Many optometric practices do not have a full-service lab but instead have an abbreviated lab just for edging. The most profitable and effective way to manage an edging-only lab is to partner with an edging company that is knowledgeable and reasonable to do business with. Expensive service agreements have become the norm as ophthalmic companies attempt to keep making money after the sale. Finding companies that are willing to work with you without a price tag for every interaction is paramount.
Our practice decided to purchase an edger, so we researched the two major national players and one international one, namely Coburn, Santinelli and Dia. All of the companies were great to work with and their sales reps went out of the way to assist us in determining the best fit for our office. I was surprised to discover each company still uses serial connectors for transferring data to different locations, even though USB replaced serial connectors years ago.
Once I got past the antiquated serial ports for communication, the Dia surprisingly rose to the top as the best fit for current and future pricing. Both of the big vendors, Coburn and Santinelli, offered pricey service agreements that ranged from $1,000-$3,000 once the warranty expired. Dia, sold through Optek International, gave a reasonable per hour cost if they can’t troubleshoot over phone. Dia and Santinelli parts are all made in Japan.
There are many things to consider when purchasing an edger. Neither OptometryCEO nor I have any financial interest in Dia or its supplier, I’m just an advocate for products that don’t get the marketing publicity they deserve. Next time you buy an edger consider a Dia.
