What Would You Ask — Or Tell — A Frame Designer, EMR Software Developer, Sales Rep, or Optical Business CEO?

question:

If you could have lunch with a frame designer/EMR software developer/sales rep/optical business CEO… what would you tell them or ask them?

• I would tell them we need better options for men. — Theodore Sees, OD, Rockford Family Eyecare, Rockford, MI
• I would ask two questions: How has failure shaped your life and what are you learning now? — Ben Thayil, OD, Lifetime Vision and Eye Care, Miami, FL
• Frame Designer: What’s with these impossible to put together frames? Please remember I only have two hands! — Shannon Crouse, Terry D. Moehnke, OD, Fort Dodge, IA
• I’d ask everything about my nearby colleagues and what’s happening in their practices. — Patti Richard, Family Eye Care, North Andover, MA
• Please let opticians design the frames! — Amy Donoho, 20/20 Optical, Fergus Falls, MN
• I would definitely ask EMR software developers to discuss developing software with people that are working in the field at the time. Maybe work with smaller practices and big practices to see how you could make the software work for both … or even consider making a small practice and separate big practice software? — Morgan DiMaggio, Taylor Eye Care, Carmi, IL
• Why are optometrists’ fees so stagnant with third party vision plans? — Texas L. Smith, OD, Dr. Texas L. Smith & Associates, Citrus Heights, CA
• I’d absolutely grab lunch with an independent optical CEO I admire. I’d center our conversation on tapping their insights for taking our optical to the next level, especially in broadening our presence beyond our close-knit downtown community. — Maggie Campbell, Eyes on Trade, Winston Salem, NC
• I would dine with the CEOs of vision plans and have a frank discussion about reimbursement rates and medical billing. — Angie Patteson, OD, Sunset Eye Care, Johnson City, TN
• Frames: If your product is unique, make sure you supply offices with repair supplies to ensure success. EMR software: Reports should be simple to create! Sales rep: Trust your opticians to know what sells in their office. — Pam Peters, Midwest Eye, Downers Grove, IL
• Have opticians help in the design of frames, since some of them are beautiful, but impossible to work with. — Pablo Mercado, Highland Eye Boutique, Atlanta, GA
• Entering the same EHR information over and over is wasting time and money. The information should merge with the redundancy. — Cindy Henderson, Eyear Optical, Hixson, TN
• To an optical industry CEO, I would try to impress the need to wholly support the independents and cut out the online retailers that are competing against us. — Abe Zami, Viewtopia NYC, Brooklyn, NY
• I would ask the EMR software developer to understand that optometry is also retail and we need a better inventory management system as well as a better way to track individual optician’s sales and KPIs. — Lisa Smith, Precision Eye Care, Vancouver, WA
• Can you design an EMR that is better with optical? — Dorothy Reynolds, Eyes on Fairfield, Fairfield, CT
• Why did you choose this business to be in? — Julie Uram, Optical Oasis, Jupiter, FL
• Software developer: Why in this day and age of software development are there so many problems with optical programs and will AI be able to overcome these shortcomings? — Brent Miller, Albright Opticians, Lancaster, PA
• How do you prioritize sustainability and ethical practices in your work, whether it’s designing frames, developing software, conducting sales, or leading a business, and what steps are you taking to minimize environmental impact and a healthy work environment? What initiatives are you spearheading to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the optical industry, and how do you believe fostering a more inclusive environment benefits both businesses and consumers alike? — Heather Harrington, Optical Nomad, Denver, CO
• I would ask them about the process leading up to their success. — Keontae Murray, Bella Lee, Royal Oak, MD
• Don’t tell me your product will do ‘X’ when you know it won’t do it yet! — Jim Williams, Eye to Eye Optometry, Mexico, MO
• Except for a few notable exceptions — Bevel — can we just kill spring hinges all together? — Tamara Walker, Lakeway Optical/Lakeway Eye Physicians, Austin, TX
• I would love to meet with a frame designer. I would love to hear how they tie the frame design in with the current fashion trends of the season. — Amy Frost, Logos Vision, East Brunswick, NJ
• Better promotions. — Carolann Speranzo, Second Sight, Quincy, MA
• Can I give you my list of ideas? — Ann-Marie Weaver, Optimal Eye Care, Lewis Center, OH
• Don’t forget the little guy! Seems like everything is being offered with the big blokes in mind … we here in rural land still exist! Looking at you, frame companies with extra-large buy-in/sell-through requirements, and EMR software companies that focus on how to sell us more upgrades. — Jen Heller, Pend Oreille Vision Care, Sandpoint, ID
• Scott Harris: How do you come up with your design ideas? — Brenda Kadrmas, Havre Optometric Clinic, Havre, MT
• I’d just ask New York Eye to bring back the Joan Collins Flair frame, a wonderful style that had beautiful colors and a great fit. That just shows how long I’ve been in this business. — Angel Miller, Cynthiana Vision Center, Cynthiana, KY
• If I lunched with any of the big names in the business, I’d encourage them to stop giving all our business to China. My customers would rather pay more and have their eyewear be American or other-than-China made. — Jennifer Leuzzi, Mill Creek Optical, Dansville, NY
• I would tell frame designers that cool design is imperative but please make it something in which lenses can be easily placed. Some of these floating frames and painted screws make our life impossible. — Cynthia Sayers, OD, EyeShop Optical Center, Lewis Center, OH
• EHR: Printing should not take five clicks. Hire a team of currently practicing ODs to advise on how the software runs and integrates. — Zachary Dirks, OD, St. Peter and Belle Plaine Eyecare Centers, Saint Peter, MN
• For my frame vendors: Stop dealing with China. For my EMR company: Please set up a voice activated entry system to eliminate typing. — Robert M. Easton, Jr. OD, FAAO, Oakland Park, FL
• EMR: It’s all about the number of clicks! — Mark Perry, OD, Vision Health Institute, Orlando, FL
• I would love to chat with a software developer. I know that there is a small group of private, independent opticians without doctors who could use a program designed for us that is cost effective. — Jennifer Yerden, Sights and Shades, Canandaigua, NY
• Talk to an optician about what you’re doing. They develop these systems as doctor friendly and forget about making it more user friendly for opticians. Ask us what we need to make things easier and less of a search or repetitive when we go through in these systems. — Jeff Grosekemper, Casa De Oro Eyecare, Spring Valley, CA
• There are a couple of exceptions but most companies can’t seem to manufacture a spring hinge that lasts more than a year or two. — Robert Lootens, Physicians Optical Service, Jefferson City, MO
• Involve private practice optometrists, we are in the trenches and know what folks and what offices need. — Kandi Moller, OD, Eye Candy Optical, Gig Harbor, WA
• I would tell any laboratory that they do not have to raise their fees every January. — Billy Chambers, Carrera Optical, San Antonio, TX
• How did you get into it? The longer you are doing a career in optical the more you are interested in other parts of the industry and where it can take you. What made you go for it? — Sophia Pray, Huntley Eye Care, Huntley, IL
• I’d request they make changes to our EMR system more responsive to an optical boutique and less large medical focus. — Verbelee Nielsen-Swanson, Oxford Eyes, Orlando, FL
• More Flexon frames please! — Dr. Paul Mazur, OD, Manasquan, NJ
• This question would probably work across the board… Can you please consult with the people who will actually use your products/service before creating them to see what they really need/want and what will actually work? — Christine Howard, Eyes on Plainville, Plainville, MA
• We need a EMR software that can handle the integration of all frame manufacturers and style changes. Inventory is a hard item to manage in today’s changing venue. — Chris A. Clark, Optical Shoppe at Advanced Eye Care, Panama City, FL
• Essilor: Is there any way to recycle the waste from lens manufacturing better? — Bethany Cassar, Complete Eye Health, Holland, MI