Dr. Rani Banik is a neuro-ophthalmologist in New York and is also certified in Functional Medicine. Dr. Banik takes a unique, holistic approach to manage ocular conditions and autoimmune conditions. She joins the Four Eyes Podcast to discuss a more efficient way to recommend nutritional changes to improve ocular health, and prevent the progression of conditions such as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

You can learn more about nutrition and ocular health through Dr. Banik’s Instagram series named Best Foods for Eye Health from A-Z @dr.ranibanik, or visit her website where you can download her e-books on nutrition and wellness (e-book downloads can also be found on her Instagram bio link).

Resources:

1. Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM): https://www.ifm.org/

2. Integrative Practitioner: https://www.integrativepractitioner.com/

3. Dr. Banik on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8mIi8P9tXSRXXwEdNX6aRw

4. Dr. Banik’s Website: https://rudranibanikmd.com/

From supply chain issues, staffing shortages, and patient expectations for immediate, digital access to products and services, Dr. Deborah Weston talks about tools for private practice success in our current landscape.

Dr. Rae Teixeira, a Canadian new grad optometrist, shares her personal concussion experience with us. She describes the traumatic event, the initial and residual symptoms, and what therapeutic treatments she tried in an attempt to feel like herself again. 

You can also listen to Episode 10 of the Four Eyes podcast, Concussion Management in Primary Care, for more information on how to better care for concussion patients in your optometry practice. 

Learn more about Dr. Teixeira’s story on her Instagram @dr.raetxr and visit the following links to learn more about concussion:

1. Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA): https://noravisionrehab.org/

2. Concussion Alliance: https://www.concussionalliance.org/

3. Ontario Brain Injury Association: https://obia.ca/

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Essilor

Do you prescribe specific brands when you write your patients’ glasses prescriptions? In a recent poll on our Instagram account, 85% of you said that you do not. 

Dr. Jerrold Fruchtman of Ridgedale Family Eye Care is our expert guest on this podcast, sharing his successful practice philosophy behind prescribing brand specifics from progressive design to AR coatings. His office recently participated in the Varilux Challenge – a 30-day challenge prompting eye care providers to lead with Varilux with every presbyopic patient. He shares the impact this challenge had on his practice and how he educated patients about the differences in product options at his office versus at wholesalers or online retailers who would not be able to fill the glasses prescription as he has written. 

When Dr. Fruchtman prescribes progressive lenses, his philosophy is to prescribe to every patient as he would to a family member. “I tell patients, you don’t just need a progressive, you need a Varilux X,” he explains. “Patients come to my practice because we have the latest technology and the best in lens development. I don’t want to say, ‘here’s your prescription; go get a progressive,’ because I don’t believe that serves the patient.”  

Dr. Fruchtman is also a strong believer in the importance of the doctor-optical handoff where he walks with the patient to the optical and reiterates what he’s prescribed to the patient directly to the optician. This gives him another touch point to emphasize what he’s prescribed and why it’s a vital technology to solve the patients’ specific concerns. 

By participating in the Varilux Challenge over the course of 30 days, Dr. Fruchtman noticed an improvement in the way his opticians were able to confidently educate and discuss specific lens technology. It empowered his opticians to know that the Varilux technology was what patients were going to be getting and there was no discussion of trying to find a lower-grade technology if a patient pushed back. The backbone to say, ‘this is the technology we believe in because we want our patients to see the very best,’ was very powerful for his opticians and staff to embrace. 

The overall capture rate at Ridgedale Family Eye Care is very successful: 49-50% in optical. Their remake rate in progressives has also greatly improved. Prior to using the Varilux X series progressive, Dr. Fruchtman was very unhappy with his 4-5% remake rate. That’s had significant improvement since making the change. 

Dr. Fruchtman discusses that he intentionally writes “Varilux Progressive” on his actual physical prescriptions that his patients take home. If a patient does take the written prescription to a wholesale retailer or online optical, he does receive calls back sometimes from patients that can be uncomfortable when the retailer they are at doesn’t carry that specific product. “I believe in the technology,” Dr. Fruchtman explains, and he tells patients if they call back asking him to change what he’s prescribed that he wrote the prescription as-is because that’s what’s going to give them the best results. If they choose something that won’t be as good in performance, then that is not the quality or vision performance that he had prescribed for them.

Mr. Jeff Harrell is the Vice President of Product Marketing for Essilor, and brings to this podcast insight into what makes Varilux technology especially versatile. “When it comes to any of the Varilux lenses, it’s really the research and development that sets the technology apart,” he explains.

We’re exploring alternative career options for optometrists in this episode, featuring two optometrists, Drs. Chad Morgan and Adam Alexander, who are Medical Science Liaisons for industry partners in the medical eyecare space. What is a day in the life in their role? And how did their optometric degree lead them on this alternative career path?

This podcast was sponsored by Transitions

What’s next in light adaptive technology? We’re joined by Tara Hehr, Transitions Optical Key Account Manager for Independent Lens Manufacturing, and Jessica Hoch, Transitions Optical Business Development Manager to talk about the newly released Transitions® XTRActive® Polarized™ and Transitions® XTRActive® new generation lenses.

Dr. Glover had the chance to test drive the product first hand during the Transitions The Studio event back in June.  “When I saw this technology I was blown out of my chair,” Dr. Glover states. “The one thing we know our patients love is definitely innovation. To be able to go back to the exam room and talk about these products after I saw them in person, to me, it was an amazing day.” 

“Innovation is part of Transitions Optical’s DNA,” Hoch explains as to the driving force behind the new products. The research and development team at Transitions Optical is constantly working to improve indoor clarity, outdoor darkness, color perception, and both activation and fadeback speeds. These target areas are the key factors behind the newest product launches.

Nine years ago, Transitions® Vantage® was the first photochromic lens to offer variable polarization, so what makes Transitions XTRActive Polarized different?  Hehr explains that Transitions XTRActive Polarized and Transitions Vantage are both clear with just a hint of tint indoors and offer dynamic polarization, meaning they go from clear to dark and polarized when activated. What makes the new Transitions XTRActive Polarized lenses different is that they are even clearer1 indoors, darken behind the windshield2 by absorbing visible light, reach up to 90% polarization3, and are 2 times faster to fadeback4 to clear! Long term, the older Transitions Vantage lens will be phased out and replaced by the new Transitions XTRActive Polarized lenses. 

There is one other polarized option in the Transitions portfolio – Transitions® Drivewear®. Hehr explains that this product is a very different product that is always polarized and the photochromic color change starts as an olive-green and adapts between three colors specifically designed for different driving scenarios, like reducing glare off the road and car hood. Where Transitions XTRActive Polarized lenses are an excellent option as a primary pair because they are clearer indoors, Transitions Drivewear® is a great choice as a second pair, especially for patients who spend a significant part of their day driving.

Transitions XTRActive Polarized lenses are currently available in grey without the style mirrors, with availability in polycarbonate, high index 1.67, and Trivex® depending on your lenscaster. You can check out the digitized Product Availability Guide at TransitionsPRO.com/PAG.

“Eyecare professionals are hearing great feedback from patients!” Hehr shares. “The excitement is building in the trade and we’ve heard from several eyecare professionals that patients are very satisfied with the indoor clarity, darkness outdoors and speed of fadeback.  Eyecare professionals feel confident recommending Transitions XTRActive Polarized because it delivers crisp vision and is a great option for patients that are very light sensitive.”

Transitions XTRActive new generation lenses are the latest update to the Transitions XTRActive product line that has been serving patients successfully for the past 11 years. “The whole Transitions XTRActive line of lenses are what we consider the extra dark photochromic lens category.” Hoch explains. “Transitions XTRActive new generation offers advanced performance that delivers the best extra darkness and best extra light protection5 against bright and intense li...

In this episode, Dr. Bilkhu shares a case where she suspected neglect of a minor. She discusses her suspicions and how she went about making the report.

Child abuse is an extremely important topic to understand as a healthcare professional as it is our duty to report any suspicions. The goal of this episode is to make optometrists feel more confident and comfortable in making reports for child abuse.

Resources:

1. Learn more about the Ontario Association of Optometrists (OAO) Job Action on Instagram @ontariooptometrists or https://www.saveeyecare.ca/ 

2. Four Eyes Episode 9: STIs in the Eyes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/stis-in-the-eyes/id1501087796?i=1000474561602

3. Child abuse presentation by Dr. Angel Howell: https://www.optometrytimes.com/view/covid-19-pandemic-increases-myopia-prevalence-in-children

4. Childhelp National Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)

This Podcast was Produced in Partnership with Transitions Optical

“There’s an entire segment of our population that is feeling left out, and it is a moment for us to step up and demonstrate our values in the community,” states Patience Cook, Director of North America Marketing at Transitions Optical at the top of this episode. Transitions Optical started their Diversity Advisory Board in 2010, and over the past year there’s been an even greater call to action in the pursuit of improving equity in both patient access to healthcare and representation in eyecare across all members of the industry. Dr. Essence Johnson joins the episode as the Chief Visionary Officer for Black Eyecare Perspective and a member of the Transitions Diversity Advisory Board. 

“We are redefining the color of the eyecare industry, 1% at a time,” states Dr. Essence Johnson as a goal for her work in Black Eyecare Perspective. “I’m passionately pursuing my purpose,” she shares, and joining the Transitions Optical Diversity Advisory Board was a natural fit. The Diversity Advisory Board is a collection of doctors, patient consumers, and industry professionals that help better understand and execute on where the eyecare industry can make actionable change. 

Nationwide, 13% of the American population is African American, but only 2.7% of optometrists identify as Black or African American. There are only 3.8% of opticians that identify as Black, and only 3.1% of opticians identify as Hispanic – compared to 16% of the American population. “A lot of companies were asking themselves, what is our role in addressing this need for change,” explains Cook. They decided to partner with Black Eyecare Perspective to provide support for their work with HBCU students.  In addition, Transitions Optical will support other programs — with expertise and guidance from the Transitions Diversity Advisory Board members — as a step toward helping improve Black and Hispanic representation in optometry and opticianry. 

One of their goals is to reach more African American and Hispanic students before they make their long-term career decisions to consider eyecare industry careers, from optometry to ophthalmology and opticianry. In addition to growing presence with Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Transitions Optical has an initiative to partner with the Pinellas County School District in order to offer high school students a career and technical track in optical. They are developing a pilot program in Optometric Assisting with five high schools and Pinellas Technical College in Pinellas County, Florida. The student make-up of the participating schools is 38% African American and 13% Hispanic, where high school students can achieve an optometric assisting certificate by the time they graduate. From there they can move forward to enroll in the optician degree program with the local community college, enter the optometric office workforce as a certified staff member, or consider going on to get their undergraduate degree and then on to optometry school. 

“We know it’s going to take some time,” Dr. Glover says about these initiatives, “but it starts with today.”