Welcome to Optometry Simplified.
In this biweekly newsletter, I've curated the best resources to help you grow personally and professionally.
My mission is to find what's best for my patients and my practice.
Here's what I've found...
My Favorite Links
- What’s Floating in Your Vitreous? From microplastics to environmental toxins, this short read from Healio opens up a conversation we’re not having enough in ocular health: how our broader ecosystem might be influencing the eye. Read here.
- What’s Wrong with the Term “ECP”? This piece from Modern Optometry challenges a term we use every day—"ECP"—and argues it might actually undermine how we define ourselves as primary care providers. Read here.
- AMD or Not? A practical and image-rich guide to the most common AMD mimickers. If you're investing in dark adaptation or OCTA, this is a must-read from Optometry Times to avoid clinical blind spots. Read here.
- Will Following Your Passion Will Keep You Poor? Alex Hormozi delivers a bracing message about the myth of “passion”—and how chasing it often leads to poor decision-making. Instead, he challenges entrepreneurs to build skills, solve meaningful problems, and delay gratification. Watch here
Journal Articles I'm Applying to Practice
- Post-Cataract Feedback Really Matters This validated Refractive Cataract Surgery Survey reveals a blind spot in many practices: how patients feel after surgery. Capturing this feedback isn’t just about satisfaction—it can guide future referrals and refine co-management. Read here.
- Alpha-Lipoic Acid and Dry Eye In a comprehensive narrative review, Mateo Orobia and colleagues explore alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) as a treatment for ocular surface disease. ALA's antioxidant and neuroprotective effects may reduce inflammation, preserve meibomian gland function, and improve tear quality—especially in diabetic patients. Read here.
- Does Your Patient’s Personality Influence Their Dry Eye Symptoms? A fascinating new study explores the link between personality traits (especially neuroticism) and dry eye symptom severity. It may be the missing piece in explaining why some patients report severe symptoms with minimal clinical signs. Read here.
Deep Dive
Most meetings in optometry practices are a waste of time—and we all know it.
Patrick Lencioni’s Death by Meeting helped me see why: we try to solve everything in one meeting, and we end up solving nothing well.
After trial, and error, and reading a stack of business books, here’s what I found that actually works in my practice:
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Daily Standup (5–7 minutes):
- What’s your top focus today?
- Need help with anything?
- Anything unusual on the schedule?
- Key idea: It's not a problem-solving session—just a fast alignment check.
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Weekly Staff Meeting (45–60 minutes):
- Share good news
- Review 2–3 key metrics
- Recap last week’s to-dos
- Identify and solve issues together
- Key idea: This is how we keep culture strong and reduce drama.
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Monthly Leadership Meeting (60 minutes):
- Revisit mission, values, and key goals
- Deep dive into one big topic (clinical, cultural, or financial)
- Work through decisions or changes
- Realign the leadership team
- Key idea: This is where we lead, not just manage.
If you feel like your team is always reacting and never proactive, fix your meetings first.
Get the rhythm right—and everything else gets easier.
New at Practice Performance Partners
If you’ve read this newsletter before or heard me lecture, you know I’m a sucker for great clinical practice guidelines.
Why? They are accessible, practical, and the culmination of the best evidence.
Listen to Dr. Aaron Werner chat with Dr. Carl Urbanski and Dr. Andy Morgenstern—two key leaders behind the AOA’s Evidence-Based Optometry Committee.
Together, they pull back the curtain on the Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) that shape how optometrists diagnose and manage disease.
Can you do me a favor? If you found any of these resources helpful, share this newsletter with one of our colleagues!
See you in 2 weeks!
--Kyle Klute, OD, FAAO