How do you convince people to get office/computer lenses?

[Happylady]

I work in a solidly middle class area and I find people are extremely resistant to the idea of a second pair of glasses for computers. Am I the only one? I suggest them often and people keep telling me they don't want to deal with a second pair. They want me to make one pair that does it all. Of course, that works sometimes, especially if the computer screen can be lowered enough, but often not.

I think it is partly the money but it can't be just that. These same people spend that amount of money eating out every month. I really try to show my patients the value of them but most don't bite. They would rather just sit with their neck craned up in the air using their regular progressives.

So give me your secrets, how do you approach it? What do you say to help these people see the need?

[DrNeyecare]

I started a similar thread in the progressive lens forum:
http://www.optiboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25463

with our office, we have somewhat success selling a bifocal lens w/intermediate RX on top. Our next step is possibly converting these patients over to a more "office" lens as you describe... Sola Access, Shamir Office, Prio, etc...

I find it more easy to recommend this type of lens to a presbyope who has computer occupational requirements.

[icyou]

Happylady,
I had the same problem. I had alot of patients from a large corporate headquarters office that would buy glasses and complain about having to lift their head, but would not spring for another pair of glasses. "Insurance will only pay for one, thats all I need". I finally talked the woman who worked in human resouces into a pair by offering to buy them back in a month if she didn't feel they were worth it. Guess what??? She loved them and and she really bragged about how good they were for work. I sold 8 pair in the next 2 weeks and still get request for glasses like Sue wears(18 months later) Her husband tried hers (close Rx) and bought a pair. He's a car mechanic. Sold a few more pair thru him. Taking a risk of eating a pair worked for me. I just had to make sure I found the right patient to make the offer to.

[DrNeyecare]

Happylady,
I had the same problem. I had alot of patients from a large corporate headquarters office that would buy glasses and complain about having to lift their head, but would not spring for another pair of glasses. "Insurance will only pay for one, thats all I need". I finally talked the woman who worked in human resouces into a pair by offering to buy them back in a month if she didn't feel they were worth it. Guess what??? She loved them and and she really bragged about how good they were for work. I sold 8 pair in the next 2 weeks and still get request for glasses like Sue wears(18 months later) Her husband tried hers (close Rx) and bought a pair. He's a car mechanic. Sold a few more pair thru him. Taking a risk of eating a pair worked for me. I just had to make sure I found the right patient to make the offer to.

icyou, what lens did you prescribe to Sue?

[icyou]

I work for a corporate owned optical. Only choice of computer lens is the continuim (which is what I sold Sue), but I also have done the intermed/near ft if the Rx won't work with the continium

[For-Life]

Happy, are these people Happy (no pun intended) with their current PALs? I find there are a lot of cases where we try to tell people that they will be unsatisfied with their PALs and push a second pair for reading. I find the dissatisfaction is a myth.

The lens is great for artists, musicians and such, because of the awkwardness and narrowness of bifocals, trifocals and PALs. These are the people who I find want a second pair for reading.

The second people I use the lens for are ones who have a RX like +0.50 OU with a +2.25 ADD. They use their glasses as reading glasses, and will never wear them for distance. A pair of reading glasses does not give them what they want for the office and the computer. PALs do not give them what they had in their reading glasses. Perfect, 7 feet of distance (all they want to wear them all day) and a nice and wide area.

[Happylady]

Happy, are these people Happy (no pun intended) with their current PALs? I find there are a lot of cases where we try to tell people that they will be unsatisfied with their PALs and push a second pair for reading. I find the dissatisfaction is a myth.

I get a lot of people that are happy with their progressives except they complain about them on the computer. Of course, progressives do work in many cases with computers if the computer screen is low enough, so I certainly don't push them on everyone. But I have had a couple just this week that acted like it was the strangest idea there was to have a different pair at the computer.

One man just insisted that he wanted to be able to drive and see distance in his regular glasses and also see his computer screen straight ahead in them. And no, he didn't think he should have to lower the screen and why won't they work that way? :hammer:

Sometimes they come back in a few weeks and tell me they can't see the computer with them. I carefully explain why they are having this problem and even offer solutions like lowering the computer screen or raising their chair. That works for some, but for many people they really would do better with a second pair. I also tell them these glasses are great for all kinds of desk work and close work, not just for computers.

[rbaker]

Lets see now, what we need is for someone to invent a lens that has it’s full near power component at the top of the seg. Hmmm . . .

[Audiyoda]

I've done what icyou has done and it works as long as the person you're making the offer to is a well known part of the corporate environment at her office (meaning she's friendly towards others and has a good relationship with co-workers). But as I've said regarding sunwear - if the guy/gal in the white coat (ie...The Doctor) isn't promoting the product, they the battle's twice as hard.

[AdmiralKnight]

There's no real cut and dry answer to this. Your best bet is to explain why standard pals don't work for everyone when it comes to computer use. If the person is already having problems using their PALs on the computer, then you can relate to that saying "Well this is most likely why..." etc etc. There's no way to force it onto them, nor should you. If you've explained the benefits to them, and they still don't want them, then that's all you can do. Make a note in their file, so next time they come for glasses, or with problems seeing the computer, you can refer back to it and show that you explained how to fix the problem, but they weren't interested.

[Chris Ryser]

After several multifocals for use on the computer only, I made myself a pair of SV +3.00 tinted them, like the old Cruxite B................and Bingo, Igot the best pair I ever had. Screen is elevated at eye level amd ther lens RX is perfect for keyboard and writing.

Besides that I can work longer without getting eyestrain becauseof the color.

A cheap and efficient solution that works. :cheers:

[apaul]

[quote=Chris Ryser;209076]After several multifocals for use on the computer only, I made myself a pair of SV +3.00

Chris, +3.00 is that your intermediate?

Alan

[drk]

The second people I use the lens for are ones who have a RX like +0.50 OU with a +2.25 ADD. They use their glasses as reading glasses, and will never wear them for distance. A pair of reading glasses does not give them what they want for the office and the computer. PALs do not give them what they had in their reading glasses. Perfect, 7 feet of distance (all they want to wear them all day) and a nice and wide area.

I'm big on this, too.

If you think about it, when you prescribe SVNO, the range of focus is very limited approaching +2.00, and so is the patient's accommodation!

Here I go generalizing, but it's salient. This is "creative thinking", only.

Think of two kinds of presbyopia: "emerging" and "advanced" (versus the continuum concept).

Emerging: to +2.00 (age 50 usually)
Advanced: +2.00 up

Emerging presbyopia is quite the transient situation: it lasts ten years. Advanced presbyopia usually lasts 2-3X that.

So, advanced presbyopia is the real condition. Emerging presbyopia is not.

Ergo, part and parcel of presbyopia treatment is intermediate range correction. In fact, it would be a little better to throw out the rather task-specific "intermediate range" mental construct, and hold in mind that you simply have to replace their entire accommodative function (which, of course, includes all distances).


As such, consider presbyopia treatment options as necessarily involving "intermediate range". (This eliminates bifocals, SVNO, and monovision.)

Application:
1.) Presbyopia (the real deal) should always be corrected by progressive-type lenses, when possible. Trifocal if you must, but never BF only.

2.) Even "SVNO" should really be NVF. Sola's lens is perfect for this, IMO.

3.) Presbyopic contact lens solutions have to include such capabilities. Aspheric MFs are correct for this as well.


Treating emerging presbyopia is a different story, and it's much easier. Treatment options for emerging presbyopia include bifocals, SVNO, and monovision, as well as the above methods.

Of course, you may ask: why shouldn't I begin my ultimate treatment modality at the onset of the disorder? Why go through monovision now, to yank it, later? Why fit in a BF, now, only to yank it, later? Why go SVNO, now, when you have to go NVF, later?

Good question. I guess one of cost, but that's it.

[drk]

As to computer glasses, they are a must for true presbyopes (+2.00). Especially considering the short corridors we deal with in dress glasses.

Make it a fait accompli that they need it, and let it be on their heads if they opt out.

I would say that it's a nice thing to do to offer a package deal for computer glasses, especially for the first-timers who don't understand.

Sola's Access is very inexpensive, even in poly, and there are a plenitude of inexpensive reasonable quality frames. (Leave off AR from the package and make it an add-on to the package to keep cost down.)

[Chris Ryser]

[quote=Chris Ryser;209076]
Chris, +3.00 is that your intermediate?
Alan

Actually I made a mistake, it's +2.50. It is not exactly my conversative intermediate, but my screen is at 45cm, my keyboard 35cm on a drawer and the in between desk area is absolutely clear. I have fluorecent tubes in the ceiling and feel absolutely comfortable with this new setup.

Once I leave my desk I usually put my ST35s back on the nose. But as I spend most of the day on the computer this new setup has actually helped a lot against the famous computer fatigue. Could also be the color.

[Robert Martellaro]

I work in a solidly middle class area and I find people are extremely resistant to the idea of a second pair of glasses for computers. -snipped-
So give me your secrets, how do you approach it? What do you say to help these people see the need?

Determine the need.

1. Distance to the monitor.
2. Height of the monitor.
3. Add power
4. Frequency of use.

Show the client how they will see with computer glasses.

Use a trial frame, or place hand held lenses over existing eyewear (more correctly the new Rx) with the client sitting at the same distance as their work monitor, and have the client look your monitor or a reading card without lifting the chin. Then show them the vision with their existing glasses. Text will look very clear without posturing.

The most accurate way to make computer glasses is to determine the power needed for the for the monitor distance, and the power for the desktop. Example- monitor is at 26", desktop is 16", Rx is pl/sph Add +2.50 OU. Use a multifocal lens with a distance power of +1.50 and an Add of +1.00. If you use a PAL, set the fitting cross for the lower third of the screen, and use a design that has a long corridor and/or very good distance peripheral vision.

[sharonseyes]

In our office we sell progressive lens as a good multipurpse lens. For our individual that sit at a computer for hours at a time they need task specific lenses. Our staff also wears them. Any one who has worn a progressive lens can tell they are compromising somewhere in the lens. Either backing out of a parking place, playing the piano, or just reading in bed. These activites can best be served with our "task specific" pairs.
We do a good job selling computer lens and our patients love them.

[edKENdance]

I just sold my very first Essilor Computer lens. 8 or nine computer hours usage a day. Seemed to be the right choice plus it's all anti staticy and stuff. Mild new presbyope.