Forming an Opportunity belief

Forming an opportunity belief

Technology has been changing and re-branding what it means to be an optometrist. First, the introduction of laser eye surgery was thought to make the job of an optometrist obsolete; it did not. Now people are speculating that by 2030 the eye care field will completely change. How much longer will the practice of optometry be around? Will Optometrists already in the field have to relearn the new tools that will developed in the future?  

Who? – Optometrists that will not be retired by 2030

What? – Development of technology in the eye care field

Why? – The eye care field is not only a health field but also a consumerist market, therefore causing more breakthroughs in the field because of competitiveness and profit

Testing the Who? :

Are there others who have this need?

·         Consumers, businessmen, insurances, companies

Testing the What? :

                What are the boundaries of the need?

·         Are all optometrists scared about the volatility of the job? Are optical afraid of glasses becoming obsolete?

Testing the Why? :

                For the people who have the need, what are the range of Whys that they offer?

·         Consumers may want faster wait times, faster prescriptions, instant eye sight. Businessmen may want to tap into a huge market and compete with optical. Insurances may want to know where the money is going to next to invest. Companies may want to know where the money is going to next to invest as well.

Interviews

Interview 1 - This interview was with an employee that has been working in the business for five years.

I believe that the optometrists won’t become obsolete because money is being pumped by colleges into this career. They simply cannot make a whole career become obsolete. If anything were to happen it would be a long transition. Therefore I do not believe that optometrists are insecure about their jobs. In turn, optical’s would not be afraid either because glasses are not only a tool to help improve life but it is also a way of living, a style. I do agree that consumers want faster wait time and prescriptions, but I do not believe that if those developments were to occur in technology it would make the job of optometrists obsolete.

Interview 2 -This interview was with my Dad who has been in the optical business since he was very young. He owns an optical.

Being in this business for long, I have seen many innovations in the field. Each has had their upsides as well as their downsides. Regarding the laser eye surgery, it was the closest to taking out the Optometrists job, however the technology is just not developed enough to completely eliminate the use of glasses. The economy has too much into the business to simply throw it away, which is why I do not think that neither glasses nor optometrists will be losing their use. Owning an optical it is important to have quick movement between customers, so I am looking forward to developments in the eye care industry to help reduce wait time for prescriptions and eye tests.

Interview 3 – This interview was with a regular customer at an optical.

Innovation is guaranteed, it is up to people in the field to adapt and to show that they are still desirable. Getting an eye exam every year is a pain, and the amount of time I have to wait is a long time. If I can have perfect vision after one exam I would do it. I have thought about laser eye surgery but you have to continuously get the surgery every certain amount of years, and eventually you have to go back to glasses. So I do see a need development of technology in the eye care field.

Interview 4 – This interview was with an optometrist

Every year there are seminars that show new innovations in different fields.  I was told by a friend of mine who had gone last year that my job was going to become obsolete. Luckily I am going to retire soon so it is not a problem to me. I do wonder what the next generation of optometrists will have to learn. Are they going to rely on machines more? Is the job going to be transitioned to learning how to use, read, and take care of a machine?

Interview 5 – An ex toll collector on the highway

Innovation has improved many lives. Everything is faster and more connected. I was a toll collector on the highway, but that was taken over by innovation. I had to find another job which was hard. But my job is skilled labor. I do not see any reason why the field of optometry would leave optical’s and optometrists in the dust. They are going to transition the field progressively rather than abruptly.

From these interviews I learned that the field of optometry and eye care cannot simply vanish because too many jobs would be lost. It is too deeply embedded into the economy to change the market from technological breakthroughs. If one were to occur they would work with colleges, optometrists, and optical’s to transition everyone to the new technology.