Eye Trend has become a force in east Melbourne’s independent optometry scene after opening its sixth site. This time, the innovative business has added a twist after obtaining ZEISS Vision Expert status for its latest location.
Walking through Eye Trend’s newest site in Eastland shopping centre in Melbourne’s east, it’s clear Ms Helen Lee – owner of the multi-site independent optometry business – has left no stone unturned. A kid’s corner, paediatric consultation room, on-site lens edging service, and what she describes as a “mini hospital” of diagnostic equipment indicate this new venture is her most audacious yet.
On closer inspection, there also isn’t a PC anywhere in-store. Instead, the entire patient journey is managed seamlessly on iPads (even the subjective refraction), with the patient readings from each device immediately available at the touch of a button. But one of the most notable features of this Eye Trend practice is the omnipresence of advanced equipment and lenses from ZEISS.
Eye Trend has been a major proponent of ZEISS lenses since it switched to the brand in 2018. However, when the prospect of entering Eastland arose, it wasn’t only an opportunity to expand the Eye Trend business, but a chance to deepen its ties with the lens supplier by becoming a ZEISS Vision Expert practice.
So, what does this mean? ZEISS Vision Care Australia and New Zealand recently launched its partner program comprising of multiple levels for independent practice customers: the pinnacle of this is ZEISS VISION CENTRE (more on this later), with the next tier being ZEISS Vision Expert.
For Eye Trend Eastland, instead of carrying ZEISS lenses, it has been purpose built to incorporate the full gamut of ZEISS refractive, diagnostic and dispensing equipment. This is all seamlessly linked via ZEISS Forum data management software. The practice also received comprehensive in-person support during the fit-out stage, and practice staff have been trained on all aspects of the company’s equipment and lenses. ZEISS also supports the practice with customised marketing.
Importantly, Eye Trend maintains its independence, without ZEISS determining the way the practice is designed, run or the product it stocks – although the ZEISS brand remains prominent.
“Being a ZEISS Vision Expert store helps us to elevate the customer experience from the moment a patient enters our store to the moment they leave,” says Ms Charlotte Ng, Lee’s daughter and Eye Trend’s marketing manager who has been influential in setting up the new site.
“There are ZEISS touchpoints that help us deliver a modern, digitalised and high standard of service, whether that’s in eyecare or dispensing eyewear. When you walk past our store, you’ll see the attention-grabbing ZEISS Visufit 1000 digital centration device in the front window. The ZEISS lens experience bar allows us to explore all the lens options with the patient and find the one that best suits their vision needs and lifestyle. Then, in the consultation room, mostly everything is ZEISS diagnostic and vision testing equipment.”
The practice is fitted out with the ZEISS Visuscreen 500 & ZEISS Visuphor 500 that Ng says “provides an innovative contactless digital vision testing experience”, ZEISS Visuref 150 autorefractor, and the ZEISS SL220 Slit Lamp. But Eye Trend has invested in ophthalmology-grade diagnostics too.
Instruments such as the ZEISS Cirrus 5000 OCT featuring angiography, ZEISS Clarus 500 ultra widefield fundus camera, and the ZEISS Humphrey Field Analyzer 3 perimeter can be found in a dedicated room where more advanced testing is done on selected patients.
When you combine this with the on-site lens lab – and thereby quick turnaround times – paediatric vision testing, vision therapy and management – it’s easy to see how this practice is the realisation of Lee’s vision for the business she took over in 2007. That is, placing equal importance on full-scope optometry and excellent optical dispensing, believing “one cannot survive without the other”.
“We want to show to our customers that you can attain this level of eyecare, no matter your background,” Ng says. “It’s not just for people who have a lot of money or with significant problems, we actually need patients to go through the eye exam journey at an earlier stage so that we can get a baseline and catch or identify those problems early on.”
Coming from a poor family in Hong Kong, Lee says she struggled to focus at school. Teachers didn’t invest in her education, but she believes she would have benefitted from vision therapy. That’s why she has invested so much in her practice, with altruistic motivations.
“The number one reason I like working with ZEISS is because of the quality of their products. Number two is the quality of their support team,” she says.
Ng adds: “Ever since we started offering ZEISS, people have really appreciated the quality of the lenses we offer. We actually have people purchasing a cheaper frame so they can invest in the right lenses for their specific eyecare needs. This shows consumers are more focussed on looking after their health.
“I’ve always said if my mum wasn’t doing this, she would be doing charity work. At the end of the day, we want to make sure we’re leaving a positive impact on the people that we serve.”
Collaborating with independent optometry
For Eye Trend Eastland, becoming a ZEISS Vision Expert practice has been a positive experience, given the stress that comes with establishing a practice from scratch.
“The support has always been first rate, but since becoming a ZEISS Vision Expert practice, it’s gone to a new level. Even after we opened, we had members from the ZEISS team visit us every day to ensure we were supported. They understood we’ve just opened and need their support in delivering the ZEISS experience to our customers,” Ng says.
Mr Jason Bowen, national sales manager at ZEISS Vision Care ANZ, says the ZEISS Vision Expert program centres around the practice’s business ambitions to drive growth and success in its local market.
“A requirement of a ZEISS Vision Expert practice is an investment into the consumer journey including utilisation of ZEISS equipment, visibility of the ZEISS brand within the practice and online, prescribing ZEISS branded lenses, and electronic ordering. ZEISS interactive point-of-sale supports an exceptional consumer journey – including a ZEISS lens experience bar, creating a dispensing destination within the practice,” he says.
“ZEISS also offers significant digital marketing support with complete audits of the practices’ social footprint and digital tools such as ZEISS Visuconsult, Visustore and apps including ZEISS Vision Screening.”
For Eye Trend, the advantage of being a ZEISS Vision Expert practice means it can benefit from the lens company’s brand and technology, while maintaining its operational freedom.
“We have been very lucky to find ZEISS,” Ng says. “It’s been very good to leverage a premium brand based on innovation and aligns perfectly with our business. A large portion of our customer base are now also familiar with the ZEISS brand, and are seeking it out when they come back in store.”
Ms Gail Giordani, head of ZEISS Vision Care ANZ, says Eye Trend has been a partner for many years, so this is a natural evolution for the practice.
“They continue to prioritise premium lenses and utilising the latest ZEISS equipment to deliver exceptional eyecare via the consumer experience,” she says.
By launching the ZEISS partner program, Giordani says the company is excited to introduce new business concepts for independent customers seeking to elevate and differentiate their practices.
The pinnacle of the partner program is the ZEISS Vision Centre concept that creates a new optical shopping experience for patients using digital technology networked end-to-end together with innovative technology, premium products and “a clear, modern yet timeless shop design”. The first of these – ZEISS Vision Centre by Sigo Eyecare – opened in December 2023 at Westfield Booragoon in Perth, Western Australia.
“The ZEISS Vision Centre ecosystem provides precise vision analysis, in-depth lens consultation, and a selection of perfectly fitting lenses and frames,” Giordani says.
“To date, more than 200 ZEISS Vision Centres have opened in around 35 countries, including the US, China (Hong Kong), South Africa, Brazil, Germany, and now Australia. These specialist retail stores are owned and operated by independent eyecare providers who enter an exclusive, long-term partnership with ZEISS.”
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Sigo Eyecare opening Australia’s first ZEISS VISION CENTRE concept store
ZEISS now offering complete Kids Portfolio
ZEISS MyoCare lens takes an age-related approach to myopia control
