Frames and lenses aren’t just high-value for patients—they’re a frequent target for theft, according to a recent Women In Optometry poll. Nearly 73% of respondents say they’ve experienced losses from customers stealing while the office is open, and 46% note internal losses involving staff or vendors.
Though less common, 18% say their office had been hit in a smash-and-grab during off-hours, and others mentioned experiences with cyber theft and credit card fraud.
Only 27% of respondents say they’ve never been a victim of optical losses.
To help protect their merchandise, 58% of respondents use surveillance cameras inside, while 42% have cameras outside. A few respondents reported using reinforced entries, panic buttons security guards or employee training programs to prevent loss.
One respondent shared how they built loss prevention into their customer service model:
“After 20 years in private practice, my team and I found that the best practice for loss prevention was to put best practices in place for ourselves, our customers and our patients,” they wrote. “We greet everyone who enters with a friendly hello, place big-ticket frames in cases and remain professionally attentive to patients and customers at all times.”
When asked about the frequency of theft, 50% say they experience losses from the optical about once per year. One-fifth say they have pressed charges on thieves, and another fifth say they would if the thief was caught.
Is Theft Avoidable? OD Says It Depends
Civia McCaffrey, OD, opened Summerlin Vision in suburban Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2019. Her practice, a 5,000-square-foot space with about 500 frames on display, has experienced theft from both customers and staff.
CUSTOMER THEFT
In one incident, two women came into the office during business hours. One approached the front desk, pretending to be interested in scheduling an appointment, while another browsed the optical area and claimed her son was in the back with the doctor. “It happened right under our nose—they acted like normal patients,” Dr. McCaffrey says. The women stole numerous frames and ran out the door to a car with no license plate.
EMPLOYEE THEFT
The majority of respondents (67%) identified as female ODs. Non-OD females and male ODs made up 16.7% of respondents each.
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