Panel addresses move toward Internet eye wear purchasing

LAS VEGAS — While 30% of American adults purchase contact lenses on the Internet, less than 1% purchase glasses on the Internet, but that is a number expected to increase dramatically, according to industry experts. Here at International Vision Expo West, panelists discussed the inevitable progression toward Internet-based eye wear sales.

All panelists agreed that eye care professionals can benefit from this trend by creating an online extension of their practice. This affords the patience greater convenience with 24-hour availability and greater selection by providing many more frame options than ever possible in one practice.

“Internet usage for shopping, maybe buying, eyeglasses and eye wear on the Internet will increase,” the Vision Council’s Gerry Fultz reported at the symposium. “It is very strong among high income Americans.”

Dhavid Cooper, OD, founded FramesDirect.com with a partner in 1996. “We started with sunglasses, then frames. Then we started evaluating single vision lenses, then progressives,” he reported.

“We started working with a mathematical formula,” he continued. “We wondered if we could we place the progressive multifocal height in the right place if we had a good monocular PD and all the requirements and measurements of the frame. We ran a test and the test worked out well, and we started experimenting on the Web. Today, that’s what we do with a very good success rate. “Everything we’ve experimented with and continue to experiment with is being made available through Essilor’s program for the doctor and for the online eye care practitioner.”

Essilor recently launched My Online Optical, according to Howard Purcell, OD, vice president of customer development for Essilor of America.

“We have learned we can create an online model that is a viable professional extension of your practice,” Dr. Purcell said. “You need to market this. Patients may come into your practice and look for frames and not find something they like. Give them a card with your website address and tell them you have a wider selection there.

“This is another channel of trade,” Dr. Purcell continued. “Your philosophy for your bricks and mortar should be mirrored on your website. If you compete on price in your practice, reflect that on your website. If you’re offering service and follow-up … our model encourages patients to come to your office for adjustments.”

The company Cyberimaging offers a virtual try-on, measurement and e-commerce tool for optical retailers, according to panelist Hal Wilson, president and co-founder.

Patients can upload a photo of themselves at home, or it can be done at an in-office module. “You can drive existing patients to your own website,” Mr. Wilson said.