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Thread: Acuity Eye Care Group...

  1. #1
    Compulsive Truthteller OptiBoard Gold Supporter Uncle Fester's Avatar
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    Acuity Eye Care Group...

    Anyone familiar with this LLC?

    All views expressed by me on this thread regarding AEG are my personal opinions.
    Last edited by Uncle Fester; 11-04-2022 at 03:09 PM. Reason: clarification...

  2. #2
    Master OptiBoarder
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    Never heard of them. Is this a large group buying out locations? There seems to be a lot of buying out going on around here.

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    Compulsive Truthteller OptiBoard Gold Supporter Uncle Fester's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mervinek View Post
    Never heard of them. Is this a large group buying out locations? There seems to be a lot of buying out going on around here.
    AEG Vision

    https://www.visionmonday.com/busines...ugh-july-2021/

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    Hmmm interesting. They seem to like the phrase "partner with." There is another company that seems similar that I am hearing a lot of... Spectrum Vision Partners... (I think they go by OCLI). They too use the phrase "partner with" and not buy out. But it's a buy out. Just my opinion. I don't know a whole lot about either company but I can tell you the way things are going around here... there will be NO privately owned optical/ ophthalmology business. Everyone is being bought out by My Eye Dr or some other group like the 2 mentioned.

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    OptiWizard KrystleClear's Avatar
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    There aren't going to be any independent opticals/optometrists left at this rate. I would say 80% of our local independent optometrists/opticals have closed or been bought out in the past 10 years. Problem is that so many people decide to give the MyEyeDrs or equivalent corporate places a try once and end up dissatisfied. We had a cataract referral from MyEyeDr the other day who said the doctor walked into the exam room and without even looking at her eyes or refracting her stopped the exam and said she had cataracts. What if she had something else serious going on like an urgent retinal detachment? I can tell you as a former MyEyeDr employee they don't have optometric techs. They make the receptionists and salespeople do the pre-testing for the doctors and they are not equipped to just diagnose someone with cataracts. The doctors should be dilating and looking at the eyeballs before just blindly referring for cataract surgery.
    Krystle

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    I spent a horrifying two months at MyEyeDr. The incompetent store manager who had no optical experience ran off a long time OD that was a fixture in the community. He was replaced by a traveling OD who probably spent no more than 5 minutes performing an exam. The focus was on upselling and multiple pairs. We got hell if a patient left without buying anything. Their business practices are shady. I hope you’re wrong in that they’ll succeed in taking over.

    Fortunately I’m in a wonderful private practice, and I hope they don’t sell out. It has been a dream working with such devoted OD’s. Problem is their longtime optician retired, and I’ve inherited his position. I can do the work, and I’m told by patients and the ODs I do very well, but I wish I had someone with more skills so I can learn from them. The ODs are great and will even help with repairs such as drill mounts.

    Hello fellow Pennsylanian!

  7. #7
    Compulsive Truthteller OptiBoard Gold Supporter Uncle Fester's Avatar
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    I'm hearing Luxottica (and we know who their boss is) is continuing to eat the whole optical world.

    That said, it may prove to be a good way for owners to ease into retirement.

    To my knowledge they are not MyEyeDr's model and the lack of others here saying they are is encouraging.

    We'll see. (pun intended)

  8. #8
    Compulsive Truthteller OptiBoard Gold Supporter Uncle Fester's Avatar
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    I've been told maybe "way down in the weeds" Lux/Essilor is involved with AEG but they are IOT lenses from Shamir with Lux frame lines.

    From another thread:

    https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-e...ics-1001420308

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter
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    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle Fester View Post
    they are IOT lenses from Shamir
    Huh??

  10. #10
    Compulsive Truthteller OptiBoard Gold Supporter Uncle Fester's Avatar
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    Essilor now owns 100% of Shamir.

    I'm being told that EssiLux is not the ringmaster of the change I fear I am entering.

    I'm hearing now that despite what I was told (and my doc may believe) that nothing in the office changes for several months.

    I think otherwise so we'll see.

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    Essilor is buying out independent optical, they recently bought 2 current practices i work at in January. Practice name hasnt changed yet but its coming.

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    Compulsive Truthteller OptiBoard Gold Supporter Uncle Fester's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by eyesforamerica View Post
    Essilor is buying out independent optical, they recently bought 2 current practices i work at in January. Practice name hasnt changed yet but its coming.
    Welcome to OptiBoard EfA!

    As the takeover of the wholesale lab world is mostly completed here comes the retail takeover as Vertical Integration has an insatiable hunger at this level.

    It can work for those looking to retire as the money they offer is sweet to the owners they approach.

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    Rising Star OptiBoard Silver Supporter
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    There is a private equity group near me I recently found now owns almost 300 offices. Then I tried to contact an old optometrist friend in another state and they were bought up by another group. And my other friends on facebook "Like" myeyedr all the time whenever I see an ad, so I assume they sold out as well.

    My good friend went to the same private optometry office he has been going to for years with his children. At the end of his visit he was hit with a $300 "new patient registration fee" on top of his exam fees. He asked about it but paid, then later decided he wouldn't be going back. I'm not sure why anyone would.

    Small, mom & pop shops try to treat their patients right because they want patients to return and many have now been bought because private equity sees potential for fees and money in owing large numbers of offices.

    Several of the smaller places I used to work over the years are now gone for a variety of reasons.

    I think the feedback loop of "patient's caring and getting upset" is going to operate far too slowly to stem this wave of buyouts.

  14. #14
    Compulsive Truthteller OptiBoard Gold Supporter Uncle Fester's Avatar
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    There is a private equity group near me I recently found now owns almost 300 offices.
    AEG is based in Dallas I'm told.

    Three guesses who else is and the first 2 don't count;)

  15. #15
    Ophthalmic Optician
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    AEG called me last year and offered to fly me down to Dallas for "lunch". (Yawn)
    They asked if I wanted to get rid of the stress and put my feet in the sand and relax. I told them that I didn't go into business to relax and that I had no intention of selling out to PE. They said I gave them a typical, first time approached, answer, and they'd call me back. They did, last week, and I told them the same thing.

    This time, they were citing retail stats, doom and gloom, and the impending demise of private optical. I asked the guy how long he's been doing this. He said he's been w/the company for 3 years, but in retail for 14. I told him that I've been in retail for 35 years, and if he wanted to stop in someday and learn a few things, I'd be happy to host him...but I'd have to charge him for the education. He laughed and said he'd call back next year.

    Can't wait...
    Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry

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    Compulsive Truthteller OptiBoard Gold Supporter Uncle Fester's Avatar
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    Thanks for the reply Johns.

    The more I'm hearing the more I'm fearing.

    I see myself caught between a rock and a hard place so maybe it's time to jump in the water, feet first of course.

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    Master OptiBoarder optical24/7's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle Fester View Post
    Thanks for the reply Johns.

    The more I'm hearing the more I'm fearing.

    I see myself caught between a rock and a hard place so maybe it's time to jump in the water, feet first of course.
    Be careful……

    https://ktvo.com/news/nation-world/d...kaloosa-county

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    What's up? drk's Avatar
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    Don't get me wrong...every person has a price.

    But you really are selling out your practice. If you have any desire for legacy, you can't sell to these people.

    Ideally I'll sell to a well-financed individual OD, but they are in short supply, apparently.

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    Compulsive Truthteller OptiBoard Gold Supporter Uncle Fester's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by optical24/7 View Post
    That's why I am definitely looking before i leap and may just retire.

    Here's a few questions:

    If VSP and Eye Med are separate entities how is AEG doing work for both with Shamir lenses?

    Also, is the rug about to be pulled out from under me with our VSP preferred collections??

    I hear frame warranties like Silhouette will be on the old offices dime. True???

    Thanks for the replies. Keep'em coming!

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    Well... we are officially being bought out. We are getting bought by OCLI. Just spoke to the new manager and we will immediately drop Marchon and bring in some Luxottica products and also drop our local independent lab and start working with another lab. Apparently this starts on Thursday. Awesome. Anyone know about OCLI or ODS (ODS is the optical portion and OCLI would be the ophthalmology dept)??? Oh and don't worry... pay "should be the same" but... got my new contract and the PTO is way less. Insert eye roll here.

  21. #21
    What's up? drk's Avatar
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    https://www.ocli.net/about/

    Who did you work for before, Mervinek?

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    What's up? drk's Avatar
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    Master OptiBoarder
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    Quote Originally Posted by drk View Post
    https://www.ocli.net/about/

    Who did you work for before, Mervinek?
    Until the "ink dries" I work for an independent OMD

  24. #24
    Compulsive Truthteller OptiBoard Gold Supporter Uncle Fester's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mervinek View Post
    Until the "ink dries" I work for an independent OMD
    I got 8 days notice but I have worked here before the current owner was hired 35 years ago;) Waiting until the last minute seems to be the modus operandi for all buyouts as they know most older opticians are going to ask uncomfortable questions and if they leave can cost the owner money. But it is what it is.

    I am not being asked to sign anything but our non owner OD is. Signing an "agreement" is probably a line in the sand I will not cross.

    AEG is assuring me my wage will not change and they will go to great lengths to transition as seamlessly as possible can-o-worms like Shamir only product, frame warranty and our board.

    Some e mailed questions gave me reasonable answers but I am still skeptical.

  25. #25
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    Good luck. One word of warning I can give you is to get your CURRENT contact ready and then compare it with your new contact. The new contract they gave me has the same wages but benefits (Like PTO and paid education for CEU/ ABO renewals) were horrible. PTO was cut in half and education wasn't mentioned at all. I emailed the new manager, whom I only met for about 15 min my current contact and said please revise your contract offer to match and I will review the revision before I sign any employment paperwork. I still have yet to hear back. READ it CAREFULLY! My new manager seems like he is someone who would pull something over you if he could. Just sayin. I know not everyone is like that but I have a really bad feeling about this.

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