Is optometry too focused on specialty services? A discussion with Dr. Kyle Klute

What if the pressure to add specialty services is distracting you from the value already sitting inside your practice?

In this episode of 20/20 Money: The Business of Optometry, Adam is joined by Dr. Kyle Klute for a thought-provoking conversation about specialization, comprehensive eye care, and the growing pressure practice owners may feel to purchase new technology or build a niche service line.

Kyle explains why labeling dry eye, myopia management, glaucoma, and other areas as "specialties" can unintentionally allow optometrists to treat them as optional. Instead, he argues that ODs are uniquely trained and positioned to manage a broad range of their patients' eye and vision needs through comprehensive primary eye care.

They also discuss why the patient and the clinical protocol should come before the equipment purchase. Rather than buying an expensive device and hoping to create demand, practice owners should first establish consistent diagnostic triggers, treatment protocols, follow-up systems, and a proven flow of patients who would benefit from the technology.

The conversation ultimately moves beyond specialty services and into a deeper question: Who are you professionally, and what role do you want to play in your patients' lives?

In this episode:

Why Kyle believes specialization in optometry may be overrated

The difference between comprehensive care and a specialty-service mindset

How equipment FOMO can create expensive "doorstops" in a practice

Why protocols and patient demand should come before purchasing technology

The unique value optometrists provide that other eye care professionals may not

How professional identity and confidence influence clinical and business decisions