Posted on 06/13/2017 10:07:49 AM PDT by reaganaut1
One of the many holes in the “social contract” theory of government is that the power of the state is so often harnessed by interest groups to protect themselves against competition. Nobody ever agreed to that, but it happens all the time, inflicting losses on the consuming public.
A recent instance of this is the aggressive lobbying campaign being waged by the American Optometric Association (AOA) against innovations that now make it possible for Americans to get accurate eye exams and lens prescriptions over the Internet. By using such innovations, millions of Americans who need vision correction could save substantial amounts of money. But savings for them means less revenue for optometrists and they are trying to stop that by asking politicians for salvation.
As far as the AOA (with 37,000 members nationwide) is concerned, the villain is new technology that gives consumers less costly alternatives than the old-fashioned office visit. One of those alternatives is called Opternative. It gives consumers an eye exam that takes 25 minutes through a smartphone app. No need to drive, park, and wait. The eye analysis through the phone has been proven to be just as accurate as those done in professional offices.
Naturally, the AOA sees phone apps for eye prescriptions the same way the Luddite hand-weavers saw the development of power looms – they must be shut down.
Lawyer Bruce Fein excoriates the AOA for its efforts at preventing this competition. In his May 8 Washington Times article, he writes, “Their current well-financed efforts to strangle internet competition in contact lenses and eyeglasses are indistinguishable from standing athwart economic history yelling ‘Stop.’”
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
My husband says it was 1,250 per eye. Medicare paid what they would have paid for the regular lens.
You might consider engaging this technology in your business. As a consumer, I would be very glad not to have to go to an office for an eye exam, but I would be very uncomfortable w/ an app making specialized decisions for me.
I would, however, be more willing to take exams w/ the app combined w/ a visit w/ the eye doctor, which would mean more frequent and better care than my current system of going whenever I break my glasses every 3-5 years.
These technologies should enhance not inhibit existing businesses. To get the government to simply suppress them is just rent seeking. I hope it works for you!
Interesting. I had no idea. I love FREEPERS. You keep us straight on information and I love it. Thank you so much!!!!!!!
Well, except for the goof on opticians doing eye tests. Mostly they try upselling frames and flattering customers. Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.
;>)
For me it was $2000 out of pocket, as my insurance didn’t cover the premium lens.
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