Using QR Codes in Your Eyecare Practice … the Right Way.

QR CODES ARE EVERYWHERE — they’ve replaced menus in restaurants and bars, reduced reliance on paper maps, and become the standard for event tickets. They’re also highly intuitive, efficient, and cost-effective marketing tools. Integrating this simple technology into your practice can be a game-changer for eye care professionals.

To see meaningful results, you need to use QR codes strategically — let us show you how to do it the right way.
QR (short for “quick response”) codes are scannable images that instantly direct users to digital content, including websites, videos, or booking forms when scanned with a smartphone.

For eyecare practices, these codes present endless opportunities to enhance experiences, streamline operations, and engage patients in the office and online.

By leveraging the use of smartphones — and people’s natural curiosity — you can enhance customer interaction by making information, appointments, and promotions more accessible to your patients in your own voice. Your patients can experience your brand exactly how you want them to experience it.

Here are some of our suggestions for incorporating QR codes:

• Direct patients to a landing page. Use a QR code as a shortcut to your website or a specific landing page by putting it on business cards or flyers so new patients can easily explore your services. You can also include a QR code in your window that shares information about promotions or your newest frame collection. That way, potential patients can get a feel for your practice even when you’re closed. By creating a compelling and mobile-friendly landing page, QR codes can significantly boost your website traffic, generate leads for services you want to highlight, and keep your patients engaged.
• Use QR codes as a promotional tool. QR codes are an excellent way to share limited-time discounts on eyeglasses or contact lenses, or exclusive promotions during themed campaigns like back-to-school or holiday seasons. They can also share new technology you have and incentivize patients to try it out. You can also inject fun into your practice by handing out a QR code for 20% off a pair of sunglasses before National Sunglasses Day (June 27) to help drive engagement and sales.
• Link to your social media accounts. Social media is one of the most effective ways to engage your audience outside the practice. Use QR codes to direct customers to your Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok by placing them on printed materials like receipts or packaging, adding them to your office signage and at the front desk to encourage patients to follow while they’re checking in or waiting, and on your office door so potential patients can engage with your brand after hours.
• Guide customers to your Google reviews. Your reputation matters. Encourage patients to leave reviews by providing QR codes linked directly to your Google Review page.
• Enable easy appointment booking. One of the most obvious ways QR codes can be useful at your practice is in streamlining your booking process. Include a code on printed newsletters, ads, or in your waiting area. QR codes are especially useful if your booking process is sourced from an app or software. The fewer barriers, the more likely patients are to book their next exam.

Creating and using QR codes is easier than you think. Use the Online Extras QR code at the beginning of this column for instructions on how.

Using QR codes in your practice isn’t just about keeping up with technology, it’s about leading the charge. These versatile tools can amplify your marketing, streamline operations, and enhance patient experience. If you’re ready to innovate your practice, experiment with one or two of these ideas. It all starts with a simple scan.

Track the results. Some generators allow you to monitor how many people scan your code. This helps you fine-tune your strategy, whether it’s improving placement or updating the linked content.