IDOC Optometric Alliance

10/15/2026

Your optical capture rate might be telling you more than you think.

In this clip from the Eye Own a Business podcast, Dr. Steve Vargo sits down with Andrew Bruce, a licensed optician with master-level credentials in ophthalmic optics and contact lenses, to talk about what it takes to keep patients and their eyewear purchases within your practice.

From stronger doctor-optician handoffs to recommending lenses with confidence, Andrew shares practical ways to improve the patient experience and strengthen your optical. One key takeaway? Eyewear isn’t an add-on to patient care. It’s part of the finish line.

Watch the full episode for insights you can put into practice, and rethink how your team approaches the eyewear conversation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D15XeOCoJKw

10/14/2026

Another successful Vision Forward event in the books! Thank you to everyone who joined us in Atlanta and helped make it a memorable experience.

Independent practice brings its share of challenges, and learning from peers helps turn shared experiences into fresh perspectives and practical next steps.

Over two days in Atlanta, our members explored ways to strengthen their practices, build patient relationships, drive business growth, and navigate the evolving landscape of independent optometry. Through practical presentations and candid roundtable discussions, they gained actionable insights to apply within their practices.

A special thank-you to our keynote speaker, Todd Bouldin, for sharing his insights on feedback and communication, and to Susan Daly, Jeremy Bono, Dr. Steve Vargo, and Nathan Hayes for sharing their expertise on practice operations, patient trust, marketing, and business growth. We’re grateful to all our speakers and to every IDOC member who contributed to the conversations that made Atlanta a success.

We have one final stop on the Vision Forward tour this year! Join us in Phoenix on November 6–7 to connect with peers, gain fresh perspectives, and bring practical insights back to your practice. There’s still time to register at https://idoc.swoogo.com/visionforward-phoenix26. We hope to see you there!

10/03/2026

How do you get patients to actually act on your recommendations?

In this episode, Dr. Steve Vargo explores what it takes to move from simply explaining options to getting real buy-in. He shares lessons on getting curious, building confidence, and creating commitment, with practical takeaways you can use with patients and your team.

Whether you’re recommending treatment, eyewear, or setting expectations with your staff, this episode is all about turning better conversations into better follow-through.

Listen to the full audio episode on all podcast platforms:

In this episode, Dr. Steve Vargo tackles the challenge that quietly separates good practices from great ones: getting people to actually act on what you recommend. Inspired by conversations at IDOC’s recent sales meetings in Pittsburgh, Steve shares three lessons from his audio course built on the...

10/01/2026

IDOC Rewards is here, giving independent optometrists more value from the programs and services they already use.

Members can earn points through qualifying IDOC programs, from IDOC Labs and contact lens share programs to vendor partnerships, practice support, and Vision Forward. The more you engage, the more you can save, with Gold and Platinum benefits offering up to $4,074 and $8,145 in annual savings.

It’s another way IDOC puts independent practices first.

Learn more at

The IDOC Rewards Program offers Essential Members the opportunity to earn cash back just by using services and products that their practice uses every day.

09/26/2026

The size of a frame assortment should support the patient experience, not overwhelm it.​

In this episode of the Eye Own a Business Podcast, host Steve Vargo and Susan Daly discuss how practices can think more strategically about frame inventory, assortment size, and display management.​

One of the key insights from the conversation is the relationship between annual frame sales and how many frames should realistically be on the board, while still maintaining a strong optical presentation and an easier decision-making experience for patients.​

To learn more about how simplification can improve patient decision-making and capture rates, watch the full episode on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBpQQ_UDTSM

09/26/2026

Your optical doesn’t have a product problem. It may have a complexity problem.​

For independent practice owners, more choices can mean more for your team to learn, explain, and navigate with every patient. Our latest blog looks at five ways complexity can creep into your optical and what you can do to simplify the experience without compromising the care you provide. Read the full blog for a closer look.

Too many choices can create complexity for your team and patients. Learn how simplifying your optical strategy can improve recommendations and capture.

09/24/2026

What actually breaks the handoff between the exam room and the optical?

Amie, optical manager at Spring Hill Eyecare, shares why skipping the handoff altogether is one of the biggest failure points, and how role play and repetition helped one of her green opticians find her voice and grow into her role.

The handoff isn’t just a courtesy. It’s the ignition switch for the entire optical revenue engine.

Listen to the full episode on all podcast platforms or YouTube for a closer look at what makes the handoff work at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tIX5KQFXKo

09/18/2026

Do you have an all-star team?

It’s easy to keep the people who step up when there’s a 911 situation. But Sharon Carter challenges practice owners to ask a bigger question: Are these actually the right people to help take your practice forward?

Building a great team means more than finding people who can get the job done. It means putting the right people in the right roles, giving them the tools to lead, empowering them to grow, and being willing to make adjustments when something isn’t working.

In this episode of the Eye Own a Business Podcast, Dr. Steve Vargo and Sharon Carter dive into what it really takes to build a team that drives practice growth, from leadership and communication to culture, accountability, and embracing failure.

Listen to the full episode on all podcast platforms or watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K-KqLVrOGs

09/15/2026

Small details in frame presentation can completely change how a patient perceives fit, style, and confidence.​

Susan Daly shares how factors like frame color and assortment balance can influence the way patients experience and respond to eyewear during the selection process.​

During her workshop session, Make Your Practice POP: People, Operations, Profit, for IDOC’s Vision Forward event, Susan will break down practical optical strategies that help practices improve merchandising, simplify patient decision-making, and create stronger outcomes across the dispensing experience.​

Vision Forward brings together hands-on workshops designed to help independent practice owners and office managers refocus, collaborate, and build smarter strategies for growth.​

There are two more opportunities to experience Vision Forward in 2026:​
📍 Atlanta | October 9–10​
📍 Phoenix | November 6–7​

Come for the learning. Stay for the community. We’d love to see you there.​

Register at https://optometry.idoc.net/vision-forward-2026-interest

09/12/2026

What happens when an optometrist stops apologizing for wanting to make money?

In this episode of the Eye Own a Business Podcast, host Dr. Steve Vargo and Dr. Allan Panzer discuss why he has never apologized for wanting to make money and how that mindset has shaped 47 years of independent optometry.

The conversation explores Allan’s approach to practice profitability, the ROI of Optos, why retinal screening has become such a high-value service, and why reviews can be more powerful than advertising.

To hear Dr. Panzer perspective on building a profitable, patient-first practice, listen on all podcast platforms or watch “I Like to Make Money” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6SquO49zfo&t=2s