| Using a wholesale optical laboratory is becoming more | | | | eyestrain and enhance an individual's cosmetic |
| popular among independent opticians. Choosing the | | | | appearance. Indeed, the 2004 survey stated that |
| right manufacturer is important for both the health | | | | 76% of the eye care professionals polled stated that |
| and success of an independent optician's practice. | | | | the quality of the anti-reflective coating brand was |
| Learning about how other opticians select their | | | | either an extremely or a very important consideration |
| wholesale laboratories and understanding which | | | | in choosing a lab. |
| questions to ask can greatly help an optician decide | | | | Another significant issue determining the quality of a |
| which manufacturer is best for their practice. | | | | lens is the techniques used to manufacture and |
| The increasing popularity of using a wholesale optical | | | | inspect the lens. The way in which a frame is drilled |
| laboratory as a source for both frame and contact | | | | and mounted during the manufacturing process not |
| lenses is demonstrated by a 2004 survey report on | | | | only impacts the quality, but also the time and |
| the 2020mag website. Of the 221 vision care facilities | | | | expense of production. |
| polled by the survey, 82% stated that they | | | | The nature of the remote tracer (a device which is |
| purchased products or services from a wholesale lab. | | | | able to outline the inner border of a frame as well as |
| One possible reason for this dramatic interest is that | | | | to describe the size and shape of the lens) may also |
| such labs offer a wide variety of services in addition | | | | be an important consideration for many independent |
| to their eye care products. These services include | | | | opticians. Indeed, 81% of those polled by the |
| educational programs, technical support, online | | | | 2020mag survey stated that they have in fact sent |
| ordering and remote tracing. | | | | frame tracing data over the Web. |
| One important consideration in choosing a wholesaler | | | | The Internet is also becoming a popular method for |
| is the quality of the lenses which they produce. | | | | ordering eye care products from wholesale |
| There are several points to keep in mind when | | | | manufacturers. While the 2004 survey found that |
| investigating the quality of a lens. | | | | 65% of eye care professionals have ordered |
| One important issue is whether or not the lab is | | | | products over the phone, and that 58% of eye care |
| capable of manufacturing the most up-to-date | | | | professionals have ordered products via fax, many |
| technologies. For example, can the manufacturer | | | | labs have found that the interest in ordering products |
| produce silicon hydro gel contact lenses which provide | | | | over the Internet is rapidly growing. |
| comfort while allowing six times more oxygen to | | | | Wholesale optical laboratories are able to yield several |
| reach the eye than previous contact lens designs? | | | | potential benefits to independent opticians. They are |
| Another important consideration is the quality of the | | | | able to provide quality products at affordable prices |
| anti-reflective coated lenses offered. Anti-reflective | | | | as well as offering valuable services including product |
| coating makes use of a series of metal oxide layers | | | | support and education of emerging technologies. |
| to increase the lens's ability to improve vision, reduce | | | | |