Time flies! It’s hard to believe another year has passed and we are reporting on our third annual “Ophthalmic Professional Subscriber Survey.” Looking at the numbers, it’s clear that for most respondents, a position as an allied health professional in ophthalmology is a career, not just a job: Fifty-two percent of those surveyed report working in an ophthalmic-related position for more than 20 years. Of those respondents, about 48% report working in the same practice for more than 20 years. Other findings include:

• Our readers are well-qualified and trained — 83% report earning an effective certification.
• Most respondents (58%) are compensated on an hourly basis, and 46% report their compensation includes a bonus.

For more, see our article on page 10.

Additional staff benefits

Among the benefits offered by practices, some are not reported in the survey, such as comprehensive eye exams. As Contributing Editor Jen Kirby explains in the article, “Should practices offer staff eye exams?” (page 32), the exams not only address employees’ health and vision, they also serve as an educational tool so staff can explain what patients should expect during their visit.

Not every eye exam is a comprehensive one. Therefore, the person taking the patient’s call must ask relevant questions in order to book the appointment properly. Amy Jost, COMT, shares her knowledge about triage and provides tools that are used successfully in her practice in “Build a successful triage team” (page 18).

There have been many recent advances in the choices patients have when it comes to being less dependent on reading glasses. Dr. Ralph Chu and members of the Chu Vision team explain the newest options for the surgical correction of presbyopia, beginning on page 24.

These are just a few of the articles contained in this issue of Ophthalmic Professional. We hope you find these and the others interesting reading. Co-editor-in-Chief Bruce Maller and I appreciate your continued support. Please keep your suggestions coming. OP