Photograph by Stephen Mark Sullivan; Frame: AXIOM 6512 from ProDesign Denmark

Overheard in an optical dispensary:

Millennial 1: “Hey, did you know AR lenses are great for taking selfies?

Millennial 2: “Really? What about Instagram filter compatibility? And if we buy a pair, will the company give a pair to someone in need?

With their discerning taste in brands, socially responsible outlook and craving of connectivity, Millennials have unique concerns when it comes to shopping for eyewear. To reach these increasingly influential patients, optical dispensers need to offer them lens products that appeal to their interests and lifestyle. Here are some simple suggestions for dispensing to GenEYE.

LET’S GET DIGITAL
Ask any Millennial what they like most about the music streaming on their smartphone, and they’ll probably refer to their ability to easily personalize their playlists. Digital single vision lenses afford dispensers a similar opportunity, by optimizing the refracting OD’s prescription so that the intended vision correction is actually what is fabricated, based on the frame’s parameters; the patient is measured for position of wear, and the surfacing process corrects higher-grade aberrations. The result? A highly-customized pair of glasses, with more precise visual acuity. Brands include Essilor’s 360°, Kodak Digital Single Vision lenses, Zeiss’ Individual Single Vision, Shamir’s Autograph II Single Vision, and Hoya’s iD and iQ Single Vision lenses.

Patients not able or willing to purchase digital SV lenses but still seeking greater wearing comfort would do well with thinner, lighter lenses such as polycarbonate and Trivex.

WORKIN’ IT
Though conventional progressive lenses aren’t traditionally dispensed to people under 40, computer/office lenses, which offer line-free near and intermediate vision, can eliminate computer vision syndrome and optimize visual acuity. When appropriate, and with the advice and consent of the refracting OD, the dispenser should offer computer/office glasses to lessen eyestrain, along with ancillary suggestions such as the 20-20-20 rule: look away from the screen every 20 minutes for at least 20 seconds at something 20 feet away.

There are several lenses on the market designed for this purpose, such as Zeiss’ Digital Lens—described by Zeiss as “the only lens specifically designed for the visual demands of today’s Millennials and their digital lives”—plus Hoya’s Tact, Shamir’s Office, Essilor’s Anti-Fatigue and Varilux Computer.

BLUE BLOCKERS
Computers, tablets and smartphones all emit High-Energy Visible (HEV) light. The effects of this potentially harmful blue light are starting to be understood as more dangerous than merely creating discomfort due to strain; some studies suggest retinal damage may occur due to the light’s ability to go further into the eye and possibly contribute to macular degeneration over time.

Since Millennials are constantly connected to their devices, dispensers should offer special “blue blocking” lenses, to prevent strain from the high-energy blue light of screens. Among the products available are Signet Armorlite BluTech, Crizal Prevencia from Essilor, Hoya Recharge, Nikon’s SeeCoat Blue, PFO Global’s iBlu Coat, Retinal Bliss Tech DES Coating by Quantum Innovations Unity BluTech by VSP Optics Group and UV++ from Conaut Lens.

To aid in patient education, there are new tools which can measure the degree of blue light-related damage to the eye. For many, “seeing is believing”—akin to viewing UV photographs of sun damage at a dermatologist’s office, presenting the results can encourage patients to take precautions to prevent further damage.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS
With the ease of Internet ordering (and returns) for not only plano sunwear, but now prescription sunwear as well, dispensers looking to keep the sale in-house should capitalize on proximity and opportunity. An increasing number of practices are leveraging Millennials’ digital savvy and desire to use the Web to shop with tools such as virtual try-on apps on their websites for both sunglasses and ophthalmic frames in advance of the office visit.

Style-conscious Millennials will enjoy choosing from an unprecedented amount of brands, shapes, colors and lens finishes for their sunglasses. There are many style-focused blogs and social media forums packed with images ripe for sharing on social media and also e-mailing directly to patients through your CRM (customer relationship management system), if you have one. These set a fun and fashion-forward tone prior to the patient’s appointment. Another way to leverage social engagement is to encourage patients to post Instagram and Facebook photos of eyewear they try on at the  appointment, to “crowdsource” their friends’/followers’ opinions, which can help close a sale if otherwise undecided.

Millennials need to prevent premature wrinkling (cosmetic) and skin cancer as well as protect their eyes from UV damage. Sunglasses aren’t just for longer, sun-soaked spring and summer days—they are necessary on overcast days when 80 percent of the sun’s rays filter through the clouds and in winter when the low angle of the sun, as well as its bright reflection off snow can have similarly detrimental effects on eyes. If the patient prefers wearing contact lenses for vision correction, offer plano sunglasses as a bundle deal with a discount, and upsell polarized lenses with backside AR which will cut down on glare and light reflections on the inside of the lens.

CONSIDER PHOTOCHROMICS
While often associated with (and primarily marketed to) Baby Boomers, photochromic lenses and their practicality, convenience and benefits—combined with increased targeted marketing to a younger demographic—have led to increased adoption among Gen Y. These lenses can and should be presented as an ideal option for cost-conscious patients who need vision correction and want sun protection—put them in a versatile eyewear style, and you get a trendy look perfect for both indoor and outdoor wear.

At the optical visit, the intake questionnaire and/or dispensing-salesperson should ask about lifestyle factors including driving habits; despite previous indication to the contrary, Bloomberg News recently reported on a study indicating that Millennials drive more frequently than previously thought, with car ownership among this demographic also on the rise. A product such as Transitions Drivewear from Younger Optics is a good option, combining polarizing and color-changing technologies to control for changing weather conditions and to optimize visibility.

SMART GLASSES/WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY
These terms usually bring to mind products such as Google Glass, but in reality there are many new items on the market that combine the ease of wearability with the functionality of the smartphone. Possibly due in part to Glass’ hefty price tag and restricted access, wearable technology has been associated with high costs and limited availability. However, good-quality devices with more streamlined user interfaces are now available at $99 and up, allowing for hands-free capturing of photos and videos, as well as Bluetooth syncing—great for documenting special moments of active lifestyles and also listening to music and sending texts and e-mails, without fumbling for one’s phone. Other options include portable virtual theaters and sports performance tracking devices.

Some “smart glasses” can be fabricated with the patient’s prescription. It is important to note that when doing so, the finishing lab needs to account for a different position of wear and reflections on the lens when measuring the patient and selecting materials and coatings. Specialty products such as those by Rochester Optical help dispensers ensure safe and effective use of electronic eyewear by properly correcting for a gaze that is away from the optical center and where prism is induced.

Many tech speculators predict that despite their ubiquity, handheld smartphones are actually moving toward extinction, in favor of wearable technology. In any event, at the current pace of technological development, it’s a brave new world for the optical industry, and savvy dispensers wishing to “meet Millennials where they are” should not only familiarize themselves with all the new lenses, coatings and other technologies that have come onto the market, but also invest in digital marketing tools and tactics so that the information is accessible both at the point-of-sale, as well as in their social networks, Internet searches and inboxes prior to the visit and after. ■