How often does the average person find themselves with their eye under the surgeon’s knife? Ideally, not very often – people don’t tend to dream about receiving eye surgery unless it’s LASIK, and even then, they’re more excited about the outcome than the surgery itself.
For many people, however, cataract surgery is inevitable. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, roughly 50 percent of Americans develop cataracts before the age of 75. Since the only way to treat cataracts is through surgery, a large chunk of the population will need a doctor to poke around in their eye – whether they like it or not.
Why not make the best of it?
Introducing premium procedures
When you speak to your patients about premium cataract procedures, keep in mind that good vision is once in a lifetime. No one wants to get cataract surgery, but everyone wants better vision.
As an ophthalmic surgeon, you have the opportunity to provide your patients with both relief from their cataract and clearer vision.
But how do you explain these benefits to your patients?
We’ve previously discussed the importance of getting to know the patient behind the eyes. Understanding what your patient values is the first step towards providing them with a satisfying outcome.
When it comes to determining which IOL to use (or whether to perform laser cataract surgery), a lifestyle questionnaire is absolutely essential. After your patients fill out the questionnaire, you can have a frank discussion about which vision solution is best for them. Do they have any hobbies that make distance vision a priority? What about intermediate or near vision? Can you accommodate those wishes with the services you provide?
If their lifestyle questionnaire indicates they’d benefit from refractive cataract surgery, tell them! Explain to them that a surgery like this is once in a lifetime. Since the cataract needs to be removed, it makes sense to fix the refractive problems at the same time. If you decide against refractive surgery now and change your mind later, you’d need to receive a second surgery. And who wants to get another surgery?
Need help selling premium procedures?
It’s not always easy to talk to your patients about premium procedures. This is why Sightpath Medical has created an explainer video campaign designed to inform patients about their cataract treatment options. We also provide marketing services, a wide variety of AT-IOLs, and the country’s first mobile femtosecond laser.