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Thread: What Makes Optometrists Tick? Guinea Pigs Wanted!

  1. #1
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    Question What Makes Optometrists Tick? Guinea Pigs Wanted!

    Hello Optiboarders!

    I’m a researcher with Point Forward, an ethnographic research group. We’ve begun a project focused on ODs to understand their motivations, career goals, and expectations for the future of optometry practice. This project will help inform the development of new professional tools for optometrists.

    In particular we are interested in ODs working in two situations:
    • Retail Optometry (Lenscrafters, Walmart, etc)
    • Performing eye exams online (Opternative, etc)


    Our interviews will take approximately 1 hour and can be conducted over the phone or on a Skype call.
    We’ll be offering an honorarium to thank you for your involvement.

    If you are interested in taking part, send me a private message and I’ll share the details.

    James Barton
    Research Lead, Point Forward LLC

  2. #2
    What's up? drk's Avatar
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    Boooo.

    Boooo.

    Boooo.

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    Haha.

    Am I posting this in the wrong part of the forums?

    I realize this might sound like a lame focus group, but the interviews are actually 1 on 1 calls where you can vent about your work. Doctors tend to enjoy them.

    I'll put you down as a tentative yes...

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    Boooo.

    Boooo.

    Boooo.

  5. #5
    Ghost in the OptiMachine Quince's Avatar
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    I think the main problem is the lack of chain/ internet doctors on here. This site is sort of a haven for independents, not that there isn't a percentage of like-minded people from chain retail.

    And the doctors that do participate in retail... well, they might need a better incentive to have their practice scrutinized.

    Also, the moment you mentioned Opternative- they all fled to the shadows. So it would have to be a really good incentive.
    Have I told you today how much I hate poly?

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    Thanks for your response! I'm a little surprised that a ghost is the one who didn't say Boo...

    We're definitely not interested in scrutinizing anybody's practices, we just want to learn ODs preferences and concerns. I realize Opternative is a real black sheep, which is why we're having to go to such lengths to find ANYBODY who does exams for them who's willing to talk.

    I think our honorarium for this project is $250, which in the past has been enough to sweeten the deal for MDs who want to speak their mind. Of course, I've never had a forum full of MDs boo me offstage either.

    Thanks for the context.

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    Accidental duplicate post..
    Last edited by JD Barton; 02-22-2018 at 05:24 PM. Reason: attempt to delete

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    If you want people to care at all about what you are doing you will need to be very upfront about what data you want, why you want to collect it, who you will share it with, what kind of privacy guarantee do you have, why would any of us want to participate, what would we benefit?, etc. Otherwise you look like you are just trying to data mine optometrists. So lay out ALL the details and maybe you will get some interest. The fact that you didn't put these details in your first post make me assume you have anyone but my own best interests in mind.

  9. #9
    What's up? drk's Avatar
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    Opternative is supremely controversial, if you don't know. It has the worst reputation in vision care. The founders are literally criminals. How's that?

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    Sure Kwill212, I'll do my best. I understand you're an optician but I'll address this largely to ODs since that's who we are trying to recruit.

    What data we want:
    How is working in retail optometry different from being independent? Why/when do ODs work in retail?
    How do retail ODs feel about new technologies and their effect on practicing?

    Why we want to collect it, who we will share it with:
    Our client is a eye care supplier who makes products and services for ODs. Our contract says we can't name them, so it doesn't color the responses we get and to avoid letting competitors know what they are planning. They have some decisions about the future of their product and they want to understand the perspective of retail ODs before they decide anything.

    What privacy guarantee:

    Any data we collect will be shared only within the research team- the interviewers and the team building plans based on the research. It will never be publicly shared and our client will NEVER contact anyone from the project for any reason.

    Why would you participate, who benefits:

    The optometrists on this board clearly have strong feelings about effects of technology on the future of optometry. If the professional eye care suppliers were seeking input in their decision making involving new technology (among other things), why wouldn't you get involved? I'm offering a chance for ODs tho share their concerns and hopes about the future with the companies that will affect its course.

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    Eyes eastward... Uilleann's Avatar
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    Grabbing popcorn to watch this one unfold!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Uilleann View Post
    Grabbing popcorn to watch this one unfold!
    Buttered /salted with chili?
    Eyes wide open

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    Quote Originally Posted by JD Barton View Post
    Hello Optiboarders!

    I’m a researcher with Point Forward, an ethnographic research group. We’ve begun a project focused on ODs to understand their motivations, career goals, and expectations for the future of optometry practice. This project will help inform the development of new professional tools for optometrists.

    In particular we are interested in ODs working in two situations:
    • Retail Optometry (Lenscrafters, Walmart, etc)
    • Performing eye exams online (Opternative, etc)


    Our interviews will take approximately 1 hour and can be conducted over the phone or on a Skype call.
    We’ll be offering an honorarium to thank you for your involvement.

    If you are interested in taking part, send me a private message and I’ll share the details.

    James Barton
    Research Lead, Point Forward LLC
    You should interview DRK. Maury Povich did.

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    Quote Originally Posted by JD Barton View Post
    Our client is a eye care supplier who makes products and services for ODs. Our contract says we can't name them
    That doesn't sound shady. Yes please let me divulge all of what has made me successful to an anonymous company through a third party.


    Quote Originally Posted by JD Barton View Post
    If the professional eye care suppliers were seeking input in their decision making involving new technology (among other things), why wouldn't you get involved? I'm offering a chance for ODs tho share their concerns and hopes about the future with the companies that will affect its course....
    Thanks for offing me the chance, that's so generous of you. Are you sure you don't need me to pay you a fee for my participation if this is such a great deal for me?

    Quote Originally Posted by JD Barton View Post
    ....How is working in retail optometry different from being independent? Why/when do ODs work in retail?
    How do retail ODs feel about new technologies and their effect on practicing?
    Let me get this straight. The "professional eyecare suppliers" who are supposedly going to be shaping the future of the industry don't know the basics of retail optometry? That seems kind of weird if they are determining the course of the industry I would think they would at least know a little bit about it, and not need to do market research on very basics of it.

    By the way I did ask for ALL of the pertinent information. It was even capitalized and in bold for you. All you did was answer the four example questions I asked. So I assume there is more to this that you don't care to divulge. This seems awfully disorganized and informal for a serious research group.

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    Ghost in the OptiMachine Quince's Avatar
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    Wow hostility.

    There is a polite way to decline- though it doesn't even seem to be ODs that are having a problem this invite?? (with drk as the exception of course!)

    Just felt this was a necessary opinion to convey that not all of Optiboard is so unapproachable.
    Have I told you today how much I hate poly?

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    Blue Jumper Just do a little checking to find out some more ...................................


    Thanks for offing me the chance, that's so generous of you. Are you sure you don't need me to pay you a fee for my participation if this is such a great deal for me?

    Just do a little checking to find out some more and you will find it.


    Find them here: https://www.pointforward.com

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Ryser View Post
    Just do a little checking to find out some more and you will find it.


    Find them here: https://www.pointforward.com

    Yes Chris, thank you. I am aware of how google search works.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Quince View Post
    Wow hostility.

    There is a polite way to decline- though it doesn't even seem to be ODs that are having a problem this invite?? (with drk as the exception of course!)

    Just felt this was a necessary opinion to convey that not all of Optiboard is so unapproachable.
    There is also a professional and polite way to ask. This wasn't it. My opinion only obviously.

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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIAXG_QcQNU

    This should explain everything

  20. #20
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    https://youtu.be/sor9GzivGbk

    The Pythons were also great at descriptive musical interpretation!

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    What's up? drk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lab Insight View Post
    You should interview DRK. Maury Povich did.
    Better than your interview on the "I married my pet Gerbil" ​episode of Geraldo...

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