One Size Doesn’t Fit All

Odds are, you’ve heard this once or twice when discussing office or computer lenses with a patient, “Well, shouldn’t my regular glasses help me see better at work too?” Getting a patient to understand that all lenses aren’t created equal is a big hurdle to overcome.

A computer lens offers computer users a better visual and ergonomic experience. The optimized intermediate designs improve visual performance, reduce eyestrain, and offer relief from constantly readjusting head and body position to compensate for the drawbacks of a progressive in the workplace.

Dispensing Tip: It’s essential to explain the benefits of the lens for patients, but to do so in terms they’ll understand. Getting into the technical differences between lens types will usually soar over a patient’s head. Refrain from technical jargon, and whenever possible, use a real-life comparison to help a patient understand why one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to lenses. For example:

“I understand why you would ask that question Mrs. Jones. For the same reason a fork can’t do the job of a spoon when eating soup, a progressive lens won’t provide the same performance as an office lens in the workplace. Like the fork and spoon, progressive and task-oriented lenses are created for different purposes. Whereas your progressive lenses are designed to give you great all-day vision for most situations, they’re not designed for the unique needs of the workplace, and extended computer viewing specifically. The office or computer lens on the other hand is designed to make it easier for you see objects in a typical working environment, which are usually about five to ten feet away.”