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“I believe that Rx safety eyewear is the only untapped opportunity for the ophthalmic industry today,” said Hal Walker, president of Superior Optical, an independent wholesale lab in Ocean Springs, Miss. Walker believes the potential is stagnating because it requires some out-of-the-box efforts to develop the business.

Superior Optical has been doing this successfully for the past 15+ years with both small and large industries in its service area. Safety products represent about 3 percent to 4 percent of the lab’s volume today. “Our sales reps reach out to companies to review OSHA regulations using a portfolio I developed that explains the importance of compliance,” said Walker. “Once you set up the need and explain how you can meet this, the companies get psyched.”

Superior will then put together an SRx dispensing program that meets each customer’s requirements, which vary by industry. “This takes time to set up initially because of idiosyncrasies with billing and support services, but once you have the proper protocols in place, it’s clockwork,” said Walker.

Opticians and optometrists linked to Superior’s ECP network play an integral role in their safety eyewear programs, noted Walker. With new customers, the lab may contact ECPs located nearby to set up exams and, based on the contract, to handle frame selection and fittings for employees. “The residual benefit for ECPs is that this opens the door to other opportunities like upselling product features and providing regular eyewear beyond safety eyeglasses,” said Walker.

For its larger customers, Superior sets up on-site dispensing in the companies’ plant locations to provide frame selection and fittings for employees. Safety eyewear contracts with its big safety eyewear accounts generate tens of thousands of dollars in revenue each month.