Optometry Profits Revealed with Peter Precht

Peter Precht talks with Kiara Resplandor about her path into opticianry, her work with Elevate Opticians, and the role opticians play in helping patients get the vision care they need.

Kiara describes how her experience preparing for ABO certification inspired her to build a study group and support other opticians through education and mentorship. Elevate Opticians describes its approach as a free, volunteer-led study group that helps people pursue ABO licensure, wherever they work or whatever their experience level: 

https://elevateopticians.org/

The conversation explores Kiara’s belief that opticians are there to advocate for patients’ visual needs and help connect patients with their doctors. She and Peter discuss gatekeeping, better doctor-optician handoffs, building patient trust through listening and compassionate communication, and helping patients understand the value of eyewear and lens options. Kiara also reflects on volunteering and access to vision care, challenges facing the profession’s workforce, and why opticians need continued education, collaboration, curiosity, and kindness.

CHAPTERS

0:00 — Kiara’s journey into optical
2:20 — The story behind Elevate Opticians
4:24 — ABO study groups and the value of certification
8:12 — Growing up with educator parents
10:04 — Optician pride and gatekeeping
13:28 — Why doctor-optician handoffs matter
16:11 — Patient needs, value, and trust
17:36 — ABO education and staying curious
20:13 — Presenting premium options and adopting new technology
23:53 — Preparing patients before their appointment
27:09 — Responding compassionately when online eyewear fails
31:47 — Volunteering and access to vision care
34:09 — Workforce challenges and professional development
39:07 — Where the optician profession is headed
42:06 — Encouraging new people to consider opticianry
44:03 — Be kind and curious
54:00 — Education, collaboration, and Kiara’s closing message

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Peter Precht talks with Dave Friedfeld, owner of ClearVision, who left a law practice to join his father's frame company, founded in 1949. Dave covers how ClearVision became remote and AI-first, why dispensaries are treated as an afterthought, and why good technology fails to reach patients.

In this episode:
- Dave's path from Lehigh (class of 1979) to law school to the family business, starting at $5 an hour for about 70 hours a week
- What would shock his father today: a fully remote company and the speed AI brings
- ClearVision went "AI first" after Dave read about ChatGPT in November 2022. Staff call being ready "AI fit"
- Thriving practices have an owner-operator who acts as CEO, invests in staff and builds a culture
- Why many practices don't track capture rate, and Dr. Neil Galmard's 107%
- Why patients leave to order online, and why the pricing mismatch is really about not knowing your demographic
- Online eyewear will keep growing, but Warby Parker now earns two-thirds of revenue from physical locations
- Technology gets adopted when professionals feel safe with it and it is easy to use
- ClearVision's Tech Print Industries plans a 3D printed private-label collection delivered in five weeks, premiering in 2027

Timestamps:
00:01 - Welcome and Dave's introduction
01:27 - Leaving law: Lehigh, a world trip and a call from his dad
05:42 - Joining the business at about $2.75 an hour
06:46 - What would shock his father: remote work
09:33 - AI first: the November 2022 decision
10:49 - What separates thriving practices from stalling ones
13:17 - Four customers: staff, patients, community, vendors
14:24 - Bad versus great shopping experiences
18:12 - Why the dispensary is treated as an afterthought
21:32 - Capture rate and the 107% practice
23:27 - What patients mean by "I'll think about it"
26:39 - Online eyewear, virtual try-on and remote refraction
32:20 - Where good technology gets stuck
33:33 - Dr. Justin Bazan's phone-free, teleoptometry practice
37:07 - What makes technology get used: comfort and ease
42:43 - Why practices resist Sunday and after-hours sales
46:47 - American-made frames and 3D printing plans

Key frameworks:
- 1/59 rule: one minute to worry or complain, 59 minutes to solve the problem
- Four customers: staff, the patient, the community and the vendor, each a customer of someone else

Notable quote:
"It's less about online. It's less about commercial optometry... It's about how we run our business." - Dave Friedfeld

Learn more about ClearVision: https://www.cvoptical.com/
Connect with ClearVision: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clearvision-optical
Connect with David Friedfeld: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidfriedfeld/

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This week we take a look back with Helen Whitaker.

This is our interview from 2023. 

Much has changed and improved for both of us.

Helen Whitaker has since this interview gone on to become the 

President of the International Opticians Association.

She has moved on amazingly as an International Speaker and Advocate for Professional Opticians.

Let's reflect on this journey and how it happened in 3 years.

Congratulations Helen!

I am looking forward to our next interview in the near future.

(4) Helen Whitaker | LinkedIn

Secure Vision Mobile Optical: Home | LinkedIn

SVMOA — Secure Vision Mobile Optical

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Anna Ibay

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In this solo episode, Peter Precht explores why eye care can be quick to adopt clinical and billing technology while hesitating over tools that improve patient communication, convenience, and access.

Peter makes the case that the issue isn’t fear of technology—it’s incentives, control, and an industry structure that often separates medical care from the retail experience patients actually need. From AI-supported communication to remote frame styling and virtual optician consultations, he outlines a more connected model for serving patients where they are.

The opportunity is simple: use technology to extend human relationships, not replace them.

In This Episode

• Why “I’ll think about it” has become a barrier to innovation
• The difference between adopting billing technology and patient-engagement tools
• What diffusion-of-innovation research reveals about change in eye care
• Why patient convenience and professional guidance should work together
• Lessons from industry voices including Demetri Panagiotou, Pablo Mercado, Val and Savannah at Optical Arts, Tom Sasso, Anna Ibay, Jacob Fromm, and Tony Summer
• How remote styling sessions and take-home frame kits can improve the patient experience
• Why the period between exams is a major opportunity to build loyalty
• How independent practices can use personal connection as a competitive advantage
• Why technology works best when it helps opticians and patients connect more easily

Key Takeaway

Patients already expect convenience. The practices that win will pair that convenience with real human support—bringing the optician’s expertise into the patient’s everyday life instead of making patients choose between online access and professional care.

Chapters

00:00 – A friendly rant about innovation in eye care

00:36 – Why the industry asks, “Will this help me?”

03:25 – The incentives behind technology adoption

05:02 – Why eye care is especially resistant to change

06:10 – What practices are really afraid of

07:11 – Lessons from this season’s guests

11:13 – Patients have already changed their expectations

12:18 – The patient-engagement tools being overlooked

13:20 – How judgment pushes patients away

14:28 – A better model: remote frame styling

17:12 – What “coming together” can look like

18:45 – Reimagining the post-exam experience

19:49 – The overlooked relationship between exams

20:49 – The independent practice advantage

22:02 – Technology as an extension of the optician

23:08 – Why the time to act is now

24:13 – Closing thoughts and how to connect

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AI Implementation for Optometry Practices with Demetri Panagiotou

Peter Precht sits down with Demetri Panagiotou, founder of an AI startup in Austin, Texas, for a practical conversation about how optometry and similar medical practices can use AI without losing the human touch. They focus on implementation, ROI, team adoption, privacy, and the guardrails needed to keep AI useful instead of disruptive. In this episode, they break down what real-world AI rollout looks like in a practice, how to avoid common adoption mistakes, and where AI can save the most time and money. Demetri also shares a framework for getting started ethically, measuring success, and keeping humans in control. Key topics

• Demetri’s background and perspective
  • Founder of an AI startup in Austin
  • Advocates for authentic, human-centered AI adoption
  • Emphasizes separating useful automation from mindless machine-driven noise

• What week one versus week four of AI rollout should look like
  • Start with one tool, not multiple systems at once
  • Use the first week to set up context and workflow preferences
  • By week four, there should be enough data to evaluate adjustments
  • In some cases, eight weeks is more realistic for slower workflows

• The biggest mistake practices make when adopting AI
  • Trying to solve too many problems at once
  • Replacing efficiency with unnecessary complexity
  • Creating internal resistance by rolling out too much too fast

• Where AI delivers the fastest payback
  • Marketing content funnel workflows
  • Research, copyrighting, hashtags, and platform-specific optimization
  • Multi-agent setups that handle research, outreach, and distribution

• How ROI should be measured
  • Demetri estimates an average 22 to 24 percent increase
  • Gains may show up as either revenue growth or productivity gains
  • Strong dashboards help track outreach, booking, and verification metrics daily

• Why AI is a profit driver, not just an expense
  • It can compress tasks that once took months into weeks or days
  • The value depends on how deeply the system is allowed to operate
  • Website, search, and dashboard use cases show different levels of upside

• How to think about model choice
  • No single model is best for every task
  • Different tools can be better for different workflows
  • Demetri compares model choice to choosing the right vehicle for the job

• Reducing no-shows and improving recall
  • AI can help score appointment likelihood on a 1 to 10 scale
  • Verified SMS reminders can go out at 24 hours, 12 hours, and about 1 hour before
  • End-of-day reporting can show outreach, bookings, and verification status

• Winning over skeptical team members
  • Introduce AI before the team is surprised by it
  • Show staff how it removes repetitive work instead of threatening their role
  • Use surveys and feedback loops, especially in multi-location organizations

• How roles evolve when repetitive work is automated
  • Team members shift from manual tasks to oversight, verification, and judgment
  • A good AI workflow still needs human approval at key points
  • Demetri describes a three-step process: record, direct, verify

• Patient data, privacy, and HIPAA
  • Keep sensitive data local when possible
  • Set strong guardrails and barriers around access
  • Anything involving patient data should remain under human control

• How to avoid bad AI behavior
  • Don’t let AI auto-reply blindly to reviews or messages
  • Poor classification can create reputational damage
  • Human review is essential when tone and intent matter

• The importance of human connection
  • AI should support, not replace, the relationship between practice and patient
  • Human expertise and community trust remain central
  • Automation works best when it enhances, rather than erases, personal connection

• What’s ahead for practice AI
  • More emphasis on AI search, AEO, and SEO agents
  • Tools that analyze websites, DNS records, and domain infrastructure
  • New workflows designed to help practices show up where patients actually search

• What owners should do now
  • Build a track record and baseline before 2027-style workflows become standard
  • Start with one agent that reduces stress and supports existing team strengths
  • Use the current quarter to set up systems before the new year rush

Timestamps00:00 - Intro to the episode and why AI matters for optometry
02:16 - Week one versus week four of AI rollout
05:00 - The umbrella effect: why trying to automate too much backfires
06:22 - Marketing content funnels as the fastest ROI use case
09:16 - What kind of ROI owners can expect
11:48 - Reframing AI from expense to profit driver
13:29 - Choosing the right model for the task
15:15 - AI for no-show reduction and appointment confirmation
16:31 - Daily reporting and visibility into workflow performance
17:04 - How to introduce AI without threatening front desk staff
22:55 - What team roles look like after repetitive work is automated
24:18 - Recording workflows and using human-in-the-loop verification
25:47 - Showing up in a patient-first way while using AI
29:11 - Data ownership, local storage, and HIPAA guardrails
34:37 - A bad review automation example that went wrong
37:11 - Misclassifying cold SMS replies and why that matters
39:22 - Internal lessons from building and deploying AI systems
40:50 - A 10-question context prompt that helps build agents fast
44:00 - AI search, AEO, SEO, and the new discovery layer
45:05 - Using Grokbot and Muse to improve workflow interfaces
47:26 - Building a baseline for the next two years
51:41 - How to stay ethical and authentic while adopting AI
56:16 - Three questions every owner should ask an AI vendor
60:31 - Why AI should amplify human thinking, not intimidate it
61:46 - Final tip: ask the model what it still needs from you
63:39 - Closing thoughts and outro Action items

• Start with one AI tool and one workflow

• Build a clear approval and verification step before deployment

• Keep patient data and sensitive records under strict human control

• Track outcomes with dashboards, not assumptions

• Ask every vendor how data is owned, accessed, and updated

• Use AI to reduce repetitive work, not to replace judgment

• Define what stays human before rolling anything out

Connect with Demetri

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/demetri-panagiotou-719609267/

• Website: https://premierconnectai.com/

• Email: [email protected]

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Indie Kids, myopia control, and building a kids’ eyewear brand that lasts

In this episode of Optometry Profits Revealed, Peter Precht speaks with Cassandra Slepian of Alternative Eye about the company’s long arc in eyewear, the rise of Indie Kids, and how pediatric frames are being designed around myopia control, comfort, and durability. The conversation also touches on trade shows, independent optical shops, and why staying nimble matters in a fast-changing industry. In this episode:

• Cassandra shares nearly 40 years in eyewear and how she got started in the spectacle business with little formal knowledge but a lot of curiosity.

• Peter and Cassandra discuss how SILMO has changed over the years, from a more blended market to a more segmented one with standout young designers.

• Cassandra explains why Alternative Eye is increasingly focused on pediatric eyewear, especially sizes from 36 eye size up to 58 eye size.

• The discussion breaks down the frame design choices behind Indie Kids, including memory material, adjustable bridges, and a module hinge for sport straps.

• Cassandra outlines why stable fit matters for myopia control lenses, especially keeping the optical center aligned throughout the day.

• Peter and Cassandra talk about the importance of comfort, cost savings, and reducing the number of frame and lens changes for children.

• Cassandra describes how she was effectively raised around the business and how she came into the company after university through warehouse, customer service, marketing, and show-floor experience.

• The pair discuss how quickly eyewear trends, materials, and retail expectations change, and why optical businesses need thick skin and constant reinvention.

• Cassandra emphasizes the value of independent shops that reflect the personality of the optician or optometrist rather than a generic chain model.

• They also discuss AI, smart glasses, and the challenges of new technology, especially around privacy and camera use.

Links mentioned:

• Alternative Eye — Vue catalog

• Indii Kids

• Cassandra Slepian on LinkedIn

• Paul Storace on LinkedIn

Timestamps: 00:00 - Opening banter and welcome to the show
00:25 - Cassandra’s 40-year journey into eyewear
01:35 - Falling in love with frames, fashion, and the people
02:05 - From utilitarian product to commoditized eyewear
02:41 - How SILMO has changed over time
03:11 - Young designers, bold colors, and new materials
04:09 - Why pediatric eyewear is the company’s focus
04:38 - Why myopia control demands better frame design
05:07 - Memory material, lighter weight, and stable lens positioning
05:59 - Adjustable bridge and sport strap functionality
06:31 - Designing for a child’s first pair of glasses
07:00 - Soft materials, neoprene straps, and baby comfort
08:18 - Why constant temporal pressure matters
08:54 - Building a system, not just a frame
09:22 - Lessons from creating a brand around known shortcomings
09:49 - Distribution in 25 countries and 4,000 to 5,000 shops
10:18 - Polarized magnetic clip-ons for sunny markets
10:42 - Customer service, confidence, and unconditional guarantees
11:12 - Why parents and kids need a better fit the first time
11:55 - Cassandra’s upbringing around the optical business
12:57 - Starting in the warehouse and learning the whole operation
13:53 - How fast the eyewear industry changes
14:39 - Turning quickly when the market shifts
15:12 - “You’re only as good as your last release”
16:17 - Why some design ideas fit only a few stores
16:46 - The optical shop as an extension of the practitioner
17:11 - Color, individuality, and avoiding sameness
17:40 - Why independent shops need to carve their own path
18:22 - Bespoke eyewear and niche demand
19:02 - Curiosity as the company’s long-term growth engine
19:49 - AI-driven glasses and the limits of understanding new tech
20:45 - Privacy, cameras, and the responsibilities of smart eyewear
21:21 - Attendance at SILMO and what the crowd looks like
22:36 - Indie Kids as the tip of the spear
23:00 - Why the pediatric collection is the company’s strongest asset
23:34 - Proudly serving children’s hospitals and difficult fit cases
24:26 - Working hard, loving the work, and staying hands-on
25:11 - Taking complaints directly and fixing problems fast
26:06 - Cassandra’s role in customer support and operations
26:36 - The impact of private equity on wholesale accounts
27:06 - Long-term staff and the value of a deep team
28:03 - Why reps need a full product range to sell
28:29 - Independent opticians, entrepreneurship, and business training
29:39 - AI as an efficiency tool, but a risk for homogenization
30:37 - Grassroots production and scrappy photo shoots
31:15 - What’s next in 2026: more shows, travel, and new releases
32:49 - Peter and Cassandra on tariffs and Canada-U.S. tensions
34:35 - Why import costs always reach the consumer
35:15 - Final thanks and closing thoughts
36:09 - First glasses, happy tears, and seeing kids clearly
36:41 - Why eyewear changes lives for patients and families
37:08 - Paris, the Eiffel Tower, and a warm sign-off Notable Quotes:

• “You’re only as good as your last release.”

• “We can change lives with glasses.”

• “It’s a system. It’s a solution.”

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Opticianry, Education, and the Future of Licensure

Peter Precht speaks with Pablo E. Mercado, a veteran optician with more than 25 years in eye care and deep leadership experience across the profession. Pablo shares how he got started in a big-box optical lab, why curiosity and communication matter in opticianry, and how education, licensure, and professionalism shape better patient outcomes. They discuss troubleshooting eyewear, certification and master optician credentials, and the need for stronger pathways for training and advancement.

Key topics

• Pablo’s path from selling electronics at Radio Shack to working in an optical lab.
• The curiosity and problem-solving mindset opticians need when eyewear isn’t working as expected.
• How clear communication can reassure frustrated patients and build trust.
• Why patient concerns can be opportunities to find solutions.
• The value of continued education, in-person learning, and keeping notes throughout a career.
• How course approval processes have become more objective and standardized.
• The modern path to becoming a master optician, including advanced certification and approved courses.
• The importance of certification, licensure, and consistent standards across states.
• Professionalism, presentation, and knowing when to advise a patient against an unsuitable option.
• How technology can support opticians—or make the work harder when it gets in the way of good judgment.

Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction to Pablo Mercado and his path into opticianry
 (00:57) From Radio Shack to a big-box optical lab
 (01:56) The moment optical work became a career
 (02:54) Leadership roles in opticianry organizations
 (03:51) Why Pablo loves being an optician
 (05:16) Corporate versus private practice and the optician temperament
 (06:43) Troubleshooting eyewear like a detective
 (09:04) Meeting frustrated patients with empathy and trust
 (11:31) Solving problems with eyewear bought elsewhere
 (13:48) Keeping notes and learning from continuing education
 (16:20) Why shortcuts can hurt the profession
 (18:10) The value of in-person education
 (22:59) Public perception of licensure and certification
 (26:47) Raising quality across licensed and unlicensed states
 (28:32) Technology as both help and hindrance
 (31:15) Master opticians and approachable leadership
 (35:53) The shift toward servant leadership on boards
 (38:30) How course approval became more objective
 (40:00) The modern route to master optician status
 (44:55) Technology wins and failures in the lab
 (48:17) Why digital lens meters can be frustrating
 (50:30) Helping patients understand what they need
 (54:08) Professional presentation and looking the part
 (58:25) Online eyewear ordering and quality concerns
 (60:40) When technology takes the thinking out of the process
 (63:54) Saying no when a frame or prescription won’t work
 (68:50) The UOA’s work on education and certification pathways
 (71:20) Apprenticeship, school, and state differences
 (79:41) Employers beginning to value certified opticians
 (81:52) Licensed opticians and the business case for professional standards
 (88:00) Building state associations and a national model
 (90:41) Why experience and expertise earn trust
 (93:23) The patient-first mindset
 (96:59) The path to becoming a master optician
 (99:35) Looking ahead to a stronger future for opticianry

Notable quotes

Copy

“We are the servants of the opticians.”

Copy

“I will not be happy until you are.”

Copy

“Sometimes we opticians are our own worst enemies.”

Action items

• Keep learning and take notes from continuing education and day-to-day work.
• Treat patient concerns as opportunities to investigate and solve problems.
• Support stronger education, certification, and licensure pathways.
• Present yourself professionally and explain recommendations clearly.
• Choose technology that supports professional judgment rather than replacing it.

Organizations mentioned

• ABO-NCLE
• United Opticians Association

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Why More Technology Is Not Improving the Patient Experience

Peter Precht reviews the midpoint of season two with a data-driven look at access, affordability, and how patients move through the eye-care journey. The episode explores why the biggest bottleneck may not be clinical capability, but the communication layer between practices and the people who need care.

In this episode

• The gap between patient need and access, including the estimated 25.2 million Americans with uncorrected refractive error.
• CDC data showing that 32.17 million Americans had measurable visual-acuity loss in 2024, while roughly 93 million U.

S. adults were at high risk for serious vision loss.

• Affordability as a barrier, including the more than 8 million adults who said they needed glasses but could not afford them.

• Why independent optometrists and opticians may feel apprehensive about change as industry shifts and ownership changes reshape the market.

• The blue-light debate and how mixed messaging can fuel skepticism in the optical community.

• Why online eyewear purchases, patient communication systems, and coordinated in-practice responses need clearer standards.

• How inventory-connected patient viewing, cloud-based data, and digital diagnostic workflows could expand access without replacing human care.

• Why patients increasingly begin their eye-care journey on Google, YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, or with an AI assistant rather than with a practice website.

• Website accessibility issues, including problems with contrast, alternative text, and form labeling, drawing on WebAIM’s 2025 and 2026 accessibility studies.

• The role of education, state-level legislation, opticianry programs, and professional associations in shaping the future of eye care.

Key data sources

This episode references data and research from:

• Pew Research Center

• WebAIM’s 2025 and 2026 accessibility studies

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Key frameworks

• Access, awareness, affordability, and getting patients through the door
• Communication first, technology second
• The patient journey as a digital ecosystem—not just a clinic visit

Timestamps

00:00 — Season two midpoint and the data Peter is reviewing
01:04 — 25 million Americans with potentially correctable vision problems
02:05 — High-risk vision loss, missed eye exams, and affordability barriers
03:10 — Why independent optometrists feel pressure from industry shifts
04:49 — Blue-light skepticism and why messaging matters
06:14 — Online glasses purchases and the need for a standard response
08:28 — Why communication systems matter more than isolated technology tools
09:57 — Cloud-based patient data and faster clinical intervention
11:52 — Website accessibility failures and the irony of poor visual design
13:30 — TikTok, YouTube, and where future customers actually are
16:35 — Social media reach across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok
18:43 — Val and Savannah’s openness, teaching, and education-first content
20:58 — The disconnect between patient behavior and the industry’s digital presence
24:31 — Emergency eye visits, self-referrals, and poor follow-up rates
27:00 — Optician education, state programs, and the future of opticianry
29:25 — Associations, legislation, and stronger professional standards
30:48 — Why Peter focuses on opticians as the core of practice growth

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Optical Arts in Toledo: Legacy, Education, and Having Fun in Opticianry

Peter Precht talks with Valerie Lambert and Savannah from Optical Arts in Toledo about carrying forward a family legacy that dates back to 1962, building a patient-first culture, and using social media to make opticianry feel approachable. The conversation centers on how education, relationships, and a little humor can improve both the patient experience and the profession itself. In this episode, Val and Savannah share how they grew from receptionist and apprentice roles into leaders at Optical Arts, why they do not take insurance, and how they use TikTok to show the human side of optical care. They also discuss apprenticeships, customer education, progressive lens troubleshooting, and why the right culture matters as much as the right product.

Key Topics

• Valerie Lambert’s path from high school receptionist to business owner
• Savannah’s transition into Optical Arts and the importance of workplace culture
• Why Optical Arts does not accept insurance
• Education as the foundation of patient care
• The slab-off case that solved years of failed glasses fittings
• Building lasting relationships with patients
• Using TikTok to make opticianry more approachable
• How to respond thoughtfully to patients who buy glasses online
• Asking better questions to understand patients’ needs
• Choosing frames based on fit, face shape, color, and lifestyle
• The role of technology and AI in modern optical care
• Why human connection remains essential
• Supporting and educating the next generation of opticians

Timestamps

00:00 — Welcome to Optical Arts and the 1962 legacy
 01:05 — Val’s high school start and move into apprenticeship
 02:32 — Taking over a business with “very large shoes to fill”
 04:07 — Why customers at Optical Arts feel like family
 05:13 — The nerves of ownership and learning the back end
 06:54 — Why Optical Arts moved away from insurance
 08:53 — Savannah’s background before joining the practice
 09:49 — Why the culture at Optical Arts made the difference
 12:58 — Education as a patient service and professional mission
 13:57 — The slab-off case that solved a long-running vision problem
 16:24 — Teaching customer service through continuing education events
 18:33 — Savannah pushes for TikTok and the account takes off
 19:23 — How social media brings in patients and new conversations
 22:57 — The viral video that sent new people into the shop
 24:24 — Reaching patients outside the local area
 27:39 — Why online glasses spark debate and teaching moments
 30:02 — Education first, sale second
 31:26 — Walking patients through progressive lens use
 34:31 — Questions that help patients open up
 36:24 — Customers as walking billboards
 38:44 — Helping patients choose frames that suit them
 41:54 — Why state boards and continuing education matter
 46:40 — Savannah on not being the tech person
 47:17 — Using technology without losing the human side
 49:29 — Blue light, AI, and patient expectations
 52:12 — The online order story where all six pairs were out of tolerance
 54:09 — The safety glasses story
 55:10 — Discovering the difference good optics can make
 58:32 — What Val wants to pass on to other opticians
 60:20 — How education can inspire future opticians
 62:17 — Carrying the baton from legacy to today
 63:33 — Upcoming Ohio Opticians Association events

Notable Quotes

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“Our customers are family.”

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“Education is the key.”

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“Our customers are our billboards and they’re our advertisement.”

Actionable Takeaways

• Ask patients what they loved and disliked about their previous glasses.
• Educate before selling, especially when discussing progressives and specialty lenses.
• Explain why an online order may not be working instead of simply dismissing it.
• Make workplace culture visible in every greeting, fitting, and troubleshooting conversation.
• Use social media to show personality and expertise—not just products.
• Support ongoing education and mentorship within the optical profession.

Connect With Optical Arts

• TikTok: Optical Arts on TikTok
• Website: Optical Arts
• LinkedIn: Valerie Augustyniak 

Practice Management Solutions with Peter and his team

ConversionOPTs — Websites and Systems Built to Convert

Talk with Peter Precht: https://calendly.com/peter1-1/60min

Fit-overs were once dismissed as ugly - until Anna Ibay helped turn them into a sell-through machine, a fashion statement, and a gateway to more prescription sun sales. If you work in optical, brand strategy, or any business where “functional” often gets mistaken for “unmarketable,” this conversation shows how the right mix of merchandising, technology, and trust can completely change the customer response. 

Peter Precht sits down with Anna Ibay, a 25-year Canadian eyewear veteran whose career has moved from Fit-overs and virtual try-on innovation to luxury eyewear, fashion accessories, and practice-focused display systems. Along the way, she shares how a simple sizing display cut confusion and returns, how early website try-on tools helped customers and ECPs understand the product, and why the stigma around fit-overs started to disappear once people experienced the protection for themselves. Anna also discusses her work with Alternative Eyewear; a company focused on eyewear solutions and products for the optical industry. You’ll discover:

• How Fitovers went from “ugly” to desirable with better presentation, colorways, and luxury-style branding

• Why virtual try-on was a genuine early win for both customers and eye care professionals

• How a product can quietly drive second-pair and prescription sun demand

• What Anna learned from brand-building across eyewear, clothing, and accessories

• Why frame display systems, store layout, and practice flow matter as much as the products on the board

Anna also opens up about the move from California to Austin, the power of trade show relationships, and the collaborations that connected eyewear to music, fashion, and outdoor culture. She talks about working with iconic names, building campaigns around real customer behavior, and why online ordering only works when it supports the experience instead of replacing the professional. 

The episode also goes deeper on one of the biggest shifts in optical right now: systems. From QR-enabled ordering and multilingual AI agents to dashboards that track engagement and help practices reclaim time, Anna makes the case that the future belongs to the businesses that make buying easier without losing the human touch. 

Essential listening if you want to understand where optical branding, online ordering, and patient trust intersect - and how kindness, not gatekeeping, is what builds the next generation of successful practices.

B2B with Anna

Eye Love Style

AlternativeEyes.com/US

B2B with Peter

Peter Andrew Precht | LinkedIn

Book an appointment link

Talk with Peter Precht: https://calendly.com/peter1-1/60min