This month’s question: Do you offer procedure or product financing to customers or patients?

Yes: 46%

• We offer for refractive surgery; in the future we may for eyewear, but we hesitate as the percentage the financing company keeps is higher than a standard credit card.  Jocelyn Mylott, D’Ambrosio Eye Care, Lancaster, MA 
• We offer CareCredit six-month financing at no interest. Dorothy Reynolds, Optical Alternatives, Milford, CT 
• We offer both CareCredit and an “in-house” program where we can carry a no-interest balance for six months on a second pair. We get a credit card number and bill the card each month. Steve Boydte, Performance EyeCare, Swansea, IL 
• Only when we can tell a patient would have trouble paying in full; we allow 50 percent to be paid at time of order and the other half at pick-up. Otherwise, we let them know about CareCredit when it is an especially large order. Nytarsha Thomas, OD, Visionelle Eyecare, Zionsville, IN 

Payroll deduction is available from the hospital in which we are located. It is a huge incentive to buy. Steve
 Whitaker, Whitaker Eye Works, Wayne, PA

• We will set up recurring payments on a patient’s credit card if they need to spread out their payments. Pam Peters, Midwest Eye, Downers Grove, IL
• CareCredit. Also, if they are really struggling we offer a Lions Club application. If they do not have insurance for glasses they can pay half at order and the rest at pick-up. For some of our really down and out patients we have let them make payments and order glasses once they reach the halfway mark. Tanya Rogers, Mountain Eye Clinic, Dahlonega, GA 
• I don’t have a finance charge but I do allow patients to pay over time. Bob Schmittou, New Eyes Optical, Wyandotte, MI 
• CareCredit. We always do $1,000-2,000 per month. Mark Perry, OD, Vision Health Institute, Orlando, FL 
• Green Sky via Essilor. Jessika Arena, The Eye Center, Asheville, NC
• Essilor’s Power of Vision financing. Vlad Cordero, Focus Eye Care, Hackensack, NJ
• We try to use CareCredit but in the cases where we cannot we do offer 50 percent down then up to four monthly payments to cover the balance. The product is not dispensed until 50 percent down is paid. Zachary Dirks, OD, St. Peter and Belle Plaine Eyecare Centers, Saint Peter, MN 
• CareCredit. We look at who has paid their balance. We send them a postcard in the mail with a juicy offer to come in and get styled with the latest collections. Diana Sims, Buena Vista Optical, Chicago, IL 
• We did this 25 years ago with local finance offices. CareCredit makes it a little slicker. I don’t encourage this to sell more product, but more when people have an immediate need and are short of funds. I explicitly point out the high interest rate in the event of financing over time. GR McGuirt, OD, 20/20 Vision Clinic, Lake Charles, LA 

No: 54%

• We have a very strict policy that we cannot make a product or preform a service until it is paid for 100 percent. Joselle Stumph, Eyeguys Optical, Spokane, WA 
• We tried it in the past; it just doesn’t work in this area for some reason. Angel Miller, Cynthiana Vision Center,  Cynthiana, KY 
• Most of our patients are insurance based, so they cover their overage themselves. Those who are cash only have no problem paying for their purchases. Pablo E. Mercado, Mount Vernon Eyecare, Dunwoody, GA
• We have a small billing department. They would not be able to keep up with financing. Sandy Slang, Ophthalmology Associates, Cudahy, WI 
• We are a high-end boutique. We look at our products as both a want and a need. If you need glasses, but can’t afford our products, there are other places you can get financing. The last thing we want is someone to go into debt over a pair of Dior frames. Jenna Gilbertson, McCulley Optix Gallery, Fargo, ND