As an ECP, you know that every one of your patients will benefit from high quality prescription sunwear.
But many patients consider multiple pairs of prescription glasses a luxury, not a necessity, and are reluctant to make the investment. Remember, objections are an opportunity to build credibility and expertise.
Below, the top three reasons patients object to prescription sunwear, and how you can respond:
Sunglasses are too expensive: This is an area where most patients are short-sighted, so it’s up to you to give them the long range view. Sure, sunglasses will help them see better, but they also protect eye health by delaying or reducing the risk of a number of conditions including cataracts, macular degeneration, and corneal disease. A quality pair of sunglasses is much less expensive than medical treatment.
They’re not sensitive to light: Just because a patient isn’t uncomfortable in bright sunlight doesn’t mean their eyes aren’t sensitive. Everyone’s retinas are light-sensitive, and sensitivity is heightened by conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and some medications. Just like skin, the eyes are susceptible to damage from the sun’s UV rays, and although it may take years for the effects to become apparent, damage is occurring daily. As an ECP, one of your main concerns is that sunglasses offer protection from UV rays.
Sunglasses just end up lost or damaged: Sunglasses get tossed in purses, squished in a pocket, scratched, dropped, and left behind alarmingly often. But that’s partly because patients don’t value cheap, easily replaceable sunglasses they same way as they value the regular glasses that they depend on every day. Almost without fail, once a patient invests in quality sunwear and sees what a huge visual difference it makes, they will treat their sunwear like gold.
