Suppliers Are Your Friends
[Regarding the editorial by Caletha Crawford in the April 18 issue, "Get More Out of Your Vendor Relationships"] I could not agree with you more.

As a supplier, we place a high value on developing strategic partnerships with our customers both large and small. We love the opportunity to train eyecare professionals and their respective staffs on "How to sell mirrors" or "How to sell AR and topcoats." These programs teach not only the basics but also educate ECPs about developing patient relationships, keeping the sale in the office, understanding patient lifestyles for work and recreation, etc. We use the Socratic Method. There's too much emphasis on selling but never enough information on how to do it; we want to teach HOW.

The problem is that many retailers are either too cautious about partnerships and relationships, are afraid to open up, or feel they do not have the time. Unfortunately, they then miss out on what many of us can and are willing to do for them.

Time-Saving Technique
As a dispensing optician for more years than I care to remember, I would like to bring to light an important yet fixable problem in our profession.

In my years of filling prescriptions, I always wondered why the refracting doctors weren't compelled to include the visual acuity of the patient on every optical prescription written. This important information would be very helpful to the dispensing optician so he and the patient would know what to expect when delivering a new pair of eyeglasses.

If the patient complains that their vision is poor, the dispenser can explain that it is the best visual acuity that they can achieve with their eyes. Remind them that the doctor advised them of their problem in the first place.

All refracting doctors should want the visual acuity implemented, for it would save them time and money on phone calls from opticians asking why the poor vision with the new glasses when the answer is always the same: because there is a visual acuity problem.

Years ago, I brought this request to ophthalmologists and they agreed it was a good idea but nothing has happened.

I am still hopeful that someone in our profession will see the advantages of including the visual acuity on prescriptions and do something about it.