We Wanted to Know if There Is a Trend, Product, or Buzzword You Think Is Overrated or Misunderstood

question:

What industry trend, product, or buzzword do you think is overrated and/or misunderstood?

• Sunglasses. — Buddy Vidrine, Acadian Optical, Baton Rouge, LA
• “Elevated.” Sick of it! — Lorie Fox, Bakersfield Eye Care, Bakersfield, CA
• Bluelight. — Gayle Bergthold, Capital Eye, Austin, TX
• Vision insurance. Patients believe insurance covers everything. — Deb Jaeger, Eye Center of the Dakotas, Bismarck, ND
• Digital lenses. — Paul Wilford, Tallahassee Eye Center, Tallahassee, FL
• Lasik – Laser corrective surgery. — Billy Isgett, Eyecare of Florence, Florence, SC
• Vision insurance. — Jenna Gilbertson, McCulley Optix Gallery, Fargo, ND
• Dry eye! — Dave Schultz, OD, Urban Optics, San Luis Obispo, CA
• Blue light filters. — Caitlin Neal, San Juan Eye Center, Montrose, CO
• In my opinion, photochromic lenses seem to be the most misunderstood products in our industry. People seem not to understand how they actually work and how light conditions affect performance. — Pablo Mercado, Highland Eye Boutique, Atlanta, GA
• Blue light protection. — Scott Keating, OD, Vision Trends by Dr. Scott Keating, Dover, OH
• One of my biggest pet peeves working for independent companies: “NAME BRAND” doesn’t mean the BEST QUALITY. — Heather Harrington, Optical Nomad, Denver, CO
• Curated and exclusive i.e. “We have a curated collection of exclusive eyewear.” I’m calling BS. Unless you’re designing your own line or importing some niche brand from the hinterlands of wherever you’re dealing with the same lines as everyone else. — Kevin Count, Corner Optical, Glenview, IL
• “Designer” frames. We prefer the ingenuity of European design and durability to someone’s name on a frame. — Pam Peters, Midwest Eye, Downers Grove, IL
• Blue blocker. There’s not even a close second. — Rick Rickgauer, Vision Associates, Girard, PA
• Myopia. — Bethany Cassar, Complete Eye Health, Holland, MI
• Clear frames. — Kathryn Collins, OD, Kissel Eye Care, Lititz, PA
• Discounts. — Ken Weiner, OD, Livingston, NJ
• Blue light. — Jason Klepfisz, OD, Urban Eye Care, Phoenix, AZ
• Astigmatism. People are so concerned when they learn they have one! When patient’s tell me they have one like I’m going to be shocked, I have a hard time not sounding an imaginary alarm. — Morgan DiMaggio, Taylor Eye Care, Carmi, IL
• “Pop of color”… Let’s start something new … JOLT OF HUE! — Tamara Walker, Lakeway Optical/Lakeway Eye Physicians, Austin, TX
• I’ve seen a very strange uptick in Pit Vipers. Why? They were horrible and overrated then, and the same now. Why wear sunglasses that look like they need windshield wipers. Stop it! — Nick Stubblefield, Eye Care Avenue, Frisco, TX
• Influencers who talk about things they have no expertise or real-world experience with. — Ben Thayil, OD, Lifetime Vision and Eye Care, Miami, FL
• Blue light protection. — Karen Michaelson, KARE Consulting/ i wear by K, Wyoming, MN
• Insurance. It’s not insurance, it a discount plan … at best. — Jordan Flitter, Paris West Optical, Baltimore, MD
• Vision Insurance. — Mason Childers, OD, Wiregrass Eyecare of Ozark, Ozark, AL
• “Blue Light.” — Mark Clement, OD, Gateway Eye Associates, Pittsburgh, PA
• Vision plans. — Travis LeFevre, Krystal Vision & LFVR Eyewear, Logan, UT
• Blue light filters are just a way to upsell. As published by Scientific American last month, presbyopia and dry eye are far bigger concerns in today’s Screen Age. Drives me crazy that some parties try to “educate” patients otherwise. — Jen Heller, Pend Oreille Vision Care, Sandpoint, ID
• Blue blocking lenses. — Robert M. Easton Jr. OD, FAAO, Oakland Park, FL
• Myopia management. I feel it is misunderstood. So many parents think it may reverse/completely stop progression and even if they understand the benefits they end up bowing out when it comes to cost. — Cynthia Sayers, OD, EyeShop Optical Center, Lewis Center, OH
• Myopia management. Not covered by insurance tells the whole story. — Texas L. Smith, OD, Dr. Texas L. Smith & Associates, Citrus Heights, CA
• Blue light protection for computers. — Douglas Holle, OD, Sunset Eye Care, San Angelo, TX
• All vision plans are a scam and we as an industry we should either demand they do better or stop accepting them all together. — Kelsey Bredice, A Proper View, Winston Salem, NC
• AI. — Robert Lootens, Physicians Optical Service, Jefferson City, MO
• SEO. People paying companies big bucks for questionable work! — Jim Williams, Eye to Eye Optometry, Mexico, MO
• The phrase “I got you.” Way over used by young and old alike! — Mark Perry, OD, Vision Health Institute, Orlando, FL
• HD – High Definition. — Jeff Rabbitt, Rabbitt Family Vision Center, North Sioux City, SD
• Blue light glasses. — Jennifer Yerden, Sights and Shades, Canandaigua, NY
• Transitions to meaning progressives. — Dorothy Reynolds ,Eyes on Fairfield, Fairfield, CT
• Blue light. — Becky Garoutte, Thomas Eye Care, Owasso, OK