MYTH AND THE FACTS

It’s no secret that corporate chains and mass merchants like Lenscrafters, Pearle Vision, and Wal-Mart have been trying to make inroads on private practice vision care in recent years. What’s encouraging is how well private practice did in a recent study. This study assessed retail eye customers perceptions of their experience with their eye care and eye care providers over the last 12 months. Customers of the 13 largest retailers of eye care and eyewear were included in the study, as well as private practice patients for comparison. The study had a total of 3,086 responses.

The study dispelled many common myths about corporate chains. The findings below will assist your patients about the advantages of private practice optometry.

 

Myth Fact Private vs. Chain Consumers
“Consumer’s Prefer Chains”
 		 Consumers prefer private practice.
 		 80% of private consumers were satisfied with eyecare experience compared to 62 % in Chains.
“Chains Offer More Variety” Private practice consumers were more satisfied with variety of frames and lenses. 63% of private consumers were satisfied with variety compared to 58% in chains.
“Chains Have Better Hours” Consumers were equally satisfied with office hours. 60% of private consumers were satisfied with hours compared to 61% in chains.
“Chains Have More locations” Private practice has more locations. Approximately 32,000 private practice offices compared to 8000 chains.
“Care is Just as Good at Chains” Consumers have a higher level of trust in private doctors. 83% satisfaction rate in private practice. Only 65% in chains. 6% dissatisfaction in private practice compared to 19% dissatisfaction in chains.
“Eyewear quality is better at Chains” Private Practice has better quality. Only 11% percent of people in private practice reported problems with eyewear quality. 18% in chains.
“Chains are Cheaper” On average, private practice offers lower price.
Private practioners deal with patented products vs. "in house" manufactured products that cannot give exact quality or performance.		 Private practice consumers save by paying up to 21% less than chain prices for an eye exam, progressive lenses and frames. Private practices are also better able to file medical insurances to use towards eye exams.

 

Findings such as this simply confirm what we already know; that patients receive better, more thorough eye care from private practice doctors than from vision chains.