The world has moved to subscription services. Everything from your cell phone and cable to Netflix and Spotify for movies and music. Subscription allows consumers to spread the cost evenly every month providing the ability to budget costs and have a cost certainty.
In eyecare the industry is introducing new subscription services. Our Cowichan Eyecare clinics have introduced Avocado Lenses. This is a subscription service for contact lenses where your contacts are shipped directly to your house or place of work twice a year. The service provides the first month free and regular monthly payments after the first month. The size of the payment depends on the type of contact lenses you wear and whether you are a full-time or part-time wearer. This has become the most affordable and convenient way to purchase contact lenses through our clinics and in fact anywhere in the marketplace. Manufacturers’ rebates and specials are still accessible to keep your costs down. You never run out of lenses and still receive the same after purchase service as a one-time order at our office.
Avocado lenses allow the patient to utilize insurance coverage for their contact lenses. This can be done directly through the optometrist office or separately by submitting the invoice to the insurance provider. The insurance can act as a prepaid credit and is used until it runs out and then the patient’s credit card is billed again monthly. The subscription service can be paused or cancelled at any time without a penalty. One only gets charged for product that was already shipped. Contact lens prescriptions can be updated as required and types of lenses can be changed whenever requested.
The Covid-19 Pandemic has caused businesses particularly in health care to do things differently. This means less physical contact, intake forms over the internet and direct to patient deliveries. Subscription services for contact lenses and other products will provide continued convenience, safety and value.
