Transitions Optical, Inc. is adding to its popular bilingual eye care guide series with a new tool to help English-speaking eyecare professionals enhance communication with Mandarin-speaking patients during the diagnosis of an eye disease or vision problem.
The What to Expect: Diagnosis Guide, with content in side-by-side English and Simplified Mandarin, features six stackable cards depicting the eye health issues most common among Asian Americans: diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, cataract, hypertensive retinopathy, glaucoma and myopia. Each of the cards includes an overview of the eye health issue, types or stages, treatment options and vision wear recommendations. Each card also features illustrations and images representing how the patient’s field of vision may be affected by each eye disease or condition. The cards are housed in an 8-by-11 inch easel-back folder that can be displayed easily in the exam room.
Asian Americans are the fastest-growing ethnic minority population in the United States, and a growing percentage of patients for many eyecare professionals. Nielsen Universe Estimates have confirmed that while most Asian Americans can understand English, 77 percent speak a language other than English at home. Taking the extra step of offering bilingual education tools is not only a way for eyecare professionals to ease communication barriers during the eye appointment, but also can help to show respect for the Asian-American culture.
“We designed the bilingual guide series so that even if the eyecare professional doesn’t speak the same language, he or she can simply point to the content in English and then the patient can read more about an eye health issue in their native language,” said Manuel Solis, marketing manager, labs and strategic partnerships, Transitions Optical. “In addition to using the guide as an in-office tool, we also encourage eyecare professionals to go to MyMulticulturalToolkit.com and print out PDF versions of the individual cards, which can be given to patients as a take-home reference about the eye health issue.”
A similar version of the What to Expect: Diagnosis Guide is also available in English/Spanish, overviewing the eye health issues more common among Hispanics. Eyecare professionals can request printed copies of the Diagnosis Guide and other multicultural resources free-of-charge through the “My Practice” section of MyMulticulturalToolkit.com.
ABOUT TRANSITIONS OPTICAL
Since Transitions Optical, headquartered in Pinellas Park, Fla., was founded more than 20 years ago, the company has been driven by an innovative spirit and a commitment to partnership. As the leading provider of photochromics to optical manufacturers, Transitions Optical offers state-of-the-art light management technology in virtually every major lens design and material encompassing a family of everyday adaptive lenses and performance sun lenses.
Everyday lens options include Transitions® Signature™ lenses, the most responsive lens with full indoor clarity; Transitions® XTRActive® lenses which provide more activation for extra protection; and the revolutionary Transitions® Vantage™ lenses, the first and only photochromic lenses to darken and polarize outdoors for even crisper sharper vision.
The Transitions® adaptive sunglass line includes a range of products customized in partnership with other best-in-class brands. These products are all designed to provide a visual advantage by increasing contrast, sharpening colors, reducing glare and improving distance and depth perception.
Transitions Optical is dedicated to promoting healthy sight worldwide and to supporting its partners and optical professionals with tools, programs and resources to aid in their individual efforts and help strengthen industry growth.