Industry Insider – Alcon

Describe your role at Alcon.

As Director of Market Development and Advisory Boards at Alcon, my role primarily focuses on being a strategic partner with our key opinion leaders in both optometry and ophthalmology, with a focus on glaucoma and dry eye. I spend a generous amount of time working closely with our marketing team and many organizations across both professions to ensure they are well educated on our products and our commitment to clinician and patient education.

What are the most common questions you get from optometrists about brinzolamide/brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic suspension 1%/0.2% (Simbrinza)/netarsudil ophthalmic solution 0.02% (Rhopressa)/netarsudil and latanoprost ophthalmic solution 0.02%/0.005% (Rocklatan)?

• Who is the ideal patient for these products?
• What is unique or different about rho kinase inhibitors compared with other medications?
• What are the most common questions I can expect patients to ask me about these products?
• What side effects should I expect from these medications?
• Compliance is one of my biggest challenges with patients; how can Alcon help us manage this challenge?
• What is the managed care coverage for these medications?

What would you say are the most important efforts Alcon is making to support optometrists?

We are deeply committed to supporting optometrists by providing tools, education, and resources to help them put their patients first. We also recognize the growing diversity in patient populations, and to address this, we’ve made product information available in multiple languages. This initiative helps optometrists better serve patients in their communities by improving the understanding of their disease and helping clinicians manage adherence to prescribed treatments.

Alcon is partnering closely with the American Academy of Optometry, American Optometric Association, Southern Council of Optometrists, Vision Expos, and organizations such as the Intrepid Eye Society, Eyes On Eyecare, Optometric Education Consultants, Optometric Glaucoma Society, and World Council of Optometry, while also supporting meetings such as MOD Live to ensure optometrists are supported in their clinical education for patients. We are also a close partner with the 50 states.

Lastly, we are continuing to invest in future optometrists, both students and residents, to drive clinical education for the next generation to enhance patient care.

Are there any company updates
you can share?

First and foremost, I recommend all those reading this column to visit www.AlconScience.com to see all the innovation happening at Alcon. One specific area that may interest many readers is our COMET studies, which involve a product in our pipeline.

Alcon is continuously working to address the evolving needs of patients and the optometrists who care for them. We’re particularly focused on advancing solutions that reflect the changes optometrists are observing in practice, such as increased screen use, environmental factors, and rising cases of chronic conditions such as glaucoma and dry eye.

I can’t share specifics, but I’m excited about the work we’re doing in the dry eye space. Our ongoing clinical studies are exploring novel solutions aimed at addressing the significant challenges patients with this condition face, and we look forward to sharing more as these developments progress.

Our commitment to innovation extends beyond products. We are also exploring ways to enhance the doctor-patient experience through digital tools and resources, ensuring that optometrists have what they need to provide the highest standard of care.

What book, movie, or work of art has had the biggest influence on you?

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie is the first book I read when I assumed a leadership role. I highly recommend it for anyone who manages a team or an optometry practice. It is all about putting people first.

Several years ago, I read Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth as I was building out a sales team. Multiple people had recommended it to me. It is fantastic and talks about how success isn’t just about talent, but a combination of passion and perseverance.

Thank you to Modern Optometry for allowing me to share my thoughts and some insider insights from Alcon with the optometry community! Be well.