WARNING: “Investor Owned” Optometry Practices

Steve, who is a long time participant and active contributor in the forum, posts “The Dark Side of the vision industry” in the forum:

No, I’m not talking about Star Wars, but I’m sure Jake will find an appropriate image to convey this post. Counting on you, Jake!

So, we have learned much about the clinical side of optometry and ophthalmology offices and how most only care about the “old timey” pseudoscience that is furthering the prevalence of myopia to epidemic proportions. The 100 billion dollar a year industry that turns a cold shoulder to any sort of rehabilitative approach to vision…

Well, here is another (dark) side of the story. A more recent development of how these offices work is how they are actually managed. Decades ago, the common practice for these offices were that they were owned and operated by the doctors themselves with family and community ties. This gave them complete control over how the clinical side of the office was managed. They may have hired someone to oversee business operations rather than do it themselves, but the Doctor’s still had final say.

Now, fueled by the massive profits from surgeries and lens sales, many family or doctor owned practices are being bought up by investor groups. Investors care about one thing and that is…(gasp). PROFIT!

Now, even the doctors who used to have the final say in how the offices were run, now are left as just another employee in the scheme. This allows further penetration of questionable treatments which overshadow patient care in order to maximize profits, 

My girlfriend has worked in one of these investor-owned practices for several years now and it is just appalling how they are allowed to treat employees and forego patient care to increase profit margins. They are pressured to add on additional tests (even if not necessary) to every patient in order to inflate the insurance bill. In addition to that, they cram every patient into the schedule as possible and often have patients waiting several hours before being seen. Some have been forgotten entirely and some have just walked out refusing to go back.

In this scenario, not even the doctors have a say in the patient care anymore and many clinical staff are chewed up and spit out of these investor owned practices.

Going to an office with all this fancy technology with rooms of testing equipment costing tens of thousands of dollars is a red flag. If you have no say in what you are being tested for, stand up and head for the door. Find a friendly doctor who has the final say in how and what is being done FOR YOU. Patients are the one’s who allow these slimy tactics to continue. Just because the sign outside and the fancy titles promote a “medical professional”, doesn’t mean you are getting the care you need and/or deserve!

Many of us here already know what to look for and have found a friendly Optometrist/Ophthalmologist office. If not, find one that work for/with you and not the other way around! Preferably, one that is owned/operated by a small number of doctors or family rather than a huge conglomerate with chain stores on every other corner.

Starting Rx

[Feb 2014] OS -7.50d, -1c | OD -6.00d, -1.25c
Optometrist [May 2015] OS -6.75d, -1c | OD -5.25d, -1c
Current Norm: [20/40] OS -5.25d | OD -4.00d (spherical)
Current Diff: [~50cm] OS -4.25d | OD -3.25d (spherical)
Current CM: OS 17cm | OD 21cm