Follow along to see the 3 steps one creative O.D. took to launch her very own low vision business, with a little help from her friends
melissa Richard, O.D., M.S., has dedicated her professional life to low vision and neuro-optometry. She earned her Doctor of Optometry and master’s degree in Low Vision Rehabilitation from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (now Salus University) in 2006.
A decade and three babies later, explains Dr. Richard, “I opened Spectrum Vision Care in 2016 to meet the needs of low vision patients in central Bucks and Montgomery counties.”
To help develop that Chalfont, PA, practice, she enlisted the resources of Eschenbach’s Low Vision Care Program and its three components: diagnostic aids, staff training, and consultative support. Here, Dr. Richard shares how she employed—and has benefited from—each of the three components of the program.
#1 DIAGNOSTIC AIDS.
“I purchased the diagnostic assortment of visual aids from Eschenbach so I would always have something available to meet every patient’s needs. It’s valuable to be able to demonstrate a variety of devices without making the patient come back in.
“The display cabinet is brought out during low vision evaluations, and it’s convenient for showing patients all their options at once.
“I also love having devices like the SmartLux portable video magnifier, Visolux magnifiers, and the Mobilux line. They give hope to patients who thought nothing else could be done for them.”
#2 STAFF TRAINING.
“This was important to me because my technician, who has 25 years of ophthalmology experience, had no training in low vision. Now, she is more confident with troubleshooting, handling patients’ questions, and helping manage expectations.”
#3 CONSULTIVE SUPPORT.
“My rep/territory manager met with me in the beginning to go over increasing patient volume and to offer reimbursement tips. This marketing and billing advice was helpful to me as a new practice owner.
“We still meet periodically for training and to introduce new devices and marketing strategies. Eschenbach also sends us new patients who visit their website.”
—Grace Hewlett
GETTING SCHOOLED
Education is a big part of what Melissa Richard, O.D., does. “The biggest challenge is that everyone wants a ‘pair of glasses’ to solve all their vision issues,” she says. “Proper education helps, not only for the patient but also for the referring doctors. We have a brochure we use with both groups that explains a lot of this. Whether it’s patients, their families and caregivers, or the community at large, ongoing education is the key.”
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