I wanted to know why there are so few inquiries about contact lenses, care, design and innovations, ocular relationships, etc etc. On this forum almost no threads are started about contact lenses. Is that because few of us are actually contact lens fitters? Or that there is a lack of interest in the contact lens sector of optical?
Also, is there another forum out there that is dedicated more to contact lens fitters and technicians, or opticians that work with contact lens fittings? Thanks guys
Ain't no money in it anymo'.
Agree!
Chip !
You are THE man!
If you're looking for info on contact lenses, why not try this one: 1800contacts.com because they are the ones selling them.
I love talking CL's. Sure, there's no money in selling them, but there is in fitting them!
I post on an Optometry-only website, too, and no one wants to talk CLs there, either. CL fitting is beneath these Dr.s, apparently.
If you post on CL's, I'll talk your ear off.
HI DRK what's the Optometry only website you go to? Just curious?
Theres alot of contact lense talk in other forums. sure theres money in it. Would ya believe it costs only a few cents to make each contact but they sell for dollars to the cent
no money as a retailer.Originally Posted by Myoptic33
Also, I will play the devils advocate here and mention that you cannot only look at production costs. You have to look at research and development costs.
Well I suppose I'm asking about the interest of contact lenses from the clinical perspective, not from a retail or money generating context. Working at a retail optical dispensary like Costco, I get zilch exposure to the more interesting and exciting part of contact lens fitting, manufacturing, design aspects, etc. I can spend hours reading about them in publications or magazines or on the internet, but I am yearning to be able to have some real life experience and practical hands on applications.. Not sure where I could do that though
take a look at Lens101.com a contact lens forum a shameless plug :)
Visit eye Topics for detailed consumer information on Contact Lenses, Eyeglasses, Sunglasses, Reading Glasses, Safety Eyewear, LASIK & Vision Surgery, Nutrition & Vision, Vision Therapy, Eye Exams, The Sense of Sight, Vision Disorders, Eye Health, Children's Vision, Computers & Vision, Vision & Aging & Low Vision
Lens 101 an open discussion of contact lenses
Are you listed in Vision Directory?
seniordoc.org
Roland: I will be glad to answer any questions you have, but try to stay away from the silly is brand x better than brand y stuff.
But from your questions you really ought to read at least one book on CL fitting before you get into inquireing about particulars.
Chip
I agree with chip, if you (Roland) have a question regarding contacts you should just ask it. I am sure any of us would be happy to answer your question. Every now and then you may get a bit of a snub on a question but just have thick skin and take the negative posts with the positive ones. I don't think there are many contact lens questions because our level of comfort with them is very high. Chip may be wrong about the books however, I find them to be not so useful in real world application. If anything, I take a few tips from optometric magazines but talking to other O.D.'s works best.
Well I'm in the works with getting an internship at a well known opthamology practice close to where I live. I've inquired about the doctor through a couple of associates of mine as well as his patient and his wife and they all say the same thing; he can't stop talking about optical and opthamology. Give him a chance and he'll talk your ears off. It sounded to me like his practice would really facilitate my understanding of contact lenses and so on but it'll be rough working 6 days a week at costco and going to an opthalmic study course and trying to fit this internship in on the 1 weekday i'm off, but i'm gonna try!
would you believe some guy who has nothing to do with the optical industry...with the exception of recieving services is trying to make inaccurate statements about cost of goods and the amount they are able to be sold for.
When I take you on as a contact lens customer, you take up my chair time. I have to order your products, administer your direct debit, progress, shedule and chase your order, and remember to order your next one. I have to ensure you are within the allocated ammount of months from a eye examination, and contact lens check.
Lets tott all this up
Chair time costs £90.00 per appointment (20 mins) - yes - thats the real figure, before any of us get paid - (fixed costs per year/apointments available in a year). we want to see you at least 1 time a year, after the initial flurry of appointments when you start out
Admin costs: Software to administer sheemes: about £3.00 per patient per year bank costs per transaction: £0.50 upwards per transaction = £6.00 per year
staff costs: (admin) 1 administrator for 2000 patients signed up = £14000 + taxes = £7.00+ per patient closer to 10
so if you are on the scheem, it costs us approx 90.00+3+0.50+6.00+7.00 = £106.50 each year. We then have to pay the optician, buy the goods....
So the reality is we dont make a profit very quickly on a £9.99 direct debit each month!
Appologies for being blunt, if you are a contact lens wearer, the advice, tests, administration is worth a lot more than the "actual product price" and when it all goes wrong - where do you expect to come running too?
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