Your patient, Joan Johnson the Human Resources Director for a major corporation in your area, is participating in a business golf outing. It’s an early tee off time on a foggy morning. Joan is wearing the only pair of glasses she owns which she recently purchased in your dispensary. Unfortunately, nobody spoke with Joan about her lifestyle and how tints and coatings could help with her unique activities. As a result, poor Joan struggled through the day posting many of the dreaded snowmen!

Your practice lost the chance to sell Joan multiple pairs of eyewear and possibly a return customer! Joan’s partner, Betty who was wearing lenses with a Gold 20% tint plus an anti-reflective coating to improve her sight and playing edge, finished two under par. Betty also recently saw her Optometrist, your competition on the other side of town. In this dispensary, the staff took the time to talk with Betty about her lifestyle and how they could design eyewear with different tints and coatings to meet her lifestyle. By the way, at the 19th Hole, Betty shared the satisfaction and confidence she has in her Optometrist (your competition) with Joan!

While I worked in private practice, we had many patients with active lifestyles. One of these patients, an affluent president of an international fast food chain, would purchase 17 pairs of glasses every year to meet his different lifestyle needs:

• Six pairs of reading glasses to leave in various places like the office, his home office, his briefcase, etc. with AR coatings for improved vision and contrast.

• Four pairs of sunglasses. Kilimanjaro for sunny day driving and polarized for fishing and boating. Don’t forget the backside AR.

• Three pairs of hunting glasses. Light yellow green for dark foggy conditions. A light yellow pair and an amethyst pair for skeet & trap The OC’s set high for focusing down the gun sights. You don’t want the prey to see you first, so don’t forget the AR coating to eliminate reflection and increase transmission.

• Two pair of glasses. A gradient Kilimanjaro and a clear pair-both with AR coating to reduce reflections and improve transmission for when he’s racing cars.

• Two pair for dress. Progressive lenses with AR coatings to look, feel and see better.

Unfortunately, all of your patients cannot be like this particular person. But all of us can have at least one. Imagine the types of referrals your practice would receive from this one patient because your office handled their visual needs so completely . . . . Doesn’t that make you go "hmmmmm!"

How about swimmers–they need more than just a swimsuit! My niece and nephew were competitive swimmers, and swim goggles were a necessity and difficult to find. They needed to be able to see well in the water as well as out of the water, and in foggy, hazy or sunny conditions. They needed protection for their eye health against the chlorine and bacteria. They needed to be able see the clock immediately for their speed time. And of course, they needed to look cool! They used

10455 Seymour, Franklin Park, IL 60131 Phone 847.678.8900 Fax 847.678.8878I n f o @ o p t i c o t e . c o m w w w . o p t i c o t e . c o m

Your Practice – Is It Ready For the Games?By Gaye Lynn Smith A.B.O.C. Regional Sales Manager - Opticote, Inc.

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goggles with a light yellow or orange tint for foggy or hazy conditions, blue/gray tinted lenses for sunny condition. Many swimmers have tinted lenses to match suit or team colors, or simply to stand out. My niece and nephew were rough on these goggles so multiple pairs were always made!

We are seeing more and more people who are professional or amateur pilots. These people require multiple pairs of eyeglasses to accommodate their wide range of needs. They need to be able to clearly see the instruments and the horizon. Outside conditions can vary from hazy and foggy near the ground to bright and sunny above the clouds. Adding AR coatings to any eyeglasses will increase the transmission 8% to 12%. Here are some suggestions to help you with the visual needs of pilots:

• Very Dark/Hazy – Solid Gold 10% with AR

• Dark/Hazy – Solid Gold 20% with AR

• Dark Overcast – Solid Brown 25 % with AR

• Clear – Solid Kilimanjaro

• Sunny – Brown 55%

• Bright – Brown 75% with Silver or Gold Mirror and AR backside

• Variable Dark – Gradient Kilimanjaro

• Hazy to Sunny – Gradient Rose Kilimanjaro

• Sunny to Bright – Gradient Brown 55% with Gradient Mirror and AR backside

• Clear to Bright – Gradient Brown 75% with Solid Mirror and AR backside

• Overcast to Bright – Solid Brown 55 and Silver Mirror with Clear Masked area (custom made)

Do not use polarized lenses in aircraft. Most aircraft windows are made of multiple layers of plastic. When viewed through polarized lenses, distortions and stress are visible, which can be distracting and dangerous.

How about our “bleacher mom and dad” patients? They want to see Bobby or Suzie score that winning goal. Mom would like a Flash Gold Mirror with a Brown base and backside AR, so she doesn’t miss a play and yet still has that certain “je ne sais quoi” quality about her while sitting on the sidelines. Dad would be the coolest dad on the field with a Black Mirror and backside AR coating.

Is your practice participating in the games? Is your practice a team player? Or, is your practice sitting on the bench when it comes to eyewear needs for the sports enthusiast? Tints and coatings will aid in improving performance in activities and make it possible to engage in activities longer, with less eye fatigue and greater safety through improved vision. Tints and coatings will help you better meet all of your patients’ visual needs, create distinctive eyewear designs, set you apart from your competition and promote patient loyalty.

10455 Seymour, Franklin Park, IL 60131 Phone 847.678.8900 Fax 847.678.8878I n f o @ o p t i c o t e . c o m w w w . o p t i c o t e . c o m

Your Practice – Is It Ready For the Games?

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