Defocus Media Eyecare and Optometry Podcast Network

Key Takeaways Virtual assistants in optometry are real people who can use AI-enhanced tools to improve efficiency while preserving human interaction. Teem’s AI phone coaching tool can help virtual optometry assistants and team members improve patient communication, information gathering, and conversion. AI-supported analysis of denied claims can help team members identify potential problems faster and improve revenue cycle workflows. Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing healthcare, but for optometrists and practice owners, the biggest opportunity may not be replacing people. It may be helping good people perform their jobs better. That distinction matters especially as virtual assistants grow in optometry and eye care. That idea shaped a recent Defocus Media conversation between Dr. Darryl Glover and Corey Pinegar, CEO of Teem, about human virtual assistants, artificial intelligence, phone coaching, denied claims, staffing, and the operational pressures facing eye care practices. Rather than positioning AI as a substitute for practice staff, Pinegar described a model in which technology enhances real people’s capabilities. Teem provides human virtual assistants who support practices with administrative responsibilities, using AI-enhanced tools to improve how they perform certain tasks. Two examples stood out during the conversation: an AI phone coaching tool designed to help team members improve patient conversations and a claims copilot that can help employees analyze denied claims. For eye care professionals, that distinction matters. Virtual assistants in eye care are people—not AI bots replacing the practice team. When those people have the right AI tools, they may work more efficiently, improve consistency, and reduce the administrative burden on doctors and in-office employees. The bigger question for practice owners is no longer simply, “Should the practice use AI?” It is: How can people use AI to solve real problems without sacrificing the human experience? What Are Virtual Assistants in Optometry? Virtual assistants in optometry are remote human team members who support administrative and operational responsibilities within an eye care practice. Depending on the role and the practice’s needs, they may assist with patient communication, scheduling, insurance-related tasks, recare, claims support, and other nonclinical responsibilities. That definition is important as AI becomes more prominent. An optometry virtual assistant does not necessarily mean an AI chatbot or automated system. In Teem’s model, the virtual assistant is a person. Artificial intelligence is a tool that can help that person perform certain responsibilities more effectively. For Pinegar, the opportunity begins with a problem familiar to many practice owners: staffing has become difficult. Hiring, retaining, and training employees requires significant time, while the administrative responsibilities of running a practice continue to grow. Teem’s model gives practices access to remote human talent that can take on some of this work. But the conversation with Glover went beyond traditional virtual staffing. Pinegar explained how Teem is layering AI tools onto its virtual assistant model to help good team members become even more effective. The opportunity is therefore not simply moving a task from someone inside the practice to someone working remotely. It is identifying repetitive, time-consuming work and giving the person responsible better tools. For optometrists already balancing patient care with payroll, staffing, insurance, scheduling, training, and other business responsibilities, this can have implications far beyond convenience. How Are Virtual Assistants in Eye Care Helping Optometry Practices? Virtual assistants in eye care can help practices manage administrative responsibilities without keeping every task in-house. When paired with appropriate AI tools, human virtual assistants may also be able to complete certain processes more efficiently and consistently. Pinegar described the economic challenge facing practices as a widening gap between the cost of operating a business and what practices are able to collect for services. Historically, one response has been to increase patient volume. But continually adding patients without improving the systems that support those visits can put more pressure on doctors and staff. Burnout then becomes more than a doctor problem. Front-desk employees answer calls throughout the day. Team members verify insurance, manage schedules, work denied claims, handle recare, collect information, and respond to patient questions. When someone leaves, the practice has to recruit and train a replacement while remaining employees absorb additional responsibilities. That instability eventually reaches the doctor. Human virtual assistants in optometry provide another way to distribute that workload. Teem’s approach adds a second layer: equipping those people with AI-supported tools that can help them improve specific areas of performance. The goal is not simply doing more work. It is creating a better operating model around the work that already needs to be done. Will AI Replace the Human Connection in Eye Care? AI should not replace the human connection in eye care. Its strongest applications may involve improving the processes surrounding patient care so doctors, virtual assistants, and in-office team members have greater capacity for meaningful human interactions. Pinegar used commercial aviation to illustrate the concept. Modern airplanes contain extensive automation, yet pilots remain essential. Technology handles portions of the process, while people provide judgment, oversight, communication, and intervention when something unexpected happens. Healthcare carries a similar lesson. Patients still want someone who listens when they call. They want a team member who understands their concerns. They want an optometrist who can interpret information, communicate recommendations, and build trust. As Pinegar explained: “Human work that is important should be left to human beings.” — Corey Pinegar That philosophy helps define how Teem approaches virtual assistants in eye care and AI. Rather than pushing artificial intelligence into every patient interaction, Teem uses technology behind the scenes to coach people, analyze information, improve processes, and reduce repetitive administrative work. The patient can still interact with a human. AI simply gives that person another tool. How Can Teem’s AI Phone Coaching Tool Improve Patient Calls? Teem’s phone coaching tool uses AI to analyze completed calls and provide feedback that can help human virtual assistants and other team members improve future patient conversations. This was one of the most practical examples discussed during the podcast. After a new-patient, existing-patient, outbound, or recare call, the tool can analyze the recording or transcript. The phone coaching tool can evaluate whether the employee performed appropriate discovery, developed warmth and rapport, collected and clarified necessary information, and moved the conversation toward the appropriate outcome. That creates an entirely different approach to staff development. Rather than using AI to replace the person answering the telephone, Teem uses AI behind the human interaction. The patient still speaks with a person, but technology can help that person communicate more effectively. This distinction matters most for practices evaluating virtual assistants in optometry. Hiring a virtual assistant can provide additional capacity, but coaching and developing that employee remains important. AI creates an opportunity to make that coaching more consistent and measurable. Why Phone Coaching Matters for Optometry Practice Growth The telephone remains one of the most important conversion points in an eye care practice. A practice can invest in its website, Google presence, social media, referrals, and advertising, but those efforts lose value if a prospective patient calls and has a poor experience. Glover captured that opportunity during the conversation: “We all know the money's in the phone, right? The calls.” — Dr. Darryl Glover A prospective patient may have questions about insurance, appointment availability, contact lenses, symptoms, or what type of appointment to schedule. Answering the call is only the beginning. Did the team member listen? Did they understand why the person called? Did they establish rapport? Did they collect the information required for insurance verification? Did they confidently guide the patient toward the appropriate next step? Practice owners cannot personally listen to and coach every conversation. A phone coaching tool enables a more consistent feedback loop. A human virtual assistant can complete a call, receive structured feedback, identify opportunities for improvement, and apply those lessons to future conversations. Pinegar gave the example of moving new-patient conversion from 64% to 68%. Four percentage points may seem modest in isolation, but across hundreds of prospective-patient calls, incremental improvements can become meaningful. This is where Teem’s combination of human virtual assistants and AI phone coaching becomes especially relevant. The technology is not replacing the employee who speaks with the patient. It is helping that employee improve. How Can Teem Use AI to Help With Denied Claims? Teem is also developing AI-supported claims tools designed to help human team members understand denied claims and identify information that may require correction or clarification. Denied claims represent a very different challenge from patient phone calls, but they illustrate the same AI strategy: use technology to help a person solve an administrative problem more effectively. When a cl

What happens when a beloved children’s television mascot becomes a ruthless killer? In this episode of the OD’ing on Movies Podcast, Dr. Jacobi Cleaver and Dr. Jacob Wilson review Buddy, a horror comedy that transforms the cheerful world of 1990s children’s programming into a bloody nightmare. From its outrageous violence and dark humor to an unexpected discussion of ocular injuries, the two optometrists explore what makes this unconventional film both entertaining and unsettling. A Childhood Favorite Turned Nightmare At first glance, Buddy resembles a familiar children’s television show, complete with colorful characters, catchy songs, and an enthusiastic orange unicorn. But beneath the cheerful exterior lies a disturbing reality: Buddy demands unconditional love and eliminates anyone who threatens his happiness. Wilson appreciated how quickly the film establishes its twisted premise. What begins as an innocent disagreement over dancing shoes soon reveals Buddy’s violent nature. Cleaver, meanwhile, recognized the film’s deliberate resemblance to Barney, particularly its nostalgic setting and revolving cast of children. For Wilson, the combination of absurdity, gore, and unpredictable humor made Buddy one of his favorite moviegoing experiences of the year. When Dark Comedy Meets Horror As the story unfolds, Buddy’s increasingly violent behavior transforms his colorful television world into a dangerous prison. Children disappear, familiar characters are replaced, and attempts to escape are met with gruesome consequences. Both optometrists found humor in the film’s outrageous premise, although certain creative decisions divided their opinions. Wilson felt the encounter with a cowboy and puppet in the woods introduced an unnecessarily uncomfortable element. Cleaver similarly questioned its relevance to the story and expressed disappointment with Buddy’s eventual transformation into a dragon-like creature. Despite these reservations, the film’s willingness to embrace the ridiculous kept both engaged. The Optometry Behind Buddy’s Injuries One particularly memorable scene provided an unexpected opportunity to connect horror with eye care. After Buddy suffers severe facial burns, Cleaver draws attention to the damage surrounding the unicorn’s eye. Wilson explains that patients with significant facial burns can experience impaired eyelid function, leaving the ocular surface vulnerable. Without adequate eyelid closure, the cornea may develop exposure keratopathy, potentially progressing to more serious complications, including corneal ulceration and perforation. The conversation takes a humorous turn when the doctors question whether Buddy even has functional eyelids. Their clinical observations highlight the podcast’s distinctive approach: finding meaningful optometric connections in even the most unconventional films. An Unpredictable Ending and a Lasting Impression The film’s final confrontation leaves Freddy battling Buddy after her mother sacrifices herself to help the children escape. Although Freddy ultimately defeats the murderous unicorn, her journey ends without the reunion Wilson had hoped for. Rather than restoring everything to normal, the conclusion leaves unanswered questions about Buddy’s world and the possibility of other sinister television characters. For Cleaver and Wilson, Buddy succeeds through its unusual blend of nostalgia, horror, and dark comedy, even when its storytelling becomes excessive. Ultimately, this episode demonstrates how two optometrists can turn an outrageous horror movie into an entertaining conversation about filmmaking, childhood nostalgia, and the surprising importance of healthy eyelids.

Childhood myopia, or nearsightedness, does not have to mean stronger glasses every year. Myopia management offers treatment options designed to slow the progression of nearsightedness in children, including MiSight contact lenses, orthokeratology (Ortho-K), atropine, and myopia-control glasses. As these options become more widely available, optometrists can move beyond simply correcting vision and help families take a more proactive approach to their children’s eye health. In Partnership with CooperVision On the Defocus Media Podcast, Dr. Jennifer Lyerly and Dr. Alicia Barnes explore how to select the right myopia control treatment, educate parents, and make myopia management part of everyday eye care. Table of ContentsMyopia Management Options for ChildrenChoosing the Right Myopia Control TreatmentTalking to Parents About Childhood Myopia ManagementHow to Bring Myopia Management Into Your Practice Myopia Management Options for Children Barnes’ experience with orthokeratology began roughly 25 years ago, before she thought of it specifically as myopia management. At the time, ortho-k offered patients another way to correct their vision without relying on daytime glasses or soft contact lenses. When she opened TrueVision Eye Care in 2013, patient demand helped shape the practice. Many families in the community already knew about orthokeratology and expected it to be available. As new research and myopia management options emerged, Barnes continued building on that foundation. Her experience also illustrates an important lesson for doctors interested in myopia management: you do not have to have everything figured out before getting started. Choosing the Right Myopia Control Treatment With more myopia control options available, selecting a treatment requires looking beyond the prescription. Barnes considers the child’s lifestyle, comfort, and preferences alongside the family’s concerns. A young athlete may appreciate the freedom of orthokeratology, but a child uncomfortable with overnight lenses may be better suited for another option, such as MiSight contact lenses. For children who do not want contact lenses, atropine or myopia-control glasses may also be considered. Lyerly emphasizes that anatomy, corneal topography, prescription, and daily activities also influence the decision. An avid swimmer, for example, may have different needs from a child with significant astigmatism. Just as important is including the child in the conversation. Barnes has learned not to spend an entire visit discussing a treatment with the parent only to discover that the child has no interest in it. Talking to Parents About Childhood Myopia Management Introducing myopia management does not require turning every comprehensive eye exam into a lengthy consultation. Barnes recalls times when enthusiasm led to 15-minute explanations that overwhelmed parents who had never heard of myopia management. The practice has since refined its approach: introduce the concept, provide educational materials, and invite families back for a dedicated consultation when appropriate. Lyerly takes a similar approach. Her goal isn’t for every family to choose MiSight, orthokeratology, or another treatment right away. Instead, she wants every parent to know that myopia management exists. “We’re presenting it. We’re never pushing it,” she says. That philosophy extends to cost. Providing financial information early lets families realistically evaluate their myopia control options before committing to a particular approach. How to Bring Myopia Management Into Your Practice Successful myopia management extends beyond the exam room. Barnes emphasizes training technicians, front-desk employees, and opticians so the entire team understands the purpose, processes, and pricing behind the service. Education matters for doctors, too. Lyerly points to CooperVision representatives as a resource for education about MiSight contact lenses and staff training, while Barnes highlights conferences such as Vision by Design for broader clinical and practice-management education. After a dedicated staff meeting on myopia management, Lyerly noticed parents were already holding educational brochures when she entered the exam room—evidence that the conversation was beginning before the doctor arrived. For clinicians hesitant to start, Barnes offers straightforward advice: “Just start where you are.” That may be the episode’s most practical takeaway. Myopia management does not have to begin with a perfect program. It can start by educating the team, introducing the conversation, and ensuring families know that options such as MiSight, orthokeratology, atropine, and myopia-control glasses exist. For Lyerly and Barnes, success begins with making sure parents know they can discuss more with their eye doctor than simply moving to a stronger prescription.

Dry eye care has become far more than recommending artificial tears and sending patients home. For practices willing to build the right systems around diagnosis, treatment and follow-up, it can become a sophisticated clinical service that improves patient care while creating a meaningful new revenue stream. On the 20/20 Podcast, Dr. Harbir Sian and Dr. Trevor Miranda explored what it takes to build that kind of practice and why success depends as much on people and processes as it does on technology. Topics Covered: Start With a Clinical FrameworkBuild a Team, Not a Doctor-Dependent ServiceMake the Handoff Part of the SystemTurn Good Ideas Into a Business Start With a Clinical Framework Dr. Miranda’s approach begins with what he calls the LION method: lids, inflammation, obstruction and nutrition. Rather than relying on a single treatment or device, the framework encourages clinicians to identify the different factors contributing to a patient’s ocular surface disease and address them accordingly. That philosophy naturally leads to a multimodal approach. Depending on the patient, Miranda’s clinics may incorporate lid hygiene, medications, nutritional support, gland expression, IPL, radiofrequency or other technologies. The goal is not to fit every patient into the same treatment plan, but to build a system capable of adapting to what each patient needs. Clinical results, Dr. Miranda emphasized, remain the foundation. When patients improve, they return, refer others and become advocates for the practice. Build a Team, Not a Doctor-Dependent Service Perhaps the biggest operational lesson from Miranda’s experience is that dry eye care should not depend entirely on the optometrist. His clinics employ five “ocular hygienists”—team members trained to understand treatments, educate patients, perform delegated procedures and communicate progress back to the doctor. That allows dry eye services to run alongside primary eye care rather than competing with the doctor’s exam schedule. Sian has seen a similar benefit in his own practice after training a technician to deliver treatments and document them in the electronic medical record. The shift, he said, took work off his plate while allowing treatment to continue as he performed exams elsewhere in the clinic. Dr. Miranda believes practices often underestimate what staff members can do when they receive meaningful education and responsibility. His ocular hygienists began by observing doctors as scribes, learning not only the clinical information but also how treatment recommendations were communicated to patients. Make the Handoff Part of the System Identifying dry eye is only the beginning. What happens after the diagnosis can determine whether patients actually receive care. Instead of asking front-desk or optical staff to explain specialized treatments, Miranda’s practice routes those conversations to ocular hygienists. If one is unavailable at the time of the exam, the patient can be contacted afterward for education and scheduling. The distinction between roles is deliberate: the doctor diagnoses the condition and recommends the appropriate treatment opportunity; trained team members then explain logistics and costs and help patients move forward. That system also allows the practice to offer structured pathways for different needs, including rosacea, chalazia and hordeola, and ocular surface optimization before cataract surgery. Turn Good Ideas Into a Business For Dr. Miranda, building the service also requires measurement. His recommendations include establishing a dry eye revenue goal, identifying a “dry eye champion,” holding quarterly team meetings and tracking internal referrals and other key performance indicators. Training must continue as well. Team members attend conferences, learn from industry representatives and stay involved in patient education. The objective is to create staff members who understand not only how to perform a treatment, but why it is being recommended. That emphasis on execution may be the episode’s clearest takeaway. As Miranda put it, ideas are widely available; implementation is the harder part.

Burnout has become a familiar word in optometry, but Dr. Adam Ramsey believes it may not tell the whole story. In a solo episode of Play Chess Not Checkers, Ramsey challenges doctors to consider a different question: Are they truly burned out—or have stress, repetition and shrinking margins simply made the profession less enjoyable? When the Business Becomes the Burden Ramsey acknowledges that practicing optometry has changed. Greater financial pressures and tighter margins can leave practice owners working harder while feeling less fulfilled. Rather than immediately considering an exit, he encourages doctors to examine their businesses closely—reviewing expenses, pricing, vendors and profitability to identify where pressure can be relieved. Dedicated administrative time, he argues, can create the space needed to work on the practice rather than constantly working in it. Redesign the Practice Around Your Life For Ramsey, reducing burnout does not necessarily require leaving optometry. It may require changing how you practice it. He points to doctors who have built schedules around family responsibilities, reduced patient-care days or developed specialty services such as myopia management, vision therapy and specialty contact lenses. The goal is to shape the profession around the life you want rather than assuming there is only one acceptable model of practice. Find New Ways to Use the Degree Variety can also break the monotony. Ramsey describes speaking and lecturing as activities that give him something different to anticipate while creating additional professional opportunities. He also highlights nontraditional roles, including medical science liaison positions, as examples of how optometrists can use their training beyond routine patient care. Find Your Village Perhaps most importantly, Ramsey encourages doctors not to navigate difficult seasons alone. Conversations with colleagues, conferences and professional friendships can provide new ideas, perspective and renewed energy. His message is ultimately one of intentionality: before assuming burnout means it is time to leave the profession, identify what is actually creating the frustration. Sometimes the answer may be rest. Other times, it may be restructuring the business, pursuing a new specialty, changing the schedule or simply finding something that makes the work exciting again.