Optometry 411

How E-Commerce Platforms Like Bausch + Lomb’s Opal Are Empowering Private Practice Optometrists

Dr. Neal Troyer, OD — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 15:36:10 +0000

In today’s optometry landscape, independent practitioners face intense competition from corporate giants, which dominate the market through vertically integrated business models. These large corporations control manufacturing, distribution, and retail, making it increasingly difficult for private practice optometrists to compete on pricing, convenience, and product availability.

Fortunately, e-commerce platforms such as Bausch + Lomb’s Opal are leveling the playing field by enabling independent optometrists to offer the same level of service, convenience, and product accessibility as their corporate counterparts.

Convenience and accessibility

One of the biggest advantages corporate giants have is their ability to provide seamless online ordering and fulfillment, making it easy for patients to purchase contact lenses and eyewear directly from their websites. Traditionally, independent optometrists have struggled to match this level of convenience. Platforms like Opal provide a digital storefront that integrates with a practice, allowing patients to reorder their contact lenses online while maintaining their relationship with their trusted eye care provider. This means independent practitioners remain the go-to source for vision care rather than losing patients to large retail chains or third-party online retailers.

Patient relationships

When patients purchase eyewear or contact lenses from corporate retailers, the connection with their primary eye care provider weakens. E-commerce solutions like Opal allow private optometrists to maintain control over their product offerings, ensuring that patients return to their practice for follow-up care, prescription updates, and future purchases.

By offering this kind of branded, user-friendly e-commerce experience, optometrists can reinforce their role as the primary provider of eye health services rather than just being a prescription source.

Competitive pricing without overhead costs

A significant challenge independent optometrists face is competing with the bulk pricing and aggressive discounts offered by major corporations. By utilizing an e-commerce platform like Opal, private practices can access competitive pricing on contact lenses and other optical products while reducing the overhead costs associated with in-office inventory management. Many of these platforms also offer direct-to-patient shipping, eliminating the need for optometrists to stock large quantities of products and allowing them to focus on patient care rather than logistics.

Strengthening practice profitability

By integrating e-commerce into their practice, optometrists can generate revenue beyond in-office visits and retail sales. Automated reordering, subscription models, and seamless payment processing encourage repeat business, creating a steady revenue stream that helps independent practices remain financially viable in an increasingly competitive market.

E-commerce platforms like Bausch + Lomb’s Opal empower independent optometrists to compete effectively against corporate giants. By offering convenience, patient retention, competitive pricing, and additional revenue streams, these platforms help level the playing field and ensure that private practice optometrists can continue providing personalized, high-quality eye care without being overshadowed by large-scale corporate entities.

Dr. Neal Troyer, OD, has more than 15 years’ experience in practice management and is a co-founder of Eyecare Republic.

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What Online Contact Lens Shopping Trends Mean for Your Optometry Practice

Katie Lewis — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 18:22:57 +0000

New research from the Contact Lens Institute just dropped, examining search trends in the U.S. and Canada. Results overwhelmingly confirm what you probably suspected — that price drives purchasing decisions. Interestingly, though, people are also looking for information on how to remove their lenses and exploring glasses/contacts comparisons.

Stan Rogaski, CLI’s executive director, points out that these findings are “a window into what [patients] are thinking yet may not be telling their eye doctors, opticians, and staff.”

Eye care provider considerations from CLI on purchase-specific inquiries:

“Patients may be using their phones in the exam lane to search for contact lens purchase options. Consider ways to proactively discuss possibilities ahead of and during patients’ exams, including price-performance alternatives and total cost.”

“Don’t assume patients understand how they can easily purchase contact lenses through you or others, including rebates, payment plans, personal service, convenient delivery or pick-up, and additional benefits of working with your practice.”

Since people are also searching for help and answers, it means you’d be well served by addressing the following topics at your practice:

People search for help removing their lenses at least twice as often as help with insertion.

At the very least, this suggests that some patients are leaving the exam room without adequate mastery of this skill. That may be especially true for first-time wearers, dry eye patients whose lenses adhere more tightly than expected, or scleral or hybrid lens wearers who need specific removal techniques.

What you can do

Spend more time on removal techniques during in-office I&R training.
Send patients home with additional resources like a little practice-branded video or guide (accessible via QR code). It could make all the difference!
Specifically ask about removal challenges during post-fit check-ins, and reinforce removal techniques at every follow-up. Patients may need to try it multiple times before they feel comfortable.
For anyone struggling with dryness-related removal issues, you might recommend lubricating drops or alternative lens materials.

The CLI report also focused on unfulfilled dual wear opportunities based on searches for glasses and/or contacts or glasses vs. contacts.

Many people see contacts as an all-or-nothing choice and don’t realize that daily lenses are great for part-time wearers. But most won’t ask about them unless you bring it up!

What you can do

Develop processes to prompt dual wear conversations during exams.
For your patients who are exclusively in glasses, you might simply bring up the idea: “Would you be interested in a daily option for travel, sports, or weekends?” A question like this can open the door.
Let patients experience the difference with a sample. If they try dailies once, they’re more likely to incorporate them into their routine.
Normalize the idea of multiple lens types, a hybrid approach. People don’t realize you can mix and match — make that education part of the conversation.

Further recommended resources:

See highlights and infographics from the CLI report.

You can also watch the video of CLI’s VEE 2025 presentation on this topic. It’s less than 20 minutes, and could be good for individual or group staff training.

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Managing Diabetic Eye Disease: Strategy and Patient Education

Katie Lewis — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 20:12:26 +0000

The most recent report from the CDC (released in 2021) reveals that nearly 12% of the U.S. population has diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy (DR), a common complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), affects approximately 30% of adults with diabetes and is the leading cause of blindness in working-aged Americans.

The International Clinical Diabetic Retinopathy (ICDR) Severity Scale was created to refine DR classification in efforts to improve diagnosis and management:

Mild NPDR: Microaneurysms only → Annual monitoring.
Moderate NPDR: Intraretinal hemorrhages present → 9- to 12-month follow-up.
Severe NPDR: Based on the 4-2-1 rule (four quadrants of hemorrhaging, two quadrants of venous beading, one quadrant of IRMA) → Referral to retina specialist recommended.
PDR: Presence of neovascularization → Urgent referral for anti-VEGF therapy and/or panretinal photocoagulation (PRP).
DME: Referral recommended for center-involved (CI-DME) cases, particularly those affecting best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA).

During “Current Strategies on Managing Diabetic Eye Disease,” a session at the recent Vision Expo East, Mary Beth Yackey, OD, and Jessica Haynes, OD, presented strategies for managing DR in your practice — tackling patient education, risk assessment, and treatment coordination for your diabetic patients. We’ll touch on just a few of the guidelines shared:

Type 1 Diabetes: The American Diabetes Association and AOA guidelines recommend a baseline eye exam within five years of diagnosis and annual follow-ups thereafter.
Type 2 Diabetes: Since undiagnosed diabetes is common, patients should have a comprehensive eye exam at diagnosis, with follow-up intervals based on DR severity.
For moderate-to-severe NPDR, consider additional OCT, OCT-A, or electroretinography (ERG) to assess progression risk. In cases of rapid disease progression, poor glycemic control, or noncompliance, earlier referral may be warranted.

The doctors also spoke to new therapeutic treatments that are enhancing DR and diabetic macular edema (DME) management:

Anti-VEGF injections act as first-line therapy for CI-DME and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR); newer agents like faricimab and high-dose aflibercept offer longer durability.
Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) remains the gold standard for high-risk PDR to reduce neovascularization.
Intravitreal corticosteroid implants may benefit pseudophakic patients or those unresponsive to anti-VEGF treatment.
Emerging therapies: Fenofibrate (lipid-lowering agent) has shown promise in slowing DR progression, while nutritional supplementation targeting oxidative stress is an evolving area of research.

Patient education points to make

Consider the following information, as outlined in the VEE presentation, when discussing things with your patients:

After 15 years of disease duration, 80% of patients with type 1 DM will have some degree of retinopathy.

Elevated blood glucose levels and HbA1c values (less than or equal to 7%), as well as less glucose time in range assessed by continuous glucose monitoring devices, are also associated with higher rates of retinopathy.

Control of blood pressure, lipids, and management of comorbidities, such as sleep apnea, all reduce risk of progression.

Pregnancy in diabetics places increase risk of progression to severe retinopathy; however this is not the case in those with gestational diabetes.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor analogs are a newer, highly effective category of medication for diabetes management including semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy, both Novo Nordisk), and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Eli Lilly).

Although improved glycemic control is encouraged for promotion of long-term positive outcomes, a transient worsening of retinopathy may be seen initially. (Likely related to VEGF expression, reactive oxygen species production and breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier.)

Source: “Current Strategies on Managing Diabetic Eye Disease,” presented by Mary Beth Yackey, OD, Jessica Haynes, OD, at Vision Expo East; Feb 19-22, 2025; Orlando.

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Genius Idea: Try This Successful Team-Building Reward System in Your Optometry Practice

Katie Lewis — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 16:27:45 +0000

A couple weeks ago, I stumbled upon a podcast produced by Podiatry Today that piqued my interest. In the episode, Dr. Nicole Freels, DPM and Cody Meier, a longtime healthcare management pro, talked about their most successful and innovative team-building reward system.

Of course, I began to think about its applications in an optometry practice. Turns out, it’d be a great fit. If you’re looking to boost morale or get your team on the same page, have a look at this plan and see what you think. Here are the steps to set it up:

1. Make your practice goals crystal clear and meaningful.

As pointed out by Dr. Freels in the pod, an effective reward system starts with well-defined, attainable goals. Employees need to know exactly what’s expected of them and how their efforts contribute to the practice’s success.

In an optometry setting, you could set goals like:

Increase eyewear sales by 10% in a quarter.
Improve patient satisfaction scores as reported on surveys.
Reduce appointment no-shows through better patient engagement.
Boost efficiency by reducing average patient wait time.

When possible, post progress updates on a visible scoreboard or a shared digital dashboard, so everyone can track their contributions and stay motivated.

2. Structure your rewards appropriately.

Here’s a salient point: The best rewards programs offer tiered incentives where both small wins and big achievements get recognized. Also, individual rewards are motivating, but mixing in team rewards encourages collaboration and prevents unhealthy competition.

Here’s an example of how goals/rewards at different tiers:

Individual rewards:

Small wins (ex: getting a perfect patient feedback score): A $10 coffee gift card, handwritten thank-you note, or Employee of the Week spotlight.
Larger milestones (ex:exceeding a sales goal): Extra paid time off, a bonus, or covering the cost of a new professional certification.

Team-based rewards:

If the front desk team reduces no-shows by 20% in a quarter, you cater lunch for everyone.
If the optical team exceeds sales targets for three months straight, arrange a fun team outing (like an escape room or happy hour). Important note: You must make sure an outing would be perceived as an actual reward and not an overtime obligation!
If your entire practice earns high patient satisfaction scores, consider a bonus pool distributed fairly among staff.

You want to have a balance — employees should feel individually valued but also part of a winning team.

3. Include the element of surprise.

One of the best aspects of this system are the surprise incentives. Dr. Freels believes that while structured rewards are essential, it’s the unexpected perks that make this system successful. Be spontaneous!

Give a team member a “Best Patient Experience” award for handling a difficult case with kindness.
Get a prize wheel (or create a digital one) that can be spun once a month. Give your top performers a chance to win gift cards, a free lunch, a day off … you get the idea.
Remember “secret shoppers”? Have a mystery patient rate staff interactions — whoever ranks highest wins a treat.
It’s a surprise for the team but it doesn’t have to be a surprise for you — certain surprises can be scheduled on your calendar in advance, so you won’t forget to be “spontaneous.”

4. You have to recognize contributions beyond the numbers.

Something very important to remember about team rewards is that not all valuable contributions are easily measured. You’ve got to recognize effort and attitude, not just metrics. This means remembering to acknowledge the tech who stayed late to help an elderly patient pick out frames, the receptionist who resolved a scheduling mishap with grace, the team member who proposed an idea that improved your workflow, etc.

5. Review and adapt for long-term success.

Unfortunately, a well-executed rewards system is not simply “set it and forget it.” A takeaway from the podcast is that a stagnant reward system stops working over time. So, keep your system evolving by reviewing KPIs to see if the incentives drive real improvement (and the surprise incentives will naturally help with that, too).

And then adjust rewards based on what works. If you find out meals and events don’t excite your team, maybe bonuses or extra time off does.

The goal is to keep employees engaged, appreciated, and continuously striving to improve the patient experience at your practice. Give shout-outs in meetings, in internal communications, or on a bulletin board in the breakroom. Start small, stay consistent, see where this might take you.

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MAR 30 | Virtual CE: Refer This, Not That: Retinal Decision Making

Katie Lewis — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 14:33:11 +0000

Knowing when to refer a patient to the retina clinic can be a challenge. Often, multimodal imaging yields results that are challenging to interpret and subtle in presentation.

This course, hosted by Optometric Education Consultants, will investigate various retinal conditions that are commonly encountered in optometry practices including epiretinal membrane, commotio retinae, vitreomacular traction, partial thickness and full thickness macular holes, retinal tears/detachments, and lattice degeneration.

Open-ended discussion will be used to interact with the audience and discuss clinical pearls that will guide management decisions. Should I refer this — or not?

Date: Sunday, March 30, 2025
Time: 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. ET
Location: Online
Price: $50 for CE credit/$10 for no credit

Register here.

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MAR 28 – 30 | CRU Eye Symposium

Katie Lewis — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 13:59:38 +0000

CRU, an acronym for “Current, Relevant, and Useful,” reflects the nature of the education shared during the event. This symposium is designed for eye care professionals and prioritizes interpersonal interactions, and striking the perfect balance between formal education and interactive experiences.

Date: March 28 – 30, 2025
Location: Napa, CA

What to expect

Esteemed speakers, clinicians, and researchers in the eye care field present on topics such as anterior segment disease, glaucoma, retina, advanced contact lenses, myopia management, and more. The CRU Eye Symposium aims to become the most significant annual conference for influential figures in the ophthalmic field. As we move forward, we are eager to continue fostering the spirit of collaboration and knowledge-sharing.

See more details at the registration link below.

Register here.

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Eyecare Republic Welcomes Rita Shallin as Director of Business Development

publishing@associationrevenuepartners.com — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:40:56 +0000

PLANO, Texas — Eyecare Republic (ECR) is excited to announce the appointment of Rita Shallin as its Director of Business Development. Rita brings extensive sales and marketing experience from her two decades working in several industries, having spent the last eight years in the optometric alliance space.

Her time at IDOC focused on business development by providing exceptional member experience and showcasing the right vendor partners and services to help her member’s practices thrive. She was a top sales leader and coach. She has supported hundreds of eyecare practice owners as their trusted advisor earning her the respect of her doctors and peers. Her guidance in helping eyecare professionals reach their practice goals by better understanding their practice needs is unmatched.

If you are interested in learning more about Eyecare Republic and our vision, please reach out to info@eyecarerepublic.com.

Eyecare Republic is shaping the future of eyecare by uniting forward-thinking doctors in a dynamic alliance. This isn’t just a network — it’s a movement to advance patient care, strengthen practices, and empower the next generation of leaders in optometry. By fostering collaboration and innovation, we’re creating a brighter future for eyecare professionals and the communities they serve. Join us as we build an alliance that transforms challenges into opportunities and drives success across the industry.

Learn more at eyecarerepublic.com.

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Must-Attend Sessions for ODs at Vision Expo East 2025

Katie Lewis — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 15:40:38 +0000

Creating an itinerary for Vision Expo East can be overwhelming. We’ve pored over the program schedule to help save you a little time.

Our hand-picked list features a mix of educational sessions that cover technological advancements, clinical breakthroughs, and business strategies to help increase your bottom line.

Whether you’re attending the conference or not, have a look and let us know which of these (or any other topics) you’re most interested in — we’ll be sure to cover them for you. Simply type your requests in the text box at the end of this article.

1. Myopia Control Program: In-Depth Exploration of Myopia Management Solutions: From Lenses to Pharmaceuticals

Date: Wednesday, February 19
Time: 10:10 – 11:10 a.m.

Novel treatment and management devices for myopia progression are emerging every few months in the areas of glasses, contact lenses, pharmaceuticals, and photobiomodulation. This course will clue you in on what you need to know. For those looking to drill down on myopia management, you might follow it up with Myopia Control Program: Building a Myopia-Busting Practice Blueprint at 11:25 a.m.

2. New Technology Showcase: Speed Dating With New Technology: Get To Know Your Equipment Before You Take It Home

Date: Wednesday, February 19
Time: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

We have an array of new and advanced technology to assist us as we navigate the clinical journey. This workshop will provide a didactic plus a hands-on approach to new diagnostic- and treatment-related technology.

3. The Good, the Bad, the Orals

Date: Wednesday, February 19
Time: 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Through case examples, this course will review the impact oral medications (of all kinds) have on your patients and practice of optometry.

4. Elevating the Patient Care Experience Through Technology and AI

Date: Wednesday, February 19
Time: 3:45 – 4:45 p.m.

You’ve read and heard so much about AI integration, but you’re still not sure what to DO with it. With a focus on enhancing the patient care experience, this course will show you how diagnostic equipment and patient communication systems and tools can help.

5. Is IPL Right For My Patient?

Date: Thursday, February 20
Time: 7:15 – 8:15 a.m.

Light therapies are gaining steam. If you have no experience with IPL, this lecture is for you. Wake up early for an introduction to IPL theory, patient selection, device use, and cosmetic side effects of this therapeutic application. The goal is to get you comfortable with performing the procedures. Note: There’s also an IPL workshop at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday.

6. Roadmap to Medical Management of Glaucoma

Date: Thursday, February 20
Time: 9:45 – 11:45 a.m.

Optometrists are often looking for a recipe on how to treat glaucoma, and this is no such document in existence. Glaucoma is a multifactorial disease and each patient responds differently to medications and not all patients need the same level or type of therapy. Using clinical trials and a combined 60 years of clinical experience, the speakers will present applicable data that you can incorporate to better manage your glaucoma patients.

7. Ask the Experts: When Your Patient Has OSD

Date: Thursday, February 20
Time: 9:45 – 11:45 a.m.

In this new series, experts are on hand to exemplify how they diagnose and manage ocular diseases. In this course ocular surface disease is defined and treatment options are discussed among the panel. With cases presented and differing points of view, this course is meant to create a safe space for disease management. Bring your questions!

8. Summit: Advancing Optometric Care: Early Diagnosis and Treatment Strategies for Glaucoma and Geographic Atrophy

Date: Thursday, February 20
Time: 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

A deep dive into the latest advancements in the early diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and geographic atrophy. This session will equip you with practical insights on identifying key clinical signs, utilizing advanced imaging modalities, and implementing evidence-based treatment strategies.

9. Innovations in Business

Date: Thursday, February 20
Time: 5 – 6 p.m.

As optometry evolves, so do the business processes that are utilized to support the care. This course will look at innovative ways to manage the business aspect of our practice to ultimately improve patient outcomes.

10. Elevate Your Practice: Success Strategies for Growth & Impact

Date: Friday, February 21
Time: 9:45 – 11:45 a.m.

This lecture will discuss strategies to maximize practice success for ECPs. Focus on practice margins, building an effective team, and embracing social media as the foundational elements of practice success. You’ll learn about real-world practice examples.

11. Problem Solving and Glaucoma Management

Date: Friday, February 21
Time: 9:45 – 11:45 a.m.

There’s quite a bit of glaucoma content on Friday. This course will provide a person-centered, evidence-based approach to management of individuals with glaucoma with challenging clinical presentation or course of disease. Learn about current and emerging technology and pharmaceutical agents. Relatedly, you might also check out Glaucoma Myth Busters at 5 p.m. before you head to dinner.

12. Summit: Personalized Care for Myopia, Presbyopia, Ocular Surface, and Eyelid Margin Health

Date: Friday, February 21
Time: 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

If your schedule is packed, this course will efficiently cover a lot of clinical ground in a short time. Learn about risk assessment of these conditions, the integration of new technologies, and individualized treatment protocols for these patients.

13. A Quick Start Guide to Drops: From Lubricants to Autologous

Date: Friday, February 21
Time: 5 – 6 p.m.

Understand the spectrum of eye drops, from everyday lubricants to advanced autologous solutions such as PRP, PRGF and ASED. This course provides essential insights into the applications and benefits of various eye drops, aiming to enhance your eye care practices. Perfect for both beginners and seasoned users, you’ll gain valuable insights into choosing the right drop for your patients.

14. Rapidly Changing Landscape of Refractive Technology

Date: Saturday, February 22
Time: 7:15 – 8:15 a.m.

Rise and shine to learn about cornea and lens based procedures, discuss considerations for myopic, hyperopic, astigmatic, and presbyopic correction, IOL lens optics, new devices for visual simulation, and the importance of myopia control in the concept of comprehensive refractive management.

15. Mastering Dry Eye Billing & Coding for Maximum Profitability

Date: Saturday, February 22
Time: 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

Dry eye is hot right now. Learn the basic rules on how to choose your OV, bill tests, procedures, and out of pocket treatments. Appreciate the increasing ROI of treating DE at different levels. Put your purchases to the test.

16. Telehealth Is Here to Stay. Really!

Date: Saturday, February 22
Time: 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

Explore everything you need to know about telehealth in optometry. Once past the technical, system, and billing issues, most patients and providers found the interactions productive and even preferable for many types of visits.

Editor’s note: Optometry 411 will be on the scene at Vision Expo East, gathering intel on trends, pressing issues, new tech, and more. Come see us at the Eyecare Republic booth (PAN1957).

Reply below and let us know which sessions or general topics you’d like us to cover in more detail.

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Why Your Optometry Practice Needs NPS (and How To Use It Right)

Katie Lewis — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 15:39:38 +0000

If you’re not measuring patient satisfaction in your optometry practice, you’re missing out on one of the simplest ways to grow your business. Patients and customers who leave happy come back. And beyond that, they tell their friends and family. But how can you track patient happiness without a lot of hassle?

That’s where the Net Promoter Score (NPS) comes in.

What’s NPS, and why should you care?

NPS is a quick and effective way to measure patient loyalty. It’s based on a single question:

“On a scale from 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our practice to a friend or family member?”

9-10 rating: These are your biggest fans, your Promoters. They love your care and are likely to refer others.
7-8 rating: The Passives. They’re satisfied but not enthusiastic. They won’t badmouth you, but they won’t rave about you either.
0-6 rating: Your Detractors. Something didn’t sit right with them, and they might even discourage others from coming to your practice.

To calculate your score, simply subtract the percentage of Detractors from the percentage of Promoters. A positive NPS is good, anything over 50 is great, and above 70 — well, you’re crushing it.

Why it matters for ODs

As we know, loyal patients mean steady revenue and the boon of free referrals. And with online reviews playing such a big role in healthcare decisions these days, a solid base of Promoters can have a huge impact on your practice.

Plus, tracking NPS over time helps you spot patterns. You’ll quickly notice if scores are slipping. Maybe your wait times are creeping up, or patients aren’t getting enough frame selection advice. Having the ability to catch these issues early will keep your practice competitive.

How to collect NPS (without annoying your patients)

Keep it simple and convenient. You know what it’s like on the patient/consumer side; you’ve been there. Here’s what works:

Send an NPS survey via text or email shortly after an appointment. You can set this up to happen through your patient communication system.
Use a tablet at checkout for quick responses.
Include a short comment box so patients can tell you why they scored you the way they did.

To make NPS collection smooth, designate specific team members to own the process.

The goal is to grab this data point without overwhelming your staff or adding unnecessary admin headaches.

What comes next

You’ve got to actually assess and act on the results (we suggest a timeline for this below). If you see multiple Detractors complain about rushed exams, it’s time to look at your scheduling. If Promoters say they love your staff, reinforce that positive patient experience! After we return from Vision Expo East, we’ll share a really great team-building reward system you might employ to do this.

Take action with your Detractors, too. A personal email or call asking how you can improve could turn an unhappy patient into a loyal one. As we noted in our steps to take if you receive a bad online review: At the end of the day, patients value authenticity and actions that show you care.

NPS evaluation timeline:

You or an office manager might skim through responses once a week for any immediate red flags. Those team check-ins you’ve hopefully scheduled out for the entire year? Include evaluation of these NPS scores on the agenda. What’s working? What needs improvement? Discuss any patient comments.

And then, plan to do a quarterly deep dive. Compare scores over time and set small goals. Example: If your NPS is 45 and your goal is to hit 60, what specific improvements can be made?

Bottom line: If you’re not already tracking patient loyalty, NPS is going to be the easiest way to start.

Use this one simple question and see what insights you uncover.

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AI Updates in Glaucoma Detection: Latest Studies and Info

Katie Lewis — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 15:46:58 +0000

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness, often sneaking up on patients with little to no warning. Screenings are incredibly important, and with the rise of artificial intelligence, your early detection toolkit is poised to get a serious upgrade.

Recent studies are shedding light on AI’s potential to make glaucoma screening more accurate, efficient, and equitable. But how will this tech ultimately fit into your daily practice? Let’s take a look at the latest and break it down.

AI that sees what you see — and more

A new study published in npj Digital Medicine introduced an AI model designed to detect glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON) using retinal images. It has been trained to perform equitably across diverse populations, addressing concerns about racial and ethnic bias in AI-based healthcare tools. That’s a big deal, considering many AI models have struggled with accuracy discrepancies among different demographics.

A study in Scientific Reports took things a step further, using optical coherence tomography (OCT) combined with explainable AI to both detect glaucoma and assess its stage. What makes this unique? Instead of just spitting out results, the AI actually shows you how it reached its conclusion, making it easier for you to trust and interpret its findings.

What does this mean for ODs?

These updates are in line with the general promise of AI in clinical applications. It brings us a couple steps closer to faster, more reliable screenings to improve early detection — AI can process thousands of images in a fraction of the time it takes a human, which will help flag at-risk patients sooner.

It’s also some positive movement on the crucial issue of AI diagnostic accuracy and fairness across all patient demographics.

Down the line, as the tech becomes even more refined, expect a boost to your clinical confidence. In the study above, AI paired with OCT didn’t just provide a “black box” result but also highlighted why an image was flagged, meaning it can reinforce your clinical judgment.

AI can’t replace the gold standard

A recent Q&A from The American Journal of Managed Care reminds us that early detection still depends on consistent screenings. No matter how advanced AI gets, nothing replaces getting patients in the exam room for routine eye exams.

Time for a grain of salt: AI is full steam ahead, but there are constant reminders that we’re not quite there yet. A systematic review highlighted in News-Medical back in October revealed that only 5% of healthcare evaluations for large language models (LLMs) incorporate real patient data. This gap is a major red flag for concerns about the applicability of AI tools in clinical environments. Moreover, the review identifies significant deficiencies in assessing bias and fairness within these models. So, while the new npj Digital Medicine study rightly addresses equity and bias, let’s be clear: There’s still much need for more comprehensive evaluation methods and training models.

Final thoughts

As you’re well aware, AI is evolving fast. Stay informed. Ask the right questions! If AI tools are to be considered for your clinic, dig into their validation studies. Are they tested on populations similar to your patients? Are they FDA-approved?

The goal is for you to be able to catch glaucoma earlier and reduce disparities, and ultimately preserve more vision. As we and others have said many times, AI ought to be viewed as a powerful assistant, not a substitute for clinical expertise. We’re getting closer.

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