Optometric Insights

Proper Maintenance of Scleral Lens Accessories

Patient compliance doesn't stop at lens care; it extends to the tools they use every day. To maintain optimal performance and hygiene for the ScleralEase applicator, we recommend a simple yet effective disinfection protocol:

✅ Disinfect: Use 70% Isopropyl Alcohol to wipe all handled surfaces.
✅ Air Dry: Allow the device to dry thoroughly before storage.
✅ Protect: Return the applicator to its container to prevent environmental contamination.

Consistent hygiene practices help mitigate the risk of infection and ensure long-term comfort for scleral lens wearers.

Your patients are already learning about eye care online.
The only question is: from whom?

In this OI Show episode, Dr. Joseph Allen (Dr. Eye Health) explains why he started creating YouTube videos: to make sure patients hear accurate, empowering information about their eyes, not just whatever shows up in an ad.

Then one video on vitreous floaters took off, caught the tail end of another viral video, and the channel exploded, eventually crossing 100M+ views.

What struck me most wasn’t the number. It was the reason behind his persistence:

→ He saw online ads and content misrepresenting our profession
→ He realized YouTube was where patients were already learning
→ He decided optometrists needed a real voice in that space

What’s one topic you wish more patients learned about online from you, not from ads?

Listen to the episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1601521/episodes/18931612

Treating OSD effectively means treating the whole ocular surface. 🔬

A stepwise, etiology-driven approach is key. There is no one-size-fits-all solution when managing Ocular Surface Disease; treatment must be tailored to the underlying mechanism.

Management considerations by category:

🔵 Evaporative Dry Eye / MGD
• Warm compresses & lid hygiene
• In-office thermal pulsation (e.g., LipiFlow)
• Omega-3 supplementation

🔵 Aqueous-Deficient Dry Eye
• Preservative-free artificial tears
• Cyclosporine A or lifitegrast
• Punctal occlusion

🔵 Inflammatory Component
• Short-term topical corticosteroids
• Anti-inflammatory agents
• Biologics in refractory cases

The goal: restore ocular surface homeostasis and break the cycle of inflammation.

What treatment protocols are working in your clinic? 👇

Your Practice is Built for Clinical Excellence, But is Your System Built for Survival?

Private practices are currently weathering a Perfect Storm of operational pressures. It’s not just one problem; it’s five converging forces that are multiplying stress and shrinking margins:

1. The Talent Drain
2. The Admin Avalanche
3. The Revenue Squeeze
4. The Payer Wall
5. The Regulatory Maze

Dr. David Kading's book, The Invisible Team, is not a theory: it’s the proven blueprint for escaping this storm.

He transformed his practice by building a resilient hybrid global team to manage the chaos, allowing him and his in-office staff to focus on high-value patient care. This strategic shift led to the practice’s strongest financial results in history, moving from flat margins to record revenue by 2024.

The book details how this model works: moving from simple Cost Substitution to Strategic Capability Building (Chapter 8). Dr. Kading provides the frameworks to build your own Invisible Team and reclaim your professional life.

You were never meant to do it all alone. Is your system resilient enough to support growth?

The Invisible Team is Available Now on Amazon - https://www.amazon.de/Invisible-Team-Unseen-Transforming-Patient/dp/B0G882YHVZ

Technology is no longer on the horizon of optometric care; it's already in the exam lane.

Across diagnostics, disease monitoring, treatment planning, and patient access, innovation is fundamentally changing how we detect and manage eye disease. For clinicians who embrace these tools, the opportunity is significant: earlier intervention, more precise care, and better long-term outcomes for patients.

Swipe through for a high-level look at the key technology categories reshaping eye disease management today.

Are you getting paid for the dry eye care you're already providing?

Join us for CLOSE Phase 3: Coding & Billing.
A focused session designed to help clinicians master the financial side of ocular surface disease management.

This webinar dives into the practical details that can transform how your practice captures revenue:

✅ Office visits & diagnostic testing
✅ In-office procedures
✅ Insurance vs. self-pay strategies
✅ Navigating prior authorizations

CLOSE is a year-long program by Woo University guiding eye care professionals through every phase of building a successful dry eye practice from diagnostics to billing.

📅 Tuesday, June 23rd
🕔 5:00pm

Register here 👉 https://web.bigmarker.com/woouniversity/close-phase-3-coding-billing

So you want to bring clinical research into your private practice but don't know where to start? 🎯

In this deep dive episode of The OI Show, Dr. Ashley Tucker goes beyond the highlight reel and into what it actually takes to build a successful clinical research site.

3 Big Lessons from the Episode:
1. Your niche is your leverage.
Dr. Tucker didn't chase research companies; they came to her because of her deep myopia management and specialty lens patient base.

2. You can't do it alone.
She quickly learned that high-quality research demands dedicated staff and rock-solid systems. You can't be the doctor, study coordinator, and recruiter all at once.

3. Don't overpromise on recruitment.
Negotiate your subject numbers. It's better to commit to 25 and enroll 30 than promise 50 and stall at 20.

If you've ever thought, "clinical research sounds amazing, but I'm not sure my practice is ready" this deep dive is for you.

Full conversation with Dr. Tucker — link in bio.