Two Australian optometrists in two very different markets share one important thing in common:
the support of a global company that helps them succeed as independents.
When you’re a small player in a competitive marketplace, sometimes it pays to have a big friend to lean on and bounce off.
For two independent Australian optometry practices, that’s exactly what they’ve got in their primary contact lens supplier, CooperVision. That and a great deal more. Because sometimes, it’s the little things that are important as well.
Derek Posniak Optometrist and Central Coast Eyecare are two very different operations in two very different parts of New South Wales.
Dr Posniak is a sole operator in the leafy North Sydney suburb of Turramurra. His practice is small, and the customers are largely older and retired.
Meanwhile, Dr Katy Casey and partner Dr Phil Crossfield own three practices as part of Central Coast Eyecare – in Gosford, Erina and Killarney Vale. That’s set to grow to four businesses in the next couple of months. They have eight optometrists and a collective database of about 40,000 patients. Clientele range from children through to elderly customers.
In Gosford, the younger clients are more likely to favour contact lenses, while Posniak’s older customers lean more towards glasses.
Between the two businesses, there’s some key differences, but they also share two important similarities.
The first, and most challenging, is competition.
There’s plenty of that, says Dr Posniak. “It’s quite dramatic. There’s a lot of optometrists and the big companies in the big shops, they literally surround me. I’m the only one in my little area here.”
It’s a similar story in and around Gosford, says Dr Casey. Her practice may be a little bigger than Posniak’s but it still faces stiff competition from chain stores and online buying.
However, the two are thankful that they have another thing in common – the support of CooperVision, a global leader in the manufacture and distribution of soft contact lenses.
In a tough, competitive market with increasingly bigger corporate players, they say CooperVision’s size and extensive contact lens range can help independents gain a point or two of difference, level the playing field and maintain a profitable position in the market.
Both agree that a key advantage in dealing with the company is the ability to offer unique customised product offerings.
That makes it difficult for customers to go online in search of a cheaper version of the product, says Dr Casey.
“That’s a big one for us,” she says. “The patients are less able to try and buy the lenses online or from a competitor, because the lenses they’ve got in their hands are exclusively branded.”
Dr Posniak agrees.
“A huge amount of people have started using the internet, because they can undercut the price offered by the independent practices quite dramatically.
“It’s very annoying when patients come in and I fix them up with contact lenses, and then I’ve noticed that they haven’t bought lenses from me for a couple of years.”
The ability to use an exclusive brand is something not all companies can offer.
“Some of the other brands I use, very well-known brands, if you go on the internet, you can get them easily.”
That helps him to build brand equity, revenue and retain the loyalty of many of his patients.
But CooperVision’s support for smaller independents goes beyond a big shoulder to lean on.
There’s the strength of working with a global leader in soft contact lenses.
CooperVision has the widest range of soft contact lens prescription options, including expanded parameters for its toric lenses in recent times, the constant innovation of product and the ability to use those products to support other growing areas, such as myopia management.
That’s a key consideration for Dr Casey, with a varied clientele and a growing interest in myopia. CooperVision’s MiSight 1-day lens offers a key advantage in this patient cohort: it remains the only contact lens with US FDA approval for slowing the progression of childhood myopia, has a range covering 99.97% of prescriptions for both Asian and Caucasian children with myopia and less than 1D of astigmatism, and is backed by the longest-running soft contact lens study among children.
“CooperVision has also got the power range, the materials and the lens designs that we need for just about everyone,” Dr Casey says.
“And they’ve also got a Biofinity XR design, which is like a custom disposable lens, for the people who have got the scripts that don’t fall in the normal ranges.”
In 2024, the company also launched Biofinity Energys. It claims these are the only contact lenses to feature Digital Zone Optics lens design, which reduces stress on eye muscles during digital device use.
Dr Posniak, too, relies on CooperVision’s extensive range to serve his clients.
“I need the one-day lenses, also the fortnightly ones, but also their daily disposable and monthly lenses to correct astigmatism,” he says. “And they are in the multifocal lenses as well for this area. So I’ll use, basically, all their portfolio.”
That extensive range, and the support that goes with it, also help to build customer loyalty and retention.
“It’s very rare I will get a patient where I can’t use one of the lenses,” Dr Posniak adds.
And it’s rare for Dr Posniak, Dr Casey and their practice colleagues to not be at the forefront of advances in contact lens materials, comfort and performance.
CooperVision aids with that as well, helping the pair understand the latest developments but also helping them recognise gaps in the marketplace and how to meet unmet needs, including groundbreaking work in slowing the progression of myopia in children.
The company’s website has plenty of information for practitioners about the latest advances in the industry, and this is followed up with webinars and regular visits by company reps to discuss new technology and equipment.
There’s even support for practitioners’ professional development via CooperVision’s on-demand education platform, CooperVision Academy and the regular educational in-person and live webinar events.
“Practitioners need to obtain a certain number of CPD hours per year,” says Casey, “so CooperVision offers an arrangement during the year with webinars or some face-to-face events to help with this.”
It’s one thing to be the big shoulder to lean on, but another thing that impresses Dr Casey about CooperVision is that despite its size, global reach and power, it also does the little things very well. It helps that the company has operations in Frenchs Forest, NSW, and Torrensville, SA, keeping customer service close to the market it services.
Beyond the branding, the range, the support for professional development, and even Central Coast Eyecare’s own marketing from time to time, the company does something she claims others don’t: it listens.
She raves about the company’s rep, the relationship they have established, and the reaction to feedback from customers and colleagues.
“CooperVision doesn’t pretend to listen, they genuinely want to hear what we say, and they try to give us solutions to compete in a world where we are the little fish.”
Dr Posniak agrees.
“It’s one of the most important things, that they support me . . . it’s a two-way relationship, it works beautifully.”
Casey goes even further.
“If I was speaking to someone who was opening up a practice for themselves for the first time, CooperVision would be my only recommendation for the lens company to chat with. That’s because they do actually listen and they care about the independents.”
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