Common FAQs for Opening a New Optometry Practice

^{Updated June 19, 2026}

Opening an optometry practice means making early decisions that affect cash flow, patient access, staffing, technology, and growth.

Use these FAQs as a practical starting point for planning space, equipment, credentialing, billing, marketing, and software before opening day.

1. How much space will I need?

Start with the space your first-year workflow actually needs:

• Exam lanes
• Pretesting
• Optical
• Check-in/check-out
• Staff work areas
• Storage
• Room to move patients through the visit without bottlenecks

A smaller footprint can protect cash flow early, but choose a layout that can support added equipment, staff, and patient volume as the practice grows.

2. Where should I open a new practice?

Choose a location where patient demand, access, payer opportunity, and long-term fit overlap. Look at nearby population growth, parking, visibility, referral opportunities, competition, employer density, and whether patients can easily find and contact the practice online.

3. What equipment do I need?

Build the equipment plan around the services you will offer on day one. Prioritize the tools needed for comprehensive exams, pretesting, medical eye care within your scope, contact lens care, optical workflows, and documentation.

Add advanced diagnostic technology as patient volume, clinical focus, and cash flow justify the investment.

4. What, if any, insurance plans should I take?

Early on, payer participation can help build patient volume, but review each plan for:

• Reimbursement
• Patient demand
• Administrative burden
• Credentialing timelines
• Fit with your service mix

Revisit payer performance regularly so growth does not come at the expense of margin or staff capacity.

5. How do I get credentialed?

Start credentialing early and track every payer, application, effective date, required document, and follow-up. Medicare enrollment is managed through CMS PECOS, and commercial payer timelines can vary.

Outsourcing can be worthwhile if it helps prevent delays that keep the practice from billing once patients are ready to schedule.

6. How do I hire and train employees?

Hire for patient communication, reliability, adaptability, and willingness to learn. Then support the team with documented workflows for scheduling, intake, eligibility, optical handoffs, billing, recalls, and patient communication.

‍Cross-training early helps protect the schedule when the practice is still small.

7. How do I market my new practice?

Community involvement still matters, but most new patients will also check your practice online before they call.

Step 1: Claim and complete your Google Business Profile, keep hours and contact information current, add an appointment link when available, request reviews consistently, and make the website clear about services, insurance, location, and scheduling.

Google notes that Business Profiles can include links that help customers take action directly from Search or Maps.

When responding to reviews, keep replies general and avoid confirming that someone is a patient or discussing any visit details.

8. How do I learn billing and coding?

Treat billing and coding as an operating system, not a one-time training task. Use optometry-specific coding resources, document clearly, review denials, train staff on common services and modifiers, and audit claims before small errors become recurring revenue problems.

Optometry-specific resources include CPT, ICD-10, and HCPCS coding resources, plus billing and reimbursement education.

9. Should I start off with an EHR and Practice Management software program right away?

Yes. Starting with integrated EHR and practice management software helps build cleaner workflows from day one: scheduling, documentation, intake, billing, reporting, recalls, and patient communication.

Implementation should begin before opening so the team can test workflows before the first patient arrives.

10. How should I choose vendors??

Choose vendors that support the way the practice will operate, not just the product you need today.

Ask how each system handles implementation, training, support, integrations, reporting, security, payment workflows, patient communication, and future growth.

11. How can a new practice reduce no-shows and front desk strain?

Make access easy from the start. Use clear appointment options, reminders, digital intake when possible, and simple ways for patients to confirm, cancel, or reschedule. Scheduling, communication, patient portal adoption, wait times, and staffing are the main patient access priorities for medical practices.