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Your Practice with Specialty Presbyopic Lenses
BY
AMIR KHOSHNEVIS, OD
Like many colleagues in this ever-changing profession,
I found myself excited about the mounting surge of baby boomers flooding my
office with emerging presbyopia. I planned to prescribe state-of
scribe
mostly progressive lenses, but I also realized that I had some good soft and GP
multifocal contact lenses available to satisfy spectacle-adverse patients.
Well, I quickly came to realize that the much-awaited group
of presbyopes not only had work demands requiring clear and predictable vision at
all distances, but they also had expectations requiring new levels of performance.
When I had patients who were disappointed because of limitations
with contact lenses, my typical solution was to direct them to the eyewear department
for a pair of lightweight, AR-coated spectacles. I was never a fan of GP multifocals
based on my personal history of moderate success as well as countless conversations
with colleagues offering me the same feedback.
Trying a New Option
However, my success rate took a major turn for the better when
I started working with ABBA's Custom Eyes Bifocal and EZEyes Multifocal contact
lenses. As a result, I've not only seen an increase in referrals from satisfied
patients, but I've also experienced professional gratification.
In our field, the key to any good technological advancement is
ease of use in the clinical setting and ultimately, patient happiness. When I began
investigating these GP lenses, I was impressed by the innovative designs and I could
see how these lenses, combined with the right materials (such as Onsi 56, Lagado
Corporation), could provide my practice with a new, viable option for treating presbyopia.
Fitting Techniques
Soon after I started fitting these lenses, I began ordering
them through ABBA's Web site (www.abbaoptical.com) as well as receiving assistance
from their consulting team.
I've found that you should choose the right design based
on the particular patient's visual needs and/or occupation. A simple pearl to remember
is that the bifocal design works well for patients who have high near-point demand,
while the multifocal design serves the needs of most patients requiring clear vision
at all distances, especially the intermediate zone. Both lenses exhibit great translation
and improved comfort in part because of ABBA's "lid rest technology."
What differentiates the EZEyes Multifocal from the Custom Eyes
Bifocal is the EZEyes' hybrid design, which combines an aspheric back surface with
a crescent-shaped segment on the front surface, resulting in an intermediate zone
below the central zone. A smooth transition area centrally on the segment blends
the distance and near zones to prevent image jump.
This fitting strategy has yielded success levels previously unattainable
in my practice. I have refit GP and soft contact lens wearers with these lenses
as well as spectacle lens wearers who were previously unsuccessful with contact
lenses.
Furthermore, first time lens wearers have been excellent candidates
and often are the most appreciative patients.
In our world of declining margins because of heavy competition,
soft contact lenses sold as loss leaders and patients perceiving their contact lenses
as a commodity, we need to differentiate ourselves from all others in order to thrive.
I recommend that you promote advanced technology and specialty contact lenses as
well as learn to properly bill for the medical management of your patients' ocular
health as it relates to contact lens wear.
Dr. Khoshnevis has practiced
in Charlotte, NC, since 1998 and founded Carolina Family Eye Care in 2003. He was
also named North Carolina Young Optometrist of the Year in 2003.
Contact Lens Spectrum, Issue: December 2006