Alice, an 8-year-old, sat nervously in my exam chair; her parents were equally anxious, sitting quietly off to the side. With things intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic, we were wearing masks, some of us had gloves on, and others wore face shields. My office, normally warm and inviting, now resembled the sterility of a hospital.

I sat down, very slowly, beside Alice, and I asked her, “How old are you?” She looked sheepishly at her mother. I continued as if her mother’s response came from her. “And what grade are you in? Are you learning remotely or do you go to school?” Alice responded with a blank stare, fighting back tears. The result was an ill-fated attempt to have her try on orthokeratology contact lenses.

It’s no wonder my good intentions failed: Alice is in the third grade and has no interest in having anything come near her eyes. My staff, in preparation for her evaluation, had performed corneal topography while firmly holding her eyelids open. Additionally, they took retinal photographs and performed auto-refraction and keratometry.

“What do all these tests do? Will they put drops in my eyes? Is something wrong with me?” These questions silently race through the minds of children who cycle through the cascade of tests that we perform in preparation for our consultation. Because parents interested in myopia control for their children make up the majority of my patients, my office had to evolve; and so we did.

Make It More Inviting

Today, my practice resembles a theme park more than an eyecare professional’s office. Adapting to COVID-19 has made my practice better by changing my focus from testing to the patient experience. Here is my three-step process to create a memorable experience for our patients…and for us.

Step 1 I begin by scheduling a virtual “parent conference” prior to a child’s consultation. This way, I obtain a detailed history so that I can better focus on the children when they are in my exam chair later. Do they like to read? Do they wear eyeglasses? If so, at what age did they start? Are the parents nearsighted? Is the child quiet and sensitive or vivacious and outgoing?” Most importantly, I gain parents’ trust during this 20-minute meeting. This investment of my time has realized measurable results.

Step 2 In preparation for each child’s visit, we fill dozens of colorful bags with delicious snacks and place them in our exam rooms. We also have a variety of small gifts to reward cooperation during the fitting process, such as water balloons, building blocks, books, fidget spinners, and slime…whatever parents agree to during the conference. Prizes deflect the children’s attention away from the testing and toward the rewards that await them.

Step 3 I begin my consultation by speaking directly to the children, and I continue to do so until I gain their confidence…just enough to perform my testing and place diagnostic lenses on their eyes. In doing so, I also earn the parents’ admiration. Throughout the process, I remind the children that their willingness to help me evaluate them will be rewarded with a prize in their line of sight.

Successful Results

Since I’ve instituted these three steps, our program enrollment has increased. What’s more, the experience has yielded more referrals from current patients. Good patient care is synonymous with good marketing.

Orthokeratology is so much more than myopia control. It’s about practicing eye care in a manner that makes you as happy as your patients are. Orthokeratology gives me that buzz each and every day, and my office is my theme park, because I enjoy it as much as the kids I serve. CLS