As 2019 draws to a close, the symbolism of 2020 on the world of optics is beginning to loom large and every facet of the industry is looking to capitalise.
Next year offers a real opportunity for the optics industry to create a legacy among the general public about everything it stands for – excellence in patient care, excellence in service and, although there are a number of practitioners who don’t like to admit it, excellence in fashion.
So, it’s important not to waste this opportunity, because trading on ageing populations will only get you so far if there is no engagement at an early age. Industry awareness drives such as World Sight Day and National Eye Health Week, along with the wider sector, need to be ‘on point’ and ‘woke’ in 2020, because there’s a generation of young people out there who aren’t being ‘shook’ by the eye care profession right now.
New retail disruptors put fashion at the centre of their offering with the eye care side taking a back seat and buying contact lenses online is getting easier by the month. While all this is very convenient for today’s young people, it does increase the chance that they’ll fall out of the eye care loop. Trying to explain that to them without being greeted with ‘OK, boomer’ might be a difficult task, but I think as an industry optics is more than capable of adapting.
Looking specifically at Generation Z (14 to 21-year-olds), there are a number of their habits that could be leveraged. Retail Assist research from 2018 found that 58% of Generation Z preferred shopping on the high street compared to online and 73% said they would purchase based on a recommendation from social media. To my mind, that says start by making your practice interesting and get patients to spread the word.
