Unless you’ve been avoiding the internet at all costs, you’ve probably seen an abundance of ads for new contact lens subscription services. These companies market their lenses on being convenient and affordable, targeting patients directly instead of going through the normal doctor-driven prescribing and dispensing channels. We sat down with Dr. Ryan Corte, an optometrist practicing in the growing metropolitan city of Charlotte, North Carolina, to learn more about why patients are increasingly interested in subscription contact lens services, and how we can best discuss the issue with our patients at their yearly eye exam.

In addition to practicing optometry and being a new dad, Dr. Corte is the founder of IntroWellness, a health and wellness website that is focused on patient education. He has found that today’s patients are educated and informed consumers – they research medical care decisions and healthcare products extensively online before coming in to see a doctor to get their opinion.  Knowing patients were seeking more information about online contact lens subscription services, he decided to put himself in the position of a patient and sign up for four of the most popular online disruptors on the market: Hubble, Waldo, Sight Supply, and Aveo. The investigative journey led to him to not only learn more about the marketing behind each company and the process that patients experience when using a subscription service, but he also created a review of his experiences outlining what patients need to know from the perspective of medical professional for his website.

The Disruptors

Dr. Corte ordered contact lenses from four of the most popular online contact lens subscription companies. Three e based in the United States; Waldo is based in the UK.

Hubble

The first disruptor to market for online contact lens subscription is also the most well-known. Dr. Corte share that a few of his patients have asked him about online subscription contact lenses, and all of the those that have specifically asked him about Hubble.

Material: Methafilcon A

Manufactured in: Taiwan

Waldo

This UK based subscription service was founded by Harvard graduate Ashleigh Hinde.

Material: Etafilcon A

Manufactured in: Taiwan

Aveo

This company offers both spherical and toric daily disposable lenses, as well as FreshRx their own contact lens prescription renewal service.

Material: Omafilcon A

Manufactured In: Malaysia

Sight Supply

This company has teamed up with newly rebranded Visibly (formerly Opternative) to offer online contact lens prescription services for their lenses.

Material: Etafilcon A

Manufactured In: Taiwan

To research his review video, Dr. Corte ordered lenses from all four of the above online contact lens disruptors with the ultimate goal of not only being better informed about the patient experience these companies offer for patients, but also to help provide information to the broader public so that consumers could make a more informed decision before signing up for these subscription contact lens services.

Dr. Corte noted many common themes in the marketing messages of each of the four companies he subscribed to. Of note, all of the companies are founded not by optometrists but by contact lens wearing patients with marketing and business backgrounds t...