I’ve been working in patient-pay ophthalmology for more than 20 years, and it’s still amusing to see how surgeons light up over the latest innovation. A new intraocular lenes (IOL) hits the market and the buzz spreads like wildfire.
“Have you tried it yet?”. “It’s a game changer”. And “my patients love it”.
Before long, adoption ramps up, symposia fill with those who want to know more, and early adopters proudly share their first cases on social media.
And just like that, market share starts shifting. Competitors scramble, tweak their messaging, and try to hold on for dear life.
It’s fascinating. And frustrating. We pour energy into defending our slice of the pie, adapting our strategies, and upgrading our offerings to keep pace.
But the truth is, we’re not growing the pie itself.
We’ve built a market where we reshuffle existing demand rather than cultivating awareness or expanding patient engagement. We’re fighting over the same small pool of patients who are already educated, already motivated, and already seeking premium solutions.
Meanwhile, countless others who could benefit don’t even know it exists.
For surgeons, that’s the opportunity you’re not addressing. You can do more than just adopt innovation – you can activate it.
The real innovation surgeons need to embrace: Demand creation.
Innovation in ophthalmology is incredible. We’re privileged to work in a field where R&D directly translates into improved quality-of-life. Whether it’s premium IOLs, interventional glaucoma modalities, AI-driven diagnostics, or dry eye treatments, the tools we have today are light years ahead of what existed just a decade ago.
But technology alone doesn’t grow markets. Education does. Communication does. Access does.
If the patient doesn’t understand their options, the most advanced lens in the world is irrelevant. If they don’t perceive the value, they won’t choose it. And if they never walk into your practice, they’re not even part of the conversation.
That’s not a tech problem. It’s a surgeon mindset problem.
Remember, expanding the pie starts in your own practice
Let’s stop pretending growth only happens when new patients somehow magically appear on your doorstep. Real growth happens when we stop slicing up the same pizza and start baking a bigger one.
So how do you, as a surgeon, help expand the pie?
1. Invest in pre-education: Don’t wait for patients to ask. Be proactive. Create content. Use digital channels to educate people long before they become patients.
2. Tell better stories: Move beyond clinical jargon. Use patient-friendly language, real-life analogies, and emotional relevance. Demonstrate how what you do helps them to improve what they do.
3. Stop selling. Start guiding: There’s no “best” lens. There’s the right lens for the right person. Shift from presenting options to partnering with patients in shared decision-making, suggesting their single best solution based on their specific situation.
4. Be present where patients are: The majority of potential candidates for premium technologies aren’t in your chair yet. They’re online. Expand your visibility outside the operating room (OR).
5. Collaborate, don’t compete: There are more than enough potential patients to go around, more than the number of surgeons today could handle. Growth isn’t a zero-sum game. Work with peers, industry, and aligned organisations to raise awareness at scale. When more patients understand the value of what you do, everyone wins.
What if just 10% more cataract patients chose a premium lens because they understood their options ahead of time?
What if 20% more dry eye sufferers sought help instead of assuming it was just normal?
What if every new patient came in knowing that surgical decisions aren’t one-size-fits-all?
You don’t need to wait for the system to change. You don’t need permission. You just need to look beyond the four walls of the OR and step into the broader patient journey.
That’s how we expand the pie – not just for one practice, or one product – but for the entire profession.
At OPHTHALPRENEURS, we believe that when surgeons and industry stop fighting over slices, everything changes: More patients benefit. Practices grow. Technology thrives. The industry levels up.
And it starts with you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Name: Amanda Cardwell Carones
Qualifications: MPH
Affiliations: OPHTHALPRENEURS, founder
Location: Milan, Italy
Years in industry: 22
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