EyeCode Media

The Chris Wolfe Podcast: Why Most Omega-3 Products Fail and How Quality Makes All the Difference w/ Brittney Taylor

----------------------
For our listeners, use the code 'EYECODEMEDIA22' for 10% off at check out for our Premiere Billing & Coding bundle or our EyeCode Billing & Coding course. Sharpen your billing and coding skills today and leave no money on the table! questions@eyecode-education.com

https://coopervision.com/our-company/news-center/press-release/coopervision-and-aoa-join-forces-launch-myopia-collective

Go to MacuHealth.com and use the coupon code PODCAST2024 at checkout for special discounts 

Show Sponsors: CooperVision MacuHealth

AWP: The Invisible Team: How Dave Kading Built a Virtual Bench for a Better Practice (and a Better Life)

Aaron sits down with optometry leader, author, and podcast host Dr. Dave Kading to unpack The Invisible Team—a practical playbook for reducing burnout and building a sustainable practice through virtual support. They dig into the real pressure points hitting private healthcare (staffing shortages, missed calls, admin overload), how to lead your in-office team through change without fear, and why “going all in” with a virtual mindset is the difference between success and frustration. If your practice feels held together by duct tape and good vibes, this conversation is your roadmap to getting help, protecting culture, and getting home sooner.

Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Team-Unseen-Transforming-Patient/dp/B0G882YHVZ

Optometric Insights Media: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/optometric-insights-media/id1556159460

----------------------

Go to MacuHealth.com and use the coupon code PODCAST2024 at checkout for special discounts Let's Connect! Follow and join the conversation! Instagram: @aaron_werner_vision

 

The Chris Wolfe Podcast: Flourish, Not Hustle: What the Citywide Summit Exposed in Me

----------------------
For our listeners, use the code 'EYECODEMEDIA22' for 10% off at check out for our Premiere Billing & Coding bundle or our EyeCode Billing & Coding course. Sharpen your billing and coding skills today and leave no money on the table! questions@eyecode-education.com

https://coopervision.com/our-company/news-center/press-release/coopervision-and-aoa-join-forces-launch-myopia-collective

Go to MacuHealth.com and use the coupon code PODCAST2024 at checkout for special discounts 

Show Sponsors: CooperVision MacuHealth

AWP: The Secret to Practice Growth — A Conversation with Dr. Chandler Mann

Aaron sits down with Dr. Chandler Mann—homebound during a Texas freeze—to unpack how Chandler cold-started a Vision Source practice in December 2022 and scaled from ~$1M to $2M by year three. They dig into what actually drove the growth: community-first “active” marketing, hiring ahead of the curve, smart space constraints (and a buildout timed to paternity leave), expanding to six days with a part-time associate, and delegating dry eye treatments through a well-trained team. Along the way, they bust the “specialist” myth (myopia ≈5% of clinic time, dry eye ≈15%) and land on Chandler’s real advantage: humble curiosity, intentional leadership, and an office culture built around impact.

Key Resrouces Discussed:
iCare Advisors (https://icareadvisors.com/)
Vision Source (https://visionsource.com/)

 

----------------------

Go to MacuHealth.com and use the coupon code PODCAST2024 at checkout for special discounts Let's Connect! Follow and join the conversation! Instagram: @aaron_werner_vision

The Chris Wolfe Podcast: The Illusion of the Comprehensive Exam: Why We’re Missing the Patient to Serve the Plan

 

https://substack.com/@alexberenson

-------------------

For our listeners, use the code 'EYECODEMEDIA22' for 10% off at check out for our Premiere Billing & Coding bundle or our EyeCode Billing & Coding course. Sharpen your billing and coding skills today and leave no money on the table!

questions@eyecode-education.com

https://coopervision.com/myopia-management

Go to MacuHealth.com and use the coupon code PODCAST2024 at checkout for special discounts 

Show Sponsors: CooperVision MacuHealth

AWP: From Mission Bay to Monterrey: Christina Birkenroad’s Mindset Playbook

"Aaron sits down with pro soccer forward and author Christina Birkenroad to unpack the real journey behind the goals—from Mission Bay High School and Cal State Fullerton to the NWSL, Europe, and eventually becoming a key player for Rayadas de Monterrey and the Mexican national team. Christina shares what actually separates good from great: habits, resilience, mental toughness, and learning to handle the highs and lows of a public, cutthroat career. They dive into her book The Footballer’s Handbook and why it’s more than a soccer guide—it’s a blueprint for anyone chasing excellence, navigating burnout, and building a “champion mindset” in life and work

Get the Book: The Footballer's Handbook: A Player’s Journey: Lessons, Mindset, and Winning Moments (https://a.co/d/f43Bs9L)

Connect with Christina:
Instagram: @cburkyy
Cburkenroad19@gmail.com"

The Chris Wolfe Podcast: Do we really need to check blood pressure on every adult patient?

In this episode, Chris responds to a listener’s thoughtful question: “Do we really need to check blood pressure on every adult patient?”

What starts as a question about workflow becomes a much bigger conversation about how optometrists spend their time, what really changes patient outcomes, and how to break the habit of checking boxes just for compliance.

We unpack:

The clinical and administrative context behind routine BP checks

Why MIPS might not apply to your practice—and what that means

The opportunity cost of low-yield testing

How to rethink what “comprehensive” really means in your exam

The case for reclaiming time to do more of what matters

Bottom line: If it doesn’t change how you care for the patient, maybe it doesn’t belong in the exam.

📌 Want to explore ways to optimize your workflow and focus on high-value care?
Visit pppnow.com to learn how Practice Performance Partners can help elevate your practice.

 

-------------------

For our listeners, use the code 'EYECODEMEDIA22' for 10% off at check out for our Premiere Billing & Coding bundle or our EyeCode Billing & Coding course. Sharpen your billing and coding skills today and leave no money on the table!

questions@eyecode-education.com

https://coopervision.com/myopia-management

Go to MacuHealth.com and use the coupon code PODCAST2024 at checkout for special discounts 

Show Sponsors: CooperVision MacuHealth

AWP: Rebuilding Our Leadership Team with Working Genius (ft. Sophie Thune)

"Aaron kicks off 2026 with practice manager and Working Genius coach Sophie Thune to unpack what changed in the second half of 2025—when capture rates dipped and the “cracks” in systems and leadership became impossible to ignore. Together they break down Werner Optometry’s leadership team Working Genius map (Wonder → Tenacity), what’s missing (hello, Galvanizing), and how each genius is fueled—or crushed—by specific leadership behaviors. A practical, vulnerable conversation on communication, accountability, team dynamics, and rebuilding stronger for the year ahead.

Learn more and contact Sophie:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-thune
Email: sophie@goodlifeeyecare.com
EyeCodeEducation's ""Practice Culture Builder"" course (https://www.eyecodeeducation.com/courses/PracticeCultureBuilder)"

The Chris Wolfe Podcast: when does belief help us act, and when does belief get ahead of the data?

Episode Description
In this year-end episode, Chris Wolfe, OD takes a step back from protocols, products, and positioning statements to examine a more fundamental question in clinical care: when does belief help us act, and when does belief get ahead of the data?

Throughout the year, we’ve emphasized that belief during the comprehensive exam is what drives action. If doctors and teams do not truly believe something matters, it does not get prioritized. But belief has a failure mode. When belief outpaces evidence, especially in pediatric care, it can distort expectations, decision-making, and policy.

Using the FDA’s decision on low-dose atropine as a case study, this episode explores how belief forms, how it spreads, and where it may diverge from what the publicly available data actually show. This is not an argument against myopia management or atropine therapy. It is an attempt to slow the conversation down and examine effect size, study design, endpoints, and uncertainty with clarity and humility.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why myopia management itself is not the controversy, but certainty often is

How belief influences behavior in the comprehensive exam, for better and for worse

What the FDA actually said in its Complete Response Letter on SYD-101

How professional statements and press releases can amplify belief beyond available data

What the STAR trial poster does and does not show, including effect size and subgroup uncertainty

Why modest effect sizes behave differently in real-world clinical practice

How to think about dose, endpoints, and population selection without oversimplifying

Why belief should motivate action, but evidence should calibrate expectations

Key Sources Referenced in This Episode
FDA and Manufacturer Statements
Sydnexis Complete Response Letter Press Release
Sydnexis Receives Complete Response Letter from FDA for SYD-101 to Slow Pediatric Myopia Progression
https://www.sydnexis.com/news/sydnexis-receives-complete-response-letter-from-fda-for-syd-101

Sydnexis Phase III STAR Trial Topline Data Press Release
Sydnexis Announces Topline Pivotal Data from Phase 3 STAR Trial
https://www.sydnexis.com/news/sydnexis-announces-topline-pivotal-data-from-phase-3-star-trial

UK Approval Announcement (Based on STAR Data)
Sydnexis Announces UK Approval of Ryjunea by Partner Santen
https://www.sydnexis.com/news/sydnexis-announces-uk-approval-of-ryjunea

Professional Organization Statements
AAOMC Public Statement
AAOMC Calls for Access to Proven Myopia Therapies as Low-Dose Atropine Gains Global Approvals
https://aaomc.org

AAPOS Commentary on Nonapproval of SYD-101
Available via LinkedIn and Healio OSN

Clinical Commentary and Analysis
Kyle Klute, OD – Optometry Simplified
My Alternative Take on Atropine, Fast Progressors, and Effect Size (NNT Analysis)
https://optometrysimplified.com/posts/optometry-simplified-weekly-my-alternative-take-on-atropine-fast-progressors-in-glaucoma-lab-test-ordering-and-more

Strongly recommended for a detailed discussion of effect size and Number Needed to Treat. This episode references Kyle’s framework without reproducing his calculations.

Review of Myopia Management – Ashley Wallace Tucker, OD
What Does the FDA Decision on SYD-101 Mean for Eye Care?

Review of Optometry – Paul Karpecki, OD
Sydnexis Snubbed

Review of Optometry – Cory Lappin, OD
Optometric Physician Commentary on SYD-101

Healio OSN – Ed Wilson, MD and John Hovanesian, MD
AAPOS: Nonapproval of SYD-101 Has Important Implications

Why This Episode Matters
This episode is not about picking sides. It is about learning to sit in uncertainty without abandoning action. It challenges listeners to examine where belief helps patient care and where belief may unintentionally replace careful analysis.

If you manage myopia, counsel parents, interpret clinical trials, or influence policy, this episode is designed to help you think more clearly, not more loudly.

Connect and Continue the Conversation
If this episode resonated with you, or if you found yourself uncomfortable in parts of it, that reaction is worth exploring. Thoughtful medicine requires both conviction and restraint.

-------------------

For our listeners, use the code 'EYECODEMEDIA22' for 10% off at check out for our Premiere Billing & Coding bundle or our EyeCode Billing & Coding course. Sharpen your billing and coding skills today and leave no money on the table!

questions@eyecode-education.com

https://coopervision.com/myopia-management

Go to MacuHealth.com and use the coupon code PODCAST2024 at checkout for special discounts 

Show Sponsors: CooperVision MacuHealth

The Chris Wolfe Podcast: Transforming Dry Eye Treatment in Optometry

In this episode, Dr. Nicole Maldonado shares her journey in optometry, focusing on her practice in San Antonio and the integration of IPL technology for dry eye treatment. She discusses the importance of systematic approaches to patient care, the ROI of new equipment, and the significance of tracking patient outcomes. Dr. Maldonado emphasizes the need for courage in implementing new practices and the value of standardizing treatment protocols among practitioners. The conversation highlights the opportunities for optometrists to enhance their practices and better serve patients with dry eye conditions.

-------------------

For our listeners, use the code 'EYECODEMEDIA22' for 10% off at check out for our Premiere Billing & Coding bundle or our EyeCode Billing & Coding course. Sharpen your billing and coding skills today and leave no money on the table!

questions@eyecode-education.com

https://coopervision.com/myopia-management

Go to MacuHealth.com and use the coupon code PODCAST2024 at checkout for special discounts 

Show Sponsors: CooperVision MacuHealth

 

AWP: Are You Tying Your Shoes the Best Way?

"In this solo monologue, Aaron Werner reflects on a simple coaching lesson that became a framework for leadership, personal growth, and continuous improvement. As 2025 is coming to a close, this episode challenges listeners to stay curious, question habits, and find better, more efficient ways to work, train, and lead into 2026.

Terry Moor Ted Talk ""How To Tie Your Shoes"": https://youtu.be/zAFcV7zuUDA?si=vH_Gwq7pqr6VDzqI"

 

-----------------------

Go to MacuHealth.com and use the coupon code PODCAST2024 at checkout for special discounts Let's Connect! Follow and join the conversation! Instagram: @aaron_werner_vision

The Chris Wolfe Podcast: The Mission that holds it all together

-------------------

For our listeners, use the code 'EYECODEMEDIA22' for 10% off at check out for our Premiere Billing & Coding bundle or our EyeCode Billing & Coding course. Sharpen your billing and coding skills today and leave no money on the table!

questions@eyecode-education.com

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdEt3AkIpRrfNhieeImiZBF5lYRIR2aAsl7UqWJ_m2GV6OKEA/viewform?usp=header

https://coopervision.com/our-company/...

Go to MacuHealth.com and use the coupon code PODCAST2024 at checkout for special discounts 

Show Sponsors: CooperVision MacuHealth