Optical Scan Machines for Prescriptions in the future?

This forum made possible through the generous support of
SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Optogal

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2010
Messages
458
Reaction score
80
Legislators in the State of Utah are trying to legalize refraction by kiosk. It's supsected 1-800 Contacts is behind the move. I agree with the legislator in the article that it's a matter of when, not if this happens.

This would be the worst thing to happen to optometrists in the history of optometry, and far worse than LASIK and refracting opticians.

http://optometrytimes.modernmedicin...edicine-feature-articles/‘let’s-scan-‘em-all’

Members don't see this ad.
 
Legislators in the State of Utah are trying to legalize refraction by kiosk. It's supsected 1-800 Contacts is behind the move. I agree with the legislator in the article that it's a matter of when, not if this happens.

This would be the worst thing to happen to optometrists in the history of optometry, and far worse than LASIK and refracting opticians.

http://optometrytimes.modernmedicin...edicine-feature-articles/‘let’s-scan-‘em-all’

No doubt. It will happen. Legislators are on the side of the public and anything that will save them money, will happen. As I've said before, there really is no need for optometry or optometrists. We bought our way into a made-up profession (bribes) and now 1-800 and others will buy their way into the eye exam as they've done glasses and contacts.

Refracting opticians and OMDs (with OD-level techs that already refract, do Goldmann tonometry and use the slit lamp) can handle it all. As technology continues to expand, there will come a day when a Kiosk refraction, retinal photo and anterior seg photo along with NCT can be done in 5 minutes at the mall kiosk for $20. And this will be sufficient for 80-90% of the population. Any red flags will be printed out for the "customer" to see a local ophthalmologist. In fact, the machine will probably automatically schedule an appointment with a friendly OMD.

And to students that might think this is 'pie-in-the-sky' stuff here. ALL of this technology is already available. We all use it every day now in our own offices. All we are waiting for is a big company (likely our 'friends' at VSP) to put it all together into one 5 x 5 booth to be installed in every mall and drug store in the country (and probably family doctors/pediatricians offices).

As the saying goes, "You ain't seen nothing yet". I feel sorry for those $200,000 school loan suckers..........errrr........I mean students having to try to pay back that money. They've been scammed by the schools and the AOA. It's not going to be pretty over the next decade or two. I get down on my knees at night thanking the All-Mighty that I got into Optometry just in the nic of time and able to make a decent living.
 
Last edited:
I get down on my knees at night thanking the All-Mighty that I got into Optometry just in the nic of time and able to make a decent living.

I know what you mean. It seems this profession is one big ponzi scheme. I feel that I'm doing well enough now that if changes do come down the line, I'll be able to weather them. But for new grads and future grads, there's only so much to go around. There may even be nothing to go around.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I know what you mean. It seems this profession is one big ponzi scheme. I feel that I'm doing well enough now that if changes do come down the line, I'll be able to weather them. But for new grads and future grads, there's only so much to go around. There may even be nothing to go around.

Unfortunately only a small percentage of students visit this site and of them, most seem to think we are making all of this up. They visit a happy-go-lucky OD in their hometown and he/she makes it out to be the greatest profession in the history of the world and they go with that mental image, unable to be altered no matter how many people tell them different.
 
Hey tippytoe,
just curious when you got into practice, and when you think the tipping point occurred as far as being able to make it through financially?
 
Of the recent grads that any of you know, how many do you think are regretting their decision to enter optometry?
 
I do appreciate your warnings into going into this profession, clearly we are not as stable as other medical professions. I have seen and shadow many different ODs from many different types of practices. Although their outlook was less bleak than the ODs who are on this forums, they are not telling me that this is the profession to be if you want all the money in the world.

I do agree theres saturation and alot of looming problems that are encroaching on this profession, but to be realistic, I can't based my future career on what some stranger OD from a place far away warning me about the economy. I look towards the OD I shadow and based my opinion on their testament.

Again, I hope you do realize the "small percentage" of pre-opt students who go on these forums are students who actually care enough about the profession to research and talk about it. If you want to preach about the trap hole that is optometry, please do so, but I think you have better results running down to your nearest college/university and yell at the undergrads who do not know better.

I'm all for limiting the amount of grads coming out, but to be honest, I get tired of hearing "optometry is bad" post by ODs. I know your concern about your practices and income, and I know you care oh so much for us pre-opts, but please dont call us "suckers" or idiots for wanting to do the same thing you wanted to do.

You guys are practicing ODs, fix your AOA and State Associations, no matter how tiny your voice is, you still have a voice compare to us pre-opt about the future of optometry. I hope you guys get it together so that the future generations don't have to go online to forums and yell at pre-opts in the future.
 
I do agree theres saturation and alot of looming problems that are encroaching on this profession, but to be realistic, I can't based my future career on what some stranger OD from a place far away warning me about the economy. I look towards the OD I shadow and based my opinion on their testament.

I can think of a rather lengthy list of practicing ODs who's shared opinions differ drastically, depending on the audience present. For whatever reason, optometrists are notorious for hiding the realities of the profession. It's as if they feel it reflects poorly on themselves, so they sugar coat things for prospective students. No one wants to be the guy that bursts someone's bubble, at least not in person.

I don't care if you listen to the warnings or not. It really has no effect on me either way, but if you're after an unbiased opinion, you're more apt to get that anonymously than you will in person.

I shadowed quite a number of ODs before applying to optometry school. I chose to ignore the ones who warned of the trouble that lay ahead, believing that they were just bitter, or had some other reason for their distaste for what was going on. Now, looking back, I realize that they were the ones who were keyed in to what was actually happening. The others were either smiling and nodding because it's easier than the alternative, or they were simply disconnected from the realities of younger, newer ODs.

In any case, you're the one who will be left holding the bag if you listen to the wrong side of the argument and make a bad decision - not me, not the OD who painted you a rosy picture, not Chuck Norris, not even that husky gal from the Wilson Phillips - just you.

Remember that.
 
I think Chuck Norris is every bit involved in everyones decision,

Jason your right, its my choice, you guys gave me your outlook of what its like to be an OD and the optometrists I've shadow gave me theirs and in the end I'll be the one living with the consequences.

I dont think im falling into a traphole and I dont think I'm winning the lottery.

I still want to be an optometrist regardless, and I cant wait for you guys to scooch over and give me a seat in this boat that we are either sinking in or sailing off into paradise.
 
I still want to be an optometrist regardless, and I cant wait for you guys to scooch over and give me a seat in this boat that we are either sinking in or sailing off into paradise.

I've already left the boat, and I'm on dry land. You guys just don't get it. You're all trying to get into the "promise land," and you have no idea that it's a barren wasteland. No matter what someone tells you, you can't turn death valley into farm land.

I'd love to hear your plan for how you will avoid the grim future that thousands of your colleagues will find. I suspect it will sound alarmingly similar to the dozens and dozens of plans that I've heard from pre-opts just like you. "I'll network." "I'll work in an OMD office during school." "I'll do this." "I'll do that." "I'll be active, politically." "I'll join all sorts of clubs." Unfortunately, the one thing that doesn't change is, you're still in optometry, and at the end of the day, it's a dying profession, at least in terms of the vision that you picture in your head.

It's all about commercial now. It's all about selling materials. Unless you're ok with a career in selling materials at the expense of ocular health, you're likely to be sorely disappointed with the outcome. Also make sure you're ok with an ever-declining income source, because as the supply goes up, demand and value for optometric services will continue to go down, just as they have for years.

You guys really just don't get it. You will - believe me, you will.
 
Last edited:
You left the boat? Im sorry to hear your not in optometry anymore Jason, what are you doing now? I hope your dry land is as rewarding as you wanted.

Oh yes, I'm very much like the dozen of dozen of pre-opts out there, Maybe I "just dont get it". And I apologize that you think your message/warning isnt be heard. But it is, thanks to you, I'll go to optometry with a more realistic outlook but maybe not as doom and gloom as you would like.

Going back to topic, maybe refracting kiosk wouldnt be so bad, It might be a catalyst for everyone to start protecting their profession a bit more. I'm certain optometry a decade from now would be very different if this was the case.
 
Top