Contact Lens Starter Care Kits

[peyes]

After all these years Alcon decided to discontinue providing free contact lens starter kits. While I think I understand their reasoning we are left with the choice of purchasing the kits or switching to a product from a different manufacturer that is provided free. What do you do in your office about starter contact kits and which product do you prefer and why?

[drk]

You have to go with what works:

1. Clear Care
2. Optifree Puremoist
3. Biotrue
4. Revitalens

Any of these are fine.

[peyes]

You have to go with what works:

1. Clear Care
2. Optifree Puremoist
3. Biotrue
4. Revitalens

Any of these are fine.

Yeah well I know that but which do you routinely dispense and/or recommend to your patients? Why? Do you pay for the starter kit or is it provided with the expectation that you will prescribe/recommend that product?

[drk]

I get mine for free. But then again, I dispense a lot of contacts. Do you? Then you should get the same treatment.

Alcon's a little tight with the Puremoist, but not with ClearCare, and Abbott and B+L are at your service.

[braheem24]

They still provide the kits but every other shipment or you may buy kits at $1.00 a piece if more is needed.

[peyes]

Called Alcon; they tell me that effective 1/1/14 no longer providing free starter kits but will sell to me for $1.00 each. "Absolutely no free ones." I don't understand...we dispense around $5000 per month of contacts. (Wholesale) I'm a little confused, it seems as if I have been singled out for some reason.

[uncut]

Called Alcon; they tell me that effective 1/1/14 no longer providing free starter kits but will sell to me for $1.00 each. "Absolutely no free ones." I don't understand...we dispense around $5000 per month of contacts. (Wholesale) I'm a little confused, it seems as if I have been singled out for some reason.

How many new fits do you do a month.............at a buck each, it won't hurt. Or are you the reason we are all being charged for training kits. Are you a "hero" by givin' everybody and their dog kits with their grand replacement purchase?

[uncut]

After all these years Alcon decided to discontinue providing free contact lens starter kits. While I think I understand their reasoning we are left with the choice of purchasing the kits or switching to a product from a different manufacturer that is provided free. What do you do in your office about starter contact kits and which product do you prefer and why?

You face this choice.......why? Saving a buck for a fitting (new), means you are on a very tight new fit margin. I would suggest charging more for new fits. This is what "starter" or "training kits" are for. They are also used by fitters when a change in solution is needed to be tried, or used temporarily. A follow-up as to the affect/effect is usually scheduled.

In my practice, kits are procured, in whichever way we "qualify" bu the source/maker. The source sometimes is a "third-party solution training kit provider" LOL.

First solution of choice is whatever the manufacturer of the contact lens product recommends. The second choice is whichever obtains the lifespan required of the lens/patient.
Solution sensitivity, previous useage, and ease of procurement are the last considerations. We NEVER change a solution on a client without checking on the consequences, by appointment.

[peyes]

How many new fits do you do a month.............at a buck each, it won't hurt. Or are you the reason we are all being charged for training kits. Are you a "hero" by givin' everybody and their dog kits with their grand replacement purchase?

Uncut I resent the implication. I was simply trying to determine if all practices were experiencing the same issue with Alcon. I've been doing this for over 30 years and have seen all suppliers do this from time to time. They always return to providing kits at no charge. In the meantime I will simply dispense Abbots flavor and the paient will end up purchasing their product. Now who lost on the deal? Me or Alcon? And no I am not one of those.

[uncut]

Uncut I resent the implication. I was simply trying to determine if all practices were experiencing the same issue with Alcon. I've been doing this for over 30 years and have seen all suppliers do this from time to time. They always return to providing kits at no charge. In the meantime I will simply dispense Abbots flavor and the paient will end up purchasing their product. Now who lost on the deal? Me or Alcon? And no I am not one of those.

I am glad to hear that you are judicious in your "handing out" of training/starter kits. I agree that suppliers have a mixed bag of rules that seem to sway with the wind, and whatever corporate whims about buying group pricing, trial kits, and even trial lenses. As a independent fitter, I have given the shortest leash of the pack, so to speak. I am sure freebies exist for the select few, as it is with other materials within the community. Here in Canada we had distribution by "forewarders" of training kits, and were charged for shipping, not the kits. As far as the loss that you mention, I believe that exclusion of the product, reduces the diversity in the product mix that you have. But...you have to draw the line somewhere.

[walleye]

We dispense a huge amount of contacts also and Alcon said effective 1/1/14 the kits are $1.00 B&L Biotrue is still free so we dispense and recommend B&L I think it will hurt Alcon's sales since many patients will keep using the brand recommended by the Dr. or optician at the initial fitting. We liberally dispense kits to patients reordering contacts to especially give them a new contact lens case. The dollar charge is not a big deal but adds up when you go through 3-4 dozen a month!!