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Independent optometry flourishes when doctors have the freedom to practice on their own terms—without feeling like they’re doing it alone. That belief is at the core of IDOC’s brand refresh, “Independent. Together.” In a recent Defocus Media conversation, hosts Dr. Darryl Glover and Dr. Jenn Lyerly spoke with Dave Brown, CEO of IDOC (Independent Doctors of Optometric Care), about the organization’s 25-year journey. Brown shared how IDOC’s unified brand, robust data tools, and comprehensive business services are helping private practice optometry become stronger, more connected, and better positioned for long-term growth.
Topics Covered
From 15 Doctors to a National Network
IDOC began as a 15-doctor roundtable founded by Dr. Mark Feder in Connecticut—an early recognition that independent doctors could accelerate their success by learning from one another. That study-group DNA still defines the organization: peer conversation, practical business education, and an emphasis on implementing what works in real practices.
Over the past decade, IDOC layered on capabilities that move beyond community into execution:
- Consulting & Advisory: Building on acquisitions like Prima, IDOC offers structured guidance for finance, operations, HR, and strategy.
- Data Access & Benchmarking: Every member receives access to GPN Edge at IDOC’s cost, enabling accurate reporting and peer comparisons to spot gaps and opportunities.
- Contact Lens Performance: Programs such as IDOC Select and IDOC Vantage help practices track and grow the contact lens business based on share and momentum—not guesswork.
- Books & Benchmarks: IDOC’s team closes the monthly books and delivers benchmarked dashboards so owners can manage by numbers instead of gut feel.
- Optometry Marketing Services: Websites, SEO, and patient acquisition programs designed for independent brands.
As Dr. Lyerly notes on the podcast, the original roundtable energy lives on in today’s national schedule of in-person study groups and weekly virtual “Connected Conversations,” where doctors troubleshoot staffing, scheduling, and growth together.
What “Independent. Together.” Actually Delivers
Brand lines are only useful if they change outcomes. For Dave Brown, “Independent. Together.” signals two promises:
- Independent: Doctors maintain brand, clinical focus, and day-to-day decision-making—whether that’s myopia management, advanced dry eye, neuro-visual rehab, specialty contact lenses, or a heavy medical model.
- Together: Members gain the leverage of a larger collective—shared data, national vendor conversations, a dedicated independent lab (Three Rivers Optical under IDOC Labs), and a community that accelerates real-world implementation.
The refreshed, unified house-of-brands approach also makes it easier to find and use resources. Instead of scattered product names, services now sit clearly under the IDOC umbrella, improving discoverability on the website, in emails, and on social channels.
“Independent. Together. means there’s strength in numbers—and independence is your freedom to run the practice as you want.”
Private Equity Explained
Private equity can be a loaded topic in eye care. Dr. Lyerly asks directly how IDOC’s investment partners fit the independent narrative. Brown emphasizes that:
- IDOC remains IDOC—same CEO, same team, same doctor-first mission.
- The new capital is intended to expand services and education for independent owners, not to aggregate clinics or steer members toward a corporate retail agenda.
- The organization’s backers, including Sir Doug and Dame Mary Perkins (the optometrist entrepreneurs behind Specsavers), share a mission to improve access and outcomes through independent ownership.
The takeaway for owners is clarity: the structure is designed so IDOC can invest more in doctor-controlled tools—bookkeeping, benchmarking, data, marketing, an independent lab—without compromising the independence that members value.
Solving What Hurts: Staff, Time, and Growth
When Dr. Glover asks what keeps owners up at night, Brown narrows it to three recurring themes:
#1 Staff: Hiring, training, and retention remain the most persistent headaches. IDOC supports members with a multi-pronged approach—an HR help line for state-specific issues, structured onboarding/training resources, and staff-forward education at IDOC events so team members return motivated and certified.
#2 Time: Many owners still run payroll, categorize expenses, and even do social media after clinic hours. Offloading routine finance to Books & Benchmarks and demand generation to Optometry Marketing Services frees the doctor to focus on patient care, leadership, and prescribing from the chair.
#3 Growth: Competing on price is a race to the bottom. IDOC’s data stack (Edge + benchmarks), study groups, and specialty-care education help practices compete on outcomes and experience instead—shifting the conversation to differentiated services patients will happily choose and recommend.
Choosing an Alliance When You Value Independence
Alliances anchored inside large, vertically integrated companies can offer specific perks—but they may also juggle competing priorities beyond independent practices. IDOC positions itself differently: no competing constituencies and a singular focus on independent optometry. That structure underpins decisions like maintaining an independent lab, subsidizing data access, and offering no-contract membership (with a promotional six-month free period mentioned in the interview) so doctors can evaluate fit without long commitments.
How to Engage Doctors and Teams
- Start with the community: Join a local study group or a weekly Connected Conversations session to compare notes with peers.
- Switch on the numbers: Use Edge and Books & Benchmarks to manage monthly performance and track progress against real-world peers.
- Build durable demand: Align your website, reviews, and SEO with Optometry Marketing Services to lift new-patient flow and recall consistency.
- Bring staff into the room: Whether at The Connection or regional sessions, invest in training that returns to clinic as measurable change—updated intake scripts, new testing protocols, and clearer handoffs.
As Dave Brown frames it, IDOC aims to be the launching pad for the next generation of independent owners—helping clinicians move from intent to implementation without sacrificing autonomy.
