We’re living in a time of unprecedented national (and global) austerity. So never before has the cost of products for eyes and optical services been an issue of concern to so many. Optical practice owners are concerned about how they can keep the doors open while maintaining their quality. Their patients are obviously concerned with value ‘for my eye care’, given the rising costs of living.
From a public perspective, the cost of glasses in particular has seemed to be extortionate for a long time. In recent years the rising competition and the internet have resulted in prices coming down in many opticians. So how has this affected optical practices and the services I get for my eye, you may wonder.
Well it’s true that spectacle frames and lenses can have very high mark ups, that make them appear to be a complete rip off. However, given that the average family optician may employ one optician, doing eye test 3 days a week and testing 15 patients each day at best, many practice owners are having a tough time. Because of the high costs of employing professional staff in particular, acquiring the expensive equipment and often pricey premisses costs, running an optical business only works as a business if you can attract significant numbers of patients. The lower your prices, the more patients you need to stay viable.
Before we start getting the violins out and shedding tears for the optical industry, any optical practice worth visiting should be well aware that it is in the business of caring for people and the preservation of their patients sight above all things. So the responsibility should be upon opticians to charge fair and reasonable prices for their services and products, so as not to alienate their patient base. If an optician charges more than the going rate, the reasons should be justifiable in the quality of care, service and products. As many other sectors are doing, the optical profession should be embracing technology, the internet and the development of new product as ways of cutting costs, and creatively getting their products out to more people.
In a changing world and market, it is the only alternative if small family opticians, in particular, are going to survive and continue to offer the unique service that only they are capable of offering to local communities. Fortunately the industry is fast adapting with products available in online stores for eyes, in the same way as many other industries are having to adjust, in the light of the internet.
Martin Oguzie is a UK based Optometrist, author and writer at https://www.cheapglasses123.com/safety-glasses where his blog for eyes can be found.