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John Dadah, O.D.
A resident of and an Optometrist in Central Massachusetts,
Dr. Dadah is a 20-year member of the AOA. |
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John Dadah, O.D.
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How is the current economy affecting your business?
People still need to have their eyes examined. They will come in and if they have insurance, they pay their usual co-pay. When it comes to materials in an economy that is lackluster, they may buy fewer contact lenses or upgrades for their glasses.
What are your best selling contact lenses?
Contact lenses are used to solve problems. If a person has dry eye, I use one lens. If they are presbyopic or astigmatic, I would use a different contact. It is all tailored to the patient’s needs.
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How has co-managed care with LASIK and Cataract Surgery affected your practice?
Only a small percentage of people are interested in refractive surgery. Of those, not all are candidates. It is a valid and useful means of vision correction that works well for the right person.
Cataracts are a part of the maturation process. If you live long enough, you will have cataracts. People are more active than in the past and they are having surgery at a younger age. It’s a life altering procedure that most patients are happy with afterward. But they still need eye care to be sure their eyes are healthy or to continue to monitor for other issues like macula degeneration and glaucoma.
Do you think Opticians should be allowed to refract?
I would not give a patient a prescription without a full ocular health assessment. I have had a patient who had seen 20/20 in each eye, but did have severe diabetic retinopathy. In that case, the prescription is probably not accurate and the patient needs medical attention. An optician cannot determine this. So if an optician were to refract this person, the patient does not get the care they need and they are given an inaccurate prescription.
What do you think the future holds for independent dispensaries?
The whole world is one interlinked economy. People have access to nearly everything and many endeavor to find the lowest price possible. This is true of all professions and commodities. The extent to which it will affect opticians and eye care professionals is yet to be seen but I feel we are all subject to the same Google World. The customer will determine the level of service and price point they want. There will always be bargain hunters and people who want the best hands-on service they can get. The Internet is just one more way for bargain hunters to find a lower price and good practioners to make their service known.
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