For those of you unfamiliar, high plus lenticulars have often been prescribed for patients with aphakia. Aphakia is a condition where a patient’s eye is missing the lens. Aphakia can occur as a from a congential defect, injury, or most often as a result of cataract surgery.

Used to obtain a steeper curve than would normally be possible while still fitting into a frame, the lenticular is formed by placing the higher curve known as the aperture within a flatter curve known as the carrier. The result is a “fried egg” appearance. The carrier permits a steeper-curve plus lens to be cut out and fit into the frame.

While it’s true that advances in surgery, implants, and contact lenses have virtually eliminated the need for high plus lenticulars, there is still a small percentage of patients, particularly among the very old and very young, not suitable for these options that can still benefit from lenticulars. Since there still is a need we’ve managed to locate an independent manufacturer.

Aspheric lenticulars are now available in single vision: CR-39, aspheric lenticular +14.00 to +20.00 base; and bifocal round seg 22s +14.00 and +16.00. Adds are available +2.50 to +3.50. More curves and add powers will be available within the coming weeks. Feel free to call with questions: 800.525.1274.

Below is a list of conditions that can be uncovered during an eye exam.

Common Eye Diseases:
• Cataracts
• Glaucoma
• Macular Degeneration
• Retinal Detachment
• Dry Eye
• Corneal Degeneration

Systemic Diseases That Can Be Detected During An Eye Exam:
• Diabetes
• Hypertension – High Blood Pressure
• Hypercholesterolemia – High Cholesterol
• HIV/AIDS
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Graves Disease
• Herpes Simplex/Herpes Zoster infections
• Carotid Stenosis – a narrowing of the carotid artery and a risk factor for strokes

The NIH has put together a list of educational resources aimed an increasing awareness of eye health and related conditions here: http://www.nei.nih.gov/hvm/education/

Shocking service from an optician who has just sent me an email saying please don’t post negative things about us as it drives small businesses to the wall… then please get your act together and start delivering what you promise…

This optician chose not to shine. He failed to listen to his customer’s complaint and shifted blame, caring only about how her comments affected his business. Really? A better move would have been to apologize (even of the customer is off base), then offer to take conversation offline to make things right. If handled the right way, his screw-up could have turned into a positive opportunity for him and his business. Instead he has negative comments to deal with.

Customers expect consistency and usually something close to perfection. At the very least, they expect to get what they are promised. Sometimes in business we fail to meet expectations. Let’s face it, as Forrest Gump said, “it happens” and even the best of us screw up from time to time. Fortunately, screwing up can be your chance to shine. Not delivering on customer expectations can be a huge opportunity to showcase why the customer made the right decision in choosing you to begin with and why she should not only continue to do business with you, but recommend you to her friends.

When you screw up, you are no longer talking about a routine transaction, you now have your customer’s full attention. It’s up to you what you do with it. You can dismiss the problem because it’s too much trouble or shift the blame to your customer. Or you can correct the problem, show them you care, and surprise them by exceeding their expectations. In doing so, you may gain a customer for life, and if you surprise her enough she may talk about it to her friends or post her experience online. Of course, surprising your customers in this way shouldn’t only happen when you screw up, it just provides an excellent opportunity to do so. The key to pulling it off, is that you actually have to care; care enough to listen to customer complaints and then care enough to go the extra mile to make things right.

We had no other complaints nor were we seeing anything on our end. But this optician, like so many of our customers, is among the best at what he does and we respect his expertise. He demands perfection not only because he is accountable to the doctor, but he wants his customers to have the best possible vision (and look good doing it).

So we had challenge. This is what get us up in the morning.

We had just purchased the AR Dual Lens Mapper and saw an opportunity to run it though its paces. We used the lens mapper to analyze his Rxs and troubleshoot our processes. We changed our polish, swapped out our cutting bits, and made minute adjustments to our generator. We even processed a set of test lenses and sent them to Germany for analysis.

After three months of troubleshooting and our customer trying other labs, the issue had improved, but remained unresolved. To cover all his bases, the optician sent his B&L lensmeter out for refurbishment. Adjustments were made to the lensmeter and from that point on his problems cleared up.

The optician called, told us about his lensmeter, and apologized.

We refused his apology and thanked him.

No matter the outcome, his complaint and especially his willingness to work with us to get it sorted out, enabled us to improve our process, become better at what we do, and ultimately provide better service to our customers that demand more. In doing so, we earned the trust of a valued customer.

The point of all this is not to brag, but to show how the part of your job that can be the most difficult, customer dissatisfaction, can be the most beneficial to your business. Complaints let you know your customer still cares and wants to do business with you. Most people are reluctant to complain and would rather just take their business elsewhere. Look at a complaint as found gold. In fact, encourage customers to complain, let them know you are open to it and want their feedback, then seize the opportunities to become even better at what you do. Yes, there are people that live to complain and will never be happy. Often, it is better to rid these people from your business (or life). But, don’t let yourself become so jaded that you can’t find and appreciate the gifts that come in the form of complaints. While we strive for no complaints, we are grateful for our customers that take the time to let us know how we can improve.

Welcome to the world of Laramy-K Optical, a different kind of optical wholesale lab. From the beginning, Laramy-K Optical has been dedicated to serving the independent practitioner. By remaining one of the only exclusively uncut laboratories in the U.S., we cater to dispensers as committed to their customers as we are to them. We have been called renegades by some and crazy by others. Perhaps, we are a little of each because we take being independent very seriously, without taking ourselves that way. Years ago, in deciding to turn down a Varilux distribution contract requiring us to recommend a single brand over all others, we sacrificed profits for principles. Still today, loyalty to our customers comes before loyalty to any manufacturer.

Trust

We recognize accurate and consistent lens processing is essential to your business and is therefore our most fundamental business requirement. However, our mission only begins there. At Laramy-K Optical, we believe relationships are built on trust, which is why treat all of our customers as partners and are proud to consider many our friends. We realize that we can only succeed if you succeed, making your business needs and ultimately your patients’ sight our foremost concern. Moreover, we strive to be a valuable resource not only for our customers but for the entire independent optical community in the face of unprecedented challenges threatening its very existence.

Innovation

We believe we are the best at what we do and we are constantly in search of ways to innovate and improve. To meet the needs of our customers, Laramy-K was one of the first independent labs to commit to processing in-house AR and today we are again leading the way with our own digital freeform surfacing equipment . To that end, your input, suggestions, and feedback are always welcome, encouraged, and necessary. We are not afraid to try new things to find a better way and will strive to be attentive to your needs, even if they are out of the ordinary.

Laughter

We are not afraid to have fun, laugh at ourselves, or laugh at you, if you deserve it. In the sometimes maddening optical world, laughter often saves the day, or at least helps take the edge off.

Gratitude

Not a day goes by that we are not grateful for the blessings of our profession, the strength of our team, the support of our families, and the friendship of our customers. Thank you for being part of it.

The Laramy-K Optical Team

Remember when labs had real people answering the phones, when they
acted as partners in your business, and when every job was important?
This is how we still do business at Laramy-K. Now, we have fused our
brand of service with state of the art digital surfacing and AR
processing, to bring you a level of personalization never before
offered.

Personalized Eyewear:
Freeform designs from Shamir, Seiko, and our very own INTEGRITY series digital Freeform lenses
in virtually ANY material, ANY treatment, with ANY AR, and laser
markings of your design; delivered in days not weeks… semi-finished
obsolescence.

Personalized Service:
Real people. Real relationships. Your lab. Your way.

Earn 1 LKO Dollar for each pair of Integrity Freeform Lenses (Rebel, Renegade, Rogue, and Radical SV) purchased between now and December 31, 2010 (remakes and discounts excluded). Redeem your LKO Dough, for FREE Integrity lenses and TKO AR.



Download LKO Dough Promo Flier


20 TKO = 1 pair of polarized or Transitions Integrity lenses
10 TKO = 1 pair of clear Integrity lenses
5 TKO = 1 TKO AR

Here’s a sample video from John’s site.:

We Are Ready!

…ready to do what is best for our customers.
…ready to challenge the status quo.
…ready to take back our industry one independent retailer at a time.

Laramy-K Optical is building a new strategy for doing business in an optical industry controlled by the few; a strategy that makes it easier to compete on your terms, not theirs. With the newest technology and our dedication to the belief in the independent practitioner, Laramy-K Optical has begun by putting together the TKO series of coatings and Integrity series freefrom lenses; products as good as or better than those that control the market today. These products are yours to tailor to your needs, to brand as your own, and to make as unique as you are.

Compete on your terms, not theirs. Take back your customers.

We Are Ready… are you?  Stay tuned…