RELATED CONTENT

 

 
Accurate Optical Company

Salisbury, MD.
www.accurateoptical.com
Owners: Steven M. Zeidman, OD
Charles L. McDonald, OD
John F. Lynch, JR., OD



 
SUBMISSION ESSAY…

 
 
“As part of the company’s green initiative and commitment to preserving resources, Accurate Optical made a commitment to reduce its consumption of a few specific consumables: Paper, plastic, electricity and water.


•Paper: Following an EMR upgrade, Accurate Optical brought in multifunction scanner, copier, fax and printer units in all eight locations. The goal was to significantly reduce paper consumption during patient visits by scanning forms directly into the patient record at the point of service, eliminating the need to make copies of forms, ID cards and supporting documentation. In the year following the install, consumption has dropped by almost 60 percent.

•Plastic: As a customer service benefit, Accurate Optical provided free eyeglass cleaner kits to patients following the purchase of eyewear. Last calendar year, the company distributed 37,000 1 oz. plastic cleaner bottles. With a slight change in policy, the company now refills bottles at no cost to patients. This change will reduce the number of bottles dispensed to around 9,000 annually.

•Electricity: Accurate Optical has replaced every florescent fixture with high efficiency ballasts and motion-sensitive LED lighting in all retail locations and the company’s corporate office. Additionally, timed motion sensors have replaced light switches in offices and any nonessential space. The new lighting system helps reduce energy consumption while also providing significant cost savings of around 36 percent monthly.

•Water: Accurate Optical was the first independent optical retailer to invest in the digital freeform lens manufacturing equipment. The Coburn Technologies ALPS system reduced plastic lens inventory by 3,500 pairs, and saved significant water consumption in generation and fining/polishing. The company’s main lab now uses tablespoons of water for surfacing instead of cups or gallons used for traditional surfacing.

While each of these initiatives are small by themselves, their implementation has greatly reduced the organization’s carbon footprint.”