A half-dozen retail experts divulge the state of corporate optometry today + the outlook for the future

A GROUP OF SIX CORPORATE OPTOMETRY retail experts gathered at Vision Expo West 2019 for a panel discussion focusing on the forces that shaped corporate optometry in 2019, as well as goals for 2020.

Here, ahead of the corporate optometry event at Vision Expo East, we share insightful bits from the latest discussion.

WESLIE HAMADA, O.D.

LUXOTTICA EYE CARE’S SENIOR DIRECTOR OF O.D. ENGAGEMENT

“We’re looking at ways that we really can make sure we continue to engage and bring together the doctors...We want to make sure that our doctors don’t feel alone—that they always have someone either within their community or that they can connect with online.”

BILL WERNER, O.D.

NATIONAL VISION’S DIRECTOR OF STUDENT RELATIONS

“Starting in January 2020, we’re going to start a new on-boarding program for our new graduates where they will have additional mentorship, training, and communication.”

ALLISON BREWER JONES, O.D.

WALMART’S REGIONAL TALENT SPECIALIST

“We grand-opened [in mid-September] our very first Walmart Health. In that facility, the focus on accessibility to health care is very important to our consumers and patients...Tying optometry into that is very important, and us being a member of that community health care space.”

BEN CHUDNER, O.D.

ACUITY EYECARE GROUP’S CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER

“What you’re going to see from Acuity Eyecare Group is better efforts on integration into our systems, making sure that they’re up and running with our point-of-sale system and our electronic health records, to allow us better access to see how the doctors are managing patients and allow them to make better decisions to help their patients.”

ERIC SCHMIDT, O.D.

FOUNDING PARTNER OF KEPLR VISION

“How we feel we can really grow and become better is by bringing in new doctors, creating new opportunities for doctors not in our practice yet, and also by expanding the opportunities of our existing doctors.”

MAURICE WILSON, O.D.

PRESIDENT-ELECT AT ENERGEYES—THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CORPORATE OPTOMETRISTS

“One of our goals has been to create a community for corporate optometry across all brands. We’re learning more and more about how to create this community, and we truly feel that you can’t just have an online community. We need face-to-face meetings and times and real conversations with people among all brands, among all members.” COT!

—Kerri Ann Raimo