Spend Smart: 5 Ophthalmology Purchasing Strategies for 2026

As we enter 2026, ophthalmology practices can prepare for the year ahead by reviewing budgets and supply needs. Teams may also take this opportunity to review their purchasing processes to identify practical ways to keep essential items available, manage expenses responsibly and support a steady flow of patient care throughout the year.

Your practice may benefit from developing strategies to refine forecasting, compare contracts and identify alternative suppliers in the new year. Implementing these strategies can help support clinical quality, limit disruptions and strengthen day-to-day planning.

Follow these five strategies to make smart spending choices while enhancing the patient experience and providing clear payment options.

1. Focus on the Pressure Points

Ophthalmology practices may notice shifts in the cost of the supplies they rely on, which can impact their planning for the year ahead. Keeping track of these changes may help teams understand where to adjust purchasing shifts for frames, lenses and procedure-related consumables.

Before adjusting your 2026 purchasing strategy, it may be worth taking a look back at how your supply needs changed over the past year. When supply chain issues affect critical products, such as intraocular lenses or sterile packs, it may become harder for teams to keep schedules running smoothly for both routine and specialized ophthalmology procedures.

Review your previous year’s supply challenges to identify where purchasing patterns may have strained clinic operations. For example, if increased demand for specialized intraocular lenses led to lower inventory during peak cataract surgery periods, understanding how and when that occurred may help your team anticipate future needs.

Recognizing these pressure points can help your team anticipate shortages, adjust ordering habits and build stronger plans for the year ahead.

2. Consider Group Purchasing in the Ophthalmic Market

Group purchasing organizations (GPOs) bring together multiple healthcare facilities to help negotiate contracts with manufacturers and distributors, according to the Healthcare Supply Chain Association.¹ These agreements offer a structured way for practices to review available contracts and product terms through a single consolidated process.

Compare more than the unit price

If inflation has affected the cost of items your practice uses, it may be helpful to take a closer look at how different supply agreements are structured. Reviewing details such as available product categories, substitution rules, shipping expectations and return procedures may give your practice a clearer sense of each contract's overall value.

When evaluating contract options, look at terms such as fill rates, substitution rules, shipping timelines and return policies. Substitutions may create workflow concerns if staff must adapt to unfamiliar products from ophthalmic medical device companies. A structured comparison of these terms can help clarify which agreements best suit your clinic’s needs.

Understand how agreements are organized

Some group purchasing agreements may organize products or service categories into different levels or groups. For instance, an agreement might place high-volume surgical supplies, such as sterile surgical packs or disposable drapes, in one category, while grouping less frequently used diagnostic items, such as specialized imaging accessories, in another. Reviewing how these levels are defined can help your practice choose an agreement that matches expected use patterns without overcommitting.

Maintain vendor scorecards

Vendor scorecards may help your team track delivery consistency, defect rates and other service considerations over time. Keeping a simple record of this information may support more informed discussions when agreements are renewed or adjusted.

3. Forecast Like a Clinic, Not a Warehouse

Forecasting based on recent procedure volume may give eye care practices clearer insights into real supply needs. Instead of relying on general estimates, review the last six to 12 months of clinical activity for a more realistic forecast.

Use procedure patterns to plan

Procedure data can offer an accurate picture of what your practice uses. Evaluating procedures like cataract surgeries, glaucoma visits, intravitreal injections and routine exams can help determine realistic reorder points. If patient volume increased seasonally in previous years, adjust orders for those same times to help reduce ordering stress.

Protect critical supplies first

Organizing supplies into critical (must-have) and flex (nice-to-have) categories can help simplify purchasing decisions. Examples of critical items include lenses or implants, sterile drapes, surgical packs and items required for injection visits. Flex items could include trial frames, non-sterile accessories or certain cleaning materials. Prioritize critical items to help protect your clinic’s procedure schedules from preventable disruptions caused by supply shortages.

Review inventory weekly

Weekly inventory checks can give your team a chance to catch small changes before they become urgent shortages. This routine review identifies shifting lead times or unexpected usage spikes. Consistent oversight can help your staff stay ahead of ordering needs.

4. Find Ophthalmic Industry Suppliers Before You Need Them

Alternate suppliers may help maintain stability when delays or shortages arise. Preparing a vetted list in advance means your team can make fast decisions when necessary.

Maintain one to two alternate suppliers

Because critical supplies can affect your practice's daily schedule, maintain at least one reliable alternate source for each major product category. Some practices may find that supply availability affects how they plan or prioritize their ordering routines. Using a backup list of alternate vendors may help reduce the risk of scheduling interruptions during unexpected shortages.

Validate equivalence early

Before selecting an alternate supplier, review product documentation, confirm regulatory compliance and assess packaging consistency. Consider testing a small batch of key items to ensure compatibility during procedures.

Use a rapid-switch checklist

A simple digital or printable checklist may help eye care staff transition if you need to switch suppliers. Your checklist could include updating ordering notes in your practice software, confirming lot tracking and verifying any changes in product handling.

5. Communicate Costs Without Losing Patient Trust

As we move into 2026, inflation is affecting patients and practices alike. Clear, supportive cost conversations can help patients understand their choices and feel confident about their care plans.

Train staff to explain lens and implant options

Patients benefit from straightforward explanations of standard and premium lens choices. Staff can help clarify differences in features, timelines and availability. This helps ensure patients feel informed before making decisions and can serve as a staff reminder to check inventory availability.

Offer financing options when premium choices are considered

Some patients consider premium lenses or implants for personal or lifestyle reasons. It may help to present all related services in one clear explanation so patients understand what is included.

When patients ask about flexibility, your team can explain that your practice offers patient financing options like the CareCredit credit card for financing specialty premium vision options.

Introduce cost conversations in a supportive way

Paying for out-of-pocket health and wellness expenses can be stressful since cost can impact the patient and provider journey.² Forty percent of patients say that deciding how to pay for these expenses is stressful, frustrating, challenging or confusing, according to Synchrony's Healthcare Journey Research Consumers and Providers report.²

Receiving clear cost information early in the process can help patients plan for upcoming care decisions.² This insight can guide your team in shaping supportive financial conversations that reduce uncertainty for patients.

Some patients appreciate flexible financing solutions for out-of-pocket costs. Tell patients how they can use CareCredit as a financing option, which may help them move forward with recommended care.*

Bringing It All Together: A Smart Spend for 2026

Rising supply costs and changing delivery timelines continue to influence purchasing in the ophthalmic industry. Practices can strengthen their purchasing strategies by reviewing supply pressures, evaluating group purchasing agreements, forecasting based on actual usage patterns and preparing alternate suppliers in advance. These steps help support scheduling stability, team readiness and patient experience. Coupled with supportive communication and patient financing options, including CareCredit, practices can help patients plan for care with confidence.

A Patient Financing Solution for Ophthalmologists

Cost may be a barrier to care for your current and prospective ophthalmology patients. You can help them manage the cost of the care they want or need by offering the CareCredit credit card as a financing solution. CareCredit allows patients to pay for their eye exams, LASIK, surgeries and other treatments over time while helping to enhance the payments process for your practice.

When you accept CareCredit, patients can see if they prequalify with no impact to their credit score, and those who apply, if approved, can take advantage of special financing on qualifying purchases.* Additionally, you will be paid directly within two business days.

Learn more about the CareCredit credit card as a patient financing solution for your ophthalmology practice or start the provider enrollment process by filling out this form.

Author Bio

Sarita Harbour is a freelance writer with more than 15 years of experience covering personal finance, consumer banking, small business banking and credit for online audiences. Her work has appeared on sites such as Forbes, TIME/MONEY, MSN, The Motley Fool, First Horizon Bank, Investopedia and more.

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