Anyone who’s been to our office since January 2012 should know that we have a machine called the Optomap, which allows me to examine my patients’ retinal health through a wide-field digital image, generally without the need for dilating drops. I am a huge fan of the Optomap and absolutely believe it allows me to give my patients a better exam than I could without this technology.
Because of my personal belief in the Optomap, as well as a desire to streamline patient flow, we typically take Optomap images on every patient. This gives every patient the opportunity to discuss the pro’s and con’s of the procedure with me before deciding yay or nay, without my having to send patients back and forth between rooms to have images taken (roughly 2/3 of my patients choose the Optomap, so that would be a lot of shuffling!).
Along with the benefits of the Optomap, I also discuss that using the images adds $30 to the cost of the exam, and anyone who prefers to avoid this extra cost may opt out of using the images and have their eyes dilated instead.
Every once in awhile, I encounter a patient who gives me the stink eye after my Optomap explanation. I can tell what they’re thinking, whether or not they actually express it verbally: “You’re trying to force me into using these pictures you already took just so you can charge me extra!”
My blanket answer to anyone who may feel this way: I’m absolutely not trying to force you. I do believe in the technology and would love for all of my patients to choose it, but I try to make it very obvious that dilation is still an option for anyone who doesn’t want the additional charge of the Optomap. I do want the opportunity to explain the benefits of the procedure before you reject it off-hand, because I believe it’s in your best interest to use the images. And again, as stated above, it is more efficient in our office to take images on everyone instead of shuffling patients back and forth between rooms. If you come into my office knowing that you’re 100% not interested in the Optomap, we will be happy to save you and us the two minutes it takes for imaging. Just let us know!
Costco Eye Doctor 