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In my travels around the country teaching continuing education seminars, I have been somewhat surprised by the number of licensed opticians, ophthalmic technicians, and other eye care professionals who seem to still have their feet firmly planted in the 20th century with regard to progressive lenses. The key words in that previous, somewhat lengthy sentence are “somewhat” and “professional.”
I say somewhat surprised, because we all know that most (not all) people are highly resistant to change. We humans develop habits, and it takes a concerted, sometimes painful effort to change those habits. I think we would all readily agree that these days the world around us changes at a rate measured by the day, as opposed to my formative years – the 1970s – where societal change was barely noticeable by the year. Consider the following scenario I recently overheard in a mall department-store dispensary. The dispenser was obviously “educating” an emerging presbyope as to her choices regarding her first pair of multifocals:
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“Now you could go with two separate pairs of glasses – one for distance and one for near…or you could go with what are called flat-top bifocals that look like this [she now began drawing pictures on the back of the patient’s prescription]. The top is for distance vision, and the little D-segment is for reading,” said the dispenser. “Most people go with these [the drawing continued]…they’re no-line bifocals that are designed like this. The top is also for distance, but they gradually progress in power – that’s why they’re called progressives – until somewhere down here at the bottom, you have your full reading strength.”
She then eloquently explained the advantages and disadvantages of each, including the price of both, despite the fact that the patient never inquired about the cost.
You could argue that it is the ECP’s job to educate, but I’m sorry, how would you feel if this happened to you: You walk in to Best Buy and tell a member of the Geek Squad you need to purchase a new TV. He guides you around the corner, toward the back aisles and begins his spiel by saying, “Well, you could go with this 19-inch, black-and-white model. It has 13 channels, or…”
I think the Geek boy lost any credibility with you the moment he turned the corner and you saw where he was taking you. Likewise, I believe when an ECP working in the 21st Century even mentions the existence of a lined bifocal to a first-time presbyope, most of his or her credibility as a professional is lost. When it comes to adapting to change, a professional in a technical, medical field like opticianry must adapt at the same rate as the change itself or face not only the loss of credibility, but the likelihood of extinction.
Which leads back to the word “professional.” Most dictionaries list the primary definition of professional to be someone who is compensated for the work performed, and/or licensed in a given field. On the other hand, almost every dictionary or thesaurus associates the word professional with another word: expert. So when it comes to progressives, I believe every eye care professional needs to graduate from “Old School” and step into the 21st Century of “New Cool.”
What does that mean? Frankly, what it truly entails cannot be described in a monthly column in your favorite optical journal. But maybe we can get off to a good start. First, if you saw a little of yourself in the optician described above, at the very least, update your presentation. Rather than beginning your lecture/drawing session with the description of a flat-top that leads to a progressive lens, start with a standard progressive lens and work your way up to describing an office progressive…or a short-corridor progressive…or a free-form, digital progressive. You can always come back to less premium lenses if that is where the conversation leads. But it is good practice to start with your best products first and let the patient tell you they want a less expensive product.
Here’s a quick, 10-question assessment designed to determine if you’re enrolled in the Old School or a member of the New Cool. Good luck!
1) Unlike traditional generators that use one round, diamond wheel to cut curves on the back of the lens, a free-form progressive is cut using three separate diamond wheels, each in a different plane.
a. True
b. False
2) The first patent for a progressive designed lens was issued to Pierre Varilieux in the late 1800s.
a. True
b. False
3) The traditionally designed progressive lenses had 100% of the add power molded on the back surface of the lens.
a. True
b. False
4) One of the advantages of digitally creating the add power on the back of the lens is that because it is on the back surface (as opposed to the front) it appears wider to the user.
a. True
b. False
5) The emPower! lens is available in Transitions, polycarbonate, Trivex, and high-index plastic.
a. True
b. False
6) Digital surfacing, direct surfacing, and free-form surfacing all pretty much mean the same thing.
a. True
b. False
7) One of the drawbacks of digital, free-form surfacing is the inability to compensate the length of the intermediate corridor in relation to the B measurement of today’s smaller frames.
a. True
b. False
8) In order for the emPower! lenses to work, they have to be charged up every few days, just like your cell phone.
a. True
b. False
9) Zeiss Individual, Seiko Free-Form, Shamir Autograph II, and Essilor’s Digital Super No-Line are all examples of digital, free-form progressives.
a. True
b. False
10) One of the selling points you could use with your patient Amy Jones is that if she purchases one of the new digital, free-form progressives while they’re at it, the lab can use her name “AMY” as the identifying engraving on the front of the lens.
a. True
b. False
The answers to this quickie quiz appear at the end. Multiply the number you got right by ten. That’s your grade. Based on the assessment, were you old school…or new cool? If you didn’t score as high as you’d like, all is not lost. Go online and google “Free Form Progressive Lenses.” You’ll be up all night reviewing the material. Go to the website of your favorite manufacturer (for example, Signet Armorlite, Carl Zeiss, or Essilor) and see what they have to offer. Most likely they will have online videos and tutorials. Ask for sample lenses from your lab, or at least a significant discount. Once you try them you’ll have a better understanding of the individual advantages and/or disadvantages of each product.
You can do it! Drag yourself kicking and screaming into the 21st Century. Your patients and staff members will all be grateful you did. So will you when you realize how re-engaged you have become in your profession.
(Answers: 1. b; 2. b; 3. b; 4. a; 5. b; 6. a; 7. b; 8. a; 9. b; 10. a)
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