
Picture this: It’s 2017, and Dr. Justin Weigel and I are deep in the grind with an alliance group we’ll call “Optic Ventures” (names altered to keep the peace). Our mission? Chase the elusive share-based program of 50 percent market share needed to secure the maximum rebate on a major contact lens brand. With one month left in the quarter, we’re spinning and grinning, we’re going to make it!
We call our rep “Iris” for an update. “How’s our progress?” we ask, hopeful for a clear view through the corporate fog.
“You’re close, boys — keep those fits coming!” she replies, her enthusiasm as predictable as a Snellen chart.
So we double down, fitting lenses so fast and furious it would make DaVinci’s head spin, confident we’re on track.
One week to go. Another call to Iris. “How’s it looking?”
“You’re close — keep those fits coming!”
We push harder, prescribing with the intensity of our optometric forefathers.
One day left. Final check-in. “Iris, are we there?”
“You’re close — keep it up!”
Quarter four ends. We wait anxiously, like patients awaiting a dilated fundus exam, for the results. Weeks later, Iris delivers the news: “Guys, you won’t believe this — you hit 49.9 percent.”
Cue the celebration, right? Surely, no one would quibble over a tenth of a percent. We’re practically there! But corporate optometry, that unrelenting machine, had other plans. Our dreams of rebate glory were dashed. No rounding up, no mercy. We requested clarity, but our inquiries met the cold silence of an auto-reply email. Were the numbers fudged? Was there glee in our defeat? We’ll never know. What we do know is that the promised maximum rebate never saw the light of day.
Eyecare Republic: A New Vision
This saga, familiar to so many of you, is one scenario of many that fueled the creation of Eyecare Republic. Dr. Weigel and I co-founded this alliance to flip the script. To be clear, we love rebates; who doesn’t? But share-based programs that penalize you for missing by 0.1 percent are fundamentally flawed. Clear, concise, traceable rebate programs are what Eyecare Republic is about.
No more opaque schemes or corporate games that undermine our practices. Eyecare Republic is built on transparency, collaboration, and fairness — designed to empower optometrists to prioritize patient care over profit-driven corporate quotas. We’re taking these “scorned optometrist” stories, learning from them, and building a community where your expertise is valued and supported.
Join us in this movement. Share your own tales of corporate optometry woes, and let’s create an alliance that puts optometrists first. Together, we can ensure that the next chapter — whether it involves contact lenses, cutting-edge diagnostics or practice management — ends with a victory for us, not the machine.
Visit eyecarerepublic.com and see what’s possible.
