Walk into any optical practice today and you’ll see just how much choice patients are faced with. Frames, lens designs, coatings, and add-ons can quickly become overwhelming. Behind the scenes, practices are managing just as much complexity – dealing with multiple suppliers, tracking orders, managing freight, and trying to maintain efficient turnaround times while protecting margins.

WRITER Eva Walker

In recent years, to help patients navigate the myriad choices, many independent practices have moved toward offering integrated frame and lens packages.

Package deals are also a large part of corporate practices’ business models. These packages bring together frame suppliers and lens laboratories to deliver a complete product solution, rather than having each component sourced separately.

While bundled pricing is often the most visible benefit, the real value lies in what happens behind the scenes. When frames and lenses are designed, supplied, and ordered together, practices can benefit from simplified workflows, guaranteed compatibility and clearer pricing structures for patients.

For dispensers working on the floor, the advantages can be very practical.

“Packages can be really cost-effective for both the patient and the practice,” said optical dispenser Allyson Freind, owner of Northam

Optical, in the wheatbelt region of Western Australia. “Stock stays in store, so there’s less shipping and restocking, and often you get strong warranties or second-pair discounts included.”

One of the biggest operational benefits of integrated packages is streamlined ordering. Instead of sourcing frames from one supplier and then sending them separately to a laboratory for glazing, many programs allow the entire process to be handled through a single ordering platform or coordinated supply chain.

This reduces duplicate data entry, minimises transcription errors, and often shortens administrative time. For busy dispensers, these efficiencies can have a noticeable impact on the day-to-day workflow.

Many suppliers are also investing in digital tools that enhance the consultation experience. Some ordering platforms allow staff to show patients different frame and lens colour combinations in real time, helping them visualise the final product before placing the order.

“The Maui Jim ordering platform is amazing,” Ms Freind explained. “You can show the client different frame and lens colour options virtually, while you’re talking through their options.”

Integrated frame and lens packages can also reduce the time spent coordinating orders and fitting lenses.

Because the frame and lens combination has been pre-matched by the supplier and laboratory, compatibility issues are far less likely. This can reduce remakes and allow laboratories to process orders more efficiently.

“You usually get a faster turnaround compared to some local labs,” Ms Freind said. “And there’s generally less time spent fitting lenses as well.”

For practices managing high patient volumes, these time savings can translate into smoother operations and faster delivery of finished eyewear.

WARRANTY AND SERVICE

One of the strongest selling points of many integrated packages is the warranty and service programs offered by suppliers. These policies can add significant value for patients while giving dispensers greater confidence when recommending products.

“MAKO has an amazing warranty,” Ms Freind enthused. “The ReMAKO Assurance program entitles the end customer of an original MAKO Rx program product to a ‘no questions asked’ re-make of their prescription sunglass for 50% off the recommended retail price. All you have to consider is that the repeat pairs need to be the same as the original order. Same script, frame, and lens colour.”

These policies help position eyewear as a longer-term investment rather than a one-off purchase.

LABORATORY PACKAGES

Laboratories are very enthusiastic about their ability to partner with frame distributors to support independent optometry.

"At CR Labs, we launched our complete pair program, Full Circle, to help independent practices stay competitive by reducing costs, saving time, and lowering environmental impact,” said CR labs’ Chief Commercial Officer, Todd Spencer.

Through the Full Circle program, practices receive discounted wholesale pricing on the Safilo Full Circle optical and sun frame range with all-inclusive fitting from CR Labs, while keeping their best-selling frames on the shelf. A simplified ordering process also enables faster turnaround with a single frame and lens invoice.

Full Circle has quickly become one of the most successful complete pair offerings in the market, and continues to grow in popularity.

“As Australia’s largest Australian-owned lens manufacturer, CR Labs remains committed to supporting independent optometry and continuing to invest in locally made lenses, as well as the practices delivering essential eye care across Australia," Mr Spencer said.

For most practices, the value lies in improved workflow, clearer pricing, and enhanced patient experience rather than purely clinical advantages.

While package deals suit most patients, there are some who will not benefit, particularly those with atypical prescriptions. For these patients, measurements should be taken on a frame that has already been adjusted to final fit for the patient. And this means the practice will either need to readjust the new frame for the patient or swap the lenses to the frame that has already been adjusted. In effect reducing the convenience of the package for the practice.

VALUE OVER PRICE

For dispensers, the way integrated packages are presented can strongly influence how patients perceive them.

Rather than introducing them as promotional deals, it’s often more effective to frame them as complete solutions tailored to the patient’s needs.

Start with lifestyle. Whether the patient is a child who spends hours on the playground or an adult who is working long hours on digital screens, connecting the package to real-world vision needs makes the recommendation feel more personal.

Clear communication also helps. Patients rarely need to hear every technical detail about lens materials or coatings – they are more interested in how the glasses will perform in everyday life.

A focus on value rather than discounting should be taken. When dispensers highlight durable frames, impact resistant lenses, or strong warranty programs, the package becomes a carefully considered solution rather than simply a cheaper pair of glasses.

In today’s increasingly complex optical landscape, integrated frame and lens packages give practices a simple way to streamline operations while still offering clear value to patients. When backed by strong supplier partnerships and confidently presented by dispensers, these packages can benefit both the practice and the patients it cares for.

Take a look through the following pages for some of the frame and lens packages available for your practice.

Eva Walker is an optical trainer with the Australasian College of Optical Dispensing (ACOD). She holds her Certificate IV in Training and Assessing (2024), Certificate IV in Optical Dispensing (2021), and a Diploma of Nursing Switzerland (2010).