If your dispensary is suffering under the economic weight of too many remakes, it may be that no one is determining the patient's needs before glasses are prescribed, says dispensary expert Leona Meditz.

Many doctors rely on a "formula" for altering the prescription when upgrading patients or changing from bifocals to progressives. Similarly, many opticians simply give the patient what he or she was already wearing, even though a change in the prescription could make the existing option unmanageable.

Instead of following the same routine, the refractionist or the optician should interview the patient about problems with the current lenses and the patient's lifestyle needs.

Then, the refractionist or optician should explain the benefits of the different options and the specific differences the patient will experience.

If the patient's needs are met, and the patient is aware of the all the differences between the previous lenses and the new ones, the number of remakes should drop to a normal, economically acceptable level.