Why You Should Have Vision Insurance

If you are part of the group that is wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses, you might want to look at the advantages of having a plan that offers you vision benefits. The plan may be obtainable by your employer or straight from the insurance that has vision benefits. Some companies that want to keep on their employee may want to add on vision coverage to the benefits package. Insurance for vision either offers a discount on eye care and eye wear or a benefits package.

When you have a package for vision insurance benefits it will include eye exams, which you might need to pay a co-payment up front from the time of your service, the balance will then be paid by the plan. However, with a vision discount plan, you have to pay for the complete service but at a price that is lower than normal which your eye practitioners agreed to charge. Upon buying your discount plan or benefits package, you need to purchase two products.

The network of eye care providers that you have access to, have agreed to help with a service and maybe a product that is at a reduced price, this will be for you or the company that is handling the plan. The types of providers for service will be an optometrist and a ophthalmologist. If there is a case where the ophthalmologists deal with LASIK as well as other procedures for correction they could be included as well. The other is eye care products and services that are specific to your needs; they will include an exam for the eyes, contact lenses or eyeglasses. When you are looking at choosing a plan it is best to know what the eye care provider and service that is included in the package.

When you are looking to chose a vision insurance plan, always look at what is available and how the service would benefit you. You should look at the past years or your medical records to see the type of eye care services you have done and your family as well, and including how many times they have used the same service. This can give you an idea of what you will need in the future. While you are looking at different plans, make notes of what your needs are, what will save you the most money. Finally, will the plan give me the assurance that I think is quality and guidelines and procedures that I can follow.

In conclusion, choosing to have a vision insurance plan, will give you the benefits and discounts when you need them. If you want the best discounts and benefits it is best to do your research and see what is out there. As you don't want to choose the wrong one for you, always ask questions if you need to, to make sure your getting what is said in the package and take note of it so you can come back to it later. See what is available in the package and what you will need and want, if it doesn't have those then maybe this isn't the best one for you. Overall it is wise to look into vision insurance, as it can save you money and give you benefits in the end.

Vision Insurance Plan - How To Choose Eye Insurance Plans

If you are among the estimated 50% of American who wear prescription contact lenses or eye glasses, a vision insurance plan can help you with the costs. A good vision plan can help you pay for your eye exam, contacts and glasses. Some employers offer a benefit package or discount plan to their employees, but you can also find one and pay for it yourself. In the long run, it can be well worth the cost.

What is an Eye Insurance Plan?

An eye insurance plan is not like regular health insurance. It is a wellness benefit that either provides a discounted rate for vision services such as eye exams, contacts and glasses or it helps offset the costs of these services. You can get vision insurance in one of two different types:

• Vision Benefits Package


• Vision Discount Plan

A vision benefits package is much like insurance coverage in that is covers vision services. Sometimes you may be required to pay a co-payment at the time of the service or purchase of your contacts or glasses. Your benefits package pays the balance.

A vision discount plan is different from a vision benefits package in that you pay for the full services, but it is at a lower, discounted rate that has been agreed upon by the network provider. Through a discount plan, you are given a list of network providers who have agreed to charge the discounted prices per the plan. Often, there are also specific eye care services that are included in the plan so review prospective plans to make sure that the one you choose meets your needs.

Benefits of a Vision Insurance Plan

Eye insurance plans can be very beneficial, particularly if you have vision problems. You can save money on vision services and even eye glasses and contacts. An eye insurance plan can offset the sometimes substantial costs of vision care. Eye glasses alone can cost more than $200, but with a vision plan you can cut that cost by 50% or more.

You can get individual plans or plans that cover the entire family. They can be particularly helpful in saving money if you cover your children as they can sometimes go through several pair of eye glasses in a year.

Choosing the Right Vision Plan

If you think that a vision insurance company could have some benefits to offer, it is important that you find the right plan for your needs. Carefully review the benefits that are offered, what is covered, how often you can get an eye exam and how many pair of eye glasses or contact lenses you can get within a year or a six month period.

You can conduct an online search for vision insurance plans or even find a site that allows you to compare different companies by their benefits. You also want to make sure that you vision plan falls within your budget. It does you no good and you won't save much if you go broke paying for the plan.

Affordable Vision Benefit Plans For Everyone

The most wonderful things in this nature can be viewed only with our eyes. You can utilize them to a great extent in making your life meaningful. Eye contact can be used in bringing attention of the public and making an impression on them. So, it is important that you maintain proper eyes/eye sight by taking proper vision care.

It can be clearly understood from the studies that many people give importance to the physical health and ignore taking care of their eyes. But, it has been clearly understood that at least a single eye care examination annually would be helpful in maintaining a proper eye sight which would be of vital importance in evaluating and correcting any problems pertaining to the vision. This is more particular to adults because the probability of developing vision problems increases with an increase in the age. Most of us feel the necessity of visiting a doctor once in a while but wouldn't go ahead because of the fear of the costs pertaining to vision care. The only option, people think of, that can provide relief from the vision care costs is insurance. Of late, the premiums of the insurance are also skyrocketing making it unaffordable to people.

It is at this point, the concept of discount plans has come into being. Generally, people now-a-days mistake insurance with discount plans. Actually, discount plans are not insurance policies; in fact they are much more than insurance policies. They provide huge discounts on the medical bills which help reduce the medical bills to a great extent. Discount plans are also called multipurpose plans as they provide a lot of other benefits such as discounts on lenses, prescription drugs, etc. which provide a sigh of relief to the people.

Medicare Dental and Vision Benefits

Does Medicare Cover Dental and Vision?

Medicare is the US health insurance plan for seniors and disabled people. It provides basic medical coverage, and it really helps our seniors and disabled pay for health care. But original Medicare does not pay for everything, and dental or vision benefits are very limited.

Routine care, like checkups, fillings, and glasses, are not usually covered. Services may be covered if they are associated with a medical issue like an illness or injury.

For example, Medicare may pay for a hospital stay in the case of a complicated dental procedure. But it may not cover the actual dental work. For another example, Medicare does not usually cover eyeglasses or contacts. However, it will pay after intraocular lens cataract surgery.

Does this sound complicated?

Well, it can be hard to understand when services will be covered and when they won't be. In any case, even covered services may require a deductible and copayments, so a patient is likely to have out of pocket costs if they have original Medicare.

The answer is even more complex if the benificiary has other benefits. Some Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, for instance, do cover some routine dental work. Other people may have additional coverage through a retirement health insurance plan. But most covered people, even with supplements or MA plans, do not have extra dental and vision benefits. So some beneficiaries may have covered services, while some do not.

How do you know what benefits you are entitled to?

Medicare.gov is a great resource. This website, run by CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid) actually answers many questions like this. You can also look up information on Medicare Advantage plans. If you have trouble using the website, they also provide a 1-800 contact phone number and email address. If you are a beneficiary, or care for one, you should become familiar with this website!

Another great resource would be your supplemental health insurance company. Call the customer service number and ask. MA plans, medi-gap health insurance, and retirement benefits will all be run by private companies. If you want to seek services you can call to make sure they will be approved.

What if a Medicare Beneficiary has No Coverage

We are all concerned with our eyesight and teeth. But these services can be expensive. It may be time to explore some alternatives before you have an emergency need.

Dental Insurance - I am not surprised to see a lot of dental insurance that is being marketed to seniors. Keep in mind that not all services will be covered, and you are likely to have deductibles, copays, and yearly maximums that are specified in any policy. The coverage can help you plan for expenses, but is not likely to totally eliminate all costs.

Dental Discount Plans - These are not insurance plans, but allow members to access networks of service providers who agree to discount services. This is similar to the negotiated price benefit associated with some PPO or HMO health insurance or dental insurance plans. While discount plans do not actually pay for services, they can help members save a lot of money. Some also include vision networks.

Community or Government Dental and Vision Care - I have seen ads for dental clinics, ad even mobile dental care vans, at local community centers. Many church or community sponsored centers will have information on reduced fee clinics for seniors, disabled people, or others with low income. The federal government, state, or county may also run reduced fee clinics in some areas. Your local health and human resources offices should have information. There is help out there for older people, but it can take some digging to find it.

Common Causes For Children's Headaches From Eye and Vision Disorders

Headaches come from many different sources and people often bring their child to see the eye doctor first to rule out vision problems as a cause. Usually it is not a vision related problem, but there are cases that have a direct correlation with the eyes. If headaches are related to eye problems, most of the time there will be a specific visual task the headaches seem to center around. It could be reading, computer use, video games or time in the sun.

Eyeglass frames can cause pressure behind the ears and on the side of the head if not properly adjusted. Frames that are tilted can alter the effective lens prescription and result in eye strain. Nickel is a common component in many metal frames (and in parts of plastic frames). Nickel allergies are fairly common and can cause discomfort, itching and possible mild headaches.

Your child's prescription may cause headaches under certain conditions. Large uncorrected amounts of farsightedness are probably the most common cause in children. With farsightedness, they may have the focusing capacity to pass the eye chart test with flying colors while not wearing prescription lenses. In doing so, they may be close to using all of their focusing reserve capacity. This would be like spending all day walking around carrying close to the maximum amount of weight you can hold. Because the focusing muscle is considered smooth muscle and does not fatigue like the striated muscles you use for your arms or legs, there is some disagreement on this point. It is really an academic point since the headaches do commonly occur, possibly due to variations in focusing and resultant clarity, constriction of the colored iris tissue, or other unknown factors. How much uncorrected farsightedness is required to cause headaches? We know higher amounts are more significant as age increases but with lower amounts it is not as clear what levels create eyestrain and headaches. Sometimes the only way to know is to fill an eyeglasses prescription and see if the headaches resolve.

Focusing problems in general are very hard to diagnose with precision. Eyes may over focus, under focus, have variable focusing, and on rare occasions have focusing spasms. Some prescription medications can cause focusing problems, dry eyes and sensitivity to light increasing the likelihood of headaches.

Uncorrected nearsightedness can cause a child to squint to see the blackboard and result in headaches. Usually they will be complaining about blurry vision, unlike with farsightedness. Nearsightedness has normally been corrected due to blurry vision before there are complaints about headaches.

Astigmatism is a condition where the eye has two different curvatures, shaped more like half of a tennis ball squeezed on top and bottom. While astigmatism does blur vision, children frequently notice more eyestrain than blurriness. The eye is focusing for one curve then the other trying to find the clearest focus point. Moderate to high levels of astigmatism can cause headaches but usually the child has complaints that sound more like eyestrain and may be squinting to try and clear things up.

Convergence insufficiency is one of the leading causes of headaches related to vision in children. When your child reads or works up close the eyes have to perform two functions. First they have to adjust the focus for the correct distance. Secondly they must turn in both eyes (converge) to point in the exact direction of what they are looking at. Most reading is done at about 14 to 16 inches away from the face in children. Kids should be able to keep their eyes pointing at an object at least until it is within 4 to 6 inches from their nose. If they can't, they lack enough reserve capacity to keep their eyes pointed at the object and they will have eyestrain and headaches. The severity of the problem is related to how well their brain functions in partially shutting down the image from one eye. If they lack this capacity the headaches can be severe with near work, resulting in headaches, eyestrain, blurred vision, and failing grades in school.

Muscle imbalances are similar to convergence insufficiency. Due to eye muscles or tendons that are slightly misshaped or inserted slightly abnormally, their eyes may have a tendency to turn in, out, up, or down. Constantly struggling to keep images from doubling can cause frequent headaches if the brain is not good at shutting off one of the images. Fixation disparities are very tiny eye alignment errors that can have a similar result but can only be diagnosed with appropriate testing.

Migraines are a very common cause of headaches and take many different forms. Usually there is a family history of migraines already known. Children that develop migraines at an older age often are carsick at younger ages. These headaches tend to be on one side of the head and may be associated with nausea and light sensitivity. Migraines need to be thoroughly tested and diagnosed in conjunction with your child's pediatrician and possibly a neurologist. The only association migraines have with eyes are some people have migraines triggered by small changes in their eye glass prescription, and some migraines can cause very minor damage to the eyes over time.

Some children and adults are naturally very sensitive to small changes in their eyeglass or contact lens prescription. Every time there is a minor change they start having headaches, and learn quickly it is time for an appointment with the optometrist. Autistic children may have somewhat of an opposite type of  problem, and clearing up vision too much may contribute to sensory overload and headaches.

Rare causes of headaches around the eyes are tumors around the optic nerve or eye. Inflammation inside the eye that sometimes accompanies childhood arthritis and other autoimmune diseases can cause eye pain, headaches, and light sensitivity. Unusual light sensitivity, red eyes, headaches, abnormally small or large pupils, changes in behavior and school grades can be indicators of illicit drug usage, now common even in elementary schools. School counselors usually have a pretty good idea who is involved and it is a quick call.

A sinus infection can result in headaches around the eyes and in rare cases even sight loss.

Never forget lack of sleep. Fatigue, poor diet, caffeine crashes, dehydration, and stress probably cause most headaches. Preventative eye exams for children always helps rule out some easily fixed causes so don't neglect an eye check up if your child is being afflicted with headaches.

Last, but not least is the friend who just got new glasses syndrome. All of a sudden your child develops blurry vision and headaches. Fortunately, an optometrist can diagnose this case pretty easy. Sometimes you may want to consider discussing in advance with your child's eye doctor a placebo pair of glasses  with little or no prescription. Occasionally with a strong willed child it is easier to just let them wear a pair for six months  and spend your energy on the bigger battles.

Ten Reasons To Be More Concerned About Your Child's Headaches

1. Headaches that are continuing to get worse or becoming more frequent

2. Headaches that occur in the same area of the eye or head

3. Headaches that wake children up at night or are present at the beginning of the day

4. Headaches accompanied by double vision, blurred vision, or abnormal eye movements

5. Headaches that cause a child to cease their normal activities

6. Any headache that occurs after a fall, possible bump to the head, or after loss of consciousness or memory, however brief

7. Any headache that is accompanied by changes in responsiveness, sluggish thinking, slurred speech, changes in balance, different pupil sizes, severe vomiting, droopy half open eyes, altered or unusual behavior      

8. Headaches that only occur when a specific person is around (possible abuse)

9. Headaches occurring in other people present (possible carbon monoxide poisoning)

10. Severe Headaches with very rapid onset, high fever, stiff neck

If you have concerns about your child having mild or moderate headaches, starting with appointments with your optometrist and family doctor makes sense, proceeding to a neurological evaluation if needed.

How to Directly and Indirectly Treat Dry Skin on Eyelids

There are many ways to treat dry skin on eyelids. However, the treatment, as well as the visible effects of improvement, take time. But remember, the important thing is to treat the condition properly to avoid recurrences.

Direct Treatments for Dry Skin on Eyelids

When you have dry skin on your eyelids, this may be an indication of blepharitis or inflammation of the eyelids. It's best to have your physician confirm this for you before you self-medicate.

Generally, people with blepharitis will notice an infection near the inflamed area, causing the eyelids to become red, dry, swollen and itchy. You can use mild cleansing products for the inflamed area. Make sure to lubricate your eye if it tends to be dry as well. Apply antibiotic cream to keep the skin from further infection or inflammation. And upon the instruction of your doctor, drink antibiotic tablets to build your immunity against blepharitis.

It's also possible that you have hyperthyroidism, which is also characterized by dry skin. Again, just to be on the safe side, make sure you consult your doctor before using any topical cream to try it.

Indirect Treatments for Dry Skin on Eyelids

Always use skincare products that are specifically meant for dry skin. Use products that are mild and formulated for sensitive parts such as your face. There are many types of facial cleansers and skin lotions available help soothe dry skin.

Remember to always moisturize your skin, especially the parts that are more affected than others.

Lastly, make sure that you eat a healthy, balanced diet as this also has a strong influence on how your skin looks and feels.

3 Reasons Why Americans Choose Mexico For Presbypopia LASIK Surgery

Presbypopia literally means "old eyes," highlighting the fact that as we age our eyes become less flexible, making it more difficult to focus. This normally occurs between the ages of 40 and 50 and progresses through age 65. Initial symptoms typically include difficulty reading smaller print, leading to the use of reading glasses, bifocals, and trifocals.

The high cost of vision care and optical surgery in the United States has sent many people seeking treatment for their vision problems to medical travel agencies representing the largest private hospital network in Mexico where the price for high quality medical care is considerably more affordable for Americans.

In addition to wearing eyeglasses, there are several treatments for Presbypopia, including monovision LASIK (which leaves one eye suited for distance viewing and the other for close-up viewing); conductive Keratolasty (used to help one eye see better up close while the other eye remains untouched with a contact lens correcting distance sight); Surgical Reversal of Presbypopia (SRP) with Scleral Expansion Bands (SEBs); and refractive lens exchange (RLE), which entails replacing the natural lens with an artificial lens.

Innovative PresbyLASIK Procedure Approved In The U.S. In 2010, In Mexico NOW

One of the newest and most promising treatments for presbypopia is multifocal LASIK or PresbyLASIK. PresbyLASIK is a procedure currently in clinical trials in the U.S., but the procedure has been approved in Mexico and Europe. With multifocal or PresbyLASIK, different 'zones' are created on the surface of the cornea to correct vision at near, intermediate, and far ranges. With monovision LASIK correction for presbypopia, patients must use their eyes independently for seeing near or far; with PresbyLASIK, patients are able to focus naturally with both eyes on any object of any distance.

Although the multifocal PresbyLASIK procedure is not yet FDA-approved in the U.S., it is performed with state of the art VISX technology in Hospital Angeles Tijuana, just 15 minutes across the border from San Diego. Hospital Angeles is one of 20 technologically modern hospitals comprising the largest private hospital network in Mexico, and frequently hosts American medical travelers searching for affordable, high quality medical and surgical care.

Low Cost Of Medical Travel To Mexico Attracts Patients From Around The World

Surgical procedures and hospital stays in the most modern hospitals are available in Mexico for as little as one-third of the price paid in America. The U.S. nonprofit Medical Tourism Association reports in its survey of American medical travelers (estimated at more than 500,000 per year) that the great majority are enthusiastic repeat customers and referrals of the state-of-the-art private hospitals and medical centers of Mexico where they received their surgerical procedures. While private Mexican hospitals are every bit as modern as famous U.S. hospitals, they typically cost less than half as much as their American counterparts do. Although Angeles Hospitals feature identically sophisticated equipment and resources, the U.S. healthcare system has higher costs associated with medical education, training, insurance, and facility construction. Costs are driven up even further by the U.S. healthcare insurance industry. The net savings to the Mexico medical travel patient working with a medical travel, Mexico, agency is often quite substantial, from 50-75% less than U.S. medical and hospital costs.

Convenience And Savings

With the help of a medical travel, Mexico, agency, getting to the right hospital is easy. There are 20 hospitals in major metro areas throughout Mexico with direct flights from most major American cities. Most medical travelers have easy access to inexpensive flights in and out of Mexico on a daily basis, which makes affordability an appealing option when long wait times are added to the sky-high prices of medical and surgical care in the U.S.

Because Presbypopia LASIK surgery can be performed on American medical travelers over the period of a weekend (flights, procedure, and hotel inclusive), the savings are high for this type of medical travel package for Americans. The innovative procedure implemented on the latest VISX technology, costs less than $5,000 (both eyes), while the procedure is expected to debut in the U.S. at $10,000-$15,000 or more. According to the Medical Tourism Association survey of medical travelers, patients engaging in medical travel to Mexico frequently enjoy tourism time, including fine dining, relaxed shopping, and resort beaches; more than 8 in 10 said they would definitely choose medical travel, Mexico, as a solution again in the future.

Mexico Meets And Exceeds Current Medical Standards

While many people know Mexico offers gorgeous beaches, delicious food, lively music, stellar golf, and excellent deep-sea fishing, in the past decade Mexico has rapidly become widely known for quality, affordable medical care. Even the most sophisticated medical and surgical care in Mexico is typically one-third the cost of the same medical care in the United States. After factoring in travel-related expenses, U.S. medical travel patients realize considerable savings by seeking treatment in Mexico.

But savings and quality are not the only attractions of medical travel, Mexico. In a 2009 survey, most medical travelers report to the U.S. nonprofit Medical Tourism Association that they found their hospital and surgical care in Mexico as good or better than any U.S. healthcare experience they've had, and would not hesitate to recommend the experience to other U.S. patients needing quality affordable medical care.

Mexico's low cost of living and lower costs for the same medical technologies found in the U.S. as well as lower doctor, hospital, and specialists' fees versus the U.S. can all work together to offer American medical travel patients exceptional care at a fraction of what they would pay for the same care in the United States.

Mexico hospitals undergo a rigorous credentialing process that guarantees the highest international standards of education, training, equipment, and patient centric care. Mexico hospital patients do not experience the restrictions on and rationing of healthcare through insurance premiums, policies penalizing for pre-existing conditions, claims denials, and out of pocket expenses. This results in high levels of service and patient satisfaction with their overall experience.

Americans can save thousands of dollars by seeking medical care in Mexico receiving the same high quality medical care they would expect in the U.S. at a fraction of the cost, and in a hospital that is modern, beautiful, and convenient to fly to from most major U.S. city airports.

In particular, the merging of medical care and tourism is a winning combination for patients seeking Wavefront Presbypopia LASIK surgery.

Affordable And Convenient Care

Medical travel, Mexico, includes 20 hospitals in major metropolitan areas throughout Mexico, including Tijuana, Juarez, Mexico City, Puebla, and Guadalajara. For most Americans, a Mexico hospital is just a quick direct flight into Mexico, San Diego, or El Paso where they enjoy airport to hospital pick-up service as part of their medical travel package. In addition, almost half of the United States population lives within driving distance of Mexico, making it a convenient alternative to American healthcare.

Medical travel, Mexico, agencies work with hotels and airlines to offer patients specially discounted rates. Instead of waiting months for a three-minute appointment with a Wavefront LASIK doctor in the United States, American medical travel patients choosing Presbypopia LASIK surgery in Mexico can save thousands by driving or flying to Mexico for the same care and prescription medications at a fraction what it would cost in the United States and enjoy a more innovative, effective treatment for presbypopia that may not receive FDA approval in the U.S. for years to come.

Review - Online Prescription Eyeglasses

Can you really buy good prescription eyeglasses for fewer than ten dollars?

Well, I wanted to find out so I visited Eye Buy Direct and examined the site. Most of their basic frames and styles are priced at twenty to thirty six dollars but there were quite a few selections at $7.95. What are you going to get for that price I asked myself? I recall paying $160.00 for my eyeglasses with all of the bells and whistles which included anti-scratch, anti reflective, UV coating and color tint at COSTCO last year. So I thought I would check it out. I keep my prescription in my wallet so for $7.95; why not order a back up pair in the off chance they wouldn't disintegrate in forty eight hours.

The first step was to select the frame and provide the measurements. I selected the Greco style and made the measurement selections by measuring my current frames with a ruler per the instructions. The next step was to enter the prescription. This looked like an opportunity for confusion at first but the elements on the site correlated with my prescription with no problem. Then I had to choose the lens thickness. That was easy because the standard was free and the thinner lens selections had a cost add on. In retrospect, I am not sure why anyone would want thinner lenses. Then I came to the bells and whistles. The anti-scratch is free and I didn't think I needed any additional features for a back up pair. If I had selected the features on my current eyeglasses, it would have increased the price to a staggering $24.80 or about 16% of the COSTCO price. That took me to the checkout which accepts major credit cards and PayPal. The complete process did not take more than 20 minutes. It may take less time on the next order because they have my prescription and credit card info on file.

Now I had my answer. You can't buy eyeglasses for less than ten dollars because you have to pay shipping for orders under ninety nine dollars. You would have to really try to spend ninety nine dollars at this store. My total was $15.14; still a ridiculously low price for prescription eyeglasses.

My order was delivered six days later. As usual, I couldn't wait to be disappointed so I opened the package immediately. The glasses were in a plastic carrying case complete with a polish cloth. When I took them out of the case I thought "these are actually nice". Upon closer examination, I was absolutely amazed. They fit comfortably and the prescription was perfect. The gold metal frames were substantial and as attractive as my $160.00 pair. I am not sure they are the same quality but two weeks later I still can't find any difference.

Like most people I guess, I couldn't conceive of making a purchase as individual and complicated as prescription eye wear online. It seemed to be a hit or miss proposition but after going through the process, I concluded that the only thing complicated is the vision examination by the optometrist. The downside is that you can't stand in front of a mirror and try on the frames. Eye Buy Direct has at least a partial solution to that issue. You can download your photo and the site will produce that picture with the selected frames in place. This isn't ideal but it does provide a glimpse of how they will look. Isn't technology wonderful? The only true negative is if the frames need any adjustment, you have to do it yourself or find a retailer to do it for you. I sometimes fall asleep with my glasses on and find the frames semi-mangled in the morning. Most metal frames are pliable so I make the adjustments myself by dipping them in boiling water for a couple of minutes and adjusting the shape.

Internet shopping has come a long way in recent years. There are many quality products that can be purchased at substantial savings but this was the best deal I have found. I don't know how they do it and I really don't care as long as they keep doing it.

Eye Care Practice Marketing: Eye Care Providers Can Compete with Internet Contact Lens Retailers

Every 3 seconds there is an online search for an eyecare provider-related product or service!

According to data obtained from Overture, a leading online advertiser that tracks keyword search queries, in July 2004 there were more than 800,000 search queries for such terms as optometrist, eyecare provider, eyeglasses, contact lenses and lasik. Is your practice optimized to get its share of the nearly 9.5 million online vision care searches expected per year? Can you afford to ignore this growing population segment estimated to be upwards of 110 million U.S. residents (according to an August 2004 report by PEW/Internet and ComScore) that have reportedly used search engines?

While attending a 2004 search engine strategies conference (a symposium of the most cutting edge tips and techniques to "optimize" your search engine marketing initiatives), I was overwhelmed when presented with some interesting facts - facts about online users, use of search engines and how online marketing has boosted both the top and bottom lines for many companies, both big and small.

While the prospect of mounting an online marketing campaign may sound daunting to many of the "non-technically-oriented" folks out there, there are some very simple measures that even the least internet-savvy business professional can take to capture a bigger slice of that huge, online searcher pie.

Welcome to the 21st Century First of all, if you do not have a web presence, a website where people can learn about your practice and the services you provide, get one. I recently surveyed approximately 80 eyecare practitioners, and asked them what their most pressing concern was regarding their contact lens practice. Not surprisingly, competition from online contact lens retailers was the most common response. Yet, even with this huge concern, 2 out of 3 practices surveyed did not have their own website, and only 1 in 12 could offer their patients the convenience of online ordering from their practice.

If eyecare providers aren't providing their patients the kind of service and convenience they obviously want, then where is the merit in condemning the likes of 1-800 Contacts? They are not stealing your patients; they are simply filling the void in service that you are not offering your contact lens patients. For those of you who are starting to get the picture, there is no time like the present to take action! There are a host of service providers out there today that will provide you with a website for little or no upfront investment. Many of these service providers offer a template format for setup. That means there is little for you to do except develop the text for your site and then copy and paste it into a form field on your computer. Throw in a few digital photos of your practice waiting room/dispensary, your exam rooms, your "high-tech" equipment and your staff (to create that "personal" touch) and... Voila! You now have a site on the World Wide Web!

While the process here has been oversimplified, the bottom line is that it is nearly that simple to do. Now that you have a website, it will cost you approximately $25-$50 a month to maintain. Not a bad investment if it brings one unsolicited new patient into your doors a month. There are no guarantees except that without a website, you will not capture any of those potential patients conducting online searches for eyecare-related products and services.

The next big issue to tackle is the online sale of contact lenses to your patients. Here again, there are several providers that can set your practice website up with online contact lenses ordering (e-commerce) capabilities without breaking the bank. Several leading providers also offer an automated 1-800 phone commerce system so that your patients can access a toll free number to reach your service. So instead of complaining about somebody stealing your contact lens patients, invest in your future and the future of your practice. Provide yourself with a modern tool to retain your valued patients.

Let's face it... more people used the Internet to shop for and purchase goods and services this year than a year ago. This trend is not likely to change anytime soon. While this concept is still fairly new to many in the independent eyecare practitioner community, it is certainly a unique opportunity to distinguish your practice from that of a competitor. More convenience, more options... if your patients want to order online, they might as well order from a trusted professional they know and who knows them!

Yes, you will still likely lose a patient or two. But by positioning your practice for the future, you can effectively improve patient retention and satisfaction. And, at least you can rest assured that at the end of the day you did something to stop the flood of contact lens prescriptions out of your office to some online retailer. As a consumer who prefers the ease and convenience of purchasing online, I'd much rather give my business to a trusted professional whom I know than buy from someone I don't know or trust. Give me that option!!

To learn more, eye care providers can visit Responsible Marketing Consulting Services online at http://www.resmarkconsulting.com.

Seacret Direct Product Review - Dead Sea Secrets?

When you begin to think about any multilevel marketing organization, it is important to take into account several different things, with products as a possible essential consideration. The first question you should think about is: do they work? This might appear to be an easy one, however making certain your product or service is in fact doing what it is proposed to do is a good starting point. The second consideration is: do they fit for me personally? If you don't believe in what you're doing, your prospective customers will be able to identify this when you are talking to them about your opportunity. Of final consideration are the tools and presentation supplies that your business has available for you to get the relevant information in front of your potential customers. You don't just want to bombard them with information, so having these tools will be helpful, not just to enable them to better fully grasp what you are offering, but additionally so that you project to them an image of ease as it relates to building the business.

Seacret Direct Product Overview

Seacret Direct offers a wide range of products that are mostly related to skin and personal care with the overall theme being their ingredients taken from the Dead Sea. I can't really speak to the efficacy of using the Dead Sea ingredients, but it does at least sound like an interesting idea. I will come back to this later in the article, but even with considering the uncertainty about the Dead Sea claim, this company started off as a general retail company that has done over $500 million in sales, indicating that the product is popular and people are interested in buying. This is a good foundation for a network marketing product and with that foundation in mind, let's look a little but more in-depth.

What About the Dead Sea?

The Dead Sea is an inland salt water lake (at least it looks that way on the map) that is located on the border of Israel and Jordan in the Middle East that contains roughly 45,000 million tons of salt that are rich in minerals a process that occurs from a mix of evaporation and solar radiation, yielding 26 essential minerals that are reported to not exist anywhere else in the world. With this in mind, these minerals are thought to provide unique qualities that can nourish the skin by correcting the function of the skin layers. As minerals make up only a small amount of your body weight, they don't get too much attention for their health benefits, but they are critical for essential body processes; however this fact doesn't mean they have to be "Dead Sea" minerals in order to accomplish this. Having said that, there may be some additional benefit due to the wide variety of minerals and natural composition in the Seacret Direct products.

The main products offered in this company are facial and skin care products, with a wide range from night-time cream, to body, foot and face lotion, along with many others. There is also a Re-Cover Masque product that is reported to give a little extra boost for your facial skin care. As you might guess, you have to consider how interested people would be to switch their skin care products, as people tend to get very attached to personal care products. The other thing to consider, with a product like this in a network marketing company, is the fact that most of these products seem to be more geared towards women, which may alter your recruiting strategies. It doesn't mean you can't build a business (as evidenced by the success of Mary Kay), but it is something to consider and this company seems to have recognized that by coming out with a line of skin care products specifically for men. Although you still need to consider that despite the existence of products for men, it is unlikely that men would be as interested as women. Just a couple of things to keep in mind, but outside of these criticisms, the product does seem to be quite popular which is always a good foundation for network marketing success.

Again, carry out your own personal due diligence after which return to those three quick questions near the top of this article, all the while keeping in mind your network as well as your business partners (ie, your up-line) are most likely going to be the most significant facets of your network marketing business to consider, so try not to get too caught up in the products. This doesn't mean that specific aspects of the company aren't important and doing a thorough Seacret Direct Review can assist this process.

Direct Mail for Optometrists

Optometrists must advertise and market and rely on word-of-mouth referrals from other doctors and patients to get new clients. Word of mouth advertising and referrals make a lot of sense but first you need to get those clients in the door so they can refer you to others after they have a good experience.

Of course when devising an advertising and marketing program for Optometrists you must also understand that the customers cannot often see very well and therefore some conventional advertising does not work. They can hear so radio might be an idea although in larger markets it sure gets costly.

It is recommended that optometrist use direct-mail marketing and direct-mail coupon booklets or packages to promote their professional practice. It makes sense for an optometrists to send out direct-mail marketing packages to those customers within a 15 mile radius of their practice and to do so every six months.

Each piece sent out should have large type set and easy to read fonts so that people who have a hard time seeing will be able to read them. Direct-mail marketing and advertising works for optometrists in professional practice, so, please consider all this in 2006.