As a Dispensing Optician (D.O.) who practiced for 20 years and having spent over a decade implementing software solutions across optical businesses ranging from one to over 300 locations it’s safe to say that I have seen the impact of practice management software from both sides of the equation. At Ocuco, we understand the challenges faced by practices and deliver solutions such as Acuitas 3 to help optometrists and opticians manage their businesses effectively.
Acuitas 3 is an all-in-one practice management software for optical practices. Enabling optometrists and opticians to provide a consistent experience across each stage of the eyecare journey, Acuitas 3 provides a single view of the patient, a single view of your business across all channels. Acuitas 3 goes beyond the capabilities of traditional optical software, allowing your optical practice to combine both online and in-practice elements within a single application, removing the need for inefficient and costly management of multiple systems and admin processes.
Why Optical Practices are Struggling
Optical practices today face many challenges, from staffing shortages to patient no-shows and disconnected systems. Leveraging technologies such as practice management software, can support optical practices in alleviating the strain, improving overall efficiency and enhancing patient care.
Staffing & Scheduling Issues
Managing a team can be challenging, especially with staff shortages, recruitment difficulties and shifting schedules. Two hundred and eighty respondents to research conducted by the General Optical Council in the UK stated understaffing was a barrier to delivering safe patient care, while The Vision Council in the U.S found that hiring and understaffing remains a significant challenge for optical practices with 36% of providers reporting a severe or extreme shortage of opticians.
These are challenges that have been persistent within the industry throughout my career both in-practice and in my role as Senior Product Consultant at Ocuco. Practice management software is a useful tool for simplifying admin tasks such as appointment management, patient record updates, and workflow management, enabling optical practice staff to stay focused on delivering exceptional eyecare.
Click here to learn more about the Hidden Costs of Poor Scheduling in Optical Practices.
Reducing No-Shows
Missed appointments cost time and money. According to the College of Optometrists the proportion of attended appointments in the UK has declined from 79.8% in 2010-11 to 77% in 2020-21. The best optometry software includes automated reminders, online booking, and real-time rescheduling to keep your diary full, and your patients engaged.
When I worked in practice, we took steps to mitigate no-shows by phoning customers a day in advance of appointments and then we implemented automated SMS reminders, which were an effective way of reducing no-shows without requiring staff to manually follow-up with patients.
Eliminating Software Silos
Using multiple disconnected tools leads to errors and wasted time. This is one of the most common problems clients come to us with, which led to the development of Acuitas 3, an omnichannel system to connect all of these areas of the business which were traditionally handled separately.
An all-in-one optometry EMR software such as Acuitas 3 integrates patient records, diary, inventory, appointment booking, eye exam, marketing and more. With the right EMR for optometrists, you get a seamless, efficient workflow.
The Future of Eye Care is Integrated
Whether you’re a single practice or multi-location, investing in the right optical practice software is crucial to overcoming daily challenges. By choosing an integrated practice management solution such as Acuitas 3, tailored to your needs, you can improve operations, enhance patient satisfaction, and grow your practice with confidence.
What is Practice Management Software?
Practice management software is a digital solution that supports healthcare practices’ daily operations. For opticians and optometrists, specialised practice management software for optometry, often referred to as optical practice management software, optical software, or optician software, offers tailored features that address the unique needs of running an eye care practice.
The level of customisation, functionality and available feature set varies greatly from system to system; as a D.O. who has used many systems, some are quite rigid while others deliver flexibility based on your practice’s requirements, therefore it’s important to consider the best optometry software for your practice. From scheduling appointments to managing patient records, eye exam workflows, eyewear purchases and much more, the right optical practice software keeps everything running smoothly.
Whether you’re an independent practice or a growing eyecare business, investing in the best optometry software ensures efficiency, high-quality eyecare and provides your practice with a competitive advantage.
Why All-in-One Systems Win
Using multiple disconnected tools for appointments, payments, patient records, reporting, marketing, and inventory can lead to wasted time, inconsistencies, and increased costs. I’m working with clients who will expect to see admin time reduced by up to 50% once Acuitas 3 is implemented. In the case of a multi-location businesses, processes can be streamlined at a Head Office level rather than implementing changes across an individual network of practices.
All-in-one optical practice software like Acuitas 3, The OmniChannel Edition, offer a significant advantage. Instead of managing multiple systems, everything is accessible from a single dashboard. This reduces time spent switching between tools, drives efficiency, minimises staff training, and improves the patient journey. Whether updating patient records, processing a sale, or checking inventory, everything happens in one place, in real-time.
Accuracy is another advantage of all-in-one solutions.
In Acuitas 3, patient information flows directly from appointment booking to the eye examination, patient record, eyewear purchase, and beyond, while inventory and reporting remain updated. The integrated EMR for optometrists ensures clinical notes, prescriptions, and exam results are always up-to-date and accessible.
This holistic approach enhances customer service and patient experience. Automated reminders, smooth check-ins, real-time stock updates, and an integrated payments solution all contribute to a seamless visit. For staff, everything under one roof means fewer manual processes, faster workflows, and more time to focus on patients.
The best optometry software doesn’t just excel in one area; it integrates all aspects of practice management into a cohesive system that works for your optical business. For modern eyecare practices aiming to stay competitive and deliver top-tier care, all-in-one platforms like Acuitas 3 are the new standard for a consistent, high-quality eyecare experience across every touchpoint, integrated with external systems such as SAP if required.
Introducing Acuitas 3
Acuitas 3 is the comprehensive practice management software for opticians and optometrists looking to manage the complete patient journey within a single optical solution. As a modular practice management software, Acuitas 3 allows you to expand on existing eyecare software functionality as your optical business grows. Deliver an omnichannel eyecare experience to patients.
Security Built-In
Acuitas 3 follows best-in-class data security practices to ensure your data remains secure and compliant with regulatory obligations.
ISO 27001:2017 Certified
SOC 2 Type ll Certified
GDPR Compliant
OmniChannel
A single view of the patient, a single view of your business. Track interactions across all channels while retaining control over revenue, stock and more, all with Acuitas 3.
Patient Engagement
Key Performance Metrics
Online & In-Store
User-Experience
As a cloud-based online solution, Acuitas 3 is accessible anytime anywhere for a streamlined user journey. From a customizable home screen to an integrated payment solution, Acuitas 3 focuses on improving the eyecare journey for everyone.
Equipment Integrations
OcuPay Integrated Payments
Cloud-Based
Business Intelligence Insights
Build insightful reports powered by Microsoft’s Power BI. Track multiple key performance metrics across your business in real-time to bolster performance and drive efficiency.
Powered by Microsoft
Customisable Reports
Improved Performance
Features
Diary
Unite in-store and online appointment bookings on a single platform with optical practice software, streamlining scheduling for your practice.
Clinical Records
Secure, easy-to-access patient records within your optometry EMR software, featuring intuitive search and data validation for accuracy and efficiency.
Benefit Management
Comprehensive benefit management including GOS forms, provincial billing and insurance management capabilities based on your practices location.
OcuPay
Integrated card payments for both online and in-store sales within your optical software, reducing errors and facilitating quick refunds.
Eye Exams
Tailored exam workflows based on patient visit types, fully configurable within your optometry EMR software, ensuring a personalised experience.
Recall & Marketing
Automated patient recalls and marketing campaigns across multiple channels, powered by your practice management software
Dispensing
Validated dispensing within optical practice software, reducing remakes and improving the patient experience from prescription to eyewear.
Power BI Reporting & Analytics
Customisable KPIs dashboards contained in your optometry software, offering detailed reporting and actionable business insights.
Stock Management
Sync product catalogs for both online and in-practice sales, providing a seamless shopping experience.
eCommerce
Synced product catalogues across online and in practice sales for a streamlined purchase experience.
Telemedicine
Integrate telecommunication appointments effortlessly into your diary, all visible within your optician software.
Omnichannel Patient Overview
A single view of the patient, including interactions across all channels, online or in-practice, from your optical practice management software.
Omnichannel Business Overview
Centralise business activity across all channels, tracking revenue, stock, and more, within your optical practice software.
Integrations
Integrate clinical equipment to retrieve multiple readings with a single click using EMR for optometrists, improving workflow efficiency.
Support Hub
Access local technical support and Ocuco Academy online resources, keeping your team and optometry software supported.
Features (Use the same structure as the product page, but with images instead)
- Diary: Unite in-store and online appointment bookings on a single platform with optical practice software, streamlining scheduling for your practice.
- Clinical Records: Secure, easy-to-access patient records within your optometry EMR software, featuring intuitive search and data validation for accuracy and efficiency.
- Benefit Management: Comprehensive benefit management including GOS forms, provincial billing and insurance management capabilities based on your practices location.
- OcuPay: Integrated card payments for both online and in-store sales within your optical software, reducing errors and facilitating quick refunds.
- Eye Exams: Tailored exam workflows based on patient visit types, fully configurable within your optometry EMR software, ensuring a personalised experience.
- Recall & Marketing: Automated patient recalls and marketing campaigns across multiple channels, powered by your practice management software
- Dispensing: Validated dispensing within optical practice software, reducing remakes and improving the patient experience from prescription to eyewear.
- Power BI Reporting & Analytics: Customisable KPIs dashboards contained in your optometry software, offering detailed reporting and actionable business insights.
- Stock Management: Real-time inventory management across your optical practice, ensuring accuracy and cost efficiency across all products in your practice.
- eCommerce: Sync product catalogs for both online and in-practice sales, providing a seamless shopping experience.
- Telemedicine: Integrate telecommunication appointments effortlessly into your diary, all visible within your optician software.
- Omnichannel Patient Overview: A single view of the patient, including interactions across all channels, online or in-practice, from your optical practice management software.
- Omnichannel Business Overview: Centralise business activity across all channels, tracking revenue, stock, and more, within your optical practice software.
- Integrations: Integrate clinical equipment to retrieve multiple readings with a single click using EMR for optometrists, improving workflow efficiency.
- Support Hub: Access local technical support and Ocuco Academy online resources, keeping your team and optometry software supported.
Benefits of Acuitas 3:
Security Built-In
Acuitas 3 follows best-in-class data security practices to ensure your optical software data remains secure and compliant with regulatory obligations.
- Ocuco’s ISMS are ISO 27001:2017 Certified
- SOC 2 Type ll Certified
- GDPR Compliant
OmniChannel
A single view of the patient, a single view of your business, all within your optical practice software. Track interactions across all channels while retaining control over revenue, stock and more, all with Acuitas 3.
- Patient Engagement
- Key Performance Metrics
- Online & In-Store
User-Experience
As a cloud-based optical software, Acuitas 3 is accessible anytime anywhere for a streamlined user journey. From a customisable home screen to an integrated payment solution, Acuitas 3 focuses on improving the eyecare journey for everyone.
- Equipment Integrations
- OcuPay Integrated Payments
- Cloud-Based
Business Intelligence Insights
Build insightful reports within your PMS, powered by Microsoft’s Power BI. Track multiple key performance metrics across your business in real-time to bolster performance and drive efficiency.
- Powered by Microsoft
- Customisable Reports
- Improved Performance
Streamline the Entire Patient Journey
From the moment a patient books an appointment, to the final dispense, optical practice software like Acuitas 3 can simplify and optimise every step of the optical journey for both patients and staff. With integrated appointment booking, patients can book appointments online and receive automated reminders, reducing no-shows and saving time for staff.
Working with our customer base over the years, the ability to integrate both online and in-practice diaries with their PMS has consistently improved practice operations, as all appointments including availability, appointment type etc. are managed centrally.
Once the patient arrives, optometry EMR software ensures that patient records are instantly accessible. Eye exams, prescriptions, and visit history are easily reviewed, allowing optometrists and opticians to provide more accurate, personalised eye care. An optical EMR supports efficient documentation, enabling timestamped notes complete with an audit trail for security and compliance.
Practice management systems such as Acuitas 3 and providers such as Ocuco that have security accreditations such as ISO 27001:2017 and SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR, and HIPAA compliance provide peace of mind that data is being stored securely and is compliant with stringent legal requirements. These accreditations have become the new standard in the industry in recent years.
During the appointment, optical practice software seamlessly manages inventory. If a patient selects new eyewear, the system can instantly check stock levels and update records without manual input, ensuring a smooth and error-free process. As a D.O., functionality like this enabled us to spend more time with patients and less time focusing on the admin side of stock management.
At check-out, integrated payment solutions such as OcuPay allow for quick, accurate invoicing. The system automatically processes payments and insurance claims, reducing administrative work and accelerating cash flow. This integration would have saved a lot of admin time with end-of-day reporting when I worked in practice.
Often, the best optometry software is an all-in-one system that enhances efficiency, improves accuracy, and streamlines operations. By consolidating key functions like appointment booking, EMR, inventory, marketing and payment into one platform, optical practices can provide a seamless experience from start to finish.
Smarter Inventory & Supplier Management
With optical practice software, managing inventory becomes easier, more accurate, and efficient. Automated features allow for seamless stock control, real-time updates, and streamlined reordering processes, ensuring your practice never runs low on essential products. When I used Acuitas 2 in-practice managing stock automatically was a major plus.
Aside from managing core products it also ensured we had additional frames and accessories in-store around busy periods such as Christmas. The core range was always automatically re-ordered based on pre-configured levels and within Acuitas 3 there’s even more flexibility such as the ability to rank and rotate core ranges automatically.
For multi-location practices, optician software such as Acuitas 3 offers centralised inventory management across locations, enabling you to track stock levels, make inter-location transfers, and monitor sales trends from one platform. This reduces the risk of overstocking or understocking and helps maintain balanced inventories across your network.
Automatic reordering features ensure stock levels are always maintained. When inventory reaches a set threshold, the system automatically places orders with suppliers. This prevents shortages and ensures popular items, like frames and lenses, are always in stock. Optometry EMR software integrates seamlessly with inventory, reflecting patient prescriptions and streamlining the process further.
Supplier management is simplified through optical software such as Acuitas 3. The system manages orders for more efficient stocking, ensuring accurate, timely deliveries.
By utilising the best optometry software, inventory and supplier management are streamlined for improved accuracy and operations. All-in-one systems offer the tools needed for smarter inventory and supplier management, boosting efficiency, reducing waste, and increasing profitability.
Workflow Automation
Optical practice software such as Acuitas 3 helps streamline workflow automation processes, improving efficiency, accuracy, and patient care. With features like automated task assignment, practices can manage diaries with ease and ensure tasks are completed on time.
Workflow automation ensures critical tasks like patient check-ins, payment, inventory updates, and exam prep are assigned to the right team members. This s an area of Acuitas 3 that is particularly well received, especially the ability to view tasks on the right-hand panel no matter where you are within Acuitas 3. It’s also possible to only display clinical information to specific staff members.
Automating routine tasks reduces human error, boosts productivity, and frees staff to focus on patient care. Optometry EMR software such as Acuitas 3 integrates with the diary, ensuring clinical workflows are streamlined, with exam rooms and equipment always ready.
Using the best optometry software, optical practices can improve accuracy, enhance collaboration, and simplify day-to-day operations. Whether you run a small practice, or a multi-location business, workflow automation and a streamlined diary ensure your practice runs efficiently, allowing you to focus on patient care.
Make Data-Driven Business Decisions
When I worked in practice reporting was quite a manual process, I used to pull together insights and distribute them to store and area managers from Head Office. Modern practice management software such as Acuitas 3 offer far more possibilities when it comes to reporting. Acuitas 3 is backed by Microsoft’s Power BI with real-time insights and customisable KPI’s.
With optical practice software such as Acuitas 3, you gain access to real-time insights into appointments, sales, inventory, and staff performance. Custom dashboards and KPIs help you track practice performance, spot trends, and make informed decisions.
Custom dashboards offer a personalised view of vital data, like patient flow, sales performance, and stock levels, allowing you to focus on what matters most, whether you’re managing a multi-location practice or a single business. Optometry EMR software integrates clinical and operational data, giving you a comprehensive performance overview.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) such as appointment conversion rates, revenue per patient, and staff productivity help guide decisions on staffing, pricing, and patient care. Real-time access to these insights lets you act quickly on opportunities and challenges. A number of reports such as Examiner conversion rate which tracks the percentage of eye exams that lead to sales within the practice have proven very popular among users of Acuitas 3.
Optician software also tracks inventory trends, helping you reorder efficiently based on demand. The best optometry software ensures smarter purchasing decisions and better resource management.
By leveraging custom dashboards and KPIs, optical practices can optimise resources, improve profitability, and make strategic decisions that drive growth.
Seamless Clinical System Integration
Acuitas 3 is the best optometry software for clinical connectivity, with the largest range of integrations with clinical imaging and diagnostic equipment available, ensuring a seamless eye exam workflow for Optometrists and patients.
Trusted by Global Optical Leaders
Over 6,750+ optical locations worldwide use Ocuco practice management solutions to power their optometry businesses.
Some of our happy customers:
