With the ever-increasing use of online artificial intelligence (AI) tools, it is important to understand what patients are seeing. I personally had a patient ask me about a hybrid contact lens because ChatGPT told them about this option. Let’s play out a different scenario. Mrs. Smith is wondering what type of contact lenses to get for her child and has heard about daily disposable contact lenses from a neighbor or coworker. If she asked ChatGPT about the advantages of daily disposables, she could get the following:
“Daily disposable contact lenses have become increasingly popular due to their convenience, hygiene, and comfort. Unlike traditional contact lenses that require cleaning and storage, daily disposables are worn once and discarded at the end of the day. This innovative approach to vision correction offers numerous advantages that make them an appealing choice for many users.”
This is what patients are using to influence and weighs into their decision-making. As eyecare professionals, it is important for patients to get the most important information about their vision and eye health from professionals. For those reasons, consider the following:
- Being proactive with our recommendations and treatment plans. Don’t wait until a patient asks you or your staff about something. Let them know about new options and things that will benefit their life and contact lens-wearing experience. If they hear about new technology from someone else, they will most likely begin looking for a different eyecare provider—someone who is more motivated to provide the highest quality care for them.
- Give your patients what they want. This typically means convenient options with the highest level of comfort and good vision. Most of the time, this will lead to a daily disposable option.
In every way, online tools are useful but can also be dangerous. Take the time to understand and offer the best for our patients. If they don’t hear about it from us, they will hear about it from their friends, coworkers, and/or ChatGPT.
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