After Stephanie Frankel, OD, completed her internship and residency with the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, she joined the team at Elgut Eyecare in 2014. “I’ve always wanted to stay with medical care and work with an ophthalmologist,” Dr. Frankel says. Alongside Noel L. Elgut, MD, in his Fort Lauderdale, Florida, practice, Dr. Frankel has been learning more about the products and treatments she prefers.
OCuSOFT came onto her radar during her residency, and Dr. Frankel personally tested the product line for dry eye treatment shortly after joining the practice. “I have an interest in anterior segment disease, so I dove into looking at what is available to help my patients, and OCuSOFT met all my expectations,” she says. The practice already had an existing relationship with the company, but Dr. Frankel saw an opportunity to expand care in ocular surface disease with these products. Through her own research and working with patients who have visited multiple doctors before coming to Elgut Eye Care, she says that “the results have been fantastic.”
Dr. Frankel says that she appreciates support from OCuSOFT as she got acquainted with its products, as well as the company’s commitment to keeping her stocked with products for the office, especially trials. “I will not use anything on my patients that I haven’t tried,” she says. “I can talk with patients about realistic expectations and any questions or concerns they may have.”
Dr. Frankel started with Retaine MGD Lubricant Eye Drops for her patients with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). “Retaine eye
drops have a nice mineral-oil base and are preservative free,” she says. “It’s worked better than any other drop I’ve tried for MGD.” She uses it alongside manual expression of the meibomian glands and doxycycline in severe cases, and she has had very successful outcomes.
She reaches for the OCuSOFT Hypochlor Spray for patients with anterior blepharitis. The spray cleans and removes debris including
microorganisms and provides care for minor irritations to the skin. Patients are instructed to use the product twice a day for two weeks until their follow-up visit. “If I do not notice improvement, our next step is Oust™ Demodex® Swabstix™,” Dr. Frankel says. After a manual debridement of the lashes, she applies the Oust formula in-office and has her patients continue with the Hypochlor spray for another two weeks. She says that she has been pleased with the “exceptional” results following this routine.
For many patients, her recommendations are “a significant change from what they are used to, and it sets me apart from the doctors they have seen in the past,” Dr. Frankel says. “I take the time to debride the lashes and treat patients so that they look and feel better, and the word-of-mouth is better than I ever imagined.”
Most recently, Dr. Frankel has expanded into the ZORIA® Lash Boosting Serum and Mascara. “Aesthetics are becoming more
prominent in the practice because patients want to know why their lashes are thinning or why they have bags under their eyes,” Dr. Frankel says. She keeps a flyer in the exam room that often garners interest. “The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to offer these products because losing lashes or developing wrinkles can be hard to deal with,” she says. “Leaving patients without options for treatment is inappropriate. Give patients options that others aren’t giving them.”
Dr. Frankel explains that thinning lashes may be the result of age, medication or blepharitis, and she is confident in recommending the ZORIA line. “I like that the ZORIA Boost Serum is natural and not made with prostaglandins, which can cause discoloration of the
skin and iris,” Dr. Frankel says. “My lighteyed patients don’t want products like that, so this is a great alternative.”
Dr. Frankel advises patients to apply the serum to the lash line at night with the brush and use the mascara during the day. She tells them her story. “I noticed a significant change in about six weeks after wearing the serum and mascara, and this is what it looks like,” Dr. Frankel says to patients. “I’ve noticed a difference and it’s fantastic, and patients also seem very satisfied with it. I say, ‘If it doesn’t work, ome back and we will refund your money.’ But I have never had anyone do that.”
The practice sells the Hypochlor spray and ZORIA Lash Boosting Serum and Mascara products in the office, and Dr. Frankel lets patients know that it is conveniently available for purchase. She recommends that her colleagues expand their knowledge in these areas, realize the opportunity for helping patients and consider working with OCuSOFT to provide treatment and care. “It’s exceptional when patients ask you a question about anything ocular-related and you can talk about the alternative options,” Dr. Frankel says.
