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Thread: Can our allies in Optometry Help us organize?

  1. #1
    Master OptiBoarder MVEYES's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Can our allies in Optometry Help us organize?

    What do you all think of this idea? In many threads there has been discussion of how Optometry is really not our adversary. Can we rally those non adversarial Optometrist to our defense in legislative action like mandatory formal education?



    Jerry

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    It is certainly worth a shot!

    I wonder if they would have the courage to oppose the actions of thier own professional society. ODs involved in politics (the one's I've met, at least), can be very cut throat...Remeber the optician/turned OD who began the whole thing about opticians being able to refract...

    (I can't remember his name, but it will come to me). He lost his practice and national speaking opps (and status) because the ODs came down on him really hard. A friend of his told me that he wished that he never spoke up in the first place.

    If some of our OD friend joined our cause, it would be awesome. I would personally buy them the first round.

    : )

    Laurie

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    Master OptiBoarder MVEYES's Avatar
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    Thumbs up Laurie

    I would be right there to buy the second. It's interesting to talk with individual optometrist and get the same response but when it comes down to doing something about it, that's another story. Maybe we should get a position document together that would lay out non threatening issues like formal education and see how many signatures we could get.


    :D Jerry

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    Master OptiBoarder Alan W's Avatar
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    Hi, Guys

    Went to bed too early Sunay night. So, here I am at 2:45 in the AM on the Board. This is nuts.

    Opticianry is so fragmented it has no national agenda. Being a practice coordinator working with OD's I can tell you that my business experience is all that keeps me on the payroll. Even when presented with absolute documented proof of performance or knowledge in many areas, it seems that some doctors only have to deny it semantically and an optician can be dead in the water.

    Gaining credibility as an optician can only be achieved through marketing the profession pubically. Create an image the public can relate to better than the others want it to be. Legislative change is too slow and doubtful.

    We attempted to do that through the Board many months ago, but there was much too much lack of focus internally. Personally, an optician who goes back for training in optometric assisting has a better chance and greater credibility around here than anything else. While some opticians made it big historically, and many with impeccable credentials, in recent times, few have achieved success from the entrepreneurial standpoint as they once did.

    I have no idea where opticianry will be in the next five years, but with the likes of Walmart mentality, management, and marketing, few of us will be around and even fewer of us will ever see technical superiority. Even if each of us put up $25.00 and gave it to an advertising agency or PR firm, we would be arguing over nothing worthwhile or relevent and the agency would fail or walk away from us. We have not demonstrated anything more than an agreement to agree, and that fell apart.

    The next frontier for opticianry is clouded, but I suspect that those of us with multidisciplinary capability will be involved in supply chain management and the developent of a streamlined supply infrastructure leading to greater leverage for the independent provider in a managed care environment. The supply chain needs to be shortened and that's where I am placing my attention. . . not all that visible to the patient or the optical community. But, nonetheless, serious stuff.

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    Master OptiBoarder Joann Raytar's Avatar
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    In many threads there has been discussion of how Optometry is really not our adversary. Can we rally those non adversarial Optometrist to our defense in legislative action like mandatory formal education?
    Tough one. While most Optometrists really aren't out to get us, I don't know if they are strong enough to "loose face" when it comes to opposing their organizations.
    Maybe we should get a position document together that would lay out non threatening issues like formal education and see how many signatures we could get.
    This might not be a bad idea. It would be interesting to see what the numbers look like in reality.

    All of these topics bring the NAOO to mind. I haven't heard very much of them lately; are they still in business or do they just not like facing the optical public?

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    Master OptiBoarder MVEYES's Avatar
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    Thumbs up Alan

    Our state society tried a public relations campaign 3 years ago. The problem is that they didn't want to spend the money on an effective marketing plan. They advertised on billboards and the side of busses in Cleveland and Cincinnati. If we are going to be recognized as more than sales clerks we have to get the public awareness to pressure for more support.


    Jerry
    The mighty oak tree was once a little nut that held its ground

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    Master OptiBoarder MVEYES's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Jo

    What a position for OAA to pursue. These are the issues a national organization needs to focus on for the whole of Opticianry.


    :) Jerry
    The mighty oak tree was once a little nut that held its ground

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    Lightbulb ...The Road to success !!

    There is a road that Opticianry can follow that will lead to success.

    The road to success is paved with discipline, purpose and direction. The road to failure is paved with indifference, lack of organization, and procrastination.

    Which road will your profession take ?

    If you’re looking for support in the optometric community, then look to those who don’t compete with you, in the sale of eyeglasses and contact lenses. There is where you will find your optometric support. :)

    mobile OD

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    Thanks, Mobil OD ....

    You are exactly correct on all counts! Thanks for the encouragement and admonisment! And that number (non-competative OD's) grows daily.

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    Master OptiBoarder Alan W's Avatar
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    MVEYES

    My point, exactly!

    I tried to get involved in a project a while ago. I will not go back into it.
    We are fragmented by people who have been alone too long doing things with this industry, but not as opticians.
    The agendas are different both for them as well as a lot of opticians.
    I will not be available at this level of the industry, but, why don't you take a shot at it?
    One thing I stand firm on and will die with this . . .
    We are NOT ALL opticians.
    And, those who are super opticians need to be recognized for it.
    Those who are rookies need to be nurtured.
    And, Sam Walton needs to stay where he is!
    And, his transferees from the garden center need to go through what the rest of us have had to do., instead of the WAV that makes stock clerks into brain surgeons in 4 hours.
    Plus the multiunit managers of this world need to pick up a screw driver once in a while.

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    HI Mobile OD,

    Welcome to Optiboard!

    Thanks for the great idea. It is amazing how views change when the all mighty dollar is involved.

    Looking forward to seeing you post more on the board!

    Laurie

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    Be Careful What You Wish For

    While I do know some optometrist who are fine and honest men, and seem to be encountering more of them lately. It seems that for the last 40 years whenever we have tried to pass legislation or obtain licenseing, optometry has managed sneak something into every bill at the last moment when they thought it was too late to detect, something that would have hung us. They have attempted to add provisos that would make it impossible for opticians to:

    1) Fit Contact Lenses.
    2) Touch Contact Lenses.
    3) Measure a P.D.
    4) Measure a seg.ht.
    5) Determine bifocal type.
    6) Work in any other setting except in the employ of an O.D. or M.D.

    I know that pollitics make strange bedfellows but you can catch something you didn't want that way.

    Chip

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    Master OptiBoarder Alan W's Avatar
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    Thanks, Chip . . . you're spot on!

    I don't expect optometry in the foreseeable future paving the way for opticians in any direction except out of town.

    Why should they?

    Compared to optometric assistants we are too independent. Come to think of it...we're even too independent to agree on anything amongst ourselves!

    As technicians, we are being perceived as vestigious to them, and far too expensive to hit the start button on a patternless edger.

    I don't mind having an optometrist for a next door neighbor. It will increase my property value. And, so long as he let's me borrow his weed wacker we're fine.

    But, when push comes to shove in the marketplace . . . he'll use it on me!

    Frankly, I think every optician should commit to selling 12 boxes of optical cookies and give the money to a marketing fund that will promote opticianry as "the best friend your glasses will ever have."

    Anyway, back to Letterman. I just wanted to check my emails. Some day instead of getting an email for a free unsecured credit card, teenage porn, or notice that I just won first place in the "sign up for first place contest" there will be a "support your local optician before he goes into depression" email campaign.

    How did I get here?
    "Hi, Alan . . . Clem Kediddlehopper just replied to your posting on Optiboard" link!!!!!!

    I wanna sleep. Lemme sleep. Got a CL fit at 8:30 in the morning.
    Nothing worse than morning mouth and a CL fit at 8:30 am!

    Nite nite all or whoever is up right now!.

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    Master OptiBoarder MVEYES's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Chip

    I agree. I think the only assistance I would secure from them would be a written document stating our objectives and have them individual sign as a petition.



    :) Jerry
    The mighty oak tree was once a little nut that held its ground

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    Master OptiBoarder Alan W's Avatar
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    Not bitter . . . but assessing risk!

    I "know" an optometrist who has a practice, amongst other places, at Wally World.
    He tells me that at "Society" meetings he and his like minded colleagues are snubbed and usually sit sequestered.
    Traders, they are . . . corporate optometrists.
    One might think that this is the non-dispensing optometrist we all dream of having as a relative.
    Uh, Uhhhhh . . . .
    25 miles away he has an "ethical practice" run by one of the finest opticians I've even known . . . experienced, knowledgeable, pretty good, too. I forget his name!
    Interesting how the Poltergheist comes out!
    Anyone trying to convince me otherwise is blowing smoke up . . . .
    someplace!
    After looking at so many postings on this issue, I am convinced that looking into the countenance of an optician resembles one o' them guys from, where is that . . . ., Haiti. You know...they walk around in a trance.
    Fellow opticians........ lets wake up and smell the roses. We need to "right size" (get rid of those who won't get certified and or post secondary education and let them join the Retail Clerks Union Local 770), and those who want to get some respect . . . clear the air and pay for the privilege. Opticianry has been "safe harbors" for too many unworthy vessels.

    (Boy, watch the feathers fly after these comments. Good bye. I just retired. No forwarding address!))

  16. #16
    Master OptiBoarder MVEYES's Avatar
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    Lightbulb A lot of good points

    mobile OD said:

    look to those who don’t compete with you, in the sale of eyeglasses and contact lenses. There is where you will find your optometric support.
    The same is true within our own organization. Part of the battle is that the employers don't want to pay for an educated Optician. We have to look for allies with principles and willing to stand up and tell the public that they have educated, quality people performing the important eyecare tasks that the public is paying for in their eyewear purchases.


    Jerry
    The mighty oak tree was once a little nut that held its ground

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